By: Ken Hissner
King’s promotions returned to the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA, Tuesday night before the largest crowd seen here in years with plenty of Allentown boxers on the undercard.
The main event featuring Frank DeAlba fell out due to his opponent Ivan Najera coming in 15 pounds over weight per PR man Marc Abrams!
In the Main Event welterweight southpaw Mykal “The Professor” Fox, 15-0 (4), of Forestville, MD, easily defeated southpaw Manuel “Chino” Reyes, 11-4-1 (5), of Los Angeles, CA, for the UBF All America title over 8 rounds.
In the opening round the much taller Fox works the ring well countering a chasing Reyes with jabs and left hands to the chin. Fox outworked Reyes for the most part. The second round Reyes tries to make Fox turn it into a brawl but Fox is to smart for this countering Reyes well. Fox landed half a dozen unanswered punches to the head of Reyes who is walking into punches trying to land a big shot. Reyes lands a solid right hook to the chin of Fox. Both fighters ended the round going to each others body.
In the third round both fighters are working inside mostly to the body with plenty of holding for referee Gary Rosato to break up. Reyes continues to chase down Fox running into jabs and left uppercuts. In the fourth round Fox landed several chopping left hands to the head of Reyes. The light punching Fox is just to fast a hand for Reyes. In the fifth round Reyes finally got Fox in a neutral corner with a flurry of punches. Fox counters with a 3-punch combination to the head of Reyes. Reyes works hard trying to catch up with Fox but only to run into combinations to the head while landing a punch or two.
In the sixth round Reyes runs into a straight left to the chin by Fox. Reyes landed several good shots to the body and head of a retreating Fox when he stopped moving. In the seventh round Reyes works the body only to b countered by Fox going to the head. Reyes kept trying to swarm all over Fox but continues to run into counter chopping left hands to the head. In the eighth and final round Fox lands a hard straight left to the head of Reyes. Reyes drove Fox into a neutral corner with body shots. Fox spun out and continues to counter Reyes until they continue to clinch making referee Rosato’s job tough at times.
Judge Dave Braswell had it 78-74, Ron McNair 79-73 and Bernard Bruni 80-72 same as this writer had it.
Lightweight Victor “Skinny” Vazquez, 9-3 (3), of Yonkers, NY, scored 3 knockdowns defeating Ricardo “La Ley” Garcia, 14-1 (9), of Santo Domingo, DR, now out of Reading, PA, by majority decision over 8 rounds.
In the opening round Garcia landed the first punch a left hook to the head of the taller Vazquez. Vazquez was the aggressor while Garcia was backing up with his hands down to his side. Vazquez turned southpaw and Garcia hit him with half a dozen punches bringing blood from his nose. Vazquez drove Garcia into the ropes with a lwft hook to the head as the round came to an end. In the second round Vazquez was using a good jab as Garcia was moving backwards before landing a counter right to the chin of Vazquez. Vazquez was chasing Garcia with little success as Garcia would land an occasional right to the head. Vazquez landed a double left hook to the head of Garcia just prior to the bell. Referee Clark had to separate the two at the bell of a close round.
In the third round Vazquez landed a good left hook to the chin of Garcia dropping him to the canvas. Garcia got up and both were slugging it out in the corner of Vazquez as Garcia came out of it with a cut along his left eyebrow. In the fourth round Vazquez opened up with a lead right to the head of a retreating Garcia. Garcia landed a right to the head but was countered by a right to the head from Vazquez. Garcia countered with a solid right to the chin of Vazquez who continues to run after Garcia who stops on occasion to throw punches. Garcia landed a 3-punch combination to the head of Vazquez just prior to the bell.
In the fifth round Garcia landed a right to the head of Vazquez but was countered with a left hook to the head. Vazquez landed a right hand and fell to the canvas. He got up and continued to chase Garcia who ended the round with a combination to the head of Vazquez. In the sixth round Vazquez came out southpaw and switching back and forth still chasing Garcia who stops long enough to counter the taller Vazquez. It looked like Vazquez knocked Garcia down but referee Shawn Clark ruled a no knockdown. Vazquez drove Garcia into a corner with a flurry of punches. Both fighters exchanged left hooks at the same time to the head.
In the seventh round Vazquez raced out of the corner making Garcia fight. Garcia landed a solid lead right to the head of Vazquez. A double left hook from Vazquez to the head of Garcia drove him into a corner. Vazquez ended the round with a left hook re-opening the cut along Garcia’s left eyebrow. In the eighth and final round a Vazquez right hand dropped Garcia. Vazquez landed a combination dropping Garcia into the ropes and down for a second time.
Judge Bruni scored it 75-75 while judges Braswell and McNair had it 77-72. This writer had it 76-73. Philadelphia’s Angel Pizarro Sr. worked the corner of Vazquez. Shawn Clark was the referee.
Super featherweight top area prospect Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno, 5-0 (5), of Allentown, PA, scored his fifth straight stoppage at 2:58 of the second round over Corben “The Ram” Page, 5-16-1 (0), of Springfield, OR.
In the opening round after half a minute Adorno landed a left hook to the chin of Page. Page landed several jabs to the body of Adorno. Adorno landed a left hook to the body that had Page shaking his head “no.” In the second round Adorno landed a left uppercut to the body. He followed up with a left hook to the chin of Page dropping him. Page got up but ran into a couple of left hooks from Adorno who started show boating. Page ran into an Adorno right hand to the chin rocking him. He followed up with a flurry of punches to the head dropping Page in the corner of Adorno forcing referee Rosato to wave off the fight immediately.
Featherweight Juan “Ciclon Jr.” Sanchez, 4-0 (1), of Allentown PA, won a decision over James “Too Slick” Early, 2-2 (0), of Seat Pleasant, MD, over 4 rounds.
In the first round Sanchez opened up with a right hand to the chin of Early who keeps switching back and forth to southpaw. Sanchez continued to be the aggressor against the taller Early. Sanchez showed better hand speed. In the second round Early continued to switch stances but not working with Sanchez now the counter puncher. Early drove Sanchez on the ropes for a short flurry of punches to the head. Sanchez came back well and is complaining of Early’s dirty tactics.
In the third round Early moved Sanchez into the neutral corner only to get hit with a pair of combinations to the head. In this round Sanchez was back as the aggressor. Sanchez landed a combination to the body of Early just prior to the end of the round. In the fourth and final round Early moved Sanchez into a corner only to get countered to the head. Sanchez was against the ropes with Early landed several head punches before being warned by referee Clark for a low blow. This was probably the closest round of the fight.
All 3 judge’s McNair, Braswell and Bruni had it 39-37 as did this writer.
Light flyweight Harold Lopez, Allentown, PA, 2-0-1 (1), of Allentown, PA, defeated Jerrod Miner, 1-1 (0), of Philadelphia, PA, over 4 rounds.
In the first round they were feeling each other out for the first minute before Lopez landed a right hand to the chin of Miner. Lopez landed a right to the chin of Miner but was countered with a combination to the head. Lopez landed a right just prior to the end of the round to the chin of Miner. In the second round Lopez continued to hold his hands high when he and Miner both landed right hands to the head. Miner landed a right to the chin of Lopez in the neutral corner. Both fighters are doing their share of missing wild punches with too much posing but the Lopez fans are still screaming for their fighter. Referee Rosato warned Lopez for using his head. Miner landed a left hook to the head of Lopez who countered with a right to the head of his own.
In the third round Lopez landed a hard right to the chin of Miner who came right back with a right of his own to the chin of Lopez. Things finally started to heat up until Lopez was warned for a low blow by referee Rosato. Miner was chasing Lopez for the most part. Lopez was using an effective jab until he was hit by a Miner left hook to the chin. Lopez keeps looking to his corner for direction. Lopez went to the body just prior to the round ending. Miner was complaining of a head butt. In the fourth and final round it was Miner landed a left hook to the head of Lopez who came right back with an overhand right to the head of Miner. Lopez landed a right to the head of Miner who came back with a left hook to the head of Lopez. Both fighters are going to the body while inside with uppercuts. Lopez landed a right uppercut to the chin of Miner. Both fighters looked exhausted at the end.
Judges Bruni had it 40-36 while Braswell and McNair had it 39-37 as did this writer. Rosato was the referee.
Heavyweight prospect NY Golden Gloves champion Michael “’P.A.N.” Coffie, 1-0 (1), of Brooklyn, PA, scored a big knockout at 1:01 of the first round over Ralph Alexander Lanham, 0-2 (0), of Lanham, MD, in a scheduled 4 rounds.
In the first round the much larger Coffie drive Alexander back with the first right to the chin several steps. Another Coffie right hand to the chin and Alexander was out cold before he hit the canvas. Referee Clark didn’t need to count.
Super bantamweight southpaw “Homocide” Hector Bayanilla, 2-0-1 (1), of Allentown, PA, won in a war over Jose Elizondo, 2-4-1 (0), of San Antonio, TX, over 4 rounds.
In the first round both fighters let it all hang out. No feeling out for these two. Bayanilla landed a combination to the head of Elizondo who came back with a combination of his own to the head of Bayanilla. Bayanilla landed half a dozen punches without return before Elizondo returned a right to the head of Bayanilla. It was Elizondo landing the final punches of the round as referee Rosato had to come between them at the bell. In the second round a left by Bayanilla to the chin dropped Elizondo. He got up laughing for the moment. Elizondo got back into the fight with both fighters letting it all hang out. Bayanilla rocked Elizondo with a right hook at the bell.
In the third round with his back to the ropes Bayanilloa fought back as Elizondo had forced him to the ropes. Both fighters took turns rocking each other with nothing but head shots. In the fourth and final round it was Elizondo who rocked Bayanilla only to have him come back in a total war! Neither fighter would let up in this one. The crowd is going wild! Elizondo put Bayanilla on the ropes only to get countered. Elizondo got in the final punch a right to the head of Bayanilla.
Judges Braswell and McNair scored it 39-36 while Bruni had it 40-35 as did this writer.
Referee was Rosato.
Opening bout Featherweight southpaw Martino Jules, 2-0 (0), of Allentown, PA, won by majority decision over Weusi “The Truth” Johnson, 2-7 (0), of Wilmington, DE, over 4 rounds.
In the first round both boxers mixed it up well with Jules taking the round. In the second round Johnson came back to take the round. In the third round Jules missed a right hand and almost went through the ropes. Jules landed a overhand left to the chin of Johnson just prior to the end of the round. In the fourth and final round Johnson was landing with the lead right against southpaw Jules just about every time he decided to throw it.
Judge Braswell scored 39-37, McNair 40-36 and Bruni 38-38 as did this writer. Referee was Clark.