MILWAUKEE * WISCONSIN
JOURNAL SENTINEL
Wednesday 7 June 2006
BENGTSON FALLS SHORT IN ST. LOUIS
Story by Michael Nixon
Promising Milwaukee slugger Eric Bengtson saw his stay in the International Boxing League's Americas Welterweight Championship tournament come to an end in somewhat controversial circumstances last night. The 19 year-old appeared to be the better man during his contest against Dominican Republic native Pedro Cabrera but it was the caribbean fighter who progressed to the quarter-finals after the bout ended as a draw. One judge actually favoured Bengtson 59-55 but the other two both returned verdicts of 57-57. According to IBL rules Cabrera's higher 7th seeding guaranteed his path to the tournament's second stage. In an entertaining bout Bengtson outlanded his foe 132-96, proving to be especially effective with a potent right cross. Despite that, if not for his strong finish to the fight in sweeping the 5th and 6th rounds he would have suffered his first career defeat.
Bengtson (6-0-2(3)) was visibly shattered afterwards and will now have to take part in a trio of bouts during the next six months that will determine his initial IBL world ranking once the tournaments are completed. In the evening's main event local favourite Virgil Akins overcame a cut above the right eyebrow in the opening round to send the Scottrade Center crowd home satisfied as he defeated the Canadian Maxie Berger by unanimous decision (57-56, 60-53, 58-55). In only his fourth professional bout Berger is the most inexperienced fighter in the league and was always going to have trouble against Akins, who improved to 10-0-1(7) with the win. Berger tasted the canvas a minute into round two, Akins dominating the 3rd and 4th before easing off in the 5th.
The co-feature was an all-Mexican affair with Bernabe Carbajal turning back a determined start from his younger opponent Kid Azteca to win by unanimous decision. Other victors on the night included 3rd seed Carlos Alou, Cuban 4th seed Jose Stable and California's James Page, who sent New York native Max Rasmuth to his first professional defeat with a 5th round KO. The fight had been even through the opening four rounds but Rasmuth was floored twice in the 5th and counted out two minutes into it. Based on last night's card (which was televised live on ESPN) there does not appear to be a clear-cut favourite for this tournament, something that will certainly add some intrigue to the quarter-finals.