Anthony Young Wins Decision at Showboat Atlantic City as Ring Announcer Declares the Wrong Winner in Halloween Mistake
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent- Ringside
*Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media
Atlantic City, NJ (October 31st, 2022)– In the main event of a seven-bout card in the Carousel Room at Showboat in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on October 29, 2022, welterweight contender Anthony ‘Juice’ Young won a unanimous eight-round decision over veteran Jose Zaragoza on an R & Promotions Alex Barbosa card marked by an odd ring announcer’s mistake which sent the local boxing crowd into a momentary uproar when the wrong person, Zaragoza, the fighter in the blue corner, was declared the winner of the main event in error, and had his hand momentarily raised by referee David Fields as the winner in a Halloween monster mistake.
The fact the Showboat Hotel had an adult Halloween costume contest in progress at the same time, and hotel guests were dressed as skeletons, ghosts, ghouls, vampires and the devil, added to the confusion of the moment, as both Young and the crowd momentarily believed Young had actually lost in an upset. The photos tell the story.
Young, 43-2 with eight knockouts, Atlantic City, New Jersey, sporting a 1970’s style beard and afro hairstyle, appeared to be much bigger than Zaragoza, in both height and due to his shaggy mane. From the opening bell, Zaragoza, 9-6-1, Sedalia, Missouri, proved his record was deceiving. Using a collection of head butts, low blows, and hitting behind the head, Zaragoza took the bout dirty at times during the bout, winning rounds two and three. Zaragoza resorted to a throw one punch and hold strategy, and kept the bout on the ropes and out of the center of the ring for most of the contest, frustrating Young, who simply outworked him. Zaragoza took Young’s best shots and traded throughout, but just got outworked. Zaragoza trained hard for this bout and sincerely tried to win, making the bout close while making Young’s return a hard fought one.
The ring announcer mistakenly declaring Zaragoza the winner before correcting his mistake during the Halloween costume ball at the hotel, made for an interesting evening at The Showboat Atlantic City.
Main Event Result: Anthony ‘Juice’ Young Win 8 Jose Zaragoza, Welterweights
Scoring: 79-73, 77-75, 77-75 Young. Referee: David Fields
The ring announcer mistakenly announced Zaragoza the winner, who had his hand raised first in victory by referee David Fields, before correcting his mistake and then announcing Young as the winner. Referee David Fields then raised the hand of Young in victory.
In the preliminary to the main event, 8-8 junior welterweight Sydney McCow of Brooklyn, New York, came off the canvas in the fourth round to win a controversial split decision over 6-4 Brandon Idrogo of New York City. McCow came on strongly in the fifth and sixth rounds to get the split.
On the undercard, a four-round junior welterweight bout was a hell raiser. 4-5-2 Michael Crain on Smyrna, Delaware, badly beaten and bruised in the first round, by 1-1-1 bearded Leonidas Sopranidis of Kilkis, Greece, came back in rounds two, three and four showing better stamina as Sopranidis tired. Both fighters were taken on a trip to hell, and the fight resulted in a controversial draw.
Also on the undercard, 2-2 cruiserweight Tunde Fatiregun of Elizabeth, New Jersey, outpointed Elijah Lynah of Brooklyn, New York. Lynah held a great deal, but just was not throwing punches. In a four-round welterweight contest, 2-0 Anthony Dill of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, decked track runner Aaron Newmones, 1-3, Atlantic City, New Jersey, twice in the second round to earn a second-round stoppage. New Jersey flyweight Kenyon Sessoms, in his pro debut, knocked out 0-2 Brett Yuschock of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania, in the first round. Debuting junior welterweight Deyshawn Williams of Queens, New York, knocked out 0-2 Kevin Schmidt of Cumberland, Indiana, in the first round. The preliminary bout referees were Harvey Dock, Eric Dali, and David Fields. New Jersey State Athletic Commissioner Larry Hazard Sr. and middleweight title challenger Thomas LaManna were at ringside.
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