Other Results

Darchinyan pounds Mbamba.

Top South African Super Flyweight prospect Evans Mbamba flew into the Lion's Den to face fearsome former multiple world champion Vic Darchinyan in the Armenian's homecoming appearance in Albania. Mbamba gave it a go but the Australia-based hitter was not going to be denied in his first ever pro appearance in front of his countryman's fans as he scored a one-sided decision over the less experienced South African. Darchinyan scored his thirty-seventh win against three defeats in defending his IBO Bantamweight belt while Mbamba learns valuable lessons to take back to South Africa after only his second defeat in twenty outings.

A fight card in Livingstone, Zambia last Saturday pitted former ABU titlist Pythias Kabembe in his second comeback fight since losing the crown in Morocco last year. The Welterweight improved to a reported 6-2 with a unanimous decision over Namibia's Eradius Hamuyela. National Bantamweight contender Gibson Kamota got in some good experience with a ninth round TKO over former champ Isaac Banda, making an ill-advised comeback after more than a decade away from the game.

In a Featherweight contest, Catherine Phiri advanced to 2-0 pounding out a four round decision over Zimbabwean visitor Cicilia Pitiseni, now 0-1-1. A second female contest witnessed a rematch between recent WBF International contender Rhoda Mushikana and Zimbabwe's Diana Makumbe. The local girl had previously managed a split decision win, but this time around, had to settle for a four round draw.

National Lightweight contender Charles Kauseni was also held to a draw against Ernest Phiri over four rounds while in a catchweight sixer, top Welterweight Dyson Mwisa stopped Super Lightweight Abius Silupumbwe in the third.

Down in Mexico, former Ghanaian Middleweight champion Mohamed Akrong had an honest go at world rated Marco Antonio Rubio for the WBC Latino belt but could not emulate his countryman Kofi Jantuah's 2004 one round blitzing of the Mexican strongman. Akrong made it exciting but was consistently receiving a lot more punches than he was delivering until a fifth round knockdown allowed the ref to wave it over. Rubio scores his ninth straight victory in compiling an impressive 52-5-1 ledger while Akrong drops to 13-4.

Oosthuizen Wanted In The US

Rising South African Super Middleweight Thomas Oosthuizen, coming off a scintillating decision over American Aaron Pryor, Jr on the undercard of the widely watched HBO broadcast of Andre Berto's comeback over Jan Zaveck, has been called back to the US by promoter Lou DiBella to make another appearance on one of his shows before the end of the year.

"Tommy Gun" as the 22 year old is known, impressed US fans with his style and determination two weeks ago in his US debut ignoring a massive cut as he outpunched the son of legendary Super Lightweight great Aaron Pryor in defense of his IBO belt, remaining unbeaten in seventeen fights. Pryor, coming off a June win against recent world title contender Librado Andrade and with high hopes of landing a major world title shot, must regroup with his fourth loss in twenty matches.

An undercard match saw another son-of-a-legend, that of former African Super Bantamweight and Commonwealth Featherweight champion Modest Napunyi of Kenya, also end up with an unsuccessful outing as US-based Anthony Napunyi suffered a TKO in the third round by unbeaten Puerto Rican hope Luis Orlando Del Valle, appearing in his fourteenth paid fight. The Kenyan , now a Florida resident drops his seventh in a row and now stands at 14-11.

Recent Action

German boxer Uensal Arik showed up in Ghana to re-ignite his fledgling career and scored a fourth round TKO over local tough boy Isaac Sackey. Arik is scheduled to have two more fights in Accra to beef up his 1-1 record before returning home. Sackey drops to a reported three wins and five losses having faced some of the Ghana's better competition. Nigerian Light Heavyweight champion Isaac Ekpo, newly based in Accra, tuned up for his proposed WBO Africa title match with a fourth round dismantling of winless Kojo Adaho. But, a slim and trim Ekpo weighed in under the Super Middleweight limit and now plans to campaign in that division. Ekpo advances to a reported 9-1 but there are at least half a dozen early wins missing off his record.

The island of Reunion hosted its first ever world title match in Saint Denis when WBF Super Lightweight champion Myriam Lamare of France took a shutout unanimous ten round decision over Colombian contender Lely Luz Flores. Lamare improved to 18-3 while Flores, in her fourth attempt to grab world honors, slips to 16-6.

Kenyan Welterweight contender George Owano popped up in Tyumen, Russia attempting to collect his eleventh win in seventeen outings in a four round warmup against local loser Niazi Samedov. Instead, the East African visitor only managed his first draw against an opponent with only one win coming into his seventh paid match.

Tanzanian champion Francis Miyeyusho travelled all the way to Thailand to face undefeated world ranked contender Thangthong Kiattaweesuk over twelve rounds last Friday. But, after five rounds of toe-to-toe fighting, the undefeated Thai dropped the willing but outclassed Miyeyusho for the count to collect his sixteenth knockout in twenty-three fights. The globe-trotting Tanzanian vet now stands at 30-10-2.

Obodai Sai Ambushed

Ghana's latest pride, undefeated Commonwealth Super Welterweight champion Obodai Sai boarded the plane to England with two things in mind. Make himself known to the British public and return home with his unbeaten record intact. The slick, but rugged boxer from the famed streets of Bukom, Accra certainly qualified on the first, causing an out-pore of angry fanmail after his fight with fellow unbeaten Jamie Cox was ruled in the Brit's favor on Friday night.

After opening multiple cuts on Cox's forehead early in the fight, Sai had to endure countless low blows from his taller southpaw opponent which finally resulted in points being deducted by the seemingly lenient referee. Yet, in spite of this plus a strong finish from the Ghanaian, the three British judges, to the dismay of the TV announcers and all in attendance, managed to conceive a unanimous points victory for the Frank Warren promoted local hotshot.

With the ensuing onslaught of angry emails, sportswriters' ridicule and an official protest from the Ghana Boxing Authority, the Commonwealth Boxing Council will likely mandate an immediate rematch in the interests of all.

Afolabi, Kayode Victorious

Nigerian Cruiserweight pair Ola Afolabi and Lateef Kayode maintained their top ten world rankings over the weekend with expected victories over their selected opposition. Former WBO Interim Cruiserweight champ Afolabi, fighting on the undercard of the Klitschko-Adamek WBC Heavyweight title fight in Poland, tried early for his ninth KO, but when it was not forthcoming, settled for an eight round points win over very tough local boy Lukasz Rusiewicz. English-born Afolabi improved to 18-2-3 while the brave Pole was able to spend the anniversary of the Twin Tower Bombings the next day with an appropriate 9-11 record.

Hard-punching, US-based top ten contender Lateef Kayode also cruised to a unanimous ten round decision over faded former contender Felix Cora, Jr of the US to remain unbeaten in eighteen fights. After opening a cut over his opponent's eye in the second and connecting with a hard right in the third, Kayode reportedly failed to follow up but instead, tried awkwardly to box the rest of the way. With a WBA title match against master-boxer Guillermo Jones looming on the horizon, going the distance could very well help the youngster's confidence. Cora, meanwhile, drops to 22-5-2.

In Middleweight world title action, another US-based Nigerain, Eromosele Albert, took on local hero Daniel Geale in a mandatory challenge, last Wednesday, for the IBF belt in Hobart, Australia. Geale, making his first title defense, reportedly rebuffed the spirited challenger with a sparkling display of boxing to score a twelve round unanimous decision. The champion scored his twenty-sixth win against only one defeat while Albert goes home with his fifth loss in thirty bouts.

Also in action, newly transplanted Wale Omotoso, all the way from the mean streets of Lagos, via Australia, had his first taste of Stateside action. The undefeated Welterweight, ranked twelfth by the IBF, scored his seventeenth knockout in nineteen outings with a fifth round drubbing of normally durable American opponent Calvin Odom who drops to 19-11.

Simba Back With A Bang!

South African based Zairois Flo Simba impressively KO'd his way back into the win column with a third round right hand bombing of former WBA Pan-African and GBU Intercontinental Heavyweight titlist Thamsaqa Dube of Zimbabwe. Simba, advancing to 11-1, emphatically put behind his June stoppage loss to vet Heavyweight campaigner Frans Botha chalking it up to learning experience. Dube, who scored a shock knockout over South African hope Jake Els two years ago, came in at a whopping 269 lbs (122 kgs) for this match and was reportedly fifty pounds lighter than his last fight only two months ago when he embalmed washed up countryman Arigoma Chiponda in one round back home in Bulawayo. He returns home with his third loss in fifteen fights.

In an over-the-weight encounter scheduled for eight, current National Light Heavyweight belt-holder Tshepang Mohale and newcomer Ryno Liebenburg engaged in a seesaw battle that saw both fighters kiss the canvas in the first before a seemingly beaten Liebenburg, a four fight novice, unleash a scorcher of a right hand in the sixth to erase the deficit and remain unbeaten. Fortunately for Mohale, his South African belt wasn't on the line as he drops to 8-4. The two have three months to negotiate a rematch with the belt on the line after the loser's two month medical suspension expires.

Popular Jr. Lightweight warrior Warren Joubert improved to 18-2-3 barely outfighting novice Raymond Kupula before stopping him in the sixth and last round of a Lightweight encounter. Kupula, a DR Congo native, reportedly loses his third straight overmatched fight in South Africa. Super Welterweight hope Michael Van Heerden upped his stats to 10-1-1 with a unanimous six rounder over Sylvester Zaki, now 4-3. In four rounders, Super Lightweight Alexander Jonker barely kept a four fight unbeaten streak intact with a split decision over Jared Silverman who drops to 2-2. In the knockout of the night, hot prospect Adam de Moor advanced to 2-0 with a first round starching of Gideon Mathe, now winless in two matches. Lightweight Ashley Dlamini scored his ninth win against one loss and one draw detonating a right hand on overmatched Richard Khunou in the opening stanza. Khunou stumbles away with an even 1-1-1 record.

Upcoming Week's Action

The big fight of the week sees newly crowned Commonwealth champ Obodai Sai of Ghana traveling into the lion's den to defend against fellow unbeaten Jamie Cox of England. Both Super Welters are evenly matched at fifteen bouts a piece and although southpaw Cox has tasted the more experienced opposition, the latest sensation from the Bukom battlegrounds of Ghana has had to get by two tough local fighters, Joseph Lamptey and Isaac Selom. Couple in the fact that Sai has been twelve rounds three times while Cox hasn't seen any round cards past the eighth, and the Brit's hometown advantage is suddenly leveled.

In Saint-Denis, on Reunion Island, France's Myriam Lamare takes on Colombia's Lely Luz Flores for the WBF Female Super Lightweight belt. Lamare, the defending champ, sports eighteen wins against three losses while Flores at 16-5, comes off a tough January loss in Zambia to local star Esther Phiri for the WIBA and IBO titles.

WBO Cruiserweight challenger Ola Afolabi is still looking for a replacement for his injured opponent on the undercard of Vitali Klitschko's WBC Heavyweight title defense against former Light Heavy and Cruiserweight champion Tomas Adamek in Poland. The Britain-born Nigerian is expecting to defend his WBO Inter-Continental belt over twelve rounds.

Another world rated Nigerian Cruiserweight also sees action when unbeaten US-based Lateef Kayode takes on former top contender Felix Cora, 22-5, while honing his skills under the guidance of trainer Freddie Roach of Manny Pacquiao fame. The big-punching former Nigerian Olympian will be seeking his fifteenth kayo in eighteen fights but will not have his NABA, NABO or NABF titles on the line in this ten rounder.

Also under the guidance of Freddie Roach, yet another Nigerian, this one being Welterweight Wale Omotoso, recently of Australia but now based in the US, takes on American Calvin Odom in his first fight Stateside on the undercard of the Yuriorkis Gamboa vs Daniel Ponce DeLeon championship match. The former amateur star should have no problem extending his undefeated record to nineteen straight wins against his journeyman opponent who sports a tough 15-10 ledger.