The World This Week by Oliver Fennell Aug 13th 2007

Oliver Fennell sums up the international action of interest from the past seven days. Results with relevance to British boxing are in bold. August 8 Middleweights old and new scored knockouts in Hollywood, Florida. First of all, former 154lb champion Raul Marquez registered the fifth win of his comeback by stopping 16-2 Jay Pina in a couple of rounds. Then, touted prospect “Mean” Joe Greene landed his first pro belt in impressive style, bombing out fellow prospect Darryl Salmon in the opening session for the vacant NABA title. August 9 Joshua Clottey built on his excellent victory over Diego Corrales in April by outpointing fringe contender Felix Flores unanimously over 10. Clottey, who challenged for the WBO welterweight title last year, based himself in Britain in the late 90s. On the same Las Vegas card, heavyweight hulk Tye Fields reportedly secured a crossroads match with Hasim Rahman after forcing trialhorse Domonic Jenkins to retire after seven rounds. August 10 A couple of recognisable names were in action in Salta, Argentina. Of greater importance was the return of Sergio Medina, who gave Rey Bautista a good scrap in a world title eliminator in May. Super-bantamweight Medina knocked out Mexican Luis Perez Vicente in six rounds to claim the division's WBO Intercontinental crown. On the same card, veteran Pastor Maurin stayed busy with a six-round decision over compatriot prospect Carlos Rodriguez. It was the third fight in four months for 38-year-old Maurin, known over her for his gruelling fight with Michael Brodie in 2002. The Hussein brothers of Australia both won in Sydney, as super-featherweight Nedal KO'd Moses Serani, and flyweight Hussy saw off Anis Ceunfin in the third. Both opponents were from Indonesia. The Husseins have boxed in Britain, most notably Nedal, who dropped a points decision to Scott Harrison for the WBO featherweight belt in 2005, in what would be Harrison's final fight. He also defeated Brian Carr for Commonwealth 122lb honours in 2000 and Delroy Pryce a year later. Meanwhile, Hussy is 3-0 against Brits, albeit against journeyman opposition. Rob Calloway continued his good run of form at 37 by flooring and outscoring heavyweight Terry Smith over 10 rounds in Springfield, Missouri. Calloway divides his time between heavy and cruiserweight and is enjoying success in both. Smith was a solid favourite to win this, but was outworked by the smaller man for a unanimous decision. Calloway suffered a four-round retirement defeat to Audley Harrison in 2003. Ageless Bronco McKart split-decisioned the favoured Enrique Ornelas of Mexico for the NABF middleweight title in Philadelphia. McKart is a three-time world championship challenger. August 11 The champion who never was, Mariano Carrera, scored a one-round win over Josival Lima Teixeira of Brazil in Santa Fe, Argentina. Carrera surprisingly stopped Javier Castillejo for the WBA light-middleweight championship last year but was later stripped and his win changed to a no-contest when he tested positive for Clenbuterol, a banned substance used for rapid weight loss and improved respiration. Beating Teixeira marked the second win for Carrera since that episode. The boxing World Cup now resides in the Philippines after the country's team surprisingly beat Mexico 5-1 in Sacramento. It was left to Daniel Ponce de Leon to salvage some consolation in the final match of the night, and he did so in style by blasting out Rey Bautista in one round to retain his WBO super-bantamweight crown. In other world title action, old stager Gerry Penalosa upset Jhonny Gonzalez with a seventh-round knockout for the WBO bantamweight belt. In an IBF eliminator at super-flyweight, Z Gorres stopped Eric Ortiz in eight, while Diosdado Gabi whitewashed Jose Angel Beranza in a bantamweight eight. The Philippines took the remaining two fights, at prelim level, for the near-rout.

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