WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury (31-0-1, 22 KOs) successfully defended his title as he scored his second consecutive knockout over former heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KO’s) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Wilder started off aggressive going after Fury in the opening minute of the fight, Fury pawed with the jab measuring and connected with a solid right, Wilder attacked the body and cornered Fury, but the champ let his hands go. In round two, Fury connected with the right-hand multiple times sneaking in the one-two combo and tying up Wilder as he continued to back him to the ropes as well. Wilder pressed the issue in round three going after Fury, the champ however followed up with his attack connecting with a right followed by a uppercut sending Wilder to the canvas. In the fourth, Wilder returned the favor sending Fury to the canvas twice.
Wilder kept coming in the fifth attacking Fury with the solid right hand. In the sixth, Fury leaned up on Wilder staying inside attempting to tire him down but Wilder kept shooting away, the champ closed the round tying up and cornering Wilder. Staying close and tying up, Fury worked the inside in round seven and connected Wilder with a hard looping right and followed up with power punches inside as he was breaking down the Bronze Bomber. Wilder appeared to be fading into the eighth as Fury kept pressing and shooting the right hand connecting solidly.
Fury attacked from the start of the bell in round nine, Wilder did not have his power as Fury kept coming. Late in the fight in the tenth, Fury connected with a solid one-two cornering Wilder, later a short right dropped Wilder. The championship rounds, Fury kept his attack as he backed Wilder dropping him for a final time in the eleventh as the referee Russell Mora Jr. stopped the fight at 1:10
In the co-feature bout of the evening, Cuban heavyweight Frank Sanchez (19-0, 13 KO’s) handed Efe Egjaba (15-1, 12 KO's) of Nigeria his first defeat in winning a unanimous decision. It was fast paced round, Sanchez connecting with the fast solid punches as Agjaba pressed and returned the favor attacking. Extending the jab in round two, Sanchez popped Agjaba and later in the round followed up with a solid right. Sanchez continued to stay busy in the third boxing well and connecting on Agjaba. In the fourth, Agjaba began to let loose but Sanchez continued to land solid punches and box effectively. Attacking in the fifth, Agjaba began to back Sanchez who continued to box.
Halfway through in the sixth, Agjaba stalked as the Cuban Sanchez kept his distance popping the jab from the outside, the Nigerian began to follow up with the right hand. In the seventh, Sanchez was spot on with the right hand connecting Agjaba and following up with a left uppercut sending him to the canvas. Sanchez was on his feet jabbing circling the ring but followed up with the chopping right as he tagged Agjaba late in the fight. Fighting confidently in the ninth, Sanchez paced and was selective as Agjaba stalked and appeared to be looking for the big punch. The tenth and final round, Sanchez fought conservatively connecting with big punches as Agjaba sensed the urgency.
After ten full rounds the judges scored the bout 98-91, 98-91, and 97-92.
In a heavyweight rematch, Robert Helenius (31-3, 20 KO’s) of Sweden proved the first time was not a fluke as he defeated Poland’s Adam Kownacki (20-2, 15 KO’s). Helenius got to work right away pounding away on Kownacki as he backed him to the ropes in the opening round. The height and reach were obvious for Helenius as he connected with solid punches in round three and followed up with the uppercut, later in the final seconds of the round Kownacki landed a low blow. Kownacki's face was a mess heading into the fourth, Helenius continued to box and pound away. The referee deducted a point from Kownacki in the fifth as the Nordic Nightmare continued to the Polish heavyweight, Helenius continued to do things his way controlling the fight. After five and a half rounds the referee decided to stop the fight 2:38.
Opening up the pay per view heavyweight Jared Anderson (10-0, 10 KO’s) stopped Vladamir Tereshkin (22-1-1, 12 KO’S). It was a slow start as Anderson and Tereshkin measured with the jab. However in the second round, Anderson cornered Tereshkin as he finished him off with a series of unanswered punches referee Kenny Bayless stepped in to stop the fight at 2:51 of the second. Anderson wins the NABF heavyweight title.
Puerto Rican middleweight slugger Edgar Berlanga (18-0, 16 KO’s) had his hands full against a very tough Marcelo Coceres (30-3-1, 16 KO’s) of Argentina. Berlanga stalked and attacked Coceres patiently early in the fight. Coceres fought off his back foot in the fourth Berlanga landed a hard left hook that momentarily staggered the Argentinian. Berlanga continue to stalk in the fifth but Coceres kept fighting on.
Coceres landed a huge right in the sixth stopping Berlangas forward momentum. Late in the fight in the eighth, Coceres circled and jabbed connecting on Berlanga as he was straight forward. A chopping right hand by Berlanga to open the ninth got things started, as Coceres with a shut right eye kept his distance popping the jab, but Coceres landed an overhand right sending Berlanga to the canvas. The tenth and final round, Coceres boxed as Berlanga stalked and looked to land the right. All three judges scored the bout 96-93 for Berlanga.
Super welterweight Vladamir Hernandez (13-4, 6 KOs) of Durango, Mexico edged out former world champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams (27-2, 16 KOs) in winning a ten round split decision. Hernández was cut on the eye in the opening round as Williams landed some big shots. Williams continued to land heavy punches connecting Hernandez with the right in round two. Despite getting hit with big punches, Hernandez stood close to Williams in the third. It was an uphill battle for both fighters, as Hernandez began to close the gap the second half of the fight. Late in the fight, Hernandez appeared to have the momentum. The judges scored the bout 96-94, Hernandez, 96-94 Williams, and 97-93 for Hernandez.
Two- time Cuban gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (8-1, 4 KOs) won a hard fought unanimous decision over Orlando Gonzalez Ruiz (17-1, 10 KOs) of Puerto Rico. It was an entertaining scrap as Ramírez and Gonzalez exchanged early on but Ramírez was the more technical. González was tough and in the fifth pressed Ramirez in finishing the round strong.
The second half of the fight saw Ramírez boxing effectively, Gonzalez was the aggressor but the Cuba was too fast, countering and timing with precision. Late in the ninth, Ramírez attacked as Gonzalez face was swollen and bleeding. Credit to Gonzalez for looking for the fight and hanging in as Ramírez was displayed his superior skill in route to a decision win.
The judges scored the bout 99-91, 99-91, and 97-93.
Brooklyn’s Bruce Carrington (1-0) made his professional debut impressively winning a dominant unanimous decision over Cesar Cantu (3-3) in a scheduled four round featherweight bout. Carrington mixed it up teeing off Cantu in route to a decision win. All three judges scored 40-36.
In the opening bout from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Ukrainian heavyweight Viktor Vykhryst (8-0, 6 KOs) scored a stoppage over Mike Marshall (6-1-1, 4 KO’s). The Ukrainian snapped the jab from the start as Marshall's head snapped back. Vykhryst dropped Marshall in rounds two and three, Marshall did not continue after getting up from the second knockdown referee Robert Hoyle stopped the fight at 1:49 of the third.
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