Taurus sykes out Ahunanya for NABA heavyweight belt!

Ringside report by Chris Cozzone
photos by cozzone

Without the name “Johnny Tapia,” you just can’t draw a huge crowd in New Mexico.

But, last night, in the remote town of Hobbs, Tres Amigos, LLC., in their debut promotion, proved it could be done when they pulled in nearly 3,500 lively fight fans at the Lea County Events Center for the town’s first pro fight in its 98-year history.

In the main event, fringe contenders Taurus “the Bull” Sykes and Friday “the 13th” Ahunanya battled it out for the vacant NABA Heavyweight title, and a shot at top ten contention.

On paper, it was an equal match-up; but, in the ring, Sykes pulled it off with minimal effort.

The fight was off to a good start in the 1st, with both fighters trying to establish their jab. Sykes permitted Ahunanya to come forward, then tagged him with a jab and occasional wide right follow-up.

Sykes won the war of jabs by the early 2nd, and, throwing away his on jab for the rest of the fight, Ahunanya established an uneasy pattern of plodding forward, walking into jabs and straight rights, and waiting too long. His attempts at connecting were lead left hooks Sykes saw coming.

Simple one-two’s from Sykes was all it took to win the third round. Except for a couple leaping lead left hooks and elbows thrown in the clinch, Ahunanya was rendered ineffective against the bigger Sykes.

Sykes added a few left hooks to his arsenal to win the 4th, but started to decrease his indispensable jab, making the fifth frame a better round for Ahunanya. Leaping lefts started to land for the Nigerian and Sykes took a breather.

Minimal effort, despite pocketing his jab, won Sykes the 6th. Ahunanya was just not fast enough, aggressive enough, or strong enough to turn this fight around.

“He just sparring, he just sparring!” came from Sykes’ corner in the 7th. And that’s what this was turning into—a sparring session. By the round’s end, though, Ahunanya, no longer having to worry about Syke’s forgotten jab, took more risks with power shots, most likely, a sense of desperation now. Round Eight was a repeat.

“He getting ripe now!” was the instruction from Sykes’ corner by the end of the ninth round after Sykes finally stepped on the gas pedal, using his jab and throwing straight rights with, finally, enough aggression to drive Ahunanya backwards for the first time in the fight.

But, once again, in the 10th, Sykes was content to hang back while Ahunanya resumed his forward-but-futile attack. The 11th was a repeat and, with the majority of rounds in the bank, Sykes—no killer in the ring—held himself back to play.

Sykes was taking no chances in the final round, which he spent on the defense, clinching and protecting himself from Ahunanya, who, at last, fought like he really wanted to win. The round he did—but he was a long way from threatening Sykes on the scorecards.

Judges were unanimous but varied in their scores: 118-110, 116-114 and 115-113 for Sykes.

Fightnews/NewMexicoBoxing had it 117-111 for Sykes.

“I waited too much,” Sykes said afterward. “I won this fight with my jab, and I hurt him a couple times.

“But I could’ve done better. I thought it was a fair performance,”

With the win, Sykes, now 23-1-1, 6 KOs, picks up his first belt and a ticket into the WBO’s top ten world ratings.

Ahunanya remains on the fringe, slipping to 20-3-1, 13 KOs.

De Los Santos upset by spirited Salinas

In the co-main event, local hopeful from nearby Roswell, Jeremy De Los Santos (4-2, 2 KOs), showed up slow and sluggish while Al Salinas (2-4) of Albuquerque did not, for once.

Salinas, now training with Steve Garcia, was a different fighter last night. No longer waiting, taking punches and backing up, Salinas was aggressive as he outhustled the listless De Los Santos for the decision.

Salinas won the first with his jab while a slowly plodding De Los Santos followed him around the ring.

The second round was also Salinas, who came out hungry, peppering De Los Santos with jabs and hard right hands. Halfway through the round, De Los Santos woke from his nap and attempted to land his own right hands. It was a closer round but easily Salinas’.

Round Three was solid. De Los Santos, in the game now, remembered his best punch—the left hook—which he started to use when the two of them traded close quarters. An occasional uppercut from De Los Santos also landed in close, but Salinas made the round close with his proven jab-and-right hand, circle and move routine.

Round Four was also close, but De Los Santos’ who had more variance in his attack, had the speed of a wombat while Salinas’s peppering, sometimes backhanding, attacks clearly had the local fave outpointed. Salinas was also punctuating his pestering jabs with flush right hands.

Salinas was even peskier in the sixth round while De Los Santos, perhaps, out of desperation, stepped up the pace as the fight came to an end, swinging from his hips. In the best trading yet, the two continued past the bell.

At the end of six, all three judges had it for Sallinas: 59-55 x 2 and 58-56.

Fightnews/NewMexicoBoxing had it likewise, 58-56.

Truth is, De Los Santos hasn’t looked the same since he left trainer Tony Ayala. In his last fight, he was stopped by Steve Valdez of Colorado. This second straight loss should serve as a wake-up call if he is serious about doing something in boxing.

Salinas, on the other hand, after a series of uninspired showings, has finally shown his mettle.

Heyman returns again

In his return to light heavyweight and after losing three fights at a dried-out middleweight, Albuquerque's “Mad” Max Heyman (20-7-3, 12 KOs) outboxed reluctant track star Sheldon Callum (5-10-1, 2 KOs) over six rounds.

It was all Max in the first, jabbing and looking to land right hands on a gun-shy Callum.

Round Two was a contest of jabs, easily won by Heyman. Giving up his pawing, lifeless jab, Callum was content to hang back, move away and try to land an occasional hook whenever it looked safe to do so.

The third round was the closest thing to a knockdown on the entire card. On the receiving end of a solid right hand, a dazed and confused Callum reached out and grabbed Heyman to stay up—but he was not dazed and confused enough to let his mouthpiece tumble out of his mouth to buy him a few more precious seconds to recover.

Recover he did; Callum even attempted to land a hook or two (in his punch in the fight) before the round finished.

Callum had his best moment in the 4th, after clocking Heyman with his only really solid punch in the fight—you guessed it, a left hook. Heyman looked momentarily dazed and tied up, but recovered quickly and took back the round while Callum, no killer, fell into survival mode again.

It was the same ol’, same ol’ in the fifth and six rounds: Callum surviving, Heyman sparring. The only thing that changed was Callum started coming forward with his head when the two tied up, forcing Heyman to divide his attention between avoiding a head butt injury and coasting his way to an easy decision.

The fight was a no-brainer: 60-54 on everyone’s cards.

“If the ring had been any smaller,” Heyman said after the fight, “I’d still be chasing him now.”

While back at light heavy, Heyman still does not look right. The muscle mass he used to have at light heavy is still missing; now he still looks, and fights, like a flabbier-but-still weak middleweight.

Chavez returns to outzip McCartey

After a two-year layoff, Albuquerque Cubano Julio Chavez (4-0, 1 KO) made a successful return to the ring in his first six-rounder, by outboxing Dale McCartey (2-3).

Chavez had an easy first round, outboxing the aggressive McCartey and letting him walk into well-timed straight rights. McCartey had no answer for the slick Chavez.

There was too much holding in the second round, and the crowd voiced their disapproval. Chavez using his jab and speed to edge out McCartey played it safe while McCartey was unable to land any of his wide, telegraphed punches.

Chavez played it too safe in the third round, and McCartey fared better as he let his hands go in between Chavez’s repetitive holding.

In the 4th, Chavez had the fight down: let McCartey bumble his way in, then land a solid punch, hit-and-hold, repeat. McCartey took advantage of close quarters, going to work on Chavez’s body.

Chavez came out aggressive in the fifth round, pleasing the crowd by throwing combinations at McCartey, landing his best punch—a staggering right hand that spun McCartey’s head around.

Chavez continued his aggression into the final round, sealing his win by taking the fight to McCartey, whose wide punches were ineffective.

The judges were all in agreement: 59-56 for Chavez.

Holm wars with Hickerson in exhibition

Exhibition? Could’ve fooled me . . .

In what might’ve been the best fight of the night, contender Holly Holm (8-1-2, 3 KOs) fought a four-round exhibition with  2-0 prospect Crystal Hickerson.

Hickerson took the fight to Holm in the first, who showed her greater experience and skills by picking her shots. In spots, the two mixed it up with brutal exchanges. Round to Holm.

Round Two had the best action of the night. Big rights from Hickerson and big lefts from Holm had both fighters tasting leather. An accidental headbutt bloodied Hickerson’s nose, adding to the flavor.

Holm took over in the third and fourth rounds while Hickerson started to fade, turning this war into more of the exhibition it was supposed to be. Peppering Hickerson with lefts and jabs, Holly gave her game foe a bit of schooling.

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Looks like Tres Amigos, LLC, will be back in Hobbs by the end of the year. Stay tuned . . .

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