TEAM COMBAT LEAGUE WEEK NINE
HOUSTON HITMEN OUTWORK DEFENDING CHAMPS NEW YORK CITY ATTITUDE AND GAIN HARD-FOUGHT TEAM VICTORY 230-225
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Via the Team Combat League YouTube Channel
Thursday, May 30, 2024 – With the concept catching fire among fight fans, Week Nine of Team Combat League’s exciting second season featured two doubleheaders in two locations on the same night.
In the opening leg of the night’s first doubleheader, a close match throughout held at Gas South District in Duluth, Georgia, the Bobby Benton and Austin Trout-led Houston Hitmen (2-2) outlasted last year’s champs, the Benny Roman and Ryan O’Leary-coached NYC Attitude (1-3), by a final team score of 230-225.
Looking to rebound from a 226-224 loss at home to the Las Vegas Hustle on May 9, The Hitmen came in with an invigorated focus and a consistently high work rate that allowed them to edge out several very close rounds in the eyes of the judges against a New York team that fought well in defeat.
The only knockdown of the night was scored by the night’s first star, Isaac Torres of Houston, who dropped New York’s Marcell Davidson once in their Round 11 fight with a chopping right hand. While Davidson made it to the final bell, his trip to the canvas cost The Attitude an extra point, making the round 10-8 for Torres and tying the team scores at 104-104.
“I feel great,” said Torres, post-event. “We came here and took care of business and did what we had to do. Now it’s time to go home and enjoy my birthday. My birthday was on Wednesday. In regular boxing, you have to rely on yourself. Now, we’re relying on the whole team. We feed off each other and try to hype each other up. It’s really cool. I’m enjoying the ride and I’m going to keep going. We came out here and did our thing. It’s all about Houston. H Town!”
Houston’s Kanye Dillan Gee and NYC’s Ariel Lopez split a pair of entertaining scraps in Rounds 9 and 23 and in a battle of previously undefeated female fighters this season, Houston’s Samantha Ginithan moved her record on the season to 8-0, 1 KO by taking a 10-9 round over New York’s previously unbeaten former world champion Alicia Napoleon (TCL 4-1) in Round 13. The impressive Ginithan also defeated New York’s Feifilimai Faiva 10-9 in Round 5.
The round judged “Fight of the Night” occurred in Round 16, when heavyweights Nagy Aguilera of Houston and Earl Newman of New York engaged in a heavyweight back-and-forth for the full three minutes, with Aguilera taking the 10-9 nod.
Houston’s Jahyden Britton was voted the third star of the night for his 10-9 victory in Round 9 over a tough Tre’Vaughn Jones of New York. The Attitude’s Ryan Pino was judged the second star for his two 10-9 wins over Houston’s Todd Manuel.
“Everybody did great tonight,” said jubilant Houston coach, Bobby Benton. “Even the rounds we lost; everybody did great tonight. Houston Hitmen Baby!” |