Foster Stays Champ As Carrington, Cortes & Johnson Score KO’s
In the headline bout of the evening, WBC super featherweight champion O’Shaquie “Ice Water” Foster (22-2, 12 KO’s) successfully defended his title from the challenge of Abraham “El Super” Nova (23-2, 16 KO’s) by way of split decision win.
Overall this was a very nip and tuck battle that would see-saw throughout nearly the entirety of the contest. For the better part of it though, Nova opted to come forward behind an offense consisting mainly of hard, hurtful punches. In opposition, Foster was more the counter-puncher who sought to make Nova pay when he blundered.
Toward the middle and early second half rounds, Foster began finding a rhythm and regularly caught El Super with a stiff straight right. Rounds nine and eleven were particularly strong, in fact, it appeared that Nova was hurt at the end of the eleventh. Then once again, Foster pulled off some twelfth heroics by scoring a clutch knock down by way of a left hook.
It turns out that the knockdown was significant when the cards were read and Ice Water prevailed to the tune of 114/113 Nova, and 115/112, 116/111 for Foster.
BRUCE CARRINGTON BEHEADS BERNARD TORRES IN THE FOURTH
While battling before his hometown crowd, Brooklyn born featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (11-0, 7 KO’s) crushed Bernard “La Maquina” Torres (18-2, 8 KO’s) with a fourth round knockout.
Despite contending with an almost comical deficit in height and arm length, the much stubbier Torres still gave Carrington a whole lot of initial problems. Armored with a high guard, La Maquina effectively hopped around, darting in and out in Manny Paqquiao fashion. Torres was also very successful both countering and punching in between Shu Shu’s punches.
As Carrington adjusted to the movement and guerilla tactics, he went from back-peddling and allowing Torres to lead to coming forward and stalking his opponent. During this process, Shu Shu had success targeting the body and his right hand got a little cozier with Torres’ face more and more each round.
In arguably the most fiercely contested round of the prizefight, the fourth, Carrington caught Torres with a perfectly placed right hook that violently dumped him to the canvas like [a Call of Duty sniper shot] or [paraplegic in a earthquake]. On the way down Torres fell and rolled on his right knee and ankle in grimace inducing fashion then sprawled out face down. Reduced to the mound of motionless flesh the bout was quickly called to a halt.
ANDRES CORTES UPSETS BRYON CHEVALIER IN FOUR
While performing on a grand platform super featherweight Andres Cortes (20-0, 11 KO’s) steamrolled Bryon “Chary” Chevalier (20-2-1, 16 KO’s) in a fourth round TKO. Despite being the #4 (WBO) fighter, Chevalier found himself on the wrong side of Cortes bullying bull style.
The major horns of his attack manifest in a thumping body hooks and looping hooks to the side of the skull. Far too often for his own good, Chevalier was rudely corralled to the ropes and brutalized. Certainly Chary had sporadic moments of success, yet it was clear that Cortes was the unquestioned boss in the ring.
Cortes’ withering offense caught up with Chevalier in the fourth. In this period, Cortes continued to apply his brutal pressure that was obviously beginning to wilt Chary. In fact, he was absorbing so much punishment that his own corner threw in the towel awarding the TKO to Cartes.
DELANTE JOHNSON MELTS PAULO GALDINO IN ROUND ONE
In his latest tour of duty, junior welterweight fighter Delante “Tiger” Johnson (12-0, 6 KO’s) collected the scalp of Paulo Cesar Galdino (13-3-2; 9 KO’s) by way of first round TKO. Right from the start it was clear that Johnson held a monopoly on speed, footwork and overall skill.
The Cleveland native wasted no time circling the ring and drawing in the aggressive Galdino who relentlessly followed him in classic zombie-like fashion. As he did this, Tiger blasted his foe with a wide variety of punches. The particular shots that landed with respectable consequence the most frequently were his straight right down the pipe and looping hooks to the rib cage.
In fact, it was a straight right that popped his head back and left him vulnerable for an indignant left uppercut which put Galdino on the canvas. Despite crisp shots and rung bell, Galdino found his feet and continued on. For his efforts, Tiger immediately belted and beat Galdino to the ropes, snapping his head back numerous times in the process.
As his defense was leaky as a crochet umbrella, Galdino found him eating more high artillery shots than Alex Murphy, soon to be Robocop. Recognizing his peril, referee Ricky Gonzalez hopped in to signal an end to the battery.
