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BOXING EVENT |
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Saturday night at White Rock Gym was at its full capacity with over 350 fight fans sitting and standing along the walls and literally outside to watch the live action in the ring. Cars and trucks filled the parking lot and the road sides along Hwy 76. It was apparent to every passerby that there was something exciting going on in White Rock, SC. At 8:30 pm ring announcer Sean Fink got the evening going with the introduction of a local musical artist Henry Flowers. Oh my goodness let me tell you this man has a voice from heaven and when he sings I guarantee you that every one in the house had goose bumps on them by the end of Mr. Flower’s amazing rendition of our National Anthem. The fans were on their feet early. Billy Stanick is a true believer in safety. Along with the ringside doctor, Reginald Parker Billy had two ambulance services on standby Mitch Hall and Brad Amick with Richland County and Palmetto Ambulance Service. These guys had a busier than normal night with boxer Albert Thompson going to the hospital after being KO’d by Rommel Rene in the fourth bout of the night. (Details follow in article). Judges Cindy Campbell, Ed Martella, Jeff Ensinger and Referees Mark Campbell and Bruce Foster were also on top of their game during the night with the scheduled 10 bout fight card. However, Bout 7 with Johnny Molina and Frank Reed did not make it to the canvas due to Reed’s blood pressure being too high to fight. Molina’s disappointment is note worthy. Johnny was pumped, ready and most anxious to get back in the ring. He’s been training really hard and staying on top of his homework. Boxing is his job and his life. Point blank Johnny Molina is ready. Enough said. Bout 1 of the night brought welterweights Marcus Brooks of Saluda, SC and Winston-Salem, NC’s Kevin Carter together in a great start to the evening. Round one each boxer was checking the other, but Brooks was more active and aggressive with his jabs. Carter came out in round three working in hopes of winning the round. Catching Brooks with a few jabs, combinations and a left upper cut Carter was trying to bring it to his opponent. Marcus stood his ground and showed natural boxing skills. Round four, the last and final round both boxers gave the fans a great fight. At the end of this fight Brooks has a bloody nose and Carter was sporting a swollen left eye. The judges had Brooks ahead on points and their decision went to him. Marcus Brooks improves his pro record to 3 (2KO’s) – 0. Middleweights Tim Hall (1-1) from Athens, GA and Lancaster, SC’s Lorenzo Crawford (aka: Black Stallion) got busy in the 2nd bout of the night. Both fighters answered the bell in round one with hooks and straights flying. Crawford went down from Hall’s right hook in round one and a straight left in round two. Finally, the referee stopped the bout when Hall sends the Black Stallion to the canvas for the second time of round two with a left hook. Tim Hall takes this bout with a 2nd round KO. Bout 3 was a quick one with Georgia’s Preston Haliburton taking on Mickey Barnickle out of TN. Haliburton landed a straight left on Barnickle’s chin and this Tennessee boy didn’t want any more. Barnickle did not answer the bell for round 2. Haliburton wins! Bout 4 was looking good with Rommel “TANK” Rene coming to the center of the ring with Lancaster’s Albert Thompson. These boxers came out the corners with so much energy and trading punches. Then in a blink of an eye the “TANK” nailed Thompson with a straight right, dude was down hard and not moving. In round two with 2:30 on the clock this bout was history. The “TANK” stopped Thompson in his tracks, literally and wins by way of KO. Dr. Parker and EMTs immediately jumped in the ring to take of business. This stopped the bouts for about 10 minutes while Thompson was transported to the hospital for precautionary measures after complaints of the head. This young man did suffer from a mild concussion; however he is fine and was released from the hospital that night. In bout 5 the female boxers showed their stuff and the crowd loved it. Out of Shelby, NC, Donna Biggers who holds three title belts (WIBC Featherweight Title, WBB Lightweight Title, and WBE Women’s Super Featherweight Title) and Joy Irvin hailing from Fort Smith, AR, were scheduled for four rounds. Biggers landed her combinations and brought her fight to Irvin. Irvin showed the fans that she is competitive and has heart. This young lady took a lot of hard punches and body shots the Nature Girl delivered. However, with a bloody nose Irvin could not continue round 3. Donna was composed, relaxed and stuck to her game plan; even after taking an elbow to the fore head. The Nature Girl adds another win to her pro record. (18 W (15KO’s) – 2L – 1D) The next bouts were swift ones. Bout 6 was another female bout between Camden, SC’s Jennifer Johnson (0-1) and Puerto Rican Melissa Hernandez (1-0) traveling from Bronx, NY. Folks, this was the second time I’ve seen Johnson in the ring and both times this girl comes to the ring not ready. Hernandez made her presence know in the ring with her energy; this young lady was ready for the bout. And again, Johnson was not and quit only moments after the first round bell. AGAIN: Bout 7 with Johnny Molina and Frank Reed was cancelled due to Reed’s blood pressure being too high to fight. So, bout 7 of the night was a match up between World Boxing Bureau World Champion Skyler Thompson of Rockford, IL and TN’s David Brewer. Thompson came out his corner throwing hard combinations and punching Brewer in the back several times before having points deducted. This made no difference to Brewer he could not handle the Illinois WBB Champion. Referee stops this bout at 2:23 in the 1st round. Thompson goes home with the win. The super heavyweights entered the ring and went the 4 round distance in bout 8. Willie Walker of Athens, GA and local Kenny Williams fighting out of Palmetto Boxing & Fitness slugged it out for the four rounds and it was all noticeable by the end of the fight. Both boxers looked as if there were sizing each other up and enticing one another. Seconds into the first round Walker’s corner yells “Go old school Big Willie”! Walker begins throwing his punches. Williams counter attacks with his own combinations. Each punch is heard loud and clear; the crowd reacts with each one. In round 2 these big heavyweights were slugging it out in the corners and on the ropes. At the end of this round both guys were fatigued. A slow start to round 3 but midway through the action picked up. Williams landed body shots; which seemed to get Big Willie’s attention. Walker landed his own straight right which shook Williams and backed him up a couple of steps. Williams kept coming and returned his own straight left. The last and final round wasn’t much action until Big Willie hears from his corner again “Go south paw and hook”. The hook would land hard and Williams felt it. The fans enjoyed this big heavyweight action and it was a close one. The judge’s split decision goes to Big Willie Walker. The main event brought the fans again to their feet for their hometown favorite undefeated heavyweight Moultrie Witherspoon who went up against Jamestown, TN’s 259 lb heavyweight Greg McWhirter. These boxers went the distance in this 6 round bout. Moultrie executed in the ring what he had been working on in training ~ his jab. McWhirter absorbed a lot of hard hits. This Tennessee guy has heart, determination and is one tough son of a gun. Counter attacking with his combinations and quick reflexes gave Witherspoon the round experience he had been waiting for. Trainer Jose Molina instructs Witherspoon to use his 1-2 combination and to go to the body. “Stick the jab! Got to the body – body wide open, right hand to body! Mooch, upstairs, go to body, put pressure on him!” yells Molina. McWhirter still moves forward and counter attacking with his combinations. In round 4 McWhirter got busy and backed Moultrie up with a series of right jabs followed with a straight left. Going into round 5 McWhirter’s demeanor was more like he was sparring and not in an actual fight. He got in a few good hits, but at the end of the fight Greg McWhirter’s left eye was red, blue and swollen. Afterwards, Moultrie says “I could have gone 2 more rounds”. Witherspoon wins this bout and is still White Rock’s own undefeated heavyweight sensation with a professional record of 8 W (4KO’s) – 0 L. This event definitely made a boxing statement for what SC fight fans will want to see all year. Billy Stanick is a hard working man and without him events like this would not be possible; he is our local boxing icon. And, behind every boxing man there is a great team. Kudos goes out to Billy, his team and Head Hunter Promotions for bringing this wonderful event to the public. We also thank our sponsors for their great support, S&K Menswear for providing Sean Fink’s tuxedo for the night, our favorite ring card girl from White Rock the beautiful Ali Malta, HOOTERS for providing ring card girls to help Ali, Danny Easterling, Jr for helping the girls in and out of the ring, our timekeeper Daniel Easterling, Sr., SC Athletic Commission, our officials and referees. Look for upcoming news on the next professional boxing event to be held at Jamil Shrine Temple in Columbia, SC scheduled for February 4, 2006m by Dream Fight Promotions. |
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