Deontay Wilder ...... Ko's Liakhovich in 1.

Deontay Wilder stunned Sergei Liakhovich with a solid right hand before closing the show 1 minute 40 of the opener. The knockout was solid and stark in the way Sergei has never been beaten in this manner before. 17 one rounders..  Wilder looks to head the class of American heavyweights at this point. I would love to see the questions that I expected Sergei to have posed answered at some point but proof is in the numbers on the verdict of what kind of class Deontay belongs..  Wilder did show flashes of patience and more relaxation on his approach, but we still need to see a valid test for him in the near future..  Notice...  The closing shots were still very long and raw, a habit Deontay will not have the luxury of against men like Arreola or Stiverne.   The 0 is still intact.     Sergei Liakhovich was taken on a stretcher as a precaution. 

SHObox results.

An ugly cut above the left eye of Francisco Vargas took a decent fight to the street against tough Brandon Bennett 16 / 0  7 kos of Cincinatti Ohio. Unfortunately for Bennett the cut spurred Vargas on in a fight that began to swing in the latter mans favour.  16 / 0  / 1 with 13 ko's .  The torrid fight went the full 10 for the vacant NABF and WBO Intercontinental super featherweight titles with the Tijuana man Vargas taking the victory Unanimous points.   A great action filled bout with a brave Bennett looking sorry for himself as the fight wore on, still able to come again with just this single blemish on an otherwise impressive résumé. 

SHObox ... Charlo extends winning streak.. TKO 2.

Houston light middleweight Jermall Charlo started fast against Antwone Smith on tonight's SHObox card at Fantasy springs Casino but at the beginning of the second round looked like he was settling down to box, until a solid counter right cross followed by a hurtful right, right , left combo put Smith down and unable to continue. Referee Tom Taylor called a halt at 2.23 of the round.  Charlo is one to watch along with his brother Jermell , both undefeated.  Jermall is now 15 / 0. With 11 ko's ...   

Showtime Weigh-in numbers from Indio California.

Deontay Wilder 224 vs Siarhei Liakhovich 232
Francisco Vargas 130 vs Brandon Bennett 129
Jermall Charlo 154 vs Antwone Smith 159.6
Allen Nevarez 127 vs Rigoberto Hermosillo 126.8
Gary Russell Jr 127 vs Juan Ruiz 125.6
Martin Morales 146.6 vs Eridanni Leon 146.2
Gerald Washington 245 vs Jerry Forrest 241
Juan Gonzalez 156.8 vs Leshon Sims 157
Jamie Kavanagh 135.4 vs Antonio Meza 136
Robert Easter 135 vs Lowell Brownfield 135

Liakhovich v Wilder tonight... Test time. !!!

Deontay Wilder , 28 / 0 all knockouts is all set tonight at Fantasy Springs resort in California to take on his toughest challenge to date in former WBO heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich 25 / 5  with 16 Knockouts.  Sergei is a few years past his best but is very capable of taking Wilder into unchartered territory if he can weather Deontays early storm. It was only 6 fights ago that Sergei lost his Championship belt to Shannon Briggs in his first defence of a belt he won in a classic brawl with the then Champion, Klitschko slayer Lamon Brewster in a 2006 upset. since then Sergei has been up and down but in all fairness in excellent company. He had beaten both Guinn  and Brewster both solid fighters and in defeat he has faced Valuev and Briggs in the final drastic seconds of a fight he had all but won in the 12th and last stanza. More recently losses have come to young prospects Bryant Jennings and Robert Helenius by no means a disgrace..  Wilder is what he is , a beautifully built puncher who has yet to be tested, in recent outings Deontay has looked over eager to get the opposition out of there in double quick time like a man who doesn't want to enter unchartered territory in fear of finding out potential weaknesses. Against Audley Harrison he didn't even let Harrison work his way into the fight, savagery took over and he chopped the big man down with a windmill of clubbing punches. Wilder is essentially a novice compaired to Liakhovich on paper but its 37 plays 27 in years in what is valued as a young mans sport..  It is a great match in measuring where both men are at in terms of future but as we have seen many times in boxing especially heavyweights...  It only takes one shot to turn the tables..    Testing time has arrived!!

Former fighter Loren Ross shot and Killed in Nashville

Loren Ross was shot and killed outside a Nashville bar early Wednesday morning, and police are investigating whether robbery was the motive. Metro Police said the 48-year-old Former heavyweight and cruiserweight contender left the Last Time Around bar on Brick Church Pike just before 1 a.m. As he was walking to his vehicle across the street, witnesses said they heard arguing followed by gunshots. One witness said it appeared someone was trying to rob Ross, and he fought back. He was shot multiple times, and found deceased near his car.  35-year-old Tyrus Evans, was struck in the wrist by shrapnel as he was assisting someone with car trouble nearby. He drove himself to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he was treated for minor injuries. Police said the gunman was described as a black man, approximately 5'9" tall with a thin build.  He was wearing a tan button up shirt, which was unbuttoned, a white T-shirt underneath, blue or blue jean shorts and a white hat.  Ross had 24 prior arrests in Nashville, including multiple drug offenses and at least one weapons charge. Narcotics were found next to him and inside his vehicle, according to Metro Police Captain Kenneth Walburn. Loren "The Boss" Ross won the 1984, 1985, and 1986 United States Amateur Light Heavyweight Championships. He was hospitalized after a fight in 1991, and had to give up boxing due to a heart condition. As a pro he fought both as a cruiser and heavy and won the WBA North Americas Cruiserweight title by stopping Art Weathers in 1990 and as a 16 / 0 prospect he was stopped by Tony Willis late in a fight he was winning by a mile in Las Vegas. Loren only lost once more in his final pro fight against Bert Cooper when stopped by TKO 8 in 1991. Ross was a quality boxer who retired with 17 wins and just 2 losses with 12 Ko's .  A very well liked and accomplished amateur Loren will be remembered as a friend to many world class fighters in the mid eighties and nineties, it's a very sore loss for boxing...