The Heavyweight Boxing Federation - Page 79

kenyan_cheena · 10-20-2007, 09:35 PM

POWER PUNCHERS ON PARADE IN
NIGERIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Sunday 25 August 2002

Following on from last week's auditions in Australia and South Africa, the Heavyweight Boxing Federation had more reasons for optimism during the last seven days as they unearthed a number of talented boxers in Nigeria and New Zealand. These auditions have been held in advance of the upcoming African and Asia/Oceania Championship tournaments and it looks like each of those events will be fiercely contested.

The Surelere Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria has been a hive of activity during the past week. In addition to hosting the auditions it was also the venue for Thursday night's HBF fight card where homeland heroes Ike Ibeabuchi and Omovo Okocha were victorious in the semi-finals of the African Boxing League tournament. World Championship tournament #1 seed Gene Tunney was at ringside and has been in Nigeria assisting with the auditions.

Of all the potential boxers the federation's scouts looked at, none impressed more than a hard-hitting 20 year-old from the town of Akwaibom named Samuel Peter. Standing six feet tall and weighing 225 pounds, this shy young man may be a bit raw but he is an absolute wrecking machine when his punches land.

"He's got fantastic power," said Tunney. "That's the biggest thing he has going for him right now. He'll need to be taught the science of the sport, though. That is something that will come with time but there's no doubt that when he hits a guy, he stays hit. There's a helluva lot of potential there."

Amongst the others who have staked a claim for selection is a wild-haired, imposing giant named Duncan Dokiwari. This 23 year-old is an intimidating, aggressive fighter and while his punching power is solid, it's not at the same level as Peter's. Even so, he'll surely pose a challenge to whoever he comes up against. Onyekachi Etuhu is an 18 year-old with hand speed and mobility that defies his size (6'2", 220 pounds) while Obafemi Anichebe is probably the most technically sound of all of them and also the fittest.

"This African tournament is going to be something to see," said Tunney confidently. "It's just a huge opportunity for all the guys who'll be in it and it wouldn't surprise me at all if we end up getting some serious contenders out of it."

Over in New Zealand a trio of powerful young Maoris have made their intentions known in no uncertain terms. Sione Tialata, Sitiveni Lauaki and Neemia Sivivatu are all, as they say "built like brick houses", muscle-bound young men who are packing frightening firepower in either hand. One weakness they all seem to share is a lack of stamina, something that could very well work against them if their bouts last longer than three or four rounds.

"Those kids can smash holes through cement," said head scout Harvey Lott. "That might be an exaggeration but it's pretty close to the truth. Man, I ain't seen power like that anywhere else. Aggressive as hell, too. They step in the ring and it's on, straight from the opening bell. But they'll either need to improve their fitness or temper their assault 'cause at the rate they work, they'll be exhausted after three rounds. Frightening power, though. Just devastating."

It's pretty clear that based on these two weeks of auditions the federation has a lot to look forward to in the African and Asia/Oceania Championship tournaments...

mh2365 · 10-20-2007, 11:24 PM

Good stuff as always .. looking forward to my next match!

kenyan_cheena · 10-21-2007, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mh2365

Good stuff as always .. looking forward to my next match!

Thanks, Mike. I'm looking forward to your guy's next bout, also. Hoping it will be an early night for him this time.

Romdawg88 · 10-21-2007, 02:36 AM

The next series of fights in our group should be real interesting. If I'm not mistaken me and Mike trade opponents so it should be interesting to compare the performances.

kenyan_cheena · 10-21-2007, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

If I'm not mistaken me and Mike trade opponents

Correctamoondo.

kenyan_cheena · 10-21-2007, 11:34 PM

SAVING THE BEST 'TIL LAST?

Sunday 25 August 2002

Stage one of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments reaches its conclusion this week and with a number of progression spots still up for grabs there's a bunch of critical bouts on the schedule. It's going to be a fitting end to what has been eight exciting months of federation competition to date.

The Osaka Castle Hall in Japan hosts tomorrow's card, with stage two berths from Group Seven of the World Championship tournament on the line. The main event will feature Georgia's Young Stribling and the Canadian Earl Walls. The winner will extend his stay in the event while Englishman Frank Bruno can do the same if he's victorious against Roland LaStarza in the Co-Feature. A pair of vital matchups are scheduled for Wednesday's event at Atlantic City's Trump Taj Mahal Hotel & Casino. New Jersey native Steve Hamas will take on Pittsburgh's Frank Moran in the headline bout, the winner of which will claim 1st place in Group Ten of the World Championship tournament. Both men bring perfect 6-0 records into the fight so it should be a tremendous tussle. DC slugger Natie Brown and the Englishman Don Cockell clash in the Co-Feature with 2nd place in Group Seven of the 1st Defense tournament awaiting the victor.

Friday night sees the resolution of competition in the federation's most unpredictable tournament group, that being Group Fifteen of the World Championship tournament. The Staples Center in Los Angeles will play host to what should be an exciting evening. While England's Gary Mason has already wrapped up 1st place, Oscar Bonavena, Bruce Seldon and Jack Sharkey all have a chance of finishing 2nd. The Argentine Bonavena will go head-to-head with Seldon while Sharkey should be too good for Ted Lowry. The outcome of this group might not be known until the end of the night so be sure to tune in. The week's finale takes place at Madison Square Garden as the World Championship tournament's 2nd seed Sonny Liston faces what could be his toughest opponent to date in the shape of Oakland's Lou Nova. The winner will finish on top of Group Two so both men will be coming ready to fight. There's also a pair of important 1D tournament contests with San Francisco's James Jeffries and the Irishman Peter Maher to clash with 1st place in Group Two at stake. A loss for Maher will see him tumble out of the tournament, replaced in the top two by the winner of the stoush between Kentucky's Marvin Hart and the Welshman Johnny Williams.

The final two fight cards of the opening Qualifying League series will also take place during the coming seven days. Coupled with all the critical bouts on offer there's no doubt that it will be a fantastic week of pugilism...

kenyan_cheena · 10-24-2007, 11:17 PM

OSAKA SIZZLE:
STRIBLING DOMINATES WALLS,
ROLLS INTO STAGE TWO

Monday 26 August 2002

Showing once again why he's regarded as one of the best teenage fighters in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation, Georgia's Young Stribling produced a fantastic display in dismantling the Canadian Earl Walls on the way to a 59-55, 60-54, 59-55 unanimous decision victory at the Osaka Castle Hall. The #7 seed in the World Championship tournament had his path to stage two confirmed before he'd even stepped foot in the ring following Roland LaStarza's defeat of Frank Bruno in the Co-Feature but that didn't stop him from putting on a clinic against the willing but outclassed Walls.

The night was not without adversity for Stribling as Walls cut him over the left eye with a booming right hand just thirty seconds into what was a fantastic, explosive opening round. Stribling's parents William and Lucille were working his corner as usual and did a great job of closing up the wound, to the point where it was not a factor for the rest of the bout. The action in round one gave an indication that it would be a hard-fought contest but it didn't quite turn out that way. Stribling controlled rounds two and three, looking as confident and assured as he has in any of his previous bouts. The action slowed somewhat in the 4th before Stribling put the result beyond doubt when he floored Walls with a textbook left hook a minute into round five. The Canadian was up at six but his countenance spoke a thousand words. Stribling didn't let up for the rest of the round but, as was the case in his victory last month over Roland LaStarza, he eased off in the final stanza.

Walls had come into the night with a 4-1-1 record but knew that only a win against Stribling would see him secure a stage two berth. He'll no doubt be one of the higher seeds in the Continental Americas tournament but was deeply disappointed by his failure to prolong his stay in the federation's premier event. He had been hoping to be mentioned in the same breath as fellow Canadians Donovan Ruddock, George Chuvalo and Sam Langford, all of whom will be competing in stage two. That hope has now been dashed.

"I really wasted a great opportunity in these last two fights," he said. "I was sitting there on top of the group after series five but I just couldn't get it done. It hurts, man. It hurts real bad."

After his disasterous split decision loss to Frank Bruno in May there were many who doubted that Stribling had the maturity to make it in the World Championship tournament. Even moreso than last month's win over Roland LaStarza, tonight's victory will have dispelled those beliefs. Stribling landed an impressive 192 of 390 punches (49.2%) while keeping Walls to just 79 of 239 (33.1%). The 17 year-old was not in a talkative mood afterwards and stood by silently, allowing his father to speak on behalf of "Team Stribling".

"Of course, we thought it was really important to take good form into stage two," said William. "When we were in the dressing room beforehand and saw that Bruno had lost Lucille and I made sure Young understood that it changed nothing. He still had to come out here and produce his best and we're really happy with his performance."

Stribling takes a 6-1 record into stage two, each of those wins coming by unanimous decision. He'll be in Group Two along with fellow group winners Joe Jeannette, Ernie Terrell and (almost certainly) Sonny Liston...

***

(to be continued)

kenyan_cheena · 10-25-2007, 02:22 AM

(continuation)

England's Frank Bruno had been on a roll in his last couple of bouts, exciting wins over fellow top four seeds Young Stribling and Earl Walls that elevated him into 2nd place in the Group Seven standings. Those efforts put him in a position where he could afford to lose his final stage one bout against Bronx native Roland LaStarza and still qualify for the second stage with a Stribling win in the main event.

However, Bruno had spoken in the last few days about his desire to go through stage one with his undefeated record intact and after the opening three rounds it looked like he would do just that. Bruno was clearly outworking a cautious LaStarza and led on two judge's cards going into the bottom half of the fight. When the New Yorker did throw some punches most of them were landing but anyone watching the bout from ringside would have agreed that he wasn't doing nearly enough to be considered a winner. While LaStarza was proving accurate with his offense Bruno was striking out often, a number of airballs making him look inexperienced and clumsy at times. The pace that he was working at would come back to haunt him before the fight was over.

LaStarza must have known that he was trailing and accelerated in round four before turning the contest in his favour when he put Bruno on the seat of his pants with a straight right shortly before the bell. Bruno made it to his feet at eight but looked tired, his efforts from the earlier rounds taking their toll. The Englishman offered next to nothing in the 5th, wearing a dispirited expression throughout the round as LaStarza was content to keep him at a distance with a potent jab. Surprisingly, Bruno was able to dig deep and produce a fantastic final three minutes, staggering LaStarza with a jolting left hook midway through the round and coming close to dropping him as the final seconds of the bout ticked away.

Bruno could not disguise his disgust when the verdict came: LaStarza by unanimous decision, 58-56, 58-57, 58-56.

"Can't believe that," said the big Brit in his thick English accent. "I don't know how they worked that out, you know? Threw three times as many punches as the bloke and they have him winning by two points? Crazy. Absolutely crazy."

The punch totals from the fight were quite extraordinary, at least as far as accuracy is concerned:

Roland LaStarza: 124/156 (79.5%)
Frank Bruno: 90/453 (19.9%)

"I think I outsmarted him," said LaStarza with a smile. "He might be upset but the guy has to understand that it's not always the man who throws the most punches that wins. Yeah, I was economical but it paid off, didn't it? When I landed my shots they were effective and they hurt him and he didn't do himself any favours with the pace he set himself."

LaStarza was happy that the victory would enable him to get a higher seeding in the Continental Americas Championship tournament.

"Might not look like it but there's a big difference between 4-3 and 3-4," he said. "That was my main motivation going into tonight and I really think I can use this win as a springboard for the tournament."

LaStarza's final World Championship tournament record was 4-3. Considering his status as a #2 seed it will be looked upon as disappointing by many but the New Yorker wouldn't hear any of that.

"Maybe it is but I'm looking to the future," he said. "I'm not gonna dwell on what did and what didn't go wrong. Looking back obviously the loss to Foster really hurt my chances. But like I said I'm looking ahead now and all I'll be concentrating on for this next year will be succeeding in the American tournament."

It would have been a nervous wait for Bruno before his place in stage two was confirmed but he'll be there and he'll bring a 4-1-2(1) record into it. He's one of a quartet of Englishman who have qualified, the others being Jack Gardner, Alex Stewart and his good friend Gary Mason...

(Still to come: The Osaka Undercard)

kenyan_cheena · 10-26-2007, 09:23 PM

The Osaka Undercard

OPENING BOUT

In a terrific performance to start the night, Chicago native Bob Satterfield destroyed Welsh fighter Dick Richardson inside of two rounds. Obviously looking to book himself a place in the American tournament, Satterfield came out throwing bombs and floored Richardson a minute into round one. It only got worse in the 2nd as the overwhelmed Welshman would find himself on the canvas three more times, the third instance coming eight seconds from the bell and signalling an automatic end to the fight under HBF rules. Both men are now 3-4.

PRELIMINARY 1

California's Tom Kennedy and Englishman Manny Burgo engaged in a lacklustre six rounder, the verdict a 59-55, 57-57, 56-58 draw. There were some moments of action in the 4th and 6th but overall it was a contest that never inspired. Kennedy is now 1-4-2 while Burgo is 1-5-1.

PRELIMINARY 2

In the first World Championship tournament bout of the evening Canada's Jack Renault produced his best effort to date, controlling the first four rounds against Willi Besmanoff before a cut over the German's right eye brought an end to the fight 32 seconds into the 5th. The cut had been opened in round three and worsened during the 4th before a hard Renault left hook had blood running down Besmanoff's cheek early in round five.

It was Renault's second win in three fights after losing each of his first four bouts by unanimous decision. Besmanoff remains winless at 0-4-3.

SUPPORT BOUT

Another fight that ended on a cut as Fresno's Mac Foster ran off his third win in a row with a 3rd round stoppage of Boston's Dan Flynn. It was almost over in round one when Flynn was floored late in the stanza after absorbing a series of powerful blows from the Californian. Round two was much more of a contest but a right hook from Foster early in the 3rd opened a nasty gash under Flynn's left eye and the bout was stopped at the 1:06 mark.

Foster came to prominence when he KO'd 26th seed Roland LaStarza in the 2nd round of their April 8 bout and he ends his time in the World Championship tournament with an overachieving record of 4-2-1(3) and a 4th placed finish in Group Seven. He'll certainly be one to keep an eye on in the Continental Americas Championship tournament...

kenyan_cheena · 10-26-2007, 09:29 PM

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2002
OSAKA CASTLE HALL, OSAKA, JAPAN

OPENING BOUT

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven
7(50) Bob Satterfield TKO2 6(42) Dick Richardson

PRELIMINARY 1

HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven
5(34) Tom Kennedy D6 8(58) Manny Burgo

PRELIMINARY 2

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven
6(90) Jack Renault TKO5 7(106) Willi Besmanoff

SUPPORT BOUT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven
5(74) Mac Foster TKO3 8(122) Dan Flynn

CO-FEATURE

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven
2(26) Roland LaStarza UD6 3(42) Frank Bruno

MAIN EVENT

HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven
1(7) Young Stribling UD6 4(58) Earl Walls

Bam Bam · 10-27-2007, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

(continuation of post #1507)

PRELIMINARY 2

Extroverted New Yorker Marco Santino was a ball of excited energy as he prowled the ring in the moments before his debut bout against Lithuania's Leonidas Jaskucionis. The 27 year-old was decked out in a silk robe of white with blue trim, a smile from ear-to-ear.

Santino had spoken in the last few days of how much he'd been looking forward to his debut and as it turned out, he made it a victorious one. The Catskill native floored Jaskucionis three times on the way to a 6th round TKO victory, referee Billy Cavanagh stopping the contest 47 seconds from the final bell with the Lithuanian helpless on the ropes. Santino has a wide circle of friends and many of them travelled up to Montreal from New York for the event, making their presence known amongst the audience.

After showing a cautious nature in the opening round, Santino went on to control the rest of the fight. He dominated in rounds two and three, landing a number of flush shots and keeping his opponent on the back foot before Jaskucionis showed some welcomed resolve in the 4th. Santino scored his first career knockdowns in the 5th, flooring his man with a crushing right just after the two minute mark and then putting him down with a body shot shortly before the bell. Jaskucionis looked ready to go as he came out for the final round and he showed little to dispute that, Santino picking him off at will before a punishing combination had him on his backside with a minute to go in the fight. The Lithuanian just managed to beat the count but after Santino planted a right hand right on his nose Cavanagh had seen enough and waved the contest over.

"Feeling a lot of relief right now," said Santino. "I built this moment up in my head so much and it was everything I hoped for. Felt like I was in a war, with the adrenalin just flowin' like crazy. Leo really made it tough for me and I have to congratulate him for that."

Santino landed exactly 50% of his punches (211 of 422) while Jaskucionis connected with 108 of 377 (28.6%).

"Wanna say what's up to my buddy Jonesy over there in Nigeria," continued Santino. "You know, we been trainin' together for the last few months and I can't thank him enough for how much he's helped me. I'll be cheerin' for you on Thursday, brother."

Santino received a warm round of applause from the crowd as he made his way back to the dressing rooms, that smile still showing from ear-to-ear.

PRELIMINARY 3

The evening's fourth contest featured a Virginia native with ambition and self-belief to burn. 20 year-old Steve Finley had greatly impressed federation scouts during June's Madison Square Garden auditions, showing himself to be a balanced fighter. Possessing both a potent jab and KO power, Finley was picked out as one of the top prosepcts to come out of the auditions, a tenacious young man with a hunger to succeed.

So how did he perform in his debut? Well, after the Santino fight was over many in the crowd made for the concession stands, bars and restrooms, the organisers providing something of an extended intermission. Before all these crowd members had returned to their seats Finley had already been declared a victor, knocking out his Slovenian opponent Drago Bencek with a single right cross 1:54 into round one.

It was as perfect and as flush a punch as you're likely to see, snapping Bencek's head around on his shoulders and putting him to sleep on contact. The Slovenian fell face first to the canvas and did not move for the duration of the count, the 20 year-old Virginian showing his exuberance by doing a back flip on the other side of the ring once the fight was over.

"Didn't expect it to end like that at all," said Finley, breathing heavily in his excitement. "But I saw an opportunity and pounced on it. Felt just like how it does when you hit a fastball right in the middle of the bat, you know? I landed that punch right on the button and I knew he was gone right away."

Bencek had accumulated a 2-3 record during his time in the Southern Europe Boxing League and had defeated the Italian Nini Perroni in his last bout, but he didn't even land a punch against Finley. No doubt he'll be hoping for a different result in his next fight.

As for Finley, what a great start for him. He'll certainly be one to keep an eye on as the Qualifying League tournament progresses.

(to be continued)

That's my boy! Santino looks good and the fans love em. Great showing...

kenyan_cheena · 11-05-2007, 11:15 PM

A SOLITARY MAN

Tuesday 27 August 2002

Heavyweight Boxing Federation competitor Sonny Liston arrived in New York City this morning ahead of Saturday night's important Madison Square Garden fight card. The #2 seed in the HBF's World Championship tournament faces Oakland's Lou Nova in a bout that will determine who finishes on top of the standings in Group Two. Considering the fact that Liston has accumulated an impressive 6-0(5) record it's hard to believe that he could still fail to finish 1st. But Nova has surprised many by going 5-1 through the tournament's first six series and it would be a huge surprise if he's able to pull off an upset. Such a result would lead to the amazing situation of Liston ending up in Group Three in stage two, alongside fellow top seeds Jack Johnson and Peter Jackson.

Liston flew in from his adopted homeland of Scotland, where he's been renting a modest apartment in Glasgow's West End. His love for the British nation has been well-publicised ever since he revealed his desire to live there back in May. It's been speculated a number of times that he made the move for romantic reasons but the man himself has denied this on more than one occasion. A story that appeared on ESPN also confirmed the fact that Liston is very much single. Anyone who has followed Liston's career in the federation would know the reasons for his move stemmed exclusively from the problems he experienced with the media in his former hometown of St. Louis in relation to his stint in the Missouri State Penitentiary as a teenager.

With his trainer Willie Reddish still living in St. Louis, Liston has been training himself and he looked to be in fantastic shape when he stepped off the plane. Liston stated while walking through the airport that he was "ready to go" and "excited about finishing stage one with a big win". His absence from the USA has been the main factor in him being out of the news and, in a way, almost forgotten in the midst of all the other boxing-related stories that have developed in recent weeks. But if there's one HBF fighter who should not be forgotten, it's Sonny Liston. As the only competitor in the World Championship tournament with five stoppage victories he has earned the title of the most dangerous puncher in the federation and he'll certainly be out to maintain that distinction come Saturday night...

Romdawg88 · 11-05-2007, 11:24 PM

Yeah, I'm going to have to go with Liston getting a crushing victory and walking into the next round with a perfect 7-0 (6) record. I feel bad for Lou Nova as a matter of a fact I feel bad for everyone Liston has faced and will face.

kenyan_cheena · 11-14-2007, 10:28 PM

QUALIFYING LEAGUE ACTION CONTINUES IN ENGLAND

Tuesday 27 August 2002

Starting about an hour after the International Boxing League's European Middleweights fight card kicked off in Italy, the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's latest Qualifying League event took place tonight at the Derby Storm Arena in Derbyshire, England. It was the first card since competition in the QL commenced to feature only Qualifying League bouts and has been the case throughout the tournament's opening series a number of rookies produced impressive performances...

OPENING BOUT

New Florida Alliance member Ariel Reyes gave the group a positive ending to what has been a disappointing August when he scored a 4th round KO victory over fellow debutant Mikkel Randeris of Denmark. Accompanied to the ring by fellow Alliance members Elmer Ray and Romy Alvarez, Reyes made an underwhelming start. He struggled to find his range during the opening two rounds, Randeris actually using his six inch height disadvantage as an advantage, getting inside of the Cuban's long arms and working his body. Two of the judges scored both of the opening rounds in Randeris' favour and as he returned to his corner Reyes looked frustrated and bemused.

Revealed as one of his strengths at the federation's June auditions, Reyes was able to bring his explosive uppercut into action in round three. His devastating work with it turned the fight in his favour. Starting the round by rattling Randeris with a straight right, Reyes caught his man with the first of what would be three smashing uppercuts in the space of forty seconds as the round entered its second minute. The shot turned the Dane's legs to jelly and he tried to reach for the ropes to keep himself upright. Reyes swarmed him and Randeris was forced to clinch. Once they separated Reyes lined him up with another uppercut, the punch snapping Randeris' head back. He staggered backwards into the ropes, Reyes chasing him down and working the body. This had Randeris lowering his hands and it was then that Reyes completed the trio of uppercuts, this third one dropping Randeris to the canvas for the first time in the fight at the 1:42 mark. Up at six Randeris looked astonished. He was able to stay out of trouble until Reyes floored him for a second time with a single left hook late in the round. Once again the Dane beat the count but he appeared shell-shocked as he walked back to his corner.

The intermission did Randeris a world of good as he came out confidently to start the 4th. He tagged Reyes with a sharp combination and as the round entered its bottom half he seemed to be back in control. But the Cuban shattered that illusion when he sent Randeris to the canvas for the third time in the contest, a right hook snapping his head around on his shoulders before he fell flat on his back. Randeris was up at five, shaking his head in awe of Reyes' power. In command, Reyes did not let up. He caught Randeris with two seperate jolting rights and when he landed a flush right cross Randeris was down for a fourth and final time. He did not attempt to make it back to his feet and was counted out 2:50 into round four.

Celebrating in the ring with Ray, Alvarez and his corner crew Reyes was strangely calm, as if thinking that this victory was simply the first step in what will be a long career for him.

"I'm really happy that I won the fight," Reyes said. "But, no offense to my opponent, I was very confident that I could do this. I knew that I had the advantage in reach and height and I didn't think he'd be able to handle my power. I struggled a little to begin with but once I got into a rhythm everything just clicked."

Elmer Ray heaped praise on Reyes, the leader of the Florida Alliance showing what has been a rare smile in recent weeks.

"Y'all, Ariel took care o' his b'iness and then some, see?" said Ray. "The brother kick ass, pure and simp'. Jus' lookin' at the way he and Rom' debut, they gonna be right there at the top when this tourney end, y'all."

(to be continued)

Romdawg88 · 11-14-2007, 11:18 PM

While my virtual counterpart was confident that Reyes could win this fight I was not. This was a pleasant surprise as we needed a big win and Ariel came through for us. I didn't realize that Ariel packed as much power as he does, I'm impressed and am expecting him to go far in the QL.

kenyan_cheena · 11-15-2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

While my virtual counterpart was confident that Reyes could win this fight I was not. This was a pleasant surprise as we needed a big win and Ariel came through for us. I didn't realize that Ariel packed as much power as he does, I'm impressed and am expecting him to go far in the QL.

You might remember when I once said that Reyes might be better than you think. This fight was proof of that although I must also say that, due to the fact that the OOTP member who submitted Randeris is now banned, he is not quite as good as you would think...

Romdawg88 · 11-15-2007, 12:40 AM

Yes, I do remember you saying that which did give me some hope for this fight but not alot. I was thinking that Ariel was probably around a 8 or so so he won't be a match for a forum guy, don't tell me what he is rated I want to keep the suspend about how far can he go. Of course, I didn't realize who Randeris belonged to since I've misplaced my cheat sheet one which fighter is who's so I didn't know he had been banned. Oh well even though Randeris wasn't a top notch fighter it's still a good and a nice debut.

EDIT: I just realized that David Kane is set to go on the next card which makes me happy. I've been waiting for his debut almost as much as I was for my own. It's going to be fun following that crazy bastard's career.

kenyan_cheena · 11-15-2007, 01:34 AM

(continuation of post #1574)

After landing just seven punches in the first two rounds, Reyes connected with 76 in the 3rd and 4th, finishing with totals of 83/279 (29.5%). Randeris landed 64 of 154 (41.6%).

"I will have to improve on my defense for the next fight," said Reyes. "He hit me with too many shots and I made him look better than he really was. That's something I'll definitely be working on."

Reyes' good friend Romy Alvarez was relieved that he'd been victorious in his debut.

"You know, it's been a hard month for us," said Alvarez. "But Ariel really delivered tonight, no doubt. The cat was even more impressive than I expected and like E said, he be one of the top contenders as the tournament progresses. That jab and that uppercut, they two of the sweetest punches I ever seen and if he can keep it goin' like that he ain't gonna have much trouble. We hopin' that there's gonna be some great times for all o' us comin' up, you know?"

The victorious Alliance entourage departed the ring soon after, jubilant that they had finished August on such a high note.

PRELIMINARY 1

The standout performer at the federation's June auditions in France, Taoufik Belbouli made his debut tonight and was awarded a unanimous decision victory over his fellow Frenchman Nicolas Gallas (59-55, 59-54, 58-55). Those scores didn't indicate how tough this fight really was as Gallas was right in it up until the final two rounds. Belbouli dominated the 5th to such an extent that two of the judges scored it 10-8, despite the fact that there were no knockdowns. Gallas did taste the canvas in the final round, though, a four punch salvo concluded by a left hook dropping him at the midpoint.

Belbouli is gifted with genuine knockout power and while he didn't score a stoppage tonight it will be something that his opponents will have to be very weary of in his upcoming bouts.

PRELIMINARY 2

Keeping the night cooking on high, Canada's Chris Creed recorded a sizzling 3rd round knockout of the admittedly limited German Hans Birkie in a dominating, eye-opening performance. The 30 year-old former CFL fullback came out aggressive and didn't let up for the duration of the bout. He overwhelmed Birkie in the opening round, outlanding him by a total of 44-5 in the stanza and flooring him late with a barrage of power shots.

Round two featured more of the same although not to such a damaging degree before the end came in the last thirty seconds of round three. Birkie had actually held his own for most of the round but when Creed caught him with a hard left hook his legs turned to rubber and a follow up straight right sent him down hard. The German only started moving once the count reached seven and the fight was over moments later at the 2:37 mark. In a busy showing, Creed had connected with 91 of 230 punches at the time the bout was stopped (39.6%), Birkie just 24 of 41 (58.5%).

Discovered during the HBF's Montreal auditions,

10-20-2007, 09:35 PM	#1561 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	POWER PUNCHERS ON PARADE IN NIGERIA AND NEW ZEALAND Sunday 25 August 2002 Following on from last week's auditions in Australia and South Africa, the Heavyweight Boxing Federation had more reasons for optimism during the last seven days as they unearthed a number of talented boxers in Nigeria and New Zealand. These auditions have been held in advance of the upcoming African and Asia/Oceania Championship tournaments and it looks like each of those events will be fiercely contested. The Surelere Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria has been a hive of activity during the past week. In addition to hosting the auditions it was also the venue for Thursday night's HBF fight card where homeland heroes Ike Ibeabuchi and Omovo Okocha were victorious in the semi-finals of the African Boxing League tournament. World Championship tournament #1 seed Gene Tunney was at ringside and has been in Nigeria assisting with the auditions. Of all the potential boxers the federation's scouts looked at, none impressed more than a hard-hitting 20 year-old from the town of Akwaibom named Samuel Peter. Standing six feet tall and weighing 225 pounds, this shy young man may be a bit raw but he is an absolute wrecking machine when his punches land. "He's got fantastic power," said Tunney. "That's the biggest thing he has going for him right now. He'll need to be taught the science of the sport, though. That is something that will come with time but there's no doubt that when he hits a guy, he stays hit. There's a helluva lot of potential there." Amongst the others who have staked a claim for selection is a wild-haired, imposing giant named Duncan Dokiwari. This 23 year-old is an intimidating, aggressive fighter and while his punching power is solid, it's not at the same level as Peter's. Even so, he'll surely pose a challenge to whoever he comes up against. Onyekachi Etuhu is an 18 year-old with hand speed and mobility that defies his size (6'2", 220 pounds) while Obafemi Anichebe is probably the most technically sound of all of them and also the fittest. "This African tournament is going to be something to see," said Tunney confidently. "It's just a huge opportunity for all the guys who'll be in it and it wouldn't surprise me at all if we end up getting some serious contenders out of it." Over in New Zealand a trio of powerful young Maoris have made their intentions known in no uncertain terms. Sione Tialata, Sitiveni Lauaki and Neemia Sivivatu are all, as they say "built like brick houses", muscle-bound young men who are packing frightening firepower in either hand. One weakness they all seem to share is a lack of stamina, something that could very well work against them if their bouts last longer than three or four rounds. "Those kids can smash holes through cement," said head scout Harvey Lott. "That might be an exaggeration but it's pretty close to the truth. Man, I ain't seen power like that anywhere else. Aggressive as hell, too. They step in the ring and it's on, straight from the opening bell. But they'll either need to improve their fitness or temper their assault 'cause at the rate they work, they'll be exhausted after three rounds. Frightening power, though. Just devastating." It's pretty clear that based on these two weeks of auditions the federation has a lot to look forward to in the African and Asia/Oceania Championship tournaments... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-21-2007, 02:36 AM	#1564 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 3,703	The next series of fights in our group should be real interesting. If I'm not mistaken me and Mike trade opponents so it should be interesting to compare the performances. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 5-0 (3) UTBA-II: Muckboys 1-0, 1st Place, 17-15 (13), 56 points Fighter of the Week 1. Sergei Artemiev 2-0

10-21-2007, 11:34 PM	#1566 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	SAVING THE BEST 'TIL LAST? Sunday 25 August 2002 Stage one of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments reaches its conclusion this week and with a number of progression spots still up for grabs there's a bunch of critical bouts on the schedule. It's going to be a fitting end to what has been eight exciting months of federation competition to date. The Osaka Castle Hall in Japan hosts tomorrow's card, with stage two berths from Group Seven of the World Championship tournament on the line. The main event will feature Georgia's Young Stribling and the Canadian Earl Walls. The winner will extend his stay in the event while Englishman Frank Bruno can do the same if he's victorious against Roland LaStarza in the Co-Feature. A pair of vital matchups are scheduled for Wednesday's event at Atlantic City's Trump Taj Mahal Hotel & Casino. New Jersey native Steve Hamas will take on Pittsburgh's Frank Moran in the headline bout, the winner of which will claim 1st place in Group Ten of the World Championship tournament. Both men bring perfect 6-0 records into the fight so it should be a tremendous tussle. DC slugger Natie Brown and the Englishman Don Cockell clash in the Co-Feature with 2nd place in Group Seven of the 1st Defense tournament awaiting the victor. Friday night sees the resolution of competition in the federation's most unpredictable tournament group, that being Group Fifteen of the World Championship tournament. The Staples Center in Los Angeles will play host to what should be an exciting evening. While England's Gary Mason has already wrapped up 1st place, Oscar Bonavena, Bruce Seldon and Jack Sharkey all have a chance of finishing 2nd. The Argentine Bonavena will go head-to-head with Seldon while Sharkey should be too good for Ted Lowry. The outcome of this group might not be known until the end of the night so be sure to tune in. The week's finale takes place at Madison Square Garden as the World Championship tournament's 2nd seed Sonny Liston faces what could be his toughest opponent to date in the shape of Oakland's Lou Nova. The winner will finish on top of Group Two so both men will be coming ready to fight. There's also a pair of important 1D tournament contests with San Francisco's James Jeffries and the Irishman Peter Maher to clash with 1st place in Group Two at stake. A loss for Maher will see him tumble out of the tournament, replaced in the top two by the winner of the stoush between Kentucky's Marvin Hart and the Welshman Johnny Williams. The final two fight cards of the opening Qualifying League series will also take place during the coming seven days. Coupled with all the critical bouts on offer there's no doubt that it will be a fantastic week of pugilism... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-24-2007, 11:17 PM	#1567 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	OSAKA SIZZLE: STRIBLING DOMINATES WALLS, ROLLS INTO STAGE TWO Monday 26 August 2002 Showing once again why he's regarded as one of the best teenage fighters in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation, Georgia's Young Stribling produced a fantastic display in dismantling the Canadian Earl Walls on the way to a 59-55, 60-54, 59-55 unanimous decision victory at the Osaka Castle Hall. The #7 seed in the World Championship tournament had his path to stage two confirmed before he'd even stepped foot in the ring following Roland LaStarza's defeat of Frank Bruno in the Co-Feature but that didn't stop him from putting on a clinic against the willing but outclassed Walls. The night was not without adversity for Stribling as Walls cut him over the left eye with a booming right hand just thirty seconds into what was a fantastic, explosive opening round. Stribling's parents William and Lucille were working his corner as usual and did a great job of closing up the wound, to the point where it was not a factor for the rest of the bout. The action in round one gave an indication that it would be a hard-fought contest but it didn't quite turn out that way. Stribling controlled rounds two and three, looking as confident and assured as he has in any of his previous bouts. The action slowed somewhat in the 4th before Stribling put the result beyond doubt when he floored Walls with a textbook left hook a minute into round five. The Canadian was up at six but his countenance spoke a thousand words. Stribling didn't let up for the rest of the round but, as was the case in his victory last month over Roland LaStarza, he eased off in the final stanza. Walls had come into the night with a 4-1-1 record but knew that only a win against Stribling would see him secure a stage two berth. He'll no doubt be one of the higher seeds in the Continental Americas tournament but was deeply disappointed by his failure to prolong his stay in the federation's premier event. He had been hoping to be mentioned in the same breath as fellow Canadians Donovan Ruddock, George Chuvalo and Sam Langford, all of whom will be competing in stage two. That hope has now been dashed. "I really wasted a great opportunity in these last two fights," he said. "I was sitting there on top of the group after series five but I just couldn't get it done. It hurts, man. It hurts real bad." After his disasterous split decision loss to Frank Bruno in May there were many who doubted that Stribling had the maturity to make it in the World Championship tournament. Even moreso than last month's win over Roland LaStarza, tonight's victory will have dispelled those beliefs. Stribling landed an impressive 192 of 390 punches (49.2%) while keeping Walls to just 79 of 239 (33.1%). The 17 year-old was not in a talkative mood afterwards and stood by silently, allowing his father to speak on behalf of "Team Stribling". "Of course, we thought it was really important to take good form into stage two," said William. "When we were in the dressing room beforehand and saw that Bruno had lost Lucille and I made sure Young understood that it changed nothing. He still had to come out here and produce his best and we're really happy with his performance." Stribling takes a 6-1 record into stage two, each of those wins coming by unanimous decision. He'll be in Group Two along with fellow group winners Joe Jeannette, Ernie Terrell and (almost certainly) Sonny Liston... * (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports** Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 10-24-2007 at 11:19 PM.

10-25-2007, 02:22 AM	#1568 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	(continuation) England's Frank Bruno had been on a roll in his last couple of bouts, exciting wins over fellow top four seeds Young Stribling and Earl Walls that elevated him into 2nd place in the Group Seven standings. Those efforts put him in a position where he could afford to lose his final stage one bout against Bronx native Roland LaStarza and still qualify for the second stage with a Stribling win in the main event. However, Bruno had spoken in the last few days about his desire to go through stage one with his undefeated record intact and after the opening three rounds it looked like he would do just that. Bruno was clearly outworking a cautious LaStarza and led on two judge's cards going into the bottom half of the fight. When the New Yorker did throw some punches most of them were landing but anyone watching the bout from ringside would have agreed that he wasn't doing nearly enough to be considered a winner. While LaStarza was proving accurate with his offense Bruno was striking out often, a number of airballs making him look inexperienced and clumsy at times. The pace that he was working at would come back to haunt him before the fight was over. LaStarza must have known that he was trailing and accelerated in round four before turning the contest in his favour when he put Bruno on the seat of his pants with a straight right shortly before the bell. Bruno made it to his feet at eight but looked tired, his efforts from the earlier rounds taking their toll. The Englishman offered next to nothing in the 5th, wearing a dispirited expression throughout the round as LaStarza was content to keep him at a distance with a potent jab. Surprisingly, Bruno was able to dig deep and produce a fantastic final three minutes, staggering LaStarza with a jolting left hook midway through the round and coming close to dropping him as the final seconds of the bout ticked away. Bruno could not disguise his disgust when the verdict came: LaStarza by unanimous decision, 58-56, 58-57, 58-56. "Can't believe that," said the big Brit in his thick English accent. "I don't know how they worked that out, you know? Threw three times as many punches as the bloke and they have him winning by two points? Crazy. Absolutely crazy." The punch totals from the fight were quite extraordinary, at least as far as accuracy is concerned: Roland LaStarza: 124/156 (79.5%) Frank Bruno: 90/453 (19.9%) "I think I outsmarted him," said LaStarza with a smile. "He might be upset but the guy has to understand that it's not always the man who throws the most punches that wins. Yeah, I was economical but it paid off, didn't it? When I landed my shots they were effective and they hurt him and he didn't do himself any favours with the pace he set himself." LaStarza was happy that the victory would enable him to get a higher seeding in the Continental Americas Championship tournament. "Might not look like it but there's a big difference between 4-3 and 3-4," he said. "That was my main motivation going into tonight and I really think I can use this win as a springboard for the tournament." LaStarza's final World Championship tournament record was 4-3. Considering his status as a #2 seed it will be looked upon as disappointing by many but the New Yorker wouldn't hear any of that. "Maybe it is but I'm looking to the future," he said. "I'm not gonna dwell on what did and what didn't go wrong. Looking back obviously the loss to Foster really hurt my chances. But like I said I'm looking ahead now and all I'll be concentrating on for this next year will be succeeding in the American tournament." It would have been a nervous wait for Bruno before his place in stage two was confirmed but he'll be there and he'll bring a 4-1-2(1) record into it. He's one of a quartet of Englishman who have qualified, the others being Jack Gardner, Alex Stewart and his good friend Gary Mason... *(Still to come: The Osaka Undercard)* __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 10-25-2007 at 03:37 AM.

10-20-2007, 11:24 PM	#1562 (permalink)
mh2365 Banned Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: louisville Posts: 14,963 Warnings: 2	Good stuff as always .. looking forward to my next match!

10-26-2007, 09:23 PM	#1569 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	*The Osaka Undercard* OPENING BOUT In a terrific performance to start the night, Chicago native Bob Satterfield destroyed Welsh fighter Dick Richardson inside of two rounds. Obviously looking to book himself a place in the American tournament, Satterfield came out throwing bombs and floored Richardson a minute into round one. It only got worse in the 2nd as the overwhelmed Welshman would find himself on the canvas three more times, the third instance coming eight seconds from the bell and signalling an automatic end to the fight under HBF rules. Both men are now 3-4. PRELIMINARY 1 California's Tom Kennedy and Englishman Manny Burgo engaged in a lacklustre six rounder, the verdict a 59-55, 57-57, 56-58 draw. There were some moments of action in the 4th and 6th but overall it was a contest that never inspired. Kennedy is now 1-4-2 while Burgo is 1-5-1. PRELIMINARY 2 In the first World Championship tournament bout of the evening Canada's Jack Renault produced his best effort to date, controlling the first four rounds against Willi Besmanoff before a cut over the German's right eye brought an end to the fight 32 seconds into the 5th. The cut had been opened in round three and worsened during the 4th before a hard Renault left hook had blood running down Besmanoff's cheek early in round five. It was Renault's second win in three fights after losing each of his first four bouts by unanimous decision. Besmanoff remains winless at 0-4-3. SUPPORT BOUT Another fight that ended on a cut as Fresno's Mac Foster ran off his third win in a row with a 3rd round stoppage of Boston's Dan Flynn. It was almost over in round one when Flynn was floored late in the stanza after absorbing a series of powerful blows from the Californian. Round two was much more of a contest but a right hook from Foster early in the 3rd opened a nasty gash under Flynn's left eye and the bout was stopped at the 1:06 mark. Foster came to prominence when he KO'd 26th seed Roland LaStarza in the 2nd round of their April 8 bout and he ends his time in the World Championship tournament with an overachieving record of 4-2-1(3) and a 4th placed finish in Group Seven. He'll certainly be one to keep an eye on in the Continental Americas Championship tournament... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-26-2007, 09:29 PM	#1570 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	SUMMARY OF RESULTS HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2002 OSAKA CASTLE HALL, OSAKA, JAPAN OPENING BOUT HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven 7(50) Bob Satterfield TKO2 6(42) Dick Richardson PRELIMINARY 1 HBF 1st Defense Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven 5(34) Tom Kennedy D6 8(58) Manny Burgo PRELIMINARY 2 HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven 6(90) Jack Renault TKO5 7(106) Willi Besmanoff SUPPORT BOUT HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven 5(74) Mac Foster TKO3 8(122) Dan Flynn CO-FEATURE HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven 2(26) Roland LaStarza UD6 3(42) Frank Bruno MAIN EVENT HBF World Championship Tournament - Stage One - Group Seven 1(7) Young Stribling UD6 4(58) Earl Walls __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

11-05-2007, 11:15 PM	#1572 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	A SOLITARY MAN Tuesday 27 August 2002 Heavyweight Boxing Federation competitor Sonny Liston arrived in New York City this morning ahead of Saturday night's important Madison Square Garden fight card. The #2 seed in the HBF's World Championship tournament faces Oakland's Lou Nova in a bout that will determine who finishes on top of the standings in Group Two. Considering the fact that Liston has accumulated an impressive 6-0(5) record it's hard to believe that he could still fail to finish 1st. But Nova has surprised many by going 5-1 through the tournament's first six series and it would be a huge surprise if he's able to pull off an upset. Such a result would lead to the amazing situation of Liston ending up in Group Three in stage two, alongside fellow top seeds Jack Johnson and Peter Jackson. Liston flew in from his adopted homeland of Scotland, where he's been renting a modest apartment in Glasgow's West End. His love for the British nation has been well-publicised ever since he revealed his desire to live there back in May. It's been speculated a number of times that he made the move for romantic reasons but the man himself has denied this on more than one occasion. A story that appeared on ESPN also confirmed the fact that Liston is very much single. Anyone who has followed Liston's career in the federation would know the reasons for his move stemmed exclusively from the problems he experienced with the media in his former hometown of St. Louis in relation to his stint in the Missouri State Penitentiary as a teenager. With his trainer Willie Reddish still living in St. Louis, Liston has been training himself and he looked to be in fantastic shape when he stepped off the plane. Liston stated while walking through the airport that he was "ready to go" and "excited about finishing stage one with a big win". His absence from the USA has been the main factor in him being out of the news and, in a way, almost forgotten in the midst of all the other boxing-related stories that have developed in recent weeks. But if there's one HBF fighter who should not be forgotten, it's Sonny Liston. As the only competitor in the World Championship tournament with five stoppage victories he has earned the title of the most dangerous puncher in the federation and he'll certainly be out to maintain that distinction come Saturday night... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

11-05-2007, 11:24 PM	#1573 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 3,703	Yeah, I'm going to have to go with Liston getting a crushing victory and walking into the next round with a perfect 7-0 (6) record. I feel bad for Lou Nova as a matter of a fact I feel bad for everyone Liston has faced and will face. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 5-0 (3) UTBA-II: Muckboys 1-0, 1st Place, 17-15 (13), 56 points Fighter of the Week 1. Sergei Artemiev 2-0

11-14-2007, 10:28 PM	#1574 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	QUALIFYING LEAGUE ACTION CONTINUES IN ENGLAND Tuesday 27 August 2002 Starting about an hour after the International Boxing League's European Middleweights fight card kicked off in Italy, the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's latest Qualifying League event took place tonight at the Derby Storm Arena in Derbyshire, England. It was the first card since competition in the QL commenced to feature only Qualifying League bouts and has been the case throughout the tournament's opening series a number of rookies produced impressive performances... *OPENING BOUT* New Florida Alliance member Ariel Reyes gave the group a positive ending to what has been a disappointing August when he scored a 4th round KO victory over fellow debutant Mikkel Randeris of Denmark. Accompanied to the ring by fellow Alliance members Elmer Ray and Romy Alvarez, Reyes made an underwhelming start. He struggled to find his range during the opening two rounds, Randeris actually using his six inch height disadvantage as an advantage, getting inside of the Cuban's long arms and working his body. Two of the judges scored both of the opening rounds in Randeris' favour and as he returned to his corner Reyes looked frustrated and bemused. Revealed as one of his strengths at the federation's June auditions, Reyes was able to bring his explosive uppercut into action in round three. His devastating work with it turned the fight in his favour. Starting the round by rattling Randeris with a straight right, Reyes caught his man with the first of what would be three smashing uppercuts in the space of forty seconds as the round entered its second minute. The shot turned the Dane's legs to jelly and he tried to reach for the ropes to keep himself upright. Reyes swarmed him and Randeris was forced to clinch. Once they separated Reyes lined him up with another uppercut, the punch snapping Randeris' head back. He staggered backwards into the ropes, Reyes chasing him down and working the body. This had Randeris lowering his hands and it was then that Reyes completed the trio of uppercuts, this third one dropping Randeris to the canvas for the first time in the fight at the 1:42 mark. Up at six Randeris looked astonished. He was able to stay out of trouble until Reyes floored him for a second time with a single left hook late in the round. Once again the Dane beat the count but he appeared shell-shocked as he walked back to his corner. The intermission did Randeris a world of good as he came out confidently to start the 4th. He tagged Reyes with a sharp combination and as the round entered its bottom half he seemed to be back in control. But the Cuban shattered that illusion when he sent Randeris to the canvas for the third time in the contest, a right hook snapping his head around on his shoulders before he fell flat on his back. Randeris was up at five, shaking his head in awe of Reyes' power. In command, Reyes did not let up. He caught Randeris with two seperate jolting rights and when he landed a flush right cross Randeris was down for a fourth and final time. He did not attempt to make it back to his feet and was counted out 2:50 into round four. Celebrating in the ring with Ray, Alvarez and his corner crew Reyes was strangely calm, as if thinking that this victory was simply the first step in what will be a long career for him. "I'm really happy that I won the fight," Reyes said. "But, no offense to my opponent, I was very confident that I could do this. I knew that I had the advantage in reach and height and I didn't think he'd be able to handle my power. I struggled a little to begin with but once I got into a rhythm everything just clicked." Elmer Ray heaped praise on Reyes, the leader of the Florida Alliance showing what has been a rare smile in recent weeks. "Y'all, Ariel took care o' his b'iness and then some, see?" said Ray. "The brother kick ass, pure and simp'. Jus' lookin' at the way he and Rom' debut, they gonna be right there at the top when this tourney end, y'all." (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

11-14-2007, 11:18 PM	#1575 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 3,703	While my virtual counterpart was confident that Reyes could win this fight I was not. This was a pleasant surprise as we needed a big win and Ariel came through for us. I didn't realize that Ariel packed as much power as he does, I'm impressed and am expecting him to go far in the QL. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 5-0 (3) UTBA-II: Muckboys 1-0, 1st Place, 17-15 (13), 56 points Fighter of the Week 1. Sergei Artemiev 2-0

11-15-2007, 12:40 AM	#1577 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 3,703	Yes, I do remember you saying that which did give me some hope for this fight but not alot. I was thinking that Ariel was probably around a 8 or so so he won't be a match for a forum guy, don't tell me what he is rated I want to keep the suspend about how far can he go. Of course, I didn't realize who Randeris belonged to since I've misplaced my cheat sheet one which fighter is who's so I didn't know he had been banned. Oh well even though Randeris wasn't a top notch fighter it's still a good and a nice debut. EDIT: I just realized that David Kane is set to go on the next card which makes me happy. I've been waiting for his debut almost as much as I was for my own. It's going to be fun following that crazy bastard's career. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 5-0 (3) UTBA-II: Muckboys 1-0, 1st Place, 17-15 (13), 56 points Fighter of the Week 1. Sergei Artemiev 2-0 Last edited by Romdawg88 : 11-15-2007 at 12:47 AM.