6,750 stories on BoxingScene are published under the Mark Vester byline.
Every story follows our editorial policy. To report a mistake, use our corrections form; for anything else, contact us.
Later today at the Sporthalle in Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany, WBA "regular" featherweight champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (17-0, 15KOs) makes his return to Germany to defend his title against undefeated Jonathan Barros (28-0-1, 16KOs). Barros has an impressive record on paper but never fought anybody near the level of Gamboa.
At the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan, Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (75-3-1, 39 KOs) upset previously undefeated Koki Kameda (22-1, 14 KOs) to win the WBC flyweight title with a twelve round majority decision in a very tough fight for both guys. The scores were 114-114, 115-112 and 116-112.
At the International Convention Centre in East London, South Africa, Nkosinathi Joyi (21-0, 15KOs) dominated previously undefeated Raul Garcia (27-1-1, 16KOs) to win the IBF minimumweight title. The scores were 119-109, 119-110 and 118-110.
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, a deal has been finalized with the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, to host the junior middleweight bout between former champions Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KOs) and Kermit Cintron (32-2-1, 28 KOs) on May 8. HBO will televise the fight with the replay of Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley; taking place on May 1.
At the Auditorio Plaza La Condesa in Mexico City, Mexico, Vincente Escobedo (22-2, 14 KOs) returned for the first time since last September's loss to Michael Katsidis, and stopped Carlos Urias (43-24, 32 KOs) in three rounds. Urias tried to make it a fight but he was overmatched and overpowered. Escobedo decked him two times before the fight was waved off in the third round.
In his first fight since October of 2007, former three division champion Erik Morales stepped on the scale and weighed 147-pounds. His comeback opponent, Jose Alfaro also weighed 147. The fight takes place at the La Explanada Del Palacio Municipal in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
WBA heavyweight champion David Haye is preparing for a very rough experience when he takes on former two-time champion John Ruiz on April 3 in Manchester. Haye beat seven-foot Nikolai Valuev to win the title last November. Ruiz is the mandatory Haye couldn't avoid and he knows the fight will be a lot harder than Valuev. He expects a very rough fight with Ruiz busting him up a little bit.
At Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California, bantamweight Abner Mares (20-0, 13 KO)stopped Felipe Almanza (17-16-4) in five rounds to move forward with a set title shot againt undefeated IBF champion Yonnhy Perez on the May 22 Showtime televised co-feature being paired with the fourth battle between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez. Mares had no problems with Almanza and used him to shake off some rust for the upcoming title fight.
At the Commerce Casino in Commerce, California, super middleweight J’Leon Love (3-0, 3 KOs) destroyed Bryan Smith (0-3) in two rounds. Love controlled the first and finished off Smith with two knockdowns to get the stoppage in the second.
Undefeated welterweight prospect Saul Alvarez (31-0, 23KOs) of Mexico is going to fight Jose Miguel Cotto (31-1-1, 23KOs), the younger brother of two-division champion Miguel Cotto, on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley on May 1 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.