On three weeks’ notice, ‘Magic’ Mike Plania cast a spell in Las Vegas to drop WBO No.1 118lbs contender Joshua Greer Jr. twice en route to an upset, majority decision victory at the MGM Grand Conference Center – Grand Ballroom on Tuesday night.
Filipino Plania (24-1, 12 KOs) knocked down Greer in the first and sixth rounds before the American mounted a late comeback though the underdog already had enough rounds in the bank. Scores were 97-91, 96-92 and 94-94.
“This win is going to change my life,” said Plania (24-1, 12 KOs). “I thought I could knock him out after the knockdown in the first round, but he was tough and adjusted his strategy. I took this fight on only three weeks’ notice, but I had faith in God that I could win.”
In other action, San Diego welterweight Giovani Santillan (26-0, 15 KOs) eked out a majority decision over former WBC lightweight champion Anthony DeMarco. Scores were 96-94 (twice) and 95-95 in a close call that some observers had Mexican DeMarco winning.
“I knew it was a close fight, but I felt like I did enough solid work in there to pull out the win,” said Santillan. “He never hurt me at any point in the fight, but he used his experience in there. He’s a former world champion who has been in there with the best of the best. I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible and use this experience to my advantage.”
Meanwhile, junior middleweight hope Bobirzhan Mominov (11-0, 8 KOs) outworked Cameron Krael (17-16-3, 4 KOs) to earn a unanimous decision. Scores were 58-55 (twice) and 57-56. Mominov was deducted a point for hitting behind the head in the sixth round.
Heavyweight Hector Perez (7-2, 3 KOs) prevailed via unanimous decision over Juan Torres (5-3-1, 2 KOs). Scores were 60-54 and 59-55 (twice).
Middleweight prospect Nikoloz ‘The Experiment’ Sekhniashvili (6-0, 4 KOs) cruised to a six-round unanimous decision over Detroit’s Isiah Jones (8-2, 3 KOs). Scores were 60-54 (twice) and 59-55.