126lb superstar Yuriorkis “El Ciclon” Gamboa (18-0, 15 KOs) successfully defended his WBA featherweight championship with a twelve round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Argentinian Jonathan Victor Barros (28-1-1, 16 KOs) on Saturday night at the Sporthalle Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany. After two tame opening rounds, Gamboa opened up in round three, but Barros proved to be a tough, durable opponent who didn’t fold under Gamboa’s speed, power and pressure. Gamboa finally battered Barros to the deck in round eight, but the über-tough Barros weathered Gamboa’s violent follow-up assault and somehow made it to the final bell. Scores were 118-109, 118-109, 116-111.
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In the co-main event and grudge rematch, PABA heavyweight champion Denis Bakhtov (33-5, 22 KOs) again proved his superiority over Steffen Kretschmann (14-2, 13 KOs). Bakhtov made Kretchmann take a knee in round six and continued to punish him until Kretschmann finally quit :46 into round nine, much to the disgust of the local fans. Bakhtov had previously knocked out “Kretsche” in one round last summer.
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Former world cruiserweight champion Juan Carlos Gomez (45-2, 36 KOs) demolished Alex Mazikin (13-5-2, 3 KOs) in a bout for the WBA international heavyweight championship. Mazikin was down four times – each time thanks to the left hook to the liver.
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Middleweight contender Mahir Oral (28-2-2, 11 KOs) stopped Juan Camilo Novoa (14-5-1, 12 KOs) in round ten to claim the WBA international 160lb championship.