Former WBO featherweight world champion Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) defeated Mexican Brandon Leon Benitez (21-3, 9 KOs) in the seventh round of today’s fight.

Ramirez set the pace early, hurting Benitez with powerful punches in the second and third rounds. Benitez tried to work inside, but Ramirez consistently created space for combinations, either by pushing him away or using his feet.

In round seven, the two-time Olympic gold medalist started moving even more, hitting Benitez with featherlight punches. He then landed a devastating left hook that knocked down Benitez, who didn’t get up, forcing the referee to end the fight at 2:46.

Ramirez said, “It’s no secret that Ismael Salas is one of the best strategists in the world. So the plan was to slowly wear him down. Then, after the last round, he told me not to look for the massive shots, but to move a little bit and go back to my {amateur} roots. That’s what I did. I touched and touched and found the shot.”

“This isn’t my first time throwing punches like this. It’s good to get a hit like that because it shows we’ve been working strenuous in camp.”

“I want my title back. I want a rematch with Rafael Espinoza. If not him, then I’ll fight any other champion.”

Ali Walsh takes revenge for his defeat against Akale

Middleweight fighter Nico Ali Walsh (11-1, 5 KO) triumphed in his rematch with Sona Akale (9-2, 4 KO), avenging his only defeat in the professional ring with a unanimous decision in six rounds.

The grandson of “The Greatest” dropped Akale with a left hook in round three, but Akale responded with a barrage of punches in round five that hurt him. Ali Walsh then suffered a dislocated left shoulder in round six, but struggled to finish the fight, using a right hand to land a punch on the aggressive Akale in the final seconds.

Ali Walsh won with scores of 58-55 and 57-56 2x.

Further results

Junior Welterweight: Undefeated prospect Emiliano Fernando Vargas (11-0, 9 KOs) secured a first-round TKO victory over Jose Zaragoza (9-9-2, 3 KOs). Vargas landed a right hook that floored Zaragoza, which set off a power play he couldn’t shake. Stoppage time: 1:23.

Junior welterweight category: Elvis Rodriguez (16-1-1, 13 KO) unanimously defeated the Filipino fighter Jino Rodrigo (12-4-2, 10 KO) after 10 rounds. Rodriguez was dropped with a left hand in the first round, but got up from the deck and dropped Rodrigo in the final seconds. Rodriguez struggled to cope with Rodrigo’s momentum, but regained control in the middle rounds, beating him soundly in the final chapters. Scores: 98-91 2x and 97-92.

Heavyweight: City hero Lorenzo Medina (11-0, 9 KO) won a six-round unanimous decision over Detrailous Webster (7-4, 3 KO). Medina controlled the action with a quick jab and avoided most of Webster’s attacks with head movement and footwork. Medina landed right hooks throughout the fight, defeating Webster in almost every exchange.

Junior Welterweight: Dominican Olympian Rohan Polanco (13-0, 8 KOs) defeated Luis Hernandez (23-5, 20 KOs) by TKO in the second round. Polanco hurt Hernandez with a punch to the liver and then landed several unanswered punches, forcing referee Luis Pabon to end the fight at 2:28.

Featherweight: Yan Santana (12-0, 11 KOs) fought to the finish for the first time in his career, defeating Brandon Valdes (15-5, 7 KOs) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds of intense combat. Santana knocked Valdes down with a left hook in the first round, but recovered and fought the undefeated Dominican to the finish. Scores: 98-91 twice and 96-93.

Middleweight: Undefeated left-handed Dominican fighter Euri Cedeño (9-0-1, 8 KO) made tiny work of Dormedes Potes (14-7-1, 10 KO), defeating him with a left hook to the body 56 seconds into the first round.

Teofimo says he doesn’t care that his promoter Bob Arum didn’t look elated after his win over Steve Claggett last Saturday night at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, Fla. Teofimo (21-1, 13 KOs) said he doesn’t care that Arum wasn’t excited about his performance because it’s his “.”

Lopez dismisses Arum’s concerns

Teofimo is a rather faded star that has gone supernova and is on its way out. He doesn’t realize it, but with his keen eye, Arum must have already suspected that Teofimo had reached his life cycle and was now a dying star, kept alive only by Arum’s best matchmakers in support of Teo.

Given Teofimo’s dwindling profits, it’s doubtful whether Arum will want to continue promoting him for much longer. Lopez’s fights with Claggett, Jamain Ortiz and Sandor Martin showed that he lacked the talent to beat top-shelf fighters at 140 pounds.

Arum’s idea to pair Teofimo with BrianNorman Jr. at welterweight it would have vaporized his career. This is another example of a former weight bully not being the same fighter in a different division.

Moving up to 147 pounds would be unwise if Teofimo doesn’t have the strength and talent to excel in that weight class without the protection of Top Rank. If Arum follows through with his idea of ​​starting a brawl between Teofimo and Norman, it won’t end well for the Novel Yorker.

140-pound division: a dead end?

Since moving up to 140 in 2022 after six years fighting at 135, Lopez has knocked out just one of his five opponents, veteran Pedro Campa. Moreover, Lopez has only looked good in one of his five fights against a faded Josh Taylor.

Lopez defeated Catterall (38-8-2, 26 KOs) – a Rocky-esque title contender – by unanimous decision after 12 rounds, winning by scores of 120-108, 120-108 and 119-109. However, Arum was likely banking on a knockout victory and a more impressive performance from the 26-year-old Teofimo, who has shown further signs of regression as a fighter.

“Vertical [Arum] he said I did well. He doesn’t look too elated. f**k it, I don’t care. Like, I’m your last available star. You just have to deal with it,” Teofimo Lopez told the press, saying his promoter Bob Arum has to put up with his needy performances, like the one he put up with last Saturday night against Steve Claggett in Miami, Florida.

Teofimo should be worried that Arum won’t be elated with his performance because he’s the one who pays him well artificially support of his dying career, juxtaposing it with gentle touches. Without Arum’s continued protection, Teofimo will suffer repeated losses and be released by Top Rank.

Teofimo’s diminishing power

“He’s talking about moving up to 147 pounds, which I really don’t advise,” boxing expert Chris Algieri said. Fighting with excitement on Teofimo wanting to move up to welterweight. “He didn’t show the same power he had at 135 and 140. He’s 5-0 at 140 and has only one KO, and that was against Pedro Campa early on. Still, it was more of an exhaustion than a single shot.

It’s clear from Teofimo’s last two fights at 140 pounds that he doesn’t have the strength to move up to 147 pounds and has no intention of unifying at welterweight as well. WBC 140-pound champion Alberto Puello would be a nightmare for Teofimo. The remaining champions, Isaac Cruz and Liam Paro, would be equally threatening.

“I think there is a chance for unification [at 140]. I would favor him over all other champions in the weight class,” Algieri said of Teofimo. “I think it would be a good idea if he went to collect belts. Finally, he said that seat belts are crucial. So it would make sense for him to go pick up some belts.

Arum’s complex choice: protect or abandon?

Arum likely won’t be interested in pairing Teofimo with any other 140-pound champion, as those wouldn’t be big-money fights and the odds of Teo winning those matches would be low.

If Arum sets up a fight that isn’t another sure bet for Teofimo, it will be against one of his best fighters. This way, if Teofimo loses the fight, Aruma will not suffer a loss. He will still come out on top.

“Not only are the guys going to be bigger, but he’s going to have to fight 12 rounds every time,” Algieri said of what Teofimo will have to face if he moves up to 147. “You don’t want those massive guys beating you. If you have a guy at 147 who does what Steve Claggett does, it’s going to be a very complex night for Teofimo Lopez.”

SUNNY Edwards defeated Adrian Curiel by ninth-round technical decision in Phoenix. Boxing for the first time since Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez handed him the first loss of his career, Radiant was charged with whetting the appetite for Bam’s fight against Juan Francisco Estrada.

Not everything went as planned, although Edwards secured the victory and appeared to win most of the rounds. Using his full arsenal of tricks (many people enjoyed fooling them), he outsmarted Curiel at every turn until the deal of the cards in the sixth round led to the premature deal of the cards in the ninth round.

Batting from both ends early, Edwards employed the aforementioned signature moves, gliding around the left-handed Curiel, dipping into his shots from various angles. Pro-Mexico fans didn’t appreciate Radiant’s approach as much. Edwards blocked it without a doubt, almost reveling in their growing dissatisfaction.

Curiel delivered a mini-headbutt to his foe while Edwards danced and goofed around slow in the fourth round. Before the incident, Mark Nelson pleaded with both men to watch their heads after a sloppy tussle in round three. It was an ominous instruction from an experienced referee, as Curiel’s skull opened a horrific gash on Radiant’s forehead in round six.

They continued until the ninth, when the doctor carefully examined the wound, declaring the fight over. While the frustrated crowd eagerly waited for Estrada and Bam to start their war, the judges were more sympathetic to Radiant Edwards’ actions, awarding the Croydon man the comeback victory with scores of 90-82 (Victor Loughlin), 88-84 (Omar Mintun Sr) and a rather strange score of 87-85 from Chris Wilson, who must have found something he liked about Curiel.

After turning pro in 2016, Edwards is now 21-1 with just four KOs. Despite not being a puncher, he has developed an effective style that wins fights. Curiel, who had previously built a portfolio of evidence to show he belongs at this level, has struggled to get the offense going and has fallen to 24-6-1 with just five KOs.

June 29, 2024; Phoenix, AZ; Radiant Edwards and Adrian Curiel during their fight at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Mandatory credit: Daniel Bartel/Boxing News

“I don’t expect any privileges when I come to America. I thought I had a substantial advantage,” Edwards said, referring to his previous experiences in the United States as the crowd booed his answers.

“I wish the fight was still going on. I felt comfortable. I swam. Galal Yafai, I am ready.”