By Derek Bonnett: For the last two months, I have been very happy with the efforts of boxing’s elite and the one breaking ground and getting On the Move. The end of the year awards for 2015 are going to be difficult to decide because the contenders just keep on rolling. Nothing caught my eye as a Fight of the Year or KO of the Year candidate this week, but some nice Upset and Comeback contenders transpired. Luis Concepcion has thrown his hat into the conversation for Comeback Fighter of the Year. Luis Ortiz and Billy Joe Saunders, for some, look like dark-horse Upset of the Year candidates, but that category selection has likely already been firmed up for Tyson Fury. Nevertheless, they deserved mention. The more dubious recognition of Worst Decision of the Year may still be up in the air after Nicholas’ Walter’s questionable draw with Jason Sosa. Who knows? One thing is for sure though: 2015 has been great for boxing!
SecondsOut fighters On the Move:
On Thursday, December 17, at Arena Roberto Duran, Panama City, Panama, Luis Concepcion defeated Hernan Marquez by unanimous decision in a twelve round interim WBA super flyweight title bout. Concepcion avenged two of his previous defeats by scores of 120-107 twice and 120-109. Concepcion lifted his ledger to 34-4-0 (24). Marquez fell to 39-7-1 (28).
Concepcion climbed from tenth to eighth in the SecondsOut super flyweight rankings. Oleydong Sithsamerchai and Takuma Inoue each fell one ranking to number nine and ten respectively.
On Friday, December 18, at Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Rances Barthelemy defeated Denis Shafikov by unanimous decision in a twelve round vacant IBF lightweight title bout. Barthelemy claimed his second divisional title by scores of 119-109 and 116-112 twice. Barthelemy advanced his record to 24-0-0 (13). Shafikov fell to 36-2-1 (19).
Barthelemy, once a top-rated junior lightweight titlist at SecondsOut, claimed the number one spot in the lightweight division. Shafikov, previously first, fell to seventh in a very uncertain lightweight picture.
On Saturday, December 19, at Manchester Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom, Billy Joe Saunders dethroned Andy Lee by majority decision in a twelve round WBO middleweight title bout. Saunders dropped Lee twice in round three to win by scores of 113-113, 115-111, and 114-112. Saunders captured his first world championship and raised his record to 23-0-0 (13). Lee fell to 34-3-1 (24).
Saunders climbed from eighth to fifth in the SecondsOut middleweight rankings. Lee fell from fifth to sixth. Peter Quillin and David Lemieux each fell one ranking to seventh and eighth respectively.
Also on the card, Liam Smith defeated “Jimmy” Kilrain Kelly by seventh round TKO in a WBO super welterweight title bout. Kilrain had two points deducted for using his head in round six. The bout ended at the 3:35 mark. Smith made the first defense of his title and upped his dossier to 22-0-1 (12). Kilrain fell to 16-1-0 (7).
Smith remained SecondsOut’s number nine rated junior middleweight in the world today.
At Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona, New York, USA, Luis Ortiz defeated Bryant Jennings by seventh round TKO in an interim WBA heavyweight title bout. Jennings was dropped in round seven. The time of the stoppage was 2:41. Ortiz lifted his ledger to 24-0-0 (21). Jennings crashed to 19-2-0 (12), losing for the second straight time.
Ortiz entered the SecondsOut rankings at number eight. Jennings fell out of the SecondsOut top ten.
Also on the card, Nicholas Walters drew with Jason Sosa in a ten round super featherweight bout. The highly controversial scores were 96-94 for Sosa and 95-95 twice. Walters’ record moved to 26-0-1 (21). Sosa’s record now stands at 18-1-4 (14).
Walters has been removed from the number one spot in SecondsOut’s featherweight rankings. The previous two through ten contenders each rose one ranking, allowing for Robinson Castellanos to re-enter the top ten. Walters is now ranked sixth at super featherweight.
Also on the card, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy defeated Yuniesky Gonzalez by majority decision in a ten round light heavyweight bout. Shabranskyy took home scores of 98-92, 97-93, and 95-95. Shabranskyy ran his record to 15-0-0 (12). Gonzalez fell to 16-2-0 (12).
Shabranskyy claimed the number nine spot in the SecondsOut light heavyweight rankings. Gonzalez fell out of the top ten.
SecondsOut ranked fighters in action through Sunday, December 27, 2015:
There are no SecondsOut ranked fighters in action this week.
For a more in depth look at Derek Bonnett’s SecondsOut world rankings:
