The Redemption card aired by popular online site Go Fight Live began with an entertaining four rounder between 5-15 Akron, Ohio journeyman James Denson, and “Iron” Mike Snider, the Pride of the Ironworkers from Wheeling, West Virginia and a local favorite. Snider opened up quick with good combinations as Denson was slow to get going, landing good body shots and taking early control of the opening round. Denson showed life in the 2nd and scored a sharp right mid-round that had Snider fighting more tentatively, going to the body less, as Denson evened up the fight by taking the round.
The third round saw Denson’s work rate slow and Snider once again took back the fight through simple volume of punches and better conditioning, and in the fourth round it became obvious that Snider simply wanted it more, as Denson landed occasional single punches but never in combination as he coasted to the bell.
The unanimous Judges scorecards of 39-37 mirrored the action, it was clearly three rounds to one, anyway you slice it. Snider moves on, and Denson returns to being an opponent for younger fighters getting started. The fight showed us there was a talent differential, but it’s unclear how far Snider can advance based on this effort, it wasn’t stellar but it did showcase some things to build on.
The most impressive fighter of the night was certainly Antonio “Carita” Nieves, who took only 1:28 in disposing of 0-3 Brian Raglin, dropping him with a left in the opening 45 seconds and then displaying surgeon-like precision in ending the fight with a thudding shot to the Liver that left Raglin in agony on the canvas, unable to continue.
Fighting out of Cleveland, Ohio, Nieves was formerly ranked as the #1 Featherweight in the Nation as an amateur before getting upset at the 2012 Olympic Trials. The management at Old School Boxing has to be pleased with his progress and the future couldn’t be brighter for the young Puerto Rican star. Although it was only his second KO in five fights, it appears that power will not be a future problem.
A spirited affair between undefeated 7-0 Dustin Echard, the “Clean Coal Assassin”, and 2-1-1 Thomas “Hillbilly” Hanshaw was probably something that Echard’s team could’ve lived without as the Ashland, Ky “Hillbilly” tested him to the limit in dropping a Majority Decision by 39-37 twice and 38-38 scores.
Echard, who starred at Fairmont State in Football, works in the energy field and bills himself as the “Clean Coal Assassin” in order to promote that political agenda, but Hanshaw showed just as much energy as they took turns dancing the lead.
This reporter gave Echard the first two rounds and Hanshaw the last two for a draw, however two of the three judges gave Hanshaw only the 3rd round, so Echard’s undefeated streak continues on to another day.
The best fight of the night involved 19-21-3 Darnell Boone, America’s most famous sub-.500 fighter, the only fighter to knock down Andre Ward and holder of a knockout victory over current WBC SMW Champ Adonis Stevenson, as he faced 11-0 Morgan “Big Chief” Fitch.
Fitch was stepping up in competition, but controlled the first two rounds with a stiff jab that kept Boone at a distance and negated Darnell’s attempt to rough-house and turn it into an ugly street brawl. Boone couldn’t compete with Fitch’s superior hand-speed right up to the end of the third when a booming uppercut dropped Fitch and let him struggling to rise at eight, just before the bell conveniently came to his rescue.
Boone rushed Fitch and managed to drop him again in the opening moments of the fourth but depleted his energy attempting to apply the finishing touches as Fitch rallied at the end of what ranks as one of 2013’s best rounds.
The 5th round saw Boone boxing and moving around the ring, obviously thinking that the two 10-8 rounds in the opening four gave him an insurmountable lead on the judges scorecards, a mistake that he paid dearly for when the decision was announced.
The decision announcement was met with some disbelief from the partisan Fitch crowd, and clearly had the roles been reversed and it been Boone who’d been down twice, and not the undefeated Fitch, we’ve had never seen a Draw verdict.
Glen Feldman had the fight scored properly at 58-55 for Boone, but was overruled by Rex Agin’s inexplicable 57-56 for Fitch and James Tiu’s 38-38. It’s unlikely that Fitch’s management seeks a rematch after escaping with the questionable draw.
As exciting as the Boone-Fitch fight was, the co-feature Draw between Lorraine, Ohio’s Wilson “The Hispanic Hurricane” Santiago, 9-0 (1 Ko) and Eric Draper, 8-6 (3 ko’s) from Indianapolis was a snoozer as the mesh of styles made for a sloppy borefest that few enjoyed. Draper had a three inch height advantage which he was unable to exploit and Santiago struggled throughout to get close enough to land, enjoying slight success in the later rounds by briefly switching to southpaw.
In the sixth and final round, Santiago, thinking he was clearly ahead, let Draper run out the clock and didn’t press the action, obviously mistaken in thinking that he had the decision well-in-hand. Following the Draw announcement, Santiago said from the ring that “we can do it again”, a sentiment that Draper agreed with but few others did. A survey of anyone who saw it would likely turn up few who cared to see an encore.
During the break between the two featured fights, the crowd enjoyed a short tribute film about Paul Spadafora that drew a strong reaction when he finished with the line “I’m a fighter, that’s what I do”. Although we didn’t know it at the time, that proved to be the highlight of the night for the legend of Spadafora fans who’d made the trek from Pittsburgh to Chester, WV.
WBA 3rd ranked contender Johan “El Terrible” Perez started slowly but eventually was able to maintain a work rate that Spadafora had difficulty matching. Paul was still difficult to hit, as he’s always been throughout his long career, but instead of being able to get-in-and-get-out like the younger version of Spady could, this was more like a James Toney stay-in-the-pocket-but-yet-don’t-get-hit defense that only worked with moderate success. Spadafora landed the sharper punches but in the end not enough of them to counteract Perez ‘s punch volume.
Trainer Tommy Yankello, assisted in the corner by Buddy McGirt, simply couldn’t get Spadafora to pick up the pace and in the fourth round, Spady was sporting a mouse under his left eye and a cut above his right, and from there on was battling an uphill battle to play catch-up.
Spadafora would land excellent counters on occasion, just not enough of them to steal enough rounds, and down the stretch was exhausted and clearly labouring to go the distance. An assault mounted in the 10th round was Spadafora’s “Last Stand” and once it was turned back, then the outcome wasn’t in much doubt. Displaying a fighters heart that nobody has ever questioned, Spady went for broke in the final round but Perez was having none of it and maintained his cool, and was the only one landing as the fight drew to a close.
The decision was a formality as everyone in attendance knew that the Pittsburgh Kid’s time has certainly come-and-gone and while he can beat most contenders, the chances of his ever wearing a world title again are slim-to-none. He looked his 38-years and younger men with the talent of a Perez will always get the best of him from this point forward. It remains to be seen if Spadafora marches on, but he needs to do some serious evaluation as to what he can accomplish at this point, given his diminished skills that were evident on this night.
The scores were a more-than-generous 114-114, overruled by a 115-113 and what was probably too lopsided, a 117-111 both for Perez, who now wears the WBA Interim Junior Welterweight title and goes to 18-1-1 with 12 KOs.
