Erik Bazinyan (30-0, 21 KOs) may have his thirtieth win in as many professional fights, but he’ll have to work hard against Mexico’s Jose de Jesus Macias (28-12-4, 14 KOs). -O.).
• Also read: A KO we would have preferred. by Bazinyan in the Eye of the Tiger camp
Thursday night at the Casino de Montreal, the Armenian native retained his NABF and NABA super middleweight belts thanks to a unanimous decision by the judges who awarded him points of 97-93, 98-92 and 98-92, even though Macias fought one more as a brave fight.
“BZO” put on a sometimes half-hearted performance against the man who enjoys making life difficult for Quebec boxers and who notably defeated Steven Butler just over two years ago.
Earlier this week, Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan said that Bazinyan has to be spectacular to stand out as he is the No. 2 contender in the WBC, WBO and WBA. The fight was spectacular but didn’t always show Bazinyan in his best light.
Defenses in the dressing room
Bazinyan started the duel well with a methodical and effective start in the first two rounds, but in the third round Macias faltered.
Things really got going in a furious fifth battle. Macias started the round well, then Bazinyan unleashed several good combinations that hit the target.
In the seventh round, he was badly shaken by an upset left by Macias and staggered to the bell. In the next round he still seemed to be in trouble.
In the last two encounters, the two boxers exchanged blows with advantage for the champion.
Claggett wins a title
In the semifinals, Albertan Steve Claggett (35-7-2, 25 KOs) gave Puerto Rican Alberto Machado (23-4, 19 KOs) a boxing lesson and won the vacant NABF welterweight championship title, the most important title of his career.
Machado, who was a 2018 WBA super featherweight champion, visited the floor in the second round. He returned there a second time after Claggett sent him left to the liver a third time before the fight ended. Machado’s corner then waved the towel to the 2:29 score.
Despite a difficult second straight appearance, Thetford native Thomas Chabot (9-0, 7 KOs) inexplicably clinched a split decision victory over Mexico’s Luis Bolano Lopez (4-3-1) at the super featherweight division.
Judge Marie-Josée Guérin gave Lopez a score of 77-75, while Jean Gauthier (78-74) and Richard De Carufel (77-75) tipped in favor of Chabot, who however did not have the best performance against his opponent, who gave him the Forehead opened Bone in the seventh round. We can speak of a theft.
It was a different story for Montreal’s Avery Martin Duval (10-0-1, 6 KOs), whose powerful right winger defeated Mexico’s Andres Sanchez Ramirez (6-7-3, 2 KOs) 2:07 of the third round. Ramirez was down and the officer stopped the fight.
Knockouts only
In the middle Alexandre Gaumont of Buckingham (8-0, 6 KOs) defeated Piotr Bis (6-3-1, 2 KOs) with his powerful combinations. The referee finally ended the Pole’s torment at the very end of the second round when he visited the floor for the third time.
Montreal welterweight Christopher Guerrero (7-0, 3 KOs) was treated somewhat leniently by the referee, who decided to stop the fight at 27 seconds into the fifth round after Mexican Heriberto Santillan Montano (3-1, 2 KOs- O.) .) took a few good shots without being able to defend himself. Nonetheless, he still seemed able to move on.
Young Quebecois sensation Wilkens Mathieu (3-0, 2 KOs) continued his welterweight progression by defeating Mexican Jesus Frias Rodriguez (4-2, 2 KOs) with a right hook at 2:06 of round two. Rodriguez hadn’t fought in a little over two years.
In the first super featherweight fight of the night, Eye of the Tiger’s new protégé, Colombian Jhon Orobio (3-0, 3 KOs), made short work of Mexico’s Reymondo Gutierez (1-1, 1 KO). by shooting at him and forcing the referee to end the duel at 1:33.