By Ken Hissner: At the Overtime Elite Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, before another sellout crowd Friday over DAZN promoter Brandon Rhodes (OTX – Overtime Boxing) presented in the Main Event Middleweight Lorenzo ‘Truck’ Simpson, who was upset by a majority decision by Vladimir ‘24k’ Hernandez in an 8 round main event.
In the co-main event, Middleweight Greece’s Andreas Katzourakis came off the canvas in the first round to dominate Raphael ‘Trouble’ Igbokwe out of Houston, stopping him in the eighth and final round.
In the main event, Middleweight southpaw Lorenzo ‘Truck’ Simpson, 13-1 (7), #159.2, of Baltimore, MD, was upset, losing a majority decision to southpaw Vladimir ‘24k’ Hernandez, 14-5 (6), #158.8, of Ciudad Lerdo, Mex, over eight rounds.
In the first round, with a pair of southpaws, Simpson countered well, taking the round against the aggressive Hernandez. In the second round, it was Hernandez outworking Simpson. In the third round, Hernandez continued out-landing Simpson, hurting him with a right hook on the chin in the final minute.
In the fourth through the sixth rounds, Simpson kept coming forward, but Hernandez out-landed him for the most part. In the seventh round, it was close, with Simpson rocking Hernandez a minute into the round, but Hernandez seemed to come back well. In the eighth and final rounds, both let all hang out in an action round that Hernandez seemed to take. Referee Nate Mann.
Scores were 76-76, 78-74 and 79-73, and 78-74 KH.
In the Co-main event, Middleweight Andres Katzourakis, 11-0 (9), #160, of Athens, GR, came off the canvas in the first round to dominate and stop southpaw Nigerian Raphael ‘Trouble’ Igbokwe, 16-5 (7), #160, of Houston, TX, at 2:15 of the 8th and final round.
Twenty seconds into the first round, southpaw Igbokwe dropped Katzourakis with a left on the chin for an 8-count from Referee Malik Waleed. Katzourakis came back well the rest of the round, dropping Igbokwe ruled a low blow in the final seconds.
In the second round, Katzourakis came back well, outworking Igbokwe. In the third round, both fighters had their moments, with Katzourakis having an edge.
In the fourth round, Katzourakis dominated the entire round. Thirty seconds into the fifth round, Katzourakis landed a right on the chin, having Igbokwe out on his feet, but failed to follow up. Igbokwe fought back well, but not enough to take the round. In the sixth round, both had their moments, with Katzourakis having an edge.
In the seventh round, Katzourakis outworked Igbokwe. Midway, he pushed Igbokwe into the ropes without warning from referee Waleed. In the eighth and final round, Katzourakis had Igbokwe hurt, landing a dozen unanswered punches when referee Waleed wisely called a halt.
Referee Lightweight Luis Acosta, 13-2 (12), #134.6, of Houston, TX, lost by decision to Christian ‘Lapiton’ Barreto, 10-0 (7), #134.6, of Arecibio, PR, over six action rounds.
In the first round, Barreto outworked Acosta. In the second round, Barreto continued overpowering Acosta until the final minute when Acosta came off the ropes, landing four straight left hooks to the chin of Barreto. In the third and fourth rounds, Barreto out-landed Acosta, with both landing at the bell, ending the fourth round.
In the fifth round, Barreto continued edging Acosta in another close round. In the sixth and final round, a head clash caused by Barreto caused a gash on the right eyebrow of Acosta, bringing in the ring physician. Referee Nate Mann took a point from Barreto. The rest of the round, with Acosta needing a knockout, came back well, taking the round.
Scores were 59-54 and 58-55 twice, as did KH.
Super Middleweight Nat’l amateur champ Abel Gonzalez, 6-0 (4), #168, of Hialeah, FL, won a close decision over Olympic alternate Robert Magee, 8-1-2 (5), #168, of Bernville, MO, over six rounds.
In the first round, except for getting knocked off balance by a right on the chin with a minute remaining, Magee gave Gonzalez a boxing lesson. In the second round, Magee countered Gonzalez well, rocking him several times with a right on the chin. In the third round, Gonzalez rocked Magee several times in a close round.
In the fourth round, Gonzalez showed his punching power throughout. In the fifth round, Magee came back well using countering effective jabs. In the sixth and final round, after a minute, Gonzalez had Magee badly hurt with a left hook to the chin, but Magee came back well taking the final minute with aggressiveness of his own. Referee Malik Waleed.
Scores were 60-54 and 58-56 twice, Gonzalez 57-57 KH.
Lightweight 5-time National champion southpaw Czarina ‘The Black Rose’ McCoy, 11-2 (3), #137.2, of Las Vegas, NV, lost a split decision to late sub, Carisse ‘The Golden Child’ Brown, 10-6 (6), #133.2, of Lakeland, FL, over 6×2 rounds.
After splitting the first two rounds in the third round, Brown continued her rough tactics, getting warned for hitting behind the head. At the end of the round, she rocked McCoy with a right hand.
In the fourth round, Brown continued her wild swinging, having McCoy on the defense. In the fifth round, McCoy bounced back well, showing her boxing skills.
In the sixth and final round, McCoy was doing well until Brown dropped her with a right on the chin for an 8-count from Referee Dave Mann. Brown had stepped on the foot of McCoy that the referee missed.
Scores were 59-54 Brown, 57-56 McCoy, and 57-56 Brown, 58-55 Brown KH. The knockdown cost her the decision on the official’s scores that should not have been called due to stepping on her foot.
Super Middleweight southpaw Dante Lane, 1-0 (1), #166.8, of Elmont, Long Island, NY, stopped Nathan ‘Flawless’ Mitchell, 0-2-1 (0), #168, of Sanatobia, MS, at 2:29 of the first round of a scheduled four rounds.
In the first round southpaw, Lane dropped Mitchell halfway through the round with a left on the chin for an 8-count from Referee Malik Waleed. In the final minute, Lane dropped Mitchell again with a flurry of punches for the full count. Layne is an accomplished amateur managed by Split T-Boxing.
Ring Announcer Lupe Contreras