Ringside Boxing Report: Ty Barnett vs. Jose Cruz

By Adam Matson September 15th, 2008 All Ringside Boxing

Undefeated junior welterweight Ty Barnett, 15-0-1 (11), notched his 15th professional victory Thursday night in San Jose, CA, stopping Jose Cruz, 12-4-2, (8) in six rounds en route to what he hopes is a title shot in the near future. The matchup was top billing of the five fight card, the year's third installment of the Fight Night At The Tank series and was contested in front of nearly 300 fans.

Barnett, trained by Barry Hunter who also trains the popular Peterson brothers, Anthony and Lamont, was economical behind a stiff jab and a tight guard, while never taking a backwards step. Cruz, a Colombian fighting out of Rochester, New York, took the fight on less than a week's notice but received little sympathy from the Washington DC native Barnett.

The tone of the fight was set in the opening seconds when Barnett came forward with a jab and fired a straight right to the breadbasket of Cruz, a thudding shot that put Cruz on the backfoot from the get-go.

Barnett never let off the gas pedal from there, moving forward behind the jab to deliver offense with his opponent against the ropes. Sporting quick, tight punches while leaving no openings for Cruz in his defense, Barnett began to pile on in the third when he showed off his handspeed with a triple left hook to the body that excited the fans and further exasperated Cruz.

Cruz, on the other hand, had no such luck, with his offense effectively negated by the blocking guard of Barnett, resorted to just moving side to side trying his best to keep out of range of Barnett's power shots. Meanwhile, Barnett continued to take his time, working behind his jab with a continued body attack in an effort to quell the lateral movement of Cruz.

With the fight well under his control and the crowd urging more aggression, Barnett sought out the knockout the crowd clamored for in the sixth. While Cruz remained on his stool until the opening bell, Barnett seemed to read his opponent's body language and subsequently turned up the heat on the fight. More...

Ringside Boxing Report: Manuel Quezada vs. John Clark

By Adam Matson June 8th, 2008 All Ringside Boxing

Fight Night at the Tank keeps going strong with second show of 2008

Boxing was back in a big way on Thursday night in San Jose, California as Goosen-Tutor Promotions presented the second installment of their 2008 "Fight Night at the Tankʼ season, held at the San Jose Pavilion. Heavyweights headlined the show as California contender Manuel Quezada, 23-4 (15), unanimously outpointed late replacement John Clark, 12-13-1 (7), over eight rounds.

Quezada, 30 years old fighting out of Wasco, CA, entered the ring looking to build on his 11 fight winning streak and the man put tasked to halt that was journeyman John Clark.

Clark, who served as a last minute replacement after prospect Teke Oruh pulled out, had lost his five bouts heading into this one but held a significant size advantage over Quezada.

The advantage did little to tip things in Clarkʼs favor though as he was never able to impose the physical difference on his smaller opponent until closing seconds of the last round.

Both men were tentative early on in the bout, with no one asserting themselves as they circled the ring. That changed in the second frame as it was the smaller Quezada who began to press forward, utilizing a stiff jab to moving Clark backwards.

A forward moving jab though was not enough to please the crowd of over 3,000 as they voiced their displeasure at the slow, plodding action in the ring.

Round five brought some renewed life into the building as Clark, a former San Francisco 49er football player, landed a jarring right hand to the top of Quezada's head that sent the Mexican heavyweight backwards. Yet the opportunity to pounce was squandered by Clark and was again put at bay with the jab and straight right hand of Quezada. More...