10/07/2024
Top Rank/No Limit Boxing on ESPN Plus Recap, Results and Grades. Plus results from the rest of the boxing weekend: Janibek retains (maybe), Ball busts up Rios, Marquez continues his rise, banger Murata-Yamasaki clash highlight a good boxing weekend.
The eyes of the boxing world were on Sydney, Australia for the IBF Middleweight Championship bout (more on that later) between unified champion Janibek Alimkhanuly and Andrei Mikhailovich. The most interesting thing about that matchup was the drama surrounding the bout.
Elsewhere, Nick Ball defended his WBA Featherweight Championship against grizzled veteran Ronny Rios in front of a raucous Liverpool crowd. Over in Mexico, Alan David Picasso continued his match towards Naoya Inoue and two sons of legends continued to forge their own paths in the sport of boxing.
Brunch Boxing was there to cover every punch, knockdown, and story behind the gloves. Here’s a full breakdown of the event, from results to grades, plus results from around the world in this action-packed, drama-filled weekend of boxing.
Sydney, Australia
Janibek Alimkhanuly (16-0, 11 KOs) TKO9 Andrei Mikhailovich (21-1, 13 KOs)
Photo Credit: No Limit Boxing/Top Rank Boxing
Janibek Alimkhanuly successfully defended his IBF middleweight title with a ninth-round knockout victory over New Zealand’s Andrei Mikhailovich. In front of a lively crowd at The Star in Sydney, Janibek controlled the early rounds, landing a series of powerful punches, including a brutal left uppercut and left cross that dropped Mikhailovich in the ninth. The referee stepped in at 2:45, ending the bout.
However, the drama surrounding this fight wasn’t confined to the ring. Originally, the fight was set for July in Las Vegas but was canceled when Janibek suffered from dehydration. The IBF then mandated the bout, creating some confusion as Mikhailovich only challenged for the IBF belt, and Janibek could lose both his IBF and WBO titles if defeated.
What’s Next:
A potential controversy is looming, as the WBO issued a “Show Cause” notice to Janibek’s camp for failing to defend that title, which could lead to it being vacated.
Grade: B
Mea Motu (19-0, 7 KOs) TKO4 Shannon O’Connell (24-7-1, 12 KOs)
Photo Credit: No Limit Boxing/Top Rank Boxing
Mea Motu put on an impressive showing in a non-title fight, stopping Australian veteran Shannon O’Connell in the fourth round. The bout, fought at a catchweight, came together after Motu’s scheduled title unification fight against Ellie Scotney was delayed. Despite some resistance from O’Connell, Motu’s relentless pressure and volume proved too much. O’Connell’s corner threw in the towel after she sustained a cut from an accidental headbutt.
What’s Next:
Motu moves on to her rescheduled bout with Scotney. O’Connell’s team has filed a protest with the commission due to what they called issues with the timekeeper that affected the bout.
Grade: B+
Final Thoughts:
While Janibek’s knockout victory added some excitement, the fight itself was marred by sloppy exchanges. Mea Motu’s bout provided much of the night’s entertainment, showcasing the growing power of women’s boxing.
Overall Event Grade: B
Fan Grade: C+ or lower
Houston, Texas
Quinton Randall (15-2-1, 3 KOs) UD10 Janelson Bocachica (17-3-1, 11 KOs)
Photo Credit: Red Owl Boxing
In the main event of Boxfest XI, presented by Red Owl Boxing, Quinton Randall displayed his skills with a solid unanimous decision win over Janelson Bocachica. With scores of 99-91, 97-93, and 96-94, Randall dominated the fight by outboxing Bocachica in the later rounds, showcasing a well-rounded performance.
Giovanni Marquez (11-0, 6 KOs) TKO2 Thomas Guillemette (8-3, 4 KOs)
Photo Credit: Red Owl Boxing
Rising prospect Giovanni Marquez, son of former champion Raul Marquez, secured his first knockout of 2024, stopping Thomas Guillemette in just two rounds. With his father watching, Marquez continued to build momentum toward a bright future.
Tokyo, Japan
Fight of the Weekend: Subaru Murata (8-0, 8 KOs) TKO9 Kaito Yamasaki (9-1, 5 KOs)
Photo Credit: Teiken Promotions
At the legendary Korakuen Hall, Subaru Murata won a thrilling battle against Kaito Yamasaki. Both fighters exchanged knockdowns, with Murata sealing the victory in the ninth round with a devastating body shot to capture the WBO Asian Pacific Super Bantamweight Championship. This fight had non-stop action, earning its place as the weekend’s top bout.
Liverpool, England
Nick Ball (21-0-1, 12 KOs) TKO10 Ronny Rios (34-5, 17 KOs)
Photo Credit: Queensberry Promotions
Nick Ball, in front of his home fans, delivered a punishing performance against the experienced Ronny Rios. After dropping Rios three times, including a final knockdown that saw Rios fall through the ropes in the 10th round, Ball secured an impressive stoppage victory to retain his WBA Featherweight Championship.
Jadier Herrera (16-0, 14 KOs) TKO3 Oliver Flores (31-6-2, 20 KOs)
Photo Credit: Queensberry Promotions
Jadier Herrera wins by TKO in round 3 to win the vacant WBA Intercontinental Lightweight Title. The Cuban prospect dominated from the opening bell.
Hidalgo, Mexico
Alan David Picasso (30-0-1, 16 KOs) UD10 Diego Alberto Ruiz (24-10-1, 12 KOs)
Photo Credit: BoxeRingWeb
Alan David Picasso continued his busy 2024 with a unanimous decision victory over Diego Ruiz. The WBC super bantamweight mandatory contender is building a strong case for a future shot at Naoya Inoue’s titles, fighting four times this year already. Picasso is looking to fight again in December, this time on the undercard of Naoya Inoue himself.
San Antonio, Texas
Robert Guerrero Jr. (4-0, 2 KOs) TKO2 Dean Fraire (0-2, 0 KOs)
Photo Credit: Robert Guerrero Jr. Instagram
Robert Guerrero Jr. defeated Dean Fraire by second-round stoppage to pick up the fourth win of his young career. Guerrero, 17, is the son of former two-weight champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. Guerrero Jr. delighted the onlookers, including his father and WBO Junior Welterweight Champion Teofimo Lopez.
Other Results:
Kenichi Ogawa (29-2-1, 20 KOs) KO4 Alan Alberca (13-9, 8 KOs)
Jack Rafferty (24-0, 15 KOs) TKO9 Henry Turner (13-1, 5 KOs)
Walter Fury (2-0, 0 KOs) UD4 Dale Arrowsmith (6-115-5, 1 KO)
Andrew Cain (13-1, 12 KOs) TKO2 Lazaro Casseres (11-2, 4 KOs)
Tipton Walker (10-0-1, 6 KOs) UD10 Marquis Moore (11-2, 7 KOs)
Dayan Depestre (5-0-1, 3 KOs) UD4 Trevon Smith (2-4, 1 KO)
Mikiah Kreps (9-0, 3 KOs) UD8 Mayerlin Rivas (17-5-3, 11 KOs)
Charlie Kazzi (7-0, 3 KOs) TKO7 Lui Magaiva (4-7, 1 KO)
Final Thoughts:
This weekend delivered solid action across multiple venues. Janibek’s knockout and Motu’s aggressive display anchored the Sydney event, while Subaru Murata’s war with Yamasaki was the true standout in terms of pure excitement. Nick Ball’s dominance and Alan David Picasso’s continued rise added to the weekend’s highlights, capping off another thrilling set of fights for boxing fans.
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