Boxing results and recaps, Dec. 28-31: comebacks, upsets, and knockouts highlight year end

The previous installment of the "Weekend Recap" can be viewed here.

2012-12-28 PalaRuffini, Torino, Piemonte, Italy

Sportitalia

Stefano Abatangelo TKO6 Maurizio Lovaglio

Abtangelo applied pressure and walked the taller Lovaglio down throughout the bout. Lovaglio usually looked reluctant to fight, held, and tried to keep his distance without pumping a jab. It was pretty obvious who was going to win once you noticed the shorter man was out jabbing his opponent. Signature Abatangelo punches in the fight included a head snapping right uppercut in the 4th, an overhand right + left hook/uppercut combination that took Lovaglio to 1 knee in the 5th, and a left hook + cuffing right hand combination that put him on his knee once more in the 6th. The last hook was a grazing shot and the right hand pretty much just pushed Lovaglio's head down. Expectedly Lovaglio beat the count and said he wanted to continue but didn't look fit to do so, thus the referee waved the fight off.

Abatangelo had previously beaten Lovaglio back in 2007 by a decision when both were still green prospects. Abatangelo was motivated to beat him again since Lovaglio had recently picked up the IBF Mediterranean cruiserweight title. It's now the first known title either has won as a pro.

Roberto Cocco UD10 Matteo Rossi [vacant Italy super middleweight title]

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2012-12-28 Rene Hartmann Center, Dudelange, Luxembourg

BOXFOTOGRAF.DE

Ashley Theophane KO1 Chaurembo Palasa

On paper this was a mismatch. In the ring it was a mismatch too, although less of one. Often the case in Theophane fights he fought down to the level of his opposition. Chaurembo swung wild, wide shots and Theophane gave them right back to him. A looping overhand right took Palasa out at the end of the 1st round.

Theophane, now 33-5-1 as a pro, picked up the vacant Global Boxing Council welterweight title on this night but has regressed as a professional since the days of beating the likes of DeMarcus Corley, Delvin Rodriguez, Jason Cook, Lenny Daws and narrowly losing to Danny Garcia. Oddly enough while Theophane's career has been hit hard since his loss to Darren Hamilton in the middle of 2012, Hamilton has yet to capitalize off the upset...

Nick Klappert TKO1 Said Yazidu [vacant Global Boxing Council light middleweight title]

Osama Hadifi TKO1 Daniel Nairouz

Jevgenij Janzen PTS4 Andy Wilimzig

Adam Gadajew PTS4 Koeksal Orduhan

Irakli Gonashvili TKO2 Kerim Yildirim

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2012-12-29 Cancha Nilmarie Santini, Santurce, Puerto Rico

Rather than discuss the 3 live mismatches shown on this edition of Telefutura's Solo Boxeo Tecate, I'd like to make the point that this was one of the worst shows I will never forget in my life. While the action itself was EASILY forgettable, how the first 3 televised fights ended was not. Not one, not two, but all three losers quit on their stools. I have never seen that before and I'll probably (hopefully) never see it again. They just don't build fighters like they used to anymore. In 2012 I saw the most quitting of any year I've followed boxing. I pray 2013 isn't as embarrassing for the sport.

Gamalier Rodriguez RTD3 Rafael Tirado

Isander Beauchamp RTD4/TKO5 Omar Soto

Kenneth Rivera RTD3 Alexis Baez

Jomar Ortiz TKO4 Jaison Agosto

Agosto, the only televised loser who didn't quit on his stool, was on the verge of going the distance but the ref prematurely stepped in. Telefutura only showed the last 2 rounds (the fight was previously recorded) but it didn't appear Agosto had a chance of winning a decision anyways.

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2012-12-29 Club Social y Cultural El Cruce, Malvinas Argentinas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

TyC

Ana Laura Esteche UD10 Maria Eugenia Lopez (98-93½, 98-96, 98-92)

After taking 2 tough world title fights back to back, where she was unlucky to walk away as champion in both instances, Esteche was due for a soft touch. Lopez fit the bill, but she also came to win. The two exchanged bombs with Esteche proving to be the stronger, grittier fighter. Once Lopez realized she was no physical match to go head to head with Esteche, she found success with sticking and moving. But after getting out boxed in rounds 5 and 6, Esteche turned up the heat and re-took control of the fight by basically bullying Lopez around the ring. Lopez tried to stay away but Esteche kept backing her up to the ropes and going to town. Yet, Lopez bounced back and stole the last round. It was a fairly close fight despite the official scorecards and both women hoped they won. TyC had it 97.5 - 97 for Esteche.

With the victory Esteche's record improves to 7-2-1. The 22 year old has yet to lose decisively and became the interim Argentina female lightweight champion on this night. I easily foresee more world title opportunities in her future.

Lucas German Priori D4 Gustavo Hernan Rios

Luis Alejandro Tejerina TKO3 Luis Salvador Parada

Carlos Daniel Aquino TKO3 Cristian Ramon Alberto Puebla

Roman Ruben Reinoso UD4 Alexis Alejandro Leon

Sebastian Daniel Rodriguez TKO4 Mario Cesar Villalobo

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2012-12-30 Sports Palace Quant, Troitsk, Moscow, Russia

Russia TV 2

Oleg Maskaev TKO3 Owen Beck

In round 1 Maskaev slowly stalked Beck until he pinned him on the ropes and unleashed a brief but heavy combination. Consequently Beck tumbled forward to the canvas after a bit of wrestling and was ruled down by the referee. Prior to that Beck had mostly flicked an ineffective jab. In round 2 both fighters were able to land good shots but Maskaev proved heavier handed. A clash of heads caused Maskaev to bleed outside of his right eye in round 3 and even led to Beck becoming more aggressive. This however played right into Oleg's hands and he knocked Owen down off a delayed reaction to a right hand. Another right hand put Beck down again at the end of the round and although he beat the count his legs were gone and the referee stopped the fight.

This was Maskaev's 1st fight since getting blitzed by Nagy Aguilera in 1 round 3 years earlier. I can't imagine Maskaev, a former WBC heavyweight champion, making any waves in the heavyweight division in 2013 but he looked pretty good for a 43 year old man. As for Beck, this marked his 9th loss in a row, 8 of which came by stoppage. The lone distance defeat for Beck was a 4 rounder against a fighter making his pro debut...

Maxim Vlasov UD10 Geard Ajetovic

Sherzod Husanov KO3 Maxim Chemezov

Fedor Papazov TKO3 Alexander Saltykov

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2012-12-31 Bodymaker Colosseum, Osaka, Osaka, Japan

This event was televised by TBS Japan. A full recap was previously done here.

Kazuto Ioka TKO6 Jose Alfredo Rodriguez [vacant regular WBA minimumweight title]

Ryo Miyazaki SD12 Pornsawan Porpramook [vacant WBA minimumweight title]

Solomon Haumono TKO5 Kyotaro Fujimoto [vacant OPBF heavyweight title]

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2012-12-31 Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan

This event was televised by TV Tokyo (Japan) and Teletica Deportes (Costa Rica). A full recap was previously done here.

Takashi Uchiyama TKO8 Bryan Vasquez [WBA super featherweight title]

Kohei Kono KO4 Tepparith Kokietgym [WBA super flyweight title]

Yota Sato UD12 Ryo Akaho [WBC super flyweight title]

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If a bout is not mentioned which took place on one of the above cards it’s most likely because I haven’t got around to watching it yet. In the event that I do watch such a bout at a later time it’s still unlikely I will update this recap. My recaps will be posted on Mondays and/or Wednesdays, devoted to cards that most casual American boxing fans haven’t seen or heard of. For available footage of the previously reported bouts follow @sweetboxing on twitter. You may also email the author of this piece at rgbivins@gmail.com.