Welcome to Under the Radar Fight Results, my weekly column in which I reflect on the results of the week not otherwise covered by separate articles. This was an extremely busy week in the sport on all levels. This week we have Olympic super heavyweight medalists, a legend with a late career big win, a former titleholder, and much, much more. Make sure you have some time to dig into to this write up when you begin.
On the Radar Fight Results
Barroso revitalizes his career with Golden Boy
Groves smashes Cox to defend his belt
Santa Cruz, Mares, and Demarco triumph on FOX
Lara, Charlo, and Hurd win on Showtime
Under the Radar Fight Results
Sunday, October 15th
Jonathan Taconing (26-3-1, 22 KOs) KO2 Arnold Garde (8-5-3, 3 KOs), light flyweights – Philippines
Jonathan Taconing is a Filipino light flyweight fringe contender that has already failed a two title bids. 30 years old down at light flyweight is more well aged than that number normally sounds, but maybe he can get one more shot before his career is done. Here he roughed up a local club fighter in the same way that he has gotten many of his wins previously.
Saturday, October 14th
Omar Narvaez (47-2-2, 25 KOs) RTD7 Nikolai Potapov (17-1-1, 8 KOs), bantamweights – Argentina
Father time be damned, Omar Narvaez just keeps going. I can’t emphasize enough just how crazy a win like this is for a 42 year old career 112-118 lb fighter. Usually by 34 these guys are almost completely shot. To be 42 down at this weight is more akin to Hopkins at 50 up at middleweight than anything directly comparable in terms of numbers. It is a shame that Narvaez will be most remembered for coming up short against the two generational talents he met in Nonito Donaire and Naoya Inoue, as the man is astonishingly 28-2-1 in world title fights alone.
As for this fight, Potapov started well but couldn’t handle the pressure. By the end of the fifth, the Russian was started to get beat up. Things got worse in the seventh and he decided to call it quits in the corner after the round. Incredibly, this WBO eliminator sets Narvaez up for yet another world title shot at Zolani Tete. If he can capture his first bantamweight belt at 42 years old, this will be one of the great stories in the history of the sport. It is a longshot though.
Alex Leapai (31-7-3, 25 KOs) TKO3 Thomas Peato (2-6), heavyweights – Australia
Former heavyweight title challenger Alex Leapai returned from a two and a half year lay off for this fight against a low level club fighter. Leapai mostly lives off his 2013 upset win of then reasonably highly touted unbeaten Russian Denis Boytsov, but that was probably because Boystov wasn’t any good to begin with. Otherwise, Leapai has lost to everyone else he has faced fringe contender and up.
Tony Luis (25-3, 8 KOs) UD10 Giovanni Straffon (14-3-1, 9 KOs), lightweights – Ontario
Top Canadian lightweight Tony Luis picked up another win here. Luis is best known for losing a questionably officiated contest for an interim belt against Derry Matthews in 2015. The Canadian was a last minute substitute for that fight in the UK, taking the shot on less the four days notice. Nevertheless, many thought he should have gotten the nod in a fight where he wasn’t allowed to work on the inside by the referee for no discernible reason. He doesn’t have the ahtleticism to really compete on true world level, but Luis is still rated pretty high by the WBA and will probably eventually get another shot unless he loses.
Oleksandr Teslenko (11-0, 9 KOs) KO2 Nick Guivas (14-9-2, 9 KOs), heavyweights – Ontario
Ukraine to Canada transplant Oleksandr Teslenko was a quality amateur, but thanks to the competition in the Ukrainian amateur program, not one that got to show it at the highest levels of the unpaid ranks. Still, he posted a record of 224-23, or at least that is the claim. I can’t find proof, but what I can find is a pretty promising heavyweight on tape. Teslenko is obviously a plus athlete with some pop and I love how he digs to the body. There is some real potential here.
Tony Yoka (2-0, 1 KO) UD6 Jonathan Rice (7-3-1, 4 KOs), heavyweights – France
French 2016 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist picked up his second career win here against American club fighter Jonathan Rice. Yoka really didn’t look great in doing it though. I don’t know if it was Rice’s 6’5″, 277 lb frame, but for whatever reason Yoka never looked comfortable finding a range. He also never really sat down on his punches, nor displayed any real notable boxing skill. Yoka is big and athletic, but he is raw, already 25, and seemingly without power. Despite his gold medal, which we should note he won thanks to a poor decision over Joe Joyce, I am not sure that Tony Yoka is really a blue chip prospect.
Kevin Johnson (32-8-1, 16 KOs) TKO7 Francesco Pianeta (34-3-1, 20 KOs), heavyweights – Germany
I’d consider this a heavyweight journeyman upset. The last time Kevin Johnon beat someone with a pulse was a middling win over Solomon Haumono in 2013. I guess it has been even longer for Pianeta as you’d have to go back to his 2012 wins over aged Frans Botha and Oliver McCall, but at least he had been winning at all. Johnson has always had some talent, but his refusal to punch has always limited his ability to win even at this lower level.
Azizbek Abdugofurov (8-0, 4 KOs) SD8 Tej Pratap Singh (9-4-2, 4 KOs), middleweights – Malaysia
Uzbekistani prospect Azizbek Abdugofurov turned professional with a measure of hype as a power puncher, but that is rapidly fading. While he hasn’t really come too close to losing, his level of competition has been notably scaled back as he has stopped finishing people. Here he only managed a split decision to boot, though I haven’t seen this and remain in the dark about the quality of scoring. Still, it is not the result expected. Abdugofurov was considered a favorite to win gold at the 2013 World Championships, but a cut bowed him out early.
Carlos Diaz Ramirez (25-0, 12 KOs) KO6 Emanuel Lopez (27-8-1, 12 KOs), lightweights – Mexico
Carlos Diaz Ramirez, more commonly called “Chuko” Diaz, picked up a flashy KO win here in the sixth round of Box Azteca’s main event. It is one worth googling. As a prospect, 22 year old Chuko is an interesting one. At age 19, he knocked out two time title challenger Miguel Beltran, but he didn’t really play that good win into contention, probably because of his age. Last summer he also picked up a good win over strong Mexican domestic force Roberto Marroquin too. I am worried long term about his powerful but slow body attack from range and better fighter’s ability to counter it, but for now Chuko Diaz is on track to break onto the world scene.
Felix Alvarado (30-2, 26 KOs) KO3 Teeraphong Utaida (32-6-1, 17 KOs), light flyweights – Argentina
Felix Alvarado overcame his Thai opponent in this IBF light flyweight eliminator. I am unclear on whether or not this was a final eliminator, but either way Alvarado is one step closer to fighting for the IBF title that is currently held by Milan Melindo. Previously the Argentinian has lost two title shots, one at flyweight to Juan Carlos Reveco and one fight before that at light flyweight to Kazuto Ioka. His brother, Rene Alvarado, also picked up a low level win on this card. Rene has lost to many top fighters and beat Robinston Castellanos in 2014 before Castellanos became what he is today.
Byron Rojas (22-3-3, 10 KOs) TKO3 Eddy Castro (15-15-2, 11 KOs), minimumweights – Nicaragua
Former minimumweight titleholder Byron Rojas picked up a routine win over a journeyman at home in Nicaragua. Rojas won and lost his title in a three month span last year after beating Hekkie Budler and losing to Knockout CP Freshmart/Thammanoon Niyomtrong.
Fred Evans (2-0) PTS4 Victor Edagha (0-21), middleweights – Wales
What a difference five years can make. In 2012, Fred Evans won silver at home for Great Britain in London. Everyone else from that team is pretty well established as either a serious professional or a bust, but not Evans. After first punching and injuring a long time friend in a bar and then being involved in a night club assault, Evans received a suspended jail sentence then lost his amateur accreditation. Five years later his professional career is underway, but look at the level of opponent he is needing to fight given the rust he must be experiencing. Of note, Edagha has only been finished once in his now 21 losses.
Tony Harrison (25-2, 20 KOs) UD8 Paul Valenzuela (20-6, 14 KOs), junior middleweights – New York
Exciting junior middleweight Tony Harrison returned from losing his vacant title shot to Jarrett Hurd in February. Eight rounders are a good idea for the flashy Detroit contender as both his losses have come in the ninth rounds of fights he had been winning. Harrison is talented and still only 27, but after the same thing happening twice, it does seem reasonable to wonder whether he can sustain a world level performance over the full championship distance.
Richardson Hitchins (3-0, 1 KO) UD4 Jordan Morales (2-3, 2 KOs), welterweights – New York
When American amateur star Richardson Hitchins failed to make the United States Olympic team he accepted a spot on his parents’ native Haitian team. He lost his first fight in Rio, but he still projects as a promising pro prospect where he has begun campaigning at welterweight. Now 20, he will probably grow still beyond that weight. He will also be moved slowly for a while due to his age, but the potential is there. I would like to see him finishing more often at this level going forward though.
Eimantas Stanionis (4-0, 3 KOs) UD8 Todd Manuel (14-14-1, 3 KOs), welterweights & Misael Rodriguez (4-0, 2 KOs) UD6 Cesar Hernandez (3-3, 1 KO), middleweights – California
I feel like I write every week about these two or some variation of Richard Schaefer’s collection of early stage prospects at Ringstar. Stanionis and Rodriguez were Olympians for Lithuania and Mexico respectively. Rodriguez brought home an upset silver medal. I find him slow and awkward as a prospect, however. Stanionis isn’t some surefire blue chipper by any means, but he seems more promising to Rodriguez so far to me. It remains early though. Both fighters are 23.
Blake Caparello (26-2-1, 10 KOs) KO3 Fabiano Pena (15-9-1, 11 KOs), light heavyweights – Australia
Blake Caparello is a pretty good boxer. He is probably top ten pound for pound in Australia, though the rising tide of prospects down under may soon threaten that status. He holds a win over Allan Green and dropped both Andre Dirrell and Sergey Kovalev, but outside of those two moments, the Dirrell and Kovalev fights proved him to be well below their world level. Despite only having scored now ten knockouts, this was Caparello’s fourth straight finish, albeit all against middling Aussie competition.
Paul Fleming (24-0, 16 KOs) KO2 Sadiki Momba (24-9-3, 10 KOs), junior lightweights – Australia
Paul Fleming made the 2008 Olympics for Australia. Though he lost his first fight, he was also only 19. Nearly ten years later you’d figure he would have made more career movement than this, but oddly he has still only as much as fought two ten rounders and no fights against anyone of note. Fleming is still shy of 30, however, and is now technically listed as a Top Rank fighter. Maybe an attempt at career progression will finally come soon.
Friday, October 13th
Charlie Edwards (11-1, 4 KOs) PTS8 Craig Derbyshire (5-23, 3 KOs), super bantamweights – England
24 year old British flyweight prospect Charlie Edwards continues to rebuild his career following his stoppage loss in a much too early flyweight title bid against John Riel Casimero a little over a year ago. Here he took an easy pay check up in weight against a no hope opponent.
Oscar Duarte (12-0-1, 8 KOs) RTD4 Juan Jose Montes (25-6-2, 15 KOs), lightweights & Marvin Cabrera (6-0, 5 KOs) TKO6 Hector Velazquez (57-30-3, 39 KOs), junior middleweights – Mexico
A pair of Golden Boy prospects were in action on the undercard of their WatchESPN show Friday night. Duarte is further along, but Marvin Cabrera is the potential gem here. Cabrera was a top amateur for Mexico, though he was haunted by Cuban sensation Roniel Iglesias and never fought in an Olympics because his amateur peak was in between games. The 24 year old is one of the more promising prospects in De La Hoya’s stable. Also, as a bit of trivia, his opponent Hector Velasquez might have 30 losses now, but from 2007-2010 he was a real featherweight contender who twice fought for world titles.
Daniel Lozano (15-4, 11 KOs) UD10 Ricardo Rodriguez (16-5, 5 KOs), bantamweights – Florida
Who is this guy and what did he do with Daniel Lozano? In the summer, Lozano scored a shocking knockout upset of David Carmona as a late replacement opponent. Carmona had already easily defeated Lozano two years prior, but not on that night in July. What does Lozano do as an encore? He beats another man who already defeated him in 2015. I am sure Monster Inoue took something out of Rodriguez in his last fight, but this is still a hell of a two fight turn around for the sudden bantamweight contender.
Teofimo Lopez (7-0, 6 KOs) TKO2 Josh Ross (3-6, 4 KOs), lightweights & Antonio Vargas (4-0, 3 KOs) TKO2 Miguel Angel Rebullosa (4-5, 2 KOs), bantamweights & Ivan Dychko (2-0, 2 KOs) KO3 Rodriguez Cage (0-1), heavyweights – Florida
A trio of 2016 Olympians cut their teeth a bit on the undercard of this All Star Boxing promoted, Telemundo broadcast card. Lopez and Vargas are signed to Top Rank, but lately Arum and company have been having their early stage prospect fight on cards like this unless they already have some built in name value like Shakur Stevenson or Michael Conlan. I really, really like Lopez as a prospect and Vargas is decent too. Dychko is harder to read at this point, but he is a giant at 6’9″ and won medals in both the 2012 and 2016 for Kazakhstan. His loss to Anthony Joshua in the 2012 games is considered mildly controversial.
Thursday, October 12th
Karim Guerfi (26-3, 8 KOs) TKO8 Stephane Jamoye (32-8, 17 KOs), bantamweights – France
Karim Guerfi defended his European title successfully over Belgian former European titleholder Stephane Jamoye when Jamoye’s corner threw in the towel in the eighth round. Both of these guys are fringe top 25 bantamweights at best. Jamoye has been thrashed by top fighters like Scott Quigg and Shinsuke Yamanaka while Guerfi suffered the same fight against Zhanat Zhakiyanov. There isn’t much else to say here.
Yvan Mendy (39-4-1, 18 KOs) UD10 Florian Montels (10-2-2), lightweights – France
Has anyone ever capitalized less on a big win than Yvan Mendy? We are closing in on two years since his upset win over then unbeaten Olympic gold medalist Luke Campbell. He is 6-0 since then, but the only win close to being notable in that stretch was a European title win over Francesco Patera. What is the point of Mendy fighting a Florian Montels at this point? The Frenchman has had about as strange of a career arc as I can remember.
Christian Mbilli (6-0, 6 KOs) KO3 Martin Owono (7-18-2, 1 KO), super middleweights – France
Here is a man who has snuck even under my radar. Christian Mbilli fought in the 2016 games for France, though he is Cameroon born and now living in Montreal. In Rio he won two fights, one shy of medaling, before unfortunately running into Cuban divisional king Arlen Lopez. Lopez won gold in Rio without losing a round and also had won the World Championships the year prior, so that was an expected loss for anyone. Mbilli has already fought six times this year, the first five in Canada and this one in France. I don’t have much video, but on amateur credentials and activity alone Mbilli is one to watch out for.
