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Welterweight Champion Shawn Porter Retains Belt

Posted on by admin
21
Mar

Welterweight Champion Shawn Porter Retains Belt in First Defense Amid a Controversial Split Decision

While it was a chilly fight night in the Dignity Health Sports Park outdoor arena in Carson, California, the crowd became heated when Welterweight World Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter  seemed to survive several bouts by dancing out of the way of top-ranked contender Yordenis Ugas.  Between a few slips by Porter and several unexciting rounds, the crowd booed the champion and rallied around the contender by chanting his name.

After a slow start, Round 5 set the arena on fire when the gladiators aggressively went toe-to-toe.  Ugas landed 53 punches compared to Porter’s 45.

In the end, on March 9, 31-year old Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) won his first WBC title defense in a split decision against 32-year-old Ugas (23-4, 11 KOs). Two of three judges scored Porter at 116-112 and 115-113. The third judge had it 117-111 in favor of Ugas.

“The crowd was expecting a big brawl, but that’s not the way this fight needed to go tonight. That style that we used left the fight close. We got the win, we’re still champion and we’re looking forward to what is next,” said Porter. “I was very focused the entire fight and just listening to my corner.”

Porter talked about his only disappointment of the night. “I was a little frustrated I couldn’t get to the body as much as we had planned,” he said.  “As the clock ticks, you do what is working.”

Kenny Porter commented his son by stating, “Shawn was doing a beautiful job.”  According to the champ, “ It may have thrown the judges a little bit.  I thought we fought a good, smart fight.  We fought very consistent.”

Porter was asked about the critics questioning if he really thought he won. “ I have to take a look at the fight to determine how many rounds Ugas won but right now I don’t think it was very many,” he responded.

When responding to a question about fighting in the cold weather, Porter said, “My team is great.” In between rounds, Porter’s corner draped a blanket around his shoulders. “When you are in the midst of the fire that adrenaline is pumping, you don’t feel anything outside of what you’re brain is thinking.”

Ugas who won the bronze at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing  felt he won 8 or 9 rounds.

“There’s no doubt about it, I was robbed tonight. After the first round I figured him out and dominated the fight,” said Ugas. “He had no answer when I was pushing him back. I dominated the fight in my opinion.”

At the post-fight conference, the consensus among the Ugas team was he 100% won the fight.  “I pushed the pace the whole fight.  I was backing him up. He didn’t throw no punches. I landed the cleaner, harder punches,” he said.  “This hurts boxing.”

Ugas and his camp felt that Porter’s slip was a knockdown in Round 12.

“It was a very close fight,” said Lennox Lewis, the undisputed world heavyweight champion. “Both fighters boxed well  but it’s really down to the judges. When you are coming to take a belt you have to do a little bit more.”

Ugas spoke with confidence, “I showed tonight that I belong with the elite fighters at welterweight. All I can say is that I’m ready to fight any of the top names in the division. I’ll be back.”

The fight highlights tell a story of a good fight and a difficult decision.

The co-main event featured an exciting 10 rounds of boxing between 147 pound fighters Abel Ramos who outboxed Francisco Santana.  Despite Santana sending Ramos to the canvas in round 2, Ramos returned aggressively, landing 174 punches to Santana’s 158 in the seventh round and continued to dominate over Santana.

“He caught me on a flash knockdown in the second round. I didn’t see the punch coming and he caught me a little bit off balance,” said Ramos. “ As soon as I got up, I was good.”

After going the distance, the judges, Alejandro Rochin, Fernando Villareal, Lou Moret, scorecards were tallied at 95-94, 97-92, and 98-92, declared Ramos the winner in an unanimous decision.

“I was very surprised by the scorecards. I thought I did enough to win,” said Santana. “It was very competitive but I was landing more significant punches.”

 

—

Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA, journalist, and public relations and boxing event consultant.

Articles, News

Gervonta “Tank” Davis Takes Out Hugo Ruiz, Successfully Defends WBA Title

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21
Mar

Gervonta “Tank” Davis Takes Out Hugo Ruiz, Successfully Defends WBA Title Becoming Youngest US Born World Titlist

Referee Jack Reisser raises Gervonta “Tank” Davis’ hand in victory. The young champion, donning his WBA Super Featherweight Belt, covered his tatted body with a statement T-shirt “Free 21 Savage.” The Platinum-Selling British Rapper is fighting deportation. Photos Credit: Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions

Like a Rock Star, WBA Super Featherweight Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis entered the ring to the sounds of Mega Star Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” with dancers.  The fast-rising boxing super star demonstrated a cool, calm swag as the crowd rose to their feet in anticipation of the main event.  Davis took his place in the blue corner of the ring with World Champion, Promoter and Mentor Floyd Mayweather, Jr.  Words were exchanged between the two, which seemed to further ignite the hype already exploding in the outdoor arena.

The light rain that dropped on and off throughout the night during the clash between Davis and Ruiz certainly did not dampen Davis’ parade. The first round TKO delivered by Davis put an abrupt end to Ruiz’ chances to showcase his boxing savviness demonstrated in his past bouts.  Ruiz, 32 years old, has had 18 first-round knockouts with a record of 39-5, 32 KOs.

Saturday night was a different outcome for Ruiz from his prediction made at the press conference. “At 130-pounds I feel more power than ever and I will demonstrate that on Saturday night,” said Ruiz. “This is a big challenge for me. This is the opportunity that I’ve been waiting for throughout my 12-year career. I don’t plan on wasting it.”

The sell-out crowd at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California witnessed Ruiz eat his words and the excitement and determination that Davis brings to the ring. Ruiz missed being saved by the bell when Referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight about one second before the 1st round would have officially ended.

“Ruiz didn’t answer me.  I told him clearly in the dressing room what he needed to do,” said Reiss.  “When I asked him in Spanish if he wanted to continue he didn’t answer.  He was really hurt.  He basically made the decision. If he just (nodded his head) we would have kept going.”

Ruiz left the ring a bloody mess after he was hit by Davis with a flurry of punches and a powerful right hook to his face.

The youngest title holder as an American, Gervonta “Tank” Davis was born for the path of

boxing superstardom. In true rock star fashion, Davis walked to the ring on the world’s best-selling album, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”  Photos Credit: Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions

 

“I’m very confident that I will be more active this year.  I have three, probably four fights lined up this year,” said Davis. I’m happy with my team and ready for the next.”  With his longtime trainer and mentor Calvin Ford and a promotional team spearheaded by Mayweather, Jr., the world’s best fighter pound-for-pound, Davis’ future is bigger than life.

At the press conference, Mayweather said, “This is a great matchup and the kind that people want to see. It’s all about putting on great shows and Saturday will be another blockbuster.”

The 24-year-old Davis remains unbeaten and advances to a record of 21-0 and 20 Kos.

“I’m so excited to come back strong in 2019,” said Davis. “This is the year that could put me over the top and put me at the highest level.”

No doubt.

—

Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA, a journalist, and public relations and boxing event consultant, is the owner of Platinum Star PR.  She can be reached on Twitter @PlatinumStar or Instagram @PlatinumStarPR. Send sports questions or stories ideas to info@platinumstarpr.com

 

Featured, News

SERGEY KOVALEV REGAINS TITLE

Posted on by admin
06
Feb

FRISCO, Texas — Sergey Kovalev’s ability to still compete like, well, Sergey Kovalev, was in serious doubt entering Saturday night.

The last time Kovalev was in the ring, he was dropped three times and brutally knocked out by Eleider Alvarez. He elected to go straight to an immediate rematch amid whispers that he was a shell of his former self, a boogeyman who vanquished opponents before they even entered the ring.

Kovalev (33-3-1, 28 knockouts) again switched trainers after a defeat, this time linking up with Buddy McGirt. He again made excuses, just like he did after consecutive losses to Andre Ward, and blamed overtraining on the three defeats. None of the optics bode well for Kovalev, but none of it mattered.

He stuck to the game-plan devised by McGirt, a hall-of-fame fighter, and utilized his excellent jab to keep Alvarez at bay and avenge his defeat from six months ago with a unanimous decision victory Saturday at Ford Center in the main event of Top Rank Boxing on ESPN+. One judge scored it a shutout, 120-108; the other two scorecards read 116-112.

“We worked a lot on my jab,” Kovalev said. “Right now, I am working with Buddy the way I was when I was an amateur. After this, I want unification fights.”

This time, Kovalev didn’t fade down the stretch. Instead, he prospered as the fight wore on. “Krusher” stunned the Canadian several times in the final round to punctuate the upset victory.

While Kovalev boxed and moved, Alvarez (24-1, 12 KOs) instead searched for one fight-changing shot that never materialized. The 34-year-old Colombian was looking for the right hand over the top and connected flush on a number of occasions, but Kovalev absorbed the shots and didn’t waver.

The 35-year-old Russian outhustled Alvarez over 12 rounds and connected on more than double the punches (213 to 111). Kovalev made his name on power-punching, but he displayed impressive boxing ability, just like he did in outboxing Bernard Hopkins in 2014.

Alvarez caught many of Kovalev’s punches with his high guard, but he was far too inactive to win the judges over. When he plowed forward and exerted his superior size and strength, Alvarez found success, but he couldn’t consistently hold his ground.

“I don’t see myself as a loser tonight, but I do give him credit, especially in that 12th round,” Alvarez said. “I think that he went out and proved that he wanted to win.”

Kovalev’s resurgence came one month before he’s due in court. He was arrested in June and charged with felony assault for allegedly attacking a woman he met at a party in Big Bear, California. Even though the alleged incident came two months before his first meeting with Alvarez, the arrest didn’t come to light until a TMZ Sports report published on January 18.

His longtime promoter, Main Events CEO Kathy Duva, told The Ring she felt more comfortable about her fighter’s innocence after being made privy to some of the evidence.

“I think he was distracted by that in August, he hadn’t been charged yet,” Duva said. “Now he knows that he has a good lawyer. He’ll get his chance to defend himself and he will.”

Top Rank holds options on Kovalev and the promotional company is deep in the loaded light heavyweight division. Dmitry Bivol fights exclusively on DAZN, but the other two titleholders in addition to Kovalev — Oleksandr Gvozdyk and Artur Beterbiev — compete on ESPN. Super middleweight titleholder Gilberto Ramirez, who is promoted by Top Rank, is moving up to light heavyweight for his next fight, so there’s a bevy of options for Kovalev.

“He’s never going to be what he used to be. When you quit like (he did in the rematch against me), there’s a piece of you that’s left there in the ring. But he’s good enough to deal with a lot of guys in the light heavyweight division,” said Ward, who worked the ESPN+ broadcast as a commentator. “He’s in every one of those fights. He can win every single one of them. He was enough left in the tank.”

Kovalev’s psyche appeared badly damaged by the pair of knockout defeats, but he proved Saturday that he possesses the mettle to rebound from a soul-crushing defeat. At 35, he’s no longer the devastating puncher who ran roughshod over the 175-pound division, but he’s still pretty damn good.

Kovalev isn’t finished just yet — far from it. McGirt reinvented another Main Events fighter, the legendary Arturo Gatti. It seems he’s done it again.

News

TEOFIMO LOPEZ DAZZLES VS. DIEGO MAGDALENO

Posted on by admin
06
Feb

FRISCO, Texas — Teofimo Lopez might be just 21 years old, but he’s already one hell of a fighter.

He tops himself each time out, even as the competition grows stiffer, with a bevy of highlight-reel knockouts. The latest: a seventh-round stoppage of Diego Magdaleno. Lopez laid an absolute beating on his toughest foe yet, showing off his vast array of skills.

With Magdaleno’s nose sliced wide open, Lopez shot punches from seemingly every angle, including a right uppercut that landed with precision. Magdaleno absorbed the beating and motioned to Lopez to come forward, which he happily obliged. Consecutive leaping left hooks — both punches fully loaded up on — sent Magdaleno crashing to the canvas in Round 7 as the referee finally halted the battering.

Lopez (12-0, 10 knockouts) punctuated the victory — his first time reaching the seventh round — with his trademark celebratory back somersault, a move that caught the ire of Madaleno’s brother, former titleholder Jessie.

“Teofimo Lopez, whether you hate him, whether you like him, you’re still going to watch him,” he said. ” … It’s nothing personal; it’s just business. We’re in the entertainment business. … People want to see highlights, people want to see KOs.”

Lopez believes he’s ready for a title shot now, and who can argue with him? He possesses blistering hand speed and the moxie to throw shots from anywhere. He’s interested in meeting Vasiliy Lomachenko at the end of the year, but he says he’s moving up to 140 pounds for his first fight of 2020.

“As the competition gets tougher, you will see more of that I can do,” Lopez said. “I dissected him like a surgeon.”

Featured, News

OSCAR VALDEZ RETURNS FROM LAYOFF

Posted on by admin
06
Feb

FRISCO, Texas — Oscar Valdez has endured grueling bout after grueling bout, so at long last, he was due for an easy touch.

He earned it after fighting through a fractured jaw in his last outing, a decision victory over Scott Quigg in March. Valdez called that two-month recovery on a liquid diet one of the hardest things he’s ever endured.

It’s behind him now, though, and fully healed, he returned Saturday on ESPN with a seventh-round stoppage of Italian foe Carmine Tommasone to retain his WBO featherweight title. Valdez scored four knockdowns and battered his overmatched opponent through each and every round.

A right uppercut on the chin finished Tommasone off at nine seconds of Round 7. Tommasone’s lip was sliced, and his right swollen and cut.

With a comeback win under his belt, Valdez, 28, hopes to return to top-level competition in his next bout, whether it’s a unification fight with Josh Warrington or a matchup with former champion Carl Frampton.

“To be honest, I didn’t really think about the jaw,” said Valdez, The Ring’s No. 4 featherweight. ” … The jaw’s 100 percent, ready for whoever. … 2019, we started it well and the sky’s the limit.”

Valdez (25-0, 20 knockouts) ditched longtime trainer Manny Robles and linked up with Eddy Reynoso, best known for his work with middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. The move was made with an eye on longevity. The Mexico native is one of the sport’s best action fighters, but he realizes that his reckless, face-first style won’t lend itself to durability through the years.

He made good on his promise to box more from the outside, albeit against limited opposition. Valdez pumped a jab in Tommasone’s face and carved him up to the body.

A counter-right hand planted Tommasone (19-1, 5 KOs) on the canvas in Round 4. Valdez followed up with another knockdown that round (produced by a left hook to the body), before scoring one a piece in the sixth and seventh frames.

Tommasone was beaten up, but not all was lost on this night. He proposed to his girlfriend following the bout, who accepted.

Featured, News

RICHARD COMMEY WRECKS ISA CHANIEV IN TWO ROUNDS

Posted on by admin
06
Feb

FRISCO, Texas — Richard Commey knew that a victory would not only net him his first world title, but also a lucrative meeting with Vasiliy Lomachenko.

There was some consternation heading into Saturday’s title tilt that April 12 might be a quick turnaround for the victor. Commey ensured that wouldn’t be an issue — at least on the surface (but more on that later).

He walked through Isa Chaniev in a fight televised by ESPN and stopped his foe after depositing him three times on the canvas. Referee Laurence Cole halted the contest at 39 seconds of Round 2 and now, Commey will look forward to the biggest fight of his career: a meeting with the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.

First, Commey will undergo an X-Ray on his right hand. The Ghanaian told reporters at ringside he felt a knuckle pop on the punch that caused a knockdown in the opening round. If he’s clear to fight in two months, he’ll meet Lomachenko at Staples Center in a fight streamed on ESPN+.

“I’m very happy that I won this world title,” said Commey, who entered the bout rated No. 3 by The Ring at 135 pounds. “It’s everything for me, this is what I’ve worked so hard for.”

Commey (28-2, 25 knockouts) stood toe-to-toe with Chaniev at the opening bell. They exchanged shots on the inside, and it was Commey’s heavier hands that were more effective. Chaniev (13-2, 6 KOs) was floored in Round 1, and when he rose, he was clearly on unsteady legs.

A left hand blasted Chaniev, 26, early in Round 2 to produce a second knockdown. Moments later, Commey, 31, pounced and banged the Russian with a left uppercut, right hand combination that ended matters.

Commey’s only two pro defeats both came in 2016, and many media members believed he deserved the nod in each fight. First, he dropped a split decision to Robert Easter in his only other bid for a title. Next up was Denis Shafikov, who outpoined him in the same manner.

Lomachenko is rated No. 1 by The Ring pound-for-pound, but he’s best suited for 126 pounds. Commey, a physical specimen, will enjoy a considerable size advantage. It’s shapes up as a tough challenge for the two-time Olympic gold medalist.

“That’s one guy who is very, very competitive with Lomachenko,” Arum said. “He hits like a mule, he’s a big guy. Lomachenko will embrace this kind of challenge. It’s a challenge fighting a guy who can really hurt you. … That’s what he wants.

“(Manny) Pacquiao was 122 (pounds) and he went up and he was always smaller than his opponents. He’s much better than Manny Pacquiao. Lomachenko is the best technical fighter I’ve ever seen.”

There’s no doubting Loma’s marvelous ring skills, but he’s displayed some vulnerability in his two fights at 135 pounds. Commey said he’s “never really thought about” Lomachenko, but assuming he’s medically cleared, he’ll need shift his focus in a hurry.

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KEITH THURMAN SETS SIGHTS ON MANNY PACQUIAO

Posted on by admin
28
Jan

KEITH THURMAN SETS SIGHTS ON MANNY PACQUIAO: ‘I’D FIGHT HIM IN THE PHILIPPINES IF I HAD TO’

NEW YORK — Shortly after hearing the scorecards for his majority decision victory over Josesito Lopez, the topic turned to what the future holds for Keith Thurman. He just had his first fight in 22 months, and the world of boxing had changed a lot since his previous fight.

Manny Pacquiao, the eight division champion who’d been with Top Rank since before Thurman turned pro, was now a Premier Boxing Champions fighter, opening up a number of matchups that hadn’t been possible before.

When the question came over the plate, Thurman took his swing.

“Bring it in the ring. Maybe Brooklyn, maybe Vegas, wherever Manny Pacquiao wants it. I’d fight him in the Philippines if I had to,” said the WBA welterweight titleholder Thurman (29-0, 22 knockouts).

Pacquiao, 40, made his return to the United States a week ago, outpointing Adrien Broner by unanimous decision in his first fight since aligning with Al Haymon. Afterwards, Pacquiao voiced his interest in a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., who had defeated him in 2015 by unanimous decision. Pacquiao has claimed an injury to his right rotator cuff had limited him in the fight, and wants an opportunity to run their record-setting financial blockbuster back.

Mayweather, who hasn’t fought a pro boxer since 2015, showed no indication either way about his willingness to take the fight, and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe insists he’s retired and no longer interested in fighting.

Thurman knows a thing or two about injuries. After defeating Danny Garcia by split decision to annex the WBC title, Thurman went on the injured reserve, undergoing surgery on his right elbow in 2017, and then missing 2018 as well due to a left hand injury. Thurman admitted afterwards that his hands were swollen due to the impact on Lopez’s forehead, but says it’s nothing he isn’t used to.

Thurman has said that 2019 is a “get back year,” but asked whether he’d prefer to reclaim the WBC belt he vacated from his ex-foe Shawn Porter, or wanted the biggest name in the division, Thurman seemed to indicate he’d want a fight with Pacquiao first.

“Manny Pacquiao is not gonna be here for the years to come,” said Thurman. “Just fighting a legend, I just feel like the clock is ticking,” said Thurman. 

“Later this year if that fight presents itself, I would definitely be open for negotiations and I would love an opportunity to fight a legend.”

Sean Gibbons, who works as the matchmaker for Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, said Pacquiao is still relaxing after his most recent win and will begin looking at possible opponents next week.

“The Senator told me ‘I only want to fight the best at this point in my career,’ and Keith Thurman 1000% qualifies for that at 147 pounds,” said Gibbons in a direct message.

Thurman says that Pacquiao “easily outpunched” Broner and showed exceptional stamina, even if he’s “not the young Manny Pacquiao that he once was.”

It wasn’t just Thurman’s hands that were bruised. His face had swollen up, and Thurman was buzzed in round seven, in part because he underestimated the reach of Lopez and thought he was out of range when he wasn’t. Thurman admits he was a punch or two away from going down for the first time in his career in that round, but says he didn’t expect to be at his best form after being inactive.

Lopez’s trainer Robert Garcia says Thurman was expected to stop Lopez inside six rounds, and that nearly being stopped by a big underdog doesn’t bode well for his immediate chances against Pacquiao.

“It doesn’t make Thurman look too good,” said Garcia, the 2012 Boxing Writers Association of America Trainer of the Year.

“He had a two year layoff, so maybe one or two more fights before he can even say he can fight Pacquiao. I think he needs a couple more fights.”

Even as an undefeated fighter, Thurman embraces his vulnerability. Of the seventh round, Thurman says the sequence when he was hit by a left hook along the ropes and then had his head popped back by a right hand wasn’t the most he’d ever been hurt in a fight, but says it was the best an opponent had ever followed up once he was stunned.

He compares it to the body shot he took against Luis Collazo in their 2015 fight, and when he was wobbled by an overhand right from Jesus Soto Karass in 2013. He even brings up being knocked down on a body shot in sparring against his former training partner Winky Wright in Lake Tahoe years ago.

He didn’t go down this night, which he jokes is progress.

“The name ‘One Time’ isn’t something that I can do to them. It’s something that they can do to me,” said Thurman.

 

BY RYAN SONGALIA

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JAIME MUNGUIA OUTSLUGS TAKESHI INOUE OVER 12 ROUNDS TO RETAIN 154-POUND TITLE

Posted on by admin
28
Jan

JAIME MUNGUIA OUTSLUGS TAKESHI INOUE OVER 12 ROUNDS TO RETAIN 154-POUND TITLE

Jaime Munguia racked up another victory, but it didn’t come as easy as expected.

He held off the hard-charging Takeshi Inoue over 12 rounds to retain his WBO junior middleweight title via unanimous decision Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. Two judges scored it a shutout, 120-108, and the third scorecard read 119-109, but those tallies weren’t truly indicative of the competitive nature of the fight.

Inoue landed plenty of flush overhand rights and never stopped coming forward in his first bid for a title. The native of Japan wasn’t well-known entering the bout, but he displayed mettle, grit and toughness in spades.

The DAZN main event was a slugfest from bell to bell. Munguia (32-0, 26 knockouts) unloaded with 998 shots, most of them punches he fully loaded up on. He connected on 311 of them, and the effect was clearly visible at fight’s end. Inoue’s eyes were both badly swollen, particularly his right, where so many of those Munguia left hooks landed clean.

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Inoue (13-1-1, 7 KOs) never wavered. The 29-year-old was far smaller than Munguia — both in height and frame — but was the aggressor throughout. He was able to bully Munguia to the ropes time and again, and that’s where he did the best work. But even when he connected flush, the punches never appeared to faze Munguia.

The 22-year-old native of Tijuana, Mexico, brutalized Inoue to the body, and doubled up often on the left hook. Working with trainer Robert Alcazar for the first time, Munguia used the jab far more often than usual. He pumped it 277 times, though he landed just 35 of those. Still, the lead weapon was an effective punch to dictate range.

Munguia was making the third defense of the 154-pound title he won Sadam Ali in May 2018. Munguia’s developed a large following in a short amount of time, and he’s bound to keep headlining his own cards.

He’s rated No. 3 by The Ring at junior middleweight, but he acknowledged he could jump one division north in the near future. Middleweight titleholder Demetrius Andrade is calling for a fight with Munguia, a challenge the Mexican said he would accept.

BY MIKE COPPINGER

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ADAM KOWNACKI TEARS THROUGH GERALD WASHINGTON IN TWO ROUNDS

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28
Jan

ADAM KOWNACKI TEARS THROUGH GERALD WASHINGTON IN TWO ROUNDS

NEW YORK — Adam Kownacki now and likely forever will not be winning bodybuilding contests. His specialty is prizefighting, and even if his physique screams “dad bod,” his fists send a surlier message.

Kownacki went to 19-0 (15 knockouts) as he downed ex footballer Gerald Washington in the lead-in to the main event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Saturday night.

The Polish born hitter, who grew up in Brooklyn, was 258 on Friday, while the Cali-based Washington (19-3-1, 12 KOs) was 243.

Nine fights had already unfolded, but to the 1,500 or so Poles in the building, this was their main event, all due respect to Keith Thurman. The decibel level was to the point where Jimmy Lennon was all but inaudible to the 9,623 in the joint.

In the first, Kownacki came out banging. High, low, then low again, all behind that sturdy frame which makes him that much more identifiable to the masses. Washington backed up, covered up, and tried some uppercuts. He looked to snake a right around the guard of AK, too. A cut near the left eye of Kownacki didn’t bother him a stitch.

In the second, down went Washington. He got up, and got a long assessment. Kownacki got back to work, flurried, and finished him. The ref hopped in, and he had a stool brought to him. His legs were jello shots.

A left to the body, a seamless hook to the head-right follow went Washington back and a straight right straight up hurt him. A right hand as the loser was up against the ropes dumped him hard to the mat. His eyes were glazed like shots on your 21st birthday glazed. He struggled mightily to rise and the ref made sure he was OK to go, like a cop asking a boozer to walk a straight line. The action re-commenced, but not for long. Two of five shots landed and Washington wasn’t all there.

Kownacki picked up a boatload of new fans making a “gimme a belt” motion and then shouting out love to his on site rooters. There at ringside was WBC heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder, who was booed when he was shown on the overhead screen. Wilder fought Washington two years ago and needed five rounds to finish him.

“I trained hard for this fight. I prepared for ten hard rounds, but I’m glad I got it done and ended it as fast as I did,” the winner said to interviewer Heidi Androl.

“I want to thank my team, without them I wouldn’t be where I’m at. I want that belt! We stuck with the game plan. I’m a pressure fighter. I worked on sitting down on my punches and I proved that I have great power when I do that. It’s amazing to have this support from the Polish fans. It definitely gives me extra energy.”

BY MICHAEL WOODS