Williams Stops Phillips in Ontario

Reigning WBO Welterweight Champion moved up to the 154-pound division on Saturday night, stopping former IBF Light Middleweight Champion Verno Phillips after eight bruising rounds at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California.

Williams (36-1, 27 KOs) of Augusta, Georgia added the Interim WBO Light Middleweight title to his collection of belts with the win, but it was no easy task. Phillips (42-11-1, 21 KOs) of Denver, Colorado never gave up and kept swinging away all fight. After a close first round, Williams, 153.5, took control of the fight and never let it go. Phillips, 154, stood in tough, but was getting hurt to the body all night. Williams, who was bleeding from a cut above his right eye since the first, continually pressed Phillips to the ropes and unleashed vicious combinations.

At the end of the eighth round, referee Jon Schorle sought the advice of the ringside physician who suggested the bout be stopped. Phillips, who gave up his IBF title to make the fight with Williams, had not been knocked out since his fifth pro bout in 1988.

If some willing challengers to Williams emerge, he may end up having more options than most people think. He currently holds titles in two weight classes and can still move up to middleweight to grab another. Williams made it clear that he still has no problem dropping back down in weight either. “I can beat anybody,” he said after the fight. “If they sign a fight at 147, you better believe I’ll make 147.”

Fighting in front of his hometown crowd, WBC #2/IBF #4 ranked Chris Arreola (26-0, 23 KOs) may have officially become America’s favorite heavyweight tonight.

Things did not start off well for the fighting pride of Riverside, California. WBO #4/IBF #13 ranked Travis Walker (28-2-1, 22 KOs) of Tallahassee, Florida came out of his corner like a raging bull to open the bout. Arreola, 254, decided to trade with him right off the bat, but was getting caught by some clean shots from the 6’4 ½” Walker. Things looked a bit bleak for the crowd favorite as the round came to a close.

What followed will be sure-fire candidate for round of the year. Early in the second, Walker, 231, dropped Arreola to a knee with an overhand right during an exchange of power shots. Undeterred, Arreola rose to his feet and went back after Walker. The fight turned as Arreola caught Walker with a clubbing right, dropping him hard to the canvas. Walker bravely made it to his feet, but was knocked down again by a flurry of hard shots against the ropes. Somehow Walker managed to make it to his feet and made it out of the round on shaky ground.

The one minute rest period between rounds would not be enough for Walker to recover from the second. Arreola stunned him with the first shot he threw, a straight right, and finished Walker with a clean left hook. Referee Jack Reiss not need to count, stopping the contest at 13 seconds of the third. Needless to say, the Riverside contingent went wild.

When asked how he got knocked down in the second round, Arreola responded plainly. “I got caught. He’s a strong guy, simple as that.” Most of the pre-fight talk centered around Arreola’s weight. He came in just under his career high for tonight’s fight. “A lot of people were criticizing my weight,” said Arreola. “But like I said, I wasn’t worried about the weight for this one. I was ready for war.” The bout was an IBF eliminator, which puts Arreola a step closer to fight with unified champion Wladimir Klitschko.

2008 U.S. Olympian Shawn Estrada (1-0, 1 KO) of East Los Angeles, California made his pro debut brief, stopping Lawrence Jones (2-2, 1 KO) of Washington, DC in the opening round. Estrada, 163.5, started fast against the defense-minded Jones, 159. Jones covered up and failed to return fire as Estrada unleashed a combination in the corner, forcing the referee to stop the contest at 1:00 of the first.

Matched tough, promising light welterweight prospect Michael Dallas Jr. (5-0-1, 1 KO) of Bakersfield, California rose to the challenge against the rugged and persistent Jose Alfredo Lugo (10-5-1, 5 KOs) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, but wound up with a majority draw in a good fight. Dallas, 140, displayed his excellent boxing skills, but also did not hesitate to stand his ground and trade with his Mexican adversary.

Lugo, 138.5, pressed forward, but found Dallas to be a hard target to hit until the last couple rounds. With Dallas appearing a bit winded, Lugo forced the action and found great results late in the fight. According to two of the judges, Lugo’s late rally was enough to earn the draw. Scores read 57-57 twice, with one 58-56 score for Dallas.

In a slow paced heavyweight bout, Manuel Quezada (25-4, 15 KOs) of Wasco, California passed the biggest test of his professional career, defeating Teke Oruh (14-2-1, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nevada with a ten-round unanimous decision. Quezada, 230, was the busier fighter for much of fight, while Oruh, 249, often looked to hold rather than engage. Quezada, who was defending his WBC CABOFE title, won by the score of 98-92 on all three cards.

Most of the fans that got to the arena by the 4:30 start time were there to see local favorite Josesito Lopez (23-3, 13 KOs) of Riverside and they were not disappointed. Lopez, 141.5, dropped his journeyman opponent Alex Perez (23-32-4, 18 KOs) of Miami, Florida with a left hook in the second. Perez, 142, rose on unsteady legs and immediately backed to the ropes. Lopez closed in and flurried until the referee called it at the 2:36 mark of the second.

The event, promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions, was the first boxing card held at the new Citizens Business Bank Arena.