By Ken Hissner: At Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales, UK, Saturday over DAZN Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing) presented in the Main Event IBF World Super Featherweight champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov with his left eye almost closed, lost a split decision, and his title to former IBF World Super Featherweight champion Joe Cordina with a second round knockdown the possible difference.
In the Main Event IBF World Super Feather champ southpaw Shavkatdzhon Rakhomov, 17-1-1 (14), #129 ½, of Bokhtar, TAJ, lost his title by split decision to Olympian and former IBF Super champ Joe ”The Welsh Wizard” Cordina, 16-0 (9), #129 ¾, of Cardiff, Wales, UK, over 12 action-packed rounds.
In the second round, with a minute remaining, a left hook from Cordina on the chin and down went Rakhomov for an 8-count from Referee Steve Gray. He was up and fighting back until the bell. In the third and fourth rounds, Rakhomov had his way.
In the fifth round, Rakhomov had Cordina in trouble until the final thirty seconds when Cordina opened up on him. In the sixth round, Cordina cut the left eyebrow of Rakhomov in the final with a right hand.
In the seventh round, on three occasions, Cordina rocked Rakhomov, whose right eye was closing. In the eighth round, Rakhomov came back well rocking Cordina with a minute to go. Cordina came back, having the best of it to the bell.
In the ninth round, Cordina hurt Rakhomov with forty seconds remaining with a right on the chin. Rakhomov came back before the bell, but not enough to win the round. In the tenth round, Rakhomov dominated the round, with Cordina only fighting back in spurts.
In the eleventh round, it was back and forth, with Rakhomov having an edge. In the twelfth and final round, it was even when Cordina started celebrating in the final seconds. How Rakhomov’s eye held up is a credit to his cut-man.
Scores were 116-111 Rakhomov, 115-112, and 114-113 Cordina and KH.
Coming back from world title defeat Zelfa ‘Brown Flash’ Barrett, 29-2 (16), #129, of Manchester, UK, defeated late sub game Jason “El Alacrancito” Sanchez, 16-4 (9), #128 ¾, of Albuquerque, NM, over 12 rounds scoring a knockdown for the vacant WBA Continental Super Feather title.
In the first two rounds, Sanchez pressed the action forcing Barrett to the ropes when the latter fought his way off the ropes quite well. A minute into the third round, Barrett rocked Sanchez with a right uppercut to the chin. With a minute remaining it was Sanchez scoring well against Barrett.
In the fourth round’s final thirty seconds, Barrett rocked Sanchez with a right to the chin. In the fifth round, at midway points, a solid right from Barrett on the chin and down went Sanchez and up and down as Referee Howard Foster gave an 8-count. Sanchez managed to get through the round.
At the sixth round halfway point, a Barrett right on the chin stopped Sanchez in his tracks. He fought his way back until the final half minute when again Barrett landed a right uppercut to the chin having much faster hand speed. In the seventh round, Sanchez kept the pressure up enough to take a close round.
In the eighth and ninth rounds, Sanchez found himself chasing Barrett but walking into uppercuts on the chin. In the tenth and eleventh rounds, Sanchez cannot cut off the ring due to the foot and hand speed of countering Barrett. In the twelfth and final round, Sanchez never gave up trying to catch back pedaling counter punching Barrett to no avail.
Scores were 116-111, 118-110, and 119-108 with 117-108 KH.
In a rematch British champ Gavin Gwynne, 16-2-1 (4), #134 ¼, of Treharris, Wales, UK, defended stopping Craig ‘Smiler’ Woodruff, 12-7-1 (4), #133 ¾, of Newport, Wales, UK, at 2:02 of the fifth round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first two rounds, Gwynne outworked Woodruff. In the third round, Gwynne had Woodruff in a corner the entire round. In the fourth’s final seconds, Gwynne landed over a dozen unanswered punches.
In the fifth round, Gwynne had Woodruff against the ropes with a good body attack, than to the head, causing Referee Michael Alexander to call a halt.
In co-feature, Sandy “The Devo” Ryan, 6-1 (2), #146 ½, of Derby, UK, pitched a shutout defeating “MPH” Marie Pier Houle, 8-1-1 (2), #145 ½, of Terrebonne, Quebec, CAN, over 10×2 rounds, winning the vacant WBO Welter title.
In the first two rounds, Ryan would land and tie up Houle, who had little offense. In the third round, Ryan drew blood from the nose of Houle. In the fourth round, the smaller Houle got in her best punch in the second minute of the round, but not enough to win it.
In the fifth, it was all Ryan bullying Houle to the ropes and landing punches without return going to southpaw and back to orthodox. From the sixth through the eighth, Ryan continued out-landing Houle.
In the ninth round last half minute Ryan landed a hard uppercut to the chin having Houle with little to return. In the tenth and final round, Ryan continued pitching a shutout. The referee was Marcus McDonnell.
The scores were 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93, and 100-90 KH.
IBF European Cruiser champ Jordan ‘Troublesome’ Thompson, 15-0 (12), #199, of Manchester, UK, defended his title by stopping former British & Commonwealth champ Luke ‘The Duke’ Watkins, 16-3 (11), #198, of Swindon, UK, in the sixth round of a scheduled ten rounds.
In the first four rounds, the taller Thompson used a good jab but little else. Watkins put his punches together going to the head, but when coming in low, he gets tied up by Thompson. In the fifth round, Thompson finally opened up, having a good round until the final twenty seconds when Watkins landed a flurry of punches to the chin.
In the sixth round, Thompson landed a left to the body, dropping Watkins for an 8-count from Referee Howard Foster. Watkins got up, fighting back until Thompson unloaded a flurry of punches ending with a right on the chin, driving him into the ropes and down, forcing Referee Foster to wave it off at 2:07 of the sixth.
Ring Announcer David Diamante