Fulton Vs Roman- No harmony at the Armory + WBC Stats

By James Blears

Stephen Fulton 20-0, 8 KO`s,  has a mandatory defense of his unified WBC and WBO titles against former WBA and IBF Champion Danny Roman 29-3-1, 10 KO`s on Saturday June 4^th at the Armory in Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Neither are chilling power punchers, but both can box and fight, which puts them one step ahead of Fred Astaire, although Fred certainly had boxer`s hands!  In winning the WBC Green and Gold Belt, Stephen had to meet temper and blunt the windmill onslaught of switch hitting Omar Figueroa. It was a test under intense fire, which Stephen dealt with, using precise counter punching marksmanship, vim…because he took a few, and defense skills, because he deflected some more of Omar`s occasionally flailing blows on the forearms and gloves. The way to sabotage a windmill is to blunt its grindstone.

Back in the roaring twenties Gene Tunney found out the hard way how damaging the rotor blades of a windmill can be, unless you becalm it. He was fighting Harry Greb “The Pittsburgh Windmill.” In their first encounter Gene was 40-0-1. Rugged Harry was 195-11-17. Harry inflicted Gene`s first and only defeat, over fifteen gory rounds before adjourning to a Speakeasy. Gene spent the next week in bed. Gene won three of their next encounters and the other was a draw. Hard times, which would make even Charles Bronson wince…and even blush?

In Danny, Stephen`s encountering a pressure fighter, but in contrast to Omar “The Heartbreaker,” who opts to  wear down, Danny picks his punches more selectively. Danny is fond of body punching and utilizes uppercuts to good effect. On the minus side Danny tends to be vulnerable to left hooks and because he often stays in close, he`s a give and take fighter.

A stolen bicycle got Muhammad Ali into boxing. A stolen soccer ball got Danny into the ring. He tried to grab it back and got beaten up. The next day Dad took him to the gym for him to be taught the noble art of self defence, so he`d found his natural goal. Stephen had a tough start in life. His Dad served a ten year prison sentence before rejoining the family and introduced him to boxing.

Little to choose between them in the stats apart from the age, which could be significant.  Danny aged thirty two is five feet five inches tall and has a sixty eight inch reach. While Stephen who`s almost five  years younger stands five feet six inches tall and his reach is but one inch less.

Stephen`s nickname is Cool Boy Steph and is describes him to a tee. He`s calm, collected. A cool customer and a cool operator. He can initiate, assimilate, calculate, box, fight and think his way out of tight corners.

Danny is more an instinctive fighter, but he too can take stock and up the tempo. In adding the IBF title to his crown in defeating TJ Doheny he came up against a rock hard southpaw, who was happy to brawl all night long. Danny put him down with a cracking left hook in the third. A big left hook put Danny down in the seventh. He then had to withstand severe pressure. Danny put down TJ with a left to the body in the eleventh. A decisive factor in winning a thrilling MD.

In losing his titles to Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 10-0, 7 KO`s after suffering a shoulder injury and only having  a six weeks training camp, Danny made a slow start. He was getting caught with a lot of left hooks. Yet he then warmed to his task inflicting some crunching body shots and his trademark uppercuts. Danny`s corner dealt well with a nasty cut on his right eyelid, but the rough- hewn challenger from Chust, Uzbekistan, showed more aggression throughout, although Danny finished stronger.

To win this fight, Danny simply can`t afford a slow start. If that happens, he won`t catch up. He must begin as he means to go on, firing on all cylinders, maintaining constant pressure or the rounds will slip away from him.

Stephen`s performance in winning his first title against Angelo Lee, showed what a complete boxer he really is. Given the opportunity and the extra step of space in which to get leverage, he dominated for a convincing victory.  He can fight close in, but prefers middle distance. He strategizes pressure in order to deflect it.  Danny won`t outbox Stephen, but unremitting intensity, non-stop high tempo action via punch output is an important key.

Stephen doesn`t make many mistakes under pressure, but even less fighting at middle distance using his accurate path finding jab. Danny`s best chance is to force Stephen into an all- out pitched battle. Stephen`s salvation will be avoiding that, by boxing to his best.

All fighters who are nicknamed Baby Faced Assassin lose their cherubic features along the way. Yet Danny hasn`t lost that youthful slimness of build, which although not waif like, belies his mettle, fire within and teak toughness. By contrast Stephen is more robust and also very strong for super bantamweight.  The difference is that he`s undefeated.

Danny who knows this realistically might be his last chance to be a world champion and his first opportunity to be a Green and Gold world champion, has said that it`s not going to the scorecards, so we`re in for a thriller. All or nothing!  Four aces or a busted flush?

Also an opportunity to add to the charm of Minneapolis` made all the more famous by Rhoda Morgenstern.

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL

Jose Sulaimán

WBC HONORARY POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME PRESIDENT (+)     

  Mauricio SulaimánWBC PRESIDENT 

WBC STATS 

WBC SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

ARMORYMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, USA

JUNE 4, 2022

 TV: USA SHOWTIME   

THIS WILL BE THE WBC’S 2, 140 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE   FIGHT   IN   THE   FIFTY-NINE YEAR HISTORY OF THE WBC

TOM BROWN & TGB PROMOTIONS, PRESENTS:

STEPHEN FULTON (US)

WBC Champion

Nationality:           USA

Date of Birth:        July 17, 1994

Birthplace:    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Record:                 20-0-0, 8 ko’s

Resides in:     Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

KO%:                   40.0 %

Alias:                    Cool Boy Steph

Age:                      27

Guard:                  Orthodox

Total rounds:         131

World title fights:   2 (2-0-0)

Trainer:                Wahid Raheem

Advisory:              Al Haymon

Promoter:              TGB Promotions

DANIEL ROMAN (US)

WBC OFFICIAL CHALLENGER/no. 2

Nationality:           USA

Date of Birth:        May 10, 1990

Birthplace:            Los Angeles, California

Record:                 29-3-1, 10 ko’s

Resides in:             Los Angeles, California

KO%:                   30.3 %

Alias:        Danny The Baby fase Assassin

Age:                      32

Guard:                  Orthodox

Total rounds:         233

World title fights:  6 (5-1-0)

Trainer:                Eddie Gonzalez

Manager:               Tom Brown

Promoter:              TGB Promotions

WBC SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

NAME                                                        PERIOD AS CHAMPION

1. RIGOBERTO RIASCO (PAN) 1976
2. ROYAL KOBAYASHI (JAP) 1976
3. DONG-KYUN YUM (KOR) 1976 – 1977
4. WILFREDO GOMEZ (P. RICO) 1977 – 1982
5. JAIME GARZA (US) 1983 – 1984
6. JUAN MEZA (US) 1984 – 1985
7. LUPE PINTOR (MEX) 1985 – 1986
8. SAMART PAYAKAROON (THAI) 1986 – 1987
9. JEFF FENECH (AUST) 1987 – 1988
10. DANIEL ZARAGOZA (MEX) 1988 – 1990
11. PAUL BANKE (US) 1990
12. PEDRO DECIMA (ARG) 1990 – 1991
13. KIYOSHI HATANAKA (JAP) 1991
14. DANIEL ZARAGOZA (MEX) * 1991 – 1992
15. THIERRY JACOB (FRA) 1992
16. TRACY PATTERSON (US) 1992 – 1994
17. HECTOR ACERO-SANCHEZ (DOM R.) 1994 – 1995
18. DANIEL ZARAGOZA (MEX) * 1995 – 1997
19. ERIK MORALES (MEX) 1997 – 2000
20. WILLIE JORRIN (US) 2000 – 2002
21. OSCAR LARIOS (MEX) 2002 – 2005
22. ISRAEL VAZQUEZ (MEX) 2005 – 2007
23. RAFAEL MARQUEZ (MEXICO) 2007
24. ISRAEL VAZQUEZ (MEXICO) * 2007 – 2008
25. TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA (JAPAN) 2008 – 2012
26. ABNER MARES (MEXICO) 2012 – 2013
27. VICTOR TERRAZAS (MEXICO) 2013
28. LEO SANTA CRUZ (MEXICO) 2013 – 2015
29. JULIO CEJA (MEXICO) 2015 – 2016
30. HUGO RUIZ (MEXICO) 2016
31. HOZUMI HASEGAWA (JAPAN) 2016-2017
32. TOMOKI KAMEDA (JAPAN)(INTERIM) 2018 – 2019
33. REY VARGAS (MEXICO) 2017 – 2020
34. LUIS NERY (MEXICO) 2020 – 2021
35. BRANDON FIGUEROA (US) 2021
36. STEPHEN FULTON (US) 2021 –

* REGAINED

WBC SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT TOP TEN CHAMPIONS

1. WILFREDO GOMEZ (P. RICO)
2. ERIK MORALES (MEXICO)
3. JEFF FENECH (AUSTRALIA)
4. DANIEL ZARAGOZA (MEXICO)
5. ISRAEL VAZQUEZ (MEXICO)
6. ABNER MARES (MEXICO)
7. LEO SANTA CRUZ (MEXICO)
8. TRACY PATTERSON (US)
9. OSCAR LARIOS (MEXICO)
10. ROYAL KOBAYASHI (JAPAN)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC

33 WORLD CHAMPIONS RECOGNIZED BY THE WBC OF WHICH ONLY 2 HAVE REGAINED THEIR TITLE:

DANIEL ZARAGOZA (MEXICO)

ISRAEL VAZQUEZ (MEXICO)

119 WORLD TITLE BOUTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC IN 11 COUNTRIES

THIS WILL BE THE 66^th. TITLE FIGHT OF WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN UNITED STATES IN SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC

WORLD SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BOUTS BY COUNTRY IN WBC HISTORY

US                               65

JAPAN                        21

PUERTO RICO          7

MEXICO                     7

KOREA                       7

THAILAND                3

AUSTRALIA               3

FRANCE                     2

PANAMA                    2

ENGLAND                  1

      ITALY                         1

TOTAL BOUTS        119

– IN THIS DIVISION WILFREDO GOMEZ (P. R) HOLDS THE TITLE DEFENSES RECORD WITH 17.

– DANIEL ZARAGOZA (MEXICO) WITH 14 DEFENSES IN THREE PERIODS AS WORLD CHAMPION.

WBC TITLE FIGHTS IN MINNESOTA STATE IN THE WBC HISTORY 

3 WORLD TITLE FIGHTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN MINNESOTA STATE IN THE WBC HISTORY

07/07/1980       LARRY HOLMES – SCOTT LEDOUX          TKO 7         BLOOMINGTON       HE

07/07/1980       SAOUL MAMBY – ESTEBAN DE JESUS    TKO 13       BLOOMINGTON       SL

23/02/2019       ANTHONY DIRRELL – AVNI YILDIRIM   TDEC 10    MINNEAPOLIS          SM

WBC MEMORABLE  SUPERBANTAMWEIGHT FIGHTS

28/10/1978       WILFREDO GOMEZ – CARLOS ZARATE                       TKO 5                 SAN JUAN

27/03/1982       WILFREDO GOMEZ – JUAN MEZA                                 TKO 6                 ATLANTIC CITY

03/12/1982       WILFREDO GOMEZ – LUPE PINTOR                              TKO 14               NEW ORLEANS

16/10/1987       JEFF FENECH – CARLOS ZARATE                                  TDEC 5               SYDNEY

29/02/1988       DANIEL ZARAGOZA – CARLOS ZARATE                      TKO 10               INGLEWOOD

22/06/1989       DANIEL ZARAGOZA – PAUL BANKE                              DEC 12               INGLEWOOD

23/04/1990       PAUL BANKE – DANIEL ZARAGOZA                              KO 9                    INGLEWOOD

09/12/1991       DANIEL ZARAGOZA – PAUL BANKE                              DEC 12               INGLEWOOD

05/12/1992       TRACY PATTERSON – DANIEL ZARAGOZA                DRAW 12           BERCK

02/06/1995       HECTO ACERO SANCHEZ – DANIEL ZARAGOZA      DRAW 12           LEDYARD

06/11/1995       DANIEL ZARAGOZA – HECTOR ACERO SANCHEZ   DEC 12               INGLEWOOD

05/03/1996       DANIEL ZARAGOZA – JOICHIRO TATSUYOSHI         TKO 11               YOKOHAMA

11/01/1997       DANIEL ZARAGOZA – WAYNE MCCULLOUGH         DEC 12               BOSTON

14/04/1997       DANIEL ZARAGOZA – JOICHIRO TATSUYOSHI         DEC 12               OSAKA

06/09/1997       ERIK MORALES – DANIEL ZARAGOZA                         KO 11                  EL PASO

22/10/1999       ERIK MORALES – WAYNE MCCULLOUGH                  DEC 12               DETROIT

19/02/2000       ERIK MORALES – MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA       DEC 12               LAS VEGAS

17/05/2002       OSCAR LARIOS – ISRAEL VAZQUEZ (INTERIM)        TKO 12               SACRAMENTO

16/07/2005       OSCAR LARIOS – WAYNE MCCULLOUGH                   TKO 10               LAS VEGAS

03/12/2005       ISRAEL VAZQUEZ – OSCAR LARIOS                              TKO 3                 LAS VEGAS

16/09/2006       ISRAEL VAZQUEZ – JHONNY GONZALEZ                    TKO 10               LAS VEGAS

03/03/2007       RAFAEL MARQUEZ – ISRAEL VAZQUEZ                      TKO 7                 CARSON

04/08/2007       ISRAEL VAZQUEZ – RAFAEL MARQUEZ                     TKO 6                 HIDALGO

01/03/2008       ISRAEL VAZQUEZ – RAFAEL MARQUEZ                     DEC 12               CARSON

23/05/2009       TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA – JHONNY GONZALEZ              TKO 3                 MONTERREY

01/10/2011       TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA – RAFAEL MARQUEZ                UD 12                  LAS VEGAS

21/04/2012       ABNES MARES – ERIC MOREL (VACANT)                   UD 12                  EL PASO

13/10/2012       NONITO DONAIRE – TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA                   TKO 9                 CARSON

10/11/2012       ABNER MARES – ANSELMO MORENO                           UD 12                  LOS ANGELES

20/04/2013       VICTOR TERRAZAS – CRISTIAN MIJARES                  SD 12                   MEXICO CITY

08/03/2014       LEO SANTA CRUZ – CHRISTIAN MIJARES                   UD 12                  LAS VEGAS

29/08/2015       JULIO CEJA – HUGO RUIZ                                                 TKO 5                 LOS ANGELES

27/02/2016       HUGO RUIZ – JULIO CEJA                                                 TKO 1                 ANAHEIM

13/07/2019       REY VARGAS – TOMOKI KAMEDA                                 UD 12                  CARSON