Courtney Pennington Comes in Khiary Gray’s Back Yard and Won The Upset.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. This was a great main event. Popular Khiary Gray of Worcester, Mass defended his Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast and International Junior Middleweight titles when he went up against a more experienced Courtney Pennington of Brooklyn in the 8 round headliner. Rounds started off slow. Both fighters not fighting not in the pocket. Not too much engaging. Pennington’s guard is down low. Very similar fighting styles. Round 4 Gray goes down almost falls thru the ropes. Referee Joey Lupino gives Gray the count. This could cost Gray on the score cards. It almost looked like a slip from my direction. Round 5 Pennington’s eye has a welt. Gray’s hands are lower now. Round 6 Pennington does a pity pat on Gray down below Gray takes some time to recover. Round 7 both are exchanging punches. Gray almost got knocked out. Pennington knows how to capitalize when the opponent is hurt. All in all it was a great fight but Pennington came to fight. To the score cards we go. Judges scored the bout 77-74; 76-75 and 78-73 all in favor of Pennington by UD and the new champ. ** This guy came in HIS back yard and won the upset.

Lightweights – 4 rounds – Anthony Marsella, Jr of Providence, Rhode Island vs. Francisco Medel of Mexico. Very slow opening round. Medel switched between stances. Towards the end round 2 Marsella let his hands go and Medel just hung on. By round 3 Medel was a human punching bag and in the 4th head clashes. Once again it went the distance with no knock downs. All 3 judges scored the fight 40-36 by UD for Marsella. Marsella increases to 4-0, 2 kos.

Lightweight – 4 rounds. Finally I get to see amateur standout Jamaine Ortiz of Worcester, Mass. fighting when he took on Canton Miller of Saint Louis, Mo. Ortiz who always looks stylish in the ring and poised. Miller was giving Ortiz some competition. By round 3 they both unleashed their inner soul and let their hands go. This definitely was the toughest competition yet so far for Ortiz. Ortiz ended up with a nasty bloody nose. After 4 rounds the judges scored the bout 38-38; 40-36 and 40-36 all in favor by majority decision for Ortiz. Ortiz increases to 3-0, 2 kos.

Middleweight – 6 rounds. More experienced Ray “Prynce” Oliveira Jr. of New Bedford, Mass went up against Jose “Rated R” Rivera. Rivera stepped up on this fight and stepped up in rounds. Oliveira walking/backing up Rivera trying to cut off the ring. Rivera trying to counter. Both landed some good shots, for the most part both flat footed. Not a busy fight. By the 5th Rivera is going for the knock out. Round 6 both fighters appeared to be tired. At times it appeared Rivera hurt Oliveria but Rivera didn’t know how to capitalize on following up. No one was dropped and it goes to the score cards. Judges scored the bout 57-57; 58-56 and 59-55 all in favor by majority decision Oliveira. Oliveira advances to 7-0, 1 KO.

Junior Welterweights - 4 rounds. Julio Perez of Framingham, Mass vs Matt Doherty of Salem, Massachusetts. Round 1 Doherty showing his experience in the ring backing up Perez while there is a lot of tying up. Round 3 Doherty backing up Perez, there were some low blows, spitting the mouth piece out by Perez after the bell Perez retired at the corner. I’m going to have to find out why. Doherty won by TKO and advances to 6-3-1, 4 Kos.

Junior welterweight – 4 rounds - Khiry Todd (1-0, 1 KO) of Lynn, Mass. went up against Woburn, Mass., native Bruno Dias (0-2) in a four-round bout. It was a slow start of the round but once Todd went to the body, Dias just didn’t get up and Todd won by KO at 1:23. Todd increased to 2-0, 2 kos.

Middleweight – 4 rounds. Kendrick Ball Jr. of Worcester, Mass went up against Patrick Leal of Somerville, Massachusetts. Ball connects a body shot to Leal in the 1st round. Referee Joey Lupino calls off the fight. Ball wins by KO in the 1st round at .29 and increases to 5-0-2, 3 kos. Leal was a last minute opponent and the crowd Booo’d at the end of the fight.

Welterweights – 4 rounds - Marqus Bates of Taunton, Mass against the pro debut of Providence, Rhode Island’s Aaron Muniz. It appeared that Muniz didn’t have too much experience in the ring. Joey Lupino gave Muniz the count after all sorts of punches and Muniz just didn’t get up. Muniz didn’t do much of anything in the ring. Circled around Bates and jumped around. Bates wins by KO and increased to 1-1, 1 KO.

New England Super Featherweight Title.

Super Featherweights – 6 rounds – Josh Crespo of New Haven, Connecticut vs. Timmy Ramos of Framingham, Mass. This was a fight I and many fans wanted to see BUT … Ramos didn’t make weight so the fight was called off. UGH!!!