Boxing Results: Kenichi Ogawa KO’d by Joe Cordina for IBF Title!

By Boxing News - 06/04/2022 - Comments

By Ken Hissner: At the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales, UK, Saturday over DAZN Eddie Hearns (Matchroom Boxing) presented before a standing-room-only crowd in the Main Event IBF World Super Featherweight champion Kenichi Ogawa of Tokyo, Japan, defended his title getting knocked out by 2016 Olympian and WBA Continental champion unbeaten Joe “The Welsh Wizzard” Cordina of Cardiff, Wales, UK, in the second round.

In the co-feature, EBU European Super Featherweight champion Faroukh “The Prince of Liege” Kourbanov of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Liege, Belgium, lost his title to IBF No. 2 ranked Zelfa “Brown Flash” Barrett of Manchester, UK.

YouTube video

In the Main Event, IBF World Super Featherweight champ Kenichi Ogawa, 26-2-1 (18), #129 ½, of Tokyo, Japan, lost his title and was knocked out by 2016 Olympian and WBA Continental champ Joe “The Welsh Wizzard” Cordina, 15-0 (9), #130, of Cardiff, Wales, UK, at 1:15 of the second round of a scheduled 12 rounds.

In the first round, Ogawa seemed to have a slight edge. In the second round, a lead crushing right from Cordina on the chin and down went Ogawa for the count from Referee Michael Alexander.

In the co-feature, EBU Euro Super Feather champ Faroukh “Prince of Liege” Kourbanov, 19-4 (3), #129 ¼, of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Liege, Belgium, lost his title to the No. 2 IBF ranked Zelfa “Brown Flash” Barrett, 28-1 (16), #130, of Manchester, UK, over 12 lopsided rounds.

Kourbanov came out on the attack in the first round through a light hitter. He outworked Barrett until the final seconds when the latter landed a solid right on the chin.

In the second and third rounds, Barrett came back well, coming off the ropes and blocking half the punches to back up Kourbanov, who started each round fast before Barrett took over.

From the fourth through the eighth rounds, Barrett’s hand speed had Kourbanov on the defense for the most part. Barrett started landing punches in bunches in the ninth and tenth rounds with more power behind them, while Kourbanov only came back in spurts.

Barrett rocked Kourbanov with a left uppercut to the chin halfway through the round in the eleventh round. In the twelfth and final round, Barrett moved well, knowing he had the fight won, countering enough to take the round. The Referee was Italy’s Roberto DiMario.

Scores were 120-108, 119-109, and 118-110, as did this writer.

YouTube video

WBC International Silver Super Lightweight champ Dalton “Thunder” Smith, 11-0 (9), #139 ¾, of Sheffield, UK, stopped southpaw Mauro Perouene, 14-6-1 (7), #139 ½, of Santa Rosa, La Pampa, ARG, at the end of the sixth round of a scheduled ten rounds.

In the first round, Smith had his way with the southpaw Perouene, rocking him with a right on the chin in the final seconds of the round. In the fourth round, a right uppercut from Smith on the chin hurt Perouene, having him hold on halfway through the round. In the fifth round, Smith had Perouene’s nose bleeding from many rights. The latter would shake his body like he wasn’t hurt.

In the sixth round’s final seconds, a right from Smith on the chin dropped him in a neutral corner for an 8-count from Referee Mark Lyson. In between rounds, Perouene’s corner wisely stopped the fight.

YouTube video

Olympian Featherweight southpaw Skye Nicolson, 4-0 (0), #127 ½, of Queensland, Australia, easily defeated former IBF World Female Fly champion Gabriela “La Gaby” Bouvier, 15-11-1 (3), #127 ¼, of
Maldonado, Uruguay, over 8×2 rounds.

In the first round, the southpaw Nicolson caused a reddened mark under the right eye of Bouvier with lead lefts against the former world champ, who had been inactive for almost three years. From the second through the fifth, Nicolson dominated Bouvier with hands to her side and a long right jab.

In the sixth round, Nicolson continued having a big round out, landing the former champion who kept coming forward for the most part. In the eighth and final round, Nicolson tried for a stoppage with lead lefts, but Bouvier hung in there, not letting it happen.

Referee Reece Carter scored it 80-72, as did this writer.

YouTube video

Super Bantam Gmal “The Beast” Yafai, 19-2 (10), #125, of Birmingham, UK, stopped game southpaw Sean “The Comanche” Cairns, 8-4 (2), #125, of Liverpool, UK, at 1:55 of the fourth round having scored a pair of knockdowns in a scheduled eight rounds.

In the third round, a left hook from Yafai knocked out the mouthpiece of Cairns. Seconds later, a right on the left side of his neck Yafai landed a right, dropping Cairns for an eight-count from Referee Chris Jones, but Cairns showed plenty of heart getting through the round.

In the fourth round, Yafai was all over Cairns landing a left hook on the chin, and down he went with the referee Jones wisely waving it off with a little over a minute left in the round.

YouTube video