Broadway Boxing Skeletons and Cobwebs Away! Elios Rojas Wins for DiBella at B.B. King
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent-Ringside
New York, NY (August 14th, 2014)–Former World Boxing Council World Featherweight champion Elio Rojas, shaking off the cobwebs and skeletons after nearly a year and a half out of the ring, picked up his first win in three years in the main event of a Broadway Boxing DiBella Entertainment eight bout card at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, on Wednesday night, August 13, 2014.
Rojas, now 24-2, 14 knockouts, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, looking slightly heavier at 137 pounds (12 pounds over featherweight) scored an eight round unanimous decision over muscular and tough Robert Osiobe, 14-10-4, six knockouts, Las Vegas, Nevada. Osiobe did not appear to win a round, nor land any punch of consequence, but forced the ring rusty Rojas into the ‘land a shot, then hold and wrestle your foe for all eight rounds’ mentality. Championship referee Arthur Mercante Jr. spent the night talking to both fighters throughout the contest, maintaining strict control over ring movement.
Osiobe eventually lost a point for holding in round five, and was warned for hitting Rojas behind the head in round six with threat of disqualification by referee Arthur Mercante Jr. Osiobe threw an array of wild swings which mostly missed, and eventually his wrestling and headlock contortion tactics stunk out the house. However, Rojas, Osiobe and Mercante demonstrated elements of good sportsmanship throughout the contest. Osiobe is a strong guy who essentially cannot box at the top tier level no matter how hard he tries, whose game plan is to try to manhandle his opponents and tire them out. Rojas was scoring with single jabs and single power shots with both hands, frustrating the well-conditioned but talentless Osiobe all night.
Osiobe, a smaller bald version of the late Bennie Briscoe, had his chin hit all night but felt nothing. Rojas, keeping his sense of humor, was forced to settle for a shutout decision.
Despite his successful comeback at light welterweight, Rojas would be better off going back to the 125 pound weight class where he was champion. His instincts are magnificent, but his power and agility are better in featherweight division, and not three divisions up.
Result: Elio Diaz Win 8 Robert Osdiobe, Junior Welterweights
Scoring: 80-71, 80-71, 79-72 Diaz.
Referee: Arthur Mercante Jr.
On the undercard, middleweight trial horse Derrick Findley knocked down DiBella fighter Lamar Russ twice and won a convincing eight round decision. Findley survived a huge bump injury atop the right side of his fore head. Despite the ugly looking bump, Findley was otherwise unaffected by the injury, fought well by baiting Russ into power shot exchanges, and won the contest. Russ also got penalized a point in round seven for continued holding, losing a 10-7 round to Findley which sealed his fate on the scorecards. Russ started the bout by using his height and reach advantage to win the early rounds landing his jab on the shorter more powerful Findley while staying out of range, but then failed to stick to his game plan in the later rounds.
World Boxing Association world ranked number nine super bantamweight contender Rafael Vazquez got knocked to the canvas late in the fourth round by opponent Derrick Wilson after taking a series of power shot combinations. Wilson raised his hands in victory in what would have been a shocking upset. The aging Vazquez got up at the count of eight from referee Samuel Viruet, then fought for his life against Wilson in a slugfest as the round ended.
In round five, Wilson went for broke and tried for a knockout-but punched himself out. The wounded but still dangerous Vazquez then cut off the ring, and trapped Wilson in a corner. Vazquez, looking like a vicious hungry hyena with fangs showing and mouth drooling, willing to fight to the death to the bitter end for his juicy meal, finished a surprised and exhausted Wilson in a ‘wow’ comeback thriller standing ovation ending which brought down the house.
The ending was pure brutality, and bloodthirsty boxing fans were loving every minute of it. The moral of the story is as such: if a young lion roars and uses his power to swat down and badly wound a menacing old experienced hyena, he had better finish the job. Because if the old experienced hyena gets up and the lion eventually gets tired in the classic struggle, we all know which part of the young lion’s anatomy the old hyena will go for-the throat-and it’s a cinch the old hyena will twist like crazy and won’t let go till someone’s dead.
Undercard Bouts at BB King Blues Club & Grill, New York City
Referees: David Fields, Samuel Viruet, Arthur Mercante Jr.
Derrick Findley Win 8 Lamar Russ, Middleweights
Russ down in rounds four and seven. Russ penalized one point for holding.
Rafael Vazquez TKO 5 Derrick Wilson, Super Bantamweights (1:20)
WBA number nine contender Vazquez was on the canvas in the fourth round.
Travis Peterkin Win 6 Lamont Williams, Cruiserweights
Peterkin could not make weight at 175 pounds. Williams fought and held only to survive.
Louis Cruz Win 6 Cameron Kreal, Light Welterweights
Single power shot war by both combatants, won by Cruz four rounds to two.
Bryant Pee-Wee Cruz Win Majority Decision 6 Jose Morales, Junior Lightweights.Strange hands down wild power shot fighting style of 7-5 Mexican ringer Morales led to three different scorecards: 57-57, 59-55, 60-54. Real Combat Media scored it 58-56 Cruz.
Junior Sugar Boy Younan TKO 1 Marlon Farr, Super Middleweights (0:26)
Fifth first round knockout in six bouts for world class Younan, worthy of better opposition.
Jonathan Alonzo (Pro Debut) TKO 3 Jose Gomez, Junior Welterweights (1:52)
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