By: William Holmes
The heavyweight division was heavily featured on tonight’s edition of Premier Boxing Champions on Fox Sports 1 as Amir Mansour took on Gerald Washington in the main event of the night in the heavyweight division at the Little Creek Casino and Resort in Shelton Washington.
The opening bout was between US Olympian Michael Hunter (9-0) and Jason Douglas (11-5) in the heavyweight division.
Hunter started off aggressively with his jabs and right hook and appeared to be looking for a knockout early. Douglas showed some defensive ability, but Hunter dominated the first round including several hard combinations.
Douglas’s face began to swell up in the second round as Hunter continued to pummel him with combinations from corner to corner. Hunter scored his first knockdown of the night near the end of the second with two clean right crosses.
Douglas did land a good right to the chin in the third round and caused some damage to Douglas’ right eye. He did well in the third round until a questionable knockdown was scored by Hunter near the end of the round.
Douglas was knocked down again early on in the fourth round from a combination that featured a sharp right uppercut. He was able to get back to his feet, but the assault continued for the entire round until Hunter scored another knockdown with a straight right to the chin. Douglas was able to get back to his feet for the fourth time of the night and survive the round, but his corner and referee had seen enough as he walked back to his corner.
Michael Hunter remains undefeated with a TKO victory at the end of the fourth round.
Ahmed Elbiali (12-0) and Mariano Hilario (12-3) met in the second bout of the night in the light heavyweight division.
Elbiali has a reputation of being a knockout artist, and he was looking for the stoppage throughout the entire fight by constantly throwing loaded up power shots, but Hilario showed a good chin and took them well.
The first two rounds were dominated by Elbiali as he was landing thudding shots to the body and hard right hands to the head. Elbiali showed a granite chin and stayed up right and occasionally landed a punch of his own, but the difference in power was apparent early on.
Hilario had some offense in the third round when he connected with a straight right left uppercut combination in the center of the ring, but Elbiali continued his attack to the body.
Elbiali continued an incredible pace in the fourth and fifth rounds but neither fighter threw many, if any jabs. Elbiali had badly hurt Hilario at the end of the fourth round and had him momentarily stunned at the start of the fifth round, but Hilario tied up well and was able to survive.
Hilario rightly lost a point in the sixth round for excessive holding, and he was badly hurt near the end of the seventh round but still landed enough punches to keep the fight going.
Elbiali went for the knockout in the last round and landed several head snapping combinations, but Hilario survived and managed to finish the fight.
Elbiali won the clear decision with scores of 78-73, 80-71, and 80-71.
Gerald Washington (16-0) and Amir Mansour (22-1)met in the main event of the night in the heavyweight division.
Both boxers have knockout power and fireworks were expected. Mansour, a southpaw, was giving up several inches in height and reach to Washington.
Washington was doing a good job at keeping a safe distance in the early rounds and kept Mansour at bay with a long jab and an occasional straight right. Mansour showed a commitment to attacking the body, but Washington kept the pace slow and won the early rounds.
Washington’s straight right hand was landing at a high percentage in the fourth round and Mansour appeared to be very frustrated. Washington straight right hands continued to snap the head of Mansour in the fifth round, but Mansour’s kept up a high pace.
Washington began to tire by the sixth round and Mansour began to take over. Washington’s punches lacked any snap and he was circling away for most of the round but Mansour’s aggression could have won him the round, though he rarely landed a clean punch to the head of Washington.
Mansour’s body attack continued in the seventh and eighth round while Washington was unable to keep him at a safe distance for extended periods of time. Washing would land an occasional straight right in the final two rounds, but Mansour was the boxer pressing the pace and trying to force the exchanges while Washington looked like he just wanted to get out of the ring.
It was a close bout, and the judges scored it 97-93 Washington, 96-94 Mansour, and 95-95, resulting in a draw.
