Bethlehem, PA, USA: Middle: Antoine Douglas (18-0-1) W TKO 3 Istvan Szili (18-1-2). Middle: Arif Magomedov (16-0) W PTS 10 Derrick Webster (19-1). Super Middle: Derrick Webster (15-3) TKO 3 Jerry Odom (13-2). Super Bantam: Adam Lopez (13-0) W PTS 10 Eliecer Aquino (17-1-1). Middle: Rob Brant (16-0) W TKO 3 Ernesto Berrospe (10-8).
Douglas vs. Szili – Dazzling display of power from Douglas as he blows away unbeaten Szili inside three rounds. Douglas made good use of his speed extra height and reach in the first scoring with stiff jabs but Szili was competitive letting go some quick combinations. Szili was trying to put pressure on in the second by getting close trying to use his strength. Late in the round as they were trading punches Douglas cut loose with two left hooks, a right uppercut and a left hook. Szili backed up badly shaken but Douglas closed in with four clubbing rights to the side of the head that saw Szili slump face down on the canvas. He was up at seven and the bell sounded just as the referee completed the eight count. At the start of the second Douglas landed a hard left hook and another clubbing right and Szili went down again. He was up immediately and took the eight count but when it was completed Douglas walked over and landed a right and a left to Szili’s head and as he slumped to the floor the referee stopped the fight. The 22-year-old “Action” Douglas goes to 12 wins by KO/TKO and collects the vacant IBO Inter-Continental title. The draw on his record was an excellent fight with new European champion Michel Soro. He is rated WBA 11and deserves to be in the other three ratings as well. He was a top rated amateur but lost out at the final US Olympic Trials for a berth in London. He has family pressure as his sister Tyrieshia qualified for the US Women’s Boxing Team for 2012. Swiss-based Hungarian Szili, 32, had over 200 amateur fights and won a pack of trophies from 51kgs upwards but did not turn pro until he was 26 and may now have gone as far as he is going
Magomedov vs. Webster – Magomedov impresses in win over previously unbeaten southpaw Webster. The fight was never a barn burner but Magomedov was always busy pressurising the much taller -6’4”- Webster who was relying on Magomedov to make mistakes that he could capitalise on. As a result Magomedov was doing most of the punching and most of the scoring keeping Webster on the back foot. The Russian found his way past Webster’s jab getting in close and working the body with Webster finding little room to punch. Webster looked to be getting into the fight in the fourth but from the fifth Magomedov was working in close again applying more and more pressure and seemed to have limitless stamina. In the seventh two rights put Webster down but he survived the round. Knowing he was losing the fight Webster finally began to let his hands go in the eighth but any thought of a come from behind win were blown away in the last when a Magomedov right floored Webster. Scores 99-89 from all three judges. Another good display from the 22-year-old Russian on top of wins over unbeaten fighters Alex Theran and Mike Zerafa. He wins the vacant NABO title and is already rated WBC 3/WBA 4/WBO 4 but a bit more realistic is EBU No 11 but a great prospect. “Take It to The Bank” Webster, 33, had only met relatively low level opposition and was moving up to ten rounds for the first time.
Clarkson vs. Odom – Southpaw Clarkson puts a big question mark over the potential of former amateur star Odom. They traded hard punches in the first with Odom’s body punching probably allowing him to shade the round. Odom was looking good early in the second and opening up on Clarkson. However he got overconfident and left himself open and Clarkson nailed him with a big uppercut late in the round to send Odom down for the first time as a pro. Odom was badly shaken but was up took the eight count and survived to the bell. Clarkson jumped on Odom immediately in the third and another right put Odom down. Again he was up and ready to continue but Clarkson put him down again. Odom got up but was then taking punishment when the referee stopped the fight. Big win for the 24-year-old Texan coming as it does after a split decision victory over former WBO title challenger Cedric Agnew in February. Now 8 wins in his last 9 fights for Clarkson with his loss in there being on points against unbeaten Jesse Hart. Odon, 22, “The King’s Son” had lost his unbeaten tag when he was disqualified for punching Andy Hernandez when he was down. This one is much more difficult to explain away for a guy who won both the NGG’s and the US National title as an amateur and he and his team have some serious thinking to do.
Lopez vs. Aquino – Lopez has to fight hard but get a deserved majority decision over Aquino. Lopez took the first round thanks to a flash knockdown but Aquino managed to finish the round strongly and by the second was working inside and forcing Lopez onto the back foot. Lopez had the skills to win this one on boxing alone but Aquino did not let him have the luxury of that type of fight. However even when it was an inside fight Lopez was showing he was more than a match for Aquino and getting the better of the trading. He shook Aquino in the fifth but Aquino just kept coming and kept punching and had a good sixth round and an even better seventh. Lopez showed his class as he regrouped got back on top and finished strongly to clinch the verdict. Scores 96-93 twice and 95-95. The 24-year-old Texan lifts the vacant WBC Latino and WBA Fedelatin titles and he paced the fight well never having gone beyond the sixth round before. “Mantequilla” (OK there is only one Jose Napoles) was US Under-19 champion and won a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships but like Odom he did not get through the US Olympic Trials. Dominican Aquino was having his first fight in the USA. His record is heavily laced with poor opposition but he has a couple of reasonable level wins and he showed he was for real here.
Brant vs. Berrospe – With fellow top amateur Odom losing inside the distance there was a brief scary moment for the favourite here also as Berrospe dumped “Bravo” Brant on the floor in the first. To Brant it was more insult than injury and he then proceeded to hand out a beating to the Mexican. He put Berrospe down in the second and again in the third and the fight was stopped. The 24-year-old from St. Paul makes it 10 wins by KO/TKO but no real tests so far. Brant was both a NGG and a US National Champion but as with Odom and Lopez fell by the wayside at the final US Trials. Berrospe is 2-7 in his last 9 fights.
