Fight Week Recap
In a loaded Saturday of prizefighting, All-world undefeated Cuban Super middleweight David Morrell Jr. demolished Sena Agbeko in just two rounds at The Armory in Morrell’s adopted hometown of Minneapolis. The Cuban staggered his opponent with a left that connected halfway through the second stanza rendering Agbeko completely defenseless. The Cuban unleashed several more before Referee Mark Nelson stepped in and waved off the bout. Giving Morrell his 9th ko and moving his record to 10-0.
On the undercard in Minnesota, we got a rematch between Jose Valenzuela and Chris Colbert. Just like in their first showdown, Valenzuela dropped Colbert early in the opening round. This time, it was with a barrage of shots that staggered Colbert up and drove him into the ropes before he was eventually forced to take a knee. A total of 33 punches poured in. Colbert was able to battle back and use his ring IQ to survive the round, and fight several more. However "Prime Time" never really got cooking. Valenzuela put together a big fifth round that had Colbert hanging on and came out strong in the sixth. He stayed on top of Colbert around the ring, looking for another spot to hurt his opponent. At the halfway point of the round, Valenzuela scored with a right hook from the bleachers that put Colbert in a world of pain and forced referee Joel Scobie to stop the bout at 1:46 into the round.
Two Former welterweight champions squared off on the card as well as Robert Guerrero outlasted Andre Berto in their 10-round rematch by scores of 99-91 98-92 x2. They originally fought in 2012, and Guerrero who moved his record to 38-6-1 (20), took the first fight as well by UD, and that set up the Floyd Mayweather fight.
In the preliminary portion of the Matchroom card that aired live on DAZN and YouTube. It was an early evening of body shots. Both of the opening two bouts on the undercard portion ended with body shot stoppages. Joe Mcgrail ended Edgar Ortiz at 2:40 of round number two after being dropped twice in the first round. A single left hook to the body brought the one-sided affair to a halt to improve McGrail's record to 8-0 (4). Next up was Alberto Gonzalez, who moved to 7-0 (3) by stopping Alexis Molina of Mexico with a left hook to the body at 2:34 of the second round. In the final bout of the preliminary portion, Mexican pressure fighter Arturo Popoca, simply overwhelmed Carlos Mujica causing his corner to toss in the towel 1:24 into round 4.
In what was perhaps the fight of the night, Junaid Bostan of Yorkshire, England, passed a giant test outlasting and outboxing a Detroit, Michigan, native. The Brit used the ring well circling and frustrating the American. A seemingly unnecessary shove at the end of the third seemed to wake the American up, and set a fire underneath him. Russ came scoring with a solid left hook that backed the Brit up. The left hook landed cleanly over and over again for Russ. The Michigander scored with a big right hand with about 40 seconds left in the stanza that rattled Bostan, he followed up with a uppercut through seconds later that again shook Bostan up. Bostan rallied back in an exciting fourth round and landed a right hand that caught the attention of Russ just before the mid-way mark. Russ continued to chase around the Brit with varying degrees of success. The American was effective in keeping Bostan to a low punch output in spots. Causing him to shell up for prolonged periods. However, Bostan was consistently able to score with counter shots. The pair traded heavy artillery throughout the sixth. Gordie was able to bring the fight to the center of the ring, where he was more comfortable. Bostan perhaps began to suffer fatigue and was more stationary. Perhaps up on the cards, Bostan looked the worse for wear as Russ rallied late in the very thrilling 6th. The pace slowed in the seventh as the two combatants traded jabs and both landed nice right angles in a competitive round. Bostan started the final round big with a big right hand, that snapped Russ's head back. Both men fought with urgency as Boastn was able to backhis man up but Russ scored well on the inside. Bostan carried the round with his jab and scored with clean right hands as he stayed predominantly in the conventional stance, he drove Russ back just as the 10-second clapper sounded, and the two fittingly exchanged power shots as the final bell sounded. The scores were 79-73x3 seemed too wide.
Peter McGrail vs Ja'Rico O'quinn
In the second round, Peter McGrail of Liverpool, England, scored a questionable knockdown that appeared live speed to be the result of a short hook but may have been more of a slip. Either way, the Brit was awarded the knockdown and carried an otherwise uneventful second round. From long range. A straight left dropped O'quinn a second time just moments into the fourth. McGrail rallied again with three straight left hands with about 30 ticks left in that round. Clearly in control of the fight as we entered the fifth. The straight left was target practice for the Brit who landed it at will; it knocked the American's mouthpiece out early in the fifth. The left had O'Quinn in trouble and backed against the ropes in the fifth as the issue was no longer in doubt. The only question remaining was could the Americans survive the 10 rounds? Until lightning struck, a straight right about took McGrail's head off and put him down and out in an extremely scary scene. The official stoppage came at 2:19 into round number five . O'quinn moved to 17-1-1 (8), and McGrail fell to 8-1 (5).
Gal Yafai vs Rocco Santomauro
Santamauro was competitive through the opening two rounds, but Yafai was pepping him with clean shots. The difference in hand speed was noticeable immediately. Yafai demonstrated the dazzling footwork and skills that got him to the gold Medal in Tokyo, but Santomauro fought valiantly. He was just unable to catch his man with anything clean or meaningful. The outclassing continued throughout the middle rounds. With the Olmpian putting round after round in the bank with his jab and movement. Santomauro was bleeding badly above the right eye and was being broken down. His aggression was gone, and he was target practice for Yafai, who scored at will. Yafai simply worked his angels and outworked and outlanded an overwhelmed American. Santomauro had no answers but kept on pushing on and kept walking into right hooks. The fans booed the action or lack thereof every round from the fifth on but erupted in applause for the infamous Brunette Matchroom Brunette Ring card girl. A rally started by a left hook from Yafai at the end of the ninth got the attention of the crowd. 99-91 98-93 97-93 for Yafai, who moved to 6-0 (4) as Santomauro fell to 22-3 (6).
Murodjon Akhmadaliev VS Kevin Gonzalez (Co-Main)
A measured round to start things off in the chief support a body shot with 15 seconds left was the first punch of note scoring for the Uzbek. Gonzalez was backing Akhmadaliev up at times, but it never seemed to make him uncomfortable as he continued to circle, and a massive hook came in just a minute into the second that caught Gonzalez's attention. The jab that MJ left at home against Taples was found and used well to disrupt the momentum of Gonzalez. Two chopping left hands stopped Gonzalez in his tracks midway through the fifth. Gonzalez had a great moment with a left hook as the bell rang to end the round. A right hook early in the sixth put Gonzalez down to one knee. He easily beat the count, but MJ was on the attack scored with another hook and slammed on the gas. Gonzalez was in a world of trouble with half a round to go in the sixth and was dropped again with a delayed reaction to a left straight. The Mexican again beat the count but was in serious trouble a barrage of power shots had Gonzalez on his last legs but he was hanging tough. Akhmadaliev stayed patient worked behind a jab, and set up powerful land hands one landed a minute into the eigth, which caught the attention of Gonzalez. A third knockdown came via a vicious short left uppercut that faceplanted Gonzalez. Who somehow beat the count again and for no good reason at all was allowed to continue. A massive tight hook about took his head off and sent Gonzalez reeling into the ropes, where a straight left came flying in, and so did referee Mark Col-oy to stop the bout, at 2:49 into round 8.
Over in Italy In the main event - showcasing Francesco Grandelli of - Piemonte, Italy upset Stefan Voda to capture the vacant EBU silver featherweight title in the second round. Grandelli had a career-best night, bouncing back from his devasting loss to Mauro Forte. The Italian blasted out Voda with ease in the second round. Grandelli scored with a series of check left hooks on the chin of Voda, a final one sent Voda flailing into the ropes and brought the referee in to call a halt to the bout. The packed arena went into a major celebration for the hometown hero's knockout win that moved Grandelli's record to 18-2-2 (4).
