By: William Holmes
Showtime presented another ShoBox card from the Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada as two bouts between prime prospects were broadcast for boxing fans.
The first bout of the night of the night was between Amir Imam (8-0) and Jeremy Bryan (16-2) in the super lightweight division. The Treasure Island Casino was not sold out and it appeared that barely half of the seats were sold. Jeremy Bryan was a prospect who fought out of Patterson, NJ and Imam was a young prospect who came from Albany, NY.
Both fighters were orthodox and had a similar amount of amateur experience, but Bryan had more experience boxing as a professional. The first round was largely uneventful as both fighters were trying to feel each other out and weren’t really committing to making an attempt to stop the other fighter.
Imam stopped the fight in the second round after landing a perfect straight right hand that immediately dropped Jeremy Bryan. Bryan hit the mat hard and was unable to even attempt to beat the count and Imam won the fight with a second round knockout.
The end came at 2:13 of the second round.
Amir Imam: “I had to figure him (Jeremy Bryan) out in the first round. I doubled up my jab in the second round and hit him with the big right that starched him. Some would say I took too big of a bite but I was composed, relaxed and knew what I had to do.
“Line ‘em up and I’ll knock them down.”
Jeremy Bryan: “I don’t really feel like talking because I still feel a little woozy. I expected so much more. I trained so hard. This is very disappointing.
“I had a lot going on. This was my first big fight on TV since 2004. I had a good fan base that came in for the fight. I think I got a little over-anxious and it cost me but I am a warrior. I’ve come back before and I’ll come back again.
The main event of the night was between Bahodir Mamadjonov (13-1) and Angelo Santana (14-1) in the lightweight division. Santana started the fight off strong and was able to land a second round knockdown with a stiff jab. Mamadjonov however was able to recover and use his southpaw stance to to baffle Santana from the third round on.
Mamadjonov was able to avoid the offense of Santana and knocked Santana down in the eighth round with a solid body attack.
Santana looked weak from the devastation in the eighth round and was dropped again in the ninth round with a picture perfect combination but he was able to beat the count. Mamadjonov immediately attacked Santana after the knockdown and landed another perfect straight left hand to the chin of Santana that sent him to the canvas again.
Mamadjonov scored the ninth round TKO at 0:51.
Baha Mamadjonov: “One week notice and I win by that kind of knockout. The first couple of rounds he (Angelo Santana) was difficult to figure out but once I did I just got more aggressive. The hard work paid off. I came to the United States to be a champion. I want to win a world title and this was the first step. I’m just starting. It’s going to be one belt at a time.
“Santana hits really hard and I respect him but I could see he was getting tired in the sixth round after I hit him with a body shot.”
Angelo Santana: “The referee stopped the fight. I tell you I was still in it. I landed two big left hands earlier in the round. We were in a good fight and it should have continued. Nothing against Baha, he’s a good fighter, but I want a rematch.
“The last knockdown came on a slip. I slipped after throwing a punch.”
On the undercard Marcus Oliveira (25-0-1) stopped Ryan Coyne (21-1) by knockout at 1:15 of the 11th round. Coyne was stunned in the 10th round and was unable to respond to a combination in the 11th round before the referee stopped the fight.
Marcus Oliveira: “Coyne came to fight but I figured him out in the sixth round when I realized I could stand right in front of him and only I could hurt him.
“I made sure to work up and down. When I went to the body, I noticed he would drop his right hand so I’d unload a left.
“I dropped him the first time with two right hands and a left hook. The same flurry ended the fight moments later on the other side of the ring.”
