Cruiserweight Ilunga Makabu (25-2, 24 KOs) scored a technical knockout in the fifth round over Dmitry Kudryashov (23-3, 23 KOs).
In the process, Makabu would win the vacant Silver Cruiserweight title of the World Boxing Council, at the Uralets Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
Makabu knocked Kudryashov down in the second round. He punished him with the referee intervening in a timely fashion, to stop the action in the fifth round.
This fight can be classified as one of the best so far this year, with plenty of lion-hearted action.
Artem Dalakian defended his flyweight crown of the World Boxing Association (WBA) against Sarawut Thawornkham with a technical knockout in the tenth chapter. A great atmosphere in the Parkovy Center, in Kiev, Ukraine, accompanied the exhibition of the local monarch, who had a difficult battle, but he resolved it in a great way.
The Thai challenger went to fight with the champion from the start. The combat was exchange in almost all its development. Dalakian was achieved with an aspirant who always wanted to take away the crown, which is why he had to use it thoroughly.
Although the Asian showed courage and was always looking for the fight. In the end, the referee had to stop the commitment to the punishment that he was proposing the fighter of Eastern Europe.
For Dalakian it was his third defense of the black belt and gold. Until now it has been one of his toughest matches. But he showed why he is champion of the organism with more tradition in the world.
Now, the Ukrainian has a record of 19 wins, no losses and 14 knockouts. Thawornkham, meanwhile, left his balance of 20 wins, 2 setbacks and 14 wins before the limit.
WBC female bantamweight champion Mariana ‘Barby’ Juarez retained her crown with a unanimous decision, defeating Diana ‘La Bonita’ Fernandez in a torrid ten round war that took place at the iconic ‘X’ of the Plaza de la Mexicanidad in the Fair of Ciudad Juárez 2019.
With willpower crackling in the night air both ladies decided to swop a lot of blows early on. In the opening round, Diana was the aggressor, surging forward.
But she was parried and countered with jabs and double jabs by Mariana. A couple of choice words were exchanged, after the bell rang, and Mariana momentarily moved back towards her rival in nettled annoyance.
In round two a classic left jab snapped back Diana`s head, so she retaliated with a big straight right to the head. Then Mariana landed a big left hook to the side of the face.
Diana started the third with a searing two fisted attack to be met with accurate left jabs, only to herself be caught with a cracking left hook to the head. So Mariana retaliated with two right hooks, and weathered another fearsome attack moments before the bell. More of the same intensity in round four. After the bell rang the two touch gloves in mutual and smarting respect.
In the fifth Mariana steadied herself. She was landing more frequently with markedly greater accuracy, offsetting Diana`s non-stop aggression. Two big rights from Mariana brought a slugfest response from Diana in round six. Diana connected with a hard right to the face of Mariana and a follow up left to the body.
By the eighth Mariana was advancing becoming the aggressor and Diana`s nose was bleeding. The onslaught continued in the ninth with Mariana launching a sustained attack. She sometimes took the risk of spreading her arms wide, inviting Diana to move forward and connect. In the final round, summoning everything she had left, Diana unleashed a terrific attack ending the final two minutes and the fight with a sweeping right uppercut.
EXPERIENCE
Aged 39 and in phenomenal shape. The experience, savvy, plus clever defense and punching landing accuracy of the champion gilt-edged the day against a youthful 24 year old challenger who never gave up.
The initial accounted scores were for Juarez with 39-37, 39-37 and 38-38. This caused Fernandez to adjust strategy, trying to apply more woe. But getting outboxed, more often as not.
The final score of the Judges was 97-94, 96-95 and 96-94 in an historic night for Ciudad Juarez.
Both hugged and congratulated each other for a truly superb fight. Which thrilled the large crowd.
