From Glen Burnie, Maryland
One of the few constants in the sporting world is Ballroom Boxing at Michael’s Eighth Avenue. Promoter Scott Wagner appeared to be as proud as a peacock after the latest show on January 27th, and not without justification. Now in its 12th season, the Ballroom Gang has the team in place to remain a club boxing dynasty for many years to come. Director of Operations Dave Wilkerson coordinates the activities of the evening with a two way radio in one hand while shaking hands with the other, working the room and calling ringsiders by name. Matchmaker Chris Middendorf consistently proves the point that many boxing people have been making -put on good, exciting fights and boxing fans will pay to see it, even without the media exposure that is granted to other sports.
The highlight of the most recent edition of the series was the performance of the fighting Dirrell brothers. Andre Dirrell, a bronze medallist in the 2004 Olympics, entered the ring for his first pro fight with accompanying rap music, wearing white trunks, red striped in shiny diamond glitter, surrounded by seven handlers for his four round light heavyweight fight with Carlos Jones. Jones had already entered the ring unnoticed with his two seconds, clad in plain black trunks with two thin white stripes.
When the bell rang, the difference between the Olympian and the blue collar Jones was just as apparent. Andre, known as “The Matrix Man,” can begin a round as a southpaw and convert to the conventional stance so smoothly that it can hardly be detected. Andre showed a sharp left jab in a tentative first round. He became more active in round two, showing good movement and fast combinations, making Carlos miss badly, finishing the round with three good lefts, an uppercut, and an overhand left. Dirrell showed his versatility in the third, using left jabs, a good right lead, an overhand right, and a quick right cross before decking Jones with a left hook. By round four, Andre was working hard to score a knockout. He scored with a furious combination, moving Jones from one side of the ropes to another. After referee John Gradowski deducted a point from Jones for fouling, Dirrell dug deep, throwing his power lefts and rights a little wide but catching Jones, and putting him on the canvas. After a series of lefts in Jones’ corner, Gradowski stopped the fight at 2:50 of round four. Jones’ record fell to 3-5, with 2 KO’s.
Andre may have felt increased pressure to finish strong with a stoppage because of the brilliant performance of his brother, Anthony Dirrell, who was also making his pro debut in a middleweight fight with Henry Dukes. Anthony was well on his way to the Olympics himself until he broke his hand. He came out with his fast hands firing in combinations, dropping Dukes with a big left hook followed by a right uppercut. Referee Bill Holmes called a halt to the fight after Dirrell launched a two fisted assault, pinning the now 0-5 Dukes against the ropes near Dukes’ corner. Anthony closed the show with a reverse back flip in the center of the ring after his television interview.
In the opening four rounder, heavyweight Mike Dietrich improved his record to 3-0, with 1 knockout over Royphy Solieau, now 0-5. Dietrich floored Solieau in the first with a left to the body, and continued to dominate throughout with right hands and a good body attack. Judges Kenny Chevalier, Don Risher, and Malik Waleed all scored the fight 40-35. John Gradowski was the third man in the ring.
Heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon scored a TKO over Yul Witherspoon, [no relation], in the second round. Yul, a two time Marine Corp champ, appeared out of shape, his jiggling body forced to clinch in the first after four good rights, a left hook, followed by an overhand right. After Chazz landed a right cross following his jab, Yul was warned for holding behind the head. After that, a good left hook and overhand right sent Yul to the canvas like a beached whale, prompting Referee Bill Holmes to stop the fight. Chazz improves his record to 2-0, both knockouts, while Yul drops to 1-1 without a knockout.
In a scheduled eight round jr. lightweight co-feature, Roman “Rocky” Martinez, 10-0-1, 7 KO’s wore down Mario Lacey, now 7-8-4, 6KO’s, to score a fifth round TKO. Both men missed punches in the early going, but Martinez began to find the range in the third, scoring to the body and landing a good uppercut. Lacey began counter-punching well behind a good jab in the fourth. Then, after landing an overhand right, he was decked by a big Martinez right. His second trip to the canvas was ruled a slip, but a combination sent him down again, Martinez used a two fisted attack in the fifth, landing up and down before finishing with a big left. Referee Kenny Chevalier stepped in to stop the fight.
The main event, erroneously announced as a jr. featherweight skirmish, was a jr. lightweight fight featuring former title contender Lamont “Bay” Pearson in his first fight in 17 months. Pearson last laced up his gloves for the WBA 130 lb. title, when he broke his hand, causing the fight to be stopped. In an effort to revive his career, he faced Ivan Alvarez, who entered the ring with a record of 19-15, with 8KO’s. Pearson showed signs of ring rust in carving out a workmanlike eight round unanimous decision. From the start, Lamont was the aggressor, boring in, looking for an opening. His jab, tentative in the first round was piston-like by the third as he steadily marched forward, trying to get closer to Alvarez. Pearson was jabbing effectively in round four, and the start of the fifth, but Pearson countered well in the fifth when Pearson began missing punches. The journeyman Alvarez also scored well as the aggressor in the eighth, with a combination, a good counter right and an overhand right. Judge John Gradowski saw it 79-73, Don Risher and Bill Holmes scored 78-74, all for Pearson. Referee Malik Waleed controlled the action, as well as both corners. It was a good technical return for Pearson, whose record improves to 21-3-1, with 11 KO’S.
It was a bitterly cold night in Glen Burnie, Maryland. But the fighters, the promotion team and the drop dead gorgeous card girls kept the heat up in the Ballroom. The next show is scheduled for March 10.