Mexicans Thrill Spectators

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Mexican boxers proved again at the weekend that they are among the most entertaining in the sport even when they do not win.

Oscar Salido lost his WBO super-featherweight title in a rousing fight in San Juan in Puerto Rico, Pedro Guevara retained his WBC light-flyweight belt and former Olympian Oscar Valdez remained undefeated in the featherweight division.

Guevara knocked out Richard Claveras with a body shot in the first round of their bout in Mazatlan – his 17th win inside the distance in 27 fights. He has lost only once and drew once.

Claveras lost his unbeaten status as his record fell to 12-1-2, with 12 shortcut wins.

Salido, one of many Mexicans who always give spectators their money’s worth, did so again for twelve rounds against Roman (Rocky) Martinez, who won 116-109, 115-110 and 114-11.

Martinez, 32, knocked the 34-year-old champion down in the third and fifth rounds and left the ring with a record of 29-2, with two draws and 17 knockouts. Salido’s fell to 42-13-2, including 29 wins inside the distance.

Valdez, who has won 14 of his 16 professional bouts inside the distance, was up against an experienced campaigner but beat Jose Ramirez in the first round; also with a typically Mexican body shot.

Ramirez’s record fell to 25-6, with three draws and 15 knockouts as Valdez moved towards more lucative assignments.

In Maribor, Slovenia, Jan Zaveck beat Sasha Yengoran of Belgium 118-112, 117-112 and 115-114 to claim the WBF super-welterweight title. Zaveck now stands at 35-3, including 19 knockouts. Yengoyan dropped to 31-2; 21.

OTHER RESULTS

LEEDS: Josh Warrington won the WBC international featherweight title when he beat Filipino Dennis Tubieron by 119-109 on two cards and 119-110. The undefeated British fighter improved his record to 21-0, including only four shortcut wins. Tubieron’s fell to 19-4-2, with 8 knockouts.

Martin Joseph Ward claimed the vacant WBC International featherweight title by beating Maxi Hughes, who did not come out for the fifth round. Ward now stands at 11-0-2, with 6 knockouts and Hughes at 13-2-2; 2.

In a welterweight bout Tyrone Nurse beat Liam Taylor over ten rounds, improving to 31-2; 6. Taylor fell to 11-1; 4.

BUENOS AIRES: Victor Ramirez defeated Ola Afolabi over ten rounds in a bout for the IBF interim cruiserweight title, taking his record to 22-2, with 17 wins inside the distance. A strong finish enabled him to win 115-111 on two cards and 116-111 on the third. Afolabi lost two points because of illegal tactics and his record dropped to 21-4-4; 10.

TOKYO: Suguru Muranaka forfeited his Japanese flyweight title when he came in overweight for a defence against Takuma Hayashi but he won the ten-round fight 96-94, 96-94 and 97-93.

Muranaka’s record improved to 22-2, with 7 shortcut wins, and Hayashi’s dropped to 25-3-2; 9.