On This Day in Boxing… April 21st

2012.- Abner Mares conquers his second division

At the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas, Mexico’s Abner Mares demonstrated his hierarchy by defeating former Puerto Rican world champion Eric Morel by unanimous decision. With this victory, Mares captured the vacant WBC super bantamweight title, becoming a world champion in two different divisions and reaffirming his status as one of the most solid figures in Mexican boxing. Mares imposed a frantic pace from the opening bell, using effective combinations that neutralized Morel’s experience. The judges’ scorecards were overwhelming: 120-107, 119-109, and 117-111.

2014.- Delfine Persoon consecrates herself before her public

In an intense battle held in Zwevezele, Belgium, local fighter Delfine Persoon defeated Argentina’s Erica “La Pantera” Farías, proclaiming herself the new WBC world lightweight champion. Persoon managed to overcome the aggressiveness of the Argentine in a duel of unification of styles, winning by unanimous decision with cards of 96-92, 96-92, and 96-93. This triumph not only granted her the green and gold belt, but also began a long period of supremacy in the division, consolidating her as the best Belgian female boxer in history and one of the most dominant globally.

2018.- Jermall Charlo and an anthology knockout in Brooklyn

The Barclays Center in Brooklyn witnessed the meteoric rise of Jermall Charlo, who liquidated Hugo Centeno Jr. in devastating fashion in the second round of a fight scheduled for 12 rounds. Charlo connected a lightning-fast combination of three punches that culminated with a left hook and a power right, sending Centeno to the canvas without the possibility of recovery. With this victory by KO, Charlo was awarded the WBC interim middleweight title, positioning himself as the mandatory challenger of the division and demonstrating that his punch was one of the most feared at 160 pounds.