Abril TKOs Tubbs!

March 28, 2008

By Bob Caico

Kenny Abril of Rochester, NY won the NY State jr. welterweight championship Thursday night with a 8th round TKO over friend and sparring partner Jonathan Tubbs. There was no friendship in the ring as both fights unloaded on each other during the 10-round main event. Tubbs seemed to suffer a cut over his right eye in the 7th round. In the eighth Abril was started to apply more pressure and landed the stronger punches. Referee Charlie Fitch stopped action and brought Tubbs over to see the ringside doctor. After consulting with the referee and Tubbs the bout was stopped. Scores were 67-66 Tubbs and 67-66, 68-5 for Abril at the time of the stoppage. "It was a tough fight but I thought he was weakening as the fight went on. I felt he didn't want to fight anymore so he quit", said the new titlist. Abril improves to 7-3-1 while Tubbs drops to 10-6-1.

In the 8-round semi-final, Ella Nunez of Rochester scored an exciting 5th round TKO over Brooke Dierdorff of Chicago. Both featherweights went toe-to-toe at times but the powerful right hand of Nunez was the difference. I perfect straight right dropped Dierdorff in the 5th round but after regaining her feet at the count of seven referee Dick Pakozdi waved off the contest. Nunez is coming off a tough majority decision loss to Melissa Fiorentino in January. "I would like to fight Missy in a rematch but once I fight somebody they usually don't want to fight me again", said Nunez.

Rochesters Sean Thompson improved to 3-0 with a TKO win over Robert Evans (0-4) in the third of a scheduled six in a cruiserweight bout. Thompson dropped Evans who seemed to hurt his shoulder as he hit the canvas and he could not continue.

Three Rochester fighters made their pro debuts. Dwayne Hardaway and Garri Bagdasarov of Brooklyn (0-0-2) fought to a four round draw in a jr. welterweight match.

Jr. welterweight Jeradial Figueroa over whelmed Shaun Wilson of West Virginia who was also making his pro debut. Figueroa dropped Wilson three times in the first and the fight was stopped at 1:18.

Willie Monroe of Rochester and Erix Quinteros of Georgia made there professional debuts in a middleweight contest. Monroe's superior skill level was apparent from the beginning and finally stopped Quinteros at 2:25 of the third of a scheduled four.