UPDATE
Four of the world’s top bantamweights battled in “The Bantamweight Tournament: Winner Takes All” semifinal bouts on Dec. 11 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma.
In the two-stage, single-elimination tournament of 118-pounders, former IBF world bantamweight title holder Joseph Agbeko (28-2-0, 22 KOs) defeated IBF world bantamweight champion Yohnny Perez (20-1-1, 14 KOs) while the undefeated Abner Mares (21-0-1, 13 KOs) won a split decision over two-division world champion Vic Darchinyan (35-3-1, 27 KOs).
Click here to read a review and recap of these top fights by proboxing-fans.com. For a report by fightnews.com that includes more fights from the evening’s card, click here.
Joseph Agbeko (right) won a unanimous decision over Yohnny Perez on Dec. 11.
Photo courtesy of Todd Dearinger
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Original news release:
Four of the world’s top bantamweights will battle it out in “The Bantamweight Tournament: Winner Takes All” semifinal bouts on Dec. 11 at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma.
The two-stage, single-elimination tournament of 118-pounders will feature International Boxing Federation world bantamweight champion Yohnny Perez (20-0-1, 14 KOs), two-division world champion Vic Darchinyan (35-2-1, 27 KOs), former IBF world bantamweight title holder Joseph Agbeko (27-2-0, 22 KOs) and undefeated Abner Mares (20-0-1, 13 KOs).
“One of the big complaints about boxing is all the great fighters avoid each other. That’s not what’s happening here,” said Brian Halquist, who is co-promoting the event with Gary Shaw Productions, Golden Boy Promotions, Thompson Boxing Promotions and Don King Productions. “You have four of the best fighters in the world going at it. Washington state has never had a card like this.”
Perez defends his IBF world title against Agbeko in one semifinal match-up, while Darchinyan and Mares vie for the International Boxing Organization title in the other semifinal bout.
The bouts are scheduled for 12 rounds. The winners will clash in the finals in 2011 with the losing fighters competing in a consolation fight.
The eight-bout card begins at 6 p.m. Showtime will televise the fights live at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Local boxers appearing on the undercard include Seattle fighter Rob Diezel (4-1), who stands 5’8″ and weighs 131 pounds. He will face Jorge Espinoza (6-0), a 5’8″ 130-pounder from Marysville, Calif.
