A collection of local boxers with long amateur resumes returned to action last weekend at Rumble Time Promotions’ “Saturday Night Fights” event, and three fighters who have all trained at 12th & Park Rec Center walked away with wins and sent the capacity crowd at the Viking Conference Center home happy.
Welterweight Chris “Too” Sharp got the ball rolling as he faced off against Kansas City’s Isiac Nelson in a four rounder. Nelson seemed tentative, flicking out a half-hearted jab but not stepping in behind it to score. The southpaw Sharp was interested in pressing the action, closing the distance and landing several straight lefts to the solar plexus that exacted an early toll.
As the first round drew to a close, the body work would cause Nelson to wilt in Sharp’s blue corner. The TKO at 2:40 meant that Sharp could relax and celebrate his quick victory.
After an extended 20-month layoff, Lamarr “The Prince of Pain” Harris got back to business with a third round stoppage of Jose Pena, a tough customer who proudly represented the fine tradition of Mexican fighters.
The superbly conditioned Harris was relentless from the opening bell, rattling off combinations from all angles in a deluge that Pena was able to weather. But later on Pena blocked a cluster of punches and fired off a counter through a window that sent Harris down.
Showing grit and poise, Harris rose from the red canvas and used his arms to wrap up his foe until he made it back to shore at round’s end.
The re-energized “Prince of Pain” looked even more determined to make Pena pay, and it would be in the form of a mauling attack to the ribs and a right cross that drew blood. As the action drifted towards my seat at ringside, the forecast suddenly called for red sprinkles and the messy result backed up my decision to leave my coat on over my white shirt.
The shorter Pena didn’t do himself any favors by standing in no man’s land at the end of Harris’ shots instead of stepping all the way in or around. As each punch picked away like a piranha, Pena finally collapsed and motioned to referee Mike England with the wave of his right glove that he’d had enough.
The end at 1:10 of the third raised Harris’ record to 4-0 and marked a fresh start for the junior middleweight.
With members of the crowd dancing to “Soulja Boy,” the time was drawing near for Deandre “The Bull” Latimore to seize the ring in a tune up for next month’s title bout at the Ameristar Casino.
“The Bull” had a slippery opponent in Ed Humes, another Kansas City resident who was in pure survival mode from the opening tip. But instead of getting flustered, Latimore cut off the ring effectively before closing the show with a bruising barrage early in round two.
Though the pro trail has just begun, it will be fun watching Sharp, Harris and Latimore as they work towards accomplishing goals they’ve carried with them since the amateur ranks.
‘Battle on the Banks VI’
Deandre Latimore and Joell Godfrey will be part of Rumble Time Promotions’ “Battle on the Banks VI” at the Ameristar Casino on December 6. Tickets are available at the Ameristar Gift Shop or online at www.tickets.com.
Amateur talent in St. Charles
Promoter and Trainer Jim Howell lined up a new crop of amateur boxing talent for the packed room at Frost Electric’s 4th annual “Night at the Fights” last Thursday, and several rookies looked impressive.
Trainers Kenny Loehr and Jerry Leyshock from 12th & Park were looking on from the red corner as the relentless Larry Shelton and Mike Griffin brought home decision wins.
Trainers Ben Stewart and Willie Temple from Wohl Center seemed equally optimistic after their charge DeAndre Jerelds outlasted his opponent in an abbreviated bout.
The athletes will look to build on their success at future tournaments in the busy winter months.
Three “Title” champions
Cherokee Rec’s Corey Walker Sr. was happy to report that his son Corey Walker Jr. and Otis Brown Jr. were crowned at the recent Title Boxing Tournament in Memphis.
Corey won three matches to bring home the hardware in the 145-pound division, while Otis captured the top prize in the 165-pound class. The ageless Ronald Gibson once again proved his durability by storming the Senior Division.
Marquette Rec’s Danny McGinnest Jr. also represented St. Louis well by cleaning up at 80 pounds to end a winning road trip.
