TalkingBoxing News
Froch Notches Victory in First Title Defense
MON April 27 - Carl Froch (25-0, 20 KOs) remained undefeated Saturday evening after a stellar comeback performance that had a near sell-out crowd of 3,726 on their feet when he knocked out former undisputed middleweight Jermain Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KOs) to retain the World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight world title on SHOWTIME®.
In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature scheduled for 10-rounds, Allan Green (28-1, 20 KOs) impressed the crowd with his astonishing power after when he knocked down Carlos De Leon, Jr. (21-3-2, 14 KOs) three times in the second round before scoring a fourth and night-ending knock down.
The evening of fights, presented DiBella Entertainment and Hennessy Sports, emanated from MGM Grand Theater at MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn.
Froch, of Nottingham, England, had something to prove Saturday night, not only to the American audience, but to the naysayers who hadn’t given him credit as a world class champion. Taylor, of Little Rock, Ark., wanted to show the boxing world that he still had the heart, the skills and composition of the champion he once was.
With both coming out strong, Taylor outshined Froch and sent him to the canvas with a hellacious overhand right in the third round; the first time Froch has ever been down in his career. Froch recovered and was able to find his rhythm as he pressed the action in the middle rounds.
At the start of the 12th and final round, Froch felt that he needed a knockout to win the fight. And that is just what he got. Froch dropped Taylor using his solid jabs and strong right hand and, while Taylor was able to recover, he never fully regained his legs. At 2:46 of the 12th round after sustaining a flurry of monstrous punches, referee Michael Ortega stepped in and held a defenseless Taylor.
After the fight Froch said, “My trainer (Rob McCracken) told me I needed a big round in the 12th. He was right. You saw it, everybody saw it. I’m the champ.”
Regarding the stoppage, Froch said, “You could see he was badly hurt and not defending himself. He was not even looking at me at the end. It was a great decision by the referee. I had to make a statement on American soil and I did just that.”
Taylor respectfully called for a rematch after the fight when he said, “I want a rematch. He came over here and he really is a warrior. I know he’s got a good heart. I put 110% in the gym but he stayed with it and worked it.”
Asked whether he agreed with the stoppage Taylor replied, “He thought it was time to stop it so he stopped it. My hat is off to the ref.”
Green, of Tulsa, Okla., established his jab and firm right hand as soon as the fight began. After continuing to beat and overpower him, Green set up a lead right in the second round followed by a large left hook that sent De Leon to the canvas for the first of four knock downs in the round. Never truly recovered, De Leon continued to take a beating until the referee halted the fight at 1:06 of the second round.
After the fight Green said “I was here to make a statement. I was here to serve notice to Jermain Taylor and Carl Froch. I mean no disrespect but I want the winner of this fight. Lucian Bute is sitting here. I want these guys.”
Referring to the left hook that proved to be the beginning of the end for De Leon, Green said, “I kept coming with my right. I knew once he got brave I would come over with the left. I was able to set it up and finish. No one can handle this power. It looks like I hit him with the Hammer of Thore.”
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein called the action from ringside with Jim Gray reporting from ringside. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins Jr., with Bob Dunphy directing.
Spinks Outpoints Latimore, Wins Title
MON April 27 - Former four-time world champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks walked into the ring Friday night sensing that he had something left to prove to his hometown fans. He walked out a five-time world champion with a close split-decision victory over fellow St. Louis native DeAndre “The Bull” Latimore Friday night on SHOWTIME.
Spinks fought back diligently after a suffering a first round knockdown to capture the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior middleweight world championship by the scores of 115-112 Spinks, 115-112 Latimore and 114-113 Spinks.
In what was ShoBox: The New Generation’s first telecast in St. Louis, World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 1 ranked challenger Devon Alexander “The Great” dominated Jesus “Chuy” Rodriguez, flooring his opponent with a short left uppercut with 58 seconds left in the ninth round of the co-feature. Down on the canvas with blurred vision due to a deep cut over his right eye, Rodriguez failed to get up for the 10-count giving the hometown favorite Alexander his 11th career knockout.
Spinks (37-5, 11 KOs), who seemed shocked to be showered with boos by the raucous crowd at the Scottrade Center, fought his way back from the swift knockdown, taking control of the fight and earning his hometown fans back. His vast experience and extensive resume proved to be the difference maker against the younger, untested Latimore.
“I was a little rusty, but I shook it off,” Spinks said. “I thought it was a slip in the first round just like they ruled my knockdown a slip in the last round.
“I knew I had to perform in the 12th, and I did. I’m a master at this. I went out like a dog and got it. I won back the world title at junior middleweight.”
While not as sharp and lacking the quick footwork that has made him so dangerous and illusive throughout his career, the 31-year-old Spinks had just enough gas to out last 23-year-old Latimore, who had never gone the distance in a 12-round fight before.
Latimore (19-2, 16 KOs), began to tire in the middle rounds and lacked the power and knowledge to knock out the crafty Spinks, his childhood idol.
“I’m a little upset,” Latimore said. “I dropped him in the first round. That decision should have been mine. The scorecard had it 114-113 (for Spinks). I should have had that edge.”
“I cut him and he cut me, what can I say? He got the decision.”
Spinks, who hasn’t won a fight by knockout in over eight years, seems to have made a living by close decision victories, according to ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood.
“It seems inevitable that Spinks is going to be in close fights that are decided by the judges,” Farhood said. “He won tonight for one reason and one reason only: experience. It enabled him to survive a very rough start and control the pace of the fight in the latter rounds.
“Latimore showed flashes of championship form early in the fight, but he didn’t have the experience to carry him through later in the fight.”
Alexander (18-0, 11 KOs) was the heavy favorite entering Friday’s co-feature and it showed. The IBF No. 1 challenger dominated the sloppy fight in which both boxers failed to land many meaningful or damaging punches.
With good hand speed and solid combinations, Alexander landed enough shots to hurt Rodriguez with a cut under his right eye. On the canvas with just 58 seconds left in the ninth round and behind on every scorecard, Rodriguez looked too discouraged to continue.
“Rodriguez was good,” Alexander said. “He gave me good work. He’s a rugged, awkward fighter. I’m ready for anybody at 140 pounds. I can and will get better.
“I give myself just a ‘B-‘ tonight. I’m the WBC super lightweight mandatory challenger. Now I’m ready for my first world championship appearance.”’
Rodriguez (19-4, 5 KOs), who took the fight on just three weeks notice after a scheduled bout with Zab Judah fell through, knew he couldn’t keep up with the younger, speedier Alexander.
“I got caught with a shot and I couldn’t see anymore,” said Rodriguez, of Salinas, Calif. “He was just too fast for me.”
While Alexander controlled the fight, Farhood would have liked to see more from the top, young prospect.
“Devin won every round, but not in an overly impressive fashion,” Farhood said. “He missed a lot of punches.
“He showed flashes of the skill that I now he has, but didn’t seem to adjust that well to a clever, but outgunned, opponent.”
Nick Charles called the action from ringside with the aforementioned Farhood serving as expert analyst. The executive producer of “ShoBox” is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
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