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Sulaiman Segawa surprises Ruben Villa by defeating featherweight contender on points in 10-round thriller

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by Francisco Salazar |

LAS VEGAS – Sulaiman Segawa wasn’t afraid to face his opponent in a hostile environment.

Segawa proved to be the more effective fighter, especially in the second half of the fight, winning a unanimous decision over Ruben Villa on Saturday before a rousing crowd at The Pearl Theatre at The Palms Resort Casino.

The scores were 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 for Segawa, who improved to 17-4-1 with 6 knockouts.

Coming into the fight, Villa, a featherweight ranked No. 10 by The Ring, was the odds-on favorite. Both left-handed fighters were very energetic from the opening bell. Segawa opted to stay in the pocket with Villa, which led to a back-and-forth exchange of punches.

Villa was effective in the middle and when initiating exchanges. When creating space, Segawa connected with left crosses to Villa’s head, sometimes landing back on his head with left hands.

As the fight moved into the middle rounds, Segawa found space for left and right hooks to the head. Villa began landing punches, hooks and left hands to the body in round 6. Tardy in the round, Villa loaded up and landed two right hooks to Segawa’s head.

Segawa was effective early in round 7, landing Villa with a few straight left and right hooks to the head. Undeterred, Villa responded by landing a series of combinations to win the round.

Halfway through round 8, Segawa stunned Villa twice. Villa retreated to regroup, but moments later a right punch to the body hurt Segawa, who had to hold on until the bell sounded to end the round.

Villa and Segawa traded hooks and crosses in the final two rounds. Segawa was cunning to avoid the flush as Villa was the aggressor. Segawa continued to throw and land hooks to Villa’s head, focusing his attack on the body until the final bell sounded.

Segawa, a native of Kampala, Uganda, who now lives in Silver Springs, Maryland, lost a unanimous decision to Mirco Cuello on March 30. The 33-year-old had been undefeated in his previous four fights since a knockout loss to Jamaine Ortiz in a lightweight bout in November 2020.

Villa, who lives in Salinas, California, is coming off a 22-2, 7 KO loss. In his previous fight on April 13, the 27-year-old Villa defeated Christian Cruz Chacon by unanimous decision. He has won his previous four fights since losing to Emanuel Navarrete in October 2020.

Before Saturday’s fight, Villa was ranked number one in the WBC rankings.

Junior lightweight Jonathan Lopez scored a first-round knockout victory over Leonardo Padilla. Lopez improved to 16-0, 12 KOs.

During an exchange of blows in the corner, Lopez landed a left hook to the body. Padilla’s momentum nearly sent him into the ring ropes. Lopez threw and landed another body punch, forcing Padilla to a knee. Referee Alan Huggins counted Padilla out at 1:43.

Lopez, 21, of Orlando, Florida, is trained by Eddy Reynoso, who also trains Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed Ring magazine super middleweight champion.

Padilla, who is based in Caracas, Venezuela, drops to 23-6-1 1 NC, 16 KOs. Padilla was undefeated in his previous four fights.

Junior welterweight Charlie Sheehy of Brisbane, California defeated Ricardo Quiroz (13-5, 7 KOs) of Oxnard via unanimous decision. Scores were 77-75, 77-75, and 78-74 for Sheehy, who moves to 10-0, 5 KOs.

Quiroz was the more effective fighter in the first half of the fight. Sheehy found opportunities and made more contact in the second half of the fight.

Welterweight contender Art Barrera Jr. stopped Fresh Orleans’ Javier Mayoral (6-6-1, 1 KO) once in the first round and once in the fourth en route to a one-sided points victory. All three judges scored the fight 60-52 in favor of Barrera, who improved to 6-0, 4 KO. Barrera, 18, lives in the Los Angeles suburb of Lynwood.

Junior lightweight Albert Gonzalez of Moreno Valley, California, crushed Conrado Martinez of Odessa, Texas, before ending the fight at 1:23 of the sixth round. The barrage of punches forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the fight.

In the junior welterweight bout, Israel Mercado of Pomona, California, improved to 11-1-1, 7 KOs by defeating Dondrell Haynes by unanimous decision. The scores were 59-55, 59-55, 60-54 for Mercado. Haynes, who is based in Hallettsville, Texas, drops to 8-2, 7 KOs.

In the opening fight of the Top Rank card, junior lightweight Javier Zamarron defeated 19-year-old Mikey Bracamontes (9-2-1, 5 KOs) of Santa Ana, California via unanimous decision. All three judges scored the fight 59-55 for Zamarron, who improved to 9-0, 4 KOs.

Zamarron, Gonzalez and Barrera are trained by Robert Garcia.

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Boxing

Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC

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Badou Jack Rozicki Mikaelian WBC

The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).

If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.

“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”

29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.

Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.

“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”

Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.

The next move is Badou Jack’s.

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Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years

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Floyd Mayweather 50-0

Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.

This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.

In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.

“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.

“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.

Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.

Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.

Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.

However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.

In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.

It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.

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Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios

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Manny Pacquiao vs Barrios

WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.

Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”

WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.

Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.

As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.

However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.

Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.

Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.

Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.

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