CES Closing Statement Results: Perez edges McDowell - locals win

The Souljah wins again!

LINCOLN, RI - In front of an enthusiast crowd at the Twin River Convention Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island - Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) put on a nine bout professional fight card last night entitled "Closing Statement."

In the Main Event, East Hartford, CT native Joseph "Chip" Perez edged out Chazz "Magnificent" McDowell by majority decision to claim the vacant New England junior lightweight title while on the undercard, all the local house fighters got much needed wins but not without some stiff resistance from their out of town opponents.

Results are as follows:   

Joseph "Chip" Perez W8 Chazz "Magnificent" McDowell (junior lightweights) - In a battle for the vacant New England junior lightweight title, Yonkers, NY's Chazz McDowell jumped out to an early lead over Josesph Perez in a tactical battle of the jab. Things heated up a bit in the middle rounds and Perez rallied with aggression down the stretch to win a majority decision.  Overall, a very tactical fight but as noted, Perez came on late and won the last two rounds on the KO Digest card to pull out the win.

Official majority decision scores in favor of Perez: 78-74,77-75,76-76.

KO Digest scored the fight 77-76 in favor of Perez. 

The fans love Shelito!

Shelly Shelito Vincent W4 Ivana Coleman (female bantamweights) - With a disregard to defense, these two females put it on the line as their rematch went the distance. Entertaining brawl from start to finish, the wildly popular Shelito wins her fifth straight and goes to 5-0 by unanimous scores on all three cards 40-36. The smiling and swollen Coleman falls to 0-2, with both losses coming at the hands of Vincent.  

Thomas Falowo TKO5 Michael Walchuck (middleweights) - Known as the "Souljah" - Thomas Falowo worked the body well in the 1st and did more of the same in the 2nd and 3rd while starting to mix in nice right uppercuts to the chin. In the 4th, Pawtucket RI's Falowo began to really walk his opponent down with well timed shots up and downstairs. In the 5th, Falowo ended matters, pounding Walchuk along the ropes to bring on the referee stoppage, perhaps a little premature. Walchuk was game and firing back throughout the fight but he was unable to deal with the volume punching of the rapidly improving Falowo who goes to to 8-1 w/ 6KO's with the win while the Canadian Walchuk falls to 9-7. Time was :43 of the 5th round.

KO Digest caught up with the winner after the fight, "I felt great tonight, I did a lot of things I was working on, sitting down on my punches, setting things up with the double jab. I thought the stoppage was reasonable. I rocked him and he just covered up and leaned. He didn't throw back."

Amparo finishes Lavin

Alex Amparo TKO4 Nick Lavin (super middleweights) - In a rematch of the KO Digest 2011 Best 4-Round Fight of the Year, Nick Lavin was knocked down from a left hook early in the 1st round and this proved to be a sign of things to come. Amparo, fighting for the memory of his recently deceased cousin, fought with a purpose and he controlled an apparently still-dazed Lavin in the 2nd. Amparo had Lavin going at the end of the 2nd before the ball rang to end the round. Amparo got the better of Lavin along the ropes in the 3rd and the ref looked ready to stop the fight but the rugged Lavin survived, unbroken. With Lavin taking a beating along the ropes in the 4th, the ref stepped in and Amparo had the win he dedicated to his late cousin Germaine. Amparo goes to 5-0 w/ 3KOs while Lavin falls to 2-4

Said Aparo, "This fight is for G."

Gardner takes a count in the 2nd round

Joey Gardner W6 Philip Burnette (middleweights) - After an even opening round, things got coooking in the 2nd and Gardner was dropped from a lunging left hand. In the 3rd, Woonsocket, RI's Gardner began to time a wild Burnette coming in and he buzzed him with left hooks and right hands. Grueling 4th and 5th rounds with both fighters starting to tire and miss as much as hit. Gardner boxes in the final round and lands the jab, right hand, left hook to take it

Split decision scores in favor of Gardner: 58-55,57-56,56-59.

KO Digest had the South Carolinian Burnette the winner by a point with the knockdown being the difference. Said the dejected Burnette afterwards, "The decision was bullshit, I know I won that fight!"

Rich Gingras TKO2 Dennis Ogboo (light heavyweights) - Not much of a fight here as both fighters fought on even terms in the first round with Gingras trying to work inside and land his left hook. In the 2nd, the left hook landed on the chin of Ogboo and he went down, apparently not that hurt but his corner inexplicably threw the towel in anyway. Time 2:30. Attleboro, MA's Gingras goes to 12-3 w/ 8KOs while Kentucky native Ogboo goes to 7-6 w/ 6 KOs.

The Vermont Bully gets come from behind KO win!

Kevin Cobbs KO4 Alexander Mancera (light heavyweights) -  Aggressive opening two rounds for Queens, NY native Mancera as he bullies the "Vermont Bully" Cobbs with good work inside. Cobbs responded well in the 3rd by finding a home for the right hand. With encouragement from CES boss Jimmy Burchfield Sr in the corner between rounds, Cobbs exploded a right hand off the head of Mancera and knocked him out at 1:02 of the 4th and final round!

Cobbs goes to 6-0 w/ 2KOs. Mancera falls to 8-5-1

Said Cobbs after the fight, "I couldn't figure him out early, he was a little awkward. Even when he was off-set, he was able to throw punches. I started pivoting after my punches and that's when things started to open up for me. Come the fourth round, I started pawing the jab to blind him to land the right hand. Once I landed the right hand, I didn't turn back away from it. Jimmy pumped me up in the corner, which is what I needed. They expect a lot out of me so I have to use that as energy."

Toka Kahn-Clary ND Jamell Tyson (super featherweights) -  Showing why he's one of the hotter prospects in boxing, 2010 National Golden Glove Champion Kahn (2-0) was having his way with (3-8-2) Tyson until an accidental clash of heads in the 2nd round caused a nasty gash around the right eye of Tyson, the fight was called off immediately and announced as a no decision. The crowd was not happy and they wanted to see more Toka.

Successful pro debut for Smith

Jon Smith W4 Dinis "Sweetbread" Paiva Jr (welterweights) - Pro debuts for both fighters. Slow opening round gives way to much better action in the 2nd and 3rd with Cranston, RI's Smith getting the better of it. Golden Glove champion Smith turned boxer in the 4th and coasted to his first professional win over East Providence, RI MMA fighter Paiva.

Entertaining opening bout. Scores: 40-36,40-36,39-37. 


KO Digest Ringside Report by Jeffrey Freeman and Edwin "Ace" Ayala
Photos & Quotes: Jeffrey Freeman - KO Digest Editor-in-Chief