Boxing News Boxing News
In a near tragic preliminary bout held at Bally’s Hotel and Casino last Saturday, promoted by John Lynch and Pound For Pound Promotions, journeyman heavyweight Hector Ferreyro was knocked unconscious by unbeaten Amir Mansour at 2:08 of the first round.
Ferreyro, of Laredo, Texas, now 21-10-2 (12), age 35, a veteran of 33 professional bouts appeared out of shape and seemed to enter the ring under the false presumption that his vast ring experience alone would be sufficient to defeat a much older opponent. Ferreyro’s record includes a majority 12 round decision win in a January 2007 USBO title bout against Leo Nolan then 26-0.
Southpaw Mansour, of Wilmington, Delaware, age 38, now 13-0 (10), entered the ring in superb physical condition and appeared to have trained hard and done the work for this bout. Mansour immediately stalked Ferreyro from the opening bell and applied tremendous pressure while cutting off the ring. A right hook by Mansour to the head of Ferreyro shockingly sent Ferreyro face first to the canvas unconscious.
The stunned and concerned crowd at Bally’s rose to its feet as the tragic scene unfolded. The ringside doctors and emergency medical personnel were inside the ring in seconds. Ferreyro appeared not to move for over five minutes. Mansour, not waiting for his gloves to be removed, looked over his fallen opponent with great concern, desperately looking for signs of movement. It was a long wait. The standing crowd grew silent as medical personnel worked feverishly on Ferreyro, trying to revive him. For a time, the outcome was unknown.
Eventually Ferreyro, with an oxygen mask over his face, did move his eyes and arms sometime later, but he did not get up, and his legs still remained motionless. He was transported by gurney stretcher to the nearest hospital as soon as it was safe to do so.
With his fourth consecutive knockout, Mansour’s second career is a mystery unraveled. He reached 9-0 in June 2001, but was arrested on drug charges two months later, and served eight years in Federal prison. It would be nine years before his return to the ring. Obtaining a college degree while incarcerated, the educated Mansour hopes to become a juvenile drug and alcohol counselor, helping troubled youth avoid the personal mistakes which sidetracked his once promising boxing career.
Ferreyro, who has been stopped seven times in his career, has been counted out once before, against Ron Guerrero in the second round of a 2007 bout. In his last two bouts, he won the IBC Heavyweight title with a 12 round majority decision over Homer Fonseca in August 2010, only to lose a split decision in a ten round rematch in November 2010.
