Follow all the action LIVE as it happens when former Super Welterweight champions Canelo Alvarez and Alfredo Angulo fight in a 12 round bout. The action begins at 9 pm eastern with a 3 fight undercard which we be highlighted by a a 122 pound world title fight between Leo Santa Cruz and Cristian Mijares. Former world champion Jorge Linares squares off with Nihito Arakawa in a Lightweight bout and the card kicks off with a Lightweight fight between Ricardo Alvarez and Sergio Thompson

NO NEED TO REFRESH…IT WILL REFRESH AUTOMATICALLY

12 Rounds–Super Welterweights–Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KO’s) vs Alfredo Angulo (22-3, 18 KO’s)

Round 1 Canelo coming out blistering..Left to the body..right…jab..10-9 Canelo

Round 2 Big right/left uppercut…Nice left hook to the body…right uppercut…double jab..body//uppercut..right uppercut..20-18 Canelo

Round 3 canelo lands a left hook…right to the bod..left to the head..huge uppercut..right///left hook..Angulo lands a combination..Left hook from Canelo..4 punch combination..Combination from Angulo..big rights and left from Canelo..30-27 Canelo

Round 4 1-2 from Canelo..combination (left hook to the head)…left..counter left hook..2 punch combination..right…40-36 Canelo

Round 5 Canelo lands combination that snaps Canelo head back..Body shot from Angulo..50-45 Canelo

Round 6 Canelo lands a left hook…uppercut..right..double left..Angulo lands an upper..Jab from Canelo..Left hook…60-54 Canelo

Round 7 Double left hook from Canelo..combination..This is getting ugly…Combination from Angulo..Short uppercut/body from Canelo..Left from Canelo..Combo from Angulo..70-63 Canelo

Round 8Canelo lands a jab..good back and forth on the ropes…3 punch combo from Canelo..
left hook…Great action both ways..Canelo could be tired...80-72 Canelo

Round 9 Jab…right uppercut from Canelo..Hard right from Angulo..3 huge uppercuts to Angulo’s jaw…he is showing an incredible chin..90-81

Round 10 Lead left from Canelo..lead left and TONY WEEKS STOPS THE FIGHT

12 Rounds–WBC Super Bantamweight title–Leo Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KO’s) vs Cristian Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO’s)

Round 1 Right from Santa Cruz..10-9 Santa Cruz

Round 2 Mijares lands a jab…Santa Cruz lands a right and left..20-18 Santa Cruz

Round 3 Santa Cruz lands a a left…combination…right from Mijares…30-27 Santa Cruz

Round 4 Headbutt…Cut over right of Santa Cruz…Body shots by Santa Cruz…Body/head..right uppercut…over hand right…right uppercut…flurry…40-36 Santa Cruz

Round 5 Mijares running, making Santa Cruz miss…right from Santa Cruz..

Round 6 Hard right from Santa Cruz buckles Santa Cruz…left uppercut from Mijares..60-55 Santa Cruz

Round 7 Santa Cruz continuing to pressure..70-64

Round 8Santa Cruz lands a jab…left and right…Jab…Body..Right uppercut and another 80-73 Santa Cruz

Round 9 Santa Cruz contined to dominate…lands a 4 punch combination..blood dripping down the right side of his face...90-82 Santa Cruz

Round 10 Right over the top from Santa Cruz…sweeping right…100-91 Santa Cruz

Round 11 More of the same with Mijares resigned to surviving…110-100 Santa Cruz

Round 12 Santa Cruz lands a right…ride to head..left uppercut on inside..Good action at the bell…120-109 Santa Cruz

119-109, 120-108 twice for Santa Cruz

10 Rounds Lightweights–Jorge Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s) vs Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s)

Round 1 Both land body shots..right from Linares..10-9 Linares

Round 2 Right from Linares..20-18 Linares

Round 3 Arakawa lands a hard combination..Linares lands a left uppercut

Round 4 right and left from body from Arakawa..3 punch combination..3 more punches…hard combinations..40-36 Linares

Round 5 left to body from Arakawa…Combination from Linares..Combination from Arakawa...49-46 Linares

Round 6 Left hook to body from Linares…Right hook from Arakawa..right to body from Arakawa..right from Linares..Short left from Arakawa…right from Linares..Cut around right of Arakawa…Right from Linares…Combination from Arakawa..straight from Linares..Arakawa lands a looping left,,,58-56 Linares

Round 7 Left from Linares..body combination..right hand..Arakawa lands a body shot..hard combo from Linares..left uppercut..left uppercut..Arakawa.. lands a lead left…right from Linares…68-65 Linares

Round 8 Linares lands a left hook..left uppercut…straight right..body and then right to the head..78-74 Linares

Round 9 Linares cut from a headbutt..exchanging body..combination from Linares..Arakawa right eye bleeding..hard combination from Linares..88-83 Linares

Round 10 Both guys coming out swinging..Linares gets in a right…hard combination..98-92 Linares

98-92, 100-90 twice FOR JORGE LINARES

10 rounds Lightweights–Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KO’s) vs Sergio Thompson (28-3, 26 KO’s)

Round 1: Thompson lands a right that hurts Alvarez…Hard combination..Left to the body/right to the head…Hard right…10- Thompson

Round 2 ALvarez lands a body…Thompson land 2 body shots..4 punch combination..combination (Body/Head)…Alvare lands 3 uppercuts…Thompson lands a right…20-18 Thompson

Round 3 Staright right, ALvarez goes INTO THE ROPES FOR A KNOCKDOWN..30-26 Thompson

Round 4 Left to head and jab from Thompson..2 jabs from Alvarez…jab..Jab from Thompson and left hook to the body..good right to the jaw..40-35 Thompson

Round 5 Double jab from Thompson…Jab from Alvarez..left to body..Swelling from left eye of Alvarez..left from Thompson..double jab from Alvarez..49-45 Thompson

Round 6 Alvarez lands 2 uppercuts…Hard right wobbles Alvarez..straight right..uppercut..left hook and a right,..jab…59-54 Thompson

Round 7Thompson lands a jab…Alvarez lands a handful of jabs..uppercut and right..big combination…Counter right from Thompson off the ropes..uppercuts from Alvarez..double jab…jab.right from Thompson…counter combination..right to body..4 jab from Alvarez…68-64 Thompson

Round 8 HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES ALVAREZ…Left hook by Alvarez…2 jabs from Thompson..Alvarez lands a right…78-72 Thompson

Round 9 Thompson lands to the body and head…right..Alvarez lands a jab..88-81 Thompson

Round 10 Right from Thompson…Thompson gets hit in the break…Alvarez lands 2 lefts..uppercut..Thompson lands a stiff jab…Thompson lands a hard right to the nose…exchanging jabs…98-91 Thompson

95-93 twice, 97-91 for Sergio Thompson

Canelo Alvarez 155 – Alfredo Angulo 154.5
Leo Santa Cruz 122 – Cristian Mijares 122
(WBC Super Bantamweight Title)
Jorge Linares 134.5 – Nihito Arakawa 134.5
Ricardo Alvarez 135 – Sergio Thompson 135

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 17, 2014) – Former World Champion and Mexican boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring on Saturday, March 8 to face the fierce and rugged Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in the headline attraction of a stacked four-fight event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, presented live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, the pay-per-view card offers matchups that promise to be exciting, all-action bouts. The most anticipated match of the night features Canelo, as he looks to reassert himself as the best young fighter of this era. Rounding out the card are two outstanding 12-round fights: Two-Division World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KO’s) will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against former Two-Time World Champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO’s); exciting young star Omar “Panterita’’ Figueroa (24-0-1, 17 KO’s) will risk his WBC Interim Lightweight Title against Canelo’s brother Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KO’s) and former Two-Time World Champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s) will face Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s) in a lightweight clash.

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

March 8 is a hallowed date in boxing history as in 1971; “Smokin” Joe Frazier first met Muhammad Ali in the ring to begin their epic series. Now, eight fighters, including two of the most exciting Mexican stars of today, will attempt to do their part to add to its lore.

“This is a great fight for me and for the fans and I can’t wait to get back in the ring on March 8,” said Canelo, who will be making his first ring appearance since his mega-fight with pound-for-pound kingpin Floyd Mayweather last September. “Angulo is a true warrior and I have to be alert every second of every round when I fight him. I expect that we will put on a fight no one will ever forget.”

“Canelo is a great young fighter who has earned his way to the top,” said Angulo. “That being said, I know I’m hungrier than he is right now and I will take him to places he’s never been. Our fans in Mexico and around the world will see what we’re all about when we fight.”

“When we presented opponents to Canelo for his return fight, he immediately took the man who he expected would give him the toughest challenge in the ring and who also would help him give the fans the most exciting fight possible,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Alfredo Angulo fits the bill on all counts and this will not only be a stern test for Canelo, but I know fight fans are going to see all action from start to finish. I can say that about all the fights on the card, and in keeping with Golden Boy Promotions’ promise to fans, we’re making sure to deliver the most competitive and compelling matchups that we can.”

“We are very excited to welcome back Canelo Alvarez to MGM Grand for what’s sure to be a fierce battle with Alfredo Angulo,” said Richard Sturm, president of sports and entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “These two fighters are sure to bring their best performances to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for a thrilling evening of epic boxing.”

“This is the type of stacked, all-action fight card that SHOWTIME has become known for,” said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We are proud to present this excellent main event and compelling co-features on our preeminent platform, SHOWTIME PPV. Last year, this network emerged as the premiere destination for boxing’s biggest events and most competitive fights. The men and the matchups on this fight card embody our commitment to deliver the best the sport has to offer.”

A superstar in his native Mexico who has gone international with his appeal over the last two years, Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KO’s) is a former super welterweight world champion whose talent, fighting style and charisma is likely to keep him on top for years to come. Only 23 years of age, the Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico native turned pro in 2005 and he hasn’t looked back since he defeated the likes of Jose Miguel Cotto, Carlos Baldomir, Lovemore Ndou, Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes, Alfonso Gomez, Kermit Cintron and Sugar Shane Mosley. In 2013, Canelo packed nearly 40,000 fans into the Alamodome in San Antonio for a win over Austin Trout to unify 154-pound titles. Canelo’s last fight, the main event bout vs. Mayweather, shattered pay-per-view revenue records, largely due to the growing popularity of the bright Mexican star. On March 8, Canelo is back.

A vicious puncher with a crowd-pleasing and aggressive style, Mexicali Baja California, Mexico native Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-3, 18 KO’s) produces exciting fights every time he steps through the ropes, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Owner of 2012 wins over Raul Casarez and Jorge Silva, the 31-year-old appeared to be on his way to his first world championship in June 2013 when he knocked down Erislandy Lara twice in their interim WBA title fight. However, a controversial stoppage due to an eye injury postponed Angulo’s ascension to the top, something he hopes to rectify starting with his bout against Alvarez.

All-action warrior Leo Santa Cruz simply outworks his opponents every time he steps between the ropes, becoming must-see TV in the process. But he will be meeting a former world champion in Cristian Mijares who plans on having an answer for everything the young titlist throws at him.

“I’ve always been a fan of Cristian Mijares, and I know he will give me a tough fight on March 8,” said Santa Cruz. “When two Mexicans get into the ring together, it’s always a show, and this fight will be no different.”

“Santa Cruz is an impressive young fighter and a worthy champion,” said Mijares. “I respect him because he fights like I fight: to get the knockout and give the fans a great fight. They will get their money’s worth on March 8.”
Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KO’s) is widely recognized as one of the highest -olume punchers in the game today. The 25-year-old, two-division world champion fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico, and will be making the second defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won by knockout last August. In his initial defense, Santa Cruz registered one knockdown en route to a close, hard-fought, decision over a determined and courageous Cesar Seda last Dec. 14. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as six of his last seven fights have aired on the premium network. The other came on CBS Television Network in December 2012.
Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KO’s), 32, of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico, is as game as any active fighter today. His give-and-take southpaw style makes him as vulnerable as he is exciting. He’s is currently 14-1 in his last 15 fights dating to November 2009. A pro since 1997, the former Three-Time World Champion is 8-2 in world title fights and owns a ninth-round TKO over renowned slugger Rafael Marquez. His only defeat since 2009 came on a split 12-round decision to then-WBC champ Victor Terrazas on April 13, 2013.
Seen for years as the future of boxing, Omar Figueroa’s time is now, especially after his epic win over Nihito Arakawa last July. Now returning to fight in Las Vegas for the first time since 2012, “Panterita” will look to turn back the challenge of Ricardo Alvarez, a winner of five straight who emerged on the world scene with his December victory over Rod Salka.
“I can’t wait to get back into the ring on March 8; it’s been too long and I’m ready to defend my title,” said Figueroa. “The fans know what I can do in the ring, and they’re going to see the best version of me yet against Alvarez.”
“World champions are in the Alvarez bloodline, and we’re going to make history when I become the latest champion from our family on March 8,” said Alvarez. “Figueroa is a great young fighter, but I will be the one with his hand raised in victory. ”
The popular and promising 24-year-old Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KO’s), of McAllen, Texas, captured the Interim WBC 135-pound crown with a unanimous decision over Arakawa in brutal brawl last July 27 that was a top nominee for 2013’s Fight of the Year. Figueroa, despite fighting with a cut on his nose from an accidental head butt in the third round, dropped Arakawa in the second and sixth rounds. Figueroa and Arakawa combined to throw more than 2,100 punches in their memorable 36-minute slugfest.
Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, has triumphed five consecutive times and is 13-1-1 in his last 15 bouts. The older brother of Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez and current WBC Continental Americas 140-pound champion, the 32-year-old “Dinamita” is coming off a 10-round majority decision victory over Rod Salka last Dec. 14.
Former world champion Jorge Linares has fought his way back into title contention with four consecutive victories, including three knockouts, but he will get the fight of his life from Japan’s Nihito Arakawa, whose instant classic with Figueroa last July made him an instant star in the United States and around the world.

“I’ve worked hard to get back to the top of the division, and I can’t let Arakawa slow me down,” said Linares. “He’s a tough, rugged fighter who will be in front of me all night, but I am confident that I will be victorious.”

“The United States fans treated me so well when I fought here against Omar Figueroa, and I’m excited to be back to fight Linares,” said Arakawa. “He is a true warrior and we will put on a memorable fight for sure.”
Twenty-eight-year-old Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s), a Venezuelan now fighting out of Tokyo, Japan, is a former WBC Featherweight and WBA Super Featherweight titleholder. The hard-knocking 11-year professional has won four straight, including a first-round knockout over Francisco Contreras last Nov.10 in Tokyo.
Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s), of Tokyo, will be fighting for the second time in America. The 32-year-old proved his ability and toughness to the U.S. audience in the aforementioned slugfest versus Figueroa last July. Arakawa’s spirited effort was anchored by his ability to overcome two knockdowns and fight exhaustion as he forced the action until the final bell. The Japanese warrior earned great respect in defeat.
# # #

“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @OmarFigueroaJr, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

SAN ANTONIO – I like to think I write quickly, finding words within the readymade template, lede to nut to quote to body, that governs ringside reporting and probably has for centuries. Yet Saturday, as I groped to describe what happened during Andre Berto versus Jesus Soto-Karass, as fine a main event as our sport may see for the rest of 2013, I was entirely alone. Before I was within 300 words of filing, there was nary a soul in AT&T Center’s other 10 rows of particleboard tables.

Turns out, half the writers left after the co-main, and those who stayed did not have editors that wanted more than a line about the walk-out match, and raced back to the media center to reserve a seat at the press conference. Such is the drawing power of Weslaco’s Omar Figueroa in South Texas, and such was the match he made with an indomitable Japanese lightweight named Nihito Arakawa.

Figueroa is every good thing South Texans say about him, but there, too, was Arakawa, all through their 36 minutes of mutual belligerence, cussedly stomping forward, making the volume puncher’s compact with Figueroa who was prepared as possible for a meaningful and violent confrontation but necessarily unprepared for the grotesquerie of Arakawa’s bottomless capacity for absorption, as if punches were an ocean and he was set on the task of patiently mopping the beach and emptying its seawater in a bucket.

That was exactly how futile Arakawa’s task appeared to three judges – a Californian, a Mexican and a Nevadan, no Texans, who scored an intensely fine match 119-107, 118-108, 118-108, grading Arakawa’s performance somewhere between Short Notice and Heavybag – yet Arakawa did not relent. There is a momentum to prizefighting, of course, but it hasn’t nearly the fluidity professional scorekeepers observe at ringside, where every fighter who won the previous round begins the next with a symmetrical lead, and keeps that till his opponent overcomes a judge’s mental inertia with force great enough to convince him something materially different has occurred. Chuck Giampa, deservedly famous for taking Showtime viewers inside the mind of a judge, instructs aficionados, elsewhere and here: There is not an iota of infallibility to be found at ringside, so do not look for it or rage at its unjust absence.

Arakawa’s secret to absorbing punishment is a kin to his having informidable punching power; he does not commit fully to any punch because he’d rather remain within himself, in full self-possession, working to a rhythmic tempo he alone hears, keeping his southpaw hands and feet in motion, right hook and shoulder and left cross and shoulder and left to the body and right to the head, shoulder, shoulder, backwards step, overhand left, backwards stutter, right foot shuffle, shoulder, left hook . . .

Arakawa’s mental resilience is not a matter of making adjustments to an opponent in mid-fight but one of preparation and self-knowledge, of reducing his required thoughts in combat to a simple yes/no question – “Am I comfortable?” – that he can answer even when partially or fully out of his mind. It is not the simpleton’s approach for which it is mistaken, always, by those who’ve not employed it, either for having natural gifts of power or reflex too great to sacrifice, or for having never worn gloves; it is the choice of our sport’s most introspective and intellectually hardy practitioners, an intelligent choice that asks, in all humility: What am I not as good at as another, and how can I reduce his advantages?

Arakawa, blasted repeatedly in the opening six minutes by a South Texas lad with 17 knockouts in 22 fights, a lad yet to meet man or beast capable of absorbing more than a baker’s dozen of his best strikes, a lad, coincidence would smilingly note, who shares a trainer with Timothy Bradley, boxing’s finest practitioner of the very style Arakawa applies pretty damn well himself, a lad who said two Fridays before he would have to strip naked in the breathless heat and pitiless light of a South Texas supermarket parking lot at two o’clock on a July afternoon that if the time came for his mind to blank in an orgy of attrition, like Bradley’s did in March, he prayed not to solicit the white feather, wilting before another man’s greater desire – blasted repeatedly by that lad, Arakawa relaxed, found his comfortable place, and forced his will on Figueroa’s fighting spirit, and Figueroa did not wilt.

But he did tire. As he took the scale Friday afternoon, he looked somewhat drawn, in the tradition of longarmed Mexican prizefighters who bring severity to other men at a weight no fewer than 25 pounds below a physique nature would not begrudge them, and then he missed by a quarter pound, 135 1/4, and had to disrobe entirely. It was an interesting spectacle of modesty and awareness, that. Figueroa, who emphasizes his desire to be a role model to kids in the Rio Grande Valley where Weslaco sits, requested a barricade of blinding towels, a square perimeter of white terrycloth, and then took to the scale, package in hand, cupping his manhood in his right fist, and made weight – disproving one physics-defying myth of Mexican prizefighters: Raising your arms overhead and inhaling will begin a negotiation with gravity that reduces slightly your weight. This curious show of modesty brought a tiny, unexpected touch of further likability that explained why Figueroa was, by far, AT&T Center’s most popular prizefighter.

And that was before Figueroa and Arakawa made a historic show of valor and sportsmanship, elevating one another’s public standing, making even wizened fight scribes grateful.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

In round one, Soto Karass rocked Berto with a hard left hook that stunned him on the ropes.. Soto Karas continued to come forward. Berto looked goo offensively, especially with the uppercut but he looked shake defensively and at times it looked as if his legs would betray him. Berto looked like he hurt his shoulder in round four and took him a few rounds to try shake out the injury and gain use of that arm.

The two continued to their high contact bout. Berto started to get the upper hand and dropped Soto Karass with a shot the body in round eleven. Sensing the bout was very close, Soto Karass did not want the judges to figure in the fight and dropped Berto with a short left hook in round twelve. When Berto got to his feet, he stumbled and referee Jon Schorle stopped the bout at 48 seconds of the final round.

Soto Karass, 147 of North Hollywood, CA is now 28-8-3 with 18 knockouts. Berto, 147 lbs of Winter Haven, FL is now 28-3.

“My corner just told me to keep on working and I didn’t think at any moment about his shoulder,” Soto Karass said. “I’m dedicated 100 percent to boxing. I stopped clowning around. My corner told me to come out and start boxing, but I said, ‘no, I’m going to knock him down.'”

“I think I tore it out of the socket early, maybe the fourth round,” Berto said. “That’s why I kept using my left. I couldn’t really use it at all. At the end of the day I show that warrior spirit every time. I don’t care if I mess up my shoulder. I’m going to put it all on the line.”

Omar Figueroa scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Nihito Arakawa in one of the best fights of 2013 in a bout where Figueroa captured the WBC Interim Lightweight title.

The two went at it from the opening bell. Figueroa rocked Arakawa in the opening frame that buckled the visitor. In round two, a huge flurry caused Arakawa’s knee to touch the ground. When it seemed like Arakawa could be done, he came back and landed some good body punches. Arakawa continued to connect in round three but it did not have much affect on Figueroa. The two continued to land at a vicious rate with Arakawa landing a huge left on the ropes but Figueroa came back to land shots to the body and head. In round four, Figueroa was cut on the nose from an accidental headbutt. Arakawa continued to land in between taking hard shots. Figueroa came back later in the round with a big right and left hook. In round five, Figueroa rocked Arakawa with a big right hand and he followed that up with a jard combination/ Arakawa just kept on coming as if he had nothing to lose. the two continues to trad hellacious shots until Figueroa landed a huge body shot that had Arakawa reeling all over the roing and referee Laurence Cole ruled a knock down.

The seond half of the fight was more of the same as the the fighters would not give an inch with Figueroa getting the better of each frame. As great as this war was, you never got the sense the at Arakawa could or would hurt Figueroa but that does not take away from this fight of the year candidate.

Figueroa, 135 lbs of Weslaco, TX won bu scores of 119-107, 118-108 and 118-108 and is now 22-0-1. Arakawa, 135 lbs of Tokyo, JP is now 24-3-1

“It’s what I’ve looked forward to since the beginning,” said Figueroa, who complained to his corner that he injured both his hands in the fight. “My respect to this guy. He can take a beating. We both took a beating. The only things that didn’t hold up were my hands.”

“The only thing I can say is Figueroa was very strong,” Arakawa said. “I was thinking about all the people that supported me up to this point to get to this level and that’s what kept me going.

Keith Thurman won the WBA Interim Welterweight title with a thrilling tenth round stoppage over Diego Chaves.

It was an exciting fight with both guys throwing and landing hard shots to the head and body. Thurman’s impact ful shots caused blood from the nose of Chaves as early as round six. Chaves contiued to fight string but was caught with a hard left hook to the body in round nine that sent him to the canvas. Thurman ended things in the tenth after a double left hook was followed by a huge right that sent Chaves to the canvas and the fight was stopped at :28 of round ten.

Thurman, 146 lbs of Clearwater, FL is now 21-0 with 19 knockouts. Chaves, 146 1/2 lbs of Argentina is now 22-1.

Thurman was awarded a $10,000 bonus by Golden Boy Promotions for the knockout of the night.

“I came in this fight to have multiple game plans,” Thurman said. “I knew he would be my toughest opponent. I wanted to punch him, I wanted to box him and later on, I was able to hit him with that beautiful body shot.

“You save the tools that you want to use for the later rounds. I had a feeling he was going to die out.”

“He connected very well on my temple and I couldn’t recuperate,” Chaves said. “I don’t regret that the referee stopped the fight. I thought I was winning the fight when they stopped it. I hope I get a rematch and come back soon.”

Follow all the action from the AT & T Center in San Antonio as former world champion Andre Berto battles Jesus Soto Karass. There will be two world championship bouts as Omar Figueroa battles Nihito Arakawa for the Interim WBC Lightweight title and Keith Thurman takes on Diego Chaves for the Interim WBA Welterweight title. The action begins at 9pm est / 6 pm pac

12 rounds–Welterweights–Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KO’s) vs Jesus Soto Karass (27-8-3, 17 KO’s)

Round 1 Soto Karass landing to the body…Jab from Berto..Right from Soto Karass hurts Berto..right…Counter right from Berto..Soto Karass lands another hard right…10-9 Soto Karass

Round 2 Berto lands a counter right..Soto Karass lands a left to the body and head…20-18 Soto Karass

Round 3 Berto lands a combination…Soto Karass lands a left and right..Counter right from Berto..left and right..jab..right…jab..Soto Karas lands a left hook…Left and right to the body from Berto..Soto Karass lands a left…Counter right from Berto..SK lands a left uppercut..29-28 SK

Round 4 Crisp left hook from Berto..Jab/short left uppercut from SK…double jab from Berto…left/right to body from SK..Left hook from Berto..Counter jab from SK…Huge counter left and flurry…Berto hurt...39-37 SK

Round 5 Berto hurt and his shoulder is injured….Berto is wobbling all over the place..49-46 SK

Round 6 Berto lands a left uppercut/left hook..left hook to the body…SK lands a left hook to the body and an uppercut...58-56 SK

Round 7 Berto lands a good body shot…SK lands a left to the body..straight right hand…3 uppercuts from Berto..lead right..Swelling around thr right eye of SK…3 left hooks from Berto..67-66 SK

Round 8 Straight right from SK..uppercut on inside..combination…swelling around left eye of Berto..left hook..straight right..Berto lands an uppercut..left uppercut from SK..right..counter..77-75 SK

Round 9 SK lands a straight right..Berto lands a right Uppercut..left from Berto..86-85 SK

Round 10 Berto backing SK up..left hook…95-95

Round 11 Counter left from Berto…shoRT SHOT AND DOWN GOES SK…Berto lands a left…straight right from SK…right and left…left to body from Berto..Right from SK..upercut from Berto…big shot from SK..left hook from Berto..Body.right from SK…105-103 Berto

Round 12 Toe to toe in the center of the ring…Right from SK..LEFT HOOK DOWN GOES BERTO….THE FIGHT IS OVER

12 Rounds–WBC INTERIM LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP–OMAR FIGUEROA (21-0-1, 17 KO’S) VS NIHITO ARAKAWA (24-2-1, 16 KO’S)

Round 1 Arakawa landing…3 punching combo from Figueroa..Big right..Right to the head..Phone booth fight…10-9 Figueroa

Round 2 Arakawa lands a left to the body..counter let to body from Figueroa..HUGE RIGHT HURTS ARAKAWA…HE TAKES A KNEE..Rigt to the body and left to the head from Figueroa..Arakawa coming back…20-17 Figueroa

Round 3 Body and head from Figueroa..Body from Arakawa…right from Figueroa..Left uppercut..2 lefts from Arakawa…hard left..left uppercut from Figueroa..double right to the head..right…hellacuous shots…a war...30-26 Figueroa..

Round 4 Accidental head butt causes cut on Figueroa’s nose..Left hooks by both men…counter from Arakawa..Left hook from Figueroa..Left to head and body from Arakawa…3 hard shots from Figueroa..right and left to the body from Arakawa..39-36 Figueroa

Round 5 Left hurts Arakawa..49-45 Figueroa

Round 6 Right from Figueroa..Right uppercut and right..Right hands stuns Arakawa…right and left…on ROPES RULED A KNOCKDOWN...59-53 Figueroa

Round 7 Straight left from Arakawa..Double left and right from Figueroa..Arakawa works body…69-62 Figueroa

Round 8 Left from Figueroa…Right..Right..Right…double left hand…swelling around left eye of Arakawa…Figueroa batering and hurting Arakawa..left hook..79-71 Figueroa

Round 9 Right from Figueroa…great uppercut and left hook..counter from Arakawa..89-80 Figueroa

Round 10 Figueroa lands a left to the liver..flurry off the ropes..99-89 Figueroa

Round 11 Arakawa lands a combination on the ropes…Figueroa lands a straight right..Arakawa landing in the ropes..Right to body and left to the head by Figueroa..Right from Arakawa..left upper cut/right from Figueroa..108-99 Figueroa

Round 12 Figueroa lands power shots..Right…this is a bloody war…wow…great 118-108 Figueroa

118-108. 118-108 and 119-107

12 ROUNDS–WBA INTERIM WELTERWEIGHT TITLE–DIEGO CHAVES (22-0, 18 KOS) VS KEITH THURMAN (20-0, 18 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Chaves jabs to the body..Jab..Thurman lands a left hook..Right to the boy..Chaves lands a left to the body..Thurman lands a left to the body and head..Chaves lands with a combination..10-9 Chaves

Round 2 Right from Chaves..Thurman lands a double left hook…right…19-19

Round 3 Chaves lands a left..Good counter from Thurman…good left hook…Jab..Thurman lands a right lead…counter from Chaves…29-28 Thurman

Round 4</strong...3 hard shots from Thurman..good left...39-37 Thurman