WBO junior lightweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete retained his title against former two-weight world champion Oscar Valdez on Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Navarrete having reach and height advantages and a higher punch rate scored with the better punches throughout.
Navarrete (38-1; 31) hurt his hand in the ninth round but this did not stop him from throwing combinations.
Valdez’s right eye was swollen shut towards the end of the fight as his record dropped to 31-2; 23.
The scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112.
#valdeznavarrete ??????Emanuel "El Vaquero" Navarrete derrotó a ????Oscar Valdez por decision unanime (116-112, 118-110 y 119-109) y retiene su cinturón superpluma de la OMB. pic.twitter.com/iM7jmrKN3h
— Black Cat (@Khabib21287190) August 13, 2023
UNDERCARD
Junior welterweight and 2016 Olympian Lindolfo Delgado (18-0; 13) outscored Jair Valtierra (16-3; 8) in a ten-rounder that was booed by the crowd.
Scores were 98-92, 99-91, 99-91.
2020 Olympic super heavyweight silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr (6-0; 6) won on a first-round knockout against Willie Jake Jr (11-4-2; 3). The time was 1:22.
Lightweight “El General” Emiliano Vargas (6-0; 5) beat “Bad Boy” Jorge Luis Marquez Alvarado (3-6-1; 2) in the second round. The time was 2:17.
Heavyweight prospect Antonio Mireles (8-0; 7) won on a sixth-round stoppage against Dajuan Calloway (7-3; 7). The time was 1:38.
RODRIGUEZ WINS VACANT IBF BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE
Former world champion Emmanuel “Manny” Rodriguez (22-2; 13) won on a 12-round unanimous points decision over Melvin “Melo” Lopez (29-2; 19) to regain the vacant IBF bantamweight title previously held by Naoya Inoue, on Saturday night at the MGM National Harbour in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Rodriguez outworked Lopez throughout and the scores were 120-105 on all three judges' scorecards.
RUSSELL WINS ON A KNOCKOUT
In a battle of unbeaten junior welterweights Gary Antuanne Russell (17-0; 17) knocked out Kent Cruz (16-1-3; 10) in round one on Saturday night in the Rodriguez-Lopez co-feature at the MGM National Harbour in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Cruz was down twice. The time was 2:39.
Gary Antuanne Russell ripped a body shot to earn his EIGHTH 1st round knockout!pic.twitter.com/F1Scn4wMRU
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) August 13, 2023
In a battle of unbeaten welterweights, 36-year-old two-time Olympian “Capitan” Gabriel Maestre (6-0-1; 5) stopped Travon Marshall (8-1; 7) in the second round. The time was 2:06.
In another battle of unbeaten bantamweights, Michael Angeletti (9-0; 7) outscored Jonathan Lopez (8-1-2; 4). The scores were 79-73, 79-73, 80-72.
In a middleweight bout, Jose Benavidez Jr (28-2-1;19) stopped Sladan Janjanin (36-16; 26) when he did not come out for the fifth round.
Damien Vazquez (17-3-1; 9) stopped Jeronil Borres (12-9-2; 6) in the sixth round of a bantamweight battle.
In a light heavyweight bout, Jesse Hart (29-3; 23) stopped Elio Trosch (15-11-2, 7) in the second round.
FORMER TWO-TIME HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION WINS IN SEVEN
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (26-3; 23) won on a seventh-round knockout against Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius (32-5; 21) on Saturday night at The O2 Arena in London.
Helenius was sent down with a big right hand at 1:27 of the seventh round.
Helenius came in as a late replacement for Dillian Whyte who tested positive for a banned substance.
Thank you. Until next time, God bless. pic.twitter.com/P98SQyeGRD
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) August 12, 2023
HRGOVIC WINS ON A 12TH ROUND STOPPAGE
IBF No 1, WBA No 8, WBO No 13 and WBC No 15 heavyweight Filip “El Animal” Hrgovic (16-0; 13) won on a 12-round stoppage against previously unbeaten IBF No 13, WBO No 14 Demsey McKean (22-1; 14) at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday night.
The time was 1.01.
On the same card former heavyweight title challengers, Derek Chisora (34-12; 23) won on points over ten rounds against Gerald Washington (20-6-1; 13).
The scores were 98-93, 97-94, and 96-94.
NISHIDA WINS IBF BANTAMWEIGHT ELIMINATOR
Southpaw IBF No 5 bantamweight Ryosuke Nishida (8-0; 1) won on a unanimous 12-round points decision over IBF No 6 Christian Medina (21-4; 14) in an IBF bantamweight eliminator on Friday in Osaka, Japan.
The scores were 116-112, 117-111, 118-110.
Ryosuke Nishida ???? (8-0) ???? wins the @IBFUSBAboxing bantamweight eliminator by unanimous decision over Christian Medina Jimenez (21-4) ???? in Osaka, Japan.
— Permante (@PermantexG) August 11, 2023
The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112. pic.twitter.com/MZCQQvqB4B
BELL STOPS PRESCO CARCOSIA IN FIVE ROUNDS
WBO No 2, WBC No 10 junior lightweight “Prince” Albert Bell (24-0; 7) stopped Presco “Iceman” Carcosia (11-3-1; 9) in the fifth round on Friday night at the OTE Arena in Atlanta.
Bell was too fast and slick for Carcosia.
Bell claimed the WBC OTX title.