Fiorentino Captures NABF Crown!

July 8, 2007

It was a picture perfect Friday night at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy, New York, as Lisa Elovich’s Pugnacious Promotions provided a terrific outdoor seven-bout card that had fireworks both inside and outside the ring which left everyone in attendance satisfied.

Just before the main event of the evening a nice fireworks show was provided off the centerfield wall of the stadium, but it didn’t stop there as super featherweights Missy Fiorentino and Cindy Serrano cracked each other with non-stop combinations for eight grueling rounds in a fight that could have easily been a main event on ESPN2.

Missy “The Fury” Fiorentino (16-0, 7 KOs) of Warwick, Rhode Island, captured the vacant NABF Super Featherweight belt with a brutal eight-round unanimous decision over Brooklyn, New York’s Cindy “Checkmate” Serrano (14-1-1).

The battle was billed as the most anticipated women’s fight of 2007 and it lived up to its billing as both fighters went toe-to-toe throughout, which had the crowd standing on their feet in appreciation.

The bout began with the shorter Fiorentino bulling her way inside and using short combinations that backed Serrano to the ropes to take round one. There was a slight delay between rounds as the ring rope in Serrano’s corner collapsed and needed several minutes to repair.

When the action resumed, Serrano began to catch Fiorentino coming with several counter combinations to capture the second round. The Rhode Island native would not give Serrano any breathing room in round threes as she continued her relentless attack on the inside. Serrano had her moments, but Fiorentino appeared to be getting the better of the brutal exchanges on the inside.

Both fighters continued to trade viscous combinations on in close quarters in round four that had the crowd oohing and aahing from the shots. Late in the round, a bad cut opened on the right eyebrow of Serrano, who was forced to cover as the round ended. Both fighters traded furiously throughout rounds four through seven that basically could have been fought in a phone booth. However it was the constant pressure of Fiorentino and the bad cut on her opponent’s eyelid that helped her capture the rounds. Serrano, like a warrior, fought valiantly, returning combinations with her back to the ropes, but just couldn’t land anything big enough to deter the relentless pressure of Fiorentino.

Both fighters went toe to toe throughout the final round with the crowd cheering until the final bell. The fight went to the scorecards, and all three judges ruled in favor of Fiorentino by scores of 79-73.

“My game plan was to be aggressive and keep the pressure on her,” said Fiorentino. “I am shorter than her, so I didn’t want her to box me. I just had to keep on the constant pressure.” Fiorentino continued: “This is my third title in three weight classes and with this being an eliminator, I would like to capture the WBC title to make it three world titles.

Willingham Survives Gonzalez

Undefeated welterweight prospect Wayland Willingham (12-0, 7 KOs) survived two first-round knockdowns to score a dramatic fourth-round stoppage of Oscar Gonzalez (9-9-1 3KOs) in their scheduled eight rounder.

Willingham, a southpaw of nearby Albany, New York, decided to trade with Gonzalez late in round one and it was a big mistake as a counter right sent him to the canvas. Willingham beat the eight count, but Gonzalez charged across the ring with several combinations, finishing with a left up top that sent Willingham to the canvas for a second time. Gonzalez wasted valuable seconds by posing near the recovering Willingham, which forced referee Hubert Earle to take extra time to wave him to a neutral corner and the bell sounded before any further damage could be inflicted.

Willingham began to use movement and short combinations in rounds two and three to gain control of the ring. Gonzalez landed one more hook that stunned Willingham in round two, however, this time Willingham boxed his way out of danger.

Bodywork late in the third round further slowed Gonzalez. The end came in the fourth as Gonzalez retreated while he traded punches with Willingham, but a counter right on the chin sent him face first to the canvas. Gonzalez made one futile attempt to get up, but fell right back to the canvas as the count went to 10. The time of the knockout was announced at 38 seconds of round four.

“I was sloppy in the first round because I underestimated my opponent,” said Willingham. “This was a lesson I had to learn and I am thankful I came through it. The body punches I landed in round three changed his (Gonzalez’s) perspective in the fight. He came in with reckless abandon in the first round but was much more wary after the bodywork. My corner kept telling me to go to the body and not let him set back up and it worked.” Willingham continued “Only a champion gets up from the knockdowns like I did and a championship will be in my future soon.”

Miller Destroys Roberts

Hometown favorite heavyweight Shannon Miller (15-3, 9 KOs) of Troy, New York, rebounded from two previous losses, with a second-round destruction over Tama, Iowa’s Tyrone Roberts (11-4-1, 9 KOs).

Miller was in control right from the opening bell with countless combinations to both the head and body. The end of the onslaught came just seconds into round two, as Miller connected with two thudding hooks to the puffy midsection of Roberts who collapsed the canvas for the 10 count.

Time of the stoppage was just 25 seconds into round two of a scheduled six.

“I knew I was hurting him with hooks to the body in round one, so I said to my corner I am going directly to the body in round two and he went down,” said a satisfied Miller afterward. “It is probably one of my best punches. My trainer said the right hooks to the body off the jab hurts so bad and it finished my opponent tonight.”

Palacios Stops Rigal

Featherweight Francisco Palacios of the Bronx, New York, scored a thrilling fourth-round stoppage of Anolan Rigal in opening bout of the evening.

Palacios opened with combinations on the outside. Rigal, of Havana, Cuba, turned the fight around in round two by pushing Palacios against the ropes with two- and three-punch combinations to the body.

Both fighters tired in round three, but Palacios regained his second wind late and connected with a huge uppercut, followed by a four-punch combination, that had Rigal hurt against the ropes as the bell sounded. Palacios went on the attack as the fourth round began, by pushing the Cuban to the ropes with hard right hand up top and left hook to the body. Rigal’s hands dropped to cover his ribs and Palacios seized the opportunity with a huge overhand right on the ear that stunned his game opponent. Palacios would not let the golden opportunity go and followed with six successive overhand rights that had Rigal out on his feet which forced referee Hubert Earle to step in and call a halt to the bout at 59 seconds of the fourth and final round.

Palacios wins for the first time in his five-bout career, evening his record at 1-1-3, 1 KO while Rigal slips to 1-1-1, 1KO.

Horn Bangs Out Barron

Guilderland, New York’s Chris Horn (2-0, 2 KOs) celebrated his wedding engagement with a quick first-round TKO over awkward cruiserweight Billy “Crazy Life” Barron (0-1).

Both fighters opened the bout swinging wildly, but it was Horn that landed the tighter shots that sent Barron to the ropes. Horn connected with a right hand that turned Barron against the ropes, covering up, defenseless. Two more hooks while Barron was leaning against the ropes forced referee Ken Zimmer to administer an eight count. Barron walked to the far side of the ring and gave a menacing glare. It did little to stop Horn who immediately turned him around against the ropes covering up with a two-punch combination.

Referee Ken Zimmer called a halt to the bout at 1.03 of round one of a scheduled four.

Burris Stops Winless Dukes

Super middleweight Tylon Burris made a successful professional debut with a third-round knockout over winless Donyell Dukes (0-3), but it wasn’t easy.

Dukes, the hometown favorite out of Troy, New York confused Burris in the opening stanza by switching in and out of his southpaw stance which allowed him to land nice several small combinations. Burris began to time the switches in round two, with straight right hands that forced Dukes to retreat.

Dukes changed his game plan in round three, as he sent Burris backwards with several combinations while pressing on the inside, in a style similar to Missy Fiorentino. Dukes pushed Burris against the ropes and was about to unload when Burris stunned him with left hand right on the chin. Burris immediately followed a right followed with a right hand left hook combination and Dukes crumpled to the canvas for the 10 count.

Time of the knockout was 2:37 of round three.

Spiegel Crushes Grant

Local cruiserweight Jerry Spiegel stepped into the ring with a big red letter S shaved into the back of his head, like the one worn on the chest of famed comic super hero Superman.

It also appeared right at the opening bell that he thought he was Superman, when he charged across the ring and leaped in the air and then tried land a right hook on Demond Grant (pro debut). However the tactic didn’t work as Grant just ducked and pushed him to the canvas. Referee helped Spiegel from Troy, New York helped Spiegel back to his feet, but this time it was Howard who swung and missed wildly falling to his knees. The crowd began to chant Jerry!!, Jerry!!, Jerry!! for Spiegel, who began to go toe to toe with Grant.

It was clear though after the first few swings that Spiegel was by far the more polished fighter, and was landing consistently. Grant was backed into the corner with two successive combinations. Spiegel saw an opening and shot a right uppercut that landed flush and dropped Grant his knees. Grant was able to beat the count but refused to continue, forcing Referee Ken Zimmer to call a halt to the bout at 2:39 of the first round.

“That first punch was my Superman punch and I just had to try it. It just didn’t work,” said a smiling Spiegel afterward. He raises his record to 3-1 2 KOs.