Alejandro Meneses Stops Sam Maxwell to Score IBO Title at 140!
At the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, rising British junior welterweight contender Sam Maxwell (16-1, 11 KOs) took on Mexico’s Alejandro Meneses (16-5, 9 KOs) in a twelve-round contest. Ranked number eight by the WBO at 140 pounds, Maxwell came in as the house fighter. The 33-year-old resident of Liverpool had been climbing up the British boxing ladder. He earned that world ranking with a seventh-round TKO win over Connor Parker in November 2019. In his last outing, Maxwell scored a controversial unanimous decision win over the elusive Akeem Ennis-Brown in August of 2021.
He faced a Meneses, who, on paper, didn’t have the resume to match Maxwell. However, the 32-year-old came in riding a three-fight winning streak and is a product of the tough Mexican boxing circuit.
AN OPEN TARGET
Meneses got off to a cracking start as he used the counter right-hand to stun Maxwell in the opening round. That seemed to wake Maxwell up, who began to work the jab and step to the Mexican and find a home for his own right hand. But, he made the mistake of being predictable with his shots and not getting off the center-line. With seventy seconds left in the fourth, the Brit went down from a right hand behind the ear. However, he bounced back and fought hard to end the round.
Maxwell seemed to have made the proper adjustments in rounds five and six. Not only did he pump the jab into overdrive, but he was more responsible defensively, fighting with a higher guard.
SAME PUNCH OVER AND OVER
Just when it seemed like he was starting to gain control, the power of Meneses continued to show itself. A big counter left hook badly hurt Maxwell late in round seven. He was also shaken from a Meneses right hand at the midway point in round eight. With sixty-four seconds to go in the ninth, Maxwell went down for the second time from yet another Meneses right hand.
At this point, the accumulation of right-hand bombs took its toll. With Maxwell visibly hurt, Meneses pounced. He poured on the punches until the referee Howard Bryant had seen enough, and waved a halt to the contest.
Meneses established himself as the power-puncher and couldn’t miss with the right hand. With the win, he captured the vacant IBO 140 pound title and now becomes a player in the junior welterweight division.
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By: Michael Wilson Jr.
