By Ken Hissner: WBO champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly stopped IBF champ Vincenzo ‘Il Capo’ Gualtieri in the sixth round after five boring rounds in their middleweight unification fight on Saturday night at Fort Bend Community Center, Rosenberg, Texas,
In co-feature, 2020 Olympian Silver Medalist Keyshawn ‘The Businessman’ Davis defeated by majority decision Nahir ‘Woo’ Albright.
In the main event, southpaw 2016 Olympian and WBO middle champ Alimkhanuly, 15-0 (10) stopped IBF Middle champ Vincenzo ‘Il Capo’ Gualtieri, 21-1-1 (7) at 1:25 of the sixth round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first three rounds, there was little action, with Alimkhanuly taking all three. In the fourth round, Bualtieri landed a combination on his first offensive move. Alimkhanuly rocked him with an uppercut to the chin in the final seconds.
In the sixth round a left uppercut that Bualtieri ducked into sent him back several steps covering up. Aimkhanuly was all over him, landing several lefts to the head then a pair of jabs and two more lefts to the chin, and referee Fields called a halt to one of the worst title fights you could imagine. Bualtieri made super welter champ Charlo’s last fight look identical.
In the co-feature, 2020 Olympic Silver Medalist, lightweight contender Keyshawn ‘The Businessman’ Davis, 10-0 (6) won a 10-round majority decision over Nahir ‘Woo’ Albright, 16-3 (7).
In the first round, it was a feeling out round from both, and not much more in the second round. In the third and fourth rounds, little happened. In the fifth round, referee James Green warned both to stop wrestling and start fighting.
In the sixth round, Albright suffered a small cut on his left eyebrow, claiming in the corner he couldn’t see. In the seventh round final seconds, Albright hurt Davis with a right, having him holding on at the bell.
In the ninth round, Albright had the edge but didn’t follow up on hurting Davis in the previous round. In the tenth and final round, Davis ran to get to the end not looking like the winner he was.
Scores were 95-95, 96-94, and 97-93 as did KH.
2020 Olympic Silver medalist super featherweight Duke Ragan, 9-0 (1) won a hard-fought eight-round split decision over Jose ‘El Mudo’ Perez, 11-2-2 (5), #126 ½, of Oak Hills, CA, over eight rounds coming off the canvas in the fifth round.
In the first two rounds, returning after a year, Ragan didn’t have a weak opponent in Perez in a spirited two rounds. In the third round’s final seconds, Ragan landed a flurry of punches.
In the fifth round, Ragan threw a jab and Perez countered with a left hook on the chin dropping Ragan for an 8-count from Referee James Green. Ragan spit out his mouthpiece in order to save time to recover and should have been penalized.
In the sixth round, Perez had his way following the previous rounds’ knockdown but landed the final right of the round at the bell. In the seventh round’s final minute, a clash of heads caused a small cut on the right eyebrow of Perez.
The referee didn’t call it that. In the eighth and final round despite of the knockdown Ragan seemed to pull out the win.
The scores were 76-75 Ragan, 76-75 Perez, and 76-75 Ragan as did KH.
Heavyweight 2016 Olympian Guido ‘The Gladiator’ Vianello, 11-1-1 (9) defeated Curtis ‘The Hurt’ Harper, 14-10 (9) by a dull eight-round unanimous decision.
In the first round, Harper came out swinging backing up Vianello for the most part of the round. In the second round, Vianello rocked Harper with a right hand on the chin in the final minute. Harper lost his last two fights by stoppage. In the third round, Vianello outworked Harper.
In the fourth round, Harper kept coming in with his head, knowing Vianello lost his last fight by a cut some ten months ago.
In the fifth round, it was all Vianello with Harper just looking to survive. After the round, Harper’s son, now his trainer, laid into him.
In the sixth and seventh rounds, Harper made a fight of it. In the eighth and final round, both went through the motions of a dull second half.
The referee was David Fields.
Scores were 80-72 and 79-73 twice, as did KH.
Super Lightweight southpaw Kelvin ‘Night Night’ Davis (10-0 (6), won a sloppy eight-round unanimous decision over southpaw Narciso Carmona, 11-2-1 (6).
In the first two rounds, Davis kept using his forearm to break from a clinch without warning from Referee David Fields. It was a sloppy first two rounds.
In the final seconds of the third round, an uppercut from Davis on the chin rocked Carmona who was cut between the eyes.
In the fourth round’s final seconds Carmona finally started landing punches trying to steal the round. Coming off his first loss six weeks ago you wonder how he qualified for this match.
In the seventh round in the final seconds of a round of clinches, Carmona had Davis hurt landing a right hook on the chin as the bell ended the round.
In the eighth and final round, Carmona came out, landing a right hook to the chin of Davis. Davis forced too many clinches as Carmona won another round, though he had a small cut on his right eyebrow.
The scores Scores were 80-72, 79-73, and 77-75 as did KH.
In a foul-filled match, lightweight Humberto Galindo, 14-3-2 (11) fought to an eight-round majority draw with Oscar ‘La Maquina’ Bravo, 25-13-1 (11). Both fighters lost points for fouls.
In the first round, Galindo gave Bravo a beating to the body with left hooks to the body for the entire round. In the second round, Referee James Green warned Galindo twice for low blows. Bravo in the final minute rocked Galindo with a left hook to the head.
In the third round beginning again Galindo landed a low blow losing a point being the third warning. The round was even.
In the fourth round, Bravo lost a point for continued holding. In the sixth and seventh rounds, Bravo outlanded Galindo. In the eighth and final round, both had their moments, with Galindo having an edge.
Scores were 76-74 and 75-75 twice, as did KH.
In the final bout on ESPN+, heavyweight 2020 Olympic Silver Medalist southpaw Richard Torrez, Jr., 7-0 (7) stopped Tyrrell ‘Too Real’ Herndon 21-4 (14) in the second round. The time of the stoppage was at 1:26.
In the first round, Torrez is on a knockout streak with four first-round knockouts while Herndon won his last nine fights. Torrez hurt Herndon with a left on the chin in the final thirty seconds.
In the second round, Torrez dropped Herndon with a right on the chin followed by a left for an 8-count from Referee Alejandro Leon. Torrez came right after him dropping him again with a left on the chin causing referee Leon to stop it.
Super Lightweight Giovanni Marquez, 7-0 (5) stopped Donte Strayhorn, 12-5-1 (4) in the second round. The time of the stoppage was at 2:47 of round two.
In the first round son of former champion Raul Marquez, he had a good round outworking Strayhorn. In the second round, a double right uppercut from Marquez dropped Strayhorn for an 8-count from Referee Alejandro Leon.
Seconds later, a combination from Marquez dropped Strayhorn again for an 8-count. Marquez jumped all over Strayhorn with a flurry, causing referee Leon to call a halt.
Lightweight Alan ‘Kid Kansas’ Garcia, 10-0 (8), #137 ¾, of Ulysses, KS, won a lopsided decision over Nelson ‘Hot Hands’ Hampton, 10-7 (6), #137 ¼, of McCallum, TX, over six rounds.
In the first two rounds, Garcia dominated and turned southpaw in the final half minute of round two. In the third and fourth rounds, Garcia continued outworking Hampton.
In the fifth round, Garcia slipped, but Hampton didn’t take advantage of it being too reluctant. In the sixth and final round, Garcia was looking for the stoppage while Hampton looking to survive. The referee was Alejandro Leon.
The scores were all 60-54, as did KH.
Heavyweight southpaw 6:07” made his debut Jakhongir Zokirov, 1-0 (1), #263 ½, of Dzhizak, UZB, stopped 5:08” Guillermo Del Rio, 4-5-1 (2), #217, of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, MEX, at 0:39 of the fourth round 6 rounds.
In the first round, Zokirov didn’t impress being allowed to hold behind the head of Del Rio and hit him. He would lay on Del Rio, who is a foot shorter, and Referee Alejandro Leon warned Del Rio for coming in low.
Zokirov scored a knockdown in the corner from Zokorov for an 8-count. In the second and third rounds, Zokirov continued lying on top of Del Rio without warning.
In the fourth round, Zokirov dropped Del Rio and Referee Leon stepped in to stop the mismatch. Not a good looking debut for Zokirov.