By Sean Crose
Philadelphia’s 2300 Arena hosted Tuesday’s Golden Boy Promotions card, which was aired on Fox Sports 2 and Fox Deportes. The first bout featured lightweight Lamont Roach Jr (7-0, 3 KOs) from Washington DC as he battled Texan Christian Santibanez (3-4, 2 KOs) from Texas. Santibanez, a man who had lost more fights than he’s won, was able to hang in with Roach, though it was clear the fight belonged to the undefeated Washingtonian. The judges didn’t overlook the obvious and gave the 19 year old roach Roach a unanimous decision win.
The second match on the card was a light heavyweight six rounder between Mexico’s Josue Obando (11-5, 9 KOs) against Washington’s D’Mitrius Ballard (8-0, 7 KOs). Ballard came out moving forward, his gloves in a high guard. Obando swung hard as he retreated, but he couldn’t keep the Washington native from being the aggressor. Nor could Obando put his punches together in combinations.
The second round featured more of the same. In the third, it became clear that Obando, game and brave though he was, was completely overwhelmed by the stronger, more skilled Ballard.
Obando continued to swing away in the fourth, but his punches were far too wide to be effective. The predatory Ballard kept on stalking his prey, disciplined, aggressive and always on the hunt. Not enough changed during the last two rounds of the bout to alter the outcome. Ballard won a well-deserved unanimous decision.
The main event featured LA’s Vyacheslav Shabranskyy’s (13-0, 11 KOs) battle with Ohio’s Paul Parker (7-0) in the cruiserweight division. Shabranskyy was the supposed star of this one, but Parker was able to stun a lot of people by dropping Shabranskyy not once, but twice in the first round.
Shabransky, however, was able to hold on and survive the round. He was then able to get his stride back in the second. By the third, the lauded prospect was in full control, so much so that he was able to unload on Parker and effectively stop his man after Parker turned his back to avoid taking more punishment.
The final bout of the televised card featured Philly super lightweight Luis Rodriguez (3-4, 2 KOs) as he met up and comer Damon Allen (6-0, 2KOs) in a 6 round affair. Both men fought patiently, but not lethargically. Rodriguez may have had a less than impressive record, but he clearly came to win. Still, Allen was able to get the better of his man.
Unfortunately, Rodriguez didn’t have what it took to pull off the upset. His corner stopped the bout between the fourth and fifth rounds.