By Ken Hissner: At Stormont Vail Event Center, Topeka, Kansas, Friday over ShoBox the Next Generation Lou DiBella (DiBella Entertainment) and Holden Productions presented in the Main Event super welterweight Ardreal Holmes, Jr. defeated Ismael Villarreal by split decision over ten rounds.
In the co-main event, super featherweight Misael Lopez lost a split decision due to a knockdown to Edward “Kid” Vazquez over ten rounds.
In the main event, super welter southpaw Ardreal Holmes, Jr., 12-0 (5), #152.5, of Flint, MI, Ismael Maelo Villarreal, 12-0 (8), #152.5, of Bronx, NY, ten rounds.
In the first three rounds, the much taller Holmes countered well with his jab against the aggressive Villarreal. In the fourth round, Villarreal came back well but not quite enough to take the round as Holmes ended the round with a three-punch combination.
In the fifth round, for the second time in the fight, Villarreal turned southpaw for a few seconds, being frustrated and not being able to get inside the jab of Holmes while hardly landing a jab up to this point. In the sixth round’s first half a minute, Villarreal finally landed an overhand right to the chin of Holmes and ended the round with a right on the chin. In the seventh round, it was Holmes chasing Villarreal for the most part of the round.
As the bell sounded to start the eighth round, Villarreal’s trainer was still in the ring urging his fighter to be more aggressive. At the halfway point, Holmes stunned Villarreal with a lead left on the chin. Never going past six rounds before Villarreal seemed to show fatigue.
In the ninth round, Holmes continued out-landing Villarreal until the final ten seconds, with Villarreal having Holmes in a corner with a flurry of punches. In the tenth and final round, Villarreal, knowing he needed a knockout, came out throwing punches in bunches having Holmes in a corner against the ropes for the first two minutes, with Holmes finishing stronger of the two. Scores were 96-94 for each and 97-93 Holmes with this writer 98-92 Holmes. The referee was Jacob Villa.
In the co-main event, Misael Lopez, 14-2-1nd (5), #124.4, of Agua Prieta, MEX and Denver, CO, lost a split decision to Edward “Kid” Vazquez, 14-1-1nd (3), #125.2, of Ft. Worth, TX, over ten action-packed rounds.
In the second round, a Vazquez left hook on the side of the head for a flash knockdown over Lopez for an 8-count from Referee Kevin Champion. In the third round, Lopez came back well, scoring a four-punch combination midway in the round. In the fourth and fifth rounds, both had their moments, with Vasquez being the aggressor and having a slight edge. There was swelling under both eyes of Lopez by the end of the round.
In the sixth and seventh rounds, Lopez came back, outworking Vazquez for the most part. In the eighth round, it was Vazquez having an edge still coming forward against the countering of Lopez.
In the ninth round, Vazquez seemed to outwork Lopez again. In the tenth and final round, the action continued with the knockdown, a major point in a fight close enough to be a draw.
Scores were 96-93 and 95-94 for Vazquez, with 95-94 for Lopez. This writer had it 95-94 Vazquez.
Super Lightweight Kurt Scoby, 11-0 (9), #139.8, of New York, NY, stopped southpaw John “The Beast” Mannu, 7-1-1 (4), #139.8, of Wantirna, Victoria, AUST, at 1:40 of the second round scoring four knockdowns in a scheduled eight rounds.
In the second round, a right from Scoby dropped Mannu for an 8-count from Referee Jacob Villa. Again Scoby dropped Mannu with a right on the chin. For a third time, Scoby dropped Manu. After dropping Mannu for a fourth time in a corner, referee Villa finally waved it off. He should have stopped it after three knockdowns.
Light Heavyweight Juan Carrillo, 10-0 (8), #?, of Barranquilla, COL, stopped Robert Burwell, 10-8 (3), #?, of Orlando, FL, in four rounds of a scheduled eight rounds.
Welterweight David “Dynamite” Lopez, 2-0 (2), #?, of Las Vegas, NV, knocked out Paul Martin Walters, 0-1 (0), #?, of Riverview, FL, in the first round of a scheduled 4.
Heavyweight John Cantrell, 6-0 (6), #?, of Topeka, KS, Brandon Carmack, 6-1-2 (3), #?, of Kansas City, MO, four rounds.