For only the second fight card in 62 years, the Glendale Civic Auditorium played host to live boxing action . Like the first card, seven months ago, the house was completely packed. Celebrities in attendance included Charles S. Dutton, Cedric the Entertainer, and Brian McKnight. Boxing Celebs included Mia St. John, Lamon Brewster, and Sergio Mora among others. ESPN 2 covered the live action, taking a departure from their usual Key West inaugural appearance. Ring announcer was Jimmy Lennon Jr.
In the Middleweight main event, Roman Karmazin scored a dramatic come-from-behind knockout over Dionisio Miranda. Coming off a brutal knockout loss to Giovanni Lorenzo, Miranda showed little vulnerability at first, as he controlled the early action with his straight right hand. While having the superior overall arsenal, Karmazin did not have an answer for the right hand, and was rocked badly in the thrid round. Karmazin used it as a wake up call, and controlled the next few rounds, but the Colombian gradually regained control in rounds seven and eight, as Karmazin's offense was limited. In the ninth, a hard right hand dropped Karmazin, who was lucky to get out of the round. However, once again, the former IBF Junior Middleweight champion used it as a wake-up call, and came back with combinations in the tenth. A right hand dropped Miranda, who fell after a delayed reaction. It seemed to be a flash knockdown at first, but it quickly became clear Miranda was badly hurt as Karmazin waded in to finish him. Two more right hands dropped Miranda flat on his back, and the referee stopped the fight. Karmazin is now in line for a shot against IBF middleweight world champion Sebastian Sylvester. According to manager and promoter Steven Bash, they have already been in contact to make that fight. Karmazin, of St. Petersburg, Russia, brings his record to 50-3-1- 26 KO's. Miranda falls to 20-4-2-18 KO's
In the co-main event, Heavyweight Andrey Fedosov moved to 21-1-17 KO's with a second round knockout of journeyman Lionel Butler. Butler, who fought five former world champions, including a one-round knockout win over Tony Tubbs, was making a comeback at age 42. Butler, of Venice, CA, weighed a soft 276lbs, to Fedesov's solid 220lbs. In the first round Butler tried to use that weight to pin Fedesov to the ropes, and appeared to be successful in the early going, but as soon as Fedosov got punching room, the bout changed very quickly. After action-packed exchanges at the end of the first round, the fighters picked up where they left off in the second. A right hand from Fedesov, of St. Petersburg, Russia, floored Butler. Butler rose slowly, and tried to fight back, but was quickly dropped again by a chopping right hand, and the fight was waved off. Fedosov is only 23, and admitted that he is still learning. Unlike many Russians, he did not have a long amateur background, and turned pro at age 17. Butler drops to 32-16-1-25 KO's.
In the only other televised fight of the night, Russian Light Heavyweight prospect Anatoly Dudchenko won a lopsided decision over Colorado's Isaac Atencio. Atencio is only 19 years old, looked a bit soft at this weight, and was only making his fifth appearance as a professional. While Dudchenko, 31 years old, made many tactical errors, including falling in with his big right hand to the point of turning southpaw, Atencio had no answers. Dudchenko scored knockdowns in rounds 1, 2 and 5, but was unable to finish his overmatched opponent. Scores were 60-51 from all three judges. Atencio drops to 2-2-1-1 KO, while Dudchenko improves to 7-2-5 KO's.
After a seven-year hiatus as a successful singer, former World Title challenger Jose Alberto "Shibata" Flores made a triumphant comeback against veteran Roberto Valenzuela. Flores had very little trouble with ring rust, and looked very sharp, countering effectively with uppercuts and combinations. Valenzuela was cut over both eyes, and could never amount a successful offense. The doctor advised he remain on his stool at the end of the second round, which he did. Flores moves to 44-10-26 KO's, while Valenzuela drops to 51-49-2-42 KO's. Both fighters are originally from Sonora, Mexico.
6'7" Heavyweight Chris Davis made his pro debut a successful one stopping Netzahuylac Wilson in one round. Davis landed his right hand at will, even behind the head on a few occasions, as Wilson rushed in to clinch. The sloppiness of the affair led to two slips from Wilson (although the first appeared to be a knockdown). Eventually Davis dropped Wilson twice legitimately with right hands, and the bout was stopped. Wilson was also making his debut. Both fighters are from Los Angeles. Davis is trained by former heavyweight prospect Justin Fortune.
In another debut, Artur Benetsyan, of Glendale, by way of Armenia, scored a four round decision over Francisco Solis, in a lightweight bout. Sois prioved druable, and awkward, but was unable to mount an effectvie offense, as Bentesyan teed off throughout the fight. Solis was finally hurt in the fourth round, but was allowed to recover after being hit by Benetsyan while he was down. Benetsyan was penalized a point, but it was academic. The Armenian won by scores of 39-35 across the board. Solis, of Oxnard, drops to 0-3.
At Ringside, Chris Strait
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