The ESPN2 (FNF) small clubs tour dropped into suburban Tucson, AZ for an interesting  jr. welter main event featuring undefeated Demetrius Hopkins facing local tough guy Nito Bravo.

Hopkins- of Bernard is my uncle fame- a young age 24 with good height at 5-11 opened as expected behind a busy left jab that went bing, bing, bing before rocking Bravo late in the round with a snazzy left-hook/right hand combo.

Nothing changes over stanza two, with the advantages of height and reach over his 5-7 at age 34 opponent. All Hopkins, who began adding a right uppercut to complement the usual standard combinations - but then a light in the Bravo attic goes on come stanza three.

A brawling Bravo closes the distance come candle three, and although coming up short, he began having a few moments of his own … still, the night would belong to the technically sound Hopkins who comes away with win number 18 via unanimous decision to the tune of 97-93, 97-93, 98-92.

Post Scripts: Demetrius Hopkins ~  a good win against a physically strong trial horse who never stopped trying. Learning experience that saw the tall wiry kid surviving during them moments in the trenches. Too soon to stamp with prospect label after 19 outings, but expect it to come with a tad more fine tuning.
                       Nito Bravo ~ can still entertain while in the role of roadblock for new faces … a young age 34 that is not at all shy in the taking what is offered department. Earned another ESPN paycheck with gallant showing albeit losing effort. Now stands at 20-9-2, 12 KOs.

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A super-middleweight 10 round semi-final saw late substituting Sam Reese upsetting the apple cart with a majority decision win over local "prospect" Enrique Ornelas.

Reese arrived at the dance with a tainted resumé of 17-12-4, 7 KOs - not to mention the advanced age of 34. Only thing seemingly going for him is his working from the port side, that  pretty much proved to be the big intangible.

And the young, 24 year old 6-1 in height Ornelas, entered with a glossy 20-1, 13 KOs - and then the opening bell.

From the get go it was clear the tall orthodox vs. the shorter compact lefty would translate to a sloppy affair. Ornelas uses the opening candle searching for a road map, and it is all Reese in the role of aggressor.

The first serious action arrived via the "inadvertent" clash of heads which was pretty much a given to occur with both fighters coming together with respective heads bobbing dangerously. Stanza four it is Ornelas cut over the left eye … Reese then picks up the pace in round five before dropping Enrique in six when following a right jab with a solid left hand.

The young hopeful managed to discard the road map and tossed caution to the wind as he grabs numbers eight and nine. But then in final stanza walks into a right hook and is down for second time in the fight.

Official scoring went Reese 95-93, 98-90 … the odd guy out with the shades and service dog had it all square at 94-94.

Closing comments: Brian "no clue" Kenny had Jermain Taylor as studio host while Teddy and Joseph had Hopkins and Hoya as ringside guests which made for a busy evening of chatting. Atlas offered tons of help to Bernard and trainer Bouie Fischer with the young Hopkins kid. Doubt they found it useful.

GEL