Former World heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe looked a
shell
of his former self against journeyman Billy Zumbrun of
Ogden, Utah in the main event from the Pechanga Resort
& Casino in Temecula, Calfornia on Thursday night. The
bout was televised on Fox's, "The Best Damn Sports
show period." Bowe was hoping to show the world that
he was heading on the road back to the heavyweight
crown; instead, he had most in attendance thinking that
he should have stayed retired.
Bowe wound up winning a very controversial
split decision, that left a sell out crowd at the
Pechanga Resort & Casino upset. Bowe came into the
fight very out of shape in only his second fight back
on the comeback trail. Throughout the fight, Bowe
seemed slow with his punches, and just slow with his
reflexes in general, and at times took a lot of
punishment from Zumbrun. The opening round was quiet,
with Zumbrun landing a few shots, and Bowe not very
active. Round two found Zumbrun going to the
offensive, landing overhand rights as he got inside.
Zumbrun was good about sticking and moving. He was
able throughout the round to land his shots, and get
out of Dodge before the slower Bowe was able to do
anything. The third round was more of the same, except
that Zumbrun was a little more active. Zumbrun was
able to land a couple of overhand rights, which got
Bowe muttering to him. At this point the crowd and
maybe Bowe began to see that this was going to be no
cakewalk. Zumbrun continued to get inside and in the
process make Riddick miss wildly, nothing like the
Riddick Bowe we had ever seen. Late in the round, Bowe
finally landed a good counter right cross, his best of
the fight so far. But, Zumbrun turned the momentum
immediately back with a looping left hand followed up
by a solid body shot to cap the round.
Bowe got a little more on the attack in round
four, as he started to stalk Zumbrun. Zumbrun was able
to avoid most of Bowe's shots in the corner by ducking
up and under. But, late in the round Bowe connected
with a hard right hand to the body which sent Zumbrun
down. Zumbrun beat the count and finished the round.
Bowe came out with a little confidence to start round
five, as he went back to a punch that was so reliable
for him throughout his career, the jab. Bowe landed a
pretty solid jab throughout the round, but just as
Riddick started to stalk, Zumbrun then took the
offensive and landed a huge overhand right which
stunned Bowe. Zumbrun then got Bowe on the ropes and
wailed away with left-right combos, snapping Bowe's
head back numerous times until the bell finally
sounded. Zumbrun went right back at Bowe in round six,
Bowe looked frustrated and sluggish, but did land a
good overhand right late in the round.
Bowe went back to his jab in round seven, for some
reason Bowe stayed off the body, where he most hurt
Zumbrun in round four. Again in the round Zumbrun
landed a hard overhand right, his most consistent
punch of the night. Bowe hung in there and stuck to
his jab, until Zumbrun landed a good uppercut to cap
the round. Bowe started round eight well as Zumbrun
was a little less active, landing a good overhand
right early in the round. Zumbrun would come back with
a good left right combo, which again snapped Bowe's
head back. Bowe started to look gassed in the ninth
round, as Zumbrun continued to do more of the same.
Round ten began with chants of, "Billy, Billy" and he
didn't disappoint, going right at the former champ with
shots to the head and body. Bowe again looked winded,
and at the end of the round the chants of
"Billy, Billy" started up again till the bell sounded.
Bowe looked like a beaten man, until the scorecards
read in his favor by a split decision.
The official scores were 96-92, 96-92
in favor of Bowe, and 93-95
for Zumbrun from judge Ray Corona . BRC scored the fight 96-92 in favor of
Zumbrun. As the decision was announced, the crowd
voiced their displeasure by throwing cups in the ring
and chanting, "Bullshit, Bullshit." Nonetheless, Bowe
squeaks out the split decision victory, but not the
kind of performance that he wanted the Boxing public
to see on television.
The 37-year-old Bowe weighed 280 pounds, by far the most of his career. Bowe
improved his record to 42-1, with 33 knockouts, while
Zumbrun falls to 18-6-1.
In the co-main event 2004 Olympic gold medalist
Andre Ward won by disqualification over Roy Ashworth
of Lake Charles, Louisiana in a very ugly fight marred
by fouls. The fouling was done solely on the part of
Ashworth, who seemed more content to roughhouse, than
to actually try and fight. Ashworth came right at Ward
to start, and immediately they got tied up in a long
hold. Later in the round, the same thing happened and
it led referee Ray Corona to take a point from
Ashworth. Then at the bell, Ashworth hit Ward, which
caused both to be separated.
Ward came out firing with left hooks in round two,
Ashworth flurried back, but not landing
anything. Ashworth again seemed more concerned with
roughhousing and trying to get under Ward's skin, but
it wasn't working. Ward came out blazing in round
three, and dropped Ashworth with a hard left uppercut.
Ashworth got up with some urgency, as he started to
fire back wildly, but not landing. As Ward landed
another uppercut, Ashworth pushed Ward down as he came
in. While Ward was down Ashworth jumped on his back
and threw two punches to the back of the head, which
should have gotten Ashworth disqualified then. Ray
Corona took another point, and a few seconds earlier
with Ward flurring, Ray Corona stopped the fight.
During the announcement we were informed that the
fight was called due to a disqualification at 2:56 of
round three, for Ashworth hitting after the break.
Ashworth had to be held back from going after Ward
when the fight was stopped.
A strong outing for Ward, against a dirty fighter,
who seemed content on roughhousing. Ward showed good
composure, for a kid in only his third pro fight. Ward
improves to 3-0, while Ashworth falls to 3-2.
Former world cruiserweight champion Vassiliy Jirov
made quick work of journeyman Forrest Neal, dropping
Neal four times en route to a 3rd round TKO. Neal was
on wobbly legs from the second round on, and was never
really able to mount any offense against the "Tiger."
Neal tried to fend off the charging Jirov with a
pecking jab, but it was not enough to keep Jirov off
of him. The opening round was ugly, with neither
fighter able to land much. Jirov got things going in
round two, as he started to do what he has done
throughout his career, and that is go to the body. As
Jirov pounded away at the body, it started to open
things up higher up on Neal. About midway into the
round, as Jirov was coming inside he dropped Neal with
a chopping right cross to the head. Neal beat the
count, and Jirov began to stalk him again, until he
caught Neal with another right hand, Neal beat the
count and survived the round, but his legs were on
dream street.
Round three started with Neal trying to peck with
his jab, but Jirov busted through and dropped Neal
with a grazing right hand. Neal barely beat the count,
and Jirov went back to the body dropping Neal with a
hard body shot, and before Neal could try to get up
referee James Jin kin stopped the fight. A easy win
for the former cruiserweight champ, who was looking
for a tune up after losing his last fight to Michael
Moorer. Jirov of Scottsdale, Arizona improves to 34-3
with 30KOs, while Neal of Detroit, Michigan falls to
16-6.
Two time former world champion Steve Forbes had a
quick night disposing of Alfonso Garcia in the 1st
round with a right hand to the liver, followed up by a
straight right to the chin at 2:32 of round 1 in a
junior welterweight bout. With the win Forbes improves
to 27-3 with 8 KOs, while Garcia falls to 6-9.
In a interesting heavyweight battle, undefeated
Travis Walker of Colorado Springs took on 6-1 Carl
Davis in a six round heavyweight bout. Walker, who was a
2003 National Golden Gloves champion had problems
finding Davis' range, and both took it slow through the
first two rounds. Davis seemed tentative, while Walker
was doing just a bit more. Davis threw some wild
uppercuts in the 4th round. Walker was still trying to
locate him, Davis landed a little more. Davis stunned
walker with a short right late in round four, Davis's
wide looping punches were finding homes. In round five
Walker cornered Davis and landed some good shots
including a right cross. Davis was winded in the fifth
round as his mouthpiece fell out twice. Davis also was
developing a mouse under his right eye. Walker landed
a big overhand right while Davis was backing away in
round six. Davis appeared very winded at the end of
the final round. Walker would win a unanimous decision
by the scores of 59-55,58-56,and 60-54. BRC scored
the fight 59-55 for Walker. Walker improved to 9-0,
while Davis fell to 6-2.
There were other two other fights on card from the
Pechanga Resort & Casino. In a four round welterweight
attraction, undefeated Lorenzo Reynolds of Saginaw,
Michigan won a shutout unanimous decision over Ramon
Ortiz of San Diego. Reynolds, a former National Golden
Gloves champion looked sharp offensively against the
awkward Ortiz. Ortiz early on hounded Reynolds with
awkward overhand rights, that occasionally landed.
Reynolds started to figure the right hand out in the
second round, as he countered it and picked Ortiz
apart. Reynolds started to counter Ortiz every time he
came in with the right hand.
In round three, Reynolds landed a hard right hand on a counter, which
knocked Ortiz back against the
ropes. The ropes saved Ortiz from suffering a
knockdown. Reynolds controlled the remainder of the
fight, and won the unanimous decision. With the win
Reynolds improves to 4-0, while Ortiz falls to 1-9-3.
In another four round welterweight bout, Daniel Gonzalez of Billings,
Montana defeated Sean Rogers of
Van Nuys, California by a third round TKO. Rogers was escorted to the ring by
James Toney, and tried to
fight like him. He consistently tried to roll Gonzalez's punches, but he wasn't
throwing back. Finally with Rogers' corner yelling at him to get out of the
corner, referee Ray Corona stopped the fight due to Rogers not firing
back. Rogers never appeared hurt, but for some reason wasn't fighting back to
the dismay of his corner. With the win Gonzalez improves to 3-1-1, while Rogers
falls to 2-2-1.
This wrapped up a six bout card from the Pechanga Resort & Casino in
Temecula, California. The Ward and Bowe was televised on Fox's "The Best Damn
Sports Show Period". This card was promoted by Goossen-Tutor promotions.
