Boxing Results: Daniel Ponce De Leon, Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam Claim Wins

Buriram, Thailand

Kompayak Porpramook TD-5 Jonathan Taconing

Before we get to the other fights, this one is more important, so let's talk about it first. Porpramook retains his WBC junior flyweight title with this highly controversial win, in a fight stopped on a cut so small that the stoppage is truly unbelievable. The doctor, whose decision favored the home fighter over Filipino Taconing, stopped the bout and it seemed like nobody could believe he pulled his stupid red card, which he did with a smile on his face while "tending" to the minuscule cut on Taconing. This was pure nonsense. The WBC has requested video of the fight, but if the wheels are greased right, nothing will come of it. It's going to be hard for them to explain this one if they try to, though. The scores were 48-46 and an absurd 50-45 for Porpramook, and 47-47. The fight is on YouTube if you want to see it for yourself, which apparently is too much work for the WBC. Porpramook 45-3 (30), Taconing 13-2-1 (10).

Las Vegas, Nevada

Daniel Ponce De Leon UD-10 Eduardo "Chucky" Lazcano

Ponce De Leon swept the cards in this one, winning 100-90 on every judge's scorecard, and didn't meet much resistance in his second fight this year. The 31-year-old brawler looked like he usually looks, like a guy who will be vulnerable to good fighters, but he's got toughness still, and power, and hey, don't forget that this little dude moved up in weight for a one-off last year and gave Adrien "Next Mayweather" Broner all he could handle and then some. Apparently, this was for the vacant WBC United States super featherweight title, a division up from the vacant WBC United States featherweight title he won in January against Omar Estrella. What an exciting time to be alive. The WBC's super featherweight titlist is currently held by Japan's Takahiro Ao, and if Ponce De Leon is going to stay at this weight (debatable since he weighed in just over 127 pounds), then that would be a good fight, and the Japan-Mexico rivalry has had some highlights in recent years. Ponce De Leon 43-4 (35), Lazcano 24-3 (11).

Ishe Smith TKO-4 Ayi Bruce

I like Ishe Smith because he's blunt and honest, which has probably helped his battle with the politics of the sport swing against him for so long, and because he's a really valuable fighter. I'm not going to lie and say that I think he's going to win world titles, because he's almost 34 and that's probably just not in the cards. But he's better than some guys who have or do hold world titles, and he's never been coddled. I think of Ishe's presence in the 154 and 160 divisions the way I think of having a good fourth outfielder or a backup catcher who can mash lefties. There's no reason to not have them on your roster if you're the GM of a baseball team, and no reason to not have a valuable "teaching fighter" like Smith on your roster if you're a promoter. He might have some more lessons left, and he's the sort of fighter who can help weed out your pretenders from the contender crop. Smith 23-5 (11), Bruce 21-7 (13).

Levallois-Perret, France

Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam UD-12 Max Bursak

This win nets N'Jikam the interim WBO middleweight title, a real delight given that the regular old WBO titlist (Dmitry Pirog) fought all of three days before this. It's a whole big, ridiculous, boxing as usual mess. Pirog vs N'Jikam probably won't happen, but all reports are that N'Jikam dominated this fight. N'Jikam 27-0 (17), Bursak 24-1-1 (10).