Ringside Boxing Report: Golden Boy East, Peltz Boxing Promotions and HBO Latino card
It was the night of the knockout, as Golden Boy East, Peltz Boxing Promotions and HBO Latino collaborated to put on a good show in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Kassim Ouma punched his way towards a rematch for the Light Middleweight Title and Philly fighters Rock Allen, Demetrius Hopkins and Phillip McCants all put on impressive displays of their talent. Tonight proved that the Golden Boy East roster is one of the better stables of young talent in the business.
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Junior Middleweight
Kassim Ouma (21-2-1 13ko’s) vs. Alfredo Cuevas (25-7-1 17ko’s)
Kampala, UG Chicago, IL
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In his first bout since losing the IBF Light Middleweight Title, Kassim Ouma stepped into the ring with something to prove. He wasted no time disposing of Alfredo Cuevas, who until tonight, has never been knocked down in 33 professional fights which earned him recognition as one of the toughest men in the sport.
Round 1 – Ouma comes out blazing against Cuevas, who shows he is willing to bang. It doesn’t take long before Ouma catches his opponent with a blistering left, which sends Cuevas skidding across the canvas. Cuevas beats the 10 count but continues to eat the lightening fast left of Ouma over and over again. As round 1 nears the end, Ouma keeps firing the left and follows up with a straight right, which puts Cuevas on his back once again. Cuevas gets to his feet and wisely avoids any more action until the bell sounds.
Round 2 – Cuevas comes out of the corner wobbly and Ouma takes full advantage, scoring with a big left, right combo to the head. Cuevas goes into survival mode but Ouma reacts by going to the right jab. Ouma starts to work the body then follows his work downstairs with big rights, which seem to land flush every time. It is obvious that the speed and power of Ouma are too much for Cuevas to handle.
Round 3 – The round starts with both fighters toe to toe in the middle of the ring, throwing jabs. This quickly breaks down into a slugfest that Ouma clearly gets the best of. Cuevas’ facial expression says he wants to run out of the building, but to his credit he hangs in there and absorbs more punishment. Ouma’s aggressive style wins the crowd over as they begin to roar every time he lands a hard shot.
Round 4 – Ouma comes out with a popping left and he looks like he is setting up for the kill. Cuevas fires back with a big right, which seems to get the attention of Ouma. Ouma shakes it off and unloads his entire arsenal on Cuevas, beating him around the ring until Cuevas hits the floor for the 3rd time in the fight. Cuevas beats the count and throws wildly but Ouma’s speed won’t allow him to be hit. Cuevas leaves himself wide open and Ouma unleashes another flurry of rights and lefts to the head and body. The fight ends with Ouma scoring a final knockdown after administering another viscous beating along the ropes as the bell sounds.
Cuevas corner calls for the fight to be stopped after Round 4 ends.
Kassim Ouma improves to 22 -2 -1 14 ko’s
Alfredo Cuevas falls to 25 -8 -1 17ko’s
Welterweight
Demetrius Hopkins (20-0-1 7ko’s) vs. Ernesto Zepeda (37-8-4 32ko’s)
Philadelphia, PA Tijuana, MX
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The heir apparent, Demetrius Hopkins, faces the first real test of his professional career tonight going against Mexico’s Ernesto Zepeda, whose resume includes 32 knockouts. Hopkins was up to the challenge going 9 hard rounds and scoring a knockout against the wily veteran. At times D-Hop looked great, at others he looked tired. Overall it was a solid performance against a game challenger and we should be seeing more of him soon.
Round 1 – Starts off slow, as both fighters seem to be feeling each other out. A jab here, body shot there, lots of dancing and holding. The crowd boos as round 1 comes to a close.
Round 2 – Hopkins picks up the action, throwing a few left jabs which set up a nice right. Zepeda is trying to establish himself inside and lands a clean left uppercut of his own. Hopkins sticks with the left the entire round, landing a hook to the head and jabs followed by an overhand right.
Round 3 – Hopkins sticks to what works, and for the first half of the round he landed his left with ease. Zepeda tries to exchange but comes up with air. The action finally picks up as both fighters trade hard shots. Hopkins continues to throw, landing 7 straight power shots which rock Zepeda. The bell sounds saving Zepeda from a certain knockdown.
Round 4 – Zepeda stalks Hopkins, who does not immediately try to build on the work he put into round 3. Both fighters trade jabs until Hopkins connects with a left, right combo to the head. Hopkins lands a second big left to the head, then goes on to land hard left handed body shots. Zepeda regroups, bringing the action along the ropes where he unloads a flurry of rights and lefts, which seem to have D-Hop in trouble. Hopkins comes back with the left which keeps Zepeda honest until the end of the round.
Round 5 – Zepeda starts off as the aggressor and Hopkins seems unwilling to trade. Zepeda once again follows Hopkins around the ring, finally tying him up and slipping in uppercuts which find the mark. Zepeda follows up with a nice left & right to the face and then fires off hard body shots, which seem to affect Hopkins. Both fighters trade head shots and Hopkins follows up with hard left followed by a punishing right, which busts Zepeda’s eye open. The blood is trickling, but Zepeda pays that no mind as he goes to work on the face and body of Hopkins, which seals the round for him.
Round 6 – The round starts with both fighters greeting each other in the middle of the ring with a nice exchange. Hopkins’ left is still effective. The action gets even better, as both fighters slug it out along ropes and all four corners of the ring. Zepeda hits a big right, which looks like it takes the wind out of Hopkins’ sails. The round ends with both fighters trading lefts.
Round 7 – In round 6 Hopkins looked tired, but in round 7 he looks strong. Hopkins’ left hook is still his weapon of choice and Zepeda’s face is the primary target. Zepeda sucks it up and the fighters bang it out in the center of the ring. Hopkins gets the best of the round with a hard right followed by 2 big uppercuts.
Round 8 – Action dies down, as Hopkins uses the left jab. Zepeda tries to use bull rush tactics along the ropes, but Hopkins’ left still finds the mark.
Round 9 – Zepeda comes out trying to reestablish himself inside but this time Hopkins uses his speed to avoid any real contact. Hopkins finds an opening and fires off 5 consecutive power shots followed by a right uppercut, which sets up a straight left that puts the gritty Mexican on his back, hearing nothing but the ref shouting diez.
Bernard Hopkins grabbed the ring mic and guaranteed a knockout in the rematch against Jermain Taylor.
Welterweight
Rock Allen (2-0 2ko’s) vs. Candelario Herrera (3-3-2 2ko’s)
Philadelphia, PA La Victoria, MX
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Former Olympian Rock Allen was very impressive as he beat the snot out of Candelario Herrera, who we were seeing for the first, and probably the last time in the United States. Allen thoroughly outclassed his Mexican rival and showed why many in the Philadelphia circuit think he is destined to be a world champion.
Round 1 – Allen wastes no time initiating the acting, throwing and landing crisp left jabs which seem to pack loads of power behind it. Allen then fires off a sharp right which finds Herrera’s chin. Allen works the left jab some more. Herrera tries to exchange, but comes up empty due to Allen’s excellent footwork. Allen finished the round he controlled with a hard combination to Herrera’s face.
Round 2 – Allen initiates the action again, this time showing off his power. He quickly lands a big left, followed by a big right, which leaves Herrera in a daze. Allen then goes to the body, digging into his opponent’s ribs, which set up more hard power punches to Herrera’s head. Allen continues to fire off shots which land at an alarming rate, leaving Herrera’s corner no option but to throw in the towel at 2:15 in the second frame.
Light Heavyweight
Alfred Kinsey (4-2-1 2ko’s) vs. Victor Paz (9-1-0 1ko)
Atlantic City, NJ Bronx, NY
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Alfred Kinsey gave the hometown crowd something to cheer about as he came out victorious in a hard fought battle against NY brawler Victor Paz. The action was back and forth most of the bout and it looked like Paz was going to take it early but Kinsey hung in there and in the 4th, administered a beating Paz won’t soon forget.
Round 1 – Action starts off slow until Kinsey reels off 4 punches to the body. Action dies down again, as both fighters get in a few shots a piece but nothing major lands.
Round 2 – Paz starts off strong by taking the action to the ropes, where he throws hard punches to the body. Kinsey is willing to slug it out, landing solid head shots. Kinsey then works the body of Paz. Kinsey works the body and finishes with head shots. Paz responds with body and head shots of his own. The action goes back and forth until the bell sounds.
Round 3 – Kinsey hits with a stiff right; Paz flurries in return. Paz lands a clean left hook, but Kinsey continues to swing hard, which leads to a bang in the middle of the ring. Kinsey gets the best due to his left jab to the head and right hook to the body. Paz throws the left, right combo, which proves effective. Kinsey swings out of the ropes, lands a stiff right. Paz hits a left, right, left uppercut which stuns Kinsey along the ropes. Another stiff exchange ensues. Paz working the left, Kinsey and Paz exchange hard lefts. Paz lands a big right, which is countered by Kinsey at the end of the round.
Round 4 – Hard body shots to start round by both fighters. Kinsey lands a right followed by a perfectly placed left, which sends Paz crashing to the canvas. Paz rises to his feet but Kinsey goes for the kill, throwing bombs and connecting, leaving Paz wobbly. Paz fires back with 2 rights and goes to the body. Kinsey throws hard on the ropes, landing a big right which sends Paz mouthpiece flying. Kinsey has Paz where he wants him and is unloading, but the ref breaks it up to put the mouth piece back. Kinsey smokes Paz with a right followed by hard body shots. Paz ties up, but Kinsey powers out taking the action to the corner and rocks the jaw of Paz which sends the mouthpiece out again. Paz was taking a hell of a beating until the ref stops action again for the mouthpiece. After the delay, Kinsey works the body followed by a big right to the chin which leaves Paz on his back, seeing stars and not getting up for any more action.
Winner Alfred Kinsey TKO
Middleweight
Phillip McCants (4-1 3ko’s) vs. Sheldon Rudolph (3-2 2ko’s)
Philadelphia, PA Paterson. NJ
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Round 1 – McCants comes out throwing the left upstairs, and Rudolph looks like he wants to work the body. Rudolph throws a few uppercuts, which land. McCants goes to work in the corner, landing hard body shots, but is the recipient of another big uppercut.
Round 2 – Rudolph starts the round wrestling, as McCants tries to gain a presence inside. Both fighters start to swing wildly. McCants goes back inside and Rudolph again lands the uppercuts. Both fighters battle until the round is over. Good, hard round.
Round 3 – The action slows down in the third. Both men show a willingness to bang but throw wildly and not many punches are landed.
Round 4 – Another steady, hard fought round. McCants gets the best of the action by landing cleaner, harder punches. The fight ends with a street corner type brawl with both men mixing it all over the ring until the bell sounds.
Majority Decision for Phillip McCants
38-38
40-36
40-36
Middleweight
Gerardo Arcos (1-0-1 1ko) vs. Mike Dargan (1-0 1ko)
Sacramento, CA Philadelphia, PA
Round 1 – Round 1 proves to be slow. Both fighters throw 1 punch then back off. Dargan flashes a fast left but doesn’t land. Arcos misses many of the punches he throws.
Round 2 – Arcos is more active and lands many more shots than Dargan. Arcos lands the hard power shots towards the end of the round. Looks to be a bit of a head hunter, but this method seems to work.
Round 3 – Arcos throws hard lefts and slips in rights on occasion. He controls the tempo and picks his spots. Dargan connects with a few rights of his own but Arcos is much more active. Arcos steps up the heat late in the round, connecting with hard lefts and rights. Dargan shows a chin this round. He needed it because Arcos consistently split Dargan’s gloves with uppercuts.
Round 4 – Arcos still works the left, which always seems to land. Dargan comes back with a late burst and cuts Arcos’ eye. Arcos hits with a hard 3 piece to the head, which leads to a slugfest on the ropes. Arcos hits another 1-2-3 followed by an uppercut, which seals the round and the victory.
Unanimous decision for Gerardo Arcos