This past Thursday night, the Harrison Boxing Group staged their third professional boxing promotion at the Cowtown Coliseum in the historic Stockyards district of downtown Fort Worth. The prior two promotions were met with critical acclaim and this card, the third of their aptly titled Texas Slugfest series, was to have been the biggest and best to date.
But you know how the old saying goes, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. What initially had been planned as the Harrison Boxing Groups crowing promotion, proved to be a perfect illustration of Murphy's Law: whatever could have gone wrong did.
Three of the featured fighters, Gilbert Vera (brother of Brian Vera), Jose Orozco, and Antonio Reyes, all fell off the card when their scheduled opponents pulled out for various reasons. When breakdowns in negotiations between the fighters and the promoter resulted in the fighters pulling out, matchmaker Wayne Harrison Sr. was forced to scour the region for fighters as late as the Wednesday afternoon weigh-in.
To the Harrison Boxing Group's credit, they were able to put on a very entertaining card even if it lacked the same luster that the promotion initially enjoyed.
In the evening's main event, much ballyhooed bantamweight prospect Vanessa Juarez of Fort Worth thoroughly dominated the outgunned Kerri "The Rage" Hill of Russellville, AR over four one-sided rounds.
From the opening bell, Juarez jumped on Hill landing thudding shot after thudding shot. Hill could do little but try and weather the storm of fury that Juarez was bringing. Unfortunately for her, there was no reprieve. Juarez never let up and dug some thudding hooks to the body that had ringside observers wincing in pain.
Juarez continued to bring the pain to Hill for the remaining three rounds, but try as she might, she could not KO her overwhelmed opponent. Credit should be given to Hill who displayed a heart the size of Little Rock in never succumbing to the blistering attack of Juarez, especially in light of the fact that Hill took the fight on two days notice.
All three ringside judges scored the bout 40-36 for Juarez.
With the victory, Juarez continues to make a name for herself and improves her record to 8-0, 2 KOs. Hill, while gallant in defeat, falls to 1-9, 1 KO.
In what was hands down the fight of the night, middleweight James "Boogie" Freeman of Vernon, TX scored a scintillating knockout over the game Franco "El Diablo de Panama" Dunmoodie of Fort Worth.
From the opening seconds of the fight, Freeman and Dunmoodie traded hellacious shots to the giddy delight of the spectators on hand. Dunmoodie got the better of the first round as he landed thunderous blows to the head of Freeman.
In round two, Freeman came out more aggressive and began to mix his attack up by switching to southpaw. It paid off as he was able to rock Dunmoodie on occasion with the right hook. Dunmoodie, however, came to fight and landed a devastating straight right that nearly took Freeman's head off. Freeman, visibly hurt, managed to hold on to survive through the round.
The action continued into the third stanza as Dunmoodie landed another punishing straight right. Freeman responded by countering with a hard straight of his own that backed Dunmoodie up. Dunmoodie would come back and hurt Freeman with a vicious one-two combo that clearly hurt Freeman, whose nose began to leak blood like a faucet. Freeman seemed to become energized by the sight of his own blood and motioned for Dunmoodie to come forward. Dunmoodie seemed more than willing to oblige and continued to wing hard shots at Freeman. Though battered and bloodied, Freeman never caved under the pressure and retorted with a hard straight left hand that hurt Dunmoodie. Dunmoodie moved forward and was caught clean with a right hand that floored the Fort Worth fighter. He managed to rise before the count of 10, but looked to be on shaky legs. Freeman jumped in to finish off his wounded opponent, but Dunmoodie was saved by the bell.
Freeman came out like a man possessed to start the fourth round but was caught clean by a straight right thrown by Dunmoodie. After eating another vicious combo, Freeman would find salvation when a picture perfect straight left caught Dunmoodie on the chin, flooring the Fort Worth fighter for the second time in the fight. Dunmoodie again valiantly rose to his feat, but this time, Freeman would finish the fight for good. Pouncing on the dazed Dunmoodie, Freeman would land a right hook that rendered his worthy adversary down and out.
Referee Jesse Reyes waived a halt to the contest at the 2:54 second mark of the fourth round.
With his exciting victory, Freeman remains undefeated with a record of 3-0, 2 KOs. Dunmoodie falls to 2-2, 1KO in defeat.
In the opening bout of the evening light heavyweight Brandon Singleton of Grand Prairie, TX scored a four round unanimous decision over Eddie Wilson of Fort Worth.
In the opening round, the two fighters cautiously circled each other looking to work their way inside. Singleton would open up first with some hard hooks to the body of Wilson. Wilson would respond with a big left hook that backed up Singleton at the close of the round.
In the second round, things began to pick up as Wilson landed a sharp right to Singleton's head. Singleton would respond with a hook to the body followed by another straight left. The two would then exchange some good shots in the middle of the ring much to the crowds delight.
Fatigue looked to begin to wear on both fighters after such high drama in the second, but Singleton managed to be the more aggressive fighter through the third round. Wilson never stopped coming forward, but was rocked on occasion by Singleton's compact hooks.
The fourth round continued on in much the same manner with Wilson never giving up, but being outworked by the more active and fresher looking Singleton.
All three ringside judges scored the bout 40-36 for Singleton who improves his record to 2-2, 1 KO. Wilson falls to 1-1 in defeat.
Junior welterweights Anthony "The Hurricane" Smith (3-0, 1 KO) of New Orleans and Wayne "Hot Dog" (5-24-2, 3 KOs) Fletcher of Dallas boxed three spirited rounds in a special exhibition match before the nights proceedings. No winners were declared.
