This past Thursday night, Fort Worth played host to the Harrison Boxing Group's latest installment of their professional boxing series aptly titled Texas Slugfest. The second installment of the series took place in front of a raucous crowd that congregated to the Cowtown Coliseum to witness some of the area's finest pugilists ply their craft in the paid ranks.
In the evening's main event, local amateur standout Jose Orozco of Fort Worth made his professional debut a memorable one as he destroyed John Campbell of Houston in one round. Orozco set the tone as soon as the bell rang when the Fort Worth welterweight landed a sweeping hook that connected flush on the chin of Campbell. The stage had been set as Orozco circled his prey with killer intent. An uppercut followed by a stinging hook to the body caused Campbell to take a knee, visibly wincing in pain. Though he gallantly rose to beat the count, Campbell would be on the canvas once more following another paralyzing hook to the liver. Proving to be too tough for his own well-being, Campbell yet again rose to beat the count and his reward for such bravery was a crushing hook to the temple that prompted the referee to waive a halt to the contest.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:20 into the first round.
With the victory, Orozco starts his professional career off with a bang and now boasts a record of 1-0, 1 KO. Campbell falls to 1-3, 1 KO in defeat.
In the co-main event of the evening, Fort Worth heavyweight Shug Dorsey dropped a spirited four round decision to Johnny Deas of Dallas. Dorsey, who perhaps is best known for his KO victory in last year's regional Golden Gloves tournament, was making his pro debut against Deas, who too was turning pro on the card.
It was evident from the onset that Deas respected the power of Dorsey as he smartly moved around the ring, circling away from Dorsey's right. Deas set the tone early with a straight right that crashed on the skull of Dorsey. Ever the showman, he took the time to admire his work while giving the crowd a little taunting. In the second, Dorsey tried to press the action as Deas did all he could to avoid any exchange of artillery. Deas continued to land a good quick jab, however, and managed to let his hands go to the body of Dorsey when in close.
In the third round, the pace slowed considerably until a visibly tired Dorsey backed himself along the ropes allowing Deas to open up his arsenal a little, even if the shots had little effect. Dorsey connected with a jarring right hand, but Deas had the higher workrate. In the fourth and final round, both fighters wearily traded shots and though Dorsey's punches were beginning to land more, his power was clearly not there due to the fatigue.
All three judges at ringside scored the fight 39-37 unanimously for Deas.
With the victory, Deas begins his career with a win and a record of 1-0. Dorsey starts his road to glory 0-1.
In arguably the nights most action-packed affair, Dallas-based welterweight Leonel Herrera went six hellacious rounds with Josh Burns of Garland, Texas to earn a unanimous decision.
The tone of the fight was set early in the first round as both fighters traded hard, digging hooks into each other. A crescendo of violence ensued as Herrera would let his hands go to the delight of the crowd as Burns countered with vicious uppercuts that seemed to land at will. The ebb and flow would continue on into the second and third stanzas as Herrera would land some hard crushing rights to the head of Burns only to have Burns retort with hard left hooks of his own to the head and body. Sweat and blood rained down upon those fortunate enough to be sitting ringside as the packed house exploded in appreciation.
In the fourth, Burns began to wear the look of a man who just realized that he's in a dog fight with a pit bull. Though try as he might to mount any effective offense, Herrera attacked in relentless waves of punches prompting Burns to do little more than cover up and hope the tide subsides. Unfortunately for Burns, no such reprieve would be found as Herrera shifted his attack into another gear in the fifth round. A never ending assault of right hands and hooks to the body had Burns on shaky legs that somehow managed to make it through the round.
In the sixth, Herrera smelled blood and attacked Burns like a lion would it's wounded prey. Right hands rained down upon the head of Burns, who was all but out on his feet. The crowd, whipped into frenzy and swaying with every punch thrown, reached a deafening pitch. The one-sided beating continued until Burns was mercifully saved by the bell.
With the win, Herrera improves his record to 6-2, 3 KO's; Burns' record falls to 3-6-5, 1 KO.
Lightweight Anthony "Hurricane" Smith of New Orleans grinded out a hard-fought four round unanimous decision over tough Miguel Delgado of Dallas. While Smith went into this contest heavily favored, Delgado seemed to make it a point not to play the role of "fall guy".
Smith came out utilizing his lightning quick hands that befuddled the game, but limited Delgado in the opening stanza. While Smith seemed a little over anxious to please his many fans in attendance, Delgado began to utilize veteran savvy with subtle head movement and a sneaky right hand that began to land on the exposed jaw of Smith.
The fight soon progressed to a somewhat ugly affair as Smith would be stretched to the limit with Delgado who clinched, held, and even pulled the New Orleans breed fighter any time they were in close.
The three judges at ringside scored it: 39-37, 40-35, and 40-35 unanimously for Smith.
With the win, Smith remains undefeated with a record of 3-0, 1 KO. Delgado falls to 2-7, 2 KO's in defeat.
Fort Worth based middleweight Franco "El Diablo de Panama" Dunmoodie battered and bloodied Andrew Acosta of Houston to secure a four round unanimous decision. From the opening bell, Dunmoodie rushed the out-gunned Acosta, landing some debilitating hooks to the frame of the Houston fighter as the crowd roared with partisan delight. A concussive right floored Acosta at the end of the first round, giving Dunmoodie no time to go in for the kill.
In the middle frames, the pace stayed the same with Acosta trying to use movement and a stiff jab to keep the ever charging Dunmoodie at bay. Unfortunately, Acosta's plan resulted in mixed success as he was able to stem the tidal wave of punishment that Dunmoodie threw, but in the end, he was simply outworked.
The pace slowed considerably in the fourth, but Dunmoodie punctuated the round with a jarring straight right that snapped Acosta's head back.
The scorecards read as follows: 39-36, 39-36, and 38-37 unanimously for Dunmoodie.
With the victory, Dunmoodie improves his record to 2-1, 1 KO; Acosta enters the paid ranks with a record of 0-1.
In the evening's opening bout, middleweight James Freeman of Vernon, TX scored a fourth round TKO victory over Victor Flores of Fort Worth. From the onset, it appeared that Freeman was the more polished of the two fighters as he made good use of his reach advantage to land crisp jabs that were followed by short left hooks to the head of Flores. Flores was not without his moments and while his punches may have been slower than Freeman's, he still managed to land a good number of times to the chin of the Vernon fighter. Freeman would retort with a punishing straight right that would floor Flores. Groggy but able to continue, Flores came back firing, hurting Freeman in the process, but not enough to finish him off.
Freeman would return to his gameplan in the middle rounds, popping a hard jab, straight right combo that snapped Flores' head back. Flores was battered and bloody, but never stopped trying to land his right hand. In the fourth, Freeman landed a hard right that burst open the nose of Flores. Freeman would then follow up for the kill and after connecting some damaging right hands to the skull of Flores, the referee had seen enough to waive a halt to the contest.
The official time of the stoppage was 26 seconds into the fourth round.
With the victory, Freeman retains an undefeated record of 2-0, 1 KO. Flores starts his professional campaign with a loss and a record of 0-1.
