Unbeaten welterweight ‘The Dog’ Tamir Smalls won a close fight over Seantorius with an eight-round unanimous decision on Friday night at the Red Owl Boxing Arena, Houston, Texas. The scores were 77-75, 77-75 and 78-74.
In the co-feature, light welterweight Dion Jones was suddenly halted by Elijah Williams in the sixth round in the Shadows Fight Tournament final.
In the main event, welterweight Smalls (12-0, 8 KOs) defeated southpaw Martin (10-1, 6 KOs) over eight rounds.
In the first round, returning after a year, Martin faced an opponent with a winning record for the first time. There was not much to choose between the two. In the second round, it was more of the same, with neither having their way for the most part. In the third round, Martin had a small cut on his right cheek, drawing some blood—a good round for Smalls, who was landing a flurry at points in the round.
Smalls was landing the cleaner punches in the fourth round, mostly with counter rights to Martin’s chin. In the fifth round, Smalls had another good round, landing rights to Martin’s chin.
In the sixth round, Smalls managed to outwork Martin enough to take the round. In the seventh round, Martin used an effective jab in the first minute. The rest of the way, it went back and forth, with Martin having a slight edge.
In the eighth and final round, Smalls had his way until the final minute, when Martin came back well with overhand rights on Smalls’s chin. In the end, it could have gone either way, putting it in the hands of the judges.
The Scores were 77-75 twice and 78-74.
In the chief support bout, light welterweight Dion Jones (7-1, 6 KOs) was halted in the sixth round by welter Elijah Williams (10-1, 4 KOs) at 1:58 of the sixth round of a scheduled eight rounds.
In the first round, Williams was having his way for the most part. With a minute remaining with his back to the ropes, Jones landed a solid left on the chin, knocking Williams down for an 8-count from referee James Green.
In the second round, Williams came back well enough to start chasing Jones again in a close round. In the third round, Jones would occasionally turn southpaw. Midway Williams suffered a cut on his left eyebrow.
In the fourth round, Jones would back up and suddenly come forward, taking the play from Williams throughout. In the fifth round, Williams, coming forward mostly, got caught with an overhand right from Jones on the chin midway.
In the sixth round, a right from Williams on the chin hurt Jones, who grabbed Williams by the waist as Referee James Green stepped in with Williams landing a punch when the Referee suddenly called a halt to the astonishment of all.
Super featherweight Travis Crawford (7-3, 2) KOs )lost a decision to Joshafat Ortiz (13-1, 6 KOs) over six rounds, with Crawford scoring the lone knockdown in the first round.
In the first round, Ortiz was having his way until, at the halfway point, Crawford landed a left on the side of the head followed by a right uppercut on the chin, and down went Ortiz for an 8-count from referee Joe Rodriguez. In the second and third rounds, Ortiz came back in a pair of close rounds to do enough to take the rounds out, landing Crawford.
In the fourth and fifth rounds Ortiz landed his rights enough to take close rounds. In the sixth and final round both fighters mixed it up well inside in a close round that Ortiz had the better of it for the most part.
Scores were 58-55, 58-55, and 57-56.
Light heavyweight Dash Simmons (5-0, 5 KOs) stopped southpaw ‘Fighting Prince Nosa Divine Nehikhare (5-3) at 1:10 of the fourth round of a scheduled six rounds.
In the first round taller at 6’04” Simmons was countering against the more aggressive Nehikhare who landed the best punch of the round in the final minute a straight left on the chin of Simmons. In the second round, Simmons stood his ground more, landing more punches to take the round.
In the third round’s final seconds, Simmons landed a left and a possible push, putting Nehikhare on the canvas for an 8-count from referee Green, who gave him enough time to get to the bell. In the fourth round, a right uppercut followed by a left hook from Simmons on the chin dropped Nehikhare for an 8-count. Upon rising, he didn’t react to the referee, who called a halt.
Middleweight Steve Cunningham, Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) won a majority decision over Rudy Reveles (1-1) over four rounds.
In the first round, Reveles kept coming forward, trying to catch the fleeting Cunningham coming back after 15 months of inactivity, who countered when he stopped to the body. In the final thirty seconds, Reveles landed a 3-punch combination. In the corner is Cunningham’s father, the former cruiserweight champion, Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham.
In the third round, the taller Cunningham was not as busy in a close round that Reveles ended with a pair of rights to the head, taking the round. In the fourth and final round, it was another close one with 31-year-old Reveles still coming forward and 21-year-old Cunningham’s hands to his side countering when he stopped moving around the ring. In Cunningham’s corner were his father, Steve, and Shar’ron Baker, newly inducted into the PAB HOF.
The scores were 38-38, 39-37 and 39-37.
Super featherweight Gustavo Rivera Rio (11-1, 7 KOs) defeated Joseph Cruz (9-11-1, 5 KOs) over six rounds.
In the first three rounds, Rivera Rio concentrated on the body, mostly with uppercuts, and took all the rounds.
In the final minute of the fourth round, Rivera Rio opened up with overhand rights and then backed off in the final seconds. In the fifth Cruz landed his best punch up to this point a left uppercut to the chin of Rivera Rio.
Cruz had won his last two fights. Rivera Rios kept going to the body. The sixth and final round was competitive, with Rivera Rios pitching a shutout.
The scores were 60-54, 60-54 and 60-54.
Welterweight Santana Draper (1-0, 1 KO), #145 ½, of Fresno, CA, Keith Foreman, 0-2-1 (0), #146 ¼, of Harlingen, TX, 4 rounds.
