Video by Luis A. Cortes III
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Showing posts with label Stephen Fulton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen Fulton. Show all posts
Saturday, February 12, 2022
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Showtime Stumbles in 2020 Barclays Debut
By Milo Taibi
Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza came under heavy scrutiny in 2019 for the network's boxing coverage. Desirable PBC events went to Fox pay-per-view or Fox cable networks, while Showtime had to settle for pedestrian fight cards. In the wake of HBO's departure from the sweet science, it was fair to wonder if premium TV wasn't long for boxing.
To Espinoza's credit, he and the network remained steadfast in their dedication to boxing, rolling out a stellar schedule for the first quarter of 2020. By the time Showtime arrived in Brooklyn for its Jan. 25th broadcast, the network had already staged two previous events in the year. Claressa Shields kicked the year off with a Jan. 10th title defense over Ivana Habazin, and Shohjahon Ergashev headlined a Jan. 17th ShoBox from Sloan, Iowa. These entertaining events provided upsets- such as Elin Cederroos' triumph over Alicia Napoleon Espinosa- and viral knockouts, like Ergashev's sickening body shot stoppage of Adrian Estrella.
However, it would be a herculean task to maintain this success throughout the year. And indeed, Showtime's momentum fell flat at the Barclays Center. The night featured a triple-header of Stephen Fulton vs. Arnold Khegai, Jarrett Hurd vs. Francisco Santana, and Danny Garcia vs. Ivan Redkach. Many in boxing circles had correctly predicted that Fulton vs. Khegai would steal the show; what pundits didn't anticipate was the co-main and main event being comprised of 22 uncompetitive rounds of boxing.
The super bantamweight scrap between "Cool Boy" Fulton and Khegai offered a terrific clash of styles. Khegai, the bruiser, used relentless pressure and dirty tactics to bully Fulton in early rounds. A pure boxer, Stephen survived these scares and used his superior footwork to claim a wide decision. Similar to fellow Philadelphian Jaron "Boots" Ennis, Fulton used Showtime's exposure to put himself on the map with an early 2020 victory.
The night's malaise started with Jarrett Hurd's tune-up fight with Francisco Santana. A journeyman who was fighting up a weight class, Santana posed no threat to Hurd. The fight amounted to a 10-round sparring session; an opportunity for Hurd to shake off the ring rust after he'd been unseated for the WBA and IBF titles by Julian "J Rock" Williams. As Paulie Malignaggi astutely pointed out on the Showtime Boxing Podcast, there's nothing wrong with Hurd taking this type of fight to ease himself back into contention. The problem is subjecting premium TV viewers to a fight devoid of stakes. Whereas Fulton's fight whetted the public's appetite for a world title shot, Hurd's fight had an opposite effect. Rather, many fans wondered aloud what happened to the old Jarrett Hurd.
Accomplished welterweight Danny "Swift" Garcia closed the show with a stay-busy fight against Ivan Redkach. While not an ideal main event, the fight was practical as each boxer had more preferable matchups fall through in a similar timeframe. Garcia had been slated to face Errol Spence Jr. before "The Truth" was injured in a car crash. Meanwhile, Redkach was reportedly set to fight Adrien Broner, before myriad legal issues sidelined the Cincinnati native.
Redkach's cagey nature, coupled with Garcia's counter-punching prowess, ostensibly could have led to fun exchanges and an early night. This was not to be, as Redkach's inability to close distance led to a shutout decision win for Garcia. The only memorable moment from the fight came when Redkach bit Garcia's shoulder in the eighth round.
Garcia did all that he could to finish Redkach, and in his post-fight interview cited frustration with referee Benjy Esteves for not stopping the fight. The remark was warranted. Following a brutal 2019 which saw two boxers in US events succumb to injuries suffered in the ring, a sport-wide priority needs to be circumventing senseless punishment. After the 7th or 8th round, when it was plainly obvious that Redkach had no path to victory, either Esteves, a ringside physician, or trainer Jack Mosley should have stepped in to stop the contest.
Though the fight won't be remembered as a fan favorite, Garcia's win left him well-positioned for a potential pay-per-view showdown with Manny Pacquiao. And, similarly, Showtime remains primed for a bounce-back 2020 despite Saturday's misfire. ShoBox has two events scheduled through February, and Gary Russell Jr.'s Feb. 8th featherweight title defense against Tugstsogt Nyambayar has the potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate. Boxing is better off with Showtime at the top of its game; let's hope Saturday night proved to be an anomaly.
Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza came under heavy scrutiny in 2019 for the network's boxing coverage. Desirable PBC events went to Fox pay-per-view or Fox cable networks, while Showtime had to settle for pedestrian fight cards. In the wake of HBO's departure from the sweet science, it was fair to wonder if premium TV wasn't long for boxing.
To Espinoza's credit, he and the network remained steadfast in their dedication to boxing, rolling out a stellar schedule for the first quarter of 2020. By the time Showtime arrived in Brooklyn for its Jan. 25th broadcast, the network had already staged two previous events in the year. Claressa Shields kicked the year off with a Jan. 10th title defense over Ivana Habazin, and Shohjahon Ergashev headlined a Jan. 17th ShoBox from Sloan, Iowa. These entertaining events provided upsets- such as Elin Cederroos' triumph over Alicia Napoleon Espinosa- and viral knockouts, like Ergashev's sickening body shot stoppage of Adrian Estrella.
However, it would be a herculean task to maintain this success throughout the year. And indeed, Showtime's momentum fell flat at the Barclays Center. The night featured a triple-header of Stephen Fulton vs. Arnold Khegai, Jarrett Hurd vs. Francisco Santana, and Danny Garcia vs. Ivan Redkach. Many in boxing circles had correctly predicted that Fulton vs. Khegai would steal the show; what pundits didn't anticipate was the co-main and main event being comprised of 22 uncompetitive rounds of boxing.
The super bantamweight scrap between "Cool Boy" Fulton and Khegai offered a terrific clash of styles. Khegai, the bruiser, used relentless pressure and dirty tactics to bully Fulton in early rounds. A pure boxer, Stephen survived these scares and used his superior footwork to claim a wide decision. Similar to fellow Philadelphian Jaron "Boots" Ennis, Fulton used Showtime's exposure to put himself on the map with an early 2020 victory.
The night's malaise started with Jarrett Hurd's tune-up fight with Francisco Santana. A journeyman who was fighting up a weight class, Santana posed no threat to Hurd. The fight amounted to a 10-round sparring session; an opportunity for Hurd to shake off the ring rust after he'd been unseated for the WBA and IBF titles by Julian "J Rock" Williams. As Paulie Malignaggi astutely pointed out on the Showtime Boxing Podcast, there's nothing wrong with Hurd taking this type of fight to ease himself back into contention. The problem is subjecting premium TV viewers to a fight devoid of stakes. Whereas Fulton's fight whetted the public's appetite for a world title shot, Hurd's fight had an opposite effect. Rather, many fans wondered aloud what happened to the old Jarrett Hurd.
Accomplished welterweight Danny "Swift" Garcia closed the show with a stay-busy fight against Ivan Redkach. While not an ideal main event, the fight was practical as each boxer had more preferable matchups fall through in a similar timeframe. Garcia had been slated to face Errol Spence Jr. before "The Truth" was injured in a car crash. Meanwhile, Redkach was reportedly set to fight Adrien Broner, before myriad legal issues sidelined the Cincinnati native.
Redkach's cagey nature, coupled with Garcia's counter-punching prowess, ostensibly could have led to fun exchanges and an early night. This was not to be, as Redkach's inability to close distance led to a shutout decision win for Garcia. The only memorable moment from the fight came when Redkach bit Garcia's shoulder in the eighth round.
Garcia did all that he could to finish Redkach, and in his post-fight interview cited frustration with referee Benjy Esteves for not stopping the fight. The remark was warranted. Following a brutal 2019 which saw two boxers in US events succumb to injuries suffered in the ring, a sport-wide priority needs to be circumventing senseless punishment. After the 7th or 8th round, when it was plainly obvious that Redkach had no path to victory, either Esteves, a ringside physician, or trainer Jack Mosley should have stepped in to stop the contest.
Though the fight won't be remembered as a fan favorite, Garcia's win left him well-positioned for a potential pay-per-view showdown with Manny Pacquiao. And, similarly, Showtime remains primed for a bounce-back 2020 despite Saturday's misfire. ShoBox has two events scheduled through February, and Gary Russell Jr.'s Feb. 8th featherweight title defense against Tugstsogt Nyambayar has the potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate. Boxing is better off with Showtime at the top of its game; let's hope Saturday night proved to be an anomaly.
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Thursday, January 9, 2020
STEPHEN FULTON "WHEN THEY TALK PHILLY BOXING, I WANT THEM TO MENTION MY NAME!"
Video by Luis A. Cortes III
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Wednesday, May 15, 2019
J-Roc Crashed the Party and Left with Hurd's Belts
By Frank Bartolini, Ringside
Fairfax, VA - The EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University played host to the WBA and IBF Super Welterweight Champion Jarrett Hurd, Accokeek, MD, homecoming jubilee. Philadelphia’s Julian “J-Roc” Williams crashed the party and left with Hurd’s belts.
Fairfax, VA - The EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University played host to the WBA and IBF Super Welterweight Champion Jarrett Hurd, Accokeek, MD, homecoming jubilee. Philadelphia’s Julian “J-Roc” Williams crashed the party and left with Hurd’s belts.
All those in attendance loudly cheered for Hurd as
he entered the ring in Redskins gear. Then there was a collective gasp when
ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr announce that Harold Lederman had pass away
earlier in the day.
From the opening bell, Williams applied
pressure on the champion. Expecting Williams,153.8 lbs, to box from a distance, Hurd,153.8 lbs, looked baffled when the challenger employed a in your face
approach. Unable to quickly adjust to Williams,
Hurd hit the deck in the second after absorbing a quick combo to the head
followed by a left hook. Once Hurd regained his faculties, he may have realized
Williams' strength was almost equal to his. Unable to employ his customary
bullying tactics, Hurd was behind the eight ball. Hurd admitted this saying: “He
was a lot sharper and a little better than I thought. They had a game plan that
worked better.”
Getting his bearings a few rounds into the contest, Hurd futilely tried to employ any limited
physical superiority he possessed to no avail. During round eight, Hurd was cut over his left eye. Battling with true
grit and determination, Hurd was able to bag a few rounds. J-Roc never let go
of the momentum he obtained in round one continuously snapping Hurd's head back
with uppercuts. Throughout the affair, Williams utilized a nifty move when he
backed Hurd against the ropes by stepping to his right as if he was throwing a
right hand and releasing a blind side left hook to the chin. This tactic caught
Hurd several times and buckled his knees.
Closing the show, Williams dominated a worn out Hurd in the last round.
Just looking at the expression on Hurd’s cut
and bruised face left no question of the outcome. Judges Steve Weisfeld and
Robin Taylor scored it 115-112 . Alfred Polanco score was more in line at
116-111, all for the new champion Julian "J-Rock" Williams.
Exuding nothing but class, the former champ Hurd said: “I”m going to come back. He was the better man tonight.” Losing his
belt and undefeated record, Hurd is now 23-1 (16 ko’s).
Raising his record to 27-1-1 (16 ko’s) the new
King J-Roc said: “The whole world doubted me. I outclassed him. I was a five to
one underdog. The only people that believed in me were my team”.
Following this effort J-Roc surely accumulated
more believers.
Prior to winning the title in the main event,
Williams left the sanctity of his locker and indiscreetly sat alone in a chair
behind press row to watch his stablemate Stephen Fulton capture the International
Boxing Organization Super Bantamweight title.
Turning in a splendid performance, Fulton,
Philadelphia, PA, outfought, outclassed, and outright beat Paulus Ambunda,
Swakopmund, Namibia, to garner a twelve round unanimous decision. Weighing in right on the button at
122 lbs, Fulton fought flawlessly. Regulated to nothing more than the canvas, Fulton painted his masterpiece, while Ambunda hardly landed a punch. Floored by a
right to the head in the eighth, Ambunda continued to press forward even as his
chances of victory were very thin. Unscathed and appearing as if he did not
fight yet, Fulton had his hand raised after twelve heats, Without contemplation all three
judges scored it a
shutout 120-107 for Fulton.
Fulton said: “It’s like a perfect game. Look no
marks on me. I feel great. After he got up from the knockdown I saw he kept
coming forward,and outboxed until the end.” Already looking for greater
challengers, Fulton went on to say: “I want to fight every world champion in my
weight class. My choice would be to fight Daniel Roman next.”
Popular consensus dictates Philly has the best
fight scene in the USA. Not as renowned, DC and the surrounding area's pugilistic
landscape is good and produces world champs. Notably the fight card was filled
with locals attempting to show off their
wares which made it remarkable how these
two Philly natives stole the show.
A near packed house of 7,500 filled the arena.
TGB promoted the festivities in
association with Premier Boxing Champions. It aired live nationally on Fox
Saturday night on prime time television.
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Sunday, September 30, 2018
Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 Presents Figueroa vs. Escandon Recap
Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 emanated this evening from the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA for a rare Sunday event. The card was originally supposed to be headlined by a special attraction pitting Victor Ortiz against John Molina Jr., a resident of nearby Covina, CA. The clash between Ortiz and Molina was cancelled Wednesday after Ortiz turned himself into police as a result of felony warrant that was issued for his arrest. The warrant stemmed from an investigation by police that lead to Ortiz being charged with three counts of sexual assault. Ortiz was released after he posted the $100,000 bail, however, PBC still elected to remove him from the card. This proved to be a disappointing turn of events for Molina, who after an intense training camp, was primed to come into Ontario with his eyes set on defeating Ortiz and potentially propelling himself back into the title conversation.
With the cancellation of the feature bout, lightweight contenders Brandon Figueroa and Oscar Escandon were promoted to the main event of the evening, with heavyweights Joe Joyce and Iago Kiladze slotted in the co-main event.
James DeGale (24-2-1, 14 KOs) vs. Fidel Monterrosa Munoz (39-18-1)
Eight Rounds, Light Heavyweights
Decision: James DeGale via KO in Round Three.
DeGale entered this contest on the heels of a unanimous decision victory over Caleb Truax back in April. This victory, however, was preceded by back to back fights where the judges’ scorecards left much to be desired from DeGale’s perspective as he lost a majority decision to Truax in December 2017, and fought to a majority draw with the fierce Badou Jack back in January of 2017.
Viktor Slavinskyi (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Mike Fowler (6-17, 2 KOs)
Six Rounds, Super Featherweights
Decision: Viktor Slavinskyi via RTD in Round Three
Something I discovered noteworthy prior to this bout was that it marked the seventh time (yes you read that correctly) Mike Fowler fought this year and he is scheduled to fight again on October 20. As anticipated, Slavinskyi dominated this bout with punishing blows for all three rounds. Fowler was unable to mount any offense as he was continuously walked down and his corner elected not to continue after round three.
Live on FS1:
Arnold Alejandro (7-0, 6 KOs) vs. Francisco Camacho (7-8-1, 3 KOs)
Six Rounds, Featherweights
Decision: Arnold Alejandro via KO in round Five
Camacho came out in round one with a game plan to use his slight reach advantage and establish the jab early. Unfortunately for Camacho, the more polished southpaw, Alejandro brought his power game frequently and accurately. Camacho displayed a strong jaw as he was the recipient of several jarring shots, but finally a stiff left from Alejandro dropped Camacho to his knee at which point the ref had seen enough.
Omar Juarez (debut) vs. Matt Gaver (0-1)
Four Rounds, Super Lightweights
Decision: Omar Juarez via UD (39-37, 39-37, 40-36)
These competitors appeared to be shot out of a cannon as they virtually sprinted at each other at the sound of the opening bell. Gaver appeared to be more aggressive as he continued to come forward for much of the contest. However, for as many punches he threw, he did not land many as he missed badly at times leaving himself exposed. While Juarez was not as busy, he landed more of his shots, and this is what counted to the judges in the end.
Kody Davies (7-0, 3 KOs) vs. Jerhed Fenderson (4-6, 2 KOs)
Eight Rounds, Light Heavyweights
Decision: Kody Davies via UD (80-72, 80-72, 80-72)
There isn’t much to say about this bout. Davies didn’t mount much offense, but it was more than Fenderson. Fenderson shook off everything Davies threw at him and survived all eight rounds. The few times he attempted any offense, he telegraphed it.
Jesse Rodriguez (6-0, 4 KOs) vs. Edwin Reyes (8-3-3, 5 KOs)
Eight Rounds, Light Flyweights
Decision: Jesse Rodriguez via UD (80-72, 80-72, 79-73)
This fight headlined the prelims telecast on FS1, and pitted undefeated prospect Jesse Rodriguez against Edwin Reyes.
Reyes did a nice job of preventing Rodriguez from gaining a little space to work in rounds one through four. However, in rounds five and six Rodriguez was able to land some nice combos and establish his dominance in the ring. Reyes would storm back in round seven as the two stood toe to toe in the center of the ring exchanging blows until the sound of the bell. The eighth and final round saw Reyes attempt to go back to his comfort zone of close quarter fighting. However, Rodriguez, who appeared much fresher at this juncture, was able to land several punishing blows with pinpoint accuracy.
Stephen Fulton (13-0, 6 KOs) vs. German Meraz (61-49-2, 38 KOs)
Eight Rounds, Featherweights
Decision: Stephen Fulton via UD (80-71, 80-71, 80-71)
It was apparent that this fight was intended to test Stephen Fulton by matching him up with a fighter who would be difficult to put away, and potentially take him the distance. Meraz entered this contest with 112 fights already under his belt, so there was no question of his toughness. The polished Fulton was able to cut off the ring and land clean shots through all eight rounds, so this one was really a no doubter for the judges at ringside.
Efe Ajagba (6-0, 5 KOs) vs. Nick Jones (7-0, 5 KOs)
Six Rounds, Heavyweights
Decision: Efe Ajagba via KO in Round One
The towering Efe Ajagba entered this fight with an unblemished record in his fourth contest of the year. Ajagba’s most recent “fight” back in August drew mainstream media attention because he won by DQ in a record ONE SECOND after his opponent, Curtis Harper, immediately walked out of the ring following the opening bell because of a dispute over his pay. Ajagba, like Joe Joyce featured on this PBC card in the co-main event, competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games for his native Nigeria, albeit an effort that saw him fall short of a medal after he was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Ajagba’s opponent, Nick Jones, also entered with an unscathed record but it was apparent from the opening bell that he was overmatched. The 6’5” Ajagba continued to walk Jones down and size him up before he finally landed a devastating right to end this bout in the first round.
Jose Balderas (4-0) vs. Ivan Martino (3-2, 3 KOs)
Four Rounds, Bantamweights
Decision: Jose Balderas via UD (40-36, 40-37, 39-37)
Both fighters went toe to toe for the entire four round affair, and while Balderas appeared to be more disciplined, Martino landed the heavier shots. The judges and the fans in attendance seemed to share a difference of opinions as the decision was announced for Balderas, and accompanied by a shower of boos.
Joey Spencer (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. Cory Macon (0-2-1)
Four Rounds, Middleweights
Decision: Joey Spencer via KO in Round One
Spencer embarked on a full throttle assault from the get go, and quite honestly, Macon didn’t stand much of a chance. Spencer staggered Macon with a couple left hooks, and like a shark smelling blood in the water, he sealed the deal with a straight right that Macon could not recover from.
Joe Joyce (5-0, 5 KOs) vs. Iago Kiladze (26-3, 18 KOs)
Ten Rounds, Heavyweights
Decision: Joe Joyce via KO in Round Five
This bout was only the sixth professional fight for 33-year-old British fighter Joe Joyce. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist squared off with 29 fight ring veteran Iago Kiladze. Kiladze, competing for the third time in 2018, entered on a two fight losing streak-both knockout losses to Adam Kownacki and Michael Hunter.
Joe Joyce certainly looked every part of the Olympic silver medalist in this bout. Making his United States debut, Joyce put on a clinic for the fans in attendance as Kiladze lost by KO after being knocked down for the third time.
Brandon Figueroa (16-0, 11 KOs) vs. Oscar Escandon (25-4, 17 KOs)
Ten Rounds, Super Bantamweights
Decision: Brandon Figueroa via KO in Round 10
This 10 round contest marked the first time Figueroa was scheduled to fight more than eight rounds, and was his third fight of 2018. Figueroa last stepped into the square circle on August 4th when he defeated Luis Roy Suarez Cruz by first round TKO. Oscar Escandon on the other hand, had not tasted victory since he became interim WBC World Featherweight Champion with a seventh round KO of Robinson Castellanos back in March of 2016. Since then, he suffered consecutive setbacks to Gary Russell Jr. in May 2017 by seventh round TKO and Tugstsogt Nyambayar in May 2018 by third round KO.
Both of these fighters came prepared for an all out war. Despite the close proximity these pugilists maintained as they went to round 10, this was a very entertaining fight. It also appeared that Escandon came in with a bit of a chip on his shoulder as he was repeatedly warned by the referee through the first half of the bout for low blows and throwing punches after the bell. When Figueroa was finally able to create a little space between Escandon and himself with his jab in round 10, he slipped in a devastating uppercut that dropped Escandon to the canvas. Escandon attempted to get back to his feet but as he staggered and fell back down, the ref called a stop to the action. This fight was a strong conclusion to the PBC on FS1, and was a more than suitable replacement for the main event.
With the cancellation of the feature bout, lightweight contenders Brandon Figueroa and Oscar Escandon were promoted to the main event of the evening, with heavyweights Joe Joyce and Iago Kiladze slotted in the co-main event.
James DeGale (24-2-1, 14 KOs) vs. Fidel Monterrosa Munoz (39-18-1)
Eight Rounds, Light Heavyweights
Decision: James DeGale via KO in Round Three.
DeGale entered this contest on the heels of a unanimous decision victory over Caleb Truax back in April. This victory, however, was preceded by back to back fights where the judges’ scorecards left much to be desired from DeGale’s perspective as he lost a majority decision to Truax in December 2017, and fought to a majority draw with the fierce Badou Jack back in January of 2017.
Viktor Slavinskyi (6-0, 3 KOs) vs. Mike Fowler (6-17, 2 KOs)
Six Rounds, Super Featherweights
Decision: Viktor Slavinskyi via RTD in Round Three
Something I discovered noteworthy prior to this bout was that it marked the seventh time (yes you read that correctly) Mike Fowler fought this year and he is scheduled to fight again on October 20. As anticipated, Slavinskyi dominated this bout with punishing blows for all three rounds. Fowler was unable to mount any offense as he was continuously walked down and his corner elected not to continue after round three.
Live on FS1:
Arnold Alejandro (7-0, 6 KOs) vs. Francisco Camacho (7-8-1, 3 KOs)
Six Rounds, Featherweights
Decision: Arnold Alejandro via KO in round Five
Camacho came out in round one with a game plan to use his slight reach advantage and establish the jab early. Unfortunately for Camacho, the more polished southpaw, Alejandro brought his power game frequently and accurately. Camacho displayed a strong jaw as he was the recipient of several jarring shots, but finally a stiff left from Alejandro dropped Camacho to his knee at which point the ref had seen enough.
Omar Juarez (debut) vs. Matt Gaver (0-1)
Four Rounds, Super Lightweights
Decision: Omar Juarez via UD (39-37, 39-37, 40-36)
These competitors appeared to be shot out of a cannon as they virtually sprinted at each other at the sound of the opening bell. Gaver appeared to be more aggressive as he continued to come forward for much of the contest. However, for as many punches he threw, he did not land many as he missed badly at times leaving himself exposed. While Juarez was not as busy, he landed more of his shots, and this is what counted to the judges in the end.
Kody Davies (7-0, 3 KOs) vs. Jerhed Fenderson (4-6, 2 KOs)
Eight Rounds, Light Heavyweights
Decision: Kody Davies via UD (80-72, 80-72, 80-72)
There isn’t much to say about this bout. Davies didn’t mount much offense, but it was more than Fenderson. Fenderson shook off everything Davies threw at him and survived all eight rounds. The few times he attempted any offense, he telegraphed it.
Jesse Rodriguez (6-0, 4 KOs) vs. Edwin Reyes (8-3-3, 5 KOs)
Eight Rounds, Light Flyweights
Decision: Jesse Rodriguez via UD (80-72, 80-72, 79-73)
This fight headlined the prelims telecast on FS1, and pitted undefeated prospect Jesse Rodriguez against Edwin Reyes.
Reyes did a nice job of preventing Rodriguez from gaining a little space to work in rounds one through four. However, in rounds five and six Rodriguez was able to land some nice combos and establish his dominance in the ring. Reyes would storm back in round seven as the two stood toe to toe in the center of the ring exchanging blows until the sound of the bell. The eighth and final round saw Reyes attempt to go back to his comfort zone of close quarter fighting. However, Rodriguez, who appeared much fresher at this juncture, was able to land several punishing blows with pinpoint accuracy.
Stephen Fulton (13-0, 6 KOs) vs. German Meraz (61-49-2, 38 KOs)
Eight Rounds, Featherweights
Decision: Stephen Fulton via UD (80-71, 80-71, 80-71)
It was apparent that this fight was intended to test Stephen Fulton by matching him up with a fighter who would be difficult to put away, and potentially take him the distance. Meraz entered this contest with 112 fights already under his belt, so there was no question of his toughness. The polished Fulton was able to cut off the ring and land clean shots through all eight rounds, so this one was really a no doubter for the judges at ringside.
Efe Ajagba (6-0, 5 KOs) vs. Nick Jones (7-0, 5 KOs)
Six Rounds, Heavyweights
Decision: Efe Ajagba via KO in Round One
The towering Efe Ajagba entered this fight with an unblemished record in his fourth contest of the year. Ajagba’s most recent “fight” back in August drew mainstream media attention because he won by DQ in a record ONE SECOND after his opponent, Curtis Harper, immediately walked out of the ring following the opening bell because of a dispute over his pay. Ajagba, like Joe Joyce featured on this PBC card in the co-main event, competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games for his native Nigeria, albeit an effort that saw him fall short of a medal after he was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Ajagba’s opponent, Nick Jones, also entered with an unscathed record but it was apparent from the opening bell that he was overmatched. The 6’5” Ajagba continued to walk Jones down and size him up before he finally landed a devastating right to end this bout in the first round.
Jose Balderas (4-0) vs. Ivan Martino (3-2, 3 KOs)
Four Rounds, Bantamweights
Decision: Jose Balderas via UD (40-36, 40-37, 39-37)
Both fighters went toe to toe for the entire four round affair, and while Balderas appeared to be more disciplined, Martino landed the heavier shots. The judges and the fans in attendance seemed to share a difference of opinions as the decision was announced for Balderas, and accompanied by a shower of boos.
Joey Spencer (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. Cory Macon (0-2-1)
Four Rounds, Middleweights
Decision: Joey Spencer via KO in Round One
Spencer embarked on a full throttle assault from the get go, and quite honestly, Macon didn’t stand much of a chance. Spencer staggered Macon with a couple left hooks, and like a shark smelling blood in the water, he sealed the deal with a straight right that Macon could not recover from.
Joe Joyce (5-0, 5 KOs) vs. Iago Kiladze (26-3, 18 KOs)
Ten Rounds, Heavyweights
Decision: Joe Joyce via KO in Round Five
This bout was only the sixth professional fight for 33-year-old British fighter Joe Joyce. The 2016 Olympic silver medalist squared off with 29 fight ring veteran Iago Kiladze. Kiladze, competing for the third time in 2018, entered on a two fight losing streak-both knockout losses to Adam Kownacki and Michael Hunter.
Joe Joyce certainly looked every part of the Olympic silver medalist in this bout. Making his United States debut, Joyce put on a clinic for the fans in attendance as Kiladze lost by KO after being knocked down for the third time.
Brandon Figueroa (16-0, 11 KOs) vs. Oscar Escandon (25-4, 17 KOs)
Ten Rounds, Super Bantamweights
Decision: Brandon Figueroa via KO in Round 10
This 10 round contest marked the first time Figueroa was scheduled to fight more than eight rounds, and was his third fight of 2018. Figueroa last stepped into the square circle on August 4th when he defeated Luis Roy Suarez Cruz by first round TKO. Oscar Escandon on the other hand, had not tasted victory since he became interim WBC World Featherweight Champion with a seventh round KO of Robinson Castellanos back in March of 2016. Since then, he suffered consecutive setbacks to Gary Russell Jr. in May 2017 by seventh round TKO and Tugstsogt Nyambayar in May 2018 by third round KO.
Both of these fighters came prepared for an all out war. Despite the close proximity these pugilists maintained as they went to round 10, this was a very entertaining fight. It also appeared that Escandon came in with a bit of a chip on his shoulder as he was repeatedly warned by the referee through the first half of the bout for low blows and throwing punches after the bell. When Figueroa was finally able to create a little space between Escandon and himself with his jab in round 10, he slipped in a devastating uppercut that dropped Escandon to the canvas. Escandon attempted to get back to his feet but as he staggered and fell back down, the ref called a stop to the action. This fight was a strong conclusion to the PBC on FS1, and was a more than suitable replacement for the main event.
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Monday, September 18, 2017
Premier Boxing Champions Returns to Sands Bethlehem Event Center on 9/19
Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) returns to Sands Bethlehem Event Center in Pennsylvania on September 19th. The card, which is promoted by King's Promotions, will air on FS1 starting at 9 PM EST. As of now, the card features 11 professional bouts. The televised matches on this FS1 "Toe-to-Toe Tuesdays" card includes a ten round, junior welterweight contest between Mario Barrios (19-0, 11 KOs) and Naim Nelson (13-3, 1 KO), and an eight round, featherweight bout between Stephen Fulton (11-0, 5 KOs) and Adam Lopez (8-0, 3 KOs). Barrios, a San Antonio native, is coming off an impressive knockout victory over Jose Luis Rodriguez (22-10, 13 KOs). Barrios faces Philadelphia's Naim Nelson, who has lost his last two bouts to Tre'Sean Wiggins (8-3-1, 6 KOs) and Alejandro Luna (22-0, 15 KOs).
Philly's Stephen Fulton, who is no stranger to fighting at Sands Casino, last fought and defeated Luis Rosario (8-1-1, 7 KOs) at the event center. His opponent, Adam Lopez, is an orthodox fighter from Glendale, CA. He most recently boxed Paul Romero (7-1-1, 1 KO), who he defeated by majority decision.
Tomorrow night's card also features the following non-televised bouts:
Earl Newman vs. Paul Parker, eight rounds, light heavyweights
Jimmy Kelleher vs. George Sheppard, four rounds, super middleweights
Gary Antonio Russell vs. Cristian Renteria, six rounds, bantamweights
Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Jesus Lule, four rounds, junior welterweights
Ryan Wilczak vs. Devin McMaster, four rounds, middleweights
Jeffrey Torres vs. TBA, four rounds, junior welterweights
Thomas Velasquez vs. Tyrome Jones, six rounds, lightweights
Juan Sanchez vs. Gorwar Karyah, four rounds, featherweights
Harold Lopez vs. Manuel Guerra, four rounds, bantamweights
Doors at 4:30 PM EST with live boxing at 6:30 PM.
Tickets can be purchased through the Sands Bethlehem Event Center website and the box office.
Philly's Stephen Fulton, who is no stranger to fighting at Sands Casino, last fought and defeated Luis Rosario (8-1-1, 7 KOs) at the event center. His opponent, Adam Lopez, is an orthodox fighter from Glendale, CA. He most recently boxed Paul Romero (7-1-1, 1 KO), who he defeated by majority decision.
Tomorrow night's card also features the following non-televised bouts:
Earl Newman vs. Paul Parker, eight rounds, light heavyweights
Jimmy Kelleher vs. George Sheppard, four rounds, super middleweights
Gary Antonio Russell vs. Cristian Renteria, six rounds, bantamweights
Gary Antuanne Russell vs. Jesus Lule, four rounds, junior welterweights
Ryan Wilczak vs. Devin McMaster, four rounds, middleweights
Jeffrey Torres vs. TBA, four rounds, junior welterweights
Thomas Velasquez vs. Tyrome Jones, six rounds, lightweights
Juan Sanchez vs. Gorwar Karyah, four rounds, featherweights
Harold Lopez vs. Manuel Guerra, four rounds, bantamweights
Tickets can be purchased through the Sands Bethlehem Event Center website and the box office.
MW
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