UBC Boxing News

Melinda Cooper made her first appearance south of the border in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Centro Banamex, in Mexico City, Mexico and walked away with another impressive win and a legion of new fans as she pitched a near shut out over tough opponent Miriam Avila.  It was a spirited battle, but Cooper was obviously the superior fighter and controlled the bout from the opening bell to the time the cards were read.  The final judges scored it unanimously for Cooper...40-36, 40-36, and 39-37.  Cooper improved her record to 20-0 (11 KOs) while Avila fell to 11-5. 

 It was not the Hollywood ending that Otis Griffin had hoped for Friday night when the Underground Boxing Company's undefeated light heavyweight prospect, Marcus Oliveira (19-0 with 15 KO's) knocked the former reality show star out in the 2nd round of their 10 round scheduled bout.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota, Oliveira and Griffin met in the center of the ring from the opening bell.  Both fighters had their moments, with Oliveira landing some hard shots to the body that seemed to hurt the former reality show star.  But then Griffin was able to come back and landed a left hook behind the head that seemed to bother Oliveira a bit.  The round ended with both fighters readily exchanging combinations to the head and body.

The second round started the same as the first, as both fighters met in the middle and began exchanging again.  Shortly into the round, however, Oliveira began to find more success with his jab and was able to create some separation that shifted control of the action in his direction.   As the round was coming to a close, Oliveira stepped back towards the ropes and threw a perfectly timed right uppercut as Griffin was stepping towards him.  The punch could, literally, be heard throughout the entire arena and spun Griffin's head violently upward towards the ring lights.  He crumbled to the canvas where the referee quickly waved it off.  Otis Griffin remained unconscious on the canvas for several minutes as the doctors and officials tended to him.  The bout ended at 2:45 of the second round. 

Griffin, who originally gained fame from winning Oscar DeLa Hoya’s “Next Great Champ” reality series, was coming off of one of his best showings against former world champion, Jeff Lacy.  In a close bout, that most ringsiders felt he decisively won, many thought it would represent the start of bigger and better things for Griffin.  However, this dramatic loss to Oliveira not only put a damper on those aspirations, but it also leaves his continuing career and ability to come back from that type of devastating stoppage in question.   

With plenty of diverse opposition in today's top light heavyweight picture, including a fading Antonio Tarver, an over-the-hill Roy Jones Jr. or a dominating Chad Dawson, it seems that Oliveira will have a wide variety of champions and former title holders to pick from as he continues to step up the competition.  But for right now, after this impressive performance, his place in the light heavyweight picture has, at least, taken on a clearer focus.

 

In spite of being dubbed, Isaiah "The Prophet" Henderson, there's no way this young light-heavyweight could never have foreseen the signs of his own second round destruction at the hands of Marcus Oliveira Friday night at the Comanche Nation Casino in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Oliveira quickly sensed Henderson's hesitance to fully engage from the opening bell and took it right to "The Prophet," landing quick combinations as he walked his opponent down.  Every right hand that landed seemed to rattle Henderson who continually backed away, throwing punches in retaliation that had little more intent than just to keep Oliveira at bay.

After several quick exchanges, Oliveira landed a solid right hand that deposited Henderson in his own corner at the sound of the bell.  Henderson was able to beat the count and met Oliveira at the center of the ring for the start of the second round.  Oliveira picked up the action, landing a left hook followed by a right hand and eight more right hands from various angles that dropped Henderson.  He was able to beat the count, but absorbed a hard left hook and two right hands that had him helplessly stumbling when the referee stopped the contest at :42 into the second round.

Oliveira is already scheduled to face Otis Griffin at the Grand Casino in Hinkley, Minnesota on June 5th.  Griffin is best known for winning the championship on FOX TV's reality show "Next Great Champ" which was conceived and produced by Oscar De La Hoya.  This could be Oliveira's toughest test to-date, but based on his recent wins and consistently improving performances, the difficulty level of that test seems to rest completely within Oliveira's hands.

Climbing through the ropes for the time in 2009, former world champion, Melinda Cooper (19-0 w/ 11 KOs) is determined to make this trip to the ring count more than ever before. Cooper will not just be getting something she has so desperately wished for and diligently worked towards for more than six years, but she will also be facing a tough hurdle in Monica Lovato (12-1 w/ 4 KOs) when they square off for the IFBA Bantamweight World Title.

The 10 round championship bout is being billed Rock in the Box and will be staged at The Theater at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas on Saturday, May, 16th. This site was formerly the Aladdin Hotel and Casino and was, coincidentally, the location where Cooper made her professional debut against Annalisa Middleton on March 23rd, 2002. This should be quite the homecoming for Cooper.

Lovato is currently the NABF and IBA Super Flyweight Champion and also holds the IBA Bantamweight title. Cooper, on the other hand, is finally getting the title shot she has been waiting for, so this match-up is destined to be an all-out war for the coveted belt. Lovato has proven to be wildly popular with New Mexico boxing fans and will bring a wealth of experience, a legion of supporters and unwavering determination with her when she hits the Vegas strip.

The bout will be one of many featured in a night full of exciting boxing action promoted by Roy Englebrecht Promotions. Englebrecht and his team have gained widespread recognition and praise as California's third largest boxing promotions company and hold the distinction as having one of the longest running and most successful club shows in the country. Englebrecht's Battle in the Ballroom shows, hosted at the Irvine Marriott Hotel are in their 22nd consecutive year.

The Cooper versus Lovato match up has all of the makings of a sensational fight. It consists of two talented boxers who are determined to give boxing fans their monies worth every time out. Neither fighter is afraid to go toe-to-toe and give it their all for every single round of nonstop action. Only one will emerge a champion, but both will have earned the right to say "I'm a professional fighter."

This entire fight card was cancelled by the promoter.  The title match has not yet been rescheduled. 

 

light heavyweight, Marcus Oliveira pushed his record to 17-0 (13 KOs) against gutsy and game opponent Rayco Saunders 16-11 (7 KOs) even though it was an uphill battle for most of the bout.

The eight round fight began slow, with each boxer taking the first few seconds to size his man up, but it didn't take long for both fighters to begin trading jabs and picking their power shots. By midway through the first round, Oliveira began to dictate the pace while Saunders seemed content to spend most of the early rounds poised to counterpunch from behind a tight defense. After the first four rounds of action Oliveira changed up his attack and gave ground in the fifth which allowed Saunders to come forward. Although the action went back and forth throughout, the difference was clearly in Oliveira's powerful jab, more accurate punching and work at close quarters. Both fighters ended the bout trading heavy shots, but Oliveira proved to be the more effective and accurate puncher by connecting more often, being more willing to trade punches and ultimately left a greater impression on the judges. Oliveira was awarded a majority decision.

Oliveira's win at the Grand Casino, was his second appearance as the main event in the Hinckley, Minnesota venue. He was met by a near capacity crowd who enthusiastically cheered him on even after previously beating their hometown hero, Phil "The Drill" Williams back in August of last year.

Oliveira's win at the Grand Casino, was his second appearance as the main event in the Hinckley, Minnesota venue. He was met by a near capacity crowd who enthusiastically cheered him on even after previously beating their hometown hero, Phil "The Drill" Williams back in August of last year.