Tunica, MS – There is a moment in the first Rocky film where Paulie brings Rocky back to his home in the hope that Rocky will take his sister Adrian out on a date. When they show up Adrian doesn’t want to go and Paulie screams “I want you out of here instamatically.” Shortly thereafter she and Rocky depart and the rest is history. Someone may have given the same ultimatum to all of Prize Fight Promotions’ fighters before their bouts on Saturday night, as they all showed a tremendous sense of urgency in getting their opponents out as quickly as possible.
The main event matching Super Middleweights Fernando Guerrero 15 – 0 (13 KO’s) and Chris Archer 11 – 8 (7 KO’s) was scheduled for eight rounds and proved to be the longest affair of the evening as it stretched all the way into the third round. Guerrero walked into the ring accompanied by a huge entourage that included both Lamont and Anthony Peterson. As the ring announcer introduced him Fernando stepped forward and unintentionally punched the microphone as he raised his hand to the crowd. Announcer J.D. Ryans quickly dropped to the ground, as if Guerrero had knocked him out, sending the crowd as well as opponent Chris Archer into hysterics. Unfortunately for Archer it would be his last moment of levity for the evening.
The first round featured southpaw Guerrero stalking behind his jab as Archer tried to continually pivot out of danger while releasing quick arm punches in an attempt to keep Fernando off of him. Any semblance of strategy fell apart for Archer in the second as he was pushed to the ropes by a straight left where he got trapped and fell victim to a plethora of pinpoint right hooks to the left side of his rib cage. For the remainder of the round Archer glued his left elbow to his body, in hopes of avoiding further punishment downstairs, and would eventually find himself knocked down from a shot upstairs. He gamely rose to his feet and was able to make it through the round. As the third began Guerrero doubled his efforts to the left side of Archer’s body and had him continually wincing in pain until he managed to trap him in a neutral corner and forced referee Randy Phillips to administer another count. As Phillips counted Archer pointed at his own corner where his chief second had jumped to the apron looking to stop the fight. Official time of the stoppage was 2:15 of the third round.
Shawn Porter 10-0 (8 KO’s) simply had his way against Lamar Harris 6 – 3 – 1 (4 KO’s) in a Junior Middleweight match up that was scheduled for six rounds. He stepped towards Harris behind a stiff jab and showed that he could move in and out of range whenever he pleased. An unintentional clash of heads left each man with a small cut on the left side of their head but Porter made sure it would have no effect on the outcome as he connected on a vicious series of hooks while Harris looked stiff and exhibited little head movement. The bout was called to a halt after Porter sent Harris to the canvas for a second time at 2:18 of the first round.
Young middleweight Dominic Wade 4 – 0 (4 KO’s) did a good job of maintaining range and not smothering his punches against Tyrone Dowdy 4 – 20 (3 KO’s) in a bout that was set for four rounds. Dowdy tried to lunge forward to close distance against the lanky Wade but Dominic continually kept him at the end of his punches exhibiting a crisp left hook to accompany his sneaky straight right. Wade also reinforced the appropriateness of his moniker “The Blade” as he hit Dowdy with a shot that opened a gash above his left eye. Referee Phillips called the physician up to the ring to take a look at it. The doctor allowed Dowdy to continue but it would not last much longer. Wade quickly worked him into a corner and scored a knockdown. Dowdy beat the count but was then faced with a flurry of punches that would prompt one of his corner men to send a towel flying into the ring as he hit the deck for a second time. The knockout was recorded at 2:25 of the first round.
Heavyweights Chazz Witherspoon 26 – 1 (8 KO’s) and Willie Perryman 10 – 20 (7 KO’s) faced off in a scheduled six rounder. Witherspoon was originally supposed to face Stacy Frazier 14 – 5 (13 KO’s) but he dropped out and Perryman was brought in to fill the void. At the start of the first both came out throwing hard shots but landing very little of consequence. At the end of the round Witherspoon began establishing his jab and started to look more comfortable. As the second began Perryman crowded Witherspoon and threw a series of wild wide shots. Chazz kept his guard up and weathered the storm. As soon as Perryman’s salvo finished Witherspoon began backing him up and caught him with a right hand that planted him on the canvas. Perryman beat the count but then got caught against the ropes where Witherspoon landed a showy uppercut to lift his head before following up with hooks that would once again bring in referee Phillips to administer a count. Perryman would fight on, but only for a few moments longer as Witherspoon knocked him down again causing the fight to be waved off at the 2:09 mark of the second round.
Heavyweight Mike Wilson scored a first round knockout in his pro debut against Marvin Hunt 12 – 23 (5 KO’s). The opening round began tentatively as Wilson pawed forward with his jab and neither landed much of consequence for the first minute. Finally Wilson would find an opening and catch Hunt with a right hand that staggered him. As Hunt tried to back away Wilson followed up with a barrage of punches that put him to the mat and convinced him to stay there. Official time of the stoppage was 1:59 of the first.
The entire card was available online at www.gofightlive.tv for $4.99. Prize Fight Promotions will be returning to Fitzgerald’s Casino in Tunica, MS for their next show on October 3, 2009.