Reign of Punches in Coney Island’s Boardwalk

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Reign of Punches in Coney Island’s Boardwalk

BoxingGlove Notes

Distinio Lois, Jr.

Just like the thunder storm that washed out the beach sun bathers and boardwalk visitors ruining their picnics Sunday night, August 21, 2016, the Ford Amphitheater fight fans were rewarded with an exciting fistic hurricane thanks to Di Bella Entertainment and Premier Boxing Champions’ 7 bout fight card.

The sell-out crowd protected by the amphitheater’s overhead dome enjoyed their boxing picnic rooting for their favorite boxer from the youngest up and coming fighters to the 2 main events.

The hot dogs, beers, French fries were flowing as fight after fight warmed up the audience leading up to the I.B.F. Eliminator Welterweight fight and the W.B.C. International Women’s Featherweight Title war.

Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr. finally became the #1 contender to challenge Kell Brook’s I.B.F. Crown when he knocked out the #3 ranked fighter, Leonard “The Lion” Bundu in 2:08 seconds of the 6th round.

The very professional and methodical young fighting machine Spence, very patiently broke down Bundu’s plans by a systematic offense of vicious body punches, a steady piston-like jab to head and body hurting and confusing Bundu forcing him to switch from a left hand to a right hand stance throughout the entire fight until he was knocked out in the 6th round.

Just like a student in a class room, Spence cautiously studied his “subject”-Bundu-jabbing, keeping him at a distance as he began his plan of attack hurting Bundu to the body and with a sporadic head punch.

Spence’s fighting style is reminiscent of the pound for pound 3 time W.B.C. Lineal & Ring Magazine Flyweight world champ Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez who punches with an up and down punishing effect on his opponents, debilitating them as he prepares for the knockout.

Spence Jr. told me “I don’t look for the knockout it just comes after I weaken my opponents with my attack that I practice repeatedly in training camp.”

Bundu, true to his word started off fast and furious attacking Spence from the first round with a combination of head and body punches keeping Spence on the defensive temporarily.

Throughout the rounds after Bundu’s attacks you began to see Spence counter-punch with vicious body and head punches that began to hurt and slow Bundu down allowing Spence to increase his attack round to round. By the 5th round it was basically target practice as Spence was throwing a non-stop combination of head to body punches staggering Bundu.

In an exchange of punches in the 6th round with the courageous but outclassed Bundu constantly moving forward Spence unleashed a vicious left upper-cut punch that knocked him down. For some strange reason until corrected the referee ruled it a slip.

When the referee finished the mandatory 8 count, Spence attacked the seriously hurt Bundu again, knocking him out in 2 minutes & 6 seconds of the 6th round with the referee Johnny Callas waving the fight over. Bundu fell through the ring ropes unconscious with his right leg folded under him.

As a precaution Leonard Bundu was taken to the nearby hospital for observation which seems to be a new but good safety policy by the Boxing Commissions in all the States.

Errol Spence, Jr. is now officially the mandatory challenger for Brook’s I.B.F. Crown, but how soon will they fight is a big question since Brook has that contracted middleweight championship fight with Gennady “3G” Golovkin, September 10, 2016.

A victorious, happy, and very relieved Spence immediately yelled for all to hear, “I want my belt now I’ve waited a long time for it. If Brook doesn’t want to fight me, then make it vacant and I’ll fight some worthy opponent for it, but I know it will be mine.”

A sad and disappointed Bundu who had his wife and children in the audience stated, “I am disappointed I felt I could win with my aggressive style but Spence was too fast, and his head and body shots hurt me early and I could not recover from them. He is a great young fighter who will be a champ someday”.

The fight or fistic war of the night-Black Star News’ opinion-was the non-stop bell to bell, center of the ring, phone booth, W.B.C. International Women’s Featherweight Championship fight.

Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent, 19-0, 1 knockout finally got her title fight against her nemesis Champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy, 17-0, 4 k.o.’s and made the best of the opportunity but alas fell short losing by a majority vote decision.

The decision which was questioned by many except Hardy’s fan base was 99-91, 97-93, and 95-95. The draw vote was more accurate than the other judge’s scores.

Black Star News actually had Vincent winning by a score of 98-92, but would’ve settled for a draw since it was a give and take the entire 2 minutes of each round in this 10 round fight.

Furiously, Vincent would first pummel Hardy and then Hardy would out punch Vincent sometimes both standing toe to toe hitting each other to the delight of the fight crowd. The Heat Hardy’s advantage perhaps was her boxing ability and out jabbing the shorter Chelito’s Way Vincent who is really a slugger at heart.

A reluctant , Vincent, kept moving forward chasing a hurt Hardy who was backing up trying to avoid those hard punishing punches.

After the decision was announced favoring Hardy, she started to cry as a furious Vincent yelled for all to hear, “I told you I was going to get robbed, Hardy can’t lose here in Brooklyn. I want a rematch but it has to be in Providence, Rhode Island.”

A super emotional Hardy stated “This was my toughest fight to date and I am very happy that my team pushed and prepared me for this fight. I owe my victory to them and my Mom who always told me never to quit and fulfill my dreams.”

Vincent further stated, “It is what it is, you can’t win in New York, plus I was head butted several times and the referee did not correct her.” Both Hardy and Vincent suffered eye cuts.

BOXING FOOT NOTES:

Boxing Promoters should begin to think about including at least one female fight on their fight cards. There are many very talented women boxers in this country such as sisters, Amanda & Cindy Serrano, Heather Hardy and Shelly Vincent.

The 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist-2012 &2016- Claressa Shields should also be considered a future world’s champ in the women’s category.

Errol Spence’s powerful left upper cut punch was a throwback reminder of the late great Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Joe Miceli. I sparred with him many times at the old Stillman’s Gym in Manhattan. If you survived his left upper cut you could survive any opponent. If he had trained harder I am sure he would’ve been a world champ.

 Miceli hated training but loved sparring. Joe Miceli retired from the ring with a fight record of 110 fights, 60 wins, 42 losses, 8 draws, and scored 28 knockouts.

These fight records do not exist today.

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