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Match: Luis Concepcion v Juan Esquer |
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| Date: 19-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Flyweight |
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| Venue: Centro de Convenciones Atlapa, Panama City, Panama |
| Prediction: Esquer points win |
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| Concepcion who is currently 13-1 his only defeat coming early in his career in a close fought 4 round bout, now takes on by far the toughest challenge of his career to date. Esquer has shared the ring with the likes of Ivan Calderon, more than holding his own, one of the judges saw the contest 115-113. He has lost 4 from 28 but has never been stopped, and at 21 years old despite losing 2 of his last 4 he will be coming into this one believing he has a great chance of winning and a win would really put his career on track. This is a tough fight to call both fighters have the ability to win it, Concepcion will be coming in as the favourite, but I think Esquer may cause an upset here, but he needs to bring his A game. |
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Match: Tyrone Brunson v Antonio Soriano |
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| Date: 15-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Light Middleweight |
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| Venue: The Venue at River Cree, Enoch, Alberta, Canada |
| Prediction: Brunson early KO |
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| Knockout superstar Tyrone Brunson steps in the ring again he is currently the holder of the record of the most 1st round knockouts 19 from 19 fights, taking over the 18 consecutive 1st round knockouts previously held by WBA champion Edwin Valero, now in his 20th fight he faces Antonio Soriano who is coming off 4 successive defeats and although he has never been stopped in the first round before he has been stopped early and Brunson has a great chance of continuing his record of 1st round knockouts. |
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Match: Darren Barker v Larry Sharpe |
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| Date: 15-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Middleweight |
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| Venue: The Venue at River Cree, Enoch, Alberta, Canada |
| Prediction: Barker Points win |
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| Dazzling Darren Barker who since his break from boxing has looked incredible takes his first step into a ring outside the UK as a professional in Canada. The recently crowned Commonwealth champion takes on the decent Canadian Larry Sharpe who is currently undefeated in his last 6 fights all of which against capable opponents. Barker will have overcome the nerves quickly or Sharpe will be quick to pounce, as long as he does Barker should have too much for Sharpe and get the win over the distance, Sharpe is possibly the best opponent of Barkers career so don’t rule him out, there maybe an upset if Barker doesn’t bring his A game. |
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Match: Alex de Jesus v Adrian Navarrete |
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| Date: 08-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Light Welterweight |
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| Venue: Coliseo Antonio R. Barcelo, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico |
| Prediction: De Jesus mid to late stoppage |
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| Unbeaten De Jesus gets a decent challenge in the form of tough big punching journeyman Navarrete. De Jesus has beaten better guys but Navarrete should be a handful for the first few rounds. De Jesus should come through and get a stoppage in the mid to later rounds. |
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Match: Joseph Agbeko v William Gonzalez |
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| Date: 02-08-2008 |
Title: IBF Bantamweight Title
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| Weight: Minimumweight |
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| Venue: Auditorio Juan Pachin Vicens, Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Prediction: Agebeko mid to late stoppage |
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| IBF champion Agbeko makes his first defence of his title belt against a decent opponent in the form of Gonzalez, however Gonzalez although holds a decent record of 21-2 has fought at a much lower level and has been stopped in his two losses both times when stepping up in class. Agbeko should make a reasonably easy defence of his belt.
Fight Cancelled |
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Match: Beibut Shumenov v Montell Griffin |
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| Date: 02-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Light Heavyweight |
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| Venue: Chimkent, Kazakhstan |
| Prediction: Griffin late stoppage |
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| An interesting fight, we all know about Yuriorkis Gamboa and his demolition job on the featherweight division, stepping up immediately in class and barely getting an easy opponent, now in the Light Heavyweight division which is crying out for a up and coming star we have Beibut Shumenov, he is currently 5-0 with 5 knockout wins, his latest coming over decent journeyman Lavander Finger with a first round destruction job. He has since been linked with a number of profile fights against the likes of Sakio Bika and Yusaf mack, however his promoters have now settled with tough former world champion Montell Griffin. Montell is coming off a decent run of form winning 2 of his last 3 the only defeat a 11th round KO to the hands of Glen Johnson. Shumenov to date has only completed 9 rounds as a professional his longest fight lasting 4 rounds, he was a decent amateur but unless he really is something special I just can’t see him being able to beat someone with the experience of Griffin so early in his career. I have been wrong before and I have not seen anything of this kid before, they must be confident to put him in with the likes of Griffin so early, watch this space as if he does manage to pull off a win here he will be immediately lifted into the top contenders in the division, as I say the Light Heavyweight division is calling out for a new batch of talent, I just can’t see it, too high to fast for me, Montell should just have too much experience. |
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Match: Sebastien Demers v Fulgencio Zuniga |
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| Date: 01-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Middleweight |
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| Venue: Gare Windsor Salle des Pas Perdus, Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Prediction: Zuniga mid to late stoppage |
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| A very interesting contest, Demers has the home town advantage and once again is the hot favourite to win this contest, however former IBO champion Zuniga will have other idea’s. he has competed at a much higher level and has some decent wins under his belt. It took 9 rounds for big punching Kelly Pavlik to get rid of his so as Demers is not a big puncher if he is going to win he will have to do it on the cards. Zuniga carries decent power, he will start quick but has a tendency to fade in the later rounds. Demers has been stopped by IBF champion Arthur Abrahams and although I doubt Zuniga will do it in the same style I think he may be facing a similar fate, however many will disagree as I have said earlier Demers is the hot favourite.
Fight Cancelled |
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Match: Adonis Stevenson v Anthony Bonsante |
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| Date: 01-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Super Middleweight |
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| Venue: Gare Windsor Salle des Pas Perdus, Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Prediction: Stevenson mid to late stoppage |
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| Big step up in class for Stevenson who is tipped as one of the most talented up and coming guys at 30 years old he has to move quickly if he is going to make his mark. Bonsante well known for his brave performances on TV show The Contender will be coming to fight he is a brave warrior and although Stevenson should be too big, strong and quick for him he will be giving it his all. The first few rounds should be competitive but Stevenson should take over in the later rounds and the stoppage should come. |
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Match: Ionut Dan Ion v Peter Semo |
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| Date: 01-08-2008 |
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| Weight: Light Welterweight |
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| Venue: Piatra Neamt, Romania |
| Prediction: Dan Ion Points win |
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| Despite Semo’s record of 18-2 he is the toughest test of Dan Ion’s career to date, the tough Ugandan now based in Sweden is a worthy adversary and should not be overlooked. NABA champion also known as Jo Jo Dan will have to complete 10 rounds for only the 2nd time in career if he is going to win this one. It should be a tough battle and it will be left in the Judges hands with Jo Jo Dan being the favourite to win. |
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Match: Billy Dib v Zolani Marali |
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| Date: 30-07-2008 |
Title: IBO Super Featherweight Title
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| Weight: Super Featherweight |
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| Venue: Entertainment Centre, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Prediction: Marali late stoppage |
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| Dib has been dubbed as potentially one of the hottest prospects in boxing, he apparently has it all speed, skills, power, however he now faces by far the toughest test of his career in tough South African Zolani Marali, who although has a loss has competed at a much higher level than Dib. Although Marali is the smaller man competing most of his career at Super Bantamweight, he has won a few fights recently at Super Featherweight and is on a great run of form. The fight takes place in Dib’s home town so he holds all of the aces, however I have a feeling that Marali may just be too much for him. Tough fight to call Dib is the hot favourite and a betting man would get good odds on a Marali win, but I think he might pull it off. |
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