BROOKLYN, NY–At age 48, Bernard Hopkins won the IBF Light Heavyweight title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Tavoris Cloud at Barclays Center
After a first round of absolutely nothing, the action picked up in round two started trading good shots with Cloud focusing on the body and Hopkins landing some solid combinations. Cloud focued more on the bidy early because his shots upstairs were wild and Hopkins was able to avoid them with ease. Hopkins started to control the action with his patented combinations and slick defense. In round six, a butt caused a cut over the left eye of Cloud that was later checked out by the ringside doctor.
The fight went on, and the few and far between times that Cloud tried to mount any offense it either wasn’t sustained or extremely ineffective. Hopkins continued to land some terrific combinations that drew ooohs and ahhs from the assembled crowd inside Barclay Center.
Hopkins was never threatened down the stretch and won by scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112 to raise his 1st ballot Hall of Fame mark to 53-6-2. Cloud is now 24-1.—–More to come
Welterweight prospect Keith Thurman scored a twelve round unanimous decision over former titlist Jan Zaveck.
Thurman came out boxing and landed a nice hook in round one. Thurman continued to land blistering power shots in the second frame. Thurman continue to mix up the power shots on the former champion and was dominant with the exception of a nice overhand right that Zaveck landed in round six.
The second half of the fight started as more of the same with Thurman controlling the rounds. Thurman had a big round ten as he rocked Zaveck several times with hard combinations. The two fought hard down the stretch but Thurman was never in any serious danger.
Thurman, 145 lbs of Clearwater, FL is won by scores of 1201-08 on all cards. Zaveck, 146.6 lbs of Slovenia is now 32-3.
Michael Perez and Lonnie Smith battled to a technical draw after a headbutt opened up a cut over Perez forehead and the bout had to be halted in the seventh round of a ten round Lightweight bout.
Perez dropped Smith with a perfect left uppercut in round two. Smith came back in the round to land solid left uppercut and and left hook. Perez was bleeding from the left eye while Smith was bleeding heavily from the mouth. In round four, Perez started bleeding from his forehead but then rocked Smith with an uppercut on the inside. Late in round six, a nasty cut formed on the right side of Perez’s head. That cut was ruled by a headbutt after originally being ruled by a punch. Scores were 67-65 Perez while two judges ruled 66-66
Perez, 136 lbs of Newark, NJ is 18-1-2. Smith, 135.6 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is now 14-4-3.
Eddie Gomez scored a sensational 1st round stoppage over Javier Gomez in a sheduled six round Jr. Middleweight bout.
Eddie drilled Javier with a nasty left hook that rocked Javier. Eddie finished the fight with another vicious left hook that sent Javier down. When he got to his feet referee Arthur Mercante Jr. stopped the bout at 1:17
Eddie Gomez, 152 lbs of Bronx, NY is now 13-0 with 9 knockouts. Javiier Gomez, 153.4 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 14-11
2012 U.S. Olympian Marcus Browne made quick work of Josh Thorpe as he scored a first round stoppage in a sxheduled four round Light Heavyweight bout.
Browne battered Thorpe all over the ring for the first round until a huge uppercut sent Thorpe down. Browne then landed eight straight hard blows that forced referee Pete Santiago to stop the bout at 2:42 of round one.
Browne, 175.6 lbs of Staten Island, NY is now 3-0 with all wins coming early. Thorpe, 175.4 lbs of Cincinnati, OH is 1-3.
Exciting Jr, Middleweight prospect Frank Galarza scored an explosive 2nd round stoppage over Guillermo Ibarra in round two of a scheduled six round bout.
Galarza rocked Ibarra with hard shots in round one. He dropped Ibarra in round two from a hard right hand. Galarza sealed the deal with a thunderous combination that was punctuated with a hard left hook and referee Arthur Mercante Jr. stopped the bout at 2:19 of round two.
Galarza, 153.4 lbs of Brooklyn is now 9-0-1 with 5 knockouts. Ibarra, 153 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is now 7-2
Claude Staten Jr. made A successful pro debut with a four round unanimous decision over Mike Hill in a Super Bantamweight bout.
Staten dropped Hill in round one from a right hand and cruised home from there on out.
Staten, 122 lbs of Brooklyn won by scores of 40-35 on cards. Hill, 121 lbs of New Orleans is 0-2.
Stivens Bujaj hung on to score a four round unanimous decision over Zeferino Albino in a Cruiserweight bout.
Bujaj controlled the bout bu landing the harder blows over the first three-plus rounds until Albino drilled Bujaj with a hard left hook the set off a furious exchange in the corner.
Bujaj, 201 lbs of New York won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 9-0. Albino, 201 lbs of Philadelphia is 4-16-3
