Joe Smith Jr. retained the WBO Light Heavyweight title with a 9th round stoppage over late-replacement Steve Geffrard at The Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Smith dominated the action by landing power shots to back up Geffrard. Geffrard showed little resistance, but was able to hang around and last rounds by moving a little bit. He spent most of his time eating hard shots on the ropes.

in round nine, Smith threw a quick 15-punch flurry that put Geffrard down for the 10-count just as his corner was stopping the fight at 37 seconds.

Smith, 174 1/4 lbs of Long Island, NY is 28-3 with 22 knockouts. Geffrard, 173.5 lbs of Delray Beach, FL 18-3.

Smith said, “He really brought it today. It was a great fight. As you can see, he’s a great boxer, a good survivor. I was trying to get him out of there early, but I realized he was very tough and I wasn’t going to be able to do that. I tried to wait until the later rounds and started throwing more combinations to pick him apart.
 
“{Beterbiev} is what I want. I want to get back in the gym, work on my craft, and like I say each and every time I get in the ring, I’m going to get better and better. I believe the next time you see me, I’ll be ready for anybody.
 
“If Canelo wants to come to 175 and fight me, I’m ready for him. That’s the fight I want. Everybody would love to see that fight. It would be a big deal.”

Nova Stops Encarnacion in 8

Abraham Nova made his featherweight debut with an 8th round stoppage over William Encarnacion.

Nova dominated the action as he landed some solid body punches early. Nova began to take his work work upstairs and started to wobble Encarnacion in round six through the rest of the fight, which was stopped at 55 of round eight after a big flurry of punches.

Nova, 126 3/4 lbs of Albany, NY is 21-0 with 15 knockouts. Encarnacion, 127 lbs of The Dominican Republic is 19-2.

Nova said, “It feels good to fight close to home a day after my birthday. I had a tricky opponent in front of me, but I got the job done.

“I want {WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete}, to be honest. Everybody thinks he’ll blow me out. Put him in there. Let’s see if he’ll do it. I know I’ll beat him. I know I have the punch output, I know I’ll knock him out, and I know I’ll be the next WBO champion.”

Omar Rosario celebrated his 24th birthday with a six-round unanimous decision over Rawkwon Butler in a junior welterweight fight.

In round six, Butler was bleeding from his nose.

Rosario landed 132 of 368 punches; Butler was 52 of 218.

Rosario, 139 1/4 lbs of Caguas, PR won by scores of 58-55 and 59-54 twice and is now 6-0. Butler, 138 1/4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 4-2.

Jahi Tucker remained undefeated with a 2nd round stoppage over Akeem Black in a scheduled six-round welterweight bout.

In round one, Tucker dropped Black after a series of hard power shots that was finished up with an uppercut. The onslaught continued in round two as Tucker continued to batter Black until the fight was stopped at 1:18.

The 18 year-old Tucker, 146 3/4 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 6-0 with four knockouts. Black, 145 3/4 lbs of Chicago, IL is 6-5.

2021 U.S. Olympian Troy Isley pounded Harry Keenan Cruz-Cubano for a six-round unanimous decision in a middleweight fight.

In round one, Cruz-Cubano was cut under his left eye.

In round six, Isley was deducted a point for a low blow.

Isley, 156 1/4 lbs of Alexandria, VA won by scores of 59-53 and 59-54 twice and is now 4-0. Cruz-Cubano, 156 1/4 lbs of Jacksonville, FLA is 6-3.

Lyubomyr Pinchuk won an eight-round unanimous decision over Jose Mario Flores in a cruiserweight fight.

In round two, Pinchuk was cut over his left eye from a clash of heads.

Pinchuk, 194.5 lbs of Lviv, UKR won by scores of 8-72 and 79-73 and is now 14-2-1. Flores, 197.5 lbs of Washington, DC is 8-3-2.

Verona, New York (January 3, 2022)

Star Boxing is pleased to announce an NABA Gold Cruiserweight Title bout addition to the Joe Smith Jr. vs Callum Johnson undercard on January 15 at Turning Stone.

25-year-old Pittsburgh based Ukrainian, LYUBOMYR “THE DEMOLITION MAN” PINCHUK (13-2-1 8KO’s) is set to challenge for the vacant NABA Gold Cruiserweight Title against Virginia product JOSE MARIO “BAZOOKA” FLORES (8-2-2 4KO’s) in a 10-round title bout. Pinchuk was most notably seen on Ring City USA against rising undefeated American heavyweight STEPHAN “BIG SHOT” SHAW (15-0 11KO’S). Pinchuk moved up to heavyweight for the bout and brought the fight to Shaw over a tough 8-rounds. While falling short, Pinchuk used this opportunity as a learning experience and would return to his natural cruiserweight division in dominating fashion, just months later, with a TKO victory over Andrew Satterfield in his hometown of Pittsburgh.

“I’m very excited to be back to the ring” said Pinchuk. “Especially starting 2022 with a fight in the cruiserweight division, on such a big world title card. Thank you to everyone who was with me and supporting me during this whole time. Can’t wait for what the remainder of the year holds for us!”

“Lyubo has no fear” said Pinchuk’s trainer Mike McSorley, owner of The Conn-Greb Boxing Club in Pittsburgh, PA. “He’s never turned down a fight since turning pro. Not one. He has no sense of entitlement; he is always on time and gives 100%. He is back where he belongs at cruiserweight and he can beat anyone in the division right now.”

Jose Mario “Bazooka” Flores resides in Woodbridge, Virginia and has never shied away from a challenge. The eleven-year professional had his marquee moment when he upset undefeated ARMANDO PINA (then 16-0 11KO’s) in Indiana. Flores would return a few months later for the first time in New York where he would drop a close decision to undefeated JOSEPH “MACK WILLIAMS (then 12-0 8KO’s).

The action will prelude the highly anticipated main event between the “Common Man,” JOE SMITH JR. (27-3 21KO’s), in his first WBO World Championship defense against power punching, UK based light heavyweight, CALLUM JOHNSON (20-1 14KO’s).

Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA had this to say about Pinchuk-Flores, “We are very excited to secure this opportunity on a card of this magnitude for Lyubomyr to showcase his abilities. He is extremely tough and entertaining fighter who is back at his natural weight. Fans are in for a treat on January 15, first with Lyubomyr on the undercard and certainly when Joe Smith Jr. makes his first world title defense in the main event.”

SMITH-JOHNSON and PINCHUK-FLORES are promoted by Top Rank in association with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing. Follow the action on social media by using #SmithJohnson and #PinchukFlores.