Amir “Hardcore” Mansour won the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) Intercontinental Heavyweight title on Friday night, December 2, at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, Delaware as he scored a sixth round stoppage over former world title-challenger Epifanio Mendoza from Columbia.
Rapidly building a reputation as one of the most spectacular heavyweights around, Mansour came out in his usual all-guns-blazing fashion in the first round, while Mendoza boxed defensively and tried to counterpunch when Mansour missed.
This pattern continued in the second, and Mansour quickly established that he was the stronger of the two as Mendoza was forced to use his legs more than his fists. Mansour hurt, and almost knocked down, Mendoza in rounds three and five, and at this point it looked as if the end was near.
Mansour was getting stronger as the fight progressed, while Mendoza was clearly tiring. The end came at 1:17 of the sixth, when Mendoza was caught in a corner taking several punches without being able to offer anything in return and his trainer threw in the towel to rescue his boxer.
With the victory Mansour improved his professional record to 16-0 (12), and continues his quest for a world title shot in the future. Mendoza dropped to 32-13-1 (28).
On the same night in Atlanta, Georgia, two new WBF North American Champions were crowned as Paul Delgado captured the vacant Super Welterweight title and Tyrese Hendrix took home the Welterweight strap on a show promoted by Sports Fan Properties, Shea Bailey Promotions and Delgado Boxing Promotions.
At the Georgia World Congress Center´s Thomas Murphy Ballroom, Delgado proved too classy for veteran Ruben Galvan and scored a shutout unanimous decision by scores of 100-89, 100-90 and 100-90. The former world-title-challenger is now 26-11-1 (4), and Galvan goes to 27-20-4 (10).
In a more competitive and closer contest, at least on the scorecards, Tyrese Hendrix was awarded a majority decision over tough campaigner Chris Gray. Judge Robert Ezor had them even at 95-95, but was overruled by Edward Kanner and Irwin Deutsch who had Hendrix ahead by 97-93 and 98-92 respectively.
As the new WBF North American champion Hendrix took his professional ledger to 21-3-1 (9), and Gray is now 13-17-1 (1). www.worldboxingfederation.net
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