By Francisco Salazar

Turning Stone Casino, Verona, New York - In a bout featuring middleweights in need of a win, Willie Monroe was able to do just that, remaining in contender status for the time being.

Monroe returned from a 13-month layoff to outbox John Thompson over 10 rounds to win a unanimous decision at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y.

Monroe, who resides in nearby Rochester, improves to 20-2, 6 KOs. Thompson falls to 17-3, 6 KOs.

It was the first fight for Monroe since his sixth round knockout loss to Gennady Golovkin in May of last year. Thompson had not fought since October 10, when he was stopped in the seventh round at the hands of Liam Smith.

Thompson fought mostly from a southpaw stance during the first half of the fight, but it was Monroe who was the more effective fighter. Monroe outboxed Thompson, countering him with left crosses or right hooks.

It was a right hook that dropped Thompson midway through the second round. Thompson was not visibly hurt, but there was no sense of urgency by him during the first half of the fight.

Towards the end of fifth round, Monroe dropped Thompson with a right jab to the head.

Thompson switched to a conventional stance by the seventh round, pressing the action as the bout moved towards the final rounds. Sensing he was ahead, Monroe was content to stay on the outside and box Thompson.

All three judges scored the bout in favor of Monroe, 99-89, 96-92, and 95-93.

Heavyweight Andrey Fedosov dropped Mario Heredia four times during their scheduled 10 round bout, eventually getting the stoppage win in the sixth round.

Fedosov (29-3, 24 KOs) was the aggressor during the fight, eventually breaking down the Mexican fighter.

Fedosov dropped Heredia once in each of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds. After the knockdown in the sixth round, referee Dick Pakozdi saved Heredia from further punishment, stopping the bout at 1:33.

Heredia drops to 13-2, 11 KOs.

With the local fans behind him, middleweight contender Willie Monroe Jr. (20-2, 6 KO) returned for the first time since suffering a knockout loss last May at the hands of division king Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin, and scored two knockdowns on his way to win a ten round unanimous decision over John Thompson (17-3, 6 KO).

Monroe was on his toes for the entire fight, boxing and moving. He scored a flash knockdown in the second round and then another in the fifth when he landed a hard jab to Thompson's head. Sensing that he was well ahead, Monroe coasted for most of the final three rounds. The scores were 96-92, 95-93 and 99-89.

Heavyweight contender Andrey Fedosov (28-3, 24KOs) beat up Mario Heredia (13-2) with a sixth round TKO. Heredia went down four times in the fight.

Welterweight  Oscar Sarmiento (3-0-1, 1 KO) won a four round unanimous decision over Jose Miguel de la Rosa (3-1, 1 KO). All three judges had it  39-37.

Miguel Trejo (5-0, 4 KO) put away La’Torrie Woodberry (0-2-1, 0 KO) in the first round of a junior middleweight bout.