The World This Week by Oliver Fennell Mar 5th 2008

Oliver Fennell sums up the international action of interest. Results with relevance to British boxing are in bold.  Message from Oliver: This is the last The World This Week column for the time being, as I am preparing for a move abroad. Whether or not I resume my weekly BBN duties depends on how my situation shapes up once I'm settled in to my new life. Thank you for reading, and watch this space! Message from Editor: A big thanks to Oliver for this excellent world digest column.  It will be missed and hope to see it back once you're settled.  Then again, you might have better things to do! February 27, Sydney, Australia Only in the bizarre world of the WBA can a boxer who calls himself “Superman” be an “ordinary” world champion. Joe Calzaghe is the WBA's “super” 12st world champion – or REAL champ, to you and me – while Australia's Anthony “Superman” Mundine is the organisation's “ordinary” champ. But this is a situation which is rehashed every time one of these spurious beltholders is in action, so I'll let the nonsense speak for itself. A shame, because Mundine is one of the finest talents at super-middleweight (not an promotion from “ordinary” middleweight), which he reminded us of by posting a wide unanimous decision over decent countryman Nader Hamdan. Mundine seems to be getting back on track after an eye infection threatened to curtail his career last year. Mundine is arguably the finest pound-for-pound boxer in his country, yet he is a hate figure for many Australians due to his controversial persona. He continues to frustrate these fans by dominating domestic opposition. As well as Hamdan, Mundine's best wins have come against Aussie cult heroes Danny Green and Sam Soliman. February 29, Lemoore, California, USA Robert Guerrero made the second defence of his second IBF featherweight title reign, knocking out exciting young talent Jason Litzau in eight rounds, while on the undercard, heavyweight prospect Travis Walker gained revenge over sole conqueror TJ Wilson, stopping him in two rounds. Wilson was awarded a controversial 15-second stoppage win last time they fought, in October, but the balance was redressed here. These two have fought twice, but the total time on the clock from both encounters is just 5:05. The interim NABF belt was at stake this time. February 29, Chihuahua, Mexico Former two-time WBO bantamweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez registered the second win of his post-title campaign, stopping compatriot journeyman Giovanni Urbina in a couple of rounds. Gonzalez's second reign was ended by Gerry Penalosa in a big upset last summer. February 29, Marksville, Louisiana, USA Light-middleweight contender Sechew Powell – he of the memorable “Iron Horse” nickname – stopped unbeaten but inexperienced Kevin Finley in the first round. Finley was 12-0-1 coming in, but had no recognisable names on his slate. Powell was marking time while awaiting a world title shot, earned by stopping Terrence Cauthen in an IBF eliminator last time out. On the undercard, super-middleweight old stager Antwun Echols showed he's not yet ready to simply make up the numbers, holding undefeated prospect Michael Walker to a 10-round draw. Echols hasn't won a fight since 2004, although three of his latest four fights have ended in a stalemate. February 29, Milan, Italy Guiseppe Lauri is well accustomed to fighting our boys on British soil – and losing – so he enjoyed the rare treat of fighting – and beating – a Brit in his own backyard. He defended his EU light-welterweight strap with a sixth-round stoppage of Peter McDonagh. It was Lauri's third victory since a second defeat to Ted Bami, 11 months ago. Before those two points setbacks, he had been stopped by Ricky Hatton and Junior Witter. On the same bill, Gianluca Branco posted an eight-round decision over unknown Nico Salzmann – curious, since Branco is supposedly out injured, instead of fighting our European light-welter champ Colin Lynes. Branco has twice pulled out of matches with Lynes, and before that twice reneged on deals to meet Bami. He's a world class operator on his day, which makes his reluctance to fight our boys all the more irregular. February 29, Guadalajara, Mexico Welterweight fringe contender Arturo Morua enjoyed an easy one after three consecutive defeats, stopping journeyman Mario Alberto Mondragon in three rounds. Morua was stopped in nine rounds by Junior Witter in a WBC title attempt in London 13 months ago. February 29, Bangkok, Thailand Thai bantamweight fringe contender Medgoen Singsurat earned a routine six-round points success over countryman Yodkumarn Chitraladagym in what was his second appearance since a one-round Stateside blowout against Jorge Arce in December. Singusrat's record is superficially impressive at 55-5, but it lacks substance in recent years, with the 47-second Arce defeat showing his true position. February 29, Hamburg, Germany British heavyweight trier Paul Butlin “warmed up” for his part in April's Prizefighter one-night tournament by dropping a unanimous decision to German prospect Sebastian Koeber in a six-rounder. Koeber claimed another British scalp last time out, outscoring Lee Swaby. March 1, Carson, California, USA Boxing's latest classic trilogy came to a thrilling end as Israel Vasquez edged Rafal Marquez on a 12-round split. It was another all-action affair, with swings of momentum, knockdowns and point deductions and, as with the first two instalments, a decision which remained in doubt right to the very end. With a stoppage win apiece entering this decider, it was perhaps appropriate that Vasquez and Marquez should go the full 12 in their decider. Marquez retained his WBC super-bantamweight belt, but probably more importantly, these two have written their names into boxing immortality. In undercard action, super-middleweight prospect Henry Buchanan outpointed former world title challenger Ross Thompson over eight, and Jorge Paez Jr – son of the Eighties icon of the same name – posted a third-round knockout over trialhorse Tomas Barragan at lightweight. March 1, Tokyo, Japan WBA strawweight king Yutaka Niida retained for the seventh time with a sixth-round knockout of Venezuelan visitor Jose Luis Varela. It was an impressive statement-type result by Niida in a division which is currently wide-open following the move north by Ivan Calderon. March 1, Lusaka, Zambia Old heavyweight (is there any other kind these days?) Joseph Chingangu continued his so-far successful comeback on home territory by stopping novice Ghanaian Isaac Paakwesi Ankra in five rounds. Chingangu, 41, is 3-0 since resurfacing a year ago, after a four-year hiatus prompted by a one-round shelling at the hands of Herbie Hide. But Chingangu famously shocked Hide in two rounds in 2001 in what was his career-best result. The Zambian is a familiar face to British fans. As well as his series with Hide, he has lost to Pele Reid and Julius Francis (in a creditable challenge for the Commonwealth championship) and sixteen years ago beat Tom Collins at cruiserweight.

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