Tugstsogt Nyambayar was great for two rounds. He was good enough for the remaining 10. Nyambayar rebounded from his unanimous-decision loss to Gary Russell by defeating Cobia Breedy via a split decision in a 12-round featherweight bout on the …
Tugstsogt Nyambayar was great for two rounds. He was good enough for the remaining 10.
Nyambayar rebounded from his unanimous-decision loss to Gary Russell by defeating Cobia Breedy via a split decision in a 12-round featherweight bout on the Erickson Lubin-Terrell Gausha card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
However, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist from Mongolia almost blew a big lead.
Nyambar (12-1, 9 KOs) put Breedy (15-1, 5 KOs) down in each of the first two rounds, which seemed to portend an early finish. Breedy, demonstrating his toughness, had other ideas.
The native of Barbados, obviously recovered from the knockdowns, outworked Nyambayar most of the remaining 10 rounds to chip away at his opponent’s early four-point lead (two 10-8 rounds).
Nyambayar followed Breedy much of the time, failing to cut off the ring as he was taking punches.
The winner had strong moments the rest of the way — he landed the bigger punches — but generally didn’t fight like a man trying to reestablish himself as an elite fighter. The fire seemed to be missing.
In the end, Nyambayar did just enough to have his hand raised. One judge scored it for Breedy (115-111) while the other two had Nyambayar winning (114-112 and 114-113). Boxing Junkie scored it 115-111 for Nyambayar.
The 115-111 score for Breedy means he won nine of the final 10 rounds on that card.
Nyambayar lost a wide decision in February to Russell, who holds one of the featherweight titles.
Tugstsogt Nyambayar was great for two rounds. He was good enough for the remaining 10. Nyambayar rebounded from his unanimous-decision loss to Gary Russell by defeating Cobia Breedy via a split decision in a 12-round featherweight bout on the …
Tugstsogt Nyambayar was great for two rounds. He was good enough for the remaining 10.
Nyambayar rebounded from his unanimous-decision loss to Gary Russell by defeating Cobia Breedy via a split decision in a 12-round featherweight bout on the Erickson Lubin-Terrell Gausha card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
However, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist from Mongolia almost blew a big lead.
Nyambar (12-1, 9 KOs) put Breedy (15-1, 5 KOs) down in each of the first two rounds, which seemed to portend an early finish. Breedy, demonstrating his toughness, had other ideas.
The native of Barbados, obviously recovered from the knockdowns, outworked Nyambayar most of the remaining 10 rounds to chip away at his opponent’s early four-point lead (two 10-8 rounds).
Nyambayar followed Breedy much of the time, failing to cut off the ring as he was taking punches.
The winner had strong moments the rest of the way — he landed the bigger punches — but generally didn’t fight like a man trying to reestablish himself as an elite fighter. The fire seemed to be missing.
In the end, Nyambayar did just enough to have his hand raised. One judge scored it for Breedy (115-111) while the other two had Nyambayar winning (114-112 and 114-113). Boxing Junkie scored it 115-111 for Nyambayar.
The 115-111 score for Breedy means he won nine of the final 10 rounds on that card.
Nyambayar lost a wide decision in February to Russell, who holds one of the featherweight titles.
Jaron Ennis put Juan Carlo Abreu down three times and stopped him in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round fight Saturday.
Three-plus extra pounds didn’t do Juan Carlos Abreu any good against this beast.
Welterweight contender Jaron Ennis put the rugged, but overmatched Dominican down three times and stopped him in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round fight on the Erickson Lubin-Terrell Gausha card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
Abreu, who weighed in 3.2 pounds over the limit, had never been stopped even though he has faced a number of elite opponents.
Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) now has 16 consecutive knockouts.
The quick, smooth, powerful Philadelphian came out firing at the opening bell, never really giving Abreu (23-6-1, 21 KOs) a chance to get anything going.
Ennis fought behind his jab, setting up one big power shot after another to all parts of Abreu’s body, and his movement and reflexes made him an elusive target.
Abreu, perhaps getting desperate, tried to get rough with Ennis in the fifth round but even that backfired, as Ennis still landed the more-damaging blows.
In the final seconds of that round, Ennis landed the punch of the fight — a counter right uppercut that put Abreu flat on his back and hurt him. He was able to get up and hear the bell to end the round but was in serious trouble.
Only seconds into Round 6, Ennis put Abreu down again with a right hand. He got up once more but the end was near. Ennis, a strong finisher, let loose his arsenal and knocked Abreu down one more time as the result of a combination of punches.
This tie, referee Johnny Callas stopped the fight without counting. The official time of 1:06.
Jaron Ennis put Juan Carlo Abreu down three times and stopped him in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round fight Saturday.
Three-plus extra pounds didn’t do Juan Carlos Abreu any good against this beast.
Welterweight contender Jaron Ennis put the rugged, but overmatched Dominican down three times and stopped him in the sixth round of a scheduled 10-round fight on the Erickson Lubin-Terrell Gausha card Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
Abreu, who weighed in 3.2 pounds over the limit, had never been stopped even though he has faced a number of elite opponents.
Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) now has 16 consecutive knockouts.
The quick, smooth, powerful Philadelphian came out firing at the opening bell, never really giving Abreu (23-6-1, 21 KOs) a chance to get anything going.
Ennis fought behind his jab, setting up one big power shot after another to all parts of Abreu’s body, and his movement and reflexes made him an elusive target.
Abreu, perhaps getting desperate, tried to get rough with Ennis in the fifth round but even that backfired, as Ennis still landed the more-damaging blows.
In the final seconds of that round, Ennis landed the punch of the fight — a counter right uppercut that put Abreu flat on his back and hurt him. He was able to get up and hear the bell to end the round but was in serious trouble.
Only seconds into Round 6, Ennis put Abreu down again with a right hand. He got up once more but the end was near. Ennis, a strong finisher, let loose his arsenal and knocked Abreu down one more time as the result of a combination of punches.
This tie, referee Johnny Callas stopped the fight without counting. The official time of 1:06.
Buster Douglas’ stunning knockout of Mike Tyson 30 years ago remains the standard by which other upsets are judged.
GOOD
Yesterday Tokyo time – today in the U.S. – was the 30th anniversary of Buster Douglas’ seismic upset of Mike Tyson.
Whether that result was “good” depends on your perspective. If you were a Tyson fan, it was not good. If you celebrate the historic moments in a sport rich in lore, as I do, Douglas’ knockout remains as fascinating today as it was in 1990.
Douglas proved that a capable, motivated fighter – particularly one as big as the 6-foot-3½ Douglas – who wasn’t terrified of Tyson could be competitive with one of the sport’s most intimidating figures.
Inspired by the death of his mother, Douglas, a good boxer, brought experience and determination into the ring against the then-unbeaten Tyson and, even though he went down himself, shocked the world by ending the fight in the 10th round.
Douglas hurt a fading Tyson with a right uppercut and then followed with a left-right-left that put him down for the first time in his career. Tyson, dazed and guided by instinct, managed to stumble to his feet but it was too late. Referee Octavio Meyran waved his arms to end the fight and an era.
The image is indelible: the great Iron Mike, on hands and knees, fumbling for his mouthpiece, a beaten man. He was never the same.
Of course, many fascinating elements are attached to the fight. One that always stood out for me: Tyson was only 23 years old at the time, meaning he was more of less a shooting star who began his decline much earlier than most fighters.
Tyson was good post-Douglas and always compelling – he regained a portion of the heavyweight title after emerging from prison years later – but he was never the force of nature he had been before Douglas.
Guillermo Rigondeaux (left) probably will never win over fans in spite of his greatness. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
BAD
Guillermo Rigondeaux is stuck being who he is. And that’s not the worst thing in the world.
The two-time Olympic champion gave us a glimpse of his warrior side when he went toe to toe and then knocked out Julio Ceja in June. And he provided one more peek at that version of himself in the opening round against Liborio Solis in his first fight at 118 pounds on the Gary Russell Jr.-Tugstsogt Nyambayar card Saturday.
And then it was over. The Rigondeaux, who was tagged by Solis a few times in the first round, went back to the safety-first boxer we’ve grown to know and not-quite-love over the past decade-plus.
The Cuban proved he has more than enough at 39 years old to beat a solid fighter like Solis when he fights his way, which is to jab and move and land just enough punches to win on the scorecards. That’s how he walked away with a split-decision victory over Solis that should’ve been unanimous.
The problem? He was booed late in the fight because of a lack of action. Of course, that’s understandable. The fans come to see warfare, not dancing.
Still, to boo Rigondeaux is harsh. The man has mastered the technical side of boxing to a degree rarely seen. He’s a true artist. At the very least, fans should keep that in mind when they watch his fights even if he hasn’t mastered the entertainment side of the sport.
Maybe he’ll have to beat someone like Naoya Inoue – which I believe is possible – to get the respect he deserves.
Tugstsogt Nyambayar (left) came up short but undoubtedly learned a great deal against Gary Russell Jr. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
WORSE
Tugstsogt Nyambayar seemed to be kicking himself when he said after losing a unanimous decision to Gary Russell Jr. that he “made a mistake waiting for him during the fight.” And he might’ve been right to do so.
Nyambayar, a 2012 Olympic silver medalist from Mongolia, fought the more-experienced Russell on even terms from the fifth round on in the featherweight title fight.
The problem, from Nyambayar’s perspective, is that he gave away the first four rounds and couldn’t make up the lost ground. He tried. Starting in Round 5, he attacked Russell with the kind of ferocity necessary to at least somewhat neutralize Russell’s speed and polished skill set but didn’t have enough time.
Thus, the self-flagellation made sense. Nyambayar probably could’ve scored a career-defining victory or least come closer to doing so.
In the end, he’ll have to be satisfied with a learning experience. One, if he had any doubt about his ability to compete with a top-tier opponent, that has been resolved. Two, he learned not to dig himself into a hole. And, three, there are many more subtle things a fighter learns in such a competitive 12-round fight.
Nyambayar is justifiably disappointed in the result and himself. At the same time, he’ll be a better fighter going forward. That is extremely bad news for prospective opponents in and around his weight.
Gary Russell Jr. used his hand speed and ring generalship to defeat Tugstsogt Nyambayar by a unanimous decision Saturday.
Gary Russell Jr. was quicker than Tugstsogt Nyambayar, as expected. He was also better.
Russell used his hand speed and overall ring generalship to dominate his Mongolian foe early in the fight and then hold him off as the fight became more competitive to win a unanimous decision Saturday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Russell (31-1, 18 KOs) was making the fifth defense of the featherweight title he won by stopping Jhonny Gonzalez in March 2015, meaning he has held a major title for almost five years.
The scores were 116-112, 117-111 and 118-110, which accurately reflected Russell’s ability to control the fight.
In the early rounds, Russell used his probing right jab – which creates distance more than it lands – to set up scoring power shots Nyambayar didn’t see coming. Russell used his feet and acute sense of danger to spin away whenever the aggressive Nyambayar got close enough to land punches.
That changed to a good degree in the middle rounds, when Nyambayar’s persistence began to pay off. Hard shots to the body and some to the head slowed Russell down just enough to give Nyambayar openings he didn’t have earlier.
The result was a competitive fight from about Round 5 on, a period in which the fighters traded moments of effectiveness. The problem for Nyambayar was that he had fallen too far behind in the early rounds to win the fight, a fact the visitor from Asia lamented.
Russell had predicted that Nyambayar, a 2012 Olympmic silver medalist, was no pushover.
“I knew I had a very, very tough opponent,” Russell said in the ring afterward. “I knew he would bring his physical game. He had everything to gain and nothing to lose. We were focused.
“I’m one of the longest reigning champions for a reason.”
Russell was asked what made the difference in the fight.
“My ring generalship, my hand speed, my ring IQ,” he said. “He had only 11 fights. Of course, he was a silver medalist, but he had only 11 fights. I had over 30-some professional fights. My experience [was the difference in] this fight.”
Of course, Nyambayar (11-1, 9 KOs) was disappointed after losing in his first fight for a major title. However, he undoubtedly scored points in the eyes of fans who will have appreciated his technical abilities combined with his controlled aggression.
Nyambayar also presumably learned a great deal in defeat. Among his lessons, according to him: Don’t give away rounds.
“I made a mistake,” he said through a translator. “I was waiting for him during the fight. I want a rematch.”
That isn’t likely, at least not any time soon. Russell passionately wants a s second fight with lightweight titleholder Vassiliy Lomachenko, the only fighter to beat him. Another potential opponent at 135 pounds is Gervonta Davis. Russell is willing to move up two weight classes to meet either of them.
A more realistic possibility is a showdown with junior lightweight beltholder Leo Santa Cruz, who, like Russell, fights under the Premier Boxing Champions banner.
“I’ll probably get Leo Santa Cruz next,” Russell said. “If not, I’ll jump two weight classes, skip over 130 and go straight to 135 … to get the guys I want.”
Guillermo Rigondeaux reverted to the safety-first fighter he had been his entire career. The fans didn’t like it. And neither did his opponent. Rigondeaux, the two-time Olympic champion from Cuba, boxed carefully and successfully from the second …
Guillermo Rigondeaux reverted to the safety-first fighter he had been his entire career. The fans didn’t like it. And neither did his opponent.
Rigondeaux, the two-time Olympic champion from Cuba, boxed carefully and successfully from the second round on against Liborio Solis to win a split decision on the Gary Russell Jr.-Tugstsogt Nyambayar card Saturday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Two judges scored the fight for Rigondeaux, 115-112 and 116-111. The third had Solis winning, 115-112.
Rigondeaux (20-1, 13 KOs) was willing to exchange with Solis (30-6-1, 14 KOs) in the opening round – as he had in his last fight, against Julio Ceja – and paid a price. Solis landed two shots that seemed to hurt his Cuban opponent.
From then on, Rigondeaux, heeding the advice of trainer Ronnie Shields, boxed like the fighter of old. He used his footwork and quickness to avoid trouble and do just enough on offense to win the fight.
Rigondeaux’s biggest round was the seventh, when he hurt Solis with a left uppercut and put him down with two more lefts. Rigondeaux also hurt Solis in the 10th but the Venezuelan was able to remain on his feet.
The 12th round was largely uneventful except for booing from the spectators, who were frustrated over a lack of action.
Rigondeaux, a 39-year-old who has heard a lot of boos, was asked afterward whether he cares. He said, “No, not at all.”
Not when he wins.
The bout was billed as a title fight because it was for the vacant WBA “regular” 118-pound belt. However, Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize that title.
Guillermo Rigondeaux showed fans his exciting side when he outbrawled Julio Ceja but his trainer, Ronnie Shields, wants him to tone it down.
Just when it got fun to watch Guillermo Rigondeaux …
Rigondeaux’s trainer, Ronnie Shields, told BoxingScene.com that he’d like his 39-year-old protégé to box more against Liborio Solis on Saturday than he did in a wild knockout victory over Julio Ceja in his most-recent fight.
Rigondeaux, known his entire career for his sublime skills, took many hard shots against Ceja but stopped him with a single straight left in Round 8.
“That was his own thing,” Shields told BoxingScene. “He did that himself. And I kind of got on him in the corner. ‘That’s not the way I trained you for this fight. I don’t know what you’re trying to prove.’ But he told me afterwards, ‘I saw something that, you know, I’d let him get close and then I figured if I can hit him, I can hurt him.’ That did happen, but I didn’t like him taking shots the way he was taking them to prove something.
“I told him he’s too old to prove anything. Just be himself and box and do the things that got him to where he’s at right now. So, he said, ‘I understand. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.’ ”
Shields went on: “I thought he was trying to prove something to people. ‘Oh, I could take a punch.’ I told him, ‘You don’t have to do that. Be yourself! Forget what people say. I don’t care. I want you to move around the ring. I want you to box. You’re gonna catch up to the guy and you’re gonna hit him with something and it’s gonna be over. You’ve got that ability to do that.’”
Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) will be fighting as a 118-pounder for the first time when he faces Solis (30-5-1, 14 KOs) on the Gary Russell Jr.-Tugstsogt Nyambayar card in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Gary Russell Jr. has been impressive but his level of opposition and relative inactivity has made it difficult to gauge his true ability.
It’s hard to grade Gary Russell Jr.’s career. It’s incomplete, which is another way of saying inactive. The big fights just haven’t been there often enough to get a fair read on how good he is. Or could be. But time creates its own urgency. Russell is 31.
If there was ever a chance for Russell to fulfill potential so evident a decade ago, it’s now. He can talk about who he would like to fight. But the clock on his career moves forward anyway. All he can do is fight, which is what he’ll do against Mongolian Tugstsogt Nyambayar in a mandatory defense of his featherweight title Saturday night on Showtime.
“If it were up to me, I’d be facing Leo Santa Cruz or Gervonta Davis, but this is what I have to face,” Russell said Thursday at the final news conference before the bout in Allentown, Pennsylvania. “I’m here to defend my title in style once again.’’
It’s easy to forget Russell’s style, his fast hands. One fight a year just isn’t enough to create and sustain a fan base. In perhaps an acknowledgment of that and a realization that nobody’s prime lasts forever, Russell (30-1, 18 KOs) is breaking away from his once-a-year schedule.
His date with Nyambayar (11-0, 9 KOs) is his second bout in nine months. He scored a fifth-round stoppage of Kiko Martinez on May 18 in Brooklyn. That’s not exactly busy. But it is another opportunity for Russell to make his case. He argues that he should be included among the best.
“You should expect to see what you always see with me,” Russell said. “Boxing at its best. A great deal of ring generalship. Good boxing IQ. Hand speed. Punching power. The total package as a fighter.
“As a matter of fact, I’m trying to figure out why I’m not on the pound-for-pound list, given all of that. That’s an issue.”
Inactivity is an issue, too. A pound-for-pound claim can’t be made without evidence, which is something Russell just hasn’t delivered often enough. Maybe that’s changing.
Nyambayar is interesting, perhaps because he’s unknown. He has also been inactive. He hasn’t fought in 13 months since a unanimous decision over Dominican Claudio Marrero Jan. 26, 2018 in Brooklyn. Nine stoppages in 11 fights suggest he has power. He also has an Olympic silver medal, won at the 2012 London Games.
Guillermo Rigondeaux will be fighting Liborio Solis on Saturday for what the WBA calls its vacant “regular” bantamweight title.
Guillermo Rigondeaux will be fighting Liborio Solis on Saturday for what the WBA calls its vacant “regular” bantamweight title, a bogus belt which Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize. Naoya Inoue is the actual 118-pound titleholder.
That’s how the fight is being sold, though. The two-time Olympic champion and former 122-pound titleholder says he’s trying to win a belt in a second division. And he’s obviously excited about it.
The fight is on the Gary Russell Jr.-Tugstsogt Nyambayar card in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Showtime.
“I’m trying to make history by winning a third world title in a second weight class, while also matching my two gold medals,” said Rigondeaux, who will fight at 118 pounds for the first time in his career. “I want to make a statement and solidify my legacy as one of the best Cuban fighters ever. I want the boxing world to be talking about me, as I seek to become a world champion once again. February 8 will be a special day for me and my family.”
Rigondeaux said the move to bantamweight has been a positive.
“I know at super bantamweight I am a force to be reckoned with,” he said. “Now that I’m moving down to bantamweight, I feel stronger and I’m getting the most out of my skills. The bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions are filled with great fighters to test myself against. It’s a very exciting time, and I am training very hard for each opportunity that is granted to me.”
This will be the second fight for which Rigondeaux (19-1, 13 KOs) has worked with trainer Ronnie Shields in Houston. Shields has been impressed with the 39-year-old’s work ethic.
“He is very focused, and one of the hardest workers in the gym,” Shields said. “Rigondeaux is so determined to become a world champion once again. He comes to camp every single day with that goal, and I don’t see any way he doesn’t achieve it.”
Rigondeaux looked like a different fighter in his last bout, an eighth-round knockout of Julio Ceja in June. The Cuban discarded his typical safety-first style and slugged his way to victory.
He hasn’t divulged his strategy for this fight. He only said that he has a lot of respect for Solis (30-5-1, 14 KOs), a seasoned veteran and longtime contender from Venezuela, and plans to give a strong performance.
“Solis is a good opponent and a worthy challenger, but I am ready to reclaim my status as a world champion,” Rigondeaux said. “I’m going to show people why I am one of the best boxers of my generation.
“This is a very big deal for me. For years I was one of the best fighters in the world, if not, the best fighter in the world. When you’re a champion, you only fight the top opponents and those are the type of fights I want. I’m going to start another long reign as champion beginning February 8.”
