The World This Week by Kevin Taylor Mar 11th 2008

Kevin Taylor slips comfortably into Oliver Fennell's loafers as he takes over BBN's global digest of news... While all the hype surrounded the 'Battle of Britain' in London between David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli, there was plenty of action around the globe. In the first heavyweight title fight ever to be held in Mexico, Samuel Peter, "The Nigerian Nightmare", stopped Oleg Maskaev in round six to claim the WBC heavyweight title on Saturday night in Cancun. Referee Guadelupe Garcia stopped the fight with just four seconds remaining in the round after Peter threw a barrage of unanswered punches. In the chief-support in Cancun, the previously unbeaten Juan Diaz, lost his three world lightweight titles by split decision to Nate Campbell. Campbell could of course be a future opponent for Brit's Amir Khan or Jon Thaxton. Diaz who finished with a swollen eye won on one scorecard 114-113 but the other two judges scored it 115-112 and 116-111 to Campbell. On the undercard we were promised a 'new' John Ruiz, but it seems like we got the old one with 'The Quiet Man' grappling his way to a unanimous decision over Jameel McCline. Scores were 117-111, 118-110, and 119-109. While the WBC cruiserweight title was on the line in London, there was an eliminator over in Krefeld, Germany for what could well become the vacant title, with Haye's intentions of moving up to heavyweight. Number two ranked Rudolf Kraj, an Olympic silver medallist, beat previously unbeaten number one ranked Matt Godfrey by a unanimous decision Kraj was more active throughout and the judges scored it 115-113, 116-113, 117-111 to take his record to 14-0. On the undercard in Germany, unbeaten WIBF featherweight champion Ina Menzer (20-0, 8 KOs) overcame a bad cut over her right eye caused by a headbutt to claim a unanimous decision over the very tough and previously unbeaten challenger Sandy Tsagouris, Menzer also picked up the vacant WBC belt with the win. Scores were 96-94, 97-93, 97-93. Japan's Daisuke Naito kept his WBC flyweight belt as he battled to a split draw with ex-champ Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in Tokyo on Saturday. Naito was the aggressor throughout against the southpaw from Thailand, but had to settle for a draw. At featherweight, Cristobal Cruz upset Thomas Mashaba to claim the IBO title by majority decision at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket. Cruz' higher workrate earning him the nod. Mashaba was making the sixth defence of the IBO title. In Argentina, Juan Alberto Godoy lost a challenge for the Argentine light-welterweight title on points to Cesar Rene Cuenca. Godoy is a former opponent of Andreas Kotelnik who fights Gavin Rees on the 22nd March. Also in Argentina on Friday former Jonathan Thaxton foe Jorge Daniel Miranda lost in the first of an Argentine welterweight title fight, being knocked out by Hector David Saldivia. Thaxton had taken away Miranda's unbeaten record in May 2006. On the same card former Hitman Hatton foe Carlos Vilches had a routine six round points win over Sergio Javier Benitez. At 60, former WBC light-welterweight champion Saoul Mamby made a return to action in the Cayman Islands, 10 years after his last fight and over 23 years since he lost to Billy Costello for the WBC light-welterweight title. The boxing world really has gone mad!  He dropped a unanimous ten-round decision against Jamaican journeyman Anthony Osbourne. Over in France, former Jane Couch opponent Anne Mathis, stopped former unbeaten Ana Pascal in the third round to win WBA, WBC and WIBF International light-welterweight titles. Pascal was down twice in round three. In her last fight Mathis had beaten Couch in the second round of a scheduled six rounder. On the undercard to Mathis in Metz, two boxers well known to British fight fans met over eight rounds, with Tuncay Kaya defeating Frederic Bonifai on points. Kaya holds a win over Johnny Armour in June 2005 and fought Michael Hunter for the European super-bantamweight title a year later, losing in the ninth round. Bonifai has fought in Britain and lost on ten occasions, but has been in with some of our best prospects including Jamie Arthur, Willie Limond, Kevin Mitchell, Steve Foster, jr and Michael Brodie. On his last visit to these shores in October he was stopped in five by Ricky Burns. Former Alex Arthur victim Sergio Palomo lost his third fight on the spin when he was beaten on points by Oscar Sanchez Sandoval in Madrid, Palomo was unbeaten before fighting Arthur for the European super-featherweight title in Glasgow in November 2006. Romanian Mugurel Sebe who has seen action with Jason McKay and Jamie Moore lost on points over six rounds to unbeaten Frenchman Cedric Vitu in Pont-Sainte-Maxence in France on Friday night. Later this week we will bring you reviews of Craig Watson's European Union title challenge on Friday and also Herbie Hide's fight with Rudiger May which takes place tonight.

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