J. R. Jowett reporting from ringside:
Prime Rank and ESPN with matchmakers Bruce Trampler and Brad Goodman introduced World Title boxing to Newark, NJ’s huge Prudential Heart enviornment on 7/6/2024. No attendance was introduced, however the enviornment was offered out (prime deck closed). Fred Blumstein and Ray Ryan stored time.
In the primary occasion, native hero Shakur Stevenson, 134 ¼, Newark, 22-0 (10), defended his WBC Light-weight Title in opposition to Artem Harutyunyan, 134 ¾, Hamburg, Germany, 12-2 (7), over 12 rounds. Duran-Leonard this was not. Nevertheless it did please the native followers. Stevenson, a slick, cautious southpaw, received as he happy in opposition to the sport however woefully short-handed challenger. Preventing out of a shallow stance, Artem trudged relentlessly ahead all night time, getting nailed with photographs solely to search out his tormentor gone. The challenger consistently bobbed his shoulders, which can have price Shakur a few sluggish rounds figuring him out. By the third, it was throughout.
Shakur had the vary with lead lefts that may pester Harutyunyan for the remainder of the bout. Action was regular and earnest whereas not exceptionally thrilling. That was all of the native crowd wanted from their hero. Within the sixth, a left to the physique harm Harutyunyan and backed him up, mentioning the gang as Shakur poured it on. Motion was brisk within the seventh, with Stevenson persistently outclassing the challenger and backing him up. The seventh could have damaged the spirit of the challenger, as within the eighth, Artem modified tactics and started circling vast. Shakur tried to reduce him off with some punishing physique photographs. The physique assault had Artem once more circling and the gang up in ninth spherical motion. This beautiful properly climaxed the competition, because the final three adopted the pattern to the purpose of anticlimax. Lynne Carter scored 116-112, Guido Cavalleri 118-110, and Mark Lyson 119-109. Allen Huggins refereed.
The primary of co-feature twelves was for the WBC World Jr Light-weight Title. O’Shaquie Foster, 129 ¾, Orange, TX, 22-3 (12), defended in opposition to Robson Conceicão, 129 ½, Bahia, Brazil, 19-2-1 (9), in a very good, shut and aggressive combat. A really feel–out first set the sample. The a lot larger, standup Brazilian trudged relentlessly ahead in opposition to the grimacing, circling and countering O’Shaquie. Neither model labored properly and so motion was tame and drew boos within the fourth. Robson responded by upping the strain and pulled out the spherical. This established a sample of lengthy one-twos that constructed a lead for the challenger over the subsequent few rounds, as O’Shaquie constantly shifted and tried to counter however was giving up the attain. Lastly, Foster put collectively some scoring counters that received the eighth and constructed on this in a very good ninth to chop Conceicão’s proper eye and get the defending titlist again within the combat. Robson was undaunted, compelled the motion within the tenth, and refused to fold.
The eleventh was strangely tame, contemplating that the combat was on the road, with the Brazilian a bit busier. Robson was bailing out within the last spherical, probably pondering that the win was within the stability. It wasn’t. Ring announcer Mark Shunock tallied a 116-112 rating for Robson from Anthony Lundy, adopted by the identical rating for O’Shaquie from Ron McNair. Lastly, Mark Lyson scored 115-113, transferring the title to Robson Conceicão, as his nook went ballistic! Phew. It was a detailed combat however Robson’s dictating the tempo and forcing the competition appeared to deserve the sting, whereas McNair could have favored model factors for O’Shaquie. David Fields refereed. Quite a lot of post-fight hoopla branded this a nasty choice. It wasn’t.
Keyshawn Davis, 134 ¾, Norfolk, 11-0 (7), readily defeated Miguel Madueño, 134 ¾, Guasave, MX, 31-3 (28), in an entertaining bout that was a mix of avenue combat and theater, scheduled 10. Nevertheless Miguel scored all these wins, it needed to be in bouts that have been extra avenue combat than boxing. All night time he relentlessly charged ahead and did every part to create a bodily brawl, grabbing, wrestling, even selecting up Davis bodily and carrying him round. Ref David Franciosi had his hands full, even taking a shot on the jaw, however stored the mayhem on observe sufficient to go the space. Davis fully outclassed Madueño, who fought with a full beard, in virtually each spherical. Mayhem began instantly, with Miguel telegraphing his punches whereas the slippery Davis employed motion to outclass him. One way or the other Miguel fell on prime of Keyshawn after which picked him up over his shoulders, setting the stage for comparable antics in almost each spherical. The Mexican was cautioned for holding and hitting within the second. He could have received the third, as he managed to mug Keyshawn on the ropes earlier than Davis may get free to make use of his footwork. Keyshawn regained management within the fourth with some two-handed flurries that brough up the gang. After being outboxed within the sixth, Miguel broke unhealthy on the bell after which took a swipe which missed and tagged the ref as an alternative, sending him reeling however refusing to go down. Each have been on the canvas from wrestling to the bell within the eighth. The ref admonished them to “break clean” within the ninth, but after being tackled, Davis punished Madueño with an prolonged volley to the bell, then grandstanded in his nook. Amazingly, the second the bell ended the tenth, all hostilities instantly ceased, and the combatants referred to as a truce. All judges, Steve Weisfeld, Mark Consentino, and John McKaie, scored 99-91.
Eridson Garcia, 130 ¾, Santo Domingo through Houston, 19-1 (12), pulled a light upset over William Foster III, 130 ½, E. Haven, CT, 17-2 (11), in an attention-grabbing however very tame 10. It took the bemused Foster till the third spherical to start out combating the elusive southpaw Garcia. Sadly, he included a low blow that received the dramatic Garcia a relaxation from ref Shada Murdaugh. William regrouped for the fourth and landed some sneak counters in a cat and mouse contest. Competitors picked up within the fifth with Foster stalking and Eridson countering. This grew to become the pattern for the remainder of the competition, a tame however attention-grabbing conflict of kinds. William stalked however by no means confirmed actual fireplace. Eridson circled away and pecked with gentle counters. Garcia received a relaxation from a low blow within the ninth, drawing some boos and selecting up the motion afterward. A very good left uppercut probably tilted the ultimate spherical to Eridson, who gained a surprisingly vast unanimous verdict, probably extra from making his opponent look unhealthy than from optimistic effort on his personal half. Weisfeld and Robin Taylor scored 98-92, John Signorile 99-91.
Kelvin Davis, 142 ¾, Norfolk, 13-0 (7), gained a hard-earned majority choice from Kevin Johnson, 142 ½, Detroit, 12-4 (8), in 8. A tall and spindly southpaw, Davis fought a rear–guard motion by retreating and making the shorter Johnson observe him down all night time. The competition lacked sustained motion however made up for it in ways, as Johnson chased Davis, who needed to preserve him from turning it into trench warfare on the within. Johnson landed a proper late within the fourth that made Davis break and run. Ways shifted from brief to lengthy vary however by no means remained at both distance for lengthy. Neither was capable of set up dominance at any time and so a draw might need been extra acceptable, which is how Weisfeld scored it, 76-76. Taylor and Signorile tilted the bulk verdict to the home favourite, each 78-74. Glover refereed.
In contrast, Abdullah Mason, 134 ¾, Cleveland, 14-0 (12), was spectacular in TKOing a recreation however overwhelmed Luis Lebron, 135 ¾, San Juan, 20-6-1 (13), in 1:18 of the third of eight. After a feel-out first, the southpaw Mason put all his wares on show in a punishing second, as he let each arms go along with brief, sharp precision. Overwhelmed, the recreation Lebron may do nothing however take a beating, getting dropped twice within the second by combos and with nose bleeding. In the third, with Lebron rattled and taking a relentless beating, his nook did the correct factor and waived the towel. Ref Glover stopped it.
A well-liked native prospect debuted in crowd-pleasing and spectacular vogue, as Keith Colon, 125 ¼, Newark, battered and stopped Hunter Turbyfill, 124 ¼, Memphis, 4-2 (1), in 2:03 of the second of 4. Regardless of expertise, the customer was out of his depth, as Colon battered his southpaw opponent from the beginning with jarring lead rights. A proper uppercut dropped Turbyfill within the second after which he was overwhelmed and battered in a nook till rescued by referee Murdaugh. The compact winner boxed out of a squared stance, holding guard excessive and tight, and appeared properly schooled.
Ali Feliz, 219 ½, Danbury, CT, 3-0 (2), gained a hard-earned victory over robust however outgunned Robinson Perez, 245 ¼, Southbridge, MA, 2-1, 4. The tall and rangy Feliz made good use of peak and attain to jab and batter his stubby opponent who was by no means successfully capable of get inside. Robinson tried to shut the space within the third however paid for it, being harm by a proper, nostril bloodied and battered. All scores (Weisfeld, Taylor, Signorile) 40-36. Ref, Glover.
