The Heavyweight Boxing Federation - Page 77

Romdawg88 · 09-27-2007, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Gomez, Ray and McCall went winless in the biggest fights of their careers to date. That's most unclutch...

Yeah, the Alliance hasn't come through in the important situations yet. I'm willing to let it slide with Ray and Tommy just because Patterson, Young, Mercer, and Chuvalo are all better rated fighters but McCall had no business losing to Morrison.

kenyan_cheena · 09-30-2007, 12:12 AM

CLEAN SWEEP:
IBEABUCHI AND OKOCHA VICTORIOUS,
SET UP ALL-NIGERIAN ABL FINAL

Thursday 22 August 2002

Fighting in front of their fellow countrymen at the Surelere Stadium in Lagos, Nigerian boxers Ike Ibeabuchi and Omovo Okocha both scored victories in the semi-finals of the HBF's African Boxing League tournament tonight. With the venue packed to its 55,000 capacity, the two competitors were spurred on to victory by some of the most deafening support heard so far at any federation fight card. Ibeabuchi and Okocha will now clash in what will be a much-anticipated tournament final, the HBF confirming that the bout will also be held at the Surelere Stadium. Having been in Nigeria since last Saturday to assist with the auditions for the African Boxing League, World Championship tournament #1 seed Gene Tunney had a ringside seat for the event and enjoyed the night greatly.

Okocha was in action first, clashing with the New Yorker Stanley Drexxon in the Co-Feature. Having stormed through the preliminary series of bouts with a perfect 5-0 record, Okocha was coming off an impressive win over the previously unbeaten 3rd seed James Eldren and stepped into the ring as a hot favourite. He exploded out of the gates, catching Drexxon with a booming right hand and a pair of uppercuts within the opening minute. It looked like the fight would be over sooner rather than later but Drexxon evened the ledger somewhat in the bottom half of the round and then went blow for blow with the Nigerian in round two.

Clearly, Drexxon was showing more resistance than expected and when a wild overhand right had Okocha down on one knee late in the 3rd an upset looked possible. Okocha had dominated the round to that point and he shook his head in disbelief following the first knockdown of his career. It gave him added motivation to succeed and he went on to pitch a near shutout during the second half of the fight, sweeping the last three rounds on two scorecards with a comprehensive display of boxing.

Despite having controlled most of the contest Okocha was the winner only by split decision, two judges awarding him a 58-56 verdict and the other (Larry Chavez of the USA) somehow favouring Drexxon by the same scoreline. Okocha landed 155 of 377 punches (41.1%), Drexxon just 60 of 107 (56.1%).

"I don't care about that," said Okocha dismissively in giving his opinion on the verdict. "All that matters is that I'm in the final. I'm just one win from the World Ranking tournament and from the beginning of this it's been my goal to qualify for it. Now I'm in a position to make it happen."

Okocha received a rapturous applause as he departed the ring, Nigerian flag drapped around his shoulders.

In the opinion of many, #1 seed Ike Ibeabuchi has almost sleepwalked through this African Boxing League tournament. Having gone the distance in all five of his preliminary bouts, he had done only just enough to win each fight but had disregarded the belief of some that he was not worthy of his place at the top of the league. He had shown little of the aggression or power that impressed HBF President Michael Vincennes back in February but had said that when it mattered he'd "send shockwaves around the world".

Tonight, Ibeabuchi did just that as he destroyed New Orleans native James Eldren inside of two rounds to qualify for the tournament final. Ibeabuchi was in control for most of the 1st, finding the mark with a hard right hook early and a flush uppercut at the midpoint before Eldren was able to finish it strongly, a flurry of scoring shots late in the round enough to convince each judge to award it to him.

The start of round two was unremarkable, with Ibeabuchi landing some probing jabs during the first thirty seconds. But when he dropped a jolting right hand on the American it did, in hindsight, signal the beginning of the end. The punch stunned Eldren and Ibeabuchi banged a right cross off his forehead soon after and then had him wobbling back onto the ropes with a crushing left-right salvo. The crowd were on their feet chanting "I-ke-ke! I-ke-ke! I-ke-ke!" Stalking his foe like a predatorial cat Ibeabuchi unloaded with a right to the body before the end came in eye-popping fashion. With thirty seconds left in the round referee Harry Krause pried the two combatants apart, Eldren trying to clear his head while in the clinch. Ibeabuchi stepped in and landed a flush right hand, following it with a left hook. Eldren tried to clinch again but the Nigerian pushed him off and planted a right cross right on the nose. Eldren's knee brushed the canvas and when Ibeabuchi unleashed a smashing uppercut the Louisiana native was sprawled across the ropes, all but out cold, his eyes glazed over. After a hard left and another sledgehammer right he started sliding to the canvas but Krause stepped in and held him up, waving the contest over at the 2:52 mark.

Ibeabuchi simply stood in the middle of the ring arms outstretched, nodding his head nonchalantly and insisting that the crowd heap applause upon his performance.

(to be continued)

kenyan_cheena · 10-06-2007, 07:26 AM

(continuation)

"I told all of you," said Ibeabuchi in a satisfied tone, pointing to the media contingent in the ring. "I told you that I'd make you eat your words. If there is one thing that Ike Ibeabuchi has, it's a sense of timing. Here in front of my fellow countrymen I've sent out a warning shot to every other competitor in the federation. I hope Okocha was watching because if he's not careful I'll do the same thing to him next month."

Ibeabuchi landed an impressive 84 of 114 punches (73.7%) in just under six minutes of work while Eldren, who had been expected to test the #1 seed, connected with only 22 of 37 (59.5%). No doubt it was a night he'd rather forget. After winning his first four bouts he'll now take a two-fight losing streak into the Qualifying League.

On the 26th of September Ibeabuchi and Okocha will face off against each other in what should be a thrilling eight-rounder. The winner will have secured a spot in the federation's World Ranking tournament while the loser will join tonight's defeated opponents in the QL...

The Surelere Stadium Undercard

Opening Bout

In a debut that will make many stand up and take notice, 40 year-old New Yorker Mark Jones scored a dominant unanimous decision victory over an opponent young enough to be his son, Denver's Nathan Williams. With both men in their Qualifying League debuts, Jones clearly handled the occasion with superior confidence and took the win by verdicts of 59-55 and 60-54 (twice).

Having seen his good friend and fellow New Yorker Marco Santino make his own successful debut back on Tuesday, Jones' path to victory was paved by a piston-like left jab and excellent footwork. His ability to score punches and then quickly move out of harm's way was one of the cornerstones of his performance and something that frustrated his 19 year-old adversary time and again throughout the contest. Jones was more aggressive than expected, throwing 493 punches and landing 137 of them (27.8%). By comparison, Williams found the mark with just 50 of 193 (25.9%).

"I felt comfortable and in control from the opening bell," Jones said afterwards. "And my workrate increased as the fight progressed which is something we were aiming for."

Indeed, Jones' best rounds of the fight were the 5th and 6th, where he threw a combined total of 242 punches.

"I really don't think I could be happier," added Jones. "People might say that a 1st round KO is more impressive but I don't agree with that. I was able to show my abilities for the full six rounds, you know? That's something I'm really happy about and it's something that I'm hoping to continue doing as the tournament progresses. Before I go I have to say hi to my buddy Bam. Hey, Marco, we did it buddy! I'll be seein' you soon."

Back on the 20th of July when he revealed the Qualifying League's entrants, federation president Michael Vincennes had said that the league's rookies would "have to prove that they belong in the HBF". So far, a bunch of them have already done thiat and you can add the name Mark Jones to the list. The New Yorker was excellent in tonight's opener and hopefully it will be just the start of a brilliant career.

(to be continued)

kenyan_cheena · 10-06-2007, 10:54 PM

(continuation)

Preliminary 1

South Korean-born Californian Sean Hargraves joined Jones as a victorious debutant when he defeated Russia's Vasily Anyukov by unanimous decision (58-55, 60-53, 59-54). In an entertaining bout, Hargraves wore down his determined opponent and floored Anyukov for the only time in the fight midway through the final round.

Despite being clearly outclassed the Russian provided stubborn resistance for much of the contest. The opening round gave a good indication of what was to come as Anyukov outlanded Hargraves 30-23 in a thrilling first three minutes. After an even 2nd Hargraves picked up the pace in round three, tagging Anyukov with some bruising, flush combinations and single power punches. He landed 39 punches in the round and remained consistent and on the front foot for the rest of the bout. Anyukov was unable to match the Los Angeles-based 31 year-old's aggression and workrate but was given an appreciative round of applause at the conclusion of the bout.

The final punch totals were:

Hargraves 155/413 (37.5%)
Anyukov 106/219 (48.4%)

"I'm pretty happy," said Hargraves, nodding. "My defense could have been a little better, maybe. He hit me with some shots that I should have avoided, but that's what happens I guess when you go out aggressive like I did. I'll have to work on that for the future, no doubt."

Hargraves was one of the few bright spots from the federation's Los Angeles auditions back in early June and it will certainly please HBF officials to see him make such an impressive debut. The story of his life is quite a fascinating one. Adopted by an American serviceman and his Korean wife soon after birth, he grew up in the USA where he quickly became used to different scenery. The conditions of his father's position in the military saw to it that the family was often relocating and at one stage they lived in three different states during the one calendar year. Once he was old enough to look after himself Hargraves decided to settle in Los Angeles, eager to leave that life of constant upheaval behind. If he continues to produce performances like tonight's one, he won't be going anywhere but up as far as the HBF is concerned.

(to be continued)

Romdawg88 · 10-07-2007, 02:35 AM

A couple of nice showings from the forum guys. I'm really looking forward to seeing Yeti Yates debut, it should be good times.

kenyan_cheena · 10-07-2007, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

A couple of nice showings from the forum guys. I'm really looking forward to seeing Yeti Yates debut, it should be good times.

Yep, with the exception of Gomez being robbed all the forum guys have got through their debuts unscathed so far. I should be able to have the Nigeria card finished off in a day or two.

IceTea · 10-07-2007, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

(continuation)

"I told all of you," said Ibeabuchi in a satisfied tone, pointing to the media contingent in the ring. "I told you that I'd make you eat your words. If there is one thing that Ike Ibeabuchi has, it's a sense of timing. Here in front of my fellow countrymen I've sent out a warning shot to every other competitor in the federation. I hope Okocha was watching because if he's not careful I'll do the same thing to him next month."

Ibeabuchi landed an impressive 84 of 114 punches (73.7%) in just under six minutes of work while Eldren, who had been expected to test the #1 seed, connected with only 22 of 37 (59.5%). No doubt it was a night he'd rather forget. After winning his first four bouts he'll now take a two-fight losing streak into the Qualifying League.

On the 26th of September Ibeabuchi and Okocha will face off against each other in what should be a thrilling eight-rounder. The winner will have secured a spot in the federation's World Ranking tournament while the loser will join tonight's defeated opponents in the QL...

The Surelere Stadium Undercard

Opening Bout

In a debut that will make many stand up and take notice, 40 year-old New Yorker Mark Jones scored a dominant unanimous decision victory over an opponent young enough to be his son, Denver's Nathan Williams. With both men in their Qualifying League debuts, Jones clearly handled the occasion with superior confidence and took the win by verdicts of 59-55 and 60-54 (twice).

Having seen his good friend and fellow New Yorker Marco Santino make his own successful debut back on Tuesday, Jones' path to victory was paved by a piston-like left jab and excellent footwork. His ability to score punches and then quickly move out of harm's way was one of the cornerstones of his performance and something that frustrated his 19 year-old adversary time and again throughout the contest. Jones was more aggressive than expected, throwing 493 punches and landing 137 of them (27.8%). By comparison, Williams found the mark with just 50 of 193 (25.9%).

"I felt comfortable and in control from the opening bell," Jones said afterwards. "And my workrate increased as the fight progressed which is something we were aiming for."

Indeed, Jones' best rounds of the fight were the 5th and 6th, where he threw a combined total of 242 punches.

"I really don't think I could be happier," added Jones. "People might say that a 1st round KO is more impressive but I don't agree with that. I was able to show my abilities for the full six rounds, you know? That's something I'm really happy about and it's something that I'm hoping to continue doing as the tournament progresses. Before I go I have to say hi to my buddy Bam. Hey, Marco, we did it buddy! I'll be seein' you soon."

Back on the 20th of July when he revealed the Qualifying League's entrants, federation president Michael Vincennes had said that the league's rookies would "have to prove that they belong in the HBF". So far, a bunch of them have already done thiat and you can add the name Mark Jones to the list. The New Yorker was excellent in tonight's opener and hopefully it will be just the start of a brilliant career.

(to be continued)

* Wow, how about that!

kenyan_cheena · 10-07-2007, 10:41 PM

Congrats on the win, IceTea. Your guy showed that he'll be a real force in the QL tourney and the entire HBF as his career progresses.

On another note, I just noticed that the 3rd anniversary of the HBF is one week away. That'll be a nice milestone to reach, I guess.

kenyan_cheena · 10-09-2007, 10:50 PM

Sorry, folks. Ain't finished the Nigeria card yet. The creative juices haven't really been flowing very freely the last couple of days. I've started writing the summary of the Yeti Yates fight but haven't completed it yet.

kenyan_cheena · 10-10-2007, 10:28 PM

(continuation of post #1524)

Preliminary 2

Since scaring the hell out of a bunch of people during the federation's early-June London auditions, 32 year-old ex-convict Yeti Yates has been rarely seen, though spoken of in hushed tones. It was discovered in recent days that the brooding, tattoo-covered Coventry native had been right here in Nigeria ever since finding out five weeks ago that it would be the location of his debut Qualifying League bout. It was a smart move by Yates because it made the task of training much easier, as he had been the subject of much media attention since those June auditions brought him into the public eye.

The man whose criminal background remains a mystery despite many attempts at uncovering it stepped into the ring tonight for his bout against Utah's Tony Doyle dressed in solid black from head to toe, the creeping, wailing anguish of Tricky's "Vent" screeching its way out of the stadium's speaker system. Yates showed a stoney countenance and removed his robe to reveal a muscular, ripped torso, one which was adorned with more tattoos now than back in June. Yates had shaved most of his hair off, a short layer remaining with sharp, chaotic-patterned lines carved into it adding to the already potent sense of menace emanating from the man. He favoured Doyle with a glare that would have loosened the sternest of bowels, seemingly oblivious to the audience's fascination and applause.

Doyle had accumulated a 1-3-1 record as a competitor in the U.S. Pacific Coast Boxing League and judging by the death row look in his eyes in those minutes before the opening bell he was already more than halfway towards his fourth career defeat. He was the definition of the term "sacrificial lamb" but as it would turn out Doyle did well to stay in the contest for as long as he did. After tasting the canvas in rounds three and five, Doyle was knocked down twice in the final stanza and counted out after the second of these at the 1:35 mark.

As expected, the federation debut of Yeti Yates was an impressive one as he pounded Doyle throughout the contest, smashing combinations and loaded lefts and rights unleashing a mighty amount of punishment upon the Salt Lake City native. Yates' efforts were consistent from the opening round and by the bout's conclusion he had landed 175 of 327 punches (53.5%) compared to just 42 of 198 for Doyle (21.2%). Doyle must be admired for his spirited resistance as he refused to wilt in the face of Yates' merciless assault, failing by a mere 85 seconds to last the distance.

Standing an even six foot and weighing in at 225 pounds, Yates possesses a near-perfect build for a Heavyweight boxer but his style has been labelled ugly by a number of observers. This reporter wouldn't go that far but there were moments in the bout where his recklessness would have been exploited by a more superior opponent. The Coventry slugger threw himself off his feet on three seperate occasions as he swung for the fences with that piledriving right hand. One thing that cannot be denied is that he is entertaining and the crowd at the Surelere Stadium were behind him in a major way. But as when he made his way to the ring he presented as unmindful to their support, refusing to acknowledge it. The only person he spoke to during the entire time he was in the ring was his cornerman and that was only a word here and there between each round.

Unsurprisingly, Yates departed the ring within minutes of the fight's conclusion, bypassing the press contingent and quickly disappearing into the belly of the stadium. He may be trying to cultivate this dark, anti-social image but then again, it might be - as most believe - the genuine article. It will be the subject of much speculation but what cannot be questioned is Yates' efforts in his debut. He might be raw and ungainly but he can bang with the best of them. That, coupled with his aggressive disposition adds up to one dangerous fighter.

(to be continued)

Ian Lord · 10-11-2007, 02:05 PM

Excellent write-up KC [above post]. A good debut for Yeti, a man shrouded in mystery.

kenyan_cheena · 10-11-2007, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Lord

Excellent write-up KC [above post]. A good debut for Yeti, a man shrouded in mystery.

Thanks, Ian. I'm glad you enjoyed the write-up. I'm going to try and keep the intrigue factor high with Mr. Yates and I think his debut was a good start for that.

kenyan_cheena · 10-12-2007, 07:04 AM

(continuation of post #1530)

Preliminary 3

A trio of excellent Qualifying League debuts became a quartet when the hard-working, aggressive Irishman Kent Ares scored a tough unanimous decision victory over Egypt's Grantham Abdul-Kafar (58-55 on all three cards). The American-born slugger produced an effort every bit as eye-opening as the three rookies who preceeded him, showing that he'll be a difficult opponent to handle as the QL tournament progresses.

Ares started slow and finished in indifferent fashion but in between he was fantastic, dropping Abdul-Kafar to the canvas with a crippling bodyshot midway through round three. He'd come within a few punches of stopping the Egyptian in the previous round and was also in dynamic form in rounds four and five. Abdul-Kafar provided a good test for Ares, showing a willingness to go toe-to-toe with his adversary during an action-packed 4th in addition to being a clear-cut winner of rounds one and six. Having gone 2-3 in the African Boxing League Abdul-Kafar was expected to give Ares a challenging evening and that's exactly what he did. But he was unable to match the Irishman's enthusiasm and workrate and was caught by some mighty blows throughout the contest.

Wearing his national colours of green, white and orange into the ring Ares was hoping to bring some cheer to his countrymen following Tom Sharkley's heartbreaking loss to Alex Stewart earlier in the month and he achieved that goal and then some. In a whirlwind performance, Ares landed 153 of 431 punches (35.5%), Abdul-Kafar connecting with 94 of his 255 shots (36.7%). Much like Sharkey, Ares is not one of the bigger fighters in the federation. He stands 5'10" and tipped the scales at 200 pounds yesterday but what he lacks in size he more than makes up for with aggression and a busy disposition.

"That was the key for me, I think," he said afterwards. "I could have been more active in that opening round but from the 2nd onwards everything worked just like we planned. I was able to get my punches off and land a lot of them and even there in that last round where I didn't connect that much I was still working hard, still pressing him. I'm satisfied with this, for sure."

It really does look like the Heavyweight Boxing Federation has an embarrassment of riches in this Qualifying League tournament and whoever manages to earn themselves a shot at a World Ranking at its conclusion will have done extremely well.

(to be continued)

kenyan_cheena · 10-12-2007, 10:44 PM

(continuation)

Preliminary 4

Italy's Vittorio Campolo stretched his undefeated streak to four bouts with a 5th round TKO of Congo native Anaclet Wamba. To most observers this appeared to be a very even fight through the first four rounds but going into the 5th one judge had Wamba pitching a shutout while another had him up by two points and the third showed it as even. Campolo took the responsibility out of their hands when a winging right hand opened a nasty gash over Wamba's left eye midway through the 5th, leading to the fight being stopped and Campolo declared the winner at the 1:29 mark.

Campolo's record is now 3-1-2(2). This victory shows that his performances in the Southern Europe Boxing League weren't just flukes. This Italian has some talent and he'll probably cause more surprises by the time this tournament is over. With his compatriot Sante Amonti through to stage two of the World Championship tournament, Campolo's good career start is another positive for boxing in Italy.

For Wamba it was his third loss in four bouts, following victories in his first two fights. He has fallen to 2-3-1 and after being stopped in four by Omovo Okocha at the same venue back in May, tonight's result seems to indicate that Nigeria is not a happy hunting ground for him.

Support Bout

Massachusetts native Ernie Schaaf recorded his second consecutive victory when he defeated Carmine Vingo of the Bronx in the sixth contest of the evening. Schaaf was awarded a 59-56, 60-56, 59-56 unanimous decision verdict, dominating from rounds two through five to make a successful start to his Qualifying League campaign. Vingo never looked like coming close to winning this one and showed a disappointed countenance afterwards, his three-fight undefeated run coming to an end.

Schaaf improved to 3-2-1 after an inconsistent time in the U.S. Atlantic Coast Boxing League while Vingo, who only just missed out on a place in the Canadian League semi-finals, fell to 3-2-1. He has struggled to maintain a high quality standard from fight-to-fight and his career streak is now WLWDWL.

a87star · 10-12-2007, 10:50 PM

Great debut for my fighter. It was tough in some spots but a good win nonetheless.

kenyan_cheena · 10-12-2007, 10:57 PM

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
THURSDAY 22 AUGUST 2002
SURELERE STADIUM, LAGOS, NIGERIA

OPENING BOUT

HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Two
7(83) Mark Jones UD6 8(95) Nathan Williams

PRELIMINARY 1

HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Eleven
7(74) Sean Hargraves UD6 8(86) Vasily Anyukov

PRELIMINARY 2

HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Two
6(71) Yeti Yates KO6 5(59) Tony Doyle

PRELIMINARY 3

HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Eleven
6(62) Kent Ares UD6 5(50) Grantham Abdul-Kafar

PRELIMINARY 4

HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Two
3(35) Vittorio Campolo TKO5 4(47) Anaclet Wamba

SUPPORT BOUT

HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Eleven
4(38) Ernie Schaaf UD6 3(26) Carmine Vingo

CO-FEATURE

African Boxing League - Tournament Semi-Final
(6) Omovo Okocha SD6 (9) Stanley Drexxon

MAIN EVENT

African Boxing League - Tournament Semi-Final
(1) Ike Ibeabuchi TKO2 (3) James Eldren

kenyan_cheena · 10-12-2007, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a87star

Great debut for my fighter. It was tough in some spots but a good win nonetheless.

Congrats, a87. Yep, Abdul-Kafar made him earn it, no doubt. But Ares gave an indication that he'll be right up there with the rest of the forum guys when this QL tourney gets down to the business end.

kenyan_cheena · 10-12-2007, 11:57 PM

FEDERATION FACING DILEMMA IN
SERIES TWO OF QUALIFYING LEAGUE

Friday 23 August 2002

When Heavyweight Boxing Federation president Michael Vincennes announced the formation of the Qualifying League back in May, he could not have known that a mere three months later it would be as newsworthy as it has been. Just two weeks into the league's initial ranking tournament a number of its competitors have performed to such an extent that they are being spoken of as future contenders for the HBF's World Championship.

The league was set up primarily as a testing ground for federation rookies but has already done more than expected. The 96-man field for the tournament is made up of a mixture of fighters from the HBF's soon-to-be-defunct feeder leagues and close to forty rookies who were discovered during auditions specifically organised to stock the ranks of the Qualifying League. Four fight cards have been held in tournament competition to date and a trend has already developed, that being that the debutant's skill level is far superior to the ex-feeder league fighters they are competing against.

As a result, in the opinion of many the federation now has a dilemma on their hands for the second series of bouts. According to the schedule, seeds one through four in each group will have a bye while the 5th seeds clash with the 8th seeds and the 6th seeds take on the 7th seeds. The problem arises with the 6 versus 7 matchups, as several of the fighters who have impressed so far are seeded 6th or 7th.

"The whole problem has come about from them deciding to seed the feeder league guys above the rookies," said ESPN's David Gomez. "Anyone who followed the auditions closely would know that, no disrespect, the fighters they unearthed there leave most of the feeder leaguers for dead. It'll only be the ones who end up in the QL after losing in the feeder league finals and maybe the semis that'll have a shot at competing with them. These rookies are an amazing bunch, I have to say. Most of 'em ain't that young but what they have is desire and confidence. They'

09-30-2007, 12:12 AM	#1522 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	CLEAN SWEEP: IBEABUCHI AND OKOCHA VICTORIOUS, SET UP ALL-NIGERIAN ABL FINAL Thursday 22 August 2002 Fighting in front of their fellow countrymen at the Surelere Stadium in Lagos, Nigerian boxers Ike Ibeabuchi and Omovo Okocha both scored victories in the semi-finals of the HBF's African Boxing League tournament tonight. With the venue packed to its 55,000 capacity, the two competitors were spurred on to victory by some of the most deafening support heard so far at any federation fight card. Ibeabuchi and Okocha will now clash in what will be a much-anticipated tournament final, the HBF confirming that the bout will also be held at the Surelere Stadium. Having been in Nigeria since last Saturday to assist with the auditions for the African Boxing League, World Championship tournament #1 seed Gene Tunney had a ringside seat for the event and enjoyed the night greatly. Okocha was in action first, clashing with the New Yorker Stanley Drexxon in the Co-Feature. Having stormed through the preliminary series of bouts with a perfect 5-0 record, Okocha was coming off an impressive win over the previously unbeaten 3rd seed James Eldren and stepped into the ring as a hot favourite. He exploded out of the gates, catching Drexxon with a booming right hand and a pair of uppercuts within the opening minute. It looked like the fight would be over sooner rather than later but Drexxon evened the ledger somewhat in the bottom half of the round and then went blow for blow with the Nigerian in round two. Clearly, Drexxon was showing more resistance than expected and when a wild overhand right had Okocha down on one knee late in the 3rd an upset looked possible. Okocha had dominated the round to that point and he shook his head in disbelief following the first knockdown of his career. It gave him added motivation to succeed and he went on to pitch a near shutout during the second half of the fight, sweeping the last three rounds on two scorecards with a comprehensive display of boxing. Despite having controlled most of the contest Okocha was the winner only by split decision, two judges awarding him a 58-56 verdict and the other (Larry Chavez of the USA) somehow favouring Drexxon by the same scoreline. Okocha landed 155 of 377 punches (41.1%), Drexxon just 60 of 107 (56.1%). "I don't care about that," said Okocha dismissively in giving his opinion on the verdict. "All that matters is that I'm in the final. I'm just one win from the World Ranking tournament and from the beginning of this it's been my goal to qualify for it. Now I'm in a position to make it happen." Okocha received a rapturous applause as he departed the ring, Nigerian flag drapped around his shoulders. In the opinion of many, #1 seed Ike Ibeabuchi has almost sleepwalked through this African Boxing League tournament. Having gone the distance in all five of his preliminary bouts, he had done only just enough to win each fight but had disregarded the belief of some that he was not worthy of his place at the top of the league. He had shown little of the aggression or power that impressed HBF President Michael Vincennes back in February but had said that when it mattered he'd "send shockwaves around the world". Tonight, Ibeabuchi did just that as he destroyed New Orleans native James Eldren inside of two rounds to qualify for the tournament final. Ibeabuchi was in control for most of the 1st, finding the mark with a hard right hook early and a flush uppercut at the midpoint before Eldren was able to finish it strongly, a flurry of scoring shots late in the round enough to convince each judge to award it to him. The start of round two was unremarkable, with Ibeabuchi landing some probing jabs during the first thirty seconds. But when he dropped a jolting right hand on the American it did, in hindsight, signal the beginning of the end. The punch stunned Eldren and Ibeabuchi banged a right cross off his forehead soon after and then had him wobbling back onto the ropes with a crushing left-right salvo. The crowd were on their feet chanting "I-ke-ke! I-ke-ke! I-ke-ke!" Stalking his foe like a predatorial cat Ibeabuchi unloaded with a right to the body before the end came in eye-popping fashion. With thirty seconds left in the round referee Harry Krause pried the two combatants apart, Eldren trying to clear his head while in the clinch. Ibeabuchi stepped in and landed a flush right hand, following it with a left hook. Eldren tried to clinch again but the Nigerian pushed him off and planted a right cross right on the nose. Eldren's knee brushed the canvas and when Ibeabuchi unleashed a smashing uppercut the Louisiana native was sprawled across the ropes, all but out cold, his eyes glazed over. After a hard left and another sledgehammer right he started sliding to the canvas but Krause stepped in and held him up, waving the contest over at the 2:52 mark. Ibeabuchi simply stood in the middle of the ring arms outstretched, nodding his head nonchalantly and insisting that the crowd heap applause upon his performance. (to be continued) __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond... Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 10-20-2007 at 01:57 AM.

10-06-2007, 07:26 AM	#1523 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	(continuation) "I told all of you," said Ibeabuchi in a satisfied tone, pointing to the media contingent in the ring. "I told you that I'd make you eat your words. If there is one thing that Ike Ibeabuchi has, it's a sense of timing. Here in front of my fellow countrymen I've sent out a warning shot to every other competitor in the federation. I hope Okocha was watching because if he's not careful I'll do the same thing to him next month." Ibeabuchi landed an impressive 84 of 114 punches (73.7%) in just under six minutes of work while Eldren, who had been expected to test the #1 seed, connected with only 22 of 37 (59.5%). No doubt it was a night he'd rather forget. After winning his first four bouts he'll now take a two-fight losing streak into the Qualifying League. On the 26th of September Ibeabuchi and Okocha will face off against each other in what should be a thrilling eight-rounder. The winner will have secured a spot in the federation's World Ranking tournament while the loser will join tonight's defeated opponents in the QL... *The Surelere Stadium Undercard* Opening Bout In a debut that will make many stand up and take notice, 40 year-old New Yorker Mark Jones scored a dominant unanimous decision victory over an opponent young enough to be his son, Denver's Nathan Williams. With both men in their Qualifying League debuts, Jones clearly handled the occasion with superior confidence and took the win by verdicts of 59-55 and 60-54 (twice). Having seen his good friend and fellow New Yorker Marco Santino make his own successful debut back on Tuesday, Jones' path to victory was paved by a piston-like left jab and excellent footwork. His ability to score punches and then quickly move out of harm's way was one of the cornerstones of his performance and something that frustrated his 19 year-old adversary time and again throughout the contest. Jones was more aggressive than expected, throwing 493 punches and landing 137 of them (27.8%). By comparison, Williams found the mark with just 50 of 193 (25.9%). "I felt comfortable and in control from the opening bell," Jones said afterwards. "And my workrate increased as the fight progressed which is something we were aiming for." Indeed, Jones' best rounds of the fight were the 5th and 6th, where he threw a combined total of 242 punches. "I really don't think I could be happier," added Jones. "People might say that a 1st round KO is more impressive but I don't agree with that. I was able to show my abilities for the full six rounds, you know? That's something I'm really happy about and it's something that I'm hoping to continue doing as the tournament progresses. Before I go I have to say hi to my buddy Bam. Hey, Marco, we did it buddy! I'll be seein' you soon." Back on the 20th of July when he revealed the Qualifying League's entrants, federation president Michael Vincennes had said that the league's rookies would "have to prove that they belong in the HBF". So far, a bunch of them have already done thiat and you can add the name Mark Jones to the list. The New Yorker was excellent in tonight's opener and hopefully it will be just the start of a brilliant career. (to be continued) __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond...

10-06-2007, 10:54 PM	#1524 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	(continuation) Preliminary 1 South Korean-born Californian Sean Hargraves joined Jones as a victorious debutant when he defeated Russia's Vasily Anyukov by unanimous decision (58-55, 60-53, 59-54). In an entertaining bout, Hargraves wore down his determined opponent and floored Anyukov for the only time in the fight midway through the final round. Despite being clearly outclassed the Russian provided stubborn resistance for much of the contest. The opening round gave a good indication of what was to come as Anyukov outlanded Hargraves 30-23 in a thrilling first three minutes. After an even 2nd Hargraves picked up the pace in round three, tagging Anyukov with some bruising, flush combinations and single power punches. He landed 39 punches in the round and remained consistent and on the front foot for the rest of the bout. Anyukov was unable to match the Los Angeles-based 31 year-old's aggression and workrate but was given an appreciative round of applause at the conclusion of the bout. The final punch totals were: Hargraves 155/413 (37.5%) Anyukov 106/219 (48.4%) "I'm pretty happy," said Hargraves, nodding. "My defense could have been a little better, maybe. He hit me with some shots that I should have avoided, but that's what happens I guess when you go out aggressive like I did. I'll have to work on that for the future, no doubt." Hargraves was one of the few bright spots from the federation's Los Angeles auditions back in early June and it will certainly please HBF officials to see him make such an impressive debut. The story of his life is quite a fascinating one. Adopted by an American serviceman and his Korean wife soon after birth, he grew up in the USA where he quickly became used to different scenery. The conditions of his father's position in the military saw to it that the family was often relocating and at one stage they lived in three different states during the one calendar year. Once he was old enough to look after himself Hargraves decided to settle in Los Angeles, eager to leave that life of constant upheaval behind. If he continues to produce performances like tonight's one, he won't be going anywhere but up as far as the HBF is concerned. (to be continued) __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond...

10-07-2007, 02:35 AM	#1525 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 3,649	A couple of nice showings from the forum guys. I'm really looking forward to seeing Yeti Yates debut, it should be good times. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). HBF: 3-0 (1) UTBA-II: Muckboys 1-2 last place, Mendoza Division. 39-54-3 127.5 points. Fighter of the Week Nobody gets fighter of the week until the whole team stops sucking.

10-07-2007, 10:41 PM	#1528 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	Congrats on the win, IceTea. Your guy showed that he'll be a real force in the QL tourney and the entire HBF as his career progresses. On another note, I just noticed that the 3rd anniversary of the HBF is one week away. That'll be a nice milestone to reach, I guess. __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond...

10-09-2007, 10:50 PM	#1529 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	Sorry, folks. Ain't finished the Nigeria card yet. The creative juices haven't really been flowing very freely the last couple of days. I've started writing the summary of the Yeti Yates fight but haven't completed it yet. __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond...

10-10-2007, 10:28 PM	#1530 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	(continuation of post #1524) Preliminary 2 Since scaring the hell out of a bunch of people during the federation's early-June London auditions, 32 year-old ex-convict Yeti Yates has been rarely seen, though spoken of in hushed tones. It was discovered in recent days that the brooding, tattoo-covered Coventry native had been right here in Nigeria ever since finding out five weeks ago that it would be the location of his debut Qualifying League bout. It was a smart move by Yates because it made the task of training much easier, as he had been the subject of much media attention since those June auditions brought him into the public eye. The man whose criminal background remains a mystery despite many attempts at uncovering it stepped into the ring tonight for his bout against Utah's Tony Doyle dressed in solid black from head to toe, the creeping, wailing anguish of Tricky's "Vent" screeching its way out of the stadium's speaker system. Yates showed a stoney countenance and removed his robe to reveal a muscular, ripped torso, one which was adorned with more tattoos now than back in June. Yates had shaved most of his hair off, a short layer remaining with sharp, chaotic-patterned lines carved into it adding to the already potent sense of menace emanating from the man. He favoured Doyle with a glare that would have loosened the sternest of bowels, seemingly oblivious to the audience's fascination and applause. Doyle had accumulated a 1-3-1 record as a competitor in the U.S. Pacific Coast Boxing League and judging by the death row look in his eyes in those minutes before the opening bell he was already more than halfway towards his fourth career defeat. He was the definition of the term "sacrificial lamb" but as it would turn out Doyle did well to stay in the contest for as long as he did. After tasting the canvas in rounds three and five, Doyle was knocked down twice in the final stanza and counted out after the second of these at the 1:35 mark. As expected, the federation debut of Yeti Yates was an impressive one as he pounded Doyle throughout the contest, smashing combinations and loaded lefts and rights unleashing a mighty amount of punishment upon the Salt Lake City native. Yates' efforts were consistent from the opening round and by the bout's conclusion he had landed 175 of 327 punches (53.5%) compared to just 42 of 198 for Doyle (21.2%). Doyle must be admired for his spirited resistance as he refused to wilt in the face of Yates' merciless assault, failing by a mere 85 seconds to last the distance. Standing an even six foot and weighing in at 225 pounds, Yates possesses a near-perfect build for a Heavyweight boxer but his style has been labelled ugly by a number of observers. This reporter wouldn't go that far but there were moments in the bout where his recklessness would have been exploited by a more superior opponent. The Coventry slugger threw himself off his feet on three seperate occasions as he swung for the fences with that piledriving right hand. One thing that cannot be denied is that he is entertaining and the crowd at the Surelere Stadium were behind him in a major way. But as when he made his way to the ring he presented as unmindful to their support, refusing to acknowledge it. The only person he spoke to during the entire time he was in the ring was his cornerman and that was only a word here and there between each round. Unsurprisingly, Yates departed the ring within minutes of the fight's conclusion, bypassing the press contingent and quickly disappearing into the belly of the stadium. He may be trying to cultivate this dark, anti-social image but then again, it might be - as most believe - the genuine article. It will be the subject of much speculation but what cannot be questioned is Yates' efforts in his debut. He might be raw and ungainly but he can bang with the best of them. That, coupled with his aggressive disposition adds up to one dangerous fighter. (to be continued) __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond...

10-11-2007, 02:05 PM	#1531 (permalink)
Ian Lord All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Coventry, England. Posts: 1,246	Excellent write-up KC [above post]. A good debut for Yeti, a man shrouded in mystery. __________________ Global Boxing Association No Holds Barred Universal Team Boxing Association Coventry Hitmen [Owner/GM/Coach]

10-12-2007, 07:04 AM	#1533 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	(continuation of post #1530) Preliminary 3 A trio of excellent Qualifying League debuts became a quartet when the hard-working, aggressive Irishman Kent Ares scored a tough unanimous decision victory over Egypt's Grantham Abdul-Kafar (58-55 on all three cards). The American-born slugger produced an effort every bit as eye-opening as the three rookies who preceeded him, showing that he'll be a difficult opponent to handle as the QL tournament progresses. Ares started slow and finished in indifferent fashion but in between he was fantastic, dropping Abdul-Kafar to the canvas with a crippling bodyshot midway through round three. He'd come within a few punches of stopping the Egyptian in the previous round and was also in dynamic form in rounds four and five. Abdul-Kafar provided a good test for Ares, showing a willingness to go toe-to-toe with his adversary during an action-packed 4th in addition to being a clear-cut winner of rounds one and six. Having gone 2-3 in the African Boxing League Abdul-Kafar was expected to give Ares a challenging evening and that's exactly what he did. But he was unable to match the Irishman's enthusiasm and workrate and was caught by some mighty blows throughout the contest. Wearing his national colours of green, white and orange into the ring Ares was hoping to bring some cheer to his countrymen following Tom Sharkley's heartbreaking loss to Alex Stewart earlier in the month and he achieved that goal and then some. In a whirlwind performance, Ares landed 153 of 431 punches (35.5%), Abdul-Kafar connecting with 94 of his 255 shots (36.7%). Much like Sharkey, Ares is not one of the bigger fighters in the federation. He stands 5'10" and tipped the scales at 200 pounds yesterday but what he lacks in size he more than makes up for with aggression and a busy disposition. "That was the key for me, I think," he said afterwards. "I could have been more active in that opening round but from the 2nd onwards everything worked just like we planned. I was able to get my punches off and land a lot of them and even there in that last round where I didn't connect that much I was still working hard, still pressing him. I'm satisfied with this, for sure." It really does look like the Heavyweight Boxing Federation has an embarrassment of riches in this Qualifying League tournament and whoever manages to earn themselves a shot at a World Ranking at its conclusion will have done extremely well. (to be continued) __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond... Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 10-12-2007 at 07:45 AM.

10-12-2007, 10:44 PM	#1534 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	(continuation) Preliminary 4 Italy's Vittorio Campolo stretched his undefeated streak to four bouts with a 5th round TKO of Congo native Anaclet Wamba. To most observers this appeared to be a very even fight through the first four rounds but going into the 5th one judge had Wamba pitching a shutout while another had him up by two points and the third showed it as even. Campolo took the responsibility out of their hands when a winging right hand opened a nasty gash over Wamba's left eye midway through the 5th, leading to the fight being stopped and Campolo declared the winner at the 1:29 mark. Campolo's record is now 3-1-2(2). This victory shows that his performances in the Southern Europe Boxing League weren't just flukes. This Italian has some talent and he'll probably cause more surprises by the time this tournament is over. With his compatriot Sante Amonti through to stage two of the World Championship tournament, Campolo's good career start is another positive for boxing in Italy. For Wamba it was his third loss in four bouts, following victories in his first two fights. He has fallen to 2-3-1 and after being stopped in four by Omovo Okocha at the same venue back in May, tonight's result seems to indicate that Nigeria is not a happy hunting ground for him. Support Bout Massachusetts native Ernie Schaaf recorded his second consecutive victory when he defeated Carmine Vingo of the Bronx in the sixth contest of the evening. Schaaf was awarded a 59-56, 60-56, 59-56 unanimous decision verdict, dominating from rounds two through five to make a successful start to his Qualifying League campaign. Vingo never looked like coming close to winning this one and showed a disappointed countenance afterwards, his three-fight undefeated run coming to an end. Schaaf improved to 3-2-1 after an inconsistent time in the U.S. Atlantic Coast Boxing League while Vingo, who only just missed out on a place in the Canadian League semi-finals, fell to 3-2-1. He has struggled to maintain a high quality standard from fight-to-fight and his career streak is now WLWDWL. __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond...

10-12-2007, 10:50 PM	#1535 (permalink)
a87star Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Staten Island, NY Posts: 3,924	Great debut for my fighter. It was tough in some spots but a good win nonetheless.

10-12-2007, 10:57 PM	#1536 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,423	SUMMARY OF RESULTS HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD THURSDAY 22 AUGUST 2002 SURELERE STADIUM, LAGOS, NIGERIA OPENING BOUT HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Two 7(83) Mark Jones UD6 8(95) Nathan Williams PRELIMINARY 1 HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Eleven 7(74) Sean Hargraves UD6 8(86) Vasily Anyukov PRELIMINARY 2 HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Two 6(71) Yeti Yates KO6 5(59) Tony Doyle PRELIMINARY 3 HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Eleven 6(62) Kent Ares UD6 5(50) Grantham Abdul-Kafar PRELIMINARY 4 HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Two 3(35) Vittorio Campolo TKO5 4(47) Anaclet Wamba SUPPORT BOUT HBF Qualifying League - Stage One - Group Eleven 4(38) Ernie Schaaf UD6 3(26) Carmine Vingo CO-FEATURE African Boxing League - Tournament Semi-Final (6) Omovo Okocha SD6 (9) Stanley Drexxon MAIN EVENT African Boxing League - Tournament Semi-Final (1) Ike Ibeabuchi TKO2 (3) James Eldren __________________ The Heavyweight Boxing Federation The Heavyweight Boxing Federation: Tournament Group Standings The International Boxing League MLB: 1958 and Beyond...