Ringside Report: Lisa Holewyne – Tricia Turton
Proud Lisa in the Rumble at the Reef
As a three-year-old casino, the Silver Reef prides itself on customer service. Near the U.S. and Canadian border, this Washington State gaming institution provides a lap of luxury in the boxing arena. Plush chairs and wallpaper take you back to the remembrances of the 1930’s. VIPs arrive to overflowing Saturday night fights. Casino management staff Eric Larsen and Lenny Kellum greeted all the guests personally upon arrival for the Rumble at the Reef. These hotel executives created the old style competitive match ups that were to take place this evening while Jim Beam whisky, sponsor of the gorgeous ring gals, poured and gave away promotional items throughout the fights. Fight promoter Patrick Ortiz, (Ringside Tickets) met with this evening’s main event attraction, Lisa Holewyne.
Patrick has known Lisa a long time; both have been there and done that. Lisa traveled from Austin, Texas with the experience of a 37-fight career under her belt. She stands 5’9†with a wingspan of 68†and weighed in at 148 pounds of lean, toned muscle. Patrick Ortiz watched her career over the last decade of promotions around the West Coast. A world-class fighter who has won two welterweight titles, she planned to take out Tricia Turton, who is unbeaten in four pro fights. Lisa graduated from The University of Texas, having studied accounting, and now runs Champion Carpet and Floors. This two-timed world champ runs this business and keeps knocking out profits, specializing in fine rugs. Ms. Lisa knew no grey areas must be left to chance when you fight a local gal. Some fighters could not hit water falling off a boat, but not our Lisa. She trained hard to leave nothing to chance tonight.
Lisa and Tricia tagged each other with hard shots to the body in the first round. Tricia shuffled under the reach of Lisa in the second and third rounds, and by the third frame Lisa Holewyne banged the head of Turton. The best shot of the fight was landed by Lisa in the fourth round. She really nailed Tricia and the sweaty spray flew from Turton’s hair to beyond the ring ropes and Lisa grinned while returning to the blue corner.
Tricia panted and gulped for air in the red corner. The fight doctor went to examine Tricia to see if the fight should continue. Turton wanted to continue. A Seattle girl, Tricia covered up in the fifth round and got her legs back, holding on for dear life. In the sixth, the fight turned, with Tricia landing overhand rights to the temple of Lisa but Holewyne just sneered and danced away. The ballet whirled and ended the round where each fighter earned the respect of the other. In the seventh and eight rounds, the girls wailed back and forth, and Tricia edged out a point lead with more connections.
The score carried Tricia Turton to victory and she moves to 5-0 record, on the strength of a majority decision by the judges. With the win Turton captures the Pacific Northwest Boxing Federation Women’s Light Middleweight crown.
In other action, welterweight “Wizard Kidâ€, Osavaldo Rojas, worked the body of opponent Aldo Sandavol. Aldo and Osavaldo glared at each other with the eyes of an El Greco painting while Rojas whacked the body of Sandavol, rapidly pounding the ribs. Rojas mauled murdering jolts to the liver and chin. but Aldo simply sneered hate right back. Battling, swinging wild, Aldo punched and punched until he forced his foe into the ropes. Rojas spun out, with thrashing uppercuts that jarred Aldo and Sandoval’s legs turned to jelly. The fourth and final round locked both into a slugfest and the spectators in attendance shouted approval for the performance of the two warriors.
Rojas gained his second professional win with judges voting for his good skill in the ring. Proud men knew pain, and overcame their fear. They lived up to their Spanish Conquistador spirit. They never slowed or tired during the battle and these bulls locked horns until the death of the contest.
Lightweight Tyrone Harris smashed Donnie Fosmire in the first round. By end of two minutes, Fosmire ate the mat three times. Fierce fists forced Donnie down three times; he tottered up just barely in each instance. The referee stopped the bout as a TKO win for Tyrone “Fists of Fury” Harris, who recorded his twelfth terrific win this evening. With nine knockouts, we wonder about the power of Harris, since Fosmire fell so early. Does Harris hit this hard, or was Fosmire a powder puff?
Light Heavyweights fought next with San Francisco’s Sheldon Callum, with a record of 6-11-3 (2), appearing to be dead meat going by his record. To the surprise of all, Sheldon managed to stagger up after bombs dropped him in the first round. After the second round, the fight doctor checked on Callum’s opponent Marcus Pernell. Marcus was victim of a heavy barrage in the third, as Sheldon bobbed and weaved away from the slower man. The smaller Marcus moved back and forth, dodging the blows. In the fifth round, Marcus tagged Sheldon with an uppercut. Marcus had been losing each round until this crushing uppercut with 2:28 minutes into the round stopped the fight. Marcus Pernell advanced to 10-1 (3).
The first fight of the evening finished quickly with a TKO as light middle Hugo Nunez Jr. landed numerous head shots and left hooks to Medford, Oregon’s Cesar Alonso Chavez in the first round. The ref ended the fight with a left hook that sent down Chavez in the second. Hugo won his pro debut with a second round stoppage.
After the fights, one of the judges met Dr. de Beauchamp for a recap of the fights. Judge Morris McCollum owns a men’s apparel store in Tacoma. After 35 years in the sport, Morris shows ring wise judgement in the fight game. At 76, Morris now has a steady girl friend, and love keeps him going and Mac, as everyone calls him, lives with vigor and energy.
What glorious fights. What a fine evening of famous personalities and battles. All went home with memories lasting a lifetime.
Joseph de Beauchamp can be reached at:
joedebo@wfnn.info