Boxing News -- 24 hours/day

Boxing News -- 24 hours/day - Reload often!
Continuously updated all day, every day!

BOXING NEWS | BOXING RESULTS | BOXING SCHEDULE | BOXING RANKINGS | SEND A NEWS TIP

Abell silences Wheeler!

April 12, 2008

Hard-punching heavyweight Joey “Minnesota Ice” Abell (20-1, 19 KOs), once again set the fans out of their seats with a devastating second round knockout of veteran Maurice Wheeler 10-12-1, 1 KO) at the Legendary Blue Horizon on Friday night. It was the 11th straight victory for Abell but this one was sweeter then usual as Wheeler, consistently challenged him at the weigh in, even calling Joey a woman while throwing a box of tampons at him.

The 6’4” Joey Abell continued his steady rise up the heavyweight ladder, showing an impressive display of power and skills with the second round knockout of Wheeler.

The bout began with Abell shooting his piston like right jabs through the tight defense of Wheeler. The cagey veteran would not be deterred and tried to land some jabs of his own but Abell’s defense and footwork allowed him to easily defend anything coming from Wheeler. Late in round one, Wheeler tasted a heavy overhand left from Abell that moved him backward and made him more tentative.

Wheeler changed tactics in round two as he tried to constantly tie up Abell and then land one shot as he released the break. Abell continued to find the range with several heavy jabs, but appeared to get frustrated with the constant holding and actually threw Wheeler to the ground after a long clinch, which forced a warning from referee Wayne Hedgepath.

Wheeler’s punch output slowed as he retreated from the powerful lefts of Abell. The hard punching Minnesotan finally caught Wheeler against the ropes and unloaded a picture perfect left hand on the chin, which dropped Wheeler through the ropes onto the ring apron. Wheeler was severely hurt and made no attempt to get back into the ring as the bout was waved off at 3:00 minutes of round one.

“This was the first knockout in my twenty one fights of my professional career that I didn’t feel sorry for the opponent I knocked out” said a satisfied Abell afterward. "It wasn’t personal but I was actually looking forward to it.”

Abell also commented on the constant holding from Wheeler afterwards: “It was a kind of frustrating, because every time you think you hurt him with a punch, he would hold and not allow me to follow up with anything. He was playing it smart. I think if he were to beat me, that would be the way to do it but I caught him good.

Culmer squeezes by Johnson

Philadelphia middleweight prospect Gee Culmer had all he could handle on Friday night as he captured a razor thin majority decision victory hard luck Mustafa Johnson of Indianapolis, IN, to raise his record to 14-1, 3KO’s in the co feature of the evening.

Cullmer, who is known for his grind it out style, tried to press the attack throughout, but was consistently caught with nice counters from Mustafa Johnson (5-3-1, 2KO’s).

Johnson, who has beaten several Philly fighters such as Joe Christy and Hard punching Jose “Macho” Medina as well as losing by majority decision to “King” Gabriel Rosado clearly wasn’t intimidated by the hometown favorite and worked effectively with the counters.

Culmer’s non-stop punching on the inside, allowed him to capture a couple of the middle rounds. Johnson appeared to tire from the light bodywork from Cullmer also.

Johnson gained his second wind and pushed Culmer to the ropes with several right hands in rounds five and six. Culmer’s punch output slowed as he tired, but did enough on the inside to make the final rounds close.

Judge Rose Vargas had the bout even at 57-57 but was overruled by Judges Rich Hopkins and Al Dorsey, who both had it scored 58-56 in favor of Culmer.

Rivera outworks Edmunds

Junior welterweight Osvaldo Rivera of the Bronx, New York put on quite a display of boxing skills as he handed Julius “Marvel” Edmonds (1-1) his first loss of his career with a precision like unanimous decision victory.

Rivera appeared to take control of the bout in round two with his long jabs. Edmonds, who gave away several inches in height and reach, tried to fight on the inside but Rivera even won that battle as he banged away with kidney and liver shots in the clinches.

Rivera took the fight to the outside in the final two rounds, as he frustrated Edmunds with combinations and movement. Rivera picked his moments with tight shots and then moved quickly out of punching range, which left Edmonds swinging at air until the final bell sounded.

All three judges had the bout in favor of Rivera by scores of 39-37 x 3. Osvaldo Rivera won for the first time in his professional career to move to 1-0-1, 0KO.

Mina blasts out Callo in Pro Debut

Highly touted amateur middleweight Mario Mina, had a tough return bout of a highly disputed amateur victory against reported 100 plus amateur fight veteran Pedro Callo, but was able to score a devastating fourth round knockout that had the fans on their feet in his professional debut.

Both fighters could have fought this fight in a phone both as they bombed away at each other in rounds two and three with wild abandon. Mina, who according to his management is said have had an amateur record of 65-4 with an incredible 45KO’s, appeared to have the heavier hands and wobbled Callo with a left hook in round two. Callo in turn backed Mina up with a sharp counter as the bell sounded to end round two.

Callo looked like he was going to make the bout close with several counter shots in the final round, when Mina landed a brutal left that sent Callo to the canvas for several minutes. He was able to get up without assistance after being thoroughly checked out by the ringside Physician. The time of the devastating knockout came at 2:32 of the fourth and final round.

“ I save all my energy to put into my punches in the final round and it stopped him tonight. I am very happy as my manager, who has been with me since the amateurs told me one day I would come to America and make my professional debut and I won this for him.”

Smith KOs Guerrido

Undefeated welterweight Gerald Smith raised his record to 2-0, 1KO. by dropping fellow Bronx, New Yorker, Jose Guerrido twice, en-route to an impressive second round stoppage

Smith was dominant from the opening bell, using his quick and heavier combinations to back the southpaw Guerrido up throughout the opening round. The first knockout came from a Smith a three-punch combination with just fifteen seconds to go in the round.

Guerrido tried a couple of counter left hands in round two, but Smith walked right through them and dropped him for the second time with a small combination. Guerrido rose to his feet and looked ready to continue but his corner threw in the towel. Guerrido protested vehemently, but to no avail as the fight was stopped at 2:16 of round two.

“After the second knockdown, which didn’t come from a hard punch, we knew he didn’t come to fight tonight and we stopped the fight.” said his disgusted corner men.”

Upsher dominates Homme

Junior welterweight Steve Upsher raised his record to 16-1 with a one sided four round unanimous decision victory over Haitian Jean Petit Homme (2-14-2, 2KO’s).

Steve Upsher used constant movement and double left hooks to keep Homme off balance in the early rounds. Homme actually angered Upsher with some roughhouse tactics late in the contest, which forced the fight into a battle of tight exchanges in the center of the ring. Upsher’s hand speed was just too much for Homme, who was consistently beaten to the punch in the exchanges.

All three Judges had the bout in favor of Steve Upsher by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 x 2.

Holmberg stops Hopkins in two

Swedish heavyweight southpaw Anders Holmberg made his much-anticipated professional debut, but it was not as easy as planned, as he had to get off the canvas to score a second round knockout of Fargo, North Dakota’s Archie Hopkins.

Holmbeg appeared to lack head movement early on and it hurt, as he was caught by a short right hand on the chin that put him on the canvas. It was later revealed that Holmberg suffered a calf injury early on in the round and couldn’t move like he wanted to. Holmberg was game though and got back on his feet and continued to press the attack.

The short combinations from Holmberg tired Hopkins, who was breathing heavily with his mouth wide open throughout the second round. The end finally came to a close from a left hook up top that crumpled an exhausted Hopkins in his corner. Referee Blair Talmadge realized he was in no shape to continue and waved the bout off at 1:11 of round two.

This fight was special for the 37 year-old Holmberg, a former Swedish national amateur team member who overcame cancer and wanted to have one professional fight at the Legendary Blue Horizon.

His management spoke later on his future in the ring. Anders will go back to Sweden where a guy who fought in the amateurs with him, had also recently turned pro and has been calling him out ever since. Maybe this fight can be made and the score settled.”

Delapaz dominates Hackett

Atlantic City, New Jersey super middleweight, Joel Delapaz (Pro. debut) looked impressive in capturing every round of a one sided four rounder against Philadelphia’s own Greg Hackett (Pro. debut).

Delapaz used a various combinations, including double left hooks that kept Hackett off balance throughout the contest. Hackett never could find a way to offset the New Jersey native’s hand speed to be to get inside and work effectively.

All three judges scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Joel Delapaz.

Goldwire wins split decision

Ishmir Ra of Detroit, Michigan gave Philly welterweight John Goldwire all he could handle in the battle of pro debuts, but The Philadelphian was able to squeak out a four round split decision victory in the opening bout of the evening.

Ra’s hand speed was evident from the opening bell, as he peppered Goldwire with right jabs. A short left on the chin by Ra, forced Goldwire to stumble but he recovered quickly.

By the middle of round two, Goldwire began to time the advances of Ra with short right hands up top that slowed the Detroit native’s flurries.

The fight was on the line in the fourth and both fighters had their moments in a close final round, sending it to the scorecards. Judge Rose Vargas had it 39-37 for Ra, but was overruled by judges Alan Rubenstein and Rich Hopkins, who both scored the bout 39-37 in favor of Goldwire. Fightnews scored the bout 38-38 even.