Gavin Rees won the WBA light-welterweight title from titleholder Souleymane M'Baye by unanimous decision before fellow Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli retained his WBO cruiserweight belt on Saturday.
Maccarinelli defeated US-based Guyanese fighter Wayne Braithwaite also on a unanimous points decision at Cardiff International Arena in the third defense of his title.
M'Baye lost his second defense of the light-welterweight title on judges' scoring of 118-110, 117-112 and 117-113.
Rees took the initiative from the first bell and was briefly troubled only in the fourth and fifth rounds.
"From the first bell I outpunched him every round," Rees said.
"I started to tire towards the end but I had won the first eight rounds. I knew I had already won the fight so I knew to keep calm. No one expected me to beat him, no one at all. There were massive odds in the bookies everywhere but I told everyone from the start I was going to win," he said.
Rees shares the same trainer as Maccarinelli - Enzo Calzaghe, father of WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, another Welshman who is based at the same Cardiff gym and watched Saturday's fights.
Rees improved to 27-0 (13 KOs). His career nearly ended when he was given a yearlong boxing ban for punching a funeral mourner in 2004.
M'Baye claimed the vacant title with a fourth-round TKO of Raul Horacio Balbi in September, and drew his first defense against Andreas Kotelnik in March.
Maccarinelli's patient approach and solid hitting gave him judges scores of 118-109, 120-107 and 119-108 against Braithwaite.
He floored Braithwaite in the fifth round and, once, a hook shot sent Braithwaite's mouthguard flying. Braithwaite caught out Maccarinelli with left hooks that left swelling around the champion's eyes.
Maccarinelli (27-1, 20 KOs) inherited the belt after Johnny Nelson retired last year.
"It was a tough match against a WBC world champion," Maccarinelli said. "He took some great shots, I dominated with the jab. I neglected the right hand a bit, I hurt it early on but the jab kept me in it."
"I could throw it but it was painful every time I threw it. He's a tough man, he took some great shots. I showed I could take a shot on the chin, I showed I can box, I showed that I have great stamina. It was a good performance," he said.
Also, Alex Arthur stopped Georgia's Kobo Gogoladze to claim the WBO interim world superfeatherweight title. The Scottish fighter floored Gogoladze three times before the referee called a halt, two minutes, 48 seconds into the 10th round.
Arthur has 25 wins and one defeat.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
US President Donald Trump said he would attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden, but said he does not have much sympathy for ordinary basketball fans who cannot afford sky-high ticket prices to do the same. “They can watch it on television,” Trump said aboard Air Force One on Friday as he flew to Wisconsin for an event with farmers, after he was asked about tickets that have climbed as high as US$8,000 each when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs square off in Manhattan for the first time in the series. “It’s sorta
RSS