Tag: Lamont Roach

O’Shaquie Foster targeting titleholders, big names at 130 pounds after victory

O’Shaquie Foster said he’s targeting fellow titleholders and the big names at 130 pounds after his victory over Abraham Nova on Friday.

Junior lightweight titleholder O’Shaquie Foster had a difficult time making the 130-pound limit going into his split decision victory over Abraham Nova on Friday in New York, which could mean he’s not long for the division.

However, he said he has some business to take care of first. He wants at least a few more big fights at 130 before he makes the move to 135.

“I’ll eventually be going to 135,” he said after his victory. “But I’m going to try to get a couple more fights at 130. Like I said I’m going to try to hire a nutritionist to do it better next time. It definitely affected my energy in the fight.”

So what potential opponents does he have in mind?

The WBC champion is targeting fellow beltholders Lamont Roach (WBA) and Emanuel Navarrete (WBO), as well as some other big names in the division.

“I’ll take the winner of Liam Wilson [and Oscar Valdez on March 29],” he said, per Fight Hub TV. “Or if we can get Lamont Roach. I know [Emanuel] Navarrete is going to 135 … but if he comes back, I’m willing to do that too.”

Foster (22-2, 12 KOs) could also be required to face relatively unknown WBC mandatory challenger Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (21-1, 11 KOs) of Tajikistan soon.

Foster defeated Yaqubov by a one-sided decision in March 2022, after which Yaqubov has won three consecutive fights.

“If it’s mandatory and I have to, I’ll take it. It’s cool,” he said. “I beat the guy, Yaqubov. I’d rather fight a Wilson or Oscar Valdez. But if I have to, I’ll satisfy my mandatory.”

One titleholder that doesn’t appear to be in Foster’s plans is Joe Cordina (IBF). Foster expressed interest in facing Cordina but the British fighter said he wants to face an opponent against whom he could make more money.

“Man, they had their chance,” Foster said, referring to Cordina. “I was open for it. If it’s still available, I’m with it, but I ain’t going to be chasing nobody.”

Foster got off to a slow start against Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) in the second defense of the belt he won by outpointing Rey Vargas in February of last year but found his rhythm in the middle rounds and controlled the fight down the stretch.

He put Nova down with a left hook with about 20 seconds remaining in the fight to clinch the victory. Replays seemed to confirm Nova went down from the punch but he said he slipped.

Foster wasn’t buying that version of events.

“Oh man, he’s delusional,” he said. “It was a knockdown for sure. If I did stuff the right way, there would’ve been a lot of knockdowns. I was rushing stuff, I was trying to land too much power. It’s on me.”

Foster will have an opportunity to improve in a high profile fight soon.

[lawrence-related id=40776]

O’Shaquie Foster targeting titleholders, big names at 130 pounds after victory

O’Shaquie Foster said he’s targeting fellow titleholders and the big names at 130 pounds after his victory over Abraham Nova on Friday.

Junior lightweight titleholder O’Shaquie Foster had a difficult time making the 130-pound limit going into his split decision victory over Abraham Nova on Friday in New York, which could mean he’s not long for the division.

However, he said he has some business to take care of first. He wants at least a few more big fights at 130 before he makes the move to 135.

“I’ll eventually be going to 135,” he said after his victory. “But I’m going to try to get a couple more fights at 130. Like I said I’m going to try to hire a nutritionist to do it better next time. It definitely affected my energy in the fight.”

So what potential opponents does he have in mind?

The WBC champion is targeting fellow beltholders Lamont Roach (WBA) and Emanuel Navarrete (WBO), as well as some other big names in the division.

“I’ll take the winner of Liam Wilson [and Oscar Valdez on March 29],” he said, per Fight Hub TV. “Or if we can get Lamont Roach. I know [Emanuel] Navarrete is going to 135 … but if he comes back, I’m willing to do that too.”

Foster (22-2, 12 KOs) could also be required to face relatively unknown WBC mandatory challenger Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (21-1, 11 KOs) of Tajikistan soon.

Foster defeated Yaqubov by a one-sided decision in March 2022, after which Yaqubov has won three consecutive fights.

“If it’s mandatory and I have to, I’ll take it. It’s cool,” he said. “I beat the guy, Yaqubov. I’d rather fight a Wilson or Oscar Valdez. But if I have to, I’ll satisfy my mandatory.”

One titleholder that doesn’t appear to be in Foster’s plans is Joe Cordina (IBF). Foster expressed interest in facing Cordina but the British fighter said he wants to face an opponent against whom he could make more money.

“Man, they had their chance,” Foster said, referring to Cordina. “I was open for it. If it’s still available, I’m with it, but I ain’t going to be chasing nobody.”

Foster got off to a slow start against Nova (23-2, 16 KOs) in the second defense of the belt he won by outpointing Rey Vargas in February of last year but found his rhythm in the middle rounds and controlled the fight down the stretch.

He put Nova down with a left hook with about 20 seconds remaining in the fight to clinch the victory. Replays seemed to confirm Nova went down from the punch but he said he slipped.

Foster wasn’t buying that version of events.

“Oh man, he’s delusional,” he said. “It was a knockdown for sure. If I did stuff the right way, there would’ve been a lot of knockdowns. I was rushing stuff, I was trying to land too much power. It’s on me.”

Foster will have an opportunity to improve in a high profile fight soon.

[lawrence-related id=40776]

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full, breathtaking display

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full display in his sixth-round knockout of Demetrius Andrade on Saturday.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
David Benavidez

David Benavidez has said repeatedly that he has hurt everyone he has faced in the ring. He’s right. He might not knock out all of his opponents – Caleb Plant survived 12 rounds with him, for example – but he’s going to stalk you, he’s going to punish you and, it seems, he’s going to have his hand raised after the fact. That inevitability was on display in its most brutal form on Saturday in Las Vegas, where “The Mexican Monster” walked down, dropped and relentlessly pummeled fellow 168-pound contender Demetrius Andrade until Andrade’s corner stopped the fight after six rounds to save him from a worse fate. Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) never looked more destructive. Afterward he once again called out the king of the division, undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe Benavidez deserves that fight? Is there anyone who doesn’t want to see it? Let’s hope Alvarez sees it that way and finally agrees to face his biggest threat at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGESET LOSER
Demetrius Andrade

Demetrius Andrade (right) took a brutal beating over six rounds. David Becker / Getty Images

We shouldn’t draw firm conclusions from Andrade’s performance in the first meaningful test of his 15-year career. Benavidez didn’t beat him solely because he was the bigger man, as Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) suggested multiple times after the fight. The winner obviously knows what he’s doing. But Benavidez’s physical advantage certainly played a role in his victory over an opponent who started his career as a 154-pounder and was fighting at 168 for only the second time. Andrade looked good for a while, outlanding Benavidez and consistently circling away from trouble before he hit the canvas and quickly deteriorated beginning in Round 4. The Andrade of the first few rounds could give anyone trouble, which is a positive sign for him. He asserted afterward that he’s far from finished at 35. He said he’ll go back to the gym, continue to grow into the division and ponder his next move. “I’ll work on my body a little more,” he said, “and I’ll be right back at it.” He will.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Katie Taylor

What more can she accomplish? Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) was at a crossroads after she lost a decision against then-140-pound champ Chantelle Cameron in May. Many wondered whether the Irishwoman’s time had passed. It hadn’t. The 37-year-old former Olympic champion gave one of her best performances in the rematch with Cameron on Saturday in Dublin, outboxing a naturally bigger opponent to win a majority decision (that should’ve been unanimous) and become an undisputed champion in a second division simultaneously in another entertaining fight. Cameron gave a spirited effort but Taylor consistently beat her to the punch, landing quick, accurate combinations and then clinching to avoid return fire. She was brilliant. The word legend is sometimes thrown around carelessly but that is the type of legacy Taylor has built. If she’s not the greatest female boxer of all time, she certainly is in the conversation.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Subriel Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) gave a David Benavidez-like statement on the Benavidez-Andrade card. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican survived some tough early moments to destroy fellow slugger Shohjahon Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) after five rounds to retain his 140-pound title and bolster his reputation as one of the sport’s most dangerous punchers. He has forced his last five opponents to retire on their stools, although Ergashev complained of a leg injury. Matias appears to be in the class of the best fighters around his weight, including his fellow beltholders and the top 135-pounders. He’ll have to face one of them for us to know for sure, though. … Middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) made a successful return after a 2½-year hiatus to focus on his mental health, easily outpointing durable, but overmatched Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Benavidez-Andrade show. Rust? I didn’t see any. He boxed beautifully, using his superb jab and quick, heavy combinations to dominate the fight. Benavidez was able to survive only because of his unusual durability. Now Charlo can focus on bigger challenges. He could still be in the Alvarez sweepstakes and there are a number of good options at 160. Charlo is back. …

Hector Luis Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) might be a one-year wonder. The 130-pounder from the Dominican Republic made a splash by outpointing Chris Colbert and Roger Gutierrez last year, positioning himself as a potential star. But he has fallen flat this year, getting stopped by Gervonta Davis at 135 in January and losing a split decision and his title to Lamont Roach on the Benavidez-Andrade card. Garcia took a big swing and missed against Davis. OK. His performance against Roach was less defendable, as he wasn’t active enough to overcome a beatable opponent. It will be difficult for him to rebuild after the back-to-back setbacks. Meanwhile, Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) did what it took to become a major titleholder. The well-schooled boxer from the Washington, D.C. area didn’t do much either but he took the fight to Garcia and landed the cleaner punches. Roach obviously is a capable fighter. …

Nevada officials had a bad night. A mistake by referee Tony Weeks cost Garcia his belt. Weeks missed the fact that Roach put Garcia down in the 12th round with a punch that landed behind the head, which is illegal. The result would’ve been a draw had Roach won the round 10-9, which would’ve allowed Garcia to retain his title. Why didn’t officials go to instant replay? If it’s not used for such calls, why not? A bad ruling should’ve been reversed. … In the Matias-Ergashev fight, Ergashev kept his extended lead arm in Matias’ face to keep Matis at a distance favorable to Ergashev. That’s also illegal. Referee Celestino Ruiz should’ve prevented Ergashev from doing that. … And in the Charlo-Benavidez fight, Charlo had a chance to score a knockout late in the final round when referee Harvey Dock more or less tackled Charlo to untangle the fighters. Had Dock let the fighters do their work, Charlo might’ve gotten his stoppage.

[lawrence-related id=39880,39876,39842,39839,39836,39846]

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full, breathtaking display

Weekend Review: David Benavidez’s destructive power was on full display in his sixth-round knockout of Demetrius Andrade on Saturday.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
David Benavidez

David Benavidez has said repeatedly that he has hurt everyone he has faced in the ring. He’s right. He might not knock out all of his opponents – Caleb Plant survived 12 rounds with him, for example – but he’s going to stalk you, he’s going to punish you and, it seems, he’s going to have his hand raised after the fact. That inevitability was on display in its most brutal form on Saturday in Las Vegas, where “The Mexican Monster” walked down, dropped and relentlessly pummeled fellow 168-pound contender Demetrius Andrade until Andrade’s corner stopped the fight after six rounds to save him from a worse fate. Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) never looked more destructive. Afterward he once again called out the king of the division, undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe Benavidez deserves that fight? Is there anyone who doesn’t want to see it? Let’s hope Alvarez sees it that way and finally agrees to face his biggest threat at 168 pounds.

 

BIGGESET LOSER
Demetrius Andrade

Demetrius Andrade (right) took a brutal beating over six rounds. David Becker / Getty Images

We shouldn’t draw firm conclusions from Andrade’s performance in the first meaningful test of his 15-year career. Benavidez didn’t beat him solely because he was the bigger man, as Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) suggested multiple times after the fight. The winner obviously knows what he’s doing. But Benavidez’s physical advantage certainly played a role in his victory over an opponent who started his career as a 154-pounder and was fighting at 168 for only the second time. Andrade looked good for a while, outlanding Benavidez and consistently circling away from trouble before he hit the canvas and quickly deteriorated beginning in Round 4. The Andrade of the first few rounds could give anyone trouble, which is a positive sign for him. He asserted afterward that he’s far from finished at 35. He said he’ll go back to the gym, continue to grow into the division and ponder his next move. “I’ll work on my body a little more,” he said, “and I’ll be right back at it.” He will.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Katie Taylor

What more can she accomplish? Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) was at a crossroads after she lost a decision against then-140-pound champ Chantelle Cameron in May. Many wondered whether the Irishwoman’s time had passed. It hadn’t. The 37-year-old former Olympic champion gave one of her best performances in the rematch with Cameron on Saturday in Dublin, outboxing a naturally bigger opponent to win a majority decision (that should’ve been unanimous) and become an undisputed champion in a second division simultaneously in another entertaining fight. Cameron gave a spirited effort but Taylor consistently beat her to the punch, landing quick, accurate combinations and then clinching to avoid return fire. She was brilliant. The word legend is sometimes thrown around carelessly but that is the type of legacy Taylor has built. If she’s not the greatest female boxer of all time, she certainly is in the conversation.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Subriel Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) gave a David Benavidez-like statement on the Benavidez-Andrade card. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican survived some tough early moments to destroy fellow slugger Shohjahon Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) after five rounds to retain his 140-pound title and bolster his reputation as one of the sport’s most dangerous punchers. He has forced his last five opponents to retire on their stools, although Ergashev complained of a leg injury. Matias appears to be in the class of the best fighters around his weight, including his fellow beltholders and the top 135-pounders. He’ll have to face one of them for us to know for sure, though. … Middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) made a successful return after a 2½-year hiatus to focus on his mental health, easily outpointing durable, but overmatched Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the Benavidez-Andrade show. Rust? I didn’t see any. He boxed beautifully, using his superb jab and quick, heavy combinations to dominate the fight. Benavidez was able to survive only because of his unusual durability. Now Charlo can focus on bigger challenges. He could still be in the Alvarez sweepstakes and there are a number of good options at 160. Charlo is back. …

Hector Luis Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) might be a one-year wonder. The 130-pounder from the Dominican Republic made a splash by outpointing Chris Colbert and Roger Gutierrez last year, positioning himself as a potential star. But he has fallen flat this year, getting stopped by Gervonta Davis at 135 in January and losing a split decision and his title to Lamont Roach on the Benavidez-Andrade card. Garcia took a big swing and missed against Davis. OK. His performance against Roach was less defendable, as he wasn’t active enough to overcome a beatable opponent. It will be difficult for him to rebuild after the back-to-back setbacks. Meanwhile, Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) did what it took to become a major titleholder. The well-schooled boxer from the Washington, D.C. area didn’t do much either but he took the fight to Garcia and landed the cleaner punches. Roach obviously is a capable fighter. …

Nevada officials had a bad night. A mistake by referee Tony Weeks cost Garcia his belt. Weeks missed the fact that Roach put Garcia down in the 12th round with a punch that landed behind the head, which is illegal. The result would’ve been a draw had Roach won the round 10-9, which would’ve allowed Garcia to retain his title. Why didn’t officials go to instant replay? If it’s not used for such calls, why not? A bad ruling should’ve been reversed. … In the Matias-Ergashev fight, Ergashev kept his extended lead arm in Matias’ face to keep Matis at a distance favorable to Ergashev. That’s also illegal. Referee Celestino Ruiz should’ve prevented Ergashev from doing that. … And in the Charlo-Benavidez fight, Charlo had a chance to score a knockout late in the final round when referee Harvey Dock more or less tackled Charlo to untangle the fighters. Had Dock let the fighters do their work, Charlo might’ve gotten his stoppage.

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Lamont Roach outpoints Hector Luis Garcia to win 130-pound title

Lamont Roach Jr. didn’t do much but it was more than enough. Roach defeated Hector Luis Garcia by a split decision to take Garcia’s 130-pound title on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade card Saturday in Las Vegas. One judge had Garcia winning …

Lamont Roach Jr. didn’t do much but it was more than enough.

Roach defeated Hector Luis Garcia by a split decision to take Garcia’s 130-pound title on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade card Saturday in Las Vegas.

One judge had Garcia winning 114-113 but the other two scored it for Roach, 116-111 and 114-113. Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112, eight rounds to four.

Neither fighter was particularly active but Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) kept Garcia on his heels most of the fight, jabbing consistently and following with enough power shots — many to the body — to win rounds.

Referee Tony Weeks awarded him a knockdown in the 12th round but the punch that put Garcia on the canvas, a left hook, landed behind his head and shouldn’t have counted.

Had Roach been awarded a 10-9 round — instead of 10-8 — the fight would’ve been a split draw and Garcia would’ve retained his title.

Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) simply wasn’t active enough, as he spent more time waiting to counter than he did letting his hands go.

The Dominican did have good moments when he decided to plant his feet and assert himself. He landed a number of those counters and also did good work to the body. It just wasn’t enough to get the nod.

Roach landed 118 of 409 punches overall compared to 93 of 468 for Garcia, according to CompuBox. Roach outlanded Garcia in power shots 79-62.

Roach was fighting for a major title for the second time; he lost a decision to then-champ Jamel Herring in 2019. Garcia, coming off knockout loss to Gervonta Davis at 135, was making his first defense.

Lamont Roach outpoints Hector Luis Garcia to win 130-pound title

Lamont Roach Jr. didn’t do much but it was more than enough. Roach defeated Hector Luis Garcia by a split decision to take Garcia’s 130-pound title on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade card Saturday in Las Vegas. One judge had Garcia winning …

Lamont Roach Jr. didn’t do much but it was more than enough.

Roach defeated Hector Luis Garcia by a split decision to take Garcia’s 130-pound title on the David Benavidez-Demetrius Andrade card Saturday in Las Vegas.

One judge had Garcia winning 114-113 but the other two scored it for Roach, 116-111 and 114-113. Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112, eight rounds to four.

Neither fighter was particularly active but Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) kept Garcia on his heels most of the fight, jabbing consistently and following with enough power shots — many to the body — to win rounds.

Referee Tony Weeks awarded him a knockdown in the 12th round but the punch that put Garcia on the canvas, a left hook, landed behind his head and shouldn’t have counted.

Had Roach been awarded a 10-9 round — instead of 10-8 — the fight would’ve been a split draw and Garcia would’ve retained his title.

Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) simply wasn’t active enough, as he spent more time waiting to counter than he did letting his hands go.

The Dominican did have good moments when he decided to plant his feet and assert himself. He landed a number of those counters and also did good work to the body. It just wasn’t enough to get the nod.

Roach landed 118 of 409 punches overall compared to 93 of 468 for Garcia, according to CompuBox. Roach outlanded Garcia in power shots 79-62.

Roach was fighting for a major title for the second time; he lost a decision to then-champ Jamel Herring in 2019. Garcia, coming off knockout loss to Gervonta Davis at 135, was making his first defense.

Video and photos: David Benavidez, Demetrius Andrade make weight

Video and photos: David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade on Friday made weight for their pay-per-view fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

Super middleweight contenders David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade on Friday made weight for their pay-per-view fight Saturday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

Benavidez weighed 167.0 pounds, 1 below the limit. Andrade came in at 167.6.

In the co-feature, middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo weighed 3.4 pounds over the agreed-upon catch weight of 163 for his fight against Jose Benavidez Jr. but the fight will go on.

The weights for the featured undercard fights on the card are as follows:

  • Charlo (166.4) vs. Benavidez Jr., (161.2) super middleweights.
  • Subriel Matias (139.8) vs. Shohjahon Ergashev (139.8), junior welterweights (for Matias’ IBF junior title).
  • Hector Luis Garcia (129.4) vs. Lamont Roach (129.6), junior lightweights (for Garcia’s WBA title).

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Video and photos: David Benavidez, Demetrius Andrade make weight

Video and photos: David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade on Friday made weight for their pay-per-view fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

Super middleweight contenders David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade on Friday made weight for their pay-per-view fight Saturday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

Benavidez weighed 167.0 pounds, 1 below the limit. Andrade came in at 167.6.

In the co-feature, middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo weighed 3.4 pounds over the agreed-upon catch weight of 163 for his fight against Jose Benavidez Jr. but the fight will go on.

The weights for the featured undercard fights on the card are as follows:

  • Charlo (166.4) vs. Benavidez Jr., (161.2) super middleweights.
  • Subriel Matias (139.8) vs. Shohjahon Ergashev (139.8), junior welterweights (for Matias’ IBF junior title).
  • Hector Luis Garcia (129.4) vs. Lamont Roach (129.6), junior lightweights (for Garcia’s WBA title).

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David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade: LIVE round-by-round updates, official results, full coverage

David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade: LIVE round-by-round updates, official results and full coverage.

David Benavidez dropped, beat up and finally stopped fellow 168-pound contender Demetrius Andrade at the end of the sixth round Saturday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) got off to a strong start, beating Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) to the punch, generally outworking him and moving out of harm’s way as the naturally bigger man tried to walk him down.

Things changed radically in an instant in the final seconds of Round 4, when a right from Benavidez put Andrade down and hurt him.

It was all Benavidez after that, as he pounded a willing, but overmatched Andrade to both the head and body for almost all of the next two one-sided rounds.

Finally, after Round 6, Andrade’s corner said enough was enough and instructed the referee to stop the fight.

Benavidez was coming off a unanimous decision victory over the skillful, elusive Caleb Plant in March. That result snapped Benavidez’s knockout streak at six.

Andrade, a former 154- and 160-pound titleholder, was fighting at 168 for the second time.

A full report will follow shortly.

***

ROUND 6

The fight has been stopped. Andrade’s corner instructed the referee to stop it after the sixth round to save Andrade from taking more punishment.

ROUND 5

Huge round for Benavidez. He just walked down and pounded Andrade to both the head and body and received very little in return. It’s surprising that Andrade was able to stay on his feet. He took vicious, nonstop punishment.

ROUND 4

A right hand put Andrade down in the final seconds of the round. Legit hard shot that hurt him. Andrade was having a good round to that point, outworking Benavidez. Benavidez just keeps coming, though. And the pressure paid off.

ROUND 3

Has the fight turned already? Andrade controlled the first two minutes on the round but Benavidez seemed to hurt him later, as he unloaded several hard, accurate shots and slowed Andrade down. Close round overall, though.

ROUND 2

Good round for Andrade. Benavidez is having trouble adjusting to Andrade’s awkward style, his speed and maybe his southpaw stance. Andrade outworked Benavidez that round. Benavidez isn’t fazed, though. He had some good moments too.

ROUND 1

Good pace for an opening round, although both men obviously were trying to find their ranges and adjust to one another. Both landed some good, hard body shots. Love the energy from both guys.

***

The main event is next, David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade.

***

Middleweight champ Jermall Charlo made a successful return, defeating a brave, but overmatched Jose Benavidez Jr. by a near-shutout decision in a 10-round bout.

The official scores were 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 99-91, nine rounds to one.

Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) was returning after a 2½-year layoff but didn’t look rusty, landing his effective jab consistently and following with sharp combinations and single shots to dominate the fight.

Benavidez (28-3-1, 19 KOs) was the naturally much smaller man but didn’t fight like it, attacking Charlo with some success at many junctures and absorbing many huge shots without going down.

However, the older brother of David Benavidez ate too many clean shots to win rounds.

The fighters agreed to a catch weight of 163 pounds but Charlo came in at 166.4. Benavidez decided to go through with the fight, presumably in part because Charlo had to add to his payday for him to do so.

Charlo hadn’t fought since he outpointed Juan Macias Montiel in June of 2021.

***

Subriel Matias beat up and then stopped Shohjahon Ergashev after five rounds to retain his junior welterweight title.

Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) got off to a good start, using his right hand as a range finder and landed many hard, accurate left hands.

However, by Round 3, Matias (20-1, 20 KOs), had worked his way inside and began to punish the Uzbek mercilessly with a variety of power punches.

Ergashev tried to fight back in the final few rounds — and clinched to slow Matias down — but he didn’t have the tools to keep the Puerto Rican slugger away.

Ergashev didn’t come out of his corner for the start of Round 6, complaining of an injury to his right leg.

Matias has now forced five consecutive to opponents to retire in their corners.

He was making the first defense of the title he won by knocking out Jeremias Ponce in five rounds in February.

Ergashev was fighting for a major title for the first time.

***

Lamont Roach Jr. defeated Hector Luis Garcia by a split decision to take Garcia’s 130-pound title.

One judge had Garcia winning 114-113 but the other two scored it for Roach, 116-111 and 114-113. Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112, eight rounds to four.

Neither fighter was particularly active but Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) kept Garcia on his heels most of the fight, jabbing and following with enough power shots to win rounds.

He was awarded a knockdown in the 12th round but the punch that put Garcia on the canvas, a left hook, landed behind his head and shouldn’t have counted.

Had Roach been awarded a 10-9 round — instead of 10-8 — the fight would’ve been a split draw and Garcia would’ve retained his title.

Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) simply wasn’t active enough, as he spent more time waiting to counter than he did letting his hands go.

***

Unbeaten super middleweight contenders David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade are scheduled to face off on pay-per-view Saturday night at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

The winner of the fight could be in line to challenge undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez in May.

Here are the other featured fights on the deep card:

  • Jermall Charlo vs. Jose Benavidez Jr., super middleweights.
  • Subriel Matias vs. Shohjahon Ergashev, junior welterweights (for Matias’ IBF junior title).
  • Hector Luis Garcia vs. Lamont Roach, junior lightweights (for Garcia’s WBA title).

The show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

Boxing Junkie will post live round-by-round analysis and updates immediately after those fights end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – fight stories, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the card and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

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David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade: LIVE round-by-round updates, official results, full coverage

David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade: LIVE round-by-round updates, official results and full coverage.

David Benavidez dropped, beat up and finally stopped fellow 168-pound contender Demetrius Andrade at the end of the sixth round Saturday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs) got off to a strong start, beating Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) to the punch, generally outworking him and moving out of harm’s way as the naturally bigger man tried to walk him down.

Things changed radically in an instant in the final seconds of Round 4, when a right from Benavidez put Andrade down and hurt him.

It was all Benavidez after that, as he pounded a willing, but overmatched Andrade to both the head and body for almost all of the next two one-sided rounds.

Finally, after Round 6, Andrade’s corner said enough was enough and instructed the referee to stop the fight.

Benavidez was coming off a unanimous decision victory over the skillful, elusive Caleb Plant in March. That result snapped Benavidez’s knockout streak at six.

Andrade, a former 154- and 160-pound titleholder, was fighting at 168 for the second time.

A full report will follow shortly.

***

ROUND 6

The fight has been stopped. Andrade’s corner instructed the referee to stop it after the sixth round to save Andrade from taking more punishment.

ROUND 5

Huge round for Benavidez. He just walked down and pounded Andrade to both the head and body and received very little in return. It’s surprising that Andrade was able to stay on his feet. He took vicious, nonstop punishment.

ROUND 4

A right hand put Andrade down in the final seconds of the round. Legit hard shot that hurt him. Andrade was having a good round to that point, outworking Benavidez. Benavidez just keeps coming, though. And the pressure paid off.

ROUND 3

Has the fight turned already? Andrade controlled the first two minutes on the round but Benavidez seemed to hurt him later, as he unloaded several hard, accurate shots and slowed Andrade down. Close round overall, though.

ROUND 2

Good round for Andrade. Benavidez is having trouble adjusting to Andrade’s awkward style, his speed and maybe his southpaw stance. Andrade outworked Benavidez that round. Benavidez isn’t fazed, though. He had some good moments too.

ROUND 1

Good pace for an opening round, although both men obviously were trying to find their ranges and adjust to one another. Both landed some good, hard body shots. Love the energy from both guys.

***

The main event is next, David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade.

***

Middleweight champ Jermall Charlo made a successful return, defeating a brave, but overmatched Jose Benavidez Jr. by a near-shutout decision in a 10-round bout.

The official scores were 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92. Boxing Junkie scored it 99-91, nine rounds to one.

Charlo (33-0, 22 KOs) was returning after a 2½-year layoff but didn’t look rusty, landing his effective jab consistently and following with sharp combinations and single shots to dominate the fight.

Benavidez (28-3-1, 19 KOs) was the naturally much smaller man but didn’t fight like it, attacking Charlo with some success at many junctures and absorbing many huge shots without going down.

However, the older brother of David Benavidez ate too many clean shots to win rounds.

The fighters agreed to a catch weight of 163 pounds but Charlo came in at 166.4. Benavidez decided to go through with the fight, presumably in part because Charlo had to add to his payday for him to do so.

Charlo hadn’t fought since he outpointed Juan Macias Montiel in June of 2021.

***

Subriel Matias beat up and then stopped Shohjahon Ergashev after five rounds to retain his junior welterweight title.

Ergashev (23-1, 20 KOs) got off to a good start, using his right hand as a range finder and landed many hard, accurate left hands.

However, by Round 3, Matias (20-1, 20 KOs), had worked his way inside and began to punish the Uzbek mercilessly with a variety of power punches.

Ergashev tried to fight back in the final few rounds — and clinched to slow Matias down — but he didn’t have the tools to keep the Puerto Rican slugger away.

Ergashev didn’t come out of his corner for the start of Round 6, complaining of an injury to his right leg.

Matias has now forced five consecutive to opponents to retire in their corners.

He was making the first defense of the title he won by knocking out Jeremias Ponce in five rounds in February.

Ergashev was fighting for a major title for the first time.

***

Lamont Roach Jr. defeated Hector Luis Garcia by a split decision to take Garcia’s 130-pound title.

One judge had Garcia winning 114-113 but the other two scored it for Roach, 116-111 and 114-113. Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112, eight rounds to four.

Neither fighter was particularly active but Roach (24-1-1, 9 KOs) kept Garcia on his heels most of the fight, jabbing and following with enough power shots to win rounds.

He was awarded a knockdown in the 12th round but the punch that put Garcia on the canvas, a left hook, landed behind his head and shouldn’t have counted.

Had Roach been awarded a 10-9 round — instead of 10-8 — the fight would’ve been a split draw and Garcia would’ve retained his title.

Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs) simply wasn’t active enough, as he spent more time waiting to counter than he did letting his hands go.

***

Unbeaten super middleweight contenders David Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade are scheduled to face off on pay-per-view Saturday night at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

The winner of the fight could be in line to challenge undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez in May.

Here are the other featured fights on the deep card:

  • Jermall Charlo vs. Jose Benavidez Jr., super middleweights.
  • Subriel Matias vs. Shohjahon Ergashev, junior welterweights (for Matias’ IBF junior title).
  • Hector Luis Garcia vs. Lamont Roach, junior lightweights (for Garcia’s WBA title).

The show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

Boxing Junkie will post live round-by-round analysis and updates immediately after those fights end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – fight stories, analysis and more – will follow on separate posts the night of the card and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

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