By Ken Hissner: At Fabriksporthalle, Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany Saturday over ESPN+ promoter Wasserman Boxing and Nisse Sauerland presented in the Main Event for the vacant IBO Light Heavyweight title both unbeaten boxers Leon Bunn of Germany was knocked down three times, finally being stopped by Ireland’s Padraig “The Hammer” McCrory in the sixth round.
In the Main Event IBF International champ Leon Bunn, 18-1 (9), #174.25, of Frankfurt, Hessen, GER, was stopped by Padraig “The Hammer” McCrory, 15-0 (9), #174, of Belfast, No. Ireland, UK, at 1:58 of the sixth round for the vacant IBO light heavy title 12 rounds.
In the first round, McCrory fighting out of the UK for the first time, easily took the round from the shorter reluctant to open up Bunn. McCrory went from orthodox to southpaw on occasions with a left to his side wide open but had little return action from Bunn.
In the second round, after a minute, Bunn drew blood from the nose of McCrory that seemed to spur the latter on. He dropped Bunn with a left high on the head for an 8-count from Referee Joerg Milke, who did a poor job throughout. He separated them for what seemed like no reason at one point with McCrory on the offense.
In the third round, Bunn did better-throwing punches suffering a bruise under his right eye he took many lefts. In the fourth round, McCrory just couldn’t seem to put Bunn away, though easily taking the round.
In the sixth round, a right from McCrory on the chin dropped Bunn for an 8-count with the referee waving it off.
Super Feather 2021 Olympian Kurt Walker, 4-0 (1), #128.75, of Lisburn, No. Ireland, UK, defeated Yin Caicedo, 6-5-3 (2), #126, of Cali, COL, over 6 spirited rounds.
In the first round, Walker 94-35 in the amateurs losing to Silver medalist Duke Ragan now 7-0, Walker had an edge, but Caicedo was punch for punch into the action.
In the second round, Caicedo rocked Walker with a right on the chin knocking him off balance at the halfway point. He took the round. In the third, both had their moments. Walker had a slight edge.
In the fourth round, Walker had his jab in the face the entire round with some rights to the body. It was a big round for Walker.
In the fifth round, Caicedo came out throwing wild punches, but by the end of the first minute, Walker took over, backing him up.
In the sixth and final round, Walker claimed Caicedo bit his ear. From that point on, Walker showboated, not mixing it up much. The replay looked like Caicedo did this but with a mouthpiece with no real damage. The referee was Alexander Plummins.
Scores 60-54 twice and 59-55, as did this writer have it.
Bantam Bilgenur Aras, 8-1 (5), #119.5, of Turkey living in GER, defeated Oksana “Amazon” Romanova, 10-34-1 (2), #118, of Kyiv, UKR, over 6×2 rounds.
In the first round, fifty-year-old Romanova, the loser of her last seven fights, only stopped three times in her forty-four fights, was brought in as an opponent for 26-year-old Aras. Aras didn’t open up until the final twenty seconds with several punches to the chin backing up Romanova. In the second and third rounds, both won by Aras, she ended with a right to the chin of Romanova at the bell.
In the fourth and fifth rounds, Aras out-landed Romanova looking to get rounds in. In the sixth and final round halfway point, a right from Aras on the chin made the legs of Romanova wobble a bit but give her credit at her age of 50 for hanging in there. Referee was Joerg Milke
Scores were 59-55 twice and 60-54, as did this writer.
Middle southpaw Kieran Molloy, 2-0 (2), #154.5, of Galway, IRE, Sandro Jajanidze, 10-26-2 (8), #158.75, of Tbilisi, GEO, 6 rounds.
In the first two rounds, Molloy had his way driving Jajanidze into the ropes in the second round, failing to follow up. In the third round, Jajanidze landed a lead right and was countered by a Molloy right to the chin.
In the third and fourth rounds, Molloy landed 3-punch combinations several times, bringing down the hands-held high defense of Jajanidze, who continued to his credit of coming forward, landing his best punch a right half a minute into the fourth a right on the chin of Molloy.
In the fifth round, Molloy was putting more into his punches, looking for a stoppage. In the final seconds, Jajanidze landed three straight light rights on the chin of Molloy. In the sixth and final round midway point, both had their best exchange. In the final twenty seconds, Molloy rocked Jajanidze with a left uppercut on the chin but couldn’t follow up on it up before the bell. Molloy had a small nick under his left eye at the end.
Molloy had over 100 amateur bouts and an 84-19 record with wins over current unbeaten boxers Paddy Donovan, 9-0, and in the US over Quinton Randall, 11-0-1, along with losses to Cuba’s 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Roniel Iglesias, 2-0 and 309-44 in the am’s and a pair to Pat McCormick, 2-0, 77-11 in the am’s.
Scores were all 59-55, with this writer’s 60-54. Referee was Bayasgalan Sandag.
Heavy Daniel “Triple D” Dietz, 7-0 (7), #266.75, of GER, stopped Gyorgy Kutasi, 5-16 (3), #215(?), of Paks, Hungary, at 2:43 of the first round of a scheduled 6 rounds.
In the first round, the much taller Dietz dropped Kutasi with a right on the chin for an 8-count from Referee Joerg Milke a minute into the round. Shortly later, a right uppercut on the chin from Dietz again dropped Kutasi for an 8-count. In the final minute, Dietz dropped Kutasi for the third time. As the referee was waving it off, a towel came thrown into the ring by the corner of Kutasi.
Super Middle Allen Bauer, 2-0 (2), #164, of GER, stopped Renato Balogh, 0-1 (0), #164(?), of Hungary, at 1:33 of the second round of a scheduled 4 rounds.
In the first round, Bauer did more feinting than punching, with Balogh only returning punches when punched. In the second round, after a minute, Balogh landed his first good punch, a right to the chin of Bauer.
Later in the round, Bauer hurt Balogh with a right on the chin, followed by half a dozen unanswered punches, with Balogh turning away, forcing Referee Alexander Plummins to call a halt.
Middle Ryszard Lewicki, 3-0 (2), #165.5, of POL and MIddlesbrough, UK, defeated southpaw Merab Turkadze, 6-18-1 (2), #163.25, of Kutaisi, GEO, 4 rounds.
In the first three rounds, Lewicki easily outworked Turkadze with little offense in return. In the fourth and final round, Lewicki kept backing him to the ropes, with Turkadze showing grit. Unfortunately, Lewick threw him to the canvas after the bell and should have been penalized for this but wasn’t. After the decision, Turkadze showed good sportsmanship upon hearing the decision applauding.
Scores were all 60-54.
Ring announcers speaking in German didn’t make weights or where the fighters were from known with little help from the ring commentator. Even Box Rec didn’t have any more info than reported here.
Some opponents’ weights were estimates without them being announced. There was too much time between bouts.