Two hot shows in STL
By Glenn McBrady
For the St. Louis American
There was further proof provided last week that boxing is alive and well in St. Louis, as two sold-out, standing-room-only crowds packed two rooms for professional and amateur action.
It began on Thursday evening, as over 1,000 fans jammed into the Ameristar Casino Conference Center for Rumble Time Promotions’ “Superbrawl.” Chris Tyler made his pro debut against the battle-tested Willie Diamond, and the poised pair spent the first round using busy jabs to plot their next moves.
Diamond’s favorite move was a jab followed with right hooks to the body and he scored often, while Tyler landed the harder shots up top. After four rounds, one judge had the contest even at 38 and two judges scored the majority decision 39-37 in Diamond’s favor as the surprised partisan crowd voiced their displeasure.
Even as the second bout between Chris Sharp and Reggie Presley was about to begin, word came that people in the casino lobby below were still trying to secure tickets to see the card, regardless of the price.
The lucky few who succeeded would still miss Sharp’s TKO win, as it took just 18 seconds for him to dispatch Presley with a 1,2 and a pair of serrated hooks near the far neutral corner.
The dynamic local duo of Kevin Engel and Tim Connors made their trainers proud with first round stoppages over their visiting foes.
It took Engel just over two minutes of measured ring generalship to seize an opening and find a home for a numbing counter right that sent Kansas City’s Quincy Miner to the canvas for good.
It seemed as though Tim Connors would face a stern test in the durable Tyson Schweiger, as the Las Vegas native had been in a brutal bout one month earlier at the Ameristar that went the distance and had the audience buzzing.
But Connors unleashed a barrage of hooks along the ropes that made Schweiger’s knees buckle, and the end arrived at just 1 minute and 44 seconds of round one.
The names Mike Wood and Shawn Hammack are familiar to local boxing enthusiasts, and the light heavyweights were involved in the co-features of the night.
Mike Wood took on Bremerton, Washington’s Brock Stodden in a brawl that stretched over six breathless rounds. The battle was fought in the trenches, with each fighter giving and taking power punches on the inside. In the end, Stodden was awarded the unanimous decision by two scores of 58-56 and a single tally of 59-55 in a pitched display of iron will that is an early candidate for local “Fight of the Year” honors.
Kansas City’s Isaiah Henderson made his ring walk to “Cloud Nine” by “The Temptations,” but in the fifth round Shawn Hammack landed an overhand right that almost sent Henderson to the moon. The knockout win arrived at 2:32 and brought Hammack’s supporters to their feet.
In the main event, Canadian Ian Gardner frustrated Deandre “The Bull” Latimore through the first two rounds of their junior middleweight match, using fleet footwork to constantly step around his charging opponent and long, wiry arms to clinch every time “The Bull” was in range.
Gardner landed a left hook on the button in the third and even though Latimore beat the count easily, Gardner moved in and let his hands go along the ropes until the referee jumped in.
Although the outcome was disappointing for local fans, it was the type of loss early in a career that could benefit “The Bull” down the road as he marches towards the next level.
Golden Gloves
Two nights later, parking and seating were at a premium at the Heart of St. Charles Banquet Center as Jim Howell orchestrated the finals of the novice Golden Gloves Tournament.
Any St. Louis boxing fan worth their salt will recognize the name Patrice Brooks, and the former amateur and pro standout was in the corner of West End’s Stefanus Nash and Ronald Freeman Jr. as the pair took home championship hardware.
Brooks was joined in the red corner by trainers Anthony Larry Floyd and Roberto Martinez, and the trio looked on as their southpaws Nash and Freeman used big work rates to tip the scales in their favor.
Another impressive performance was turned in by North County’s Jerrell Gladney, who captured the title in the heavyweight division as his brother (and pro fighter) Mike looked on.
After watching all 13 bouts, I wasn’t braced for the blast of icy air that greeted me on my way out the door, but it was comforting to think of the warm way in which huge crowds supported local boxing last week.
Food and fights at the Viking
Amateur boxing returns to the Viking Hotel at Lindbergh and Watson on Friday, February 23 and the $35 ticket price includes a steak dinner. A cash bar will be serving from 6 until 7 pm, followed by dinner from 7 until 8. The first bell will ring at 8:15 to usher in the evening’s action. Tickets and more information are available by calling (314) 620-2145.
