Two rising Beltway heavyweight prospects scored devastating knockouts in feature bouts at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD.
Bowie, MD's Horace "The Reason" Grant bounced back from his nationally-televised loss to Kevin Burnett by scoring a brutal second-round knockout over Robert "Desert Storm" Davis of Akron, OH.
Normally a slow starter, Grant came out firing in the opening round, staggering Davis with right hands. Davis, who has been in the ring with the likes of Michael Moorer, Michael Grant, Monte Barrett and Lance Whitaker, had no offense against the taller, heavier Grant.
Grant finished the job early in the second round with two crushing right hands that dropped Davis to the canvas. Referee John Gradowski didn't even bother to count and the bout was stopped at 31 seconds of the second.
With the win, Grant raises his record to 13-2, eight KO's while Davis falls to 32-9, 19 KO's.
In the co-feature, rookie Seth "Mayhem" Mitchell of Brandywine, MD scored perhaps his most devastating knockout of his young career as he pummeled Dan "Mean Machine" Whetzel of Toledo, OH for two minutes and 39 seconds.
Mitchell landed strong combinations early, including some vicious uppercuts. The blows eventually forced referee Malik Waleed to stop the contest with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first.
Mitchell now has a record of 8-0-1, five KO's while Whetzel's record drops to 9-15-2, five KO's.
While two heavyweights continued their ascending careers, another career may have descended for the final time. Former WBO Cruiserweight champion Boone Pultz of Odenton, MD lost by second-round TKO to Maurice Winslow of Wilson, NC.
Pultz fought bravely in the first, but Winslow outgunned Pultz and forced him to hang on to his opponent throughout the opening stanza.
By the second round, holding was no longer an option for Pultz as Winslow dropped Pultz twice with two solid left hands. After the second knockdown, referee Gary Camponeschi stopped the contest at 59 seconds of the second round.
Pultz's record falls to 26-3, 15 KO's. Winslow is now 2-7-1, two KO's.
PERSONAL COMMENT: There have been many comebacks in the career of Boone Pultz. No commission anywhere should allow another one to take place.
The estimated 1400 fans in attendance tonight may have seen the best bout in the Beltway region in 2008 -- a bout that took place between two boxers who have only three pro bouts between them. Debuting Haymarket, VA junior welterweight Juan "Savior" Rodriguez scored a heart-pounding third-round knockout over a very game Benjamin Borteye of Silver Spring, MD.
Both boxers opened their arsenals early and traded brutal shots. Rodriguez was able to land left hands with regularity, while Borteye effectively used uppercuts that bloodied Rodriguez's nose.
In the third round, Rodriguez used a short right uppercut and caught Borteye coming in. The impact made Borteye do the splits as he crashed to the canvas. Borteye beat referee Kenny Chevalier's count but shortly after, Rodriguez landed a left-right combination that dropped Borteye to the canvas face first. Chevalier waved off the bout at 58 seconds of the third. Borteye's record falls to 0-2.
In other bouts on the card, Lusby, MD junior middleweight Keith Gross survived a late knockdown to win a four-round split decision over the debuting Taurean "Bulldog" Edwards of Hopewell, VA. Gross remains undefeated with a record of 3-0, one KO.
Glen Burnie, MD junior middleweight Lenwood "Mr.Composure" Dozier also kept his undefeated string alive with a four-round split decision over Warren "Boss Man" Freeman of Richmond, VA. Dozier is now 4-0-1, two KO's while Freeman's pro debut was unsuccessful.
And in another spirited battle, Glenville, West Virginia's Bill Shahan scored a third-round TKO over a very game Alexis De La Cruz-Medina of Science Hill, KY. With the win, Shahan remains undefeated at 7-0, six KO's. Medina remains winless at 0-5-1.
The card was promoted by Bobby Magruder Productions.
Here is the BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up where "The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I continue to break down this wild night of boxing.
Gabcast! Boxing Along the Beltway #137 - Results from a Wild Night in Upper Marlboro!
"The Fight Doctor" Jerome Spears and I recap a wild and explosive night of boxing from the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD!
Kudo's to Bobby Magruder,
ReplyDeleteThat was a very enjoyable night at the fights! That fight between the Salvadoran and the African was a barn burner!
i really think that was unfair how the richmond boys were cheated. the crowd boo'd after both fights back to back. if those guys arent afraid to prove to the critics that they didnt receive favortizim judgments i think they should fight again, thats if neither parties are afraid. but i have a feeling gross still remimbers that short guys right hand oh to well
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