By David Surgick at ringside: 2004 Olympic Gold medal winner Andre "S.O.G." Ward of Oakland, California, started off San Jose, California’s Fight Night at the Tank 2008 series with a resounding bang as he thoroughly dominated Detroit’s Rubin "Hollywood" Williams from the outset of a scheduled ten round super middleweight bout.
The hometown crowd of 4588 on hand to support the local fighters were witness to a Goosen-Tudor fight card which featured a little of everything from tko’s to drama on the scorecards. The fight’s are to be televised on FSN next week.
On hand as a special guest was the venerable boxing patriarch Anglo Dundee who was clearly honored to be in the corner of several of the fighters, helping out dear friend Jackie Kallen.
Ward, 15-0(9), 168lbs., started out the contest cautiously behind a probing left jab that had Williams covering, looking to time it over the top with his own jab and right hand that was not effective. By rounds end, Ward had appeared to have seen what Williams was capable of and went on the attack, punctuated by a leaping left hook-right cross at the bell.
A clash of heads during the second round produced a cut over the right eye of Williams, 29-4-1(16), 171lbs., which became an inviting target for the former Olympian throughout the remainder of the bout.
As the rounds progressed, Williams was reduced to waiting, looking to land the one big blow that would turn the bout in his favor which would never come. Things only got worse for him as Ward, supremely conditioned and confident, switched to southpaw during the third and began to land his thudding right jabs and left crosses with amazing accuracy on the now defensive Williams.
The end came at 2:51 of round seven when referee Jon Schorle called a quick time out for the ringside physician to inspect a deflated looking Williams who had just been hammered about the ring without mercy.
Williams was not visibly hurt during the protracted beating he had received during the round, but there was no doubt about the outcome of this one as the doctor saved him from further damage.
Karim "Hard Hitta" Mayfield, 6-0-1(5), of San Francisco, Ca., survived a scare in round four where he was in serious danger of being stopped-to hold on for a split decision win over Santa Barbara, Ca., Francisco "Chia" Santana, 8-1(4) in a scheduled six round jr. middleweight bout.
Mayfield built an early lead over the first three rounds by using his quick stinging left jab and right hands to offset Santana as he marched straight ahead, trying to apply pressure to the fleet footed Mayfield.
Early during the fourth, a booming right hand from Santana clearly stunned Mayfield who found himself against the ropes for the first time during the match. Santana, looking to take advantage of his good fortune, followed that up with another accurate right hand and a cracking left hook that had Mayfield stumbling about the ring and onto the canvas at the sound of the bell. Referee Ray Balewicz ruled it a slip but could have easily have ruled it a knockdown.
A still buzzed Mayfield bravely fought back during the fifth but was still hammered by Santana, who was now able to get close to Mayfield and do damage behind a barrage of left hooks and right hands to the head.
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To his credit, Mayfield came out clear headed and turned the tide in his favor with three overhand rights that had Santana backing up and in some trouble as he finished the round strong, winning what proved to be the most critical round of the bout.
The scorecards read 58-56, 58-56 and 56-58 in favor of Karim Mayfield by split decision. Santana had seemed to have won the hearts of many of the the fans as they booed the decision as it was being read.
WBC Minimum weight Women’s champion Carina "La Reina" Moreno of nearby Watsonville, Ca. improved her ledger to 17-1(5) as she put on a boxing clinic against Mexico’s game but over matched Mayela "la Cobrita" Perez, 7-6-1(6).
Moreno took the first minute to see what Perez had to offer and took command from that point on in this bout behind a text book left jab and jarring right hands, winning virtually evey exchange of this four round jr. Flywieght bout.
The scorecards were unanimous reading 40-36 by all three judges. Incidentally, Moreno won an extra $500 for her perfomance by winning the overwhelming applause of the hometown fans.
Los Angeles’ Rico Ramos made his pro debut a successful one by out hustling a game Sammy Yniguez, 2-2-1(0), over four rounds of a Jr. Featherweight bout.
Ramos was too well schooled for Yniguez as he consistantly peppered him with hard, fast lefts and rights winning a unanimous decision by scores of 40-36 by all three judges.
Welterweight Eric Garcia will have to wait another bout to earn his first win as he was held to a draw over four rounds by Marlo Cortez, 2-4-2(1).
Garcia appeared to have built up an early lead by boxing beautifully behind a sharp jab during the first three rounds. Enough so that it appeared he played it safe in round four which was dominated by the forward marching, busier Cortez.
The scorecards: 39-37 for Garcia. Over ruled by 38-38 twice making the bout a draw.
Jr. Welter weight Mike Dallas Jr. of Bakersfield, Ca. earned his first win by unanimous decision over Alejandro Balladares whose record slips to 0-1 for his debut.
There were a few close moments in rounds three and four but that was more to do with Dallas foregoing his side to side movement and electing to exchange with Balladares at close range.
The scorecards read 40-36 all in favor of Dallas by unanimous decision.
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