Ponce de Leon stops Estrella in the 6th; Groves-Anderson II on 3/16

By Boxing News - 01/21/2012 - Comments

By Jim Dower: Former WBO super bantamweight champion Daniel Ponce de Leon (42-4, 35 KO’s) was much too good for Omar Estrella (15-4-2, 10 KO’s), stopping him in the 6th round on Saturday night to win the vacant WBC USNBC featherweight title at the Bodega Del Boxeo, in Ensanda, Baja, California, Mexico.

This win interrupted a two fight losing streak for the 31-year-old Ponce de Leon.

Also on the card, undefeated bantamweight prospect Leo Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KO’s) stopped Alejandro Hernandez in the 4th round.

Groves vs. Anderson in rematch on March 16th

by Scott Gilfoid: It’s been two years since George Groves (14-0, 11 KO’s) and Kenny Anderson (15-1, 11 KO’s) last fought in November 2010. Groves was knocked to the canvas in that fight from a hard right hand from Anderson. Luckily for Groves, the knockdown occurred near the end of the round and he was able to escape the round by holding on.

Groves then wore Anderson down with movement and was able to stop him in the 6th. Well, Groves and Anderson will be doing it again this time on March 16th in a title defense of Groves’ British super middleweight strap at the Wembley Arena, Wembley, London, UK.

Groves, 23, says he’s improved since that time and it’s hard to say whether that’s true or not, as he looks to be the same fighter. Since then, Groves has beaten Daniel Adotey Allotey, James DeGale and Paul Smith. The DeGale win was a very close one and it indeed could have gone either way. Groves doesn’t want to fight DeGale again and is comfortable with the narrow win. Groves doesn’t mind fighting Anderson again, who he knocked out two years ago, but still doesn’t want to fight DeGale for some peculiar reason.

Anderson, a really hard puncher, has won his last three fights since the Groves loss. Anderson too feels he’s improved, and has stopped each of his last three opponents within four rounds or less. Anderson defeated Joe Rea (7-4), Lee Duncan (4-6-2) and Paul Morby (6-8-1). As you can see, Anderson hasn’t been facing the best of competition since the Groves fight. Hopefully this hasn’t caused Anderson to lose his sharpness because he’s going to be in a tough fight. He’s going to have to knock Groves out to get a win in this fight.



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