The World This Week by Oliver Fennell Nov 27th 2007

Oliver Fennell sums up the international action of interest. Results with relevance to British boxing are in bold. November 19 Samson Sor Siriporn, Thailand's former jailbird-turned-world champion, retained her WBC light-flyweight crown with a 10-round verdict over Japanese challenger Momo Koseki. On the undercard, two-time “interim” world champion Wandee Singwancha picked up the WBC Asian flyweight title with a unanimous decision over novice Filipino Fernando. Singwancha has enjoyed “interim” distinction at strawweight and light-fly, but has never made it to “full” world champion. November 20 Former British welterweight champion Chris Saunders surfaced in Vilamoura, Portugal, but was beaten in four rounds by undefeated German Frank Shabani. It was 38-year-old Saunders' second fight since returning from a three-year lay-off. But there was a British winner elsewhere on the bill, as middleweight Lee Noble stopped Colombian trialhorse William Ruiz, also in four. November 21 Byron Mitchell finally returned to action after his two-round stoppage loss to Joe Calzaghe four years ago, but he went in too deep in his Miami comeback fight. Facing former world title challenger Richard Hall up at light-heavyweight, Mitchell was stopped in four rounds. Mitchell – the first man to floor Calzaghe – is only 34, but this defeat, after such a long lay-off, might be difficult to rebound from. November 22 Ancient Donovan Boucher continued his unlikely comeback at the age of 46, outscoring journeyman Claudio Ortiz over eight in Edmonton, Canada. Boucher, now a middleweight, was the scourge of British welterweights in the late 80s and early 90s, beating Gary Jacobs, Kirkland Laing, Mickey Hughes and Robert Wright. His run was finally ended by Eamonn Loughran. November 23 Sometimes fighters' limitations can make for just as intriguing a contest as their qualities. As such, it was the fact both Fernando Vargas and Ricardo Mayorga were considered past their best – and thus more fragile – that made their collision in Los Angeles so compelling. As has become the norm for a Mayorga fight, he goaded Vargas until the contest became a genuine grudge match. The expected fireworks were unleashed in the opener when Vargas was sent down under a hail of Mayorga punches, but against all expectations, “The Brawl” went the 12-round distance. Mayorga scored another knockdown in the 11th to nick a verdict which until then was poised to go the other way. Vargas had said this would be his last fight and later confirmed his retirement. He is only 29 but peaked early and looked shopworn here. Mayorga, 34, said he would drop back down to welterweight in pursuit of another world title. This contest was nominally for the WBC Continental Americas super-middleweight belt, at a limit of 164lb, at Vargas' request. He has famously struggled with weight in recent years, but this looks to have been a discipline issue rather than a natural one, as he looked tubby in this contest. In the chief support, IBF welterweight ruler Kermit Cintron had a much tougher night than expected against hand-picked challenger Jesse Feliciano. The challenger was barely eligible, being ranked at a token 15 as a result of holding the IBF-affiliated USBA title, and bringing to the fight a 15-5-3 record. In the event, he put up a tremendously game effort and was holding his own until folding in the 10th round. Finally, former IBF light-middleweight titlist Roman Karmazin destroyed fellow ex-champ Alejandro Garcia in three impressive rounds to book a shot at the WBA belt held by Joachim Alcine. Karmazin made a good impression in Britain when he bested David Walker as European champion in 2003. Carlos Baldomir got back in the winning column by outscoring Luciano Perez over 10 in Cabazon, California. The Argentine graduated from journeyman to champion by beating Zab Judah and Arturo Gatti in big upsets last year, but had lost his last two, to Floyd Mayweather and Vernon Forrest. The 36-year-old light-middleweight is now looking for one more title opportunity. In the chief support, Bobby Pacquiao – brother of Manny – registed a fourth-round injury stoppage over Fernando Trejo at super-featherweight. Former world title challenger Kofi Jantuah suffered a setback as he was held to a draw by Spanish prospect Ruben Diaz in Andoain, Spain. At stake was the IBF Intercontinental middleweight honour. Ghanaian Jantuah, who held Arthur Abraham to a points decision last year, holds wins over Gilbert Eastman and Ojay Abrahams in the UK. Diaz is now 12-1-2. Russian prospect Andrey Isaev earned the WBO Asia Pacific featherweight championship with a ninth-round stoppage over Thai visitor Saohin Srithai Condo in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Isaev is now 16-1, the sole setback coming against Kevin Mitchell in a good scrap last year. Japanese bantamweight champion Masayuki Mitani retained his title for the third time and entered the fringes of the world ranking by outscoring recent WBC super-flyweight challenger Teppei Kikui in Kobe. Kikui was stopped in 10 by Cristian Mijares in his world bid four months ago. November 24 Ancient Virgil Hill is all out of miracles. In Dresden, Germany, he surrendered his WBA cruiserweight championship to local Firat Arslan on a unanimous decision. At 43, it could be the end of Hill's championship days, but he talks of fighting on. If he doesn't, his 23-year career is the stuff of modern legend, encompassing three world title reigns and opponents including Marvin Camel, Leslie Stewart, Bobby Czyz, Thomas Hearns, Frank Tate (twice), Adolpho Washington, Fabrice Tiozzo (twice), Lou Del Valle, Henry Maske (twice), Dariusz Michalczewski, Roy Jones, Jean-Marc Mormeck (twice) and Danny Lalonde. He defended his second reign once in Britain, against Drake Thadzi in London in 1995, and against one Brit, beating Crawford Ashley in America earlier the same year. In the show's co-main event, Zsolt Erdei retained his WBO light-heavyweight title with a split decision over Tito Mendoza of Panama. It was a ninth defence for undefeated Erdei. On the undercard, super-middleweight contender Denis Inkin outpointed Martine Bruer of Argentine over 12 to keep his WBC International strap, but was floored in round two. He may now feature in a world title eliminator against Carl Froch. Former British-based Ugandan lightweight Sam Rukundo continued his Scandinavian campaign by outpointing fellow Danish-African Robert Osiobe over 12 for two vacant belts – the respected African Boxing Union and something called the UBO. That's a new one on me. The fight went down in Gilleleje, Denmark. November 26 Recently deposed WBA super-flyweight king Nobuo Nashiro returned following May's defeat to Alexander Munoz, notching a third-round TKO over Thai journeyman Petchklongpai Sor Thantip in Osaka. Nashiro is still only 10-1 as a pro despite his ex-champ distinction. He won the world belt in only his eighth contest. Over in Venezuela, another man familiar to Japanese fans returned to action. Lorenzo Parra, who engaged in a trilogy with Takefumi Sakata, came back from dropping his WBA flyweight crown to that man, halting Benjamin Rivas in Maracaibo. Sakata defeated Parra in March, but Lorenzo had already lost the belt on the scales. Consequently, he has moved up a few divisions now, with this contest being held inside the super-bantam limit.

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