Sunday 17 July 2016 15:40, UK
An intriguing night of boxing on both sides of the Atlantic threw up countless talking points, so let's take stock...
Deontay Wilder's right hand is one of the most feared shots in the heavyweight division but against Chris Arreola, he had to rely on his left to earn him the eight-round stoppage victory. 'The Bronze Bomber' broke his hand earlier in his career and revealed after retaining his WBC heavyweight title that it has happened again.
There were flashes of brilliance throughout what initially seemed a strange performance from the champion, who sported an open wound on his right elbow even before the bout began. That he managed to cut Arreola around the right eye and cause severe swelling of the left shows the accuracy and power of Wilder's jab and left hook.
If Wilder's prospective opponents found reasons to be cheerful, they may wish to reassess his efficiency in halting a three-time world title challenger without the use of his greatest weapon.
Giovanni De Carolis was short-changed by the judges in Germany, but still kept hold of his WBA world super-middleweight title with a majority draw with youngster Tyrone Zeuge. The ringside judge who scored the fight in favour of Zeuge must have been particularly taken with the early hand speed of the home fighter, who was otherwise outmuscled by the champion.
How technically proficient De Carolis would look against likely challengers such as George Groves remains to be seen, but his physical attributes are impressive - he wore several clean shots from Zeuge without fuss and his own assaults looked meaningful. In a division packed with big names, De Carolis looks a solid if unspectacular world champion.
When Arthur Abraham handed over the WBO world super-middleweight title that has known his waist as its home for so long, he could easily have retired. Instead, Armenia's most famous boxing export opted to begin a quest to win a world title for a fourth time. Having lost to Gilberto Ramirez on his Las Vegas debut, Abraham was back in action in his familiar surroundings of Germany.
Tim Robin Lihaug was a decent enough opponent to choose for a comeback bout, too. Abraham has never excelled at blowing opponents away, despite heavy hands. His trademark formula of breaking down his foes with calculated but heavy late-round assaults paid dividends as he landed on the Norwegian with increasing accuracy. An eighth-round stoppage will have restored his confidence and ensures he remains of relevance to the world title scene.
The mysterious Cuban artiste made his belated British debut with a two-round stoppage of Jazza Dickens in Cardiff and while some felt the spectacle was anti-climactic, Rigondeaux put to bed the myth he can't punch. With a blistering overhand left out of his southpaw stance, he broke Dickens' heart and, it seemed, his jaw.
Boxing aficionados have long celebrated Rigondeaux's smooth style but the former amateur great has also been on the receiving end of criticism for not finishing enough of his opponents. On this occasion, the WBA Super world super-bantamweight will head back to his Miami base having served up a reminder that he has the accuracy and purpose in his punches to match his undoubted technical talent.
There was ill feeling before, during and - momentarily - after Liam Williams' dramatic late stoppage of Gary Corcoran. It made for a terrific fight, as both men came out swinging before settling into a macho rhythm only brought to a halt by a brutal finish.
With the atmosphere surrounding the bout clearly leaving both struggling to focus on gameplans, Williams was at times guilty of neglecting his superior technique in favour of slugging it out with his enemy. Corcoran was all heart and landed some impressive work of his own - even after sustaining a nasty cut on his left eyelid in the fourth session. It was unfortunate to see Williams continue the taunting after the stoppage and a relief to see them make peace eventually.
