Wednesday night in the latest edition of the popular Broadway Boxing series, DiBella Entertainment and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s SMS Promotions staged an exciting nine-bout card before a sold-out crowd at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in NYC. Headlining the card was New York junior middleweight fan-favorite and West Point Cadet graduate Boyd Melson taking on fellow New Yorker Jason Thompson in a rematch of their first bout which was ruled a draw.
Melson looked very calm and boxed well from the outset, keeping his distance and landing with hard shots from a southpaw stance.
The middle rounds got interesting though as Thompson was able to close the gap and turning the bout into a bit of a war.
Thompson opened a nasty cut over the right eye of Melson in the sixth round causing the referee to call a time out so the ringside physician could get a closer look. With blood streaming down his face, Melson smiled at the doctor, telling him that there was no way he was stopping the fight.
In the seventh round, Melson returned the favor, cutting Thompson over his right eye. In the eighth and final frame, both fighters stormed off their stools and met in the center of the ring and immediately began throwing bombs. As the fighters were exchanging shots, Melson dropped Thompson with a short right hook. Thompson seemed to be a little off balance, but nonetheless the knockdown was rightfully counted.
In the end, Melson was awarded the well-deserved and hard-fought decision, winning by scores of 78-73 twice, and 77-74. With the victory, Melson improved to 12-1-1, 4KO’s, After the bout, the victor was accompanied in the ring by award-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. Melson discussed his foundation “Team Fight to Walk” and the “Just a Dollar Please” organization, which raises money for stem cell research. For more information on the cause visit www.justadollarplease.org
HAMER SCORES FIRST ROUND KNOCKOUT
In the co-feature bout, American heavyweight contender and former Prizefighter Heavyweight Champion Tor Hamer scored a first-round knockout over one-time heavyweight hopeful Kertson Manswell.
It was an ugly fight from the outset, with Manswell looking to wrestle and trying to push Hamer over the ropes multiple times. Hamer kept his cool though and then dropped Manswell near the end of the first with a huge right hand. Manswell beat the count but with the 10-second bell sounding, Hamer jumped all over him looking to close the show. Just as the bell sounded to end the round, Hamer landed a huge left hook that sent Manswell down to his knees. Thinking that the punch occurred after the bell sounded, Manswell dropped face first to the canvas, giving the impression that he was knocked out. Fortunately for Hamer and the crowd in attendance, the NYSAC ruled the fight in Hamer’s favor, giving him the first-round knockout.
With the win, Hamer improved to 21-2, 14KO’s, and hopes to secure another significant fight in the heavyweight division sometime in 2014.
DAY SHINES BRIGHT
Patrick Day, one of the brightest young stars on DBE’s talent-laden roster, passed the toughest test of his young career with flying colors, taking a unanimous six-round decision over once-beaten Donald Ward.
The former #1 amateur in the US and national champion, Day was an offensive machine, using his complete arsenal to take apart his opponent. Ward’s only other defeat as a professional came in a highly controversial decision loss to Top Rank’s undefeated prospect Alex Saucedo, but on this night, Day was simply too much. It was the sixth fight for Day in 2013, and easily the most impressive as he pitched a complete shutout, 60-54 across the board busting up Ward’s face in the process. With the win, Day improves to a perfect 5-0, 2KO’s, while Ward drops to 5-2, 3KO’s.
OTHER RESULTS
In a major upset, Michael Doyle scored a sensational one-punch knockout over Brooklyn’s hard-hitting Neuky Santelises.
Coming off back-to-back first round knockouts, Santelises came out looking to make it three in a row, but unfortunately Doyle had other plans. With Santelises opening up on Doyle against the ropes, Doyle unleashed a monstrous left hook that landed flush on the chin of Santelises, sending him down hard, flat on his back. Santelises was able to beat the count, but was in horrible shape, prompting the referee to call a halt to the contest at 1:19 of the very first round. With the win, Doyle improves to 2-3, 1KO, while Santelises (5-1, 4KO’s) suffered the first loss of his professional career.
Undefeated lightweight prospect Amos Cowart suffered the first blemish of his young professional career when he had to settle for a majority six-round draw against former NY Golden Gloves Champion Chazz McDowell.
Cowart came out fast, stalking McDowell around the ring and landing vicious combinations to the body. McDowell hung tough though, circling around the ring and landing from the outside.
The middle rounds were close with both fighters having success landing combinations with both hands. Cowart continued to chase his opponent down, but McDowell continued to have success scoring with quick flurries.
In the end, one judge scored the bout 58-56 for Cowart, while the other two had it even at 57-57. Cowart’s record now stands at 7-0-1, 5KO’s, while McDowell moves to 6-3-1, 1KO. After the bout, promoter Lou DiBella said he would love to have a rematch of the entertaining bout on his and 50 Cent’s upcoming September 16th Broadway Boxing card at Resorts World Casino.
Undefeated super middleweight contender Lennox Allen shook off a little over a year of ring rust and won a six-round unanimous decision over Michael Gbenga. Allen easily outpointed the awkward-but-tough Gbenga, winning by scores 60-54, and 59-55 twice, improving to 17-0-1, 10KO’s, in the process.
SMS promoted Donte Strayhorn improved to 3-1 as a professional, pitching a four-round shut-out decision over Justin Robbins. Strayhorn scored frequently with both hands, busting up Robbins’ face in the process. To his credit, Robbins was able to make it to the final bell, but Stayhorn was just too skilled, winning by scores of 40-36 across the board.
Fighting for the third time as professionals and sixth time overall, New York-natives and Golden Gloves Champions Sonya Lamonakis and Tanzee Daniel went to war in their six-round female heavyweight showdown.
With the crowd behind her, Lamonakis started fast and never let off the gas. Round after round, Lamonakis pinned Daniel against the ropes. Daniel was content fighting off the ropes and playing it to the crowd. Ultimately, though, she couldn’t put together enough of an offense to withstand the hard-charging Lamonakis, who easily won by scores of 60-54 twice, and 59-55. With the win, Lamonakis improved her record to 8-1-2, 1KO, while Daniel falls to 4-3-1, 1KO.
In the opening bout of the night, SMS Promotions pro-debuting Jeremy Abram took a dominant four-round unanimous decision over Micah Branch. Abram used his superior boxing ability to control the action throughout, winning a clean shut-out on all three judges scorecards 40-36.
DiBella Entertainment and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s next installment of the Broadway Boxing series will take place on Monday, September 16, at Resorts World Casino, in Jamaica, Queens.
