Newly crowned NABA Middleweight Champion Kassim Ouma spoke to 15rounds.com shortly after his title-winning sixth-round stoppage of Joey Gilbert at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno, Nevada on Saturday night. With the win, Ouma (27-7-1, 17 KOs) likely earned a world ranking with WBA, which could eventually lead to a fight against their champion Felix Sturm.


Watch Kassim Ouma Interview with 15rounds.com

RENO, NEVADA — Former junior middleweight titleholder Kassim Ouma scored a come from behind stoppage victory over Contender alum Joey Gilbert to announce his presence as a middleweight contender at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino on Saturday night. In a must-win fight for both, Ouma overcame a knockdown to quickly turn the fight in his favor and ultimately score the technical knockout to claim the vacant NABA Middleweight title.

Ouma (27-7-1, 17 KOs) of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States by way of Kampala, Uganda and Gilbert (20-3, 15 KOs) of Reno made the fight an inside fight at the outset. The style favored Gilbert, the harder puncher and bigger man. Gilbert smothered a fair amount of Ouma’s offense early on and flurried his opponent against the ropes to close a dominating opening round.

Gilbert, 160, landed a straight right counter that appeared to hurt Ouma, 158, in the second round. The former champion slowly picked up his work rate, and began to outwork Gilbert in some exchanges. There was great action late in the round, and it was Gilbert landing a few hard shots with Ouma against ropes to close the stanza.

Both fighters decided to stand and trade in the third. Ouma would land more often, but it was clearly Gilbert landing the harder shots. The fight continued to be fought on the inside through the third. By the sound of the bell, Gilbert’s face began to show the wear of Ouma’s continuous offense. Round four was the fight in microcosm. Gilbert continued to land a stiff straight right, but Ouma just kept his hands going, and was always coming forward.

In round five, Gilbert extended his apparent lead in the fight after landing with a grazing straight right that caught Ouma off balance, but counted as a knockdown. Ouma was clearly not hurt, and more or less tripped over his own feet, as Gilbert landed. Back-and-forth action closed out the round.

The fight, firmly in Gilbert’s grasp entering round six, quickly took a turn early in the round. Ouma came out of his corner on a mission, and forced Gilbert, cut and swollen, to the ropes with his aggression. With Gilbert covering up, Ouma unloaded with an unrelenting flurry until the Reno native fell to one knee. Undoubtedly ahead on the cards, despite the knockdown, Gilbert got to his feet, before signaling to referee Vic Drakulich that he could not continue. Shortly after the fight, Drakulich informed us ringside that Gilbert had told him he was seeing double.

Gilbert, who was immediately taken to a local hospital for observation, fought well, but ultimately wilted under Ouma’s pressure. Ouma, who claimed the WBA-affiliated NABA title, will likely see his name appear in that sanctioning body’s next rankings and should be in line for a meaningful fight not too far down the road. “I am going to stay at middleweight,” said the former IBF Light Middleweight Champion after the fight. “And I want that champion Felix Sturm. I am ready for it.” Felix Sturm, the reigning WBA Middleweight Champion, is a name that was mentioned by some of Ouma’s team in the aftermath of his victory last night.

Another fight on Ouma’s wish list is a shot at current IBF Light Middleweight Champion Cornelius Bundgrage. Bundrage scored a closely contested upset decision over Ouma back in 2008, before eventually taking the title from Cory Spinks. “Bundrage beat me, come on, put your belt on the line and I will fight you tomorrow,” Ouma told 15rounds.com. “I will crush him. It will not go six rounds like Gilbert.”

Super middleweight prospect Mark DeLuca returned to the ring, ending a two-year layoff with a second round knockout over Alex Rivera (2-4, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada. DeLuca (7-0, 5 KOs) of Whitman, Massachusetts joined the Marine Corps shortly after his last bout, which also took place in Reno.

Southpaw DeLuca, 167, dropped Rivera, 165, with a one-two combination early in the second round. DeLuca landed a straight left and a couple more in follow-up to drop Rivera again seconds later. Rivera gamely got up to his feet, but another straight left counter ended it in emphatic fashion. Referee immediately waved off the fight with the official time of 2:02 of the second.

In a heated battle of Reno-based pro debutants, Nelson Lopez (1-0) earned a hard-fought shutout decision over Bubba Dupree (0-1). Dupree, 180, had the better boxing skills, but he was out-slugged by the relentless Lopez, 176, for most of the fight. A wild first round featured two-way action early. Late in the round, Lopez caught Dupree with a shot that forced him to the ropes. In the last minute Lopez continued to swing away at a dodging Dupree against the ropes. Dupree threw just enough punches and held just enough to not get stopped.

After a second round that was slow by comparison to the first, Lopez continued to land the cleaner punches, eventually dropping Dupree with a straight right. Dupree slumped to his knees, but made it up before referee Vic Drakulich finished his count. The fourth heated up early, with Dupree boxing well. But as was the case anytime Dupree got into a rhythm, Lopez answered back. In the end, all three judges scored the bout for Lopez, 40-35 and 40-34 twice.

MMA

Jerel Clark (5-0, 1 KO, 3 Submissions) of Sparks, Nevada pleased his raucous supporters on hand with a second round submission over Jack Montgomery (9-9, 2 KOs, 7 Submissions) of Winnemucca, Nevada.

Montgomery, 170, was badly bloodied after taking a serious ground-and-pound beating for much of the first round. Clark, 170, maintained control of the fight in the second round, taking Montgomery to the ground. Eventually Clark forced a tapout with a rear naked choke at the time of 2:03 of the second.

Reno’s Joe Baros (3-5, 3 KOs) scored an explosive second-round knockout of Josh Rabedeaux (5-8, 1 Submission) of Phoenix, Arizona. Baros, 135, landed a swift high kick that landed clean on the head of Rabedeaux, 135, to procure the instant stoppage from referee Kim Winslow. Official time was 3:15 of the second round.

John O’Donnell (3-0, 2 KOs) of Fallon, Nevada scored a second-round knockout over John Corstorphine (6-4, 1 KO, 5 Submissions) of Sacramento, California in the night’s opener. O’Donnell, 171, punished Corstorphine, 173, with a vicious series of strikes on the ground. With Corstorphine unable to protect himself, referee Kim Winslow stopped the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 3:55 of round two.

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.

RENO, NEVADA — In an intriguing crossroads bout, Joey Gilbert will attempt to leap back into contention while defending his home turf against former titleholder Kassim Ouma at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino tonight. Their regional title clash headlines “Reno Xtreme Fights VI,” an evening of boxing and mixed martial arts. Fighters weighed in Friday at the casino’s Xtreme Sports Bar & Lounge.

Gilbert (20-2, 15 KOs) was a ranked middleweight by two of the major sanctioning organizations heading into a fight at this same venue three years ago. Despite scoring a quick knockout that evening, Gilbert would lose those rankings after his Nevada State Athletic Commission conducted post-fight drug test revealed the presence of banned substances. After a lengthy legal battle, Gilbert was cleared of all but one positive, which resulted in a one-year suspension. It has taken him three years, but Joey Gilbert finds himself one win away from making up for lost time and likely finding himself at the doorstep of a major fight.

Standing in Gilbert’s way is the most accomplished foe he has ever faced, in former IBF Light Middleweight Champion Ouma (26-7-1, 16 KOs) of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States by way of Kampala, Uganda. Ouma has dropped five of his last six fights, but two were split decisions and the last was a controversial defeat suffered at the hands of rising contender Vanes Martirosyan earlier this year. Ouma will also be stepping up to the middleweight division for only the second time in his pro career.

Both of these fighters, Ouma especially, are known to have a high work rates and solid chins. Considering their styles, this fight could turn out to be a corker, especially if Gilbert decides to utilize his size and strength advantage while standing his ground. The term “must win” is an often overused expression, but it applies to tonight’s fight. The winner of the bout will claim the vacant NABA Middleweight title, which is affiliated with the WBA. The new champion will likely see their name listed among the top fifteen middleweight contenders when the next WBA rankings are released. Gilbert weighed in at 160, while Ouma came in at 158.

In undercard action, super middleweight prospect Mark DeLuca returns to the ring after having joined the Marine Corps in 2008. DeLuca (6-0, 4 KOs) of Whitman, Massachusetts has not fought since scoring a first round knockout in Reno in June of 2008. Opposing DeLuca will be Alex Rivera (2-3, 2 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada in a four-round bout. DeLuca weighed in at 167-pounds, while Rivera came in at 165.

In a pairing of pro debutants, Bubba Dupree of Reno will take on Nelson Lopez, also of Reno, in a four-round light heavyweight fight. Dupree came in at 180-pounds, while Lopez scaled 176.

Mixed martial arts action will include a battle of locals, as Jerel Clark (4-0, 1 KO, 2 Submissions) of Reno will take on Jack Montgomery (9-8, 2 KOs, 7 Submissions) of Winnemucca, Nevada in a three-round middleweight fight. Both fighters weighed in at 170-pounds.

In the another MMA bout, Reno’s Joe Baros (2-5, 2 KOs) will take Josh Rabedeaux (5-8, 1 Submission) of Phoenix, Arizona in a three-round bantamweight fight. Baros scaled 135, as did Rabedeaux.

A late addition to the card, John O’Donnell (2-0, 1 KO) of Fallon, Nevada will take on John Corstorphine (6-3, 1 KO, 5 Submissions) of Sacramento, California in a three-round welterweight fight. O’Donnell came in at 171-pounds, while Corstorphine weighed in at 173.

Tickets for the event, promoted by Let’s Get It On Promotions, are available online at GrandSierraResort.com.

Quick Weigh-in Results:

NABA Middleweight Championship, 10 Rounds
Gilbert 160
Ouma 158

Super Middleweights, 4 Rounds
DeLuca 167
Rivera 165

Light Heavyweights, 4 Rounds
Dupree 180
Lopez 176

MMA Weigh-in Results:

Middleweights, 3 Rounds
Clark 170
Montgomery 170

Bantamweights, 3 Rounds
Baros 135
Rabedeaux 135

Welterweights, 3 Rounds
O’Donnell 171
Corstorphine 173

Photos by Mike Searson/Examiner.com

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.

The powerful rags to riches story of Kassim Ouma has been well publicized in print, television and most notably in a documentary feature film. Kidnapped at the age of six to be part of the National Resistance Army in Uganda, Ouma beat immeasurable odds to realize his dream of becoming a world champion at 25. Now a veteran 31-year-old, five years removed from his title reign, Ouma has set out to realize the dream a second time. His journey begins Saturday night, in an important crossroads bout against Joey Gilbert at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino in Reno, Nevada.

If one were to take a quick look at the official ledger of Ouma (26-7-1, 16 KOs) of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida by way of Kampala, Uganda, they may think he is a fighter on the decline. Ouma has dropped five of his last six contests and has not won a meaningful fight in over four years. But if you were to look a little deeper, you would notice that there is more to that story.

The first of those five losses was suffered at the hands of Jermain Taylor, who was defending his unified middleweight title. Ouma was coming up in weight, having never fought as a 160-pounder before, and was more or less overpowered by a larger, skilled fighter. “As you can see, since I fought Taylor he has been getting knocked down,” Ouma points out. “He has not been the same.”

Ouma’s next three losses take a little more explaining. Ouma at his best probably does not lose to Saul Roman or Gabriel Rosado, which he did in split decisions in 2007 and 2009 respectively. In his first fight after the loss to Roman, Ouma was upset by then-lightly regarded Cornelius Bundrage, who went on to claim a title from Cory Spinks earlier this year. “There were some fights that maybe I should have won, but maybe I was not prepared,” admits Ouma. “But now I am ready to do it again.”

Exhibit A that Ouma is in fact ready to do it again would be his last performance, a controversial decision defeat suffered at the hands of rising contender Vanes Martirosyan this past January. Ouma downed Martirosyan in round nine and it was the belief of many sitting ringside and watching on television that he deserved the nod on the scorecards. However, the judges gave him little credit and scored the fight wide for Martirosyan. “I have fights that I did not really lose, they were just controversial,” explains Ouma. “I don’t think they really beat me.”

For the fight against Martirosyan, his best performance in years, Ouma was trained by former world champion Livingstone Bramble, who is not training him for this fight. “We didn’t get along,” Ouma explains simply. “He was a good trainer, but we just couldn’t get along. I am with a different trainer, a different gym.” Ouma trained for this fight under the guidance of respected trainer Ruben Castanon out of the Capital Punishment Boxing Club in Riverside, California.

For this fight against Gilbert, Ouma is moving back up to the 160-pound middleweight division. The change seems to be a result of circumstance more so than a plotted path for the former IBF Light Middleweight Champion. “I was looking for fights all over everywhere,” says Ouma frustratingly. “I could not get nobody to give me a fight. Thanks to Joey for giving me this fight. This fight is big. If I win, I have decided that I am going to stay middleweight.” While making weight is not likely to be much of an issue for the career junior middleweight, Ouma did not alter his training regimen based on the elevated weight class. “It does not change my preparation,” claims Ouma. “I just train like I have been training, and just have more speed than ever.”

Much as was the case when he stepped up in weight to meet Taylor (his only other fight at middleweight), Ouma will be taking on a naturally larger opponent. Gilbert was a ranked middleweight three years ago and has been campaigning recently as a 168-pounder. In Gilbert’s last fight, he weighed in officially at 172-pounds, roughly fourteen pounds more than Ouma has ever weighed. Despite those facts, Ouma does not seem too concerned about any size or strength advantages Gilbert may have in the bout. “I don’t know [how it affects] him. I just know he has been a middleweight before, says Ouma. “It does not matter. We are just going to fight.”

Ouma has studied previous Joey Gilbert fights, but refuses to read too much into what he saw in the footage. “I think he is a tough guy, but watching him doesn’t mean he is going to bring it in the fight, because he is fighting a different cookie,” says Ouma. “When he fights me, he is not going to have the same plan.”

The outcome of Saturday’s fight, which is for the WBA-affiliated NABA Middleweight title, will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the career of both fighters. “I am focused on becoming champion of the world again. That is what I want,” says Ouma. “But right now I am just focused on Gilbert and that is it.” Should Ouma move past Joey Gilbert Saturday, fight fans ringside may have witnessed the beginnings of Kassim’s second dream run. No matter the outcome, Ouma has a promise. “The people are going to see Kassim Ouma back in the ring, bringing what I always deliver and I will deliver that night.”

Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.

Vanes Martirosyan survived a ninth round knockdown but built up enough of a points lead to win a ten round unanimous decision over former world champion Kassim Ouma at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The two put on a crowd pleasing fight which saw Ouma fight with spirit that he had not shown since his days as the IBF Jr. Middleweight champion over five years ago. Ouma was aggressive as he would be diving in while throw punches that left openings for Martirosyan to successfully counter effectively. Ouma landed some hard rights inside but Martirosyan landed the harder shots with his flurry of choice was a solid jab-right hand for which he used due to his decided height and reach advantage. In round four, Martirosyan buckled Ouma slightly with a solid right hand. Just seconds after that, the two fighters clashed heads which caused a cuts around the left eye of Martirosyam\n.

The fighters stood toe to toe on many occasions with an entertaining exchange at the end of round six. In round nine, Ouma landed a quick right hook during an exchange that sent Martirosyan to the canvas. Martirosyan jumped up quickly to show it was just a flash knockdown. In round ten both tried to close the show in dynamic fashion was Martirosyan getting the better of a hotly contested last thirty seconds of the fight.

Martirosyan, 153 lbs of Glendale, CA won by scores of 97-93, 97-93 and 97-92 to raise his record to 27-0. Ouma, 150 lbs of Palm Beach Gardens, FL via Uganda has now dropped five of six and is now 26-7-1.

Former twelve time national Golden Gloves champion, Jose Benavidez Jr. wasted no time showing off the talents that have made him one of Top Rank’s next big prospects as he dropped Steven Cox just seconds into their scheduled four round Super Lightweight bout which was the catalyst for a first round stoppage victory in his pro debut.

Benavidez, who is trained by Freddie Roach, landed a booming right that sent Cox to the seat of his pants. Cox got up and ate a few more barrages until referee Russell Mora stopped the bout at 1:21 of round one.

Benavidez, 138 1/2 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 1-0 with one knockouts. Cox, 139 lbs of Independence, MO is 1-1.

In an entertaining Jr. Lightweight affair, Diego Magdaleno remained undefeated with an eight round unanimous decision over Gerado Robles.

Magdaleno was quicker and landed the harder shots with the exception of round three where Robles landed some hard rights throught Magdaleno’s southpaw stance. Magdaleno rocked Robles with a pair of straight lefts in round seven and coasted home by winning by scores of 80-72, 78-74 and 78-74.

Magdaleno, 131 1/2 lbs of Las Vegas is now 13-0. Robles, 131 1/2 lbs of Kansas City, Kansas is now 9-9.