WBC Light Heavyweight champion David Benavidez defended his title, stopping Anthony Yarde in seven rounds on Saturday night at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the co-main event, WBO World Welterweight champion Brian Norman, Jr. lost by decision to Devin ‘The Dream’ Haney, who scored a knockdown in the second round.
(Credit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)
Benavidez (31-0 (25) knocked out Anthony Yarde (27-4 (24) at 1:59 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first round, Benavidez outworked Yarde. In the second round, Yarde came back well to even the score. In the fourth round, Benavidez had Yarde out on his feet in the final seconds.
In the fifth and sixth rounds, Benavidez continued outlanding Yarde, drawing blood from his nose in the sixth round. In the seventh round, Benavidez dropped Yarde with a flurry of punches, but hit him when he was down, losing a point from Referee Hector Afu. Upon rising, Yarde took a beating from Benavidez before referee Afu called a halt.
WBC and WBO World super flyweight champion southpaw Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (23-0 (16) knocked out Fernando ‘Pumita’ Martinez (18-1 (9) at 1:25 of the tenth round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first round, Martinez had a slight edge in a good round for both. In the second and third rounds, Rodriguez dominated, drawing blood from the nose of Martinez at the end of the third.
From the fifth round through the ninth, it was all Rodriguez. In the tenth round, Rodriguez dropped Martines for the count from referee Edward Collantes.
WBO World welterweight champion Brian Norman, Jr. (28-1 (22) lost by a 12-round unanimous decision to the former 2-Division champ Devin ‘The Dream’ Haney (33-0-1nc, (15). Haney scored the lone knockdown in round two.
In the second round, Haney landed a left and right on the chin, dropping Norman for an 8-count from referee Ricky Gonzalez. Upon rising, Norman’s nose was bleeding, looking in bad shape. In the third through the fifth rounds, Norman came back well, though Haney took all three rounds.
In the seventh through the ninth rounds, Norman came back well, taking all three rounds but still behind. In the tenth round, it was Haney coming back to take the round.
In the eleventh and twelfth rounds, there was too much holding from both fighters, with a clash of heads causing a cut over the right eye of Norman.
The scores were 114-113, 118-111, and 117-110
No. 1 ranked Sam Nokes (17-10 (15) lost by a 12-round unanimous decision to southpaw Abdullah Mason (20-0 (17) in a fight for the vacant WBO World Lightweight title.
Mason dominated the first four rounds, outworking Nokes. In the next four rounds, Nokes came back well, evening the score.
In the tenth round, Mason had Nokes out on his feet in the final minute with a cut on his left eyebrow and nose bleeding. In the eleventh round, Noakes edged it out, coming back well. In the twelfth and final round, both had their moments, but Mason seemed to have won it.
The scores were 115-113 twice and 117-111.
Middleweight Vito ‘White Majic’ Mielnicki, Jr. (22-1 (13) stopped Samuel Nmomah (21-1 (5) in the ninth round at 2:09 of the ninth round of a scheduled 10 rounds.
In the first three rounds, Mielnicki landed at will. In the fourth round, Nmomah hit Mielnicki behind the head, dropping him, but referee Hector Afu did not rule it a knockdown.
From the fifth through the eighth rounds, Mielnicki outworked Nnomah, winning all the rounds. In the ninth round, Mielnicki landed a combination, dropping Nnomah for an 8-count from Referee Afu. Upon rising, Mielnicki swarmed all over Nmomah, causing Referee Afu to call a halt.
Super featherweight ‘Mighty’ Mohammed Alakel (7-0 (1) dominated Jiaming Li (7-6 (4) by a six-round unanimous decision, scoring a lone knockdown.
In the first two rounds, Alakel dominated, ending each round rocking Li with a right on the chin of Li at the end of the second. In the third and fourth rounds, Li, coming off a loss by stoppage, is too defensive, losing another round with Alakel, mostly landing jabs.
In the fifth round’s final seconds, Alakel landed a counter right on the chin, dropping Li, who got up immediately for a count from referee Pavel Hynek. In the sixth and final round, coming off a ten-round win, Alakel didn’t seem to try for a stoppage with both landing punches at the bell.
The scores were 60-53, 60-53, and 60-53.
Super middleweight Julio ‘Diamante’ Porras (13-0-1 (9) was fortunate to get a six-round draw with Pius Mpenda (11-4-2 (5).
In the first round, the taller Porras controlled with his jab, ending the round with a right on the chin of Mpenda. In the second round, after a minute, Mpenda landed a flurry of punches, putting Porras on the defensive. In the third and fourth rounds, Mpenda landed overhand rights with Porras having his hands to his side.
In the fifth, Mpenda landed an overhand right on the chin of the taller Porras. In the sixth and final round, knowing he was behind Porras, he was throwing more rights while Mpenda kept landing over rights.
The scores were 57-57, 57-57, and 57-57. Leszek Jankowiak was the referee.
Super featherweight Sultan Almohammed (2-0 (1) stopped Umesh Chavan (3-2-1) at 2:05 of the first round of a scheduled four rounds.
In the first round, the 17-year-old Almohammed controlled the aggressive Chavan until a body shot hurt him halfway through the round. Amohammed landed a body shot, forcing Chavan to turn his back, forcing referee Edward Collantes to call a halt.
Bantamweight Barker Ssewanyana (1-2-1) lost to Juan El Guerito De Tepito (10-0) by a unanimous decision.
In the first two rounds, the 16-year-old de Tepito, making his debut, was the taller of the two and outlanded Ssewanyana, going to the body through his opponent’s high trunks.
Ssewanyana is holding too much, landing an occasional overhand right. In the third and fourth rounds, Juan De Tepito controlled. Ssewanyana was deducted a point by referee Manuel Angel Canuel after several warnings for holding.
The scores were 40-35, 40-35, and 40-35.
The Ring Announcer was Thomas Treiber.