PENSACOLA, Fla. (March 23, 2009) --
Fighting at home for the first time in a decade, 8-time world champion
Roy Jones, Jr. (53-5, 39 KOs) fought before a packed house of loyal fans
and gave them exactly what they came for with a dazzling display of
superior quickness and athleticism en route to a fifth-round stoppage of
4-time world title challenger Omar Sheika for the vacant NABO
championship last night in Pensacola, Florida.
Jones-Sheika (27-8) headlined tonight’s hybrid pro
boxing/mixed-martial-arts show, presented by Jones’ Square Ring
Promotions in association with Hirsch Borao Boxing, on pay-per-view live
from the Pensacola Civic Center.
The rejuvenated Jones put on another boxing clinic, firing a wide
assortment of head and body punches that consistently landed from every
conceivable angle from start to finish on the rugged but overmatched
Sheika, who simply had no answers for the test given by the future Hall
of Fame-bound Jones.
“I want to give thanks to Pensacola in the house,” Jones announced from
the center of the ring after the fight. I felt really good. I’m ready.
With my father, Coach Merk and my team I’m more comfortable. Do you want
me back? (Roy asked the crowd that responded with a thunderous yes).
I’ll be coming back.”
In the featured MMA fight of the night, Jeff Monson won a close
three-round decision, 29-28 on three cards, in an evenly matched battle
between two of the best grapplers in the world. The fight was even going
into the final round, in which, Monson’s more effective striking – three
clear punches – was the eventual difference.
“I wanted to go on the ground,” Monson commented. “I kept right with
him. It was a big win. Roy’s a tough guy.”
Nelson didn’t agree with the final decision. “I got robbed,” he claimed.
“It was a boring fight on the ground, but I was controlling the fight
and that usually determines the winner. Only in Florida does Roy get
robbed (referring to his controversial loss to Andrei Arlovski).”
Unbeaten world-rated B.J. Flores, improving his record to 23-0, captured
the vacant NABO junior heavyweight title by a one-sided, unanimous
10-round decision in a workmanlike effort against Colombian knockout
artist Jose Luis Herrera (16-6, 16 KOs).
“He’s a veteran with 16 knockouts,” Flores said of Herrera. “By the
third or fourth round I knew I could hurt him with some big shots, but I
hit him with a left (hurting his hand) in the forehead. I used it early
but not later. In the 10th I started to put it together. I went the
distance with Herrera and next I want Victor Ramirez (WBO Interim junior
heavyweight champion).”
“He was a little faster than me and he moved better,” Herrera agreed
with the decision. “I was a little frustrated by him throughout the
fight.”
Going into the match with only one round of MMA experience, former WWE
star Bobby Lashley was able to win all three rounds against tough
veteran Jason Guida, a replacement who took the fight on 1-½ week
notice. Guida nearly pulled-off a major upset early in the third round
with a guillotine choke, but the powerfully built Lashley was able to
pop his head out of the hold.
“I thought I had him,” Guida noted as he shook his head in frustration
when the scores were announced.
“He had it on tight and deep,” Lashley remarked. “But I held on and got
out. I didn’t use all of my wrestling skills. This is a sport where
we’re gentleman and fighters. His talk got to me a little but my corner
helped me keep my mind strong. I’m going right back to the training
room.”
Featherweight Din Thomas’ experience and striking advantages resulted in
a first-round technical knockout of Gabe Lemley at 4:13 of the first
round. Thomas’ series of powerful strikes led Lemley to try and shoot
underneath Thomas (23-8), who countered with a picture perfect Muay
Thai-knee, sending Lemley down, face first, as the referee immediately
halted the action due to the force of the impact.
“Yeah,” Thomas explained, “I set him up with my punches. I had a lot of
fun here; I love Pensacola. Boxing is a major part of MMA and was glad
to be part of this (boxing/MA event). I took advantage of my experience.
I can fight in a cage, ring or parking lot – I don’t care.”
Sixty-three fight MMA veteran Dennis “Superman” Hallman (49-12-2) didn’t
miss a beat despite having his first fight in 16 months as he locked-in
a rear naked choke from the back, forcing welterweight Danny Ruiz to
tap-out at 1:50 of the opening round.
“I guess the layoff didn’t hurt,” Hallman said after the fight. “It took
a few seconds for me to get going, but once he hit me I knew I was in a
fight and got going.”
Full results below:
BOXING
Roy Jones Jr. (53-5, 39 KOs), Pensacola, Florida WTKO5 (1:45) Omar
Sheika (27-9, 18 KOs), Paterson, NJ
( Jones wins vacant NABO light heavyweight title)
B.J. Flores (23-0, 14 KOs), Las Vegas, NV DEC10 (99-91, 99-91, 98-91)
Jose Luis Herrera (16-6, 16 KOs), Miami, FL
(Flores wins vacant NABO junior heavyweight title)
Heavyweights
Kelvin Price (5-0, 4 KOs), Pensacola, FL WDEC6 (59-55, 58-56, 57-57)
Kevin Howard (1-2-1, 0 KOs), Montgomery, AL
Super Middleweights
Richmond Dalphone (2-5, 1 KO), Pensacola, FL WDEC4 (38-37, 38-37, 38-37)
Eric Clinton (0-6-1), Tallahassee, FL
Heavyweights
Jeff Monson (25-6), Olympia, WA WDE3 (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Roy Nelson
(13-4), Las Vegas, NV
Bobby Lashley (2-0), Parker, CO WDEC3 (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Jason Guida
(17-20), Chicago, IL
Welterweights
Dennis Hallman (49-12-2), Yelm, WA WSUB1 (1:50 – Rear Naked Choke) Danny
Ruiz (8-4), Ft. Walton Beach, FL
James Freeman (1-0), Pensacola, FL WKO1 (2:38 – Punch) John Mowry (0-1),
Pensacola, FL
Featherweights
Din Thomas (23-8), Port St. Lucie, FL WTKO1 (4:13 – knee strike) Gabe
Lemley (13-9), New London, IA
