Tor Hamer Blinks and Manswell Stinks, Melson Wins Rematch at BB King
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent – Ringside
New York, NY (August 15th, 2013)– Tobago heavyweight Kerston Manswell came to the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan in 2011 with a 20-0 record, but he still cannot fight. Brooklyn trial horse welterweight Jason Thompson has a losing record of 5-7-3, but forget his record because Thompson really can fight great. Both fighters lost in the co-main events at BB King Blues Club and Grill on Wednesday, August 14, 2013, but only Thompson comported himself like a great fighter. Manswell did not make it out of the first round in his bout. How his bout ended provides sufficient reason as to why Manswell should go back to Tobago now, and not fight again.
New York City’s Tor Hamer, 20-2 with 13 knockouts, needed only a few punches, perhaps 15 or less, to get rid of pretender Manswell, now 23-8, 17 knockouts. Hamer, weighing 225, and Manswell, weighing 280, had a prefight ‘stare off’ before the bout began from their respective corners. From the opening bell, Hamer landed on Manswell at will, who could not take a punch and was too heavy to run. Instead, Manswell grabbed on to Hamer and wrestled him to the canvas a number of times. A short punch near the bell ending round one sent Manswell to the canvas. Manswell tried again to grab onto Hamer as he went down but was unsuccessful. In the entanglement which resulted, one of Hamer’s gloves bounced off the back of Manswell’s head. Manswell, a master of the dramatic dive, feigned unconsciousness as the round ended, remaining motionless face first on the canvas.
Eventually Manswell did get up, acting groggy on the ropes. The referee had called time, and eventually called the bout off. Then Manswell appeared fine again, and got angry at Hamer, claiming the back of the head foul, almost starting a melee. Maybe Manswell was hoping for a disqualification, but the referee did not buy it. The last significant major disqualification in a New York State heavyweight bout occurred when 10-0 Nagy Aquilera intentionally head butted Marcellus Brown in the face in the second round of their bout at Roseland Ballroom in December 2008, breaking brown’s nose. Brown never fought again. Hamer wins by TKO in the first upon the referee’s declaration the bout was over.
In the final co-main event bout of the evening, in a rematch of their six round draw, junior middleweights Boyd Melson of White Plains, New York, and Jason Thompson of Brooklyn, New York, went the distance again, this time in an eight rounder. Both fighters were rock’em sock’em robot clones. Both fighters moved on their feet from side to side well. Thompson came forward with power shots, and Melson moved side to side with power shots. The battle seesawed from one round to another, with Melson ahead by landing crisp head shots and counters, and Thompson always coming forward with pressure and ‘heat’, never letting Melson off the hook. Many rounds were close and difficult to score.
In the end, Melson and Thompson were both bleeding from cuts on the corner of the right eye. Late in the eighth and final round, Melson dropped Thompson for a 10-8 round to clinch the decision. Both fighters were down in their previous six round draw, the first bout ever fought at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn. Southpaw Melson goes to 11-1-1 with 4 knockouts. Thompson falls to 5-7-3 with 4 knockouts. Considering Thompson’s draws with Melson and Frank Galarza in his previous two bouts, Thompson is a far better fighter than his won-loss record indicates.
In a spectacular undercard upset, unheralded junior lightweight Michael ‘The Iron Bull’ Doyle, now 2-3, Pritchard, Alabama, surprisingly showed up in world class physical condition and knocked out Lou DiBella prospect Newuky Santelises with a wicked power left hook at 1:19 of the first round. Doyle entered in a dark shirt and looked to be nothing special, an appearance of deception. Despite having substantial height and reach disadvantage, Doyle emerged as a nasty power hitter with the ability to move in and out fast with lightning speed and land with monster power. Santelises, undefeated at 5-0, was not prepared for an opponent in top form with ability like this, went down on his back and somehow beat the count, but he was out, proving once again you must never underestimate your opponent.
Unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Lennox ‘2 Sharpe’ Allen went to 17-0-1 with a six round decision win over Michael Gbenga of Ghana in his first appearance for Lou DiBella Entertainment since leaving Dr. Mario Yabobi and Boxing 360. Gbenga, now 16-9, has now lost three consecutive bouts to high caliber opponents with a combined record of 49-1-1.
BB King Blues Club and Grill Fight Card Results, Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Referees: Eddie Claudio, Ricky Gonzalez and Pete Santiago
Boyd Melson Win 8 Jason Thompson, Junior Middleweights
Scoring: 78-73, 78-73, 78-74 Melson. Thompson down in eighth.
Tor Hamer TKO 2 Kerston Manswell, Heavyweights. Manswell down at end of first round.
Referee stops contest with Manswell unable to continue. Rabbit punch claim disallowed.
Donte Strayhorn Win 4 Justin Robbins, Junior Welterweights
Michael Doyle TKO 2 Newuky Santelises, Junior Lightweights
Sonya Lamonakis Win 6 Tanzee Daniel, Female Heavyweights (2 Minute Rounds)
Patrick Day Win 6 Donald Ward, Junior Middleweights
Lennox 2 Sharpe Allen Win 6 Michael Gbenga, Light Heavyweights
Jeremy Abram (Debut) Win 4 Micah Branch, Junior Lightweights
Amos Cowart Majority Draw 6 Chazz McDowell, Junior Welterweights
Close bout. Cowart and McDowell agreed to fight a rematch on the next Lou DiBella card.
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