HIGHLIGHTS:
-Isaac Cruz kayos Nestor Bravo in a WBC interim super lightweight title defence and there are wins for Daniel Blancas, Marco Verde and Eumir Marcial
-Cristian Zarza retains the European bantam title with a stoppage of Salvatore Contino.
-Pat Brown knocks out John Hedges in defence of the IBF Inter-Continental and WBA International titles and wins the vacant British and Commonwealth cruiserweight titles and there are wins for Shabaz Masoud, Mark Jeffers and Cory O’Regan
-Jonathan Kogasso outpoints Kevin Ramirez to win the vacant WBC International Bridgerweight title.
-Diana Fernandez outpoints Clothilde Del Ben for the vacant interim WBC super-fly title.
MAJOR SHOWS:
SEPTEMBER 19
SAN DIEGO, CA. USA: SUPER LIGHT: ISAAC CRUZ (29-3-2) W KO 6 NESTOR BRAVO (24-2). SUPER MIDDLE: DANIEL BLANCAS (16-0) W KO 7 SERGIO JIMENEZ (17-2-1). MIDDLE: MARCO VERDE (7-0) W TKO 5 GUILLERMO HERNANDEZ(7-1). MIDDLE: EUMIR MARCIAL (8-0) W TKO 3 OMAR HUERTA (15-2-1). SUPER MIDDLE: LAZARO LORENZANA (22-0) W PTS 8 MARCOS VAZQUEZ ( 21-3-1, 1ND).
Cruz vs. Bravo
CRUZ knocks out BRAVO in a fight ruined by the constant fouling by Bravo. The spoiling/dirty work from Bravo started in the first round as the 5” smaller Cruz forced his way inside only for Bravo to clinch repeatedly and be warned twice for holding. Cruz got through with a left and Bravo went down. Not a heavy knockdown but after the count Cruz connected with a left hook and Bravo held and wrestled Cruz to the canvas and was given another warning. Bravo scored with a couple of body punches in the second but then held again and slammed Cruz to the canvas being deducted a point. Cruz was the only one fighting in the third as Bravo just committed one foul after another including low blows. Cruz landed a right at the start of the fourth but Bravo held and then wrestled Cruz to the floor again resulting in another point deduction. Cruz got through with left hooks and Bravo held again. The referee warned Bravo that he was close to being disqualified but as Cruz scored repeatedly with hooks in the fifth Bravo continued to hold and wrestle. A left hook floored Bravo in the sixth and he chose to just sit out the count. Cruz was defending the WBC interim super lightweight title for the second time and called out WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia and Garcia made it clear it was a fight he was interested in. Cruz had drawn with Lamont Roach in his first defence of the WBC interim title, a fight in which ,ironically, a point deduction cost Cruz the victory. This was a horrible display by Puerto Rican Bravo who had lost on points against 36-year-old South African Xolisani
Ndongeni in March 2025 but restored some of his reputation with a second round kayo of Pedro Campa in January
Blancas vs. Jimenez
BLANCAS gets win No 16 as he stops JIMENEZ in seven rounds. Blancas had everything going for him in this fight. At 6’3” with a 75 “ reach and being 14 years younger it looked as though it would be an easy night for the fighter from Milwaukee. It turned out a bit different as Jimenez forced Blancas fight hard for his win. Jimenez made an enterprising start outworking Blancas and applying pressure. Blancas began to roll from the second making use of his longer reach and targeting Jimenez’s body. Blancas continued to boss the action slowing Jimenez with his body punches and scoring with hooks. Jimenez just soaked up the pressure and the punishment and kept fighting back. The doctor examined Jimenez at the start of the seventh but Jimenez was adamant he wanted to continue. Blancas poured on the punches and with Jimenez pinned against the ropes and unable to fight back the fight was stopped. Blancas, 25, makes it 8 inside the distance wins. After drawing his first fight Jimenez scored 15 wins in a row before losing to 20-1 Deon Nicholson in 2024. He was inactive in 2025 so this was only his second fight in two years.
Verde vs. Hernandez
Olympian VERDE keeps his 100% record but has to suffer a count before stopping HERNANDEZ in the fifth. Verde dominated the action from the start. He was piecing Hernandez guard with southpaw jabs and raking Hernandez’s body with hooks from both hands. He was pivoting away from Hernandez’s punches then using his superior hand speed and variety of punches to stay in command. Verde was finding it an easy fight-perhaps too easy. As he stood in front of Hernandez in the third throwing punches Hernandez fired a couple of counters and then landed a straight right that dumped Verde on his rump. He was not hurt and after the count he made Hernandez pay with a selection of hard punches to head and body. The variety and accuracy of Verde’s punches over the fourth and fifth gradually broke down Hernandez and although there were no knockdowns the referee stopped the fight in the fifth to save Hernandez from further punishment. Verde, 24, won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics and gold at the Pan American Games and Central American Games making him one of Mexico’s most successful amateur boxers. He has great skills and some power but is yet to be really tested. Hernandez, a Canadian, was a late choice as an opponent and was outclassed.
Marcial vs. Huerta
MARCIAL crushes HUERTA in three rounds. In the first Huerta was circling the perimeter of the ring looking to use his longer reach and smart movement to hold Marcial off but Marcial was quickly able to close the distance and land bursts of punches. Marcial continued to hunt Huerta down in the second. Huerta circled the ring firing counters but Marcial was driving forward landing punches to head and body with Huerta firing counters but lacking the power to keep the Filipino off. Huerta looked confident in the third dropping his hands and swaying away from Marcial’s punches. He then darted forward but overreached and Marcial launched a lightning-quick right to the head that sent Huerta down on his back and he was counted out. Marcial was a very successful amateur winning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games and at the Asian Games but did not medal at the Paris Olympics. Huerta’s previous loss came on points against Vito Mielnicki in April.
Lorenzana vs. Vazquez
LORENZANA makes it 22 wins as he takes a majority decision over VAZQUEZ. Lorenzana had more trouble than expected in getting past Vazquez. At 36 and losing 2 of his last 3 fights inside the distance Vazquez did not look a big ask for Lorenzana. In the event the southpaw stance and some grit and skill from Vazquez posed problems for Lorenzana so a good learning fight for the Californian. He won the majority decision on scores of 79-73, 78-74 and 76-76 but Lorenzana looked a clear winner
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: CRUISER: PAT BROWN (7-0) W KO 6 JOHN HEDGES (12-1). FEATHER: SHABAZ MASOUD (16-0) W PTS 10 CKARI MANSILLA (19-5). SUPER MIDDLE: MARK JEFFERS (21-2) W PTS 10 KIERON CONWAY (23-5-1. LIGHT: CORY O’REGAN (16-1) W PTS 10 JOE HOWARTH (15-3) . MIDDLE: TOM RAFFERTY (18-0) W KO 2 LIAM WALSH (9-2-2). SUPER WELTER: GARAN CROFT (7-0) W TKO 1 MOHAMMED GRAICH (12-7-1)
Brown vs. Hedges
In a power show BROWN hunts HEDGES down and finishes it with two knockdowns in the sixth.
Hedges made a good start with plenty of movement establishing his southpaw jab early and looking to use his height to keep the fight at distance. Brown was trying to get inside and already targeting the body of Hedges. He was warned for being careless with his head but seemed to hurt Hedges with a body punch in the second. Brown was upping the pressure methodically in the third was again going to the body. Hedges continued to box cleverly on the back foot and the fight seemed to be about level after three rounds. The fourth was another close round but the power in Brown’s body punches was beginning to give him control and Hedges was having to fight hard to stay competitive. Brown had a strong fifth. He was doing a better job of cutting off the ring and was getting through with rights with Hedges having trouble keeping Brown out. Brown was again warned about his head but landed well to the body and connected with a hurtful uppercut late in the round. Brown was landing heavily in the sixth and Hedges was under plenty of pressure and showing signs of buckling under Brown’s fierce attacks. A left hook to the body dropped Hedges but he was quickly up on his feet. After the eight count Brown forced Hedges to the ropes and connected with two left hooks to the body and Hedges went down to his hands and knees and was counted out.
Brown was defending the IBF Inter-Continental and WBA International titles and wins the vacant British and Commonwealth titles. The 26-year-old 2024 Olympian gets his seventh win by KO/TKO. He is No 5 with the IBF and 11 with the WBA. Hedges just lacked the power to match Brown.
Masoud vs. Mansilla
Fighting at featherweight SHABAZ takes a wide unanimous decision against overmatched MANSILLA. Shabaz weas streets ahead of the Argentinian in skill and speed and it was an easy fight for the former IBO and European super bantamweight champion. Mansilla was never able to put Shabaz under sort of pressure but was never really in trouble himself at any time. It was like paid sparring as Shabaz showcased his excellent skills in every round and the only way he was going to get anything out of this fight was through a spectacular show of power-and that was absent. The three judges all scored it 100-90 for Shabaz who picked up the vacant IBF Inter-Continental and WBA International titles to replace the IBO and EBU super bantamweight titles he never defended. He is No 5 super bantam with the WBC, 8 with the WBO and No 6 feather with the IBF. Mansilla had scored a shock kayo win over 19-0 Dylan Price last year so he looked a danger on paper but he never came near causing an upset here.
Jeffers vs. Conway
JEFFERS outpoints CONWAY in a British title eliminator. There was little time spent in sizing each other up as both were looking to trade punches from the start. Both had some success in the first with Jeffers’ speed making the difference. The second was a big round for Jeffers. With Conway pinned against the ropes Jeffers connected with a booming right that shook Conway. He then blazed away with shots from both hands until a badly shaken Conway managed to escape. Jeffers built on that big round to outscore Conway in the third attacking hard and putting Conway under constant pressure. Conway finally began to get his jab working late in the fourth and upped his work rate and bloodied Jeffers’ nose to edge a close fifth. Jeffers rebounded to take the sixth with some accurate jabbing but Conway then put his jab to good use in the seventh snapping Jeffers’ heads back a few times. Jeffers swung things back his way in the eighth scoring well at distance and digging in hooks inside. The ninth was the best round of the fight. A combination from Conway rocked Jeffers but Jeffers came on late in the round connecting with a right that shook Conway. It was a close round that Jeffers just seemed to have taken but it could have been scored either way. Both went for broke in the last with Conway landing the harder shots but Jeffers outworking him. Scores 97-93 twice and 96-94 for Jeffers. He was moving back down to super middle having lost to Willie Henderson at light heavyweight in October. Conway was coming up in weight having lost nhis British and Commonwealth titles against George Liddard also in October.
O’Regan vs. Howarth
O’REGAN wins the vacant English title with a decision over HOWARTH. Southpaw O’Regan came in as a substitute here but proceeded to box his way to victory. Fighting mainly on the back foot he was just too quick and too clever for Howarth. After a couple of the early rounds were close Howarth just could not put enough pressure on the mobile O’Regan to be a threat and O’Regan won on scores of 98-92 twice and 99-91. O’Regan had been stopped in five round by Jack Rafferty in a challenge for the Commonwealth title in April last year and this was only his second fight since then. Howarth had lost to Giorgio Visioli for the same title in December
Rafferty vs. Walsh
RAFFERTY scores va spectacular second round kayo of WALSH. A lively start saw both boxers testing their jab and Rafferty looking to be a bit quicker and landing some sharp left hooks. Rafferty staggered Walsh with a left and a right late in the round and then pinned Walsh against the ropes and bombarded him with punches. Walsh came off the ropes and tried to hold but Rafferty shook him off and he went down. It looked like a push but the referee gave Walsh a count and the bell rang. Walsh tried to hold Rafferty off with jabs in the second but Rafferty unleashed a horrendous right that sent Walsh into the ropes and down to the canvas out cold. It was a brutal knockout and it was some time before Walsh recovered. Eighth win inside the distance for Rafferty. Ireland’s Walsh suffers his second loss in a row by KO/TKO.
Croft vs. Graich
CROFT stops overmatched GRAICH in the first round. Croft was jabbing strongly and letting fly with rights from the start. He had Graich backing up and landed a solid left hook to the body. Graich launched a half-hearted attack and Croft landed two more overhand rights and drove Graich to the ropes. He then unleashed a torrent of punches sending Graich into a corner and unloaded punches on Graich until the referee came in to save the Moroccan-born Italian. All over in 76 seconds
SEPTEMBER 18
METZ, FRANCE: LIGHT: JAOUAD BELMEHDI (23-3-4) DREW 8 MACE RUEGG (12-1-1). BANTAM: IBRAHIM BOUKEDIM (7-0) W PTS 8 ERICK LOPEZ (10-1-10.
Belmehdi vs. Ruegg
BELMEHDI and RUEGG fight to a majority draw.
Ruegg was having his first fight for 18 months but no sign of ring rust and he looked to have outscored Belmehdi over the first four rounds. Belmehdi came on strong over the closing rounds but it was questionable as to whether he had done enough and Ruegg looked unlucky not to get the verdict. Scores 76-76 twice and 77-75 for Ruegg. Impressive performance by Ruegg against a much more experienced opponent. Belmehdi had lost only one of his first 27 fights and was coming off losses to good quality opposition in Can Xu and Josh Padley.
Boukedim vs. Lopez
BOUKEDIM retains the WBC Youth title as he outpoints Mexican LOPEZ. Boukedim made a good start letting his punches go early and he dropped Lopez in the fourth. The smaller Mexican picked up the pace from the fifth and had a good sixth but Boukedim finished strongly to take the decision on scores of 79-72, 78-73 and 77-74. First title defence for Boukedim. Lopez had a nine-bout winning streak going into this one.
CARBONIA, ITALY: BANTAM: CRISTIAN ZARA (18-2) W TKO 9 SALVATORE CONTINO (11-).
ZARA retains the European title with a stoppage of fellow-Italian CONTINO. Zara bossed the fight from the start choosing to box as a southpaw rather than his usual orthodox stance. He also had edges in height and reach over the 5’2 ½” ” Contino and used those advantages cleverly. Contino struggled to really put Zara under any sustained pressure and it looked as though Zara was on the way to a comfortable points victory. Contino had shown some fire over the seventh and eighth but in the ninth Zara landed a right uppercut and then followed with three more uppercuts which sent Contino down heavily. Contino made it to his feet but was very shaky and when Zara landed a series of punches the referee stopped the fight. First defence of the European title for Zara and ninth win on the trot. Contino had lost in a previous shot at the vacant Silver title.
SEPTEMBER 19
BRAMPTON, CANADA: WELTER: CODY KELLY (9-10-3) W PTS 10 HELMAND ALEKOZAI (16-2).
KELLY retains the Canadian title with a unanimous decision over ALEKOZAI. A great start for Kelly as he dropped Alekozai in the first then went on to emerge a deserved winner on scores of 96-93 twice and 97-92. Southpaw Kelly, 38, was defending the title for the first time having previously held the super welterweight title. He is slowing edging towards having a positive record after having won only 4 of his first 16 fights. Second unsuccessful shot at a Canadian title for Alekozai having previously lost to Mark Smither for the super light title.
ACCRA, GHANA: SUPER FLY: THEO KPAKPO ALLOTEY (15-0) W PTS 12 FACUNDO GARCIA (6-3-2). LIGHT: SAMUEL TAKYI (9-0) W TKO 2 STEVEN BAGWASI (9-3).
Allotey vs. Garcia
ALLOTEY beats Argentinian GARCIA in what is billed as a WBA title eliminator. Allotey scored a knockdown in the first round and went on to win every round with the three judges all carding it 120-107. Allotey, who holds the WBO Global title, was rated No 15 by the WBA with Garcia No 10.
Takyi vs. Bagwasi
TAKYI preserves his 100% record of inside the distance wins with a second round victory over BAGWASI. A combination finishing off with a body punch floored Bagwasi and he was unable to beat the count. Takyi, 25, won a bronze medal at nthe Olympic Games in 2022 and turned professional but then ducked back into the vest wearing ranks to win a gold medal at the All African Games and compete unsuccessfully at the the 2024 Olympic Games. He is yet to go past the third round for a win. Botswanan Bagwasi won the super feather title of the now defunct WBF in 2020 but was inactive in 2023 and 2024 and his last fight was in September last year.
SARDINIA, ITALY: BRIDGERWEIGHT: JONATHAN KOGASSO (20-0) W PTS 10 KEVIN RAMIREZ (12-1-2).
KOGASSO wins the vacant WBC International bridgerweight title as he outpoints tough Argentinian RAMIREZ. Kogasso was quicker and a better technical boxer with Ramirez relying on pressure and bursts of aggression. After a steady start in the first Kogasso controlled the fight. Ramirez kept marching forward and Kogasso met him with an array of quality punches connecting with some eye-catching uppercuts and hurtful body shots. Ramirez won an occasional round just by sheer unrelenting pressure but never really threatened Kogasso’s dominance and Kogasso won on scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. The Congolese-born Italian, the current holder of the EBU cruiserweight title, will probably drop back to cruiserweight now. Ramirez won the WBC Grand Prix heavyweight tournament in Riyadh
CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO: SUPER FLY: DIANA FERNANDEZ (37-4-1) CLOTHILDE DEL BEN (11-43). Local favourite FERNANDEZ wins the WBC title as she outpoints France’s DEL BEN. Fernandez’s experience showed early as she exhibited some clever defensive work and threw lots of lead rights against the southpaw Del Ben. Fernandez aggression put Del Ben on the back foot and the French woman’s task became harder when she was cut on the forehead in a clash of heads in the second round. The blood was trickling down Del Ben’s forehead and into her right eye throughout the fight. Fernandez kept marching forward throwing punches with Del Ben willing to stand her ground and fire back. Fernandez experience again showed in the way she targeted Del Ben’s body. Del Ben fought bravely but could not match Fernandez’s work rate and Fernandez was a good winner on scores of 99-90, 98-90 and 96-92 with both being docked a point for infractions. Fernandez reportedly became the first world champion born in Juarez (who cares if it is only an interim title?). Del Ben fought hard all the way despite the experience gap and the handicap of the cut.
WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA: FLY: FILEMON NGHUTENANYE(15-1-2) W RTD 4 BERLAND ROBLES (13-2-1). WELTER: ABED SHIKONGO (13-1-1) W KO 1 ISRAEL KAMMWAMBA (15-18-2): BANTAM: JONATHAN KASHEETA (10-1) W TKO 5 ALLY NGWANDO (12--2).
Nghutenanye vs. Robles
NGHUTENANYE wins the vacant WBO Global title when Filipino ROBLES retires at the end of the fourth round. After a couple of close rounds the action picked up in the third with both landing some useful shots. Nghutenanye looked to be getting on top in the fourth and unfortunately Robles did not come out for the fifth round saying he had injured his right hand in the first. Nghutenanyelost to Tanzanian Mchanja Yohana for this same title in May last year. Robles had been beaten on a split decision by Alvin Magramo in October.
Kasheeta vs. Ngwando
KASHEETA halts Tanzanian NGWANDO in the fifth. Southpaw Ngwando put Kasheeta down in the first but Kasheeta saw out to round and then took over. He had the upper hand over the next three rounds then put Ngwando on the floor in the fifth. Ngwando made it to his feet but the referee stopped the fight. Kasheeta wins the vacant WBO African title.
EKATERINBURG, RUSSIA: IVAN KOZLOVSKY (14-0) W PTS 10 LUIS ARCON (17-1-1).
KOZLOVSKY outpoints Venezuelan ARCON to win the vacant IBF European title. Kozlovsky was on the front foot from the off rumbling forward using his strength to force Arcon on to the back foot. Arcon showed good skills but was not throwing enough punches and the strong Kozlovsky looked to have built a lead. The fight changed in the sixth with Arcon getting on the front foot and letting his punches go landing some snappy combinations. However Arcon began to tire and suffered a bad cut over his right eye. Kozlovsky was also cut over his right eye but proved the stronger over the finishing ounds. No scores available.
GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN: CRUISER: OSCAR AHLIN (28-3) W TKO 3 SAMULI KARKKAINEN (21-6).
AHLIN moves up to cruiserweight and wins the vacantNBA Global title with a third round stoppage of Finn KARKKAINEN. Ahlin put the tall Finnish southpaw down in the first but it was not a heavy knockdown. Ahlinbossed the action in the second and then shook Karkkainen with two left hooks in the third and with Karkkainen pinned against the ropes and not fighting back the referee came in to save Karkkainen. Ahlen, 36, had 14-bout-winning streak ended by a second round stoppage against Bohdan Sobol for the WBC Baltic light heavyweight title in November so the move up makes sense. Third loss in a row for Karkkainen and all three inside the distance.
BALTIMORE MD, USA: SUPER MIDDLE: LORENZO SIMPSON (17-3) W PTS 10 SHAWN McCALMAN (17-3). Southpaw SIMPSON gets a split decision over McCALMAN. Simpson won 97-93 on two card and McCalman 96-94 on the other. This was said to be for the WBA Continental Americas title but there was some confusion with Simpson’s weight given as 165 ½ lbs but there being questions over whether he made the weight. Simpson, a former US Youth champion, needed the win as he had slipped from 13-0 to a less splendid 3-3 in his last 6 fights. McCalman had lost a close decision to unbeaten Moreno Fendero in March.
OBSERVATIONS
- A) Interim titles are just a farce and an excuse for another sanctioning fee. How can the WBC justify calling the Cruz vs. Bravo fight as for an interim title. The theory was that the interim title would be used when a champion was unable to defend his title due to injury or similar. That’s what interim means except in stationing body speak. Cruz defended the interim title on 19 September and the real champion Dalron Smith defends the real title on 24 October so what justification is there for continuing to have an interim champion-other than another sanctioning fee. Why not revisit what Jose Sulaiman did and replace them with another name that is not a dishonest use of the English language as “interim” is.
- B) Another WBC interim title fight would have seen
Jesus Ramos defending the interim middleweight title against No 1 Meiirim Nursultanov. Ramos had to drop out due to the strain of making the weight. With that fight falling through the WBC still have as their No 1 in their middleweight rankings Meiirim Nursultanov who has not had a fight for almost three years and he has not been injured during that time but has chosen to be inactive to protect his rating. I hate to suggest that the WBC should have an interim for the No 1 position in their rankings as they might think it is a good idea and extended to all 40 of the fighters they rate in each division it would be a veritable cornucopia ( I admit I had to look that up) of sanctioning fees.
About the Author
Born in Scotland, Eric Armit started working with Boxing News magazine in the UK in the late 1960’s initially doing records for their Boxing News Annual and compiling World, European and Commonwealth ratings for the magazine. He wrote his first feature article for Boxing News in 1973 and wrote a “World Scene” weekly column for the magazine from the late 1970’s until 2004. Armit wrote a monthly column for Boxing Digest in the USA and contributed pieces to magazines in Mexico, Italy, Australia, Spain, Argentina and other countries. Armit now writes a Weekly Report covering every major fight around the world and a bi-weekly Snips & Snipes column plus occasional general interest articles with these being taken up by boxing sites around the world. He was a member of the inaugural WBC Ratings Committee and a technical advisor to the EBU Ratings Committee and was consulted by John McCain’s research team when they were drafting the Ali Act. He is a Director and former Chairman of the Commonwealth Boxing Council. Armit has been nominated to the International Boxing Hall of Fame the past two years (2019 and 2020) to which he said, “Being on the list is an unbelievably huge honour.”
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