Showtime Boxing: Peterson Brothers Shine On ShoBox
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Brothers Lamont and Anthony Peterson of Washington, D.C., kept their undefeated records and hopes for a world title shot in 2008 in tact with convincing victories Friday in the co-featured bouts on ShoBox: The New Generation at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Lamont Peterson, 23, and 14 months older than Anthony, improved to 24-0 with 11 knockouts with a unanimous 10-round decision over previously undefeated Brazilian Antonio Mesquita. Peterson outboxed and outpunched Mesquita (34-1, 27 KOs) to triumph by the scores of 100-89, 99-90 and 98-93.
Anthony Peterson upped his record to 26-0 with 19 knockouts with an eighth-round stoppage of Cuba’s Jose Izquierdo. He dropped Izquierdo (16-2-1, 13 KOs), a late substitute for Guadalupe Rosales, three times – once in the seventh and twice in the eighth. The bout was stopped at 2:54, shortly after the last knockdown.
“I thought I executed my game plan to perfection and managed to keep my poise and remain patient even though it was obvious that Mesquita was doing everything he could to get me to exchange and fight his fight,’’ said Lamont Peterson, a junior welterweight who is ranked No. 3 in the WBO and No. 6 in the WBA. “Honestly, I don’t think I lost a round. He did a lot of complaining but I think he was frustrated because he could never catch me.’’
Mesquita, of Las Vegas, Nev., by way of Guaruja, Brazil, had a point deducted in the final round for hitting after the break. “He was faster than I thought and I could never really catch him like I wanted,’’ said Mesquita, who was unable to connect with his vaunted right hand with any consistency. “But the scoring was way out of line. I know I won some more rounds.
“The ref took a point from me at the end but he should have been taking points from Peterson for all the head butts. I kept trying to tell the ref to watch for his head coming in, but he never did a thing.’’
A lightweight who is ranked No. 1 in the WBO, No. 4 in the WBC and No. 12 in the IBF, Anthony Peterson was well ahead on the judges’ scorecards entering the eighth round of his fight. Peterson did not appear to be dominating, however, particularly in the opening four or five frames.
“It was a good victory for me. I always felt I was in charge,’’ Peterson said. “The guy was determined and a little awkward, but I made the adjustments I had to make. Fighting a last-minute sub, I didn’t really know what to expect. But I got the job done, which is what counts. I am ready to fight next whoever they put in front of me.’’
Izquierdo, a Cuban who lives in Chihuahua, Mexico, took the match on a few days’ notice after Rosales became ill. Izquierdo came out determinedly and was competitive during the first five rounds.
“I felt good,’’ he said, “but I am very disappointed. I felt I was fighting two guys in there – my opponent and the referee. I must have been hit at least six times in the back of the head, but the ref never did anything. That is what made me go down. I was off balance. I was never really hurt by his punches.”
Popular play-by-play announcer Nick Charles and expert analyst/boxing historian Steve Farhood called the action from ringside. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Friday’s bouts will re-air this week as follows:
DAY CHANNEL
Saturday, Jan. 5, at Midnight ET/PT SHOTOO
Monday, Jan. 7, at 10 p.m. ET/PT SHO EXTREME
Tuesday, Jan. 8, at Midnight ET/PT SHO EXTREME
Thursday, Jan. 10, at 11 p.m. ET/PT SHOTOO
Tonight/Saturday, Jan. 5, Paulie “Magic Man†Malignaggi defends his IBF junior welterweight title against No. 1 ranked contender and mandatory challenger Herman “The Black Panther’’ Ngoudjo on Showtime Championship Boxing (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
ShoBox returns Friday, Feb. 1, at Grand Casino Hinckley, in Hinckley, Minn. In the main event, undefeated junior middleweight Alfredo Angulo (11-0, 8 KOs) faces Ricardo Cortes (22-1, 15 KOs). In a battle of unbeatens in the co-feature of the Gary Shaw Productions, LLC-promoted event, Mickey Bey Jr. (9-0, 6 KOs) meets Juan Castaneda (12-0, 9 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight bout.
For information on Showtime Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on Showtime Championship Boxing and EliteXC mixed martial arts telecasts, please go www.SHO.com/sports.