Quillin W PTS 12 N'Dam: 'Kid Chocolate' scores six knockdowns in close fight

Up and down: Even though he suffered 6 knockdowns N'Dam never gave up
fighting

By Peter Wells: If you didn't watch last night’s fight between Peter Quillin and Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam, then you must be wondering how a fighter can score six knockdowns and still be in a close fight. Well the scorecards say it all, 115-107 across the board for Quillin, in a fight that had three 10-7 rounds in favour of the Cuban-American. Had it not been for those knockdowns then the fight would have been scored 115-113 to Quillin, or the fight could have easily been a draw, as in the 12th round he was in control before suffering the two knockdowns that ultimately ended any slim chance of an amazing comeback. 

The fight was fought at a brisk pace, as both boxers took it in turns to take the front foot. Both looked better when they fought on the front foot, but it was Quillin who made the biggest impact with his powerful left hook.

I had Quillin 2-1 up in rounds going into the fourth, the round that really changed the fight. Quillin had N’Dam on the ropes when he landed a gorgeous left hook, sending the Cameroonian born fighter to the canvas. The shot sent chills down my spine and it was amazing to see N’Dam survive. Quillin went for the kill, showing great killer instinct. Another left hook sent N’Dam down but again he was up quickly and had the look of a man who had just suffered a flash knockdown. N’Dam survived the round but I instantly thought the fight wouldn’t go much longer.



New Champ: Peter 'Kid Chocolate' Quillin

N’Dam though proved me wrong and may have taken the 5^th, although I gave it to Quillin, as he seemed to have that extra snap in his punches. Then in the 6^th, Quillin exploded again, knocking N’Dam down with another huge left hook, before a right hand sent N’Dam down for a fourth time. Some referees may have stopped the fight, but thankfully this one didn’t, the main reason being that every time N’Dam rose to his feet he didn’t show any signs of being hurt. Once again he clung on, and once again I predicted Quillin would end it in the next.

You guessed it, N’Dam proved me wrong again, this time coming back with a very positive round of his own which he clearly won. N’Dam backed Quillin to the ropes and worked well with his fast hands, but lacked Quillin’s explosive power.

I had N’Dam winning the 7^th,8^th,9^th and 10^th, which set up a great final two rounds. It seemed though that Quillin could hurt N’Dam when he liked but for some reason insisted on sticking to the back foot, and throwing very little. In the 11^th he showed some urgency, taking the fight back to N’Dam. In the final round, N’Dam went for it, leaving plenty of gaps for Quillin to counter. N’Dam was winning the round before another explosive left sent him to the canvas. It was a picture perfect counter punch, which ended any chance of a dramatic turn-around. N’Dam went down again, which he felt was a slip, but the fight was already finished.

It was a hugely courageous effort from N’Dam who proved his worth on the world scene, in a division rich with talent. A fight between N’Dam and Matthew Macklin would make a lot of sense, and that could be a cracker. Quillin took N’Dam’s WBO Middleweight title but the N’Dam sure wasn’t giving it up without a fight.



Dominant: Alexander is in control all fight

That is unlike former IBF Welterweight champion Randall Bailey who lost his title to Devon Alexander without even putting up a fight. Alexander dominated every round, even though the judges somehow gave some rounds to Bailey. The judges gave Bailey 3,4 and 5 rounds respectively, everyone who watched it are clueless as to what Bailey did to deserve even one round.

Devon Alexander did what he had to do, taking no risks against a man that was only looking for one shot that was never going to come. Kell Brook is now Devon’s mandatory challenger, but Brook shouldn’t use this fight to judge Alexander. When he’s pushed, Alexander can be a world class fighter, who is very hard to beat.

Jacobs TKO 1 Luteran: Danny Jacobs makes miracle return to the ring after battle with cancer



'Miracle Man': Jacobs puts himself in the history books with his
dramatic return to the ring

By Peter Wells: On an amazing card in Brooklyn the fans were treated to some exhilarating action in some quite brilliant world title bouts. Daniel Jacobs wasn't fighting for a belt last night, but his return to the ring after beating cancer last year is worth more than any belt. Jacobs has inspired many across the globe and there really was only one man the fans wanted to see win Saturday night at the Barclays Center.

Jacobs returned with a stunning first round knockout of a decent fighter in Josh Luteran (13-2). It was as if he'd never been away from the ring, showing his ability to throw neat combinations, and a lethal finish. Luteran went down from a big one-two and took a while to get up before he was helped to his feet. After celebrating his victory, Jacobs was quick to ask if his opponent was "okay".

In 2011, Daniel Jacobs was told by doctors that he would never box again, but Jacobs has a warriors heart and coming so close to death has only made him stronger. His ultimate goal is to win a world title, and I doubt there's a boxing fan out there that wouldn't want the same. For now he's still rebuilding and the first block was laid down with quite a bang!

Garcia-Morales + Undercard: Something for everyone

Monster show: Golden Boy prove they know how to put on a show

By Peter Wells: With just over two months left of the year, boxing fans are suddenly being handed early Christmas presents as week after week world title fights are swarming our TV's. On Saturday night Golden Boy have delivered boxing fans with 4 world title fights on one single card. And there's something for everyone. Danny Garcia headlines defending his WBC and WBA titles in a rematch with Erik Morales. Paulie Malignaggi defends his WBA Welterweight title in front of his home fans against Pablo Cesar Cano. Hot prospect, Peter 'Kid Chocolate' Quillin takes on unbeaten WBO Middleweight champion Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam and what could be the fight of the night, Devon Alexander challenges hard hitting IBF Welterweight champion Randall Bailey. So, what isn't to like about this weekends super show live on Showtime.
 
Danny Garcia is coming off a massive victory over Amir Khan, shocking the favourite in 4 rounds. Before Garcia landed a fight changing punch midway through the 3rd, Khan had dominated the fight, utilising his fast hands to make it seem that Khan was going to make a statement. Instead it was Garcia who made a statement, making him hot property in an already hot division.
 
Last time out Garcia beat Mexican legend Erik Morales comfortably on a points decision, but Morales claims he was suffering gall bladder problems in the build up to the fight which disrupted his training camp. A fully fit Morales may offer more of a threat but the pick is for Garcia to repeat his victory in similar fashion. 


Hometown hero: Malignaggi has the fans on his side for once

It's not often that Paulie Malignaggi has a hometown crowd behind him, but that will be the case tomorrow night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Malignaggi returns from Ukraine to defend his newly acquired WBA Welterweight title after an eye opening 9th round stoppage victory over the undefeated Vyacheslav Senchenko.

His challenger Pablo Cesar Cano may offer a small threat, but nothing more as the pick is for the rejuvenated 'Magic Man' to take a shut out unanimous decision.
 
Despite being the champion, Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam is not the fighter being talked about ahead of this WBO Middleweight title clash. Instead it is the rising star, Peter Quillin who is getting all the attention that is usually given to the champion. Both fighters are 27-0, but it is Quillin who has fought the better opposition, including Hall of Fame bound Winky Wright.



Alexander The Great: Devon needs to live up to his nickname tommorow

Although Quillin is the big favourite don't expect the Cameroonian born fighter to give his title up easily. The pick is for Quillin to take an early lead before coming through a last attempt from N'Jikam to save his title to take a points verdict.


The final title bout on the card could well be the best, as champion Randall Bailey defends against Devon Alexander. Bailey is a veteran of the sport but showed why he is still a feared fighter when knocking out the unbeaten Mike Jones in the 11th round. Jones was up on points and on the verge of winning the vacant IBF title, but Bailey made Jones his 37th knockout victim.
 
To beat the slick Devon Alexander he may have to score his 38th knockout of his career. Alexander moved up to Welterweight after losing via technical decision to Timothy Bradley. In his debut he dominated big puncher Marcos Maidana over 10 rounds.


Brooklyn's Finest: Jacobs returns from battle with cancer while Qullin
fights for his first world title

Alexander should be too quick for older Bailey in the first half of the fight, and should continue to build on his lead as the fight goes on. Alexander throws a lot of punches and they usually have some snap on them. Bailey has been stopped 3 times in 7 defeats and the bold pick is for Alexander to stop the 38 year old in the final quarter of the fight.

Despite all of that the man who will take all the limelight, is Daniel Jacobs. In 2011 Jacobs found out he had a tumour on his spine, which was making walking impossible. Jacobs was days away from death, yet tomorow night he returns to the ring in one of the most incredible sporting comebacks in history. If anyone was born to be a fighter, it was Daniel Jacobs, an inspiration to people all around the world.

No matter who Daniel Jacobs faces in the future, he can never be worried, because he's already defeated his biggest opponent.



Kell Brook-Hector Saldivia: Brook's final step to World title

Almost there: Brook and Saldivia are on the brink of a first title shot

By Peter Wells: It's taken 8 years for the Sheffield prospect to get to the edge of a world title fight. Tomorrow night Kell Brook fights in a final eliminator for the IBF Welterweight title. Brook has gone as far as stating that he will retire if he loses to Hector Saldivia at the Motorpoint arena in his hometown of Sheffield. This is likely a comment to build up his fight and over dramatise how important this bout is for his career. For some fighters chances at a world title don't come terribly often so Brook wants to make sure he doesn't miss his chance to book a shot at the IBF title.

Brook may have waited a while for his shot at a world title, but Saldivia has had just as long to wait. Final eliminators also haven't gone well for the Argentinian in the past. On the 1st May 2010 he faced off against Said Ouali in an eliminator for the WBA Welterweight title. Saldivia came out strong scoring an early knockdown, but got too caught up in the moment and went down twice before the referee stepped in to end the fight. Said never got his WBA title shot, instead looking at the IBF route, before losing in 7 rounds last year to Carson Jones.


Not meant to be: Saldivia was stopped in a round in his last eliminator

So this is Saldivia's second eliminator for a world title, and a defeat would probably mean it's his last. Carson Jones who stopped Said Ouali last year gave Brook a hell of a fight earlier this year, coming very close to shattering Brook's title ambitions. Brook hung on in the second half of the fight after suffering a broken nose, and in some rounds gave as much as he took.

Kell Brook can feel more confident coming into this fight after proving his chin and heart against a ferocious puncher. The fact that both defeats that Saldivia has suffered have come by way of stoppage, indicating his defence isn't something to be desired. While Saldivia is taking a step up in competition to face Brook, the same can't be said for Brook. Saldivia doesn't pose as much of a threat as Carson Jones did but should offer Brook a decent challenge. The pick is for Brook to box and move early on, before showing his improved conditioning later in the fight as he starts to put the pressure on Saldivia. Brook can force a late stoppage to set up a shot at the IBF title.

Who Brook or Saldivia will be fighting will be unknown until later the same night when Devon Alexander challenges champion Randall Bailey for the IBF Welterweight title.

Rios TKO 7 Alvarado: Rios and Alvarado produe the fight of the year

Epic: Rios-Alvarado is up there with the greatest fights in history

By Peter Wells: Before the two fighters had even come near to stepping in the ring with each other, the fight was already recieving comparisons to that of the great trilogy between Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward. Talk about pressure to deliver, but for both Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado, this was just another fight for them. Just like Gatti and Ward, they fought the way they always fought, toe-to-toe traded leather until they had battered their opponent into submission.

So no one was surprised when the two engaged at centre ring, but what was surprising was just how good it was. Alvarado used his jab effectively to set up vicous combinations while "Bam Bam" Rios just kept charging forwards slugging away on the inside. Neither fighter wanted to give the other a second to think, but warriors like these dont need time to think, they just 'do'. The only negative I can pull from the fight is that the Nonito Donaire-Toshiaki Nishioka fight that followed never came close to producing the fireworks that the co-main event did. To put it plainly, it raised the level of expectation to high.



Celebration: Rios celebrates him best win yet

Although I missed the first I got the impression that Rios did the better work, getting on the inside early, while Alvarado attempted to establish his jab, as he did all night. Alvarado did well in the second and third rounds, keeping Rios on the outside before pasting him with hard shots. I commented after the third round that Alvarado can hurt Rios, and after the fight he admitted that Alvarado did hurt him with some of his punches. Rios though never showed it, smiling at Alvarado everytime the two finished a trade of punches.

The fight was only just warming up and Rios edged the 4th as the fight started to become a battle of hooks and uppercuts. Body shots were also key for Rios, who was able to slam hooks to Alvarado's ribs to bring his gloves down, opening him up more upstairs. The 5th those was the peak of the fight, a leader for round of the year. Alvarado dished out a lot of punishment in the first half of the round, evening forcing Rios to take momentary steps back. Then Rios got back on the inside and both of the fighters traded for nearly a minute without a break. It was breathtaking stuff, the kind of brilliance that makes you stand up and applaud behind your screen.

When the two fighters stood to start the 6th they both gave each other a grin. They knew they were putting on a show for the crowd, and they were also enjoying it themselves. The 6th couldn't quite live up to the action in the 5th, but it was mightily close as the two got back to trading bombs. At the start of the round Alvarado looked to be taking control of the fight before two big right hands landed flush on Alvarado's chin. It was the first time in the fight that someone looked shaken, but not for long as he resumed firing back. Suddenly it was obvious that the last 3 rounds had become, Rios' rounds. Rios had dragged Alvarado into a slugfest, but for once he wasn't in total control.

Finisher: Rios stops Alvarado in the 7th to leave the fans begging for more

Then in the 7th round, the end came. Never have I been so sad to see the end of a fight in my life. As Rios pilled forward again another monster right hand shook Alvarado to his boots. Rios smelled blood and followed up with a barrage of punches that would have sent a lesser fighter to the canvas. Alvarado tried everything to get out of the way. Finally after another left-right landed flush Pat Russell stepped in to stop the contest. There was no doubt it was a good stoppage, but I couldn't help feeling dissapointed that Alvarado didn't take a knee, but when you're a warrior like Alvarado taking a knee is blasphamy.

It was quite an amazing fight, but Pat Russell reminded us after the fight that a fighters safety comes first. We were given an epic fight but as brutal as boxing is we never wish to see a fighter get hurt. Pat Russell did his job, and did it well.

As for a rematch, well, who wouldn't wish to see that again?

Brandon Rios-Mike Alvarado: Excitement Guaranteed

Reading and Willing: Both fighter love to put a show on for the fans

By Peter Wells: While the main event between Toshiaki Nishioka and Nonito Donaire may turn out to be a contender for fight of the year, it still may not be the fight of the night. That's because in the co-main event, Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado, two of the most entertaining fighters in boxing square off in what could very well be one of the greatest fights in a long time.

Both fighters are unbeaten, they have a combined record of 63-0-1 - Brandon Rios drew in a 10 rounder 4 years ago. Not only that but Brandon Rios has 22 knockouts from 30 wins while Alvarado has 23 knockouts from 33 wins. Alvarado's opposition though isn't a shade on Rios', but the way he has dispatched those put in front of him shows he is ready for this step up in class. 16 of those knockouts for Alvarado have come in the first 4 rounds. His most impressive victory came in November last year when he came from behind to stop the tough Breidis Prescott in the final round. Alvarado suffered a horrific laceration on the corner of his upper lip, but battled though, wearing his opponent down before a late stoppage.



Warrior: Despite suffering a horrific cut,
Alvarado fights on

The way he wore down Prescott brings comparisons to the way that Brandon Rios dispatches his opponents. If Rios has ever taken a backward step, I haven't seen it yet. In September 2010 he stepped up his level of opposition when taking on Lamont Peterson's brother, Anthony in an eliminator for the WBA Lightweight title (tonights fight takes place at Light Welterweight). Peterson was floored once and reverted to dirty tactics before being disqualified in 7th round. Miguel Acosta failed to defend his WBA title against the whirlwind that is Brandon Rios. Rios scored 3 knockdowns before the referee finally stepped in. Urbano Antillon lasted just 3 rounds, being unable to keep out of the way of Rios' swarming attacks.

Then things started to go wrong for the fan friendly Rios. He failed to make weight for his title defence against John Murray. He was stripped of his title, while the fight went ahead, but Rios unsurprisingly looked terrible. Rios and Murray fought the fight at close range all night, but it was the power and strength of Rios that won the battle. Murray was mericfully saved from further punishment in the 11th round.

Instead of moving up in weight, Rios tried one more time to retain his WBA title. Once again he failed to make the weight and looked horribly drained come fight night. His opponent Richard Abril boxed brilliantly and looked to have won the fight, but somehow Rios was given the victory by split decision.

Unstoppable: Rios dishes a beating to John Murray

Now at long last Rios has moved up to 140lbs, a packed division, where win or lose tonight he will be guaranteed big fights.

Excluding an early knockout, which I personally doubt will happen, this WILL be a barnstormer. Rios will likely be the one on the front foot, but Alvarado will rarely be out of range. The pick is for Alvarado to start fast and take an early lead. Both fighters may suffer knockdowns in a gruelling contest that will keep the fans on the edge of their seats. It is very unlikely to go the distance and I fancy Rios to bulldoze through and stop Alvarado in the final 2 rounds.

Nonito Donaire-Toshiaki Nishioka: Will it be the return of the Filipino Flash?

Ready for war: Donaire and Nishioka could put on something special

By Peter Wells: Knockout after knockout after knockout. That was what it was like to be Nonito Donaire. Suddenly though a move to Super Bantamweight has halted Donaire's fan pleasing knockout style and suddenly his fights are dragging out into one-sided 12 rounders.

On Saturday night maybe that spark he once possessed will return when he faces his toughest test at Super Bantamweight and may well be his toughest fight of his career. Toshiaki Nishioka may be 36 but is unbeaten since 2004 and has never lost at Super Bantamweight. After two early career defeats he has only lost twice, both defeats at the hands of the fantastic Thailand fighter, Veeraphol Sahaprom, both via unanimous decision. The Japanese fighter has also only ever been stopped once, and that was in his second professional fight back in 1995.

The former WBC champion, who had his title stripped after he couldn't fight his mandatory challenger due to personal problems, has beaten many top quality fighters including; Jhonny Gonzalez, Ivan Hernandez, Rafael Marquez and Britain's most famous binman, Rendall Munroe.


Destroyer: Donaire at his destructive best against Fernando Montiel

If nothing else, the fans will hope that this is an entertaining fight. They will be hoping that Donaire will return to his powerful best when confronted by another elite fighter. That is no disrespect to Vazquez Jr, Narveaz or Mathebula, but they were never able to offer much of a threat to Donaire.

Nishioka can offer that threat, but expect Donaire to also rise up and put in a stunning performance that we'd become so used to. Sometimes as fight fans we take things for granted, but I doubt we'll be forgetting this fight for some time. The pick is for Donaire to start fast before Nishioka comes back into the fight. It should be a sea-saw battle with Donaire taking a tight but deserved decision in a contender for fight of the year.