Unbeaten junior lightweight titlist Rances Barthelemy, 21-0-0-(12 ko’s), easily defeated veteran Fernando Saucedo over the twelve largely uneventful rounds.
Barthelemy used his massive height advantage and reach to dominate Saucedo, 52-6-3-(8 ko’s). Barthelemy used an educated left hand, both with jabs and sweeping hooks, to pacify Saucedo from the outside. Although Barthelemy dominated all twelve rounds the bout was utterly devoid of any drama and was booed vociferously by the Foxwood’s crowed.
In a thrilling clash between world rated junior middleweight contenders Vanes “The Nightmare” Martirosyan, 35-1-1-(21 KOs), scored a bruising twelve round decision of Willie “The Great” Nelson, 23-2-1-(13 KOs).
Martirosyan, who dedicated the fight to his recently diseased promoter Dan Goosen, took the fight to the much taller Nelson throughout. Nelson, however, was very competitive and the bout remained relatively even until about the eighth round when Martirosyan began to distance himself. In the eighth round Martirosyan opened a cut over Nelson’s eye, which seemed to galvanize the former Olympian in the later stages of the bout. Martirosyan was particularly effective with uppercuts and ripping body shots.
In a shocking fight former lineal light heavyweight champion and pound for pound stalwart Chad Dawson, 32-4-0-(12 ko’s), was upset by journeyman Tommy Karpency, 24-4-1-(14 Ko’s).
Dawson is clearly not even close to being the same dominant fighter he used to be after suffering back-to-back knockout loses to Andre Ward and Adonis Stevenson. Dawson spent large portions of Saturday night’s fight backpedaling and throwing out a flicking jab. Karpency won the fight simply by coming forward and throwing his punches with real conviction.
The final scores of the bout all read 96-94, which is the same scorecard as Boxing Insider.
