Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, North Carolina, was the host for ESPN’s “Wednesday Night Fights” weekly card and on top of the bill lightweight action ensued as Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry 24-5-2 (12) faced off against former lightweight champion Stevie “Lil but Bad” Johnston 42-6-1 (18) for the WBC USNBC Lightweight Title.

Cherry stepping into the ring for the first time in 2008 after having a shaky 2007 where he went 2-1 with one of those losses being to current IBF 140 lbs titlist Paul Malignaggi, was hoping to redeem himself a bit in front of a national television audience and show he is still a threat in the division. While his opponent former WBC Lightweight Champion Stevie Johnston who also entered this bout with a 2-1 record over his last three bouts had a similar plan in mind by wanting to prove he should not be written off at 35 years old as a fighter who still carries a threat to the current title holders, making this bout an important win for either man.

When the bout began it was apparent from almost the start whose night this was going to be. Johnston who built his career being an excellent boxer and counter puncher was put on the defensive from the opening bell. The younger Cherry pressured Stevie throughout the night giving him little chance to mount any offense of his own. In rounds three and nine Edner sent Johnston to the canvas for eight counts. While Johnston rose up off the floor both times to continue it was to no avail because in the tenth round Cherry let loose a right hand that sent the former champion packing for the night. It is the second time in seven months Johnston has been stopped.

On the undercard Johnnie Edwards 14-2-1 (8) faced another former champion Freddie Norwood 42-3-1 (23) in a rematch of their September 2007 bout where Norwood was disqualified for low blows. This bout Norwood fared no better as he was put on the canvas in the third and then stopped cold in the seventh. This will be the second loss in a row for the former WBA Featherweight Champion.

Also on the undercard former cruiserweight title holder Arthur Williams 44-15-1 scored a six round unanimous decision over Clarence Moore 5-3-1.

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

The ninth installment of Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing series “Punchin’ at the Paradise” could have been renamed “Knockouts at the Paradise” as Andrey Tsurkan stopped Jesse Feliciano inside the distance, a trend all the fighters on the ESPN Friday Night Fights telecast followed in the Bronx , NY on Friday night.

Tsurkan, 26-3 (17), put on a strong performance against Feliciano, 15-7-3 (9), dropping him in the first round and landing heavy blows through the rest of the fight. Tsurkan dominated every round utilizing his jab and landing accurate power punches at will.

The tough Feliciano absorbed the blows in stride but was never able to get the better of the exchanges. He seemed unable to get out the way of the crisp head shots being delivered at will by Tsurkan.

Although the fight was one-sided in the favor of Tsurkan, Feliciano was also able to land some good shots through the fight. More...