Stage 10: Magno vs. Machine Results

Magno and the Machine remain neck and neck as we head into the championship rounds in Magno vs. Machine. As both pundits predicted the same result, Devon Alexander's stunning demolition of Juan Urango meant that nothing would change in the scores. With only two rounds remaining, can Magno turn it around in time to defeat the multi-functional Machine?

Devon Alexander vs. Juan Urango

Magno: Devon Alexander UD 12 Juan Urango
Machine: Devon Alexander UD 12 Juan Urango

Result: Devon Alexander KO 8 Juan Urango

Magno vs. Machine will return next week with Manny Pacquiao making his first defense of his WBO welterweight title against Joshua Clottey.

Current Scores: Magno (14-3, 2 KOs); Machine (14-3, 3 KOs)

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Devon Alexander Blasts Juan Urango; Darchinyan and Alvarez Brutalize Foes

Uncasville, CT - WBC Jr. Welterweight Champion, Devon Alexander (20-0, 13 KOs), added the IBF 140 lb. title last night with a surprisingly brutal eight round knockout of Colombian power puncher, reigning IBF titlist, Juan Urango (22-3-1, 17 KOs).

Alexander fought at an even pace throughout, mixing tempo and boxing on the outside with a swift jab while occasionally stepping in to throw a sharp counter at the aggressive Urango.

The end of the bout came in the eight as Alexander caught his opponent with a huge right hand uppercut that sent Urango to the canvas.

The IBF champ never recovered from that shot and was soon back on the canvas a few seconds later, forcing referee Benjy Esteves but to call an end to the bout.

After the fight, Zab Judah tried to interrupt Alexander's post fight interview, only to be silenced by Alexander's assertion that Judah was "past tense."

On the undercard, Steve Forbes (34-8, 10 KOs) was upset by journeyman, Harrison Cuello (19-12-3, 14 KOs) via Majority Decision in an eight rounder

Also, Heavyweight Derrick Rossy (25-2, 14 KOs) won a 12 round Unanimous Decision over Zack Page (20-28-2, 7 KOs)

Rancho Mirage, CA - WBA/WBC Super Flyweight champion, Vic Darchinyan (34-2-1, 27 KOs) put a major beating on game, but over matched, Rodrigo Guerrero (13-2-1, 9 KOs).

Guerrro tried to fight back at various parts of the bout, but reigning champ Darchinyan was just too much for the Mexican challenger and won via wide Unanimous Decision with scores of 120-108, 118-110, and 117-111.

Controversy clouded the undercard main support as Lenny Zappavigna (23-0, 15 KOs) won an unpopular Unanimous Decision over veteran Fernando Angulo (22-7, 14 KOs).

To most observers, Angulo seemed to be solidly ahead as he controlled most of the action from the fourth round on, but the judges thought differently with scores of 116-111, 116-111 and 114-113 for the undefeated Australian lightweight.

Chiapas, Mexico - Saul "El Canelo" Alvarez (31-0-1, 23 KOs) continued his climb in the welterweight ranks by beating sacrificial lamb, Brian Camechis (19-3, 8 KOs).

Camechis seemed hurt with every solid punch landed by Alvarez and was eventually taken out in the third.

After the bout, Alvarez somewhat confirmed that Matthew Hatton would be his next opponent, on the Mayweather-Mosley pay per view, May 1st.

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Round 10: Magno vs. Machine (Juan Urango vs. Devon Alexander)

As we reach the conclusion of Magno vs. Machine, boxing guru Paul Magno trails by a KO at round 9 with 3 to play.

And after exactly a month of reflecting and preparation, both Magno and Machine have rattled their brains to conjure up a vital prediction that could have a massive effect on who wins the boxing related battle of Man vs. Machine.

Magno: Devon Alexander is no doubt the more talented boxer fighting at a higher skill level, but Urango's one-punch power and single-minded aggression makes him a tough opponent...especially for someone with so little professional experience.


The question will be whether Alexander can slip, move and score enough over a full 12 rounds to get the decision and/or survive.


This is a close one; A real brain cell burner, but I'm going with class over force and picking Alexander via tight UD with some real dangerous moments later in the fight.


Machine: It’s a battle of the southpaws as a technically-sound Devon Alexander takes on Colombian battle-axe Juan Urango in a light welterweight unification fight.

The unbeaten Alexander (#6 by The BTBC) will look to use his speed advantage and long reach to pick-off the on-coming Urango. The power punching Urango (#5 by The BTBC) will keep coming forward all night, swinging wild hooks if he can get inside.

Look for Alexander to use his skill-set to gain a big lead on the scorecards, and the Machine is confident that he can keep his nerve and concentration to avoid Urango’s big punches. Devon Alexander wins by unanimous decision by scores of 118-110 X3.

Scores on the doors: Magno (13-3, 2 KO); Machine (13-3, 3 KO)

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Juan Urango: The Prospect Measuring Stick

by Dafs117

Juan Urango (22-2-1, 17 KO), Montiera, Colombia, is an overwhelming underdog going into his March 6 light welterweight unification clash with Devon Alexander (19-0, 12 KO), St Louis, Missouri, but it's a position he's very familiar with. Here's The Boxing Tribune's preview of the fight, weighing up the expected tactics from both camps.

* * * * * * *

Nobody has looked impressive against Juan Urango. Iron Twin's two defeats came to high-stocked fighters Andre Berto and Ricky Hatton. Both fighters employed the same tactics against the Colombian; Punch, hold, repeat.

Such is the effect of Urango's insane strength and left-handed awkwardness that even the more gifted fighters are content to outpoint him and impress next time out.

Ricky Hatton was expected to batter the unknown Urango in his return from welterweight following a lackluster performance against Luis Collazo. However, Urango gave him an unexpected gut check as he was made to work for his win by the hard hitting Colombian.

Two years on and Urango found himself in the same situation, on another road trip to a HBO fighter's back garden. Urango caught Berto early in the opening round with a right hook, which triggered the retreat button in Berto's mind that resulted in Berto taking him on a merry-chase for the rest of the fight, interrupted ever so often by the quickest clinching ever seen.

For Berto, Urango was a test to see how far he's developed at the highest level. He passed, but Carlos Vilches, Herman Ngoudjo and Randall Bailey didn't. They may not be prospects, but they were fancied to employ the same tactics to defeat Urango.

Urango pummeled Vilches and stopped him with an absolutely huge right hand in the fourth on Wednesday Fight Nights. It was one of the highlights of 2008, and ultimately got Urango back in the frame for another title shot.

His next stop was the Bell Centre in Canada as he faced Herman Ngoudjo for the vacant IBF title. Ngoudjo had built up a pedigree of being on the wrong side of poor judging against Jose Luis Castillo and Paulie Malignaggi. In a fight where the timekeeper fell asleep, Urango dominated the fight to win via wide unanimous decision, knocking the durable Ngoudjo down twice in round 3 following huge left hands.

Urango was down for the first time in his career in his first defence of his IBF belt, floored by Randall Bailey in the fifth round. In a classic, Urango scored a come from behind kayo victory as he showed his champion spirit to stop the veteran Bailey in the eleventh.

The question that hangs over the March 6 fight is can Alexander fight his fight for 12 rounds? We know the tactics and we know he has talent, but is he mentally tough enough to be disciplined for twelve rounds?

Urango won't change. He'll be coming forward in his peekaboo stance throwing shots that would make any fighter quake in their boots. Can Alexander close out the crowd's boos and resist the urge to trade by sticking to his game plan? Some brave pundits don't think he can.

Back to tactical corner, Alexander as a southpaw will be on his bike all night. He's fast enough to stay on the outside, but does he have the stamina to keep with Urango for twelve rounds? Or can he keep the fight at his own pace?

The way to diffuse the Urango bomb is with skill, and Alexander has plenty of it. The style match-up is horrible for Urango too, the flashy and exceptionally quick fighter against the lumbering hard hitting bulldozer.

This issue is bound to be raised post-fight, so I'll do a Paulie Malignaggi and pretend to be Criswell. When does a referee say enough is enough and deduct a point for over-excessive clinching? Even if he's the hometown fighter, it's simply unfair on Urango to take away his prize assets by clinging onto his forearms. If only Joe Cotrez was the man in the middle...

This is Alexander's 'welcome to the pros fight'. He'll be tested, a lot of questions will be answered, and Urango is again the measuring stick to how much potential a prospect carries. This fight is a lot closer than the bookmakers make it out to be, and it's a great way to start a busy calendar over the next coming weeks.

Prediction - Urango has the power to knock anyone out in this division, he's a beast. He's faced the tougher competition, but Alexander is too fast, too slick and just too good for Urango. Don't rule out the chance of a thriller, but expect another snoozer of a fight with the Berto safety-first tactic put into use. Alexander UD 12

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Junior Welterweights On The Rise

by Dafs117

Dominated by Ricky Hatton, the light welterweight division has been a snoozer for the past few years, especially in comparison to its talent-rich neighbours north and south. But all of a sudden, the junior welterweight class is booming with exciting up-and-coming fighters such as Timothy Bradley, Amir Khan and Devon Alexander. They’ve all won an alphabet title in the past twelve months, and all could have a decent claim for the top spot in the division by the end of 2010, which is currently held by Bradley.

Add Marcos Rene Maidana and Juan Urango to the mix, two all action power punching fighters that put everything on the line with their one-track minds. Update the wildcards; Nate Campbell, Joel Casamayor and Andriy Kotelnik, all crafty fighters that can easily be underestimated. Flashy fighters such as Paulie Malignaggi, Zab Judah and The BTBC’s 140 pound House Fighter, Lamont Peterson can cause a stir at 140 pounds and have a strong case to be ranked at the bottom of the top 10.

It gets deeper. Kaizer Mabuza, who recently upset Kendall Holt is now up to second-tier contender. Victor Ortiz and Kendall Holt can come back from heavy defeats later on this year. Mike Alvarado and Victor Manuel Cayo are unbeaten and look promising, as is the obscure Ionut Dan Ion and Cesar Rene Cuenca. Golden Boy have been hyping up another Argentinean, Lucas Matthysse, another unbeaten fighter that has talent in abundance. Ex-title challenger Herman Ngoudjo is not quite done yet, neither is Gavin Rees. The list goes on.

They might be a long way off the likes of Bradley, but match up anybody that I've mentioned so far with each other and I won't be complaining. A blown-up Ricky Hatton might still be the biggest money fight at light welterweight, but the division is catching up fast. There are just so many fascinating fights that could be made at 140 pounds.

The departure of Ricky Hatton will definitely be viewed as a positive thing as it will open the gateway for fighters to solidify their position in a talented division. Bradley has already seized on Hatton's inactivity, cementing his place at the top of the standings, for now.

There has been talk of Bradley facing nearly everyone. The likes of Edwin Valero, Amir Khan, Joshua Clottey and Juan Manuel Marquez have been called out recently, all to be dismissed by their associates. Promoter Gary Shaw is so confident that his fighter is the best out there, that he'll match him up with anyone.

And for once, he's right. Bradley is the best light welterweight, nobody comes close on current form and level of opponents. Talent wise, Alexander and Khan can compete, but they need a couple of years to develop under careful matchmaking that ultimately depletes them in the long run.

He's still without an opponent for his May date after weeks of searching for anybody that fits the criteria. However, there's much action outside of Bradley happening at the moment. This Saturday, Devon Alexander will take on Juan Urango to unify half of the division. In May, Amir Khan will make his Stateside debut against Paulie Malignaggi in his first proper defence of the WBA trinket. Edwin Valero will take on Lamont Peterson in what is an intriguing fight on paper. And in a true crossroads fight, Victor Ortiz will face Nate Campbell in a bout that could swing either way, it depends on what mood the fighters are in on the night.

It's a great time for the division right now, and fighters should take advantage of the good times. They shouldn't mess around with tune-ups that could turn on its head, the time is now. Could we see more light welterweights break into the fictional pound-4-pound rankings soon? In my opinion, most definitely. If they can sustain the excitement and quality in their fights, more fighters are bound to break the top 10 a lot sooner than expected.

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2009 Junior Welterweight Report

by Dafs117

Vastly becoming the division to watch, the 140 pounders are competing with the talent rich welterweights up north, putting on explosive fights and competitive battles throughout the year. The division is pretty deep, and we have 3 new alphabet titleholders this year to turn the division upside down, with the average age of the current four titlists at a toddler age of 25.

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Grading the Champions: Juan Urango

by Paul Magno

In an ideal world, there would be only one champion per division, but unfortunately, boxing in the year 2009 is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination. For that reason, The Boxing Tribune has designed a new feature to rate recognized alphabet champions.

Hopefully, this will give the fans a clearer idea of who are the "real" champions and who are just simply belt holders.

The second Jr. Welterweight champion to be graded is the big-punching, Colombian "Iron Twin" and reigning IBF 140 lb. champ, Juan Urango.

Juan Urango (22-2-1, 17 KOs)

Current Title: IBF Jr. Welterweight Title
BTBC Ranking: #7 at Jr. Welterweight
How He Earned His Title: Bludgeoned the usually tough Herman Ngoudjo en route to a UD win for the vacant IBF crown.
Defenses: Randall Bailey, TKO 11
Next Defense: Undecided
Down the Line: Kendall Holt, Zab Judah, The Winner of Diaz-Malignaggi II
Comments: Urango looked sloppy and vulnerable in his sole defense of he title against Bailey, but as is usually the case with the southpaw, Urango, his tremendous one-punch power turned the fight around and led him to victory. His challenging of Andre Berto at Welterweight was both pointless and disappointing. Hopefully, the urge to move up to 147 never comes up again because there is plenty of talent at 140 and several quality match-ups to be made within his own division.

Grade: C

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FNF 8/28: The Return of TV Boxing or A One Shot Revival?

by Paul Magno

(Also Published on Eastsideboxing.com)

It was hard to believe, but I actually had butterflies in my stomach as the familiar Friday Night Fights intro kicked in.

I was anticipating the Cloud-Woods, Urango-Bailey championship double header all week and had even finished up my work a bit earlier to make sure I could be front and center with nothing on my mind other than boxing.

Friday Night Fights is always on my viewing schedule, but I can't remember one of their shows being this highly anticipated, at least by me.

The fights themselves were solid encounters with the young banger, Tavoris Cloud taking a Unanimous Decision for the vacant IBF Light Heavyweight title over the veteran ex-champ, Clinton Woods and the tank-like Juan Urango coming back from a hard knockdown to force veteran Randall Bailey's corner to throw in the towel 11 rounds into Urango's IBF 140-lb. defense.

These weren't over-publicized celebrity boxing exhibitions, randomly matching two name fighters in a barely relevant encounter, as is all the rage these days.

The two bouts we saw on Friday were evenly-matched pairings that actually meant something above and beyond a payday for the fighters and the promise of bigger paydays for even less risk next time out. There were no bogus catchweight clauses or magical diamond belts.

What we saw was just plain, old boxing...the boxing that every fan first fell in love with...Championship-caliber match-ups that made you want to tune in and solid matchmaking that guaranteed a satisfying effort regardless of who won.

I sure hope the ratings reflect the effort put into signing the Friday Night Fights season finale card because, from my vantage point, fight fans from around the globe greatly appreciated the change from the usual ESPN2 menu of mostly gross mismatches and meaningless filler.

Not every card has to feature two world title bouts, but all TV bouts should feature solid, known fighters in meaningful, well-booked showdowns.

There is plenty of talent, a notch below the mega stars, that could be utilized with minimal cost and huge potential benefit. The marginal PPV shows like Latin Heat, Pinoy Power, Hook City, etc. could all be co-opted into televised bouts that would draw very respectable ratings, build the fighters into bigger stars and be simpler for the promoters in terms of logistics and overhead.

Is there any doubt that Roy Jones Jr. fighting Jeff Lacy on ESPN would've drawn huge numbers? Jones would have been forced to take a pay cut to accept such a deal, but a win on "free" TV would propel him back into the land of "real" PPV shows and possibly double his Hook City payday next time out...and he wouldn't have to dress like a pirate to do it.

There was a time when all the super fights were on PPV, a step below was HBO and Showtime, then the other TV bouts and, finally, the club fights where young prospects and returning veterans battled for respect off-camera.

Nowadays, most everything is on PPV, HBO and Showtime bouts are mostly showcase fights leading to the PPVs, and other TV outlets are forced to pick through the decaying remains of divisions ruined by stars sitting on their belts and holding out for a spot on the celebrity boxing circuit.

There's nothing wrong with boxing that can't be corrected with proper matchmaking and ballsy promoting.

Let's hope that the August 28th edition of Friday Night Fights was the first shot fired in the war to bring the sport back to the fans.

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Berto Handles Urango, Cintron Shocks Angulo

Andre Berto (25-0, 19 KOs) successfully defended his WBC Welterweight title at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL against tough southpaw IBF Jr. Welterweight champion, Juan Urango (21-2-1, 16 KOs).

The unanimous decision victory played out similarily throughout all 12 rounds:

Urango would bull forward, head down, Berto would attempt to catch him with fast uppers and hooks and the end result would almost invariable lead to a clinch, a half-clinch or an entanglement of bodies.

Despite the lack of aesthetic appeal to the bout, Berto controlled the contest from the very beginning and cruised to victory with scores of 117-111 and 118-110 (twice). The BTBC had it scored 118-110.

In the opening bout of the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast, Kermit Cintron (31-2-1, 27 KOs) shocked most experts and fans by beating highly-regarded Mexican prospect, Alfredo Angulo, via UD in a WBC Jr. Middleweight Title Eliminator.

Cintron began the bout by using plenty of lateral movement and utilizing his reach advantage by throwing nothing but jabs and straight punches.

In the first four rounds, Angulo seemed almost paralyzed and unable to catch Cintron with anything of note. By the second half of the fight, however, Angulo began to come on and win some rounds with his relentless pursuit.

Angulo's best moments came in the last three rounds when Cintron seemed to be flat-out running and looking to tie up whenever possible.

However, the late surge wasn't enough and Angulo lost on all three cards by a score of 116-112.

The BTBC had it scored 115-113 for Cintron.

Cintron will now face champion Sergio Martinez in a bout that will be a rematch of their controversial draw last February.

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