Sebastian Fundora vs. Carlos Ocampo: LIVE updates and results, full coverage.
Junior middleweight contender Sebastain Fundora defeated Carlos Ocampo by a unanimous decision.
The official scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 117-111. Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112, eight rounds to four.
Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) started off using his height (6-foot-5) and reach, throwing a lot of jabs to keep the much shorter Ocampo (34-2, 22 KOs) at range.
However, Fundora, a brawler by nature, settled into an inside fight in Round 4 and didn’t retreat until the last few rounds.
And, while Ocampo threw a high volume of punches and was game, Fundora got the better of the toe-to-toe exchanges by landing the cleaner shots round after round.
Middleweight contender Carlos Adames knocked out Juan Macias Montiel at 2:37 of Round 3 of a scheduled 12-rounder.
Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) dominated Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) from the beginning, land quick, hard shots to both the head and body while Montiel offered little in return.
The beginning of the end with a right hook that staggered Montiel late in Round 3. The Dominican followed with a barrage of hard, accurate punches that prompted referee Ray Corona to stop the fight.
***
Fernando Martinez defeated Jerwin Ancajas by a unanimous decision a second time to retain his junior bantamweight title.
The official scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110. Boxing Junkie also scored it 118-110, 10 rounds to two.
Martinez (15-0, 8 KOs) outpointed Ancajas (33-3-2 (22 KOs) in a memorable brawl to take the Filipino’s title in February.
***
Here we go.
Junior bantamweight titleholder Fernando Martinez and challenger Jerwin Ancajas are in the ring for their immediate rematch. Martinez outpointed Ancajas to win the belt in February.
***
Junior middleweight contender Sebastian Fundora is scheduled to face Carlos Ocampo tonight (Saturday) in Carson, California (Showtime).
Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KOs), the 6-foot-5 fighter from Southern California, is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of Erickson Lubin this past April.
Ocampo (34-1, 22 KOs) is best known for his failed challenge against welterweight champ Errol Spence Jr., who stopped him in one round in 2018. He’s 12-0 at 154 pounds since.
Also on the card, IBF 115-pound titleholder Fernando Martinez (14-0, 8 KOs) will face former beltholder Jerwin Ancajas (33-2-2, 22 KOs) in a rematch; and Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) will take on Juan Macias Montiel (23-5-2, 23 KOs) in a 160-pound fight.
The card will begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.
Boxing Junkie will post results of the featured bouts on the card immediately after they end. Simply return to this post when the time comes.
Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.
Video and photos: Sebastian Fundora vs. Carlos Ocampo weigh-in.
Sebastian Fundora and Carlos Ocampo on Friday made weight for their 154-pound fight Saturday in Carson, California (Showtime). Both fighters weighed 153½.
Also featured on the card, IBF 115-pound titleholder Fernando Martinez (114¾) will face former beltholder Jerwin Ancajas (114¾) in a rematch; and Carlos Adames (159¼) will take on Juan Macias Montiel (160) in a 160-pound fight.
Here are images from the weigh-in. All photos by Esther Lin of Showtime.
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz both emerged as winners after their fight on Sunday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz delivered a competitive, entertaining fight on Sunday. That shouldn’t be lost in any post-fight wrangling over the decision or anything else. And both fighters should be proud of their efforts.
Davis was face to face with a rough character, one who has been aptly described as a mini Mike Tyson. “Tank” withstood Cruz’s relentless pressure, outboxed the Mexican and emerged with a close, but unanimous decision at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
And the southpaw evidently did it with an injured left hand, which he said began to give him problems midway through the fight. His trainer said he suffered the injury in training.
If that’s the case, if he was hampered by a compromised power hand against a beast like Cruz, and still had his hand raised in the end, kudos to him. He deserves credit for a hard-earned victory, which allowed him to maintain his perfect record.
In terms of perception, Davis was a victim of his own success, including knockouts in his previous 16 fights. Falling short of expectations – everyone expected another stoppage – can have the feel of a setback but it shouldn’t.
Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) told me a few days before the fight that he knew he wouldn’t stop every opponent going forward. The goal is to win, however that looks. That’s what he did on Sunday.
“I got the job done,” he said. “We’ll move on.”
What’s next for him? Davis fights in one of the deepest divisions in the sport, led by newly crowned undisputed champion George Kambosos, Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ryan Garcia and others.
Indeed, Davis has many options. For now, he’ll allow his hand time to heal, commiserate with his handlers and then take the next step. And you can bet he’ll be a better fighter after the stiff test he endured on Sunday.
“I’m happy to be in the position I’m in right now,” he said. “But I feel as though I have a lot more to improve. I feel as though if I keep doing it, there’s no limit.”
BAD
Isaac Cruz had reason to smile after his loss on Sunday. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Cruz thought he did enough to get the decision but he didn’t seem to be too disheartened after the fight Sunday.
He fell short on the cards – 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 – but scored points in the hearts of fans, who had to be impressed by his ability to fight on even terms with an opponent who seemed untouchable going into the event.
The 23-year-old Mexican fought in a similar way to Tyson, plowing forward and winging knockout-caliber punches to the head and body that got the attention of Davis and those watching.
Plus, he also was difficult to hit cleanly, which added to the challenge Davis faced. And, when Tank was able to connect, Cruz was never hurt. That’s saying something given the fact Davis is one of the biggest punchers in the sport.
In the end, Cruz walked away with his second loss but the fans saw what they saw, a thrilling brawler who almost took down the lightweight boogeyman on a big, pay-per-view stage. As a result, he went from a fringe figure to a major player in the division over night.
“The eyes of the world were … on this fight,” he said through a translator, “from Europe, to Latin America, to the United States. I showed that this Mexican warrior is here to stay. I showed what people love.
“And even better, [big] things are coming up next.”
Indeed they are.
WORSE
Doctors said Teofimo Lopez was lucky he was killed in his fight with George Kambosos. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
Teofimo Lopez’s examination results after his loss to George Kambosos on Nov. 27 in New York was about as disturbing as it gets.
Doctors told ESPN that the fighter was lucky to have stepped out of the ring alive given the condition in which he stepped into it. He was determined to be suffering from pneumomediastinum, a condition in which air is present between his chest and lungs.
“He could have died, for sure,” said Dr. Linda Dahl, who believes the air might’ve come from a small tear in his esophagus. “How he breathed, I can’t even explain to you. It’s like somebody tied a 300-pound set of weights around his chest … like his neck and chest were in a vise. That’s how he fought.”
Said Dr. Peter Constantino: “He’s lucky he’s not dead. I mean, really lucky.”
Lopez knew something was wrong the day before the fight, when he experienced shortness of breath and swelling in his neck. His father suggested he see a doctor but, concerned that the fight might be canceled, he refused.
“I thought it was just my asthma,” said Lopez, who kept mum during his pre-fight checkup on Friday. “I fought through asthma before. If I told everybody, they would’ve canceled the fight. But I chose not to, because of the amount of pressure I was under. I didn’t want to hear people say, ‘Oh, another postponement.'”
I don’t know whether officials could’ve done anything to prevent Lopez from entering the ring based on what they knew. And I believe Lopez when he said he thought asthma was causing his discomfort.
I would just hope that fighters would put their well being ahead of boxing. There will be other fights. I also would hope that diligent officials worldwide will take a good look at the facts surrounding Lopez’s condition to determine whether the situation could’ve been avoided.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Floyd Mayweather’s rant about bad judges and ignorant boxing writers after Davis’ victory over Cruz was just more of the same from a fighter-turned-promoter who has always enjoyed fine whine. He covered a lot of bases, though. That included a shot at consensus pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez, who Mayweather defeated by a majority decision in 2013. “I’m going to tell you the truth about Canelo … that m—–f—– was easy, a cake walk. Easy. Y’all are praising this dude. This dude was nothing. I was almost 40 years old when I cooked that dude easy.” Indeed he did. Judge C.J. Ross turned in one of the most disgraceful cards in boxing history, 114-114, but Craig Metcalfe and Dave Moretti had it 117-111 and 116-112 for Mayweather, which I thought was generous to Alvarez. I had it 120-108, a shutout. In fairness to Alvarez, he was only 23 at the time and is a much better fighter today. … It appears that Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) might finish his career as a guy who couldn’t get over the hump. The talented, rugged Ukrainian gave strong efforts against Daniel Jacobs, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo and now Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) on the Davis-Cruz card but fell just short each time. The 37-year-old Ukrainian is highly respected but he’s 1-4 in his last five fights and hasn’t had his hand raised in 2½ years. Perhaps he’ll get one more shot but the clock is ticking. Meanwhile, Adames’ break-through victory makes him a player at middleweight or possibly junior middleweight. The Dominican looked on Sunday like a threat to anyone…
Sebastian Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) continues to roll even when it isn’t pretty. The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender had a tough time against aggressive Sergio Garcia (33-1, 14 KOs) in their 12-rounder on the Davis-Cruz card but ultimately outboxed and outworked the Spaniard to win a unanimous decision. I’m not sure how far “The Towering Inferno” will go but he finds ways to gain advantages over his opponents. I won’t be shocked if he produces an upset or two in the near future. … I don’t have much good to say about YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul beyond his undeniable ability to market himself. However, I have to acknowledge his chutzpah for agreeing to face Tyron Woodley a second time after Tommy Fury pulled out of their Dec. 18 fight because of health issues. Paul almost lost to Woodley in the first fight yet was willing to do it again. Good for him.
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz both emerged as winners after their fight on Sunday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz delivered a competitive, entertaining fight on Sunday. That shouldn’t be lost in any post-fight wrangling over the decision or anything else. And both fighters should be proud of their efforts.
Davis was face to face with a rough character, one who has been aptly described as a mini Mike Tyson. “Tank” withstood Cruz’s relentless pressure, outboxed the Mexican and emerged with a close, but unanimous decision at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
And the southpaw evidently did it with an injured left hand, which he said began to give him problems midway through the fight. His trainer said he suffered the injury in training.
If that’s the case, if he was hampered by a compromised power hand against a beast like Cruz, and still had his hand raised in the end, kudos to him. He deserves credit for a hard-earned victory, which allowed him to maintain his perfect record.
In terms of perception, Davis was a victim of his own success, including knockouts in his previous 16 fights. Falling short of expectations – everyone expected another stoppage – can have the feel of a setback but it shouldn’t.
Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) told me a few days before the fight that he knew he wouldn’t stop every opponent going forward. The goal is to win, however that looks. That’s what he did on Sunday.
“I got the job done,” he said. “We’ll move on.”
What’s next for him? Davis fights in one of the deepest divisions in the sport, led by newly crowned undisputed champion George Kambosos, Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ryan Garcia and others.
Indeed, Davis has many options. For now, he’ll allow his hand time to heal, commiserate with his handlers and then take the next step. And you can bet he’ll be a better fighter after the stiff test he endured on Sunday.
“I’m happy to be in the position I’m in right now,” he said. “But I feel as though I have a lot more to improve. I feel as though if I keep doing it, there’s no limit.”
BAD
Isaac Cruz had reason to smile after his loss on Sunday. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Cruz thought he did enough to get the decision but he didn’t seem to be too disheartened after the fight Sunday.
He fell short on the cards – 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 – but scored points in the hearts of fans, who had to be impressed by his ability to fight on even terms with an opponent who seemed untouchable going into the event.
The 23-year-old Mexican fought in a similar way to Tyson, plowing forward and winging knockout-caliber punches to the head and body that got the attention of Davis and those watching.
Plus, he also was difficult to hit cleanly, which added to the challenge Davis faced. And, when Tank was able to connect, Cruz was never hurt. That’s saying something given the fact Davis is one of the biggest punchers in the sport.
In the end, Cruz walked away with his second loss but the fans saw what they saw, a thrilling brawler who almost took down the lightweight boogeyman on a big, pay-per-view stage. As a result, he went from a fringe figure to a major player in the division over night.
“The eyes of the world were … on this fight,” he said through a translator, “from Europe, to Latin America, to the United States. I showed that this Mexican warrior is here to stay. I showed what people love.
“And even better, [big] things are coming up next.”
Indeed they are.
WORSE
Doctors said Teofimo Lopez was lucky he was killed in his fight with George Kambosos. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
Teofimo Lopez’s examination results after his loss to George Kambosos on Nov. 27 in New York was about as disturbing as it gets.
Doctors told ESPN that the fighter was lucky to have stepped out of the ring alive given the condition in which he stepped into it. He was determined to be suffering from pneumomediastinum, a condition in which air is present between his chest and lungs.
“He could have died, for sure,” said Dr. Linda Dahl, who believes the air might’ve come from a small tear in his esophagus. “How he breathed, I can’t even explain to you. It’s like somebody tied a 300-pound set of weights around his chest … like his neck and chest were in a vise. That’s how he fought.”
Said Dr. Peter Constantino: “He’s lucky he’s not dead. I mean, really lucky.”
Lopez knew something was wrong the day before the fight, when he experienced shortness of breath and swelling in his neck. His father suggested he see a doctor but, concerned that the fight might be canceled, he refused.
“I thought it was just my asthma,” said Lopez, who kept mum during his pre-fight checkup on Friday. “I fought through asthma before. If I told everybody, they would’ve canceled the fight. But I chose not to, because of the amount of pressure I was under. I didn’t want to hear people say, ‘Oh, another postponement.'”
I don’t know whether officials could’ve done anything to prevent Lopez from entering the ring based on what they knew. And I believe Lopez when he said he thought asthma was causing his discomfort.
I would just hope that fighters would put their well being ahead of boxing. There will be other fights. I also would hope that diligent officials worldwide will take a good look at the facts surrounding Lopez’s condition to determine whether the situation could’ve been avoided.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Floyd Mayweather’s rant about bad judges and ignorant boxing writers after Davis’ victory over Cruz was just more of the same from a fighter-turned-promoter who has always enjoyed fine whine. He covered a lot of bases, though. That included a shot at consensus pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez, who Mayweather defeated by a majority decision in 2013. “I’m going to tell you the truth about Canelo … that m—–f—– was easy, a cake walk. Easy. Y’all are praising this dude. This dude was nothing. I was almost 40 years old when I cooked that dude easy.” Indeed he did. Judge C.J. Ross turned in one of the most disgraceful cards in boxing history, 114-114, but Craig Metcalfe and Dave Moretti had it 117-111 and 116-112 for Mayweather, which I thought was generous to Alvarez. I had it 120-108, a shutout. In fairness to Alvarez, he was only 23 at the time and is a much better fighter today. … It appears that Sergiy Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) might finish his career as a guy who couldn’t get over the hump. The talented, rugged Ukrainian gave strong efforts against Daniel Jacobs, Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo and now Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) on the Davis-Cruz card but fell just short each time. The 37-year-old Ukrainian is highly respected but he’s 1-4 in his last five fights and hasn’t had his hand raised in 2½ years. Perhaps he’ll get one more shot but the clock is ticking. Meanwhile, Adames’ break-through victory makes him a player at middleweight or possibly junior middleweight. The Dominican looked on Sunday like a threat to anyone…
Sebastian Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) continues to roll even when it isn’t pretty. The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender had a tough time against aggressive Sergio Garcia (33-1, 14 KOs) in their 12-rounder on the Davis-Cruz card but ultimately outboxed and outworked the Spaniard to win a unanimous decision. I’m not sure how far “The Towering Inferno” will go but he finds ways to gain advantages over his opponents. I won’t be shocked if he produces an upset or two in the near future. … I don’t have much good to say about YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul beyond his undeniable ability to market himself. However, I have to acknowledge his chutzpah for agreeing to face Tyron Woodley a second time after Tommy Fury pulled out of their Dec. 18 fight because of health issues. Paul almost lost to Woodley in the first fight yet was willing to do it again. Good for him.
Carlos Adames defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko by a majority decision Saturday in Los Angeles.
Carlos Adames has arrived.
The Dominican defeated longtime contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko by a majority decision in a 10-round middleweight bout on the Gervonta Davis-Isaac Cruz cards Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The fight was billed as a title eliminator, meaning Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) moved a step closer to a shot at a 160-pound championship.
Meanwhile, Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) has now lost three consecutive fights by decision, Gennadiy Golovkin and Jermal Charlo for titles and now Adames.
And he’s 36, not an age at which it will be easy to regroup once again.
The fighters used the first round to feel one another out and then, beginning in Round 2, never really stopped punching.
Adames got off to a quick start, landing more and cleaner shots in Rounds 2, 3 and 4. Derevyanchenko gained an edge in the middle rounds, when the fighters exchanged punches toe-to-toe on several occasions.
It was back and forth from there, with both fighters having good moments in a close fight. The last two rounds were particularly difficult to score, as neither fighter could separate from the other.
The scores reflected how close it was. One judge had it a 95-95 draw but he was overruled by his colleagues, who had it 97-93 and 96-94 for Adames.
Carlos Adames defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko by a majority decision Saturday in Los Angeles.
Carlos Adames has arrived.
The Dominican defeated longtime contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko by a majority decision in a 10-round middleweight bout on the Gervonta Davis-Isaac Cruz cards Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The fight was billed as a title eliminator, meaning Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) moved a step closer to a shot at a 160-pound championship.
Meanwhile, Derevyanchenko (13-4, 10 KOs) has now lost three consecutive fights by decision, Gennadiy Golovkin and Jermal Charlo for titles and now Adames.
And he’s 36, not an age at which it will be easy to regroup once again.
The fighters used the first round to feel one another out and then, beginning in Round 2, never really stopped punching.
Adames got off to a quick start, landing more and cleaner shots in Rounds 2, 3 and 4. Derevyanchenko gained an edge in the middle rounds, when the fighters exchanged punches toe-to-toe on several occasions.
It was back and forth from there, with both fighters having good moments in a close fight. The last two rounds were particularly difficult to score, as neither fighter could separate from the other.
The scores reflected how close it was. One judge had it a 95-95 draw but he was overruled by his colleagues, who had it 97-93 and 96-94 for Adames.
Junior middleweight titleholder Patrick Teixeira plans to take his career to the next level beginning next year.
Jermell Charlo became the king of the 154-pound division after his sensational knockout of Jeison Rosario to unify three titles on Sept. 26, a victory that lifted the smaller Charlo twin onto many pound-for-pound lists.
Only one man stands in the way of Charlo using the term “undisputed”: Patrick Teixeira, who holds the fourth belt.
You’re excused if Teixeira has not been on your radar. The 29-year-old Brazilian has had only a few notable fights and the first one, against Curtis Stevens, didn’t go well. Teixeira plans to change that perception, beginning with his title defense against highly regarded Brian Castano on Feb. 2 in Indio, Calif.
“I just have to keep winning fights, keep winning entertaining fights,” Teixeira, speaking Spanish, told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “[Castano] is a difficult fight. I think if I win this next one, people’s perspective will begin to change.”
Teixeira (31-1, 22 KOs) is from the small town of Sombrio in southern Brazil. The southpaw grew up playing soccer – what kid in Brazil doesn’t? – but a cultural icon ultimately led him in another direction.
Patrick Teixeira (right) took a lot of punishment but persevered to outpoint Carlos Adames. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
His fascination of the famous martial artist Bruce Lee, along with a weight problem, led him into a local boxing gym and never left.
“At 13 years old, I was kind of a chunky kid. I was a little overweight,” he said. “It was around then that I saw Bruce Lee movies and thought, ‘I’m going to do that, I’m going to get into martial arts.’
“Then I discovered boxing and that’s where I am now.”
Teixeira turned professional in Sao Paulo only five years later and went on a tear, winning his first 26 fights (22 by knockout) to earn a shot at Stevens and a minor middleweight title on the Canelo Alvarez-Amir Khan card in 2016, a significant step up in opposition for him.
The fight lasted only 4 minutes, 4 seconds. Stevens, a big puncher, hurt Teixeira with a jab in the opening round. In the second, an overhand right put him down and hurt him so badly he couldn’t go on.
Teixeira looks back on that setback as a learning experience.
“That was a very difficult fight for me,” he said. “I learned a lot from that fight. I learned to manage my distance, to use my height (5 feet, 11½ inches). I changed my style a bit as well. I was always looking for a fight, looking to exchange punches. Now I try to be more elusive, try not to take punches.
“I know I could’ve fought better than I did [against Stevens]. Now I just want to create better memories.”
Teixeira’s knockdown of Adames in the seventh round was a key moment in their fight. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Teixeira took 14 months off after his loss, which allowed time for a nagging shoulder injury to heal. And then he got back to work, only this time as a junior middleweight.
He won his next four fights – including a unanimous decision over capable Nathaniel Gallimore – to set up a meeting with unbeaten and favored Carlos Adames for the “interim” WBO 154-title in November of last year in Las Vegas.
Teixeira overcame cuts under both eyes and some brutal shots in Round 7 to deck Adames with a body in the same round and go on to win a unanimous decision, 116-111, 114-113 and 114-113.
“It was tough with the cuts, but I was able to get through it because of my experience,” Teixeira said immediately after the fight. “It was a little harder, but my corner did an excellent job on the cuts.
“I am very happy to bring a world title back to Brazil. I want to make boxing bigger in Brazil. Soccer is our biggest sport, and this is a great moment for boxing in my country.”
It got greater shortly afterward when Teixeira was elevated to full champion, becoming only the fifth Brazilian to accomplish the feat. He’ll be making his first defense against Castano (16-0-1, 12 KOs) in a few months.
Teixeira became only the fifth Brazilian to win a major world title. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Castano should be a handful. The former amateur standout from Argentina, an excellent boxer-puncher, made a splash by outpointing Michel Soro in July 2017, won a secondary title by stopping Cedric Vitu and then stunned a lot of people by fighting Erislandy Lara on even terms in a split draw in March of last year.
Teixeira is well aware of Castano’s ability, in part because their paths have already crossed.
“I actually sparred with him four years ago,” he said. “It was good sparring. … I think what he does well is throw a lot of punches. He knows how to fight at a short distance. He’s shorter (5-7½) so he learned how to do that well.
“I know he’s a great fighter. I’m really focused on this fight.”
And if things go well on Feb. 2? Teixeira has his sights set on even bigger opportunities, including a showdown with Charlo for all the 154-pound titles.
“That’s why I keep working hard at the gym,” he said, “to keep growing, to be ready for those big fights.”
Junior middleweight titleholder Patrick Teixeira plans to take his career to the next level beginning next year.
Jermell Charlo became the king of the 154-pound division after his sensational knockout of Jeison Rosario to unify three titles on Sept. 26, a victory that lifted the smaller Charlo twin onto many pound-for-pound lists.
Only one man stands in the way of Charlo using the term “undisputed”: Patrick Teixeira, who holds the fourth belt.
You’re excused if Teixeira has not been on your radar. The 29-year-old Brazilian has had only a few notable fights and the first one, against Curtis Stevens, didn’t go well. Teixeira plans to change that perception, beginning with his title defense against highly regarded Brian Castano on Feb. 2 in Indio, Calif.
“I just have to keep winning fights, keep winning entertaining fights,” Teixeira, speaking Spanish, told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “[Castano] is a difficult fight. I think if I win this next one, people’s perspective will begin to change.”
Teixeira (31-1, 22 KOs) is from the small town of Sombrio in southern Brazil. The southpaw grew up playing soccer – what kid in Brazil doesn’t? – but a cultural icon ultimately led him in another direction.
Patrick Teixeira (right) took a lot of punishment but persevered to outpoint Carlos Adames. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
His fascination of the famous martial artist Bruce Lee, along with a weight problem, led him into a local boxing gym and never left.
“At 13 years old, I was kind of a chunky kid. I was a little overweight,” he said. “It was around then that I saw Bruce Lee movies and thought, ‘I’m going to do that, I’m going to get into martial arts.’
“Then I discovered boxing and that’s where I am now.”
Teixeira turned professional in Sao Paulo only five years later and went on a tear, winning his first 26 fights (22 by knockout) to earn a shot at Stevens and a minor middleweight title on the Canelo Alvarez-Amir Khan card in 2016, a significant step up in opposition for him.
The fight lasted only 4 minutes, 4 seconds. Stevens, a big puncher, hurt Teixeira with a jab in the opening round. In the second, an overhand right put him down and hurt him so badly he couldn’t go on.
Teixeira looks back on that setback as a learning experience.
“That was a very difficult fight for me,” he said. “I learned a lot from that fight. I learned to manage my distance, to use my height (5 feet, 11½ inches). I changed my style a bit as well. I was always looking for a fight, looking to exchange punches. Now I try to be more elusive, try not to take punches.
“I know I could’ve fought better than I did [against Stevens]. Now I just want to create better memories.”
Teixeira’s knockdown of Adames in the seventh round was a key moment in their fight. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Teixeira took 14 months off after his loss, which allowed time for a nagging shoulder injury to heal. And then he got back to work, only this time as a junior middleweight.
He won his next four fights – including a unanimous decision over capable Nathaniel Gallimore – to set up a meeting with unbeaten and favored Carlos Adames for the “interim” WBO 154-title in November of last year in Las Vegas.
Teixeira overcame cuts under both eyes and some brutal shots in Round 7 to deck Adames with a body in the same round and go on to win a unanimous decision, 116-111, 114-113 and 114-113.
“It was tough with the cuts, but I was able to get through it because of my experience,” Teixeira said immediately after the fight. “It was a little harder, but my corner did an excellent job on the cuts.
“I am very happy to bring a world title back to Brazil. I want to make boxing bigger in Brazil. Soccer is our biggest sport, and this is a great moment for boxing in my country.”
It got greater shortly afterward when Teixeira was elevated to full champion, becoming only the fifth Brazilian to accomplish the feat. He’ll be making his first defense against Castano (16-0-1, 12 KOs) in a few months.
Teixeira became only the fifth Brazilian to win a major world title. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Castano should be a handful. The former amateur standout from Argentina, an excellent boxer-puncher, made a splash by outpointing Michel Soro in July 2017, won a secondary title by stopping Cedric Vitu and then stunned a lot of people by fighting Erislandy Lara on even terms in a split draw in March of last year.
Teixeira is well aware of Castano’s ability, in part because their paths have already crossed.
“I actually sparred with him four years ago,” he said. “It was good sparring. … I think what he does well is throw a lot of punches. He knows how to fight at a short distance. He’s shorter (5-7½) so he learned how to do that well.
“I know he’s a great fighter. I’m really focused on this fight.”
And if things go well on Feb. 2? Teixeira has his sights set on even bigger opportunities, including a showdown with Charlo for all the 154-pound titles.
“That’s why I keep working hard at the gym,” he said, “to keep growing, to be ready for those big fights.”
Patrick Teixeira put Carlos Adames down en route to winning a close unanimous decision on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Patrick Teixeira has become a significant player in the junior middleweight division.
The Brazilian put Carlos Adames down in a pivotal seventh round and went on to win a brutal, bloody fight by a close unanimous decision on the Oscar Valdez-Adam Lopez card Saturday in Las Vegas.
The scores were 114-113, 114-113 and 116-111, meaning the point Adames lost as a result of the knockdown decided the fight.
Teixeira, who survived two cuts and a determined opponent, won an “interim” title.
“I am very happy to bring a world title back to Brazil,” said Teixeira (31-1, 22 knockouts). “I want to make boxing bigger in Brazil. Soccer is our biggest sport, and this is a great moment for boxing in my country. It was tough with the cuts, but I was able to get through it because of my experience.
“It was a little harder, but my corner did an excellent job on the cuts. I felt like I needed to win the last round. It was a close fight. Every point was crucial, and I won the final round to win the fight.”
Adames (18-4, 14 KOs) was saved by the bell after going down for the first time in his career in the seventh round but recovered sufficiently in the eighth to keep the fight competitive.
Teixeira, who has won five consecutive fights, could be upgraded to full titleholder because champion Jaime Munguia is expected to vacate.
Carl Frampton outclassed Tyler McCreary en route to a shutout decision victory Saturday in Las Vegas.
Carl Frampton said loudly and clearly with his performance on Saturday, “I’m still here.”
Frampton dominated relative novice Tyler McCreary from beginning to end, putting down the Toledo fighter twice with body shots and winning a shutout 10-round decision at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
And Frampton, who hadn’t fought in almost a year, said he did it even though he broke his hand in training twice and might’ve done it again early in the fight Saturday.
On top of that, he was fighting in a new division, junior lightweight. The fighters agreed on a 128-pound catch weight.
Frampton dominated his taller opponent, who had never been in a scheduled 10-rounder, in every conceivable way but the body shots were the most telling blows.
“That was the plan from the start, to target the body,” said Frampton, a two-division titleholder. “He’s pretty tall and we saw gaps. And my hand was not great coming into the fight. The body is softer. I feel like I hurt (the hand) again in the second round. That’s why it wasn’t the most exciting fight. I wanted to be safe with the hand.
“… I knew I had a lot of support. There was no way I wasn’t fighting.”
McCreary (16-1-1, 7 knockouts) was a good amateur, meaning he brought some skills into the ring. However, he seemed to be overwhelmed by both a crafty veteran and the moment.
McCreary would’ve been well served to fight Frampton from the outside but had no hope of keeping the Irish fighter off of him.
Frampton (27-2, 15 KOs) simply pounded the body, landed some eye-catching punches to the head and won round after round.
He landed a left to the body early in Round 6, forcing McCreary to take a knee. Then, in Round 9, a vicious double left to same spot forced McCreary to a knee again. He got up and finished the fight but never came close to solving the puzzle Frampton presented.
McCreary lost every round on all three cards.
Frampton was coming off a surprising unanimous-decision loss to Josh Warrington last December, which had the 32-year-old questioning his future in the sport. His performance on Saturday was a solid step toward another title shot.
Frampton’s dream is to win a belt in a third division. A possible opponent is 130-pound titleholder Jamel Herring, who was in the arena for the fight Saturday.
“He’s a two-division champion for a reason,” Herring said at ringside. “He did what he had to do. Especially after a year off and after some setbacks, he looked good. … I would love to fight him.”
