One of boxing’s heroes Lolenga Mock is determined to finish a 28-year professional career by claiming the IBA Inter-Continental super-middleweight crown in Aarhus on May 18.
The 46-year-old was controversially denied a WBC world title shot by a majority decision last year and now looks to bow out with revenge for January’s narrow points loss to Mateo Damian Veron.
Mock said: “This is my jubilee fight – my 60th as a professional boxer and I want to make my fans happy on this special day for my career.
“For the first time in 28 years as a professional fighter, I’m going to be fighting for a version of the world title and that is very special to me.
“I’m very motivated for this fight. When I met Veron in January, my preparation for the fight fell apart completely but if I say ‘yes’ to something, I show up so I didn’t cancel.
“That night, my fans didn’t get to see the true Lolenga Mock in the fight and that’s why securing this rematch for my jubilee fight was so important to me.
“Now, people will see the real Lolenga Mock – 100% focused, 100% heart and 100% warrior.”
Mock, who started his professional career way back in 1991, famously knocked down future unified and multi-weight world champion David Haye in 2003.
It was a monstrous weekend for the stars of the Lee Baxter Promotions family over the weekend, on both sides of the border.
In Toronto, LBP presented a tremendous night of action downtown at the historic Mattamy Athletic Centre. Not only is the venue located on the same plot of land as Maple Leaf Gardens, but the very date of the event, March 29, fell on the same night as the biggest fight in the city’s history—Muhammad Ali vs. George Chuvalo.
Perhaps Canada’s next superstar, Custio Clayton, kept the hype train chugging along with an impressive stoppage win over former world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley in the sixth round of their featured bout. Though Corley gave him some solid frames through rounds 1 through 5, Clayton was clearly in control from start to finish. In the sixth, Clayton forced Corley back into the ropes, where he uncorked a flurry that kept the veteran on the canvas for good. Corley is known as one of boxing’s most durable gatekeepers, and despite being past his best days, a KO win over “Chop Chop” remains notable.
“Whenever you face Chop Chop, you excpect a tough fight, and you expect to go rounds. This is a guy who’s gone the distance with Floyd Mayweather and Zab Judah, and got on the floor nine times against Lucas Matthysse. He’s as tough as they come, and he doesn’t lay down for anybody. This is just more proof that Custio Clayton is everything he’s been hyped up to be,” said Lee Baxter.
In the main event, fan favorite Stanyslav Skorokhod had the Mattamy Centre rocking with a thunderous second round knockout over Jose Luis Zuniga. Skorokhod, and his fellow countryman Oleksandr Teslenko (who was victorious over Fabio Maldonado in a NABA heavyweight title bout the same night) attracted a raucous Ukrainian contingent once again in the Toronto region. It was the third consecutive knockout victory for Skorokhod on Canadian soil.
“From a promoter’s standpoint, you couldn’t ask for anything more. Stan brought out a dedicated fanbase that made for an incredible atmosphere, and he gave them exactly what they wanted—he closed the show,” said Baxter.
On the undercard, Canada’s top middleweight, Patrice Volny, made short work of the previously undefeated Nicolas Holcapfel of Slovakia. Volny demonstrated a vicious body attack, particularly for a lanky puncher like himself, hurting Holcapfel to the body in the second round before finishing him with a punishing left hook downstairs.
“Patrice had a really busy 2018, with lots of tough fights, so it was nice to see him get Holcapfel out of there early. Spending more time in the gym with Custio Clayton and their trainer Eric Belanger can only be beneficial to him. He has a penchant for putting on a show, that X-factor you need to become a star, and that’s what we believe he’s capable of turning into,” said Baxter.
Almost 600 miles away in New Albany, Indiana, welterweight contender Dusty Hernandez Harrison got back to work with a first round knockout over journeyman Bruce Rumbolz. Harrison showed his power fighting above the welterweight limit in this tune-up bout, dropping Rumbolz with the first significant shot he threw, a hard left hook upstairs, which ended the fight at 1:46 of the round.
“The welterweight division is as hot as ever, it’s filled with pay-per-view attractions, and we believe Dusty is dangerous to any of those top names when he’s back in top form,” said Baxter. “With his fanbase in D.C. and his skill level, he very well could be our company’s first world champion.”
Three-time Olympian Anvar Yunusov remained perfect by getting off the deck and fighting through a bad cut to win an eight-round unanimous decision over Carlos Colon in a junior lightweight bout that highlighted an action-packed ten bout card before a sold-out crowd on Friday night at SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia.
Yunusov was dropped by a right hand in round three. He was cut badly in the same round over his right eye. Yunusov was able to shake off the rough 3rd frame to come back and put Colon down with body shot's in rounds four and five. Yunusov was able to control the action down the stretch, and win by scores of 79-71 and 78-71 twice.
Yunusov of Philadelphia by way of Tajakistan is now 7-0. Colon of Lares, Puerto Rico is 5-2.
Erik Spring and Terrance Williams locked up in a very competitive eight-round super welterweight battle that saw Spring come through with a majority decision.
Spring of Reading, PA won by scores of 77-75 and 76-75, while one card read even at 76-76.
Spring is now 12-2-2. Williams of York, PA is 5-3-1.
Popular super middleweight Brandon Robinson needed one left hand to the body to take out Lawrence Blakey at 2:49 of the 1st round of their scheduled six-round bout.
Robinson of Philadelphia is 12-2 with nine knockouts. Blakey of Pittsburgh is 5-13-2.
Colby Madison beat down Emilio Salas and scored a 2nd round stoppage in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.
Madison of Owings Mills, MD is 8-0-2 with five knockouts. Salas of Yonkers, NY is 5-3-1.
Laquan Evans took a four-round split decision over Jordan Demko in a a middleweight bout featuring pro debuters.
The fighters mixed it up in an entertaining four-round scrap that saw the fight go back and forth. Evans was able to overcome being dropped in the 1st round.
Evans was able to fight back, and win by scores of 39-37 and 38-37 with Demko winning a card 39-37.
Anthony Mercado proved to be too much for Andres Navarro by scoring a stoppage at the end of round five of a scheduled eight-round bout featuring junior welterweights based in Puerto Rico.
Mercardo is 13-4 with 11 knockouts. Navarro is 11-8-1.
Ryan Humburger and Brent Oren put on a display that not only thrilled the capacity crowd in attendance, but kept everyone on their feet for the duration of their middleweight bout.
Both guys took turns pounding away on each other, with each debuter being several times before Oren was worn down and not able to come out for round four.
Michael Coffie scored a vicious 2nd round stoppage over Eduardo Vitela in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.
Cofffie landed a thudding left hook that immediately knocked Vitela out, and the fight was stopped at 1:10 of the 2nd frame.
Coffie of Brooklyn, NY is 6-0 with five knockouts. Vitela of Durango, Mexico is 3-4.
Dawson dropped Morales in the 2nd round and cruised to the victory by scores of 60-53 twice and 59-54.
Dawson of Philadelphia is 6-0-1. Morales of Sunbury, PA is 3-7.
Javier Oquendo and Weusi Johnson battled to a four round draw in a super featherweight bout.
Oquendo won a card 39-37; Johnson won a card at 40-36; a 3rd card was even at 38-38.
Oquendo of Philadelphia is 3-1-1. Johnson of Wilmington, Delaware is 3-11-1.
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