Chazz Witherspoon and Mis Downing Shine at Claridge Atlantic City
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent- Ringside
*Photo Credit: Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media
Atlantic City, NJ (March 11th, 2018)– Heavyweight contender Chazz ‘The Gentleman’ Witherspoon returned to action in the main event of a seven bout at The Claridge in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday evening, March 10, 2018, after 17 months of inactivity. Witherspoon won a close but unanimous decision over last-minute substitute Lamont Capers. The seven bout card was promoted by Mis Downing Promotions and Silver Spoon Promotions. A scheduled co-main event bout with Anthony ‘Juice’ Young was rescheduled for the next card.
Witherspoon, now 37-3 with 18 knockouts, Paulsboro, New Jersey, fought Capers, 9-11-4 with one knockout, Hawley, New Jersey, because originally scheduled opponent Mike Sheppard pulled out of the bout. Capers stopped Tracey Johnson in Scranton, Pennsylvania in the second round only a week ago, and still looked fresh and in top condition against the ring rusty Witherspoon. The Johnson win was Capers’ first win as a heavyweight after a lengthy cruiserweight career. The win over Capers was Chazz’ first by decision at eight rounds.
Capers is also a noted MMA fighter and wore MMA on his boxing trunks. Capers proceeded to turn his eight-round affair with Witherspoon into an ugly war of wrestling, grappling and holding better fit for the MMA ring rather than the boxing ring. Witherspoon was slow to respond to Capers’ constant chopping overhand rights over the top which scored once and while, enabling capers to win two or three rounds on the cards.
Capers tried to take advantage of Witherspoon’s ring rust, hoping to get lucky. He almost did, coming within one round of a draw on one scorecard. However, by the midway point of the eighth and final round, Capers was tiring and looked ready to go. Witherspoon opted to win the final round and the scorecards without taking unnecessary chances, in a situation similar to Bernard Hopkins versus Kelly Pavlik. Capers spent the majority of the bout doing the tango with Witherspoon anyway, trying to punch over grappling holds inside, and get ahold of Witherspoon’s arms and shoulders in awkward positions. In some sense, the bout was a throwback to the days of Jack Johnson, when heavyweight bouts were closer to wrestling as boxing emerged over a century ago. Witherspoon punched accurately and carefully. Given, Capers was a cruiserweight but was sharper due to Witherspoon’s inactivity, Witherspoon took the points win.
In the post-fight interview after the bout, Chazz indicated he would return to training for a 10 rounder next with his cousin, former world heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon, and would welcome a rematch with Chris Arreola, and world title bouts with Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and WBA regular heavyweight champion Manuel Charr, if the bots were offered in the near future. At age 36, Chazz still has an impressive heavyweight record and a real chance, if he stays busy.
Atlantic City’s new mayor, Frank Gilliam, spoke in the ring before the main event, and expressed his hearty support for boxing events in Atlantic City.
Result: Chazz Witherspoon Win 8 Lamont Capers, Heavyweights
Scoring: 78-74, 78-74, 77-75 for Witherspoon.
Referee: Earl Brown
Both fighters were warned for pushing in the final round by referee Earl Brown.
In an undercard bout, the second comeback bout of Camden, New Jersey’s 46-year-old former world light heavyweight champion Prince Badi Ajamu ended in failure. Ajamu, wearing earmuffs without an offense for the most part, shockingly got outpointed by six round majority decision by 41-year-old Maryland journeyman Willis Lockett. As the bout progressed, Lockett, who saw Ajamu was not throwing punches, simply stayed busy every round and outpointed him. One judge had it a draw, but the bout did not appear to be close. Ajamu’s right eye was swollen and bloody for most of the bout, and in a situation similar to Roberto Duran versus Iran Barkley, Ajamu did not see many of Lockett’s left hands over the top coming in over his right guard, Lockett taking full advantage of it. In a situation similar to Hector Camacho’s last bout, Ajamu appeared in shape, and his gloves were up, but years of ring wars apparently left him without the ability to throw punches. The fact that this was only his second bout in nine years did not help his self-assessment.
Result: Willis Lockett Win Majority Decision 6 Prince Badi Ajamu
Other Undercard Bouts at Radisson Claridge Atlantic City
Referees: Earl Brown, David Franciosi, Eddie Claudio
Mike Hilton Win Technical Decision 3 Hector Perez, Cruiserweights
Bang! Hilton got decked in the first. Bang! Perez got decked in the second. :Push! Hilton got pushed to the canvas in the second. Bang! Perez got decked in the third. Bang! The heads collided. The ringside doctor, Dr. Wei Xu stopped the bout between rounds due to a horrible zigzag cut between the eyes of Perez. Perez went wild, wanting to continue. New Jersey Athletic Commission rules state the bout goes to the scorecards after three rounds in nontitle bouts. Hilton wins on the cards by virtue of scoring two knockdowns to Perez’ one knockdown. Dr. Zu did his job accurately, this type of cut required an immediate stoppage.
The bout was fought George Foreman versus Ron Lyle style, both fighters standing in front of each other going at like wild. Fight of the night. It had no chance of going all six rounds.
Dan Murray No Decision 1 Latorie Woodberry, Welterweights (1:36)
Was it an accidental push, was it a punch, or good acting? Woodberry went flying across the ring after what appeared to be mostly a push, landing face first in a corner with an injured right elbow, and a right arm which would not move. Dr. Wei Xu stopped the bout. A No Decision results as per New Jersey Athletic Commission rules. The crowd booed the stoppage.
Edgar Joe Cortes Win 4 Kevin Asmat, Featherweights
Vineland, New Jersey’s Edgar Joe Cortes, trained by Hassan Tid-El, surprisingly dropped North Bergen. New Jersey’s Asmat in first round, and went on to score the points upset.
Alejandro Jmenez (Pro Debut) TKO 2 Derrick Pitts, Bantamweight
Opening bout on card. Pro debut for New Hope, Pennsylvania bantam prospect Jmenez.
John Bauza Win 6 David Morales, Super Lightweights
Undefeated 9-0 North Bergen, New Jersey rising super lightweight prospect Bauza got takien the distance by a more defensive but still game Nicaraguan opponent David Morales, who took his best shots and taunted Bauza back. With 10 knockouts in his 10 wins, Morales threw haymakers with evil intent which missed, and tried to get lucky somehow as Bauza hung a low left hand at times. No such luck with Bauza, a fine technical fighter with superior movement who offered no target. Morales took his beating like a man but survived.
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