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| Selkirk had too much for Tomas |
The action kicked off at the Olympia on Friday night, and although there was disappointment in the main event as Derry Matthews was once again stopped, this time by Italian Emiliano Marsili, light middleweight prospect Joe Selkirk (8-0, 5 KO's) impressed with a 5th round stoppage of Ryan Toms. The fight was stopped on the basis that the swelling around Toms' right eye was worsening, and this was after being outclassed by the far classier Selkirk. I've said already that Selkirk needs to be a lot more active in 2012, he's a really talented fighter, and for me a rematch with Steve O'Meara would certainly be an attractive and easy fight to make.
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| Diaz won a superb fight v Robb and remained unbeaten |
The other Friday night fight I featured promised to be an absolute cracker, and it lived up to expectations, with Guy Robb and Joel Diaz slugging it out in a fight which saw both guys be put down in the first three rounds. Diaz (7-0, 6 KO's) proved too strong in the end, stopping Robb (7-1, 3 KO's) in the 7th round. Both guys have lots to improve on, but for a fighter so young, Diaz showed a real warrior spirit and he's got the raw ingredients to be a really decent fighter, although it will take time. This fight is well worth a watch and take a look at the 4th round especially. Diaz is scheduled for further action on the 17th of February at Cicero Stadium in Illinois.
Saturday night at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, Puerto Rican fighter Luis "Orlandito" Del Valle moved to 15-0 (11 KO's) by taking a comfortable UD over tough Mexican fighter Jose Angel Beranza (34-22-2, 26 KO's). Considering the Mexican has only been stopped four times in his career, and beat the unbeaten Christopher Martin in his last fight, this was a really good showing from Del Valle. With this ability and potential he really should be winning these fights anyway, but he boxed nicely, and looks to be the next hot Puerto Rican fighter coming through. So far he looks a really talented kid and could be in for some big Madison Square Garden nights, with a big Puerto Rican population in the Big Apple.
In Mexico, Leo Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KO's) starred with a superb performance, forcing Alejandro Hernandez into a 4th round retirement, becoming the first guy to stop "Payasito". Not even slick Argentinian fighter Omar Andres Narvaez could stop this guy when he challenged for the WBO flyweight title in 2008, and Hernandez has had some good performances in the last two years. Santa Cruz is up to #12 in the world in the bantamweight division and is fast becoming a real star.
Also on the bill was super middleweight fighter Marco Antonio Periban, however I haven't had any news of a result from his fight so far, therefore it's hard to comment on him.
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| Price absolutely demolished McDermott |
We were back at the Olympia on Saturday night and the two Price lads I featured both had impressive wins, with headliner David, smashing "Big" John McDermott in a round. Considering the problems McDermott had given Tyson Fury and Danny Williams in previous title challenges, this was expected to be a real test for Price (12-0, 10 KO's), however the 6ft8 giant was simply too strong. It was a awesome performance as I know McDermott had trained hard for it, which makes it an even more impressive performance. I still think we have a lot to learn about Price, we don't know much about his defence or stamina, and shouldnt get carried away with this, however it's hard not to give the guy the credit, the ingredients are there for a future heavyweight champion of the world.
Danny Price (3-0, 1 KO's) was in with the tough Bulgaria Tayar Mehmed, and boxed really nicely over four rounds to 40-35 win on referee Steve Gray's card, putting Mehmed down in the second with an absolute beauty of a right uppercut. I really like Price, he's very well schooled, has a solid job, and looks a better fighter already than most guys domestically in his division. Mehmed has only been stopped once in his career, and that was by a really good upcoming German based fighter, so to put him down and get some rounds under the belt sounds like a near perfect display from the Scarborough man.
Those are the guys I featured first time around, now who were some of the finds from this weekend?
Well Boxnation featured Ellesmere Port super flyweight Paul Butler (6-0, 2 KO's) on the Mathews v Marsili undercard, and the "Baby Faced Assassin" looked good in his first eight rounder, winning all of the rounds in his fight with tough Bristol based South African, Michael Rambaletsa. The man from Soweto has been stopped just once in a 14 fight pro career, and that was by two time world title challenger Evans Mbamba. Butler cruised in this fight, he boxed well on the back foot, and has definitely got potential.
On the Ramos-Rigondeaux undercard there was a talented, young fighter, looking to bounce back from his first pro loss, and Javier Molina (10-1, 4 KO's) did well in his bout with Alberto Herrera, knocking Herrera down in the first, en route to a UD win over six (59-54, 58-55 x2). Molina is a kid with a lot of potential, but hasnt really hit the heights as a pro and was beaten over eight last time out by the very dangerous WBC FECARBOX welterweight champion Artemio Reyes over eight rounds. In the amateurs he was a brilliant fighter and beat the likes of Karl Dargan and Brad Solomon to win the US Championships. He also qualified for the Olympics in 2008 and although not firing on all cilinders, the California man is worth following.
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| Satchell looked good as he stepped up in class |
Sky Sports featured a decent little undercard bout as the main warm up for Price v McDermott, and I was delighted to see talented Liverpool super flyweight Kevin Satchell (7-0, 0 KO's) gain a massive win over former British bantamweight champ Martin Power. Yes it's true Power is not the fighter of old, but for a novice like Satchell to dominate him over six, knocking him down in the 2nd, is very impressive. Referee Steve Gray scored it 59-55 for the home fighter and credit has to be give to "Satch" for first of all taking the fight and secondly to perform so well. I've already talked about Paul Butler, and this is another very exciting super flyweight in the North West.
In Woodland Hills, California, Russian welterweight Alexander Filichkin (10-0, 3 KO's) returned for the first time since November 2010, and in his first fight on US soil, secured a really good looking win over Hector Alatorre. The 30 year old from Tulare, California, had been stopped just once in 33 pro fights before this, and that was in the final round of his 10x3 contest with Victor Ortiz in February 2010. Filichkin retired him in the 4th, and that on paper is a very impressive looking win.
Those are the four guys who I've added to my watchlist this weekend, it was a very decent weekend, and certainly an enjoyable one for Boxing nuts like myself. I'll be back next week with another Prospect Watch and Bill Of The Weekend, with fast rising Belfast super bantamweight, Carl Frampton, one of the guys to keep an eye on.
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