Boxing was back at the BB&T tonight with the second installment of Golden Boy Boxing at the BB&T Center in Sunrise Florida. This card was stacked with excellent young Golden Boy talent who all were matched with fierce competitors, … well with the exception of one disgraceful “fighter” with loose screws.
The main event showcased featherweights Brualio Santos and Derrick Wilson clash who excited the crowd with a very entertaining, hard punching, close encounters all action brawl. The two warriors answered the opening bell with big power punches and great skilled technique boxing and continued until the final bell. The early rounds found the two tactfully exchanging heavy short combinations and sharp accurate punches. Santos dug with deep body shots and short punches while Wilson used his excellent athletic skills to counter punching the hard charging Puerto Rican. The action persisted through the middle rounds with both fighters throwing heavyweight thumping punches… Santos kept his steady attack however as the fight grew Wilson started settling in with his timing and blocking the hard punches thrown by Santos. The final rounds kept tempo and were very close, with Wilson doing just a little bit more each round. Round 9 Wilson landed a great right hand to the temple that put Santos down to the delight of the crowd. Santos quickly made it to his feet and back into action and the two went back to exchanging power punches. Going into the final round I had Wilson up by two points, the final round was a bit of a chess match where both fighters looked in great shape to finish strong and close. I scored the fight 96-95 for Wilson. The final cards read 96-93 twice and 96-94.
Light middleweight Daquan Arnett 11-0(7KO) kept his 0 intact with a sensational made for highlights knockout over hard charging Hector Zuniga 10-2(7KO) who was fighting of Tijuana Mexico. Arnett showed his superior boxing skills and defense. He was sharp with his counter punches and kept Zuniga off of him, when the Mexican was able to catch him on the ropes he was gifted with a few nice shots. The knockout sequence was awesome bringing the sparsely crowded BB&T center to a roar, one would think it was a packed house. The two combatants were exchanging along the ropes when Arnett connected with a left hood, followed by another, and yet another at which time Zuniga shook his head and waved Arnett in for more, a split second later Arnett unloaded a fourth and final left hook that dropped the Mexican like a hot tamale. Arnett barely beat the count but the towel from the Mexicans corner did not as they saved their beaten fighter. The end came at 1:37 of the fifth.
Jamall “The Hitman” Charlo 14-0(10KO) had someone special watching him tonight, the original Hitman, Thomas Hearns was ringside to watching the action. The new aged Hitman did not disappoint as he crushed 39 Ecuadorian journeyman Luis Hernandez 21-6(14KO) dropping him twice in the second round. Officially scored a TKO2 at 2:26
Local favorite Steve Geffrard got off the canvas in round one and put together a nice comeback in an entertaining and tough fight for the former amateur national champion and Boca Raton native. Travis Reeves 1-1-1 ripped a big left hook that dropped Geffrard in round one Round two was very close as Geffrard got a lead later in the round which made it very hard to score. Rounds three and four was in favor of the hard hitting Geffard who found comfort in a shelled inside affair with the Baltimore based Reeves who was happy to trade shot for shot with the taller Geffrard. Each fighter caught each other during inside pot-shotting action with very close rounds three and fourth that seemed to favor Geffrard. A deflated Geffard fell to the ground when the final decision was announced in favor of the underdog, Reeves. Two judges saw the fight 38-37 for Reeves and the other 38-37 for Geffrard
2012 United States Olympian Errol Spence 6-0(5KO) from Dallas TX made quick work of Guillermo Ibarra 11-4(7KO) fighting out of Mexico. Spence landed a nice left to the head that dispensed the Mexican to the floor and out at 1:33 of round one. Spence has gotten a nice start since he entered the pro ranks in November of last year.
Highly touted amateur and “dream team” fighter Justin DeLoach 3-0(2KO) made quick and almost comical work of shamefully licensed Jonathan Olivera who looked as if he had just started boxing this morning. Honestly one of, if not the most embarrassing fighters I have ever seen, next to “Worst Boxer in the History of the World …epic mullet!!!” who entertains on YouTube, and obviously used Mullets “Cat Technique” Which was embarrassingly ineffective. I am certain once this hits YouTube it will be a rival. Just a shameful performance by Olivera, and shame on the commission and his team and corner for putting this kid in the ring in the ring with a fighter who could have killed him. This kid didn’t even look like an amateur. I understand he was a late replacement and I truly believe he was literally a last minute replacement and traded his seat for a corner stool.
Fort Lauderdales Travis Castellon 1-0(1KO) kick started his professional career and the evening with an exciting round that got the rain soaked crowd off to an upbeat start. The southpaw Castellon met Orlando’s Will Fauth 0-1-1 mid ring a second after the opening bell meaning business. The two threw early heavy punch and a clash of heads midway through the first stanza caused an ugly bump on the head of Fauth who then pressured the former amatuer standout Castellon into a corner and caught the young pugilist with his first hard professional punches. In a show of true heart that corner worked seemed to ignite the young pro who then found his distance and landed some great shots including a perfect uppercut at the bell. Between rounds Dr. Allen Fields advised the Fauth corner to cease the action. As a result Castellon earns a TKO in his debut and the BB&T Center gets an awesome appetizer to kick the night off.
Chris “SugarBoy” Valez improved to 5-0-1(3KO) by prowling and landing clean shots almost at will on tough as nails Jose Segura in a bloody welterweight affair. Valez looked sharp throughout the bout picking his shots. The cards read 40-36 for Valez who remained undefeated.
