Undefeated welterweight “The Dog” Tamir Smalls won a close fight over Seantorius with an eight-round unanimous decision Friday night at the Red Owl Boxing Arena, Houston, Texas. The scores were 77-75, 77-75 and 78-74.
In the co-feature, light welterweight Dion Jones was suddenly stopped by Elijah Williams in the sixth round in the finals of the Tournament of Shadows Fight.
In the main event, welterweight Smalls (12-0, 8 KOs) defeated southpaw Martin (10-1, 6 KOs) in eight rounds.
In the first round, returning after a year, Martin faced an opponent with a winning record for the first time. There wasn’t much to choose between the two. In the second round, it was more of the same, without getting his way for the most part. In the third round, Martin had a small cut on his right cheek, drawing some blood – a good round for Smalls, who landed a flurry at points in the round.
Smalls was landing the cleaner punches in the fourth round, mostly with rights to Martin’s chin. In the fifth round, Smalls had another good round, landing rights to Martin’s chin.
In the sixth round, Smalls was able to outwork Martin enough to take the round. In the seventh round, Martin used an effective jab in the first minute. The rest of the way, it went back and forth, with Martin having a slight lead.
In the eighth and final round, Smalls had his way until the last minute, when Martin came back well with upper rights to Smalls’ chin. In the end, it could go either way, putting it in the hands of the judges.
Scores were 77-75 twice and 78-74.
In the headline bout, light welterweight Dion Jones (7-1, 6 KOs) was stopped in the sixth round by welterweight Elijah Williams (10-1, 4 KOs) at 1:58 of the sixth round of eight scheduled rounds.
In the first round, Williams had his way for the most part. With one minute remaining with his back to the ropes, Jones landed a solid left on the chin, knocking Williams out for an 8 count from referee James Green.
In the second lap, Williams came back well enough to start chasing Jones again in a tight turn. In the third round, Jones turned south. Midway Williams suffered a cut on his left eyebrow.
In the fourth round, Jones would fall back and suddenly close, taking the game from Williams all the way. In the fifth round, Williams, who was coming especially close, was caught with a straight overhand from Jones on the chin halfway through.
In the sixth round, a right to the chin from Williams hurt Jones, who grabbed Williams by the waist as Referee James Green stepped in with Williams landing a punch when the Referee immediately called a stoppage on the everyone’s amazement.
Super featherweight Travis Crawford (7-3, 2 KOs) lost a decision to Joshafat Ortiz (13-1, 6 KOs) in six rounds, with Crawford scoring the lone knockdown in the first round.
In the first round, Ortiz had his way until, halfway through the point, Crawford landed a left to the side of the head followed by a right uppercut to the chin, dropping Ortiz for an 8-count. by referee Joe Rodriguez. In the second and third rounds, Ortiz came back in a couple of close rounds to do enough to take the rounds, landing Crawford.
In the fourth and fifth rounds Ortiz landed his rights enough to take close rounds. In the sixth and final round, the two fighters mixed it up nicely in a close round with Ortiz getting the better of it for the most part.
The scores were 58-55, 58-55 and 57-56.
Dash Simmons (5-0, 5 KOs) stopped southpaw “Fighting Prince Nosa Divine Nehikhare (5-3) at 1:10 of the fourth round of the scheduled six rounds.
In the first round the tallest at 6’04” Simmons was against the more aggressive Nehikhare who landed the best punch of the round in the last minute a straight left on the chin of Simmons. In the second round, Simmons he stayed on the ground more, landed more punches to take the round.
In the final seconds of the third round, Simmons landed a left and a possible push, putting Nehikhare on the canvas for an 8 count by referee Green, which gave him enough time to get to the bell. In the fourth round, a straight uppercut followed by a left hook from Simmons on the chin dropped Nehikhare for an 8-count. At the rise, he did not react to the referee, who called a stop.
Middleweight Steve Cunningham, Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) won a majority decision over Rudy Reveles (1-1) in four rounds.
In the first round, Reveles continued to advance, trying to catch the fleeting Cunningham who returned after 15 months of inactivity, which he countered when he stopped to the body. In the last thirty seconds, Reveles landed a 3 punch combination. In the corner is Cunningham’s father, former cruiserweight champion, Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham.
In the third round, the taller Cunningham was not so busy in a close round that Reveles finished with a couple of rights to the head, taking the turn. In the fourth and final round, it was another tight one with the 31-year-old Reveles still closing in and the 21-year-old Cunningham, hands at his sides against when he stopped moving around the ring. In Cunningham’s corner were his father, Steve, and newly inducted PAB HOF Shar’ron Baker.
The scores were 38-38, 39-37 and 39-37.
Super featherweight Gustavo Rivera Rio (11-1, 7 KOs) defeated Joseph Cruz (9-11-1, 5 KOs) in six rounds.
In the first three rounds, Rivera Rio focused on the body, mostly with uppercuts, and took all the rounds.
In the last minute of the fourth round, Rivera Rio opened with overhand rights and then retired in the final seconds. In the fifth Cruz landed his best punch up to this point a left uppercut to the chin of Rivera Rio.
Cruz had won his last two fights. Rivera Rios continued to go to the body. The sixth and final inning was competitive, with Rivera Rios pitching a shutout.
The scores were 60-54, 60-54 and 60-54.
Welterweight Santana Draper (1-0, 1 KO), #145 ½, of Fresno, CA, Keith Foreman, 0-2-1 (0), #146 ¼, of Harlingen, TX, 4 rounds.
