The World This Week by Oliver Fennell Feb 5th 2008

Oliver Fennell sums up the international action of interest. Results with relevance to British boxing are in bold. January 31, The Bronx. New York, USA Popular “Kosovo Kid” Elvir Muriqi returned from his points defeat to Antonio Tarver, stopping trialhorse Jameel Wilson in four rounds at light-heavyweight. On the same bill, veteran Lou Del Valle scraped by .500 fighter Newton Kidd, picking up a split decision over eight cruiserweight rounds. Del Valle, 39, returned to the winning column following two consecutive defeats, but he is clearly a spent force. He had a one-fight reign as WBA light-heavyweight champion a decade ago. February 1, Monroeville, Pennsylvania, USA Super-featherweight prospect Monty Meza Clay scored his best victory so far, stopping former world champion Eric Aiken in seven rounds. Meza Clay won for the 27th time in 28 contests, the sole defeat coming against dangerman Edner Cherry. Aiken's record reads a misleading 16-7-1, and he's better than the stats suggest, as his 2006 IBF featherweight reign attests. He is, however, without a win in his last four fights (one draw). February 1, Helsinki, Finland Ex-European champion Amin Asikainen picked up a useful scalp by stopping centenarian Yory Boy Campas in seven rounds. The fact of Asikainen winning is not so impressive in itself, as he was widely expected to do so, but stopping the durable and still capable veteran was an eye-opener. February 1, Sydney, Australia Fan favourite Emanuel Augustus made his Australian debut, having relocated Down Under. He got his Antipodean campaign off to a fine start by knocking out New Zealander David Wiremu in two rounds. The American – who upset Jon Thaxton over here in 1998, is booked for an IBO welterweight title shot in his new adopted hometown on April 4. February 2, Cebu, Philippines Local favourite Z Gorres and exciting puncher Vic Darchinyan battled to a 12-round draw in what was an official eliminator for the IBF super-flyweight title. A hard-fought battle saw both men knocked down – Gorres twice – before the dust settled. A rematch would be a natural – although Albanian-Australian Darchinyan – a former IBF flyweight ruler – might prefer it to be on home or neutral territory following the antics of the hostile Filipino crowd, who pelted the ring with beer bottles and other debris on several occasions. February 2, Gauteng, South Africa The comeback of Corrie Sanders came to a crashing end as South African heavyweight champion Osborne Machimana knocked him out in the opening round. Sanders, 42, was bidding not only to win the national belt, but also to increase his bargaining power for a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, who he blasted out in a huge upset in 2003. Sanders will now have no choice but to revert to his other sporting love, the less dangerous pursuit of golf. The Klitschko win brought him the WBO title, which he relinquished in order to challenge (unsuccessfully) for the WBC belt vacated by Lennox Lewis a year later. Before that, Sanders had held the WBU strap, which he defended in Britain in 1999 – a 30-second demolition of Jorge Valdes. He also holds a one-round win over Michael Sprott. Machimana, too, has fought in Britain, losing to Mark Potter in a 2002 small hall classic. In the co-feature, Silence Mabuza retained his IBO bantamweight belt with a ninth-round retirement over Filipino challenger Eden Sonsona. Mabuza holds a 2004 victory over Noel Wilders. February 2, Scottsdale, Arizona Veteran heavyweight Monte Barrett enjoyed an easy one as he knocked out Damon Reed in a couple of rounds. Reed holds the unenviable distinction of being on the losing end of the quickest knockout in world heavyweight title history, having been blown out in 55 seconds by Herbie Hide in 1997. Barrett, a two-time world title challenger, has also fought in Britain, where he was stopped by Wladimir Klitschko in 2000.

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