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Andreas Hale
This previous weekend was highlighted by two massive boxing playing cards in New York. On Friday, an all-women card that included six title fights with an unprecedented 17 titles on the road happened at Madison Sq. Backyard below the Most Beneficial Promotions banner.
In the primary occasion, undisputed junior welterweight champion Katie Taylor defeated Amanda Serrano by majority decision to stay unbeaten of their combat trilogy. It was a superb efficiency by Taylor, who determined to decelerate the tempo to maintain Serrano guessing and out of vary.
Additionally on the cardboard, Alycia Baumgardner retained her undisputed junior lightweight championship, however beat Jennifer Miranda in much less spectacular style. Shadasia Inexperienced scored an upset of Savannah Marshall that unified two tremendous middleweight titles. Late substitute Cherneka Johnson took benefit of her alternative and have become undisputed bantamweight champion with a TKO win over Shurretta Metcalf.
On Saturday, at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, The Ring III card noticed light-weight champion Shakur Stevenson change his regular defensive method to a extra aggressive assault. He dominated previously unbeaten energy puncher William Zepeda. Hamzah Sheeraz, making his tremendous middleweight debut, knocked out Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round to get a step nearer to a megafight for the undisputed championship. Subirel Matias went the gap for the primary time in his profession in a must-needed victory over Alberto Puello to assert the WBC junior welterweight title. Andreas Hale took in each combat on each New York playing cards and grades the performances of all the highest fighters.
Friday report card
Katie Taylor: B
0:50
Taylor: No one can deny I received this combat
Katie Taylor believes her third victory over Amanda Serrano was her most dominant victory within the trilogy.
It wasn’t the slugfest of the earlier two conferences. The tempo was slower than their earlier two fights and the output degree was decrease, which brings down the grade right here, however Taylor lastly fought the combat she needed in opposition to Serrano. Taylor used motion and a test hook and doubled up on the fitting hand to regulate lengthy stretches of the combat. Her efficiency emphatically proved Taylor is the higher fighter.
Amanda Serrano: D
Serrano had an terrible recreation plan in opposition to Taylor of their third combat. She opted to field as a substitute of swarm and located herself on the dropping finish of a choice that wasn’t as shut as the primary two fights. Serrano admitted in her postfight interview that she did not imagine her technique from the primary two conferences would get the job carried out within the third, however her aggressive method in these performances received over followers and left room for opinions that she ought to have been up 2-0. As a substitute, she allowed Taylor to combat her combat and misplaced a transparent resolution. Serrano continues to be one of many greats, however this wasn’t the fitting method.
Alycia Baumgardner: C
“The Bomb” did not exhibit her vaunted energy in opposition to the light-hitting Miranda and did not essentially impress those that had by no means seen her combat. She will get a slight go as a result of she had been comparatively inactive the previous couple of years. Nonetheless, she performed it protected regardless of being able to win over new followers along with her energy. Baumgardner promised in her postfight interview that issues will solely get higher from right here, an method that might remind followers what made her an undisputed champion within the first place. She has all of the instruments to be a star.
Shadasia Inexperienced: B
Inexperienced was a major underdog in her combat with former undisputed tremendous middleweight champion Marshall and dug herself a reasonably deep gap by having a degree deducted in Spherical 4 for extreme holding. However the uncooked expertise and grit of Inexperienced pulled her by means of, and he or she received a cut up resolution to develop into unified champion. It wasn’t an ideal efficiency however proved that Inexperienced is the diamond within the tough that Jake Paul’s MVP thought she was. Extra importantly, she set herself up for a possible blockbuster showdown with ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Claressa Shields.
Cherneka Johnson: B
Johnson wasn’t even initially on the cardboard however obtained the decision to hitch MVP after Dina Thorslund withdrew when she discovered she is pregnant. Johnson took full benefit of the chance and tore by means of Metcalf with a ninth-round stoppage in a bantamweight battle to develop into Australia’s first undisputed champion. She made a robust impression and is now in prime place to develop into a star.
Saturday report card
Shakur Stevenson: A
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Shakur Stevenson wins by unanimous resolution to retain his title
Shakur Stevenson beats William Zepeda to retain his WBC light-weight title.
Stevenson silenced those that known as his fashion boring by staying within the pocket and outslugging a slugger in a dominant unanimous resolution win in opposition to Zepeda. He did not must placed on an thrilling efficiency to beat the offensive-minded Zepeda, however he fought like he needed to show a degree to his doubters. His fight could have easily been in the headlining spot, on condition that Stevenson is among the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet and was defending his light-weight championship. He landed an absurd 52.2% of his punches (295 of 565), weathered each single storm he encountered from Zepeda and received practically each spherical on the scorecards (118-110, 118-110 and 119-109). This efficiency proves he can win in nearly any fashion he desires.
William Zepeda: C
Zepeda fought the way in which he at all times fights, launching a ridiculous 979 punches at his opponent. He gave Stevenson all he may deal with with a relentless offensive method that had been ok to beat 33 different fighters, however Stevenson was too good to be overwhelmed by Zepeda’s output. Zepeda landed simply 27.8% of his whole punches and was too straightforward for Stevenson to search out, with Stevenson touchdown over 50%. Zepeda left with a loss, however followers will need to see him once more due to his thrilling fashion.
Hamzah Sheeraz: A
Sheeraz needed to hearken to Berlanga’s trash speak for months, about how he was going to make quick work of the Brit, who was making his tremendous middleweight debut. Berlanga had the backing of New York Metropolis when the 2 met in the primary occasion at Louis Armstrong Stadium, with Berlanga being accompanied by Fats Joe and Remy Ma performing their hit “Lean Again” for his entrance. Satirically, it might be Sheeraz who compelled Berlanga to “lean again” by knocking the Puerto Rican down 3 times and choosing up a powerful fifth-round knockout. He proved that the transfer to 168 kilos was the fitting one and now units himself up for the winner of Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.
Edgar Berlanga: F
For all of the speaking that Berlanga did to Sheeraz (and promoter Oscar De La Hoya), he could not again it up and was blown out in 5 rounds. Hubris has appeared to get the very best of the Puerto Rican, who burst onto the scene by profitable his first 16 fights by first-round knockout. In September he landed a combat in opposition to Alvarez that proved to be too early in his profession, in a one-sided unanimous resolution loss. He got here into this combat stuffed with confidence, however he was dropped 3 times in entrance of his dwelling followers. Hopefully this humbling second for Berlanga will get him again within the lab to repair the holes in his recreation. He is gifted however might want to notice his limitations transferring ahead.
Subriel Matias: B-
Matias received a choice for the primary time in his profession, a hard-fought battle with Puello to develop into the WBC junior welterweight champion. Matias, who entered the combat with a 100% knockout-to-win ratio, definitely tried so as to add one other knockout to his report with a full-court press of Puello. He stayed on his entrance foot for practically the complete combat, bouncing punches off each a part of Puello’s physique. However he began to put on down late and needed to hold on for a slender majority resolution win. If Puello had energy, this may need been a distinct end result.
Alberto Puello: C+
Puello was compelled to cope with the relentless stress of knockout artist Matias and practically escaped along with his title. He fought effectively off his again foot, weathering the storm and utilizing crisp counterpunching. He by no means allowed the combat to get away from him, managing to develop into the primary fighter to go all 12 rounds with Matias. Puello is artful, however his lack of energy finally did him in.