The Pride is Back!!!
Manfredo Stops Muller
May 11, 2007
Ringside Report: Peter Heintzelman
Photos: Emily Harney
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A near capacity crowd at the Twin River Entertainment Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island, packed Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports' seven-bout card to see the comeback of "The Pride of Providence," Peter Manfredo, Jr.
Manfredo's fan base came out in force to cheer their favorite son on to victory over granite-chinned tough guy, Ted Muller, of Moline, Illinois. Manfredo put on an awesome display of punches, moves and tempered tenacity before Referee Charlie Dwyer caught a dazed and stumbling Muller before he fell to the canvas in round nine.
Manfredo started cautiously, measuring his prey, measuring his distance. The fighters circled each other in the middle of the ring, and while Muller scored mostly with jabs, Manfredo counterpunched more crisply and precisely, jabbing and hooking his way into an obvious lead on the judges' scorecards.
Muller, a game "come at you" fighter, showed his tenacity, coming forward with a number of shots that jarred Manfredo's head, but for the most part, he could not find many openings. Manfredo would quickly circle out of range, and counter with head and body shots. Showing calm in the eye of a storm, his offense was crisp and on target.
The middle rounds saw Muller attempting to get back into the scoring battle, as he backed his foe into the ropes, inflicting high-energy body shots and upper cuts. Manfredo, for the most part, displayed a talent for defense, which prevented any serious injury. Muller appeared to punch himself out. Manfredo responded with flurries of counterpunching jabs, hooks and uppercuts that drew blood from Muller's brow.
After six rounds, Muller dripped sweat and blood, and appeared a beaten man while Manfredo looked fresh. Despite the brave efforts of Muller, it did not appear he had won a single round through six.
In round seven, Manfredo doubled up on jabs, and unleashed effective uppercuts and hooks upon his foe, who could only grab to subdue the onslaught. At round's end, Muller waved his gloves toward the crowd and looked for support that did not come.
In the eighth round, the "Pride of Providence" got busy head hunting, swiftly hitting home, backing up and circling his opponent, then returning in close to inflict further right jabs to the head and left hooks to the body. Manfredo was in high gear, sharp and crisp, while Muller could only attempt powerless counterpunches. The crowd responded with a roar of excitement, sensing the end was near. Manfredo landed a power right jab to Muller's ear to end the round.
In the ninth, Manfredo quickly landed a left jab and left body shot, ala Micky Ward, that melted Muller to the canvas. Referee Dwyer gave Muller a standing eight count, and eyed him closely as he wiped off his gloves. The crowd smelled blood and a win for their hometown favorite, who responded with a fierce flurry of head shots that ended at 1:19 of the ninth round, as Dwyer had seen enough.
With the win, Manfredo heads back up the rankings and elevates his record to 27-4, 13 KOs. Muller's record goes to 19-11-2, 9 KOs.
Manfredo vs Muller Photos
Estrada Outpoints Hawkins
In the co-feature of the night, Jason "Big Six" Estrada, of Providence, Rhode Island, decisioned Philadelphian Robert Hawkins in a six-round heavyweight bout.
Although it was a slow paced fight, filled with pushing, grabbing and ineffective punching, the fighters seemed relatively well matched. In the middle rounds, Hawkins seemed the more active fighter, while Estrada looked controlled, patient, and content with a counterpunching strategy that scored enough points with the judges to win the bout.
The judges gave the unanimous nod to Estrada, 59-55 and 60-54 twice. FightNews scored it 58-56 for Estrada, who advances his record to 9-1, 1 KO, while Hawkins slides to 21-8, 7 KOs.
Estrada vs Hawkins Photos
Starnino Edges Craycraft!
Middleweights, Richard "Bobo" Starnino, of Providence, Rhode Island, and Cheshire, Ohio's Daniel "Da Man" Craycraft duked it out in this four rounder which was full of energetic jabs and hooks.
The fighters traded punches evenly, but Starnino appeared the aggressor through most the bout - probably the best performance of his professional career.
Final scores were unanimous: 39-37 for Starnino. With the win, Bobo climbs to 8-2-1, 1 KO. Craycraft skids to 10-17-3, 2 KOs.
Starnino vs Craycraft Photos
Camacho TKO's Dukes!
Super middleweight Angel Camacho, Jr., of Johnston, Rhode Island, extended his undefeated record to 6-0, 4 KOs, by scoring a technical knockout at 1:19 of the first round over Jacksonville Florida's Donyell Dukes.
Camacho showed height, reach, and power advantages over Dukes, quickly inflicting a flurry of head shots and jabs that drove the crowd wild.
Referee Joey Lupino saw enough unanswered punishment to call the fight short.
Dukes evened his record at 1-1, 0 KO's.
Camacho Jr. vs Dukes Photos
Soto Dominates Fernandes!
Pawtucket, Rhode Island's Eddie "The Puerto Rican Sensation" Soto defeated Felix "The Joker" Fernandes, of Brockton, Massachusetts, in a four-round light welterweight battle.
Soto dominated the bout with great counterpunching skills and utilized effective jabs and body hooks that put Fernandes down on a knee for two separate eight counts.
The judges scored it 40-35, 38-36, and 39-36, all for Soto.
Soto rises to a still undefeated 8-0, 4 KOs, while Fernandes settles at 4-7, 2 KOs.
Soto vs Fernandes Photos
Lundy Hammers Velasquez!
Philadelphian "Hammerin" Hank Lundy sent late sub Jose Velasquez, of Worcester, MA, tumbling to the canvas at 2:29 seconds of the second round.
Lundy controlled the light welterweight bout with aggressive inside fighting and jabs and body shots that sent Velasquez to the turf twice.
Lundy looked great, and advanced his undefeated record to 5-0, adding his fourth KO along the way. Velasquez lost his pro debut.
Lundy vs Valasquez Photos
Tillinghast Brings the House Down!
In the fight of the night, Providence, Rhode Island's Jarrod Tillinghast scored a thrilling unanimous four-round decision over a very competitive Jeffrey Osborne from Davenport, Iowa.
To the crowd's cheers of "Jarrod, Jarrod, Jarrod," Tillinghast overcame his opponent's strong and effective jabs and responded with an electric flurry of inside punches.
Round two saw a bloodied Tillinghast intent on inflicting injury and pain, and he came out aggressively to fulfill that intent. His powerful left jabs shook Osborne, and the crowd went wild, as Osborne could only gab and cushion the blow.
In the third round, both fighters came forward and were not shy to exchange big crowd-pleasing jabs and hooks. Tillinghast had Osborne in trouble after effective head shots, and the crowd responded with their chants. Osborne landed a quieting head shot. Tillinghast remained light on his feet. At the ten second count, Osborne landed another right jab that shook Tillinghast; the fight appeared that it could go either way.
In the fourth and final round, Tillinghast jabbed and circled Osborne, eluding the counterpunches thrown his way. Osborne responded with a head hunting attack that pushed Tillinghast against the ropes. Tillinghast landed a fantastic right jab to the head and a series of show-stopping jabs and hooks that had Osborne backing up.
At the final bell, the crowd roared their approval, and the fighters embraced and raised each other's gloves in appreciation.
The scores of 39-37 and 40-36 twice for Tillinghast was warmly received by the crowd, while FightNews scored it closer at 39-38 for Tillinghast. Jarrod Tillinghast climbs to a still undefeated record of 8-0, 2 KOs. Jeffrey Osborne is now a respectable 4-5-2, 1 KO, proving that a record does not always reflect a great fighter's crowd appeal.
Tillinghast vs Osborne Photos
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