[mikehoudini]

Harry Thomas vs. Embrell Davidson – After a feeling-out round where both men traded shots in an 8-8 round, Thomas came on strong in the 2^nd & 3^rd, winning 17-7 & 18-2. He fired off crosses and hooks to control the 2^nd, though Davidson did land a smashing hook! Harry used his hooks and crosses again in the 3^rd, rocking Davidson twice and causing Embrell’s right eye to swell horribly!

Embrell was much more effective in the 4^th, but Thomas kept on with the punches that had worked for him. On the strength of a huge cross, he won again, 15-10. Davidson opened the 5^th with a laser left that shook Thomas up. Harry growled and banged back with a cranium-crusher, then two straight rights. He dominated, 16-5, and was controlling every aspect of this fight. Davidson’ eye was looking even worse, and now his left eye was swelling as well. The vision impairment didn’t bode well for the future!

Thomas poured it on in the 6^th, landing 55 times, 35 being his patented crosses and hooks. He stunned Embrell early on with a thunderous right and an uppercut, and won going away, 24-7, as Davidson’s eyes were both now horrid! Embrell was again on the receiving end in the 7^th, staggering around from a sizzling combination and jarring cross. Exhausted, barely able to see, he threw caution to the winds, lashing out with a combination of his own that caught Harry rushing in! Thomas was hurt, and covered up. Davidson landed a few times, but Thomas weathered the storm, winning the round on the strength of his first two minutes, 15-8.

Davidson’s corner did their best between rounds, but his eyes were still a mess. He came out swinging in the 8^th, optimistic after hurting Harry the prior round! He built up a nice lead, helped by a crushing cross, but Harry had the last word with a cross of his own. Davidson captured a much-needed round on my card, 11-9. And, for once, his eyes were no worse at the end of the round!

Round 9 was ho-hum. A desperate Davidson opened with a winging right that caught Thomas. Harry came back with a sizzling left hook to the body. He ripped home an uppercut, and was using his hooks, but Davidson rallied with a body shot at the two minute mark that floored Thomas! Harry was up at the count of 5, and a suddenly rejuvenated Davidson, his eyesight a little better, connected with a wicked combination, sending Harry back to the canvas! Harry made it up, a bit wobbly, at the count of 6, and an excited Embrell clobbered him with a straight right. Thomas looked out on his feet, and Davidson smashed him with a cross just before the bell sounded, ane he dropped for the third time! Thomas jumped up at the count of 1, then was helped to his stool! Davidson had won the round of the tournament, 34-14, and had just missed ending the fight!

The two men looked like ancient gladiators as they staggered out for the 10^th round. Embrell had the fans on their feet the last round,. Who would strike first? Harry slipped a booming cross, then caught Davidson with an uppercut that he started at knee level! Now Embrell was in retreat, trying to steady himself, but the last round had taken a toll on his energy! Thomas crashed a cross home, and Davidson grabbed onto the ropes! Thomas fired a lightning shot to the body, and Davidson went down! He struggled mightily, and somehow got vertical at the count of 9! Thomas was staggering as well, but a clumsy wild overhand right found its target just before the round ended, and Embrell crumbled and fell! He struggled upright at the count of 8, and there was had only 1 second left. The referee had seen enough, and awarded a TKO at 2:59 of the 10^th to Harry Thomas!

The fans cheered the gallant Davidson, booing the stoppage. The huge Round 9 had made the fight close, and the result might have been different if there were 20 more seconds left. It had taken its toll on Embrell. He saluted Thomas, but did state in a post-fight interview that he’d been sick after eating some fruit he picked up while driving through Connecticut! Hmm!