Top Ranked Boxers: Sergio Martinez, Nishioka & JuanMa Lopez Dominate Separate Opponents

Middleweight Champ Sergio Martinez

         WBC diamond belt middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KOs) scored an eleventh round KO over previously undefeated European champion “Dazzling” Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KOs) on Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

          

Still Champ Sergio Martinez

          Barker crowded Martinez and fight defensively, but Sergio adjusted to broke Barker down over the long hall and finished him with a right hook. Time was 1:29. Barker boxed well in the early rounds behind a high guard and a stiff jab and it took Martinez some time to catch up with him. While the reigning champion was landing more leather, Barker’s conservative style kept the bout close through the first half of the fight. Down the stretch Martinez made the adjustment and began finding a home for his big left hand. He hurt Barker in Round 10 and finally broke him down in the eleventh after an accumulation of hard punches sent him crashing to the canvass where he received a full ten count.

Super Bantamweight Champ Toshiaki Nishioka

         WBC super bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka (39-4-3, 24 KOs) impressively pounded out a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision over former two-division champion and fan favorite Rafael Marquez(40-7, 36 KOs) on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Nishioka broke open a competitive fight with a strong finish to win by scores of 117-111, 115-113, 116-112. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is planning to make a match between Nishioka and Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, who wants to move up to super bantamweight early next year after defending his WBC/WBO bantamweight title against undefeated Omar Andres Narvaez at New York’s Madison Square Garden on October 22.

Former Featherweight Champ Juan Manuel Lopez

         Returning former world champion Juan Manuel Lopez (31-1, 28 KOs) got back on the winning track with a second round TKO over Mike Oliver (25-3, 8 KOs) on Saturday night at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. “Juanma” dropped Oliver twice in round one and and the bout was waved off after Juanma dropped Oliver again in round two. Time was 2:32. It was Juanma’s first fight since losing the WBO featherweight title against Orlando Salido in April of this year.