Stark Jr. Evens Score!
Wins Close Decision over Ledemsa

March 5, 2008 - Grand Ballroom, Manhattan Center, New York, NY
Ringside Report: Matt Richardson and Ed Mulholland
Photos: Ed Mulholland

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Junior featherweight Gary Stark Jr. avenged his most devastating professional loss when he beat Andres Ledesma by a 10-round unanimous decision on Thursday night in the main event of promoter Lou DiBella's "Broadway Boxing" in the Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center in New York City. Stark had dropped and dominated Ledesma when they first met last May but wound up getting caught and knocked out by one punch in the fifth round. Since that night Stark (21-2, 8 KO's) had won two tune-up fights while Ledesma (14-8-1, 9 KO's) lost twice more. Their clash of styles makes for interesting fights, however, and Stark had to battle thru some difficult moments and a grotesquely swollen right eye to win by scores of 97-93 and 96-94 twice in the rematch. Most ringside observers had the fight even or Stark slightly ahead. Fightnews thought Stark pulled it out, winning six rounds to four or 96-94.

If there was one reason Stark was able to secure the decision in his favor it was due to his dominance over the first three frames. So even though Ledesma probably won the fourth, he was still down three rounds. Starks right eye became bruised and started swelling in the fourth and before the seventh the ringside doctor checked him out before sending back into the fight. A left hook at the end of the eighth badly hurt Stark but Ledesma didn't have enough time to capitalize. Stark continued to march forward in the ninth though and even momentarily stunned Ledesma in the final round. At the end of the fight Stark's right eye was completely swollen shut and blood dripped off his cheek but he still showed tremendous heart in avenging the defeat.

Stark Jr. vs Ledemsa Photos

Santana Dispatches Wiley!

In the co-feature, junior welterweight Edgar Santana made easy work out of the usually durable Grover Wiley, dropping him three times in three rounds for a third-round technical knockout victory. Time of the stoppage was 1:27 of the third. Wiley was down in the first after taking a left hook to the body. The same punch dropped the former Julio Cesar Chavez conqueror again in the second. Wiley ended the second frame with pains in his side and blood dripping from his nose. The ending appeared inevitable and Santana sped it up by jumping on Wiley at the start of the third. Wiley went down again shortly afterwards and the fight was called off. It was the second win in a row for Santana (23-3, 15 KO's) since an upset loss to Harrison Cuello last spring. Wiley (30-11-1, 14 KO's), meanwhile, has only won two of his last nine and his lost his last three consecutive fights in the "Big Apple."

Santana vs Wiley Photos

Garcia, Otukwu Ends Early on Eye Injury!

Heavyweights: Israel Garcia (19-1, 10 KO's) TKO 1 Innocent Otukwu (14-12-2, 2 KO's)

Garcia vs Otukwu Photos

Torres Outpoints Gonzalez!

In a tightly contested 140-pound affair, Joel Torres gave as good as he got before prevailing by a eight-round unanimous decision over Mike Gonzalez. Judges cards read 80-72, 74-74 and 77-75 for the still unbeaten Torres. The lopsided nature of the scores did not indicate the back and forth momentum of the fight. Gonzalez was cut over the right eye while Torres had a badly bruised left eye. Gonzalez was almost knocked down in the final seconds of the seventh after absorbing a hellacious left hook but was able to stay on his feet after grabbing the top rope. Despite stopping the fight twice in the final round to check Gonzalez' cut the fight was allowed to go to the cards. Torres is now 9-0 with 5 KO's while Gonzalez drops to 10-4-1 with 9.

Torres vs Gonzalez Photos

Garbatt Flattens Hutt with Right in 4th!

Ontario, Canada's Lindsay Garbatt (1-1, 1KO), scored her first professional win over debuting Island Park, NY native Tracey Hutt (0-1) with a devestating right hand in the fourth round of their exciting featherweight bout.

Hutt, dominated the early action, and appeared well on her way to a unanimous decision, when Garbatt landed a flush right hand that backed the visibly shaken Hutt to the ropes. Garbatt followed up quickly with a straight right hand to the point of the chin that dropped Hutt flat on her back. Hutt gamely tried to rise, got to all fours and fell on her face. She again tried to struggle to her feet, but her legs wouldn't cooperate, and she crashed face-first through the ropes to the canvas once again.

The time was :52 seconds of the fourth and final round. -- Ed Mulholland

Hutt vs Garbatt Photos

Darden, Espinal Draw!

Ray Darden (10-18-1, 4KO) fought his way to what appeared to be a decision over Ariel Espinal (6-2-2, 2KO) in their middleweight bout at the Grand Ballroom, only to hear the scorecards announced as a majority draw. Darden controlled the action from the outset with a good jab, and even though he had trouble with his range on the right hand, carried the bout over the course of six workmanlike rounds. In the end however, Judges' Roldan and Smith saw the bout even at 57-57, while Judge Perez saw the bout for Darden, 59-55. -- Ed Mulholland

Espinal vs Darden Photos

Biggs Narrowly Escapes Gray!

In a lackluster affair, Brooklyn, NY's Raymond Biggs Jr. remained unbeaten via an unpopular 6 round split decision over Baton Rouge, Louisiana's Chris Gray. Gray appeared to do enough, and even scored a knockdown of Biggs Jr. in the 5th round when Biggs' gloves touched the canvas after a right hand. Biggs on the other hand, just couldn't figure out how to cut off the ring on the mobile Gray. One judge scored 57-56 for Gray, while the other two tallied 57-56 for Biggs. -- Ed Mulholland

Biggs Jr. vs Gray Photos

Collado Decisions Rungea!

In the opening bout of the evening, super bantamweights, Joselito Collado and Vineash Rungea got the crowd started for the evening with a hard-fought, spirited four rounder. Collado (2-0) outworked the game Rungea and landed the cleaner punches over the course of the bout and walked away with a unanimous decision for his second win in as many bouts. Rungea (2-9-2), for his part, came to fight and even stunned Collado briefly in the fourth round. -- Ed Mulholland

Collado vs Rungea Photos

Random Ring Shots