BROOKLYN, NY–Jermall “Hit Man” Charlo (30-0, 22KO) recorded a seventh round stoppage over Dennis “Hurricane” Hogan (28-3-1, 7KO) to retain his WBC World Middleweight Title in a Showtime main event from the Barclays Center.
It was a one sided affair that saw the bigger Charlo have his way with the smaller-framed Hogan, who moved up a weight class to take this fight.
Houston’s Charlo, 29, asserted himself early, spraying jabs and letting his right hand fly so Hogan could taste his power. Ultimately, though, it would be the left hook that proved to be the punch that the Irish-born Aussie, Hogan, should have feared most.
Hogan’s best punch came early in the third with a big right that momentarily halted Charlo’s forward momentum. But the bigger man quickly re-assumed his position as the bigger fighter and continued to stalk his smaller foe.
In the fourth, Charlo upped the tempo, taking the fight to the 34 year-old Hogan. During an exchange early in the round, Charlo unleashed a left hook/uppercut that generated from his hip that caught Hogan flush on the chin that sent the challenger tumbling to the mat where he performed a backwards somersault before coming to a stop on his gloved hands and knees. A buzzed Hogan w beat referee Charlie Fitch’s ensuing ten-count, and with a mix of grit and skill, was able to navigate his way through the remainder of the round.
Less than three rounds later, Charlo, who is trained by Ronnie Shields, again landed a huge left hook that sent Hogan crashing back to the ropes and ultimately, canvas. A woozy Hogan again beat Fitch’s ten count, but was clearly dazed, prompting Fitch to stop the contest at the :28 second mark of round seven.
It was the first time in his career that the Glen Rushton-trained Hogan was stopped inside the distance and the first win via stoppage for Charlo since he stopping Hugo Centeno Jr. at the Barclays Center in April 2018.
Unfortunately for Hogan, tonight marks the third time Hogan unsuccessfully challenged for a world title. Most recently, he found himself on the wrong end of a controversial majority decision against WBO World Junior Middleweight champion Jamie Mungia in Mexico in April, and he also dropped a 2015 unanimous decision to German Jack Culcay in a bout for an interim WBA World Junior Middleweight title.
“I made it through 2019 and we’re going to 2020 with 20/20 vision,” said Charlo. “Shout out to Dennis Hogan for giving me real competition and for coming up to fight me.”
He added, “The middleweight division is wide open. I’m the WBC Champion. I’m going to enjoy this and spend time with my team. I’m here to fight whoever. You have to make the right decisions and do it at the right time. That’s what it’s all about.”
A disappointed Hogan also spoke post-fight, saying, “”I didn’t see the punch coming on the second knockdown. I was trying to keep boxing him but then all of a sudden I was on the ground and the fight was over.” He continued, “I wanted to keep going but the decision was fair enough by the referee.”
Eubank Awarded WBA Interim Middleweight Title After Korobov Shoulder Injury
In his highly anticipated US debut, the United Kingdom’s Chris Eubank, Jr. (29-2, 22KO) was awarded the WBA World Interim Middleweight Title when Matvey Korobov (28-3-1, 14KO) was unable to continue fighting after suffering a left shoulder injury early in the second round.
Korobov, 36, dominated the first round as he continually landed straight lefts that were sent as return-fire each time Eubank Jr. flailed a half-committed jab his way.
In the opening moments of the second, the southpaw Korobov picked up where he left off and again scored with straight lefts. But it all came to a sudden halt just :34 seconds into the round when the Russian-born Florida fighter grimaced in pain, grabbed his left shoulder and asked referee Steve Willis to pause the contest. Willis walked Korobov back to his corner where a timeout was issued and New York State Athletic Commission doctors tended to Korobov. After about a minute or so of inspection, NYSAC Chief Medical Officer Nitin Sethi informed Willis that Korobov could no longer continue. On paper, the result adds another TKO win to Eubank, Jr.’s record and a loss to Korobov’s.
It’s the third straight win for the 30 year-old Eubank, Jr., who moved down a weight class and was fighting at middleweight for the first time in roughly three years.
“I felt like I was about to get my swagger on,” Eubank, Jr. said. “He just turned around and stopped I was going to go jump on him. I guess something happened with his shoulder.”
Eubank Jr., who trains under the tutelage of Nate Vasquez at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, added, “I’m the winner, I’m going to move forward and challenge for these belts. This wasn’t my dream. My dream was to come here to America and make a statement.”
Iwasa Wins WBA Featherweight Title, Stops Tapales In 11
Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa (27-3, 17KO) is a world champion once again as scored an impressive eleventh round TKO over Filipino Marlon “Maranding Nightmare” Tapales (33-3, 16KO) to claim the vacant WBA interim featherweight title.
The end came definitively and seemingly out of nowhere roughly a third of the way through the eleventh when Iwasa fired a straight left over a lazy Tapales jab that sent Tapales back to the mat. He was on his feet before referee Shada Murdaugh reached ten, but failed to follow his commands, forcing Murdaugh to wave the bout off at the 1:09 mark of round eleven.
In the third round, with action in full swing, both southpaws simultaneously stepped forward to throw lefts, and while both landed, a clash of heads briefly dropped the former world bantamweight champion Tapales to a knee. Murdaugh missed the headbutt and incorrectly scored a knockdown for Iwasa.
Throughout the contest, the lengthier Iwasa did well to pepper Tapales from the outside and land big when the Filipino rushed inside, often attempting to land looping overhand lefts or sweeping body shots.
By the seventh round, Tapales’ face began to tell the tale of the fight as it began to assume a reddish hue, while a mouse formed under his right eye.
The 27 year-old Filipino mounted a final surge early in the eighth, as he rocked Iwasa with a huge right hand. By the time the round commenced, however, Iwasa was back in the driver’s seat.
It was the second time in Tapales’ career he was stopped inside the distance. The other time came a decade ago — in 2009 — when he was stopped by fellow Filipino Brix Ray.
For the 29 year-old Iwasa, tonight marked his second career fight in the US and second win inside the distance. He retired Cesar Juarez in Los Angeles in February.
Ronald Ellis Earns Hard Fought MD Over Immanuel Aleem
Ronald Ellis (17-1-2, 11KO) rebounded from his lone career defeat, scoring a ten round majority decision (95-95, 98-92, 97-93) over fellow super middleweight Immanuwel “The Chosen One” Aleem (18-2-2, 11KO).
It was a back and forth affair in which both fighters were willing to eat a shot to land one of their own. Aleem, 26, tried to bring the fight to Ellis, but Ellis popped a sharp jab all fight long that helped keep his smaller opponent at safe distance. When Aleem did make his way inside Ellis’ reach, the Massachusetts native made sure to make Aleem pay.
While most rounds were close and competitive, Ellis continually landed the cleaner, crisper, more effective shots.
It was a nice bounce back fight for Ellis, who dropped a close split decision loss to DeAndre Ware in February.
Prior to tonight, Aleem’s last fight was a draw against Matvey Korobov in May. His only other loss came via KO courtesy of Hugo Centeno Jr.
Hawton Overcomes Knockdown To UD Villalobos, Win WBC Atomweight Title
In an all action affair, Australia’s Louisa “Bang Bang Lulu” Hawton (10-2, 5KO) overcame a sixth round knockdown to win the vacant WBC interim World Female Atomweight Title, scoring a ten round unanimous decision (95-94×3) over familiar foe Lorraine Villalobos (4-3, 2KO). The two previously met last December when Hawton retired Villalobos in five.
The matchup presented stylistic contrasts, as the 34 year-old Hawton is a pedal-to-the-metal – let your hands fly type of a fighter, while Villalobos is comfortable fighting off her back look, constantly looking to time Hawton and use her aggression against her.
In the early rounds, Hawton’s pressure style seemed to give Villalobos some problems. Although both fighters had their share of offensive success, it seemed Hawton’s relentlessness was wearing on Villalobos.
After nonstop back-and-forth action, the 23 year-old Villalobos broke through late in the sixth she uncorked a wicked left hook that landed square on Hawton’s chin, sending her to the canvas. A foggy Hawton was able to beat referee Sparkle Lee’s ten count just as the round came to an end.
Undeterred, Hawton returned to her high-octane offense the following round, but was peppered with more and more Villalobos shots.
Save for the sixth, all rounds were competitive and close and the judges scorecards reflect that, as all three shaded it to Hawton six rounds to four.
Heavyweight Steven Torres Dominates Daniel Felix Franco In Pro Debut
In his pro debut, heavyweight Steven Torres (1-0, 1KO) scored a first round stoppage, as he battered Mexico’s Daniel Felix Franco (2-3, 2KO) into submission.
Torres, a 6’7” Puerto Rico fighting out of Reading, PA, dropped Franco early with a short left that clipped the chin of Franco and planted him on the canvas. Moments later, Torres, who is trained by Anibal Adorno – father of prospects Joseph & Jeremy — continued to rain down punches on Franco until the big Mexican took a seat on the ropes, prompting the referee to jump in and stop the contest at the 2:09 mark of the first round.
Duke Micah Earns Eight Round UD Over Janiel Rivera
Undefeated Ghanaian Duke Micah (24-0, 20 KO) sent fellow bantamweight Janiel “Pototo” Rivera (18-6-3, 11KO) to the mat twice, en route to a wide eight round unanimous decision (79-72, 78-73, 77-74).
Micah started quick and before the first round commenced, had already sent his Puerto Rican counterpart to the mat courtesy of a straight right. The 28 year-old “Baby Faced Terminator”, continued to control the contest until midway through the third round when a Rivera right planted Micah on his backside. Just seconds later though, during an exchange of wild punches, Micah returned the favor, landing another straight right that exploded on Sanchez’s chin, sending him the Puerto Rican crashing to the canvas.
The two continued to exchange throughout the remainder of the contest, with Micah continually getting the better of Rivera. Credit, the 28 year-old “Pototo” — who has only been stopped once in his career — for taking everything Micah threw at him, remaining undeterred until the final bell.
In the second contest from New York, welterweights Amon Rashidi (7-1-1, 5KO) and Antonio Sanchez (6-8-3, 3KO) fought to a six round split draw. Judges scorecards read 59-55 for each fighter, along with a 57-57 card.
Rashidi, 27, was hoping to get back into the win column after suffering his first career defeat in September, but met a stubborn Sanchez who fought fire with fire.
For the 33 year-old Puerto Rican, Sanchez, tonight’s result snaps a three-fight losing streak. However, he remains winless on US soil (seven fights).
Arnold Gonzalez Easily Outpoints Gregory Young, Jr. In 4 Round Welterweight Scrap
New York City’s Arnold Gonzalez improved to 3-0, earning a four round unanimous decision (40-36×3) against fellow welterweight Gregory Young, Jr. (4-3, 1KO). Gonzalez, who is trained by the Wild Card Boxing Club’s Julian Chua, did well to consistently work past Young Jr.’s jab to land his punches.
Burley Brooks Decisions Nathan Sharp To Open BK Fight Card
In the opening fight of the evening from the Barclays Center, Texas super middleweight Burley Brooks upped his perfect record to 5-0, 4KO, scoring a six round unanimous decision (58-56×3) over Nathan Davis Sharp (4-2, 4KO). It was the first time that the 23 year-old Brooks, who is trained by Derrick James, has gone the distance.
