In a WBC junior featherweight eliminator, former world champion Luis “Pantera” Nery won on an 11th-round technical knockout against Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan in a toe-to-toe slugfest on Saturday night at the Fox Theater in Pomona, California, USA.
From the opening it was a spectacular toe-to-toe encounter with both fighters being stunned at times.
Nery’s shots damaged Hovhannisyan’s face but Hovhannisyan came back strongly to hurt Nery with some big shots to the body.
However, in the tenth round Nery hurt Hovhannisyan with a left hook and knocked him down.
Hovhannisyan beat the count and managed to survive until the bell.
In the 11th round Nery staggered Hovhannisyan before referee Ray Corona waved the fight off at 1:51 into the round.
Nery improved his record to 34-1; 26 and Hovhannisyan’s record dropped to 21-4; 17.
MAURICIO LARA WINS WBA FEATHERWEIGHT BELT
Mauricio “Bronco” Lara (26-2-1; 19) won on a seventh-round technical knockout against defending WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood (26-3; 16) on Saturday night at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.
The local man Wood was cut over the left eye after a clash of heads in the opening round.
In the seventh round both fighters landed left hooks simultaneously, with Lara absorbing the punch and Wood going down.
He was able to beat the count but his trainer threw in the towel. The time was 2:54.
On the undercard British junior welterweight champion Dalton Smith (14-0; 10) retained his title on a one-sided, 12-round unanimous points decision against Billy Allington (10-2-4; 0).
Smith scored a knockdown in the eighth round and won with scores of 120-107 and 119-108 twice.
Lightweight Gary “The Diva” Cully (16-0?? won on a second-round stoppage over Wilfredo Flores (10-1-1; 5) to win the vacant WBA Intercontinental title. The time was 1:52.
In a cruiserweight bout Cheavon Clarke (5-0; 4) won on points over ten rounds against late substitute Israel Duffus (20-9; 17). Clarke scored two knockdowns in the sixth round and once in the tenth round.
The scores were 98-88 twice and 98-90.
Junior featherweight Diego Ruiz (24-6-1; 12) won on points over ten rounds against former European champion Gamal Yafai (19-3; 11).
In a junior welterweight bout Sam Maxwell (17-1; 11) won on points over six rounds against Shaun Cooper (13-5; 0).
FELIX STURM WINS AGAINST SUKRU ALTAY
Former two-division world champion, 44-year-old Felix Sturm (43-6-3; 18), fighting at light heavyweight, won on points over ten rounds against the 38-year-old Sukru Altay (15-3; 14) on Saturday night at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany.
The scores were 97-95, 96-94 and a way out 99-91.
In his first fight since 2019, Former WBA super middleweight champion Tyron Zeuge (25-1-1; 15) smashed Michal Ryba (12-10-1; 9) to defeat in one round. The time was 2:33.
In an exhibition bout over six rounds, 54-year-old former IBF heavyweight champion Francois “White Buffalo” Botha went in against the 60-year-old Porshe AG chief Uwe Huck.
Heavyweight Daniel Dietz (8-0; 8) won on a first-round stoppage against Marko Vucevic (5-3; 4).
In a female lightweight bout Ikram Kerwat (12-3; 5) won on points over six rounds against Nana Dokadze (3-16; 0).