Peter Wins IBF Eliminator in Convincing Fashion

Former WBC heavyweight world champion Samuel Peter punched his way into pole position for another title shot with a second round stoppage of Dominican Nagy Aguilera on Friday night at the Gaylord Texan Hotel in Grapevine, Texas, USA.

Peter 34-3 (27) clearly felt like the bigger, stronger fighter and he hurled big punches at his opponent in the opening round, looking to make a major statement in this IBF heavyweight title eliminator.

Apart from a string of ineffective jabs, Aguilera 15-3 (10) offered little resistance and he paid the price midway through the second round when Peter clocked him with a beautifully timed right hand. The Dominican was on the floor after a pair of follow-up left hooks and, after a series of thumping punches left him dazed and vulnerable against the ropes after the restart, referee Laurence Cole stopped the contest.

Peter will now look to fight the victor of next week’s world championship match-up between Wladimir Klitschko and Eddie Chambers.

Time of stoppage: 2:24 RD2

Undercard Report

In the co-main event, previously unbeaten flyweight banger Hernan ‘Tyson’ Marquez suffered his maiden professional defeat after dropping a ten round decision against skilled fellow southpaw Richie Mepranum.

Both guys enjoyed a relatively bright opening period and there were some tasty exchanges in the first round. The stronger Marquez 25-1 (18), much fancied to power his way to victory, was finding difficulty with the fast, elusive Mepranum 17-2-1 (3) and found himself beaten to the punch consistently from the second round onwards.

Mepranum timed his punches beautifully and was clearly the more effective of the two as the contest entered the middle rounds. The Filipino stunned his man in the fifth with a big counter uppercut and again later in the same round with a well authored combination and continued to take advantage of his greater speed in the sixth as he boxed brilliantly towards the upset.

Marquez just couldn’t find his opponent with enough speed to dilute the effects of the Filipino’s counter punches and terrific combinations and, although he attacked furiously he was quite comfortably out-landed en route to his first professional loss.

Scores: 99-91; 96-94; 98-92

Undefeated American junior middleweight prospect Omar Henry took only 30 seconds of the opening round to hand hapless Mexican Francisco Javier Reza his first professional loss

Both guys traded from the opening bell but Henry 8-0 (7) was the cleaner, more powerful of the two punchers and he hurt his man almost immediately with a fierce combination that sent Reza 6-1 (5) sprawling to the canvas.

The Mexican got up but seconds later he was down again following another fiery assault by Henry that prompted referee Laurence Cole to stop the fight.

Time of stoppage: 0:33 RD1

In junior welterweight action, former American amateur star, Jose Benavidez scored a third round TKO victory over Bobby Hill.

Benavidez 3-0 (3) was much too fast and accurate for his opponent and, after ripping his man with numerous combinations in the first, he scored his first knockdown in the second round with a sapping right hand to the body. A round later, a picture perfect straight right hand sent Hill 1-4 to the deck again and, seconds later, another right hand to the body at the bell signaled the end.

Time of stoppage: 2:59 RD3