Nelson Defeats Vasquez in War at Harrah’s! By Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing (Sept 20, 2012) Doghouse Boxing - Tweet
It was everything it was played out to be as Niam Nelson, 8-0 (1),
won the vacant PA lightweight title in a war over fellow Philadelphian
Victor Vasquez, 15-7-1 (7), over 10 rounds this past Friday night at Harrah’s
Philadelphia in Chester, PA. Joey Eye Boxing Promotions and David
Feldman Presents had standing room only as they put together another
blockbuster show at the Casino.
Nelson had never been scheduled
for more than 6 rounds and Vasquez had never gone beyond 8 but you would
never know it the way they fought it out in the 10th and final
round. It was the 5th appearance for Vasquez at Harrah’s. The
tattooed and bald fighter is a full time barber and he cut Nelson’s
forehead early in the 2nd round after a clash of heads. Just prior to
this and off balance Nelson touched the canvas for the first official
knockdown in his career. “I knew at that point I was not only in a
fight but had to win big to overcome the knockdown and the cut,” said
Nelson.
Both fighters had many fan’s as Vasquez is one of the
biggest ticket sellers in Philly and Nelson living 15 minutes away
brought in a much more vocal group. It was the first time this writer
ever heard Vasquez booed as he entered the ring last. The first round
was a feeling out round but it was obvious the younger (22) Nelson was
quicker. In the third round Nelson took over as he later mentioned
knowing he was behind early. The 5th round was a good round for the
fans. In the 6th Vasquez caught Nelson just prior to the bell with a
right to the chin. He would do the same ending the 8th round as Nelson
moved quickly away from him until the bell sounded.
Vasquez
seemed to have new life in the 9th, a round he had never ventured into
before. The 10th was the best round of the fight as both fighters
unloaded. It’s the only round this writer called even. “Jim Williams
won that fight for you,” said Doc Nowicki. He was referring to his
co-manager along with Williams who do his usual great job in seeing that
the cut was never a factor from the 3rd round on. Nelson acknowledged
what Nowicki said with a nod in agreement. Williams has been saving
fights for the Philly boxers for years though a Camden, NJ, resident.
Another
co-manager of Nelson’s, John Howell, had his daughter, a Philadelphia
physician, check the cut on Nelson’s forehead and insisted he needed
stitches in spite of the corner feeling “it’s not that deep”. She won
out for Nelson’s sake. “I think the cut brought out the beast in me,”
said Nelson. Vasquez was too distraught with the loss to talk to the
press afterwards. It was disappointing to this writer for Vasquez is
one of my favorites as is Nelson for that matter. I thought the Nelson
management team may have been rushing him from a 6 to a 10 but in the
end all 3 judges agreed as Pierre Benoist 98-91, Dave Braslow 97-92 and
Alan Rubenstein 96-93 all had it for Nelson as did DHB at 97-93 with the
even last round. Referee Shawn Clark had to warn both fighters about
low blows but otherwise it was a clean fight.
The rest of the
card consisted of 6 bouts that were all 4 scheduled rounds. In the
only fight of the night that did not agree with the fans was prior to
the main event as southpaw Gabriel Diaz, 1-2-1 (0), decided he would put
on his track shoes and only throw punches in spurts when junior welter
Julio DeJesus, 6-3-2 (3), of Millville, NJ, caught up with him. DeJesus
had Matthew 19-:26 on the back of his trunks “with man this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible!” At 37 DeJesus is a
warrior whenever he fights. In the case of Diaz both former IBF light
middle champ Rob “Bam Bam” Hines and Philly promoter J Russell Peltz
kept shouting to Diaz “use the jab!” Hines, a southpaw, said “I cannot
believe he doesn’t realize how close his jab (right hand) is to his
opponents face.”
All 3 judges scored it differently as Benoist
agreed with DHB at 40-36, with Rubenstein at 39-37 and Braslow 38-38
giving DeJesus the majority win. Diaz was complaining to the dressing
room he thought he won as did several of the press. “If it wasn’t for
DeJesus there wouldn’t have been a fight,” this writer told
them. Hurley McCall was the referee.
Olympic trials winner
Jesse “Hard Work” Hart electrified the crowd with a stunning right upper
cut the way his father Eugene “Cyclone” Hart did in the 70’s but with
his left hook, as the younger Hart knocked out Lekan Byfield, 2-2-1 (0),
of Yonkers, NY, at 0:28 of the 1st round! Referee Clark immediately
asked for medical help for Byfield. “I’m going to beat those 19
knockouts of yours,” said the younger Hart to his father. “Cyclone” won
his first 19. “Now get off my back,” Hart said to this writer! I had
questioned his stopping of a 0-1 and 0-3 opponents with all his
ability.
Hart is one of the best super middleweight prospects
in the country. After the fight Marc Abrams of www.gfl.tv interviewed
Hart. “I want to thank God for the victory and also my corner. I want
to thank my fans for coming out tonight,” said Hart. Former 2-time IBF
cruiserweight champion and recent winner in his first heavyweight fight
Steve “USS” Cunningham assisted Abrams with the broadcast.
Todd
“2Gunz” Unthank-May, 5-0 (2), won a solid decision over fellow
Philadelphian Taneal Goyco, 4-4-1 (2), winning all 4 rounds on the
judge’s cards and DHB’s. “He hurt his hand in the 2nd round,” said Dave
Price. Both Price and Nowicki are the co-managers for D&D
Management which includes Unthank-May, Hart and Mark Rideout. Speaking
of Rideout, 2-0 (0), he took a workmanlike decision over Lonnie
Kornegay, 1-7-1 (1), of Baltimore, MD, in the heavyweight
division. Benoist and Braslow had it 40-36 as did DHB while Rubenstein
had it 38-38 for a majority Unthank-May win. Tommy Brooks and Damon
Allen, Sr. worked the winner’s corner while long-time trainer Marty
Feldman was in the corner of Goyco.
In one of the closest bouts
of the night Alex “Macho” Barbosa, 4-0 (1), won a close majority
decision over veteran Arthur Parker, 1-8 (1), of Lancaster, PA, in a
super bantam 4. Both boxers are southpaws. Parker was coming off a 4
year lay-off but at times looked the sharper of the two. Rubenstein and
Benoist had it 39-37 for Barbosa while Braslow had it 38-38. DHB had
it 39-38 for Barbosa while several members of the press had it for
Parker.
In the opening bout southpaw Edson Soto, 1-0 (1)
stopped Joshua Rivera, 0-1, at 2:52 of the 1st round landing in the area
of 20 unanswered punches before referee Clark rescued Rivera. Larry
Tornambe did his usual great job as ring announcer. Joey Eye and David
Feldman will come back October 27 with an all-female pro-am card with 10
pro bouts and 2 amateur bouts in a 52 round card.
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