Vyacheslav Senchenko celebrates a win in Ukraine over Motoko Sasaki. (AP Photo)

View full size photo »

A busy Saturday globally, with no major fights on U.S. soil or American TV, but plenty of notable results from around the world. Here's a rundown.

Donetsk, Ukraine: WBA welterweight titleholder Vyacheslav Senchenko made a successful first defense of the title he won from Yuriy Nuzhenko, beating Motoko Sasaki via unanimous decision. Nuzhenko was the mandatory challenger when Miguel Cotto held "super" title or whatever the WBA crooks call it, and held that position through the reigns of Antonio Margarito and the current WBA super titlist, Shane Mosley. Senchenko won the title in April. The WBA is clearly aware that Senchenko isn't going to fight Mosley, and they don't appear to much care. They get more money this way. Senchenko (30-0, 20 KO) was a rumored opponent for the post-Pacquiao Ricky Hatton earlier this year.

Pasay City, Philippines: A big card in the Philippines, featuring wins for Drian Francisco, Michael Farenas, Michael Domingo and Milan Melindo. 115-pound prospect Francisco improved to 18-0 (15) with a 10th round stoppage of veteran Roberto Vasquez (27-4, 20 KO), the first time Vasquez has been stopped since going pro in 2001. 21-year old Melindo (19-0, 5 KO) won a fight over inexperienced Guadalupe Martinez at 108 pounds. Domingo (39-14-2, 17 KO) finished former world title challenger Jose Navarro (26-5, 12 KO) in the eighth round. It was Navarro's first fight since that weird loss to Cristian Mijares on the Pavlik-Taylor II undercard, which one judge had as a Navarro shutout. And Farenas (26-2-3, 23 KO) put away Jae-Bong Jang in the ninth.

Tokyo, Japan: Junior bantamweight contender Kohei Kono (24-4, 8 KO) held on to his regional OPBF title with a decision win over Marvin Tampos (19-10-2, 13 KO), winning on scores of 116-111, 116-111 and 116-110.

Alrtincham, Cheshire, England: John Murray grabbed the BBBofC lightweight title by knocking out veteran Jonathan Thaxton in the fourth, improving to 28-0 with his 16th stoppage. Murray had tried to win the title when he fought Scott Lawton in June, but came in two pounds overweight and the belt was only on the line for Lawton, who lost. Murray made weight this time, though the win is pretty empty given that Thaxton lost to should've-been can Tom Glover in his last fight, a memorable July scrap on the Kotelnik-Khan undercard. Overall it's the third loss in a row for Thaxton (34-11, 19 KO), and fourth in his last five outings. He's probably at the end of his line.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Antonin Decarie stopped Terrance Cauthen in the 12th round, capturing a minor paper title and running his record to 23-0 (7). Cauthen falls to 33-6 (9).

Lincoln, RI: Middleweight prospect Edwin Rodriguez took an eight-round decision against tough journeyman Darnell Boone, and former Olympian Demetrius Andrade won a six-rounder over Chris Chatman.