If you come to an intersection, and there are four corners, and on one corner there’s a basketball game being played, on another corner a stickball game, on another corner there’s a football game, and on the fourth corner there’s a fist fight, where’s the crowd? – Max Kellerman, Boxing Analyst
This year’s Missouri Black Expo at the America’s Center provided a head-spinning variety of entertainment, with a long list of performers, speakers and celebrities in attendance. I even had the opportunity to meet Bern Nadette Stanis, the charming actress who portrayed Thelma on the 70’s sitcom Good Times.
But even as a gospel outfit along the east end of the venue began their set propelled by a drummer motoring in double time with cymbals splashing, once the first bell clanged to begin the finals of the MBE National Invitational Boxing Tournament, the feet clogging the endless aisles of booths drifted over to watch the fists fly.
Trainer Winston Shaw once again did a fine job of importing talented amateurs from Chicago, Cincinnati and Arkansas, but it was a pair of homegrown products who impressed early.
Marquette’s Danny McGinnest turned in a gritty showing, reaching into his bag of hooks to win a decision in the 106 lb. class over the tenacious Bryan Crump from Cherokee.
McGinnest would later be joined in the winner’s circle by Marquette gym mate Julius Butler after his solid performance against Arkansas’ Rico King in the 152 lb. division.
Butler’s ring savvy allowed him to use slippery upper-body movement as he frustrated King and countered with crisp 1, 2’s and a sneaky right upper cut, right hook combination in the opening round.
He continued to represent the South Side well after cooling the heels of his red velvet boxing shoes during the first break, scoring with long, accurate shots on the outside and digging hard to the body with hooks from both sides once he was inside the kitchen.
The body-snatching seemed to take the wind out of King’s sails, and the talented Butler coasted to a winning verdict.
Deirdre Rhodes from Team STL returned to the ring and faced a tough adversary in Arkansas’ Catherine Thompson. Although the visiting fighter was in great condition and obviously didn’t make the trip to lose, she was a little green, throwing punches from out of range and frequently leaving her chin out to dry.
Rhodes used a double-stuffed jab at the start of round three and then dialed up her power punch output as the clock ticked away to finish strong and seal the victory.
I first wrote about Preston Freeman nearly four years ago, and he put on another solid performance by besting Kiun Evans from Arkansas at 119 lbs.
Evans possessed a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it jab and mixed up his attack well, but the seasoned Freeman used a great sense of distance, lead rights and pinpoint left hooks to secure another mark in the home team’s column.
At an event that is truly a community celebration, a large crowd on Sunday couldn’t resist joining in a celebration by the St. Louis boxing community that punctuated a memorable weekend.
Lamarr Harris Returns
Lamarr “The Prince of Pain” Harris called last week to tell me that he’ll be having a busy October after recovering from a sore shoulder. The junior middleweight will fight on the undercard when Yuriorkis Gamboa and Marcos Ramirez clash on October 4 at the Pechanga Resort in Temecula, California.
Then Harris plans on jetting home to battle one week later on a Rumble Time Promotions card.
He told me, “I know the fans have been waiting, and I want to apologize to them. But I’m looking forward to getting back to St. Louis and performing for them.”
With the autumn quickly approaching, people won’t have to wait much longer to catch the local undefeated power-puncher’s next tests.