Mike Jones Continues Rising By Jared Shelly Swagger is an attribute that boxers can’t train for. Either you’ve had it since you were young or you developed it by beating opponent after opponent. However Mike Jones got his, he showed it Aug. 29 at the New Alhambra in Jones made his presence known from the moment he emerged from the dressing room to the eerie and electrifying Phil Collins tune “In the Air Tonight,” wearing a white baseball cap, backward sunglasses and appearing in incredible shape. Swagger. The 15-0 welterweight from North Philadelphia took on Brazilian Juliano Ramos (15-1) for the NABA welterweight title, and after taking a measured approach to round one, came out landing fierce combinations to start round two. “I opened him up with a body shot on his left side,” said the 25-year-old Jones after the fight, noting that he tried to pick on the weakness early in the fight. While Ramos, 28, showed a good chin and landed a few clean right hands, the speed of Jones’ crisp punches began to show a separation in talent. With Jones’ superior skills, it appeared that if—or when—Jones let his hands go free, he could do serious damage. In round four, it was all Jones who pinned his opponent against the ropes by firing away combination after combination. Ramos looked close to falling, but bell run ending the round. Jones proceeded with a bit more caution in the fifth, but in the following round, started the barrage with more time left on the clock, and it got to the point where Ramos couldn’t defend the onslaught of punches, forcing referee Steve Smoger to stop the fight. “I knew I had him hurt, but I didn’t know how hurt he was,” recalls Jones, as a trainer cuts the tape off of his hands. “That’s why I backed off him the first time.” With his black and gold belt glistening on his waist in the locker room after the fight, Jones said that it is his first belt ever—amateur or professional. “I’m going to be looking at it all night,” said Jones. Jones threw his right hand sparingly in the bout, perhaps being cautious since he hurt it in his last fight, held in May against Gilbert Venegas. It was subtle, but in the third round, Jones looked down at his right hand. When asked later if it was hurt during the fight, he said he was at full strength. “My hands feel great,” he said. “I should have thrown [my right hand] a little more, maybe it would have been a faster fight.” The knockout was Jones’ 13th in 15 fights and ends a streak of two fights (against Venegas and Germaine Sanders) where Jones won by decision, perhaps silencing critics who wondered if he had lost his knockout power or had the punching strength to tangle with the best in the division. The two decisions and his most current knockout win—his first fight scheduled for 10 rounds—also gave him much needed ring experience. While he only fought 20 rounds in his first 10 fights, he now has 46 under his belt. Just weeks earlier, promoters J. Russell Peltz, Joe Hand Sr. and Joe Hand Jr. asked fans for suggestions on a nickname, and finally chose “The Messiah.” While Jones said that he refers to Peltz for decisions on his future, he knows that he wants to keep on climbing in the welterweight division. “I want to be known all around the world,” he said. “This was a stepping stone.”
You Don’t Mess With the Nakash
Jared Shelly The Philadelphia Boxing Report
After his manager guaranteed a knockout victory, the pressure was on for undefeated Ran “Sweet Dreams” Nakash (13-0, 9KOs). Fighting heavyweight James Porter (5-13-1, 3 KOs) at the Legendary Blue Horizon in North Philadelphia on June 6, Nakash, who is normally a cruiserweight, gave up 10-15 pounds to Porter. If that weren’t enough, Porter hasn’t been knocked out since 2003 —12 fights ago.
Nakash, who hails from Tel Aviv, Israel, entered the ring draped in an Israeli flag and wearing a red Philadelphia Phillies cap. Along with being a boxing contender, he is a soldier in the Israel Defense Force, serving as the head trainer of Krav Maga — the Israeli hand-to-hand combat system.
“[Porter’s] going to be knocked out. 100 percent,” said Nakash’s manager Raanan Tal a few days before the fight. “Ran is ready to go, he looks much more fit, with less fat and more muscle. He’s looking forward to meeting this guy.”
In the first round, Porter landed some quick shots, while Nakash landed less, but made his straight, hard punches count. Twenty seconds into round two, Nakash connected with a straight right hand that forced Porter to fall forward onto Nakash who stepped back to let his opponent hit the canvas. When Porter tried to get up after a few seconds, he fell back down, and after seeing him get knocked down twice from one punch, the referee stopped the fight.
“Philadelphia is like my second home,” said Nakash who won all five fights he has had at the Blue Horizon. “The crowd always treats me like one of their own.”
When he’s not boxing in Philadelphia, Nakash fights in various cities across Israel, often against Palestinian or Arab opponents in front of raucous crowds.
“There are thousands of people watching an Israeli vs. an Arab,” said Tal, “and he beats them every time.”
Nakash plans to move back to cruiserweight for a fight scheduled for July in Germany, then one in August in Tel Aviv. Come September 12, he will return to the Blue Horizon along with Israeli welterweight Elad Shmuel.
“I hope to keep working my way up the cruiserweight division,” he said, “until I’m world champion.”
Hunter Shocks Blackwell
Eric Hunter must always be ready to fight.
Taking the fight on just one day’s notice, he found himself in a battle of two up-and-coming featherweights. The West Philadelphia native faced-off against previously undefeated Jules Blackwell from Phoenixville, Pa., who was originally scheduled to fight Tyrell Samuel.
From the outset of the fight, it seemed that Hunter was just too strong and fast for Blackwell, who hit the canvas toward the end of the second round from a straight right hand after some stiff body blows. It was the first time that Blackwell was knocked down in his pro career. In the third round it was more of the same, as the referee called the fight after Hunter landed a crushing left hook.
The win improves Hunter’s record to 9-1, while dropping Blackwell’s to 7-1-2.
“I don’t like to waste any shots,” said Hunter, celebrating with a large entourage of family and friends after the fight. “I wish they didn’t stop the fight, I wanted to really punish him.”
Showtime Doesn’t Need Much Time
After an initial rush by Jaime Morales, Steve “Showtime” Upsher Chambers made quick work of his opponent, driving him into the corner of the ring and landing countless unanswered blows that did major damage. Morales dropped to one knee but was too dazed to continue, forcing the referee to stop the fight just one minute into the first round.
The welterweight fight brought Chambers’ record to 17-1-1 and dropped Morales to 4-8.
The Ghost returns to haunt Boardwalk Hall yet again.
By Mike Cassell The Philadelphia Boxing Report 6/4/2008
When I asked Philadelphia middleweight legend Bernard Hopkins what he thought of Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik (33-0, 29 KOs), last year, his reply was simply, “don’t believe the hype”. Well, I’m sorry Bernard, I’m believing, buying, and getting in line for some more, when it comes to Kelly Pavlik. On Saturday night, Pavlik returns to the Jersey Shore to defend his WBC 160lb belt against one of Enzo Calzaghe’s best. No not his son, but another slugger from Whales named Gary Lockett (30-1, 21 KOs). Boardwalk Hall is the place where 20,000 screaming fans watched Pavlik climb from the canvas in a very “Rocky Balboa” like moment, to totally destroy Jermaine Taylor last year, the man who beat one of Philadelphia’s toughest, tough guys Bernard Hopkins twice. He met Taylor again in February of this year, and thoroughly outpointed him in a fight that showcased Pavlik’s amazing ring generalship.
Pavlik’s alias is the Ghost, which is very poignant, because none of the top middleweight names really want anything to do with him. Like a slew of Top Rank fighters, even as champion, he is very low key, and seems to fly under the radar. Top Rank has the best talent in the world, but little is being done to acknowledge that fact. It is one of the reasons Miguel Cotto will fight his stable mate Antonio Margarito this year. Nobody else with a pedigree wants anything to do with them. Kelly Pavlik may have to wait for guys like Winky Wright, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Antonio Tarver and Roy Jones to make the big money. In the meantime, Pavlik is recognized as the best young middleweight in the world, and soon dodging him will not be an option. This fight with Lockett will be a warm up for a possible match with Joe Calzaghe. Lockett’s trainer Enzo Calzaghe may be using this fight to get a good look at what his son will have to face. If Joe Calzaghe wants to be considered one of the best, he will have to take a detour through Boardwalk Hall.
KEEP THE CLICKER CLOSE.
If you get really tired of watching Pavlik walk through Lockett, which is going to happen. Showtime television is going put on a pretty good show when Carlos Quintana (25-1, 19 KOs) will meet the man he upset earlier this year Paul Williams (33-1, 24 KOs). Williams was considered the unique freak, sporting an 82” reach and was being called by some, a guaranteed lock to do some great things. Quintana embarrassed Williams the last time out, beating him in a convincing decision. Quintana’s only loss was to Miguel Cotto in 2006. Cotto destroyed him with a knockout body punch. After Quintana clearly beat Williams, HBO’s Max Kellerman asked the question. If Quintana is this good, how great is Miguel Cotto? Answer; really freaking good Max.
You can also catch Sergio Mora (20-0-1, 5 KOs) of the former Contender series, take on the talented but lately injury plagued, Vernon Forrest. (40-2, 29 KOs) This will only be as good as Forrest makes it. If he runs around like he did against Ike Quartey, it could be a boring night. So “Punch FORREST, PUNCH”!
FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE BLUE HORIZON
On Friday night at the Blue Horizon, Harvey Jolley (8-8-1, 5 KOs) a last minute replacement for Elieser Castillo (30-6-2, 17 KOs) will face the very rugged Adam Harris (10-0, 7 KOs) in the CRUISERWEIGHT main Event. Harris can be a very fun fighter to watch when he is on his game. To get tickets, go to www.bluehorizon.com
