Pavlik Destroys Lockett!
Lopez Blasts Out De Leon!

June 7, 2008 - Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
Ringside Report: Rick Scharmberg and Kurt Wolfheimer
Photos: Ed Mulholland

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Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik (34-0 30 KOs) once again proved why he is considered one of the top middleweights, if not the best middleweight in the world, with an impressive third round stoppage of number one rated and mandatory WBO challenger Gary "The Rocket Man" Lockett (30-2, 21 KOs).

Pavlik of Youngstown, Ohio opened the bout with solid jabs, which kept Locket on the outside early on. Lockett from Cwmbran, Wales, tried to get inside the long jabs and actually caught Pavlik with a tight counter right upstairs, but was immediately backed up from a strong two-punch combination.

Pavlik doubled up and varied his jabs early in round two, which kept Lockett from timing anything. The power of Pavlik began to show as Lockett backed up from each big combination. A straight right on the chin wobbled Lockett and forced him to take a knee. Lockett was able to get back up and tried to fight off Pavlik, but two more big right hands sent him back to his knee with just seconds to go in the round. Lockett rose to his feet and the bell sounded before any more damage could be inflicted.

Lockett once again worked to establish his jab at the beginning of the second, but Pavlik was relentless with heavy combinations aimed upstairs. Each combination continually ended with heavy right hand thudding off the head of the tough as nails Welshman. The damage being done from the combinations was just too much as Lockett began to falter. Finally a straight left-right hook sent Lockett to a knee for the third and final time. Lockett's corner had seen enough and threw in the towel at 1:40 seconds of round three.

Pavlik landed an amazing 66 of 119 power punches (55%) while Lockett could only land 18 power punches of his 50 thrown.

"I just didn't see the shots coming," Lockett said afterwards. "He punches harder and faster then I thought. It wasn't just one punch, but the accumulation of punches. He was a fabulous fighter. Each time I threw punches, he was making me pay for it."

The WBO and WBC middleweight champion Pavlik spoke about the toughness of Lockett and his keys to victory afterwards. "Lockett was a legitimate fighter, who had good power. My jab was working and it set a lot of things up. It stopped him in his tracks. I knew I had buzzed him each time he took a knee."

The names of future opponents were thrown about a ringside. "Calzaghe would be a great fight and so would Abraham," said Pavlik. "I'll see what my managers and promoters propose and discuss it with them."---Kurt Wolfheimer

Pavlik vs Lockett Photos

Lopez Guns Down Ponce De Leon!

Juan Manuel Lopez proved he was for real Saturday after he dethroned defending WBO junior featherweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon with an explosive first round TKO. As expected, the bout was a shootout between two left-handed power punchers that had little chance of going the scheduled 12 round distance.

Ponce De Leon, of Cuahutemoc, Mexico, was making the seventh defense of the title he won back in 2005 with a unanimous decision over Sod Looknongyantoy, of Thailand. As an amateur, Ponce De Leon represented Mexico in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Lopez, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, was the WBO's #1-ranked contender coming into the bout. At 24, Lopez is three years younger than Ponce De Leon, and represented Puerto Rico in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Ponce De Leon went right after Lopez at the opening bell. He landed a series of hard right-left combinations, but Lopez stood his ground. Lopez jabbed, but he was only using it as a measuring stick for his lethal power shots. Midway through the round, Lopez unloaded a big left followed by a right hook that sent Ponce De Leon down hard.

Daniel got up on unsteady legs, and suddenly the hunter was now the hunted. Lopez tracked him down and hurt him with another hook followed by another straight left-right hook combination. Lopez then landed the finishing right hook that sent Ponce De Leon down again. He pulled himself up, but referee Michael Ortega stopped the bout at 2:25 of the first round.

"Juanma" Lopez, the new champion, remains unbeaten at 22-0, with 19 KOs, while Ponce De Leon drops to a still-impressive 34-2, with 30 KOs.

Upon exiting the ring, Lopez said, "I proved myself to a lot of people tonight. People didn't think I could beat him, but I knew that I could. Every time he threw the left hand, he was open for my right. I knew I would catch him-it was just a matter of when. He hit pretty hard, but not hard enough to hurt me. I was very confident going in."

Ponce De Leon said, "He hits hard, and he connected with a great shot. I wanted to continue, but the referee did his job. I feel good physically, and I want a rematch and the opportunity to get my title back."---Rick Scharmberg

De Leon vs Lopez Photos

Mitchell Overpowers Estrada!

Kevin Mitchell, of Dagenham, England, the WBO inter-continental junior lightweight crown, stopped Walter Estrada, of Barranquilla, Columbia at the end of the fifth round of a scheduled 12 round bout.

The first round was close, with each fighter setting the stage of what was to come. For Mitchell, it was the straight right hand, and for the southpaw Estrada it was the straight left. The second round was another close contest, with Mitchell scoring with a big right-left combination, and a series of lead rights to Estrada's chest and midsection. Estrada won round two on all three cards, however, by landing some serious straight left hands to Mitchell's head.

Mitchell's strength advantage, combined with his commitment to body punching, began taking their toll on Estrada in round three. Estrada was still landing his left, as well as his right hook, but Mitchell upped the ante in the fourth round. He was landing rights to the body and head, and was now combining his body shots with hard left hooks to the head, and Estrada began to wilt.

In the fifth, Mitchell continued chopping Estrada down, until a right hand followed by a left to the body sank Estrada in the closing seconds of the round. When Estrada got up, referee Lindsey Page took a long look before waving it off at 3:00 of the round. There were no complaints.

Mitchell goes to 27-0, with 20 KOs, while Estrada drops to 30-6, with 20 KOs.---Rick Scharmberg

Mitchell vs Estrada Photos

Medina Decisions Ovsepian!

Eberto Medina, of Chinchipe, Ecuador, spoiled the pro debut of Arman Ovespian, of Los Angeles, California by winning a majority decision in a four round junior middleweight bout.

Ovespian (0-1) had no answer to the free-swinging style of Medina (3-3-1, 1 KO), and was out worked in every round. There were no knockdowns, and neither fighter appeared to be hurt, as Medina used his experience and a varied attack to keep Ovespian honest.

The scores were 40-36 (twice) and 38-38.---Rick Scharmberg

Diaz Outworks Escamilla!

Bantamweight knockout artist Jorge Diaz (5-0, 4 KOs) of Jersey City, New Jersey was forced to go the distance for the first time in his career with a dominant six round unanimous decision victory over Gino Escamilla (5-2-1, 2 KOs) of Laredo, Texas. The bout was a big step up for the 20 year old Diaz, who faced his first fighter with an above .500 record

Diaz opened the bout with a solid body attack in round one, trying to chop down the Escamilla with hard left hooks underneath. Both fighters traded away attempting to control the opening round, but it was the bodywork early the won the round for Diaz

Escamilla stood his ground and actually bloodied the nose of Diaz with a big left hook on the chin. Escamilla immediately followed up with a tight two-punch combination to capture round two. The nose of Diaz bled throughout

Forced to fight a little more carefully, the Diaz methodically pressed the attack in the final three rounds, backing up Escamilla throughout with short combinations. Escamilla though outgunned in power, fought well enough to keep from Diaz really unloading any wild shots.

All three judges saw the bout in favor of Diaz by scores of 60-54, 60-54 and 59-55.

"I felt I was not hurting him with my shots to the body early, so I switched up and boxed him late," stated Diaz. "I wasn't satisfied with my performance, because the referee really would not let me go to the body early. He kept telling me to bring my punches up. He also kept hitting behind the head and the referee didn't say anything about it, so I had to box my way to the decision."---Kurt Wolfheimer

Diaz vs Escamilla Photos

Soto Blasts Out Mejia in :58 Seconds!

Hard hitting super lightweight Demetrio Soto of Los Angeles, California made his first appearance on the East Coast an impressive one, with an explosive 58 second knockout of Gustavo Mejia of Kansas City, Ohio.

Both fighters swung away with wild abandon as the bout began. Soto stayed in control and connected with a picture perfect counter right hand on the button that sent Mejia crashing to the canvas for the ten count.

The career of the twenty-one year old raised his record to a perfect 4-0, all by way of knockout. Mejia drops to 2-3-2, with 2 knockouts.---Kurt Wolfheimer

Soto vs Mejia Photos