Garrett Wilson Wins Rematch and USBA Cruiserweight Title

ByRobert Brizel

Veteran boxer Omar Sheika of Paterson, New Jersey, has fought for six world title belts and four national title belts of different types, but he has never worn a championship belt. A bout for the vacant USBA cruiserweight title and a world rating from the International Boxing Federation was no exception. In the main event of a Peltz Boxing Promotion at Caesar’s Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Saturday, Philadelphia cruiserweight Garrett Wilson earned revenge-and the USBA cruiserweight belt-with an easy 12 round unanimous decision over Sheika, avenging a fourth round stoppage by Sheika in March 2010. Sheika is 0-10 in trying to win any belt.

The USBA cruiserweight belt was vacant for awhile, and Wilson, now 10-5- (4), who won only one of five professional bouts between January and September of 2010, somehow qualified for this ‘opportunity’ against Sheika, now 31-11 (21), coming off a ten round decision loss to Adrian Diaconu at Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, last October. Sheika, who has boxed 237 rounds to Wilson’s 85, went through his second consecutive bout where he was not able to win more than a round or two on the judge’s scorecards. Worse, Sheika incurred a point deduction in the seventh round for low blows.

Wilson fought a smart fight, coming forward using his left jab and accurate left hooks to the head and body of Sheika to accumulate an insurmountable point lead. Perhaps the first three rounds were closer to score. Wilson fought strongly from then on, through the end of the bout, clinching his biggest win. Still it was a United States title bout between two ‘B’ fighters-because either nobody else wanted it or was available-the key point.

Still, Wilson has shown potential. In a June 2010 cruiserweight bout with unbeaten Julio Cesar Matthews (IBF champ Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham’s sparring partner) which Wilson lost by decision, Wilson was on the canvas. He came back in the last two rounds of the six rounder, landing so many blows on winner Matthews that Matthews got suspended.

Sheika, who has lost important bouts to Joe Calzaghe, Roy Jones Jr., twice to Scott Pemberton, Eric Lucas, Thomas Tate, Jeff Lacy, Marcus Beyer, Adrian Diaconu, and now Wilson, has gone 12 rounds five times in title bouts, but just cannot win the big one.

Result: Garrett Wilson W12 Omar Sheika
Scoring: 119-108 and 118-109 twice

Results in the Undercard Bouts

Ronald Cruz TKO3 Manuel Guzman – Welterweights
Bryant Jennings TKO2 David Williams – Heavyweights
Derrick Webster KO1 Jose Medina-Light – Heavyweights
Korey Sloane W4 Edgardo Torres – Light Welterweights
Antowyan Aikens KO4 Willie Mack – Super Middleweights
Dontre King TKO3 Keane Davis – Welterweights