Fairfax, VA – It was another sensational evening at George Mason University’s Patriot Center packed by fans and families in support of their local hero Jimmy Lange in his eleventh appearance at the famed venue. The event, presented by ICE Promotions, gathered many fans and local talents across the greater VA/DC/MD Metropolitan area.
However, someone forgot to inform Pittsburg, PA’s Joe Wyatt (23-2, 15KOs), as he came to the National Capital region with an intent to spoil the party.
In the main event, Jimmy Lange (34-4, 24KOs) delivered in one of the most exciting fights of the year, akin to some of the famous come-from-behind knockouts displayed by the late Arturo Gatti.
After a slow feel-out round in the first, Wyatt began to force the attack in the second, landing a hard overhand right and stalking his opponent with intent to hurt. Lange tried to keep Wyatt at bay with jabs, but Wyatt continuously closed the gap and inflicted damage with short well-timed right hands. In the fourth, Wyatt unleashed a barrage of hard unanswered uppercuts and left hooks that cornered Lange against the ropes unable to defend. Lange came back in the fifth with a short right hand to the ear and dropped Wyatt for a quick eight count. War ensued shortly after and the two fighters fiercely exchanged before the bell. Wyatt drew blood early in the sixth and continued to punish and bust up Lange, who was now cut on his swelling left eye. Lange did his best to evade the onslaught and later caught Wyatt again with leg buckling shots to the head, also causing a cut above the eye of his opponent. A straight right landed by Lange in the beginning of the eighth briefly drew crowd’s reaction to his favor, but Wyatt landed the more effective shots to take the round. Both fighters bled profusely in round nine and Wyatt seemingly held the edge once again with cleaner uppercuts. The two exchanged furiously towards the end of the tenth and final round, but it was a devastating right hand by Lange that prevailed, landing right on the button to drop Wyatt for a full ten-count. The official time of the stoppage was 2:38. With the win, Lange picks up the vacant NABA super welterweight title and sets up a potential showdown in Atlantic City against Harry Joe Yorgey in early spring.
JOPPY HELD TO A DRAW
On the co-main event, former three time middleweight champion and ring legend William Joppy ( 39-6-2, 30KOs) made his return to the ring, fighting to a tough, physical, hard fought ten round draw against the very pugnacious and durable Cory ‘Black Ice’ Cummings (17-4-1, 13KOs).
Cummings came out strong in the first two rounds, relentlessly putting pressure on the former world champ. The third round saw Joppy using his vastly superior experience to out-jab and outmaneuver the oncoming and determined foe in Cummings. Pressure was reinforced in round five by ‘Black Ice’, continuing to push Joppy against the ropes while the D.C native tried his best to counter. Rounds six and seven were closely fought. Joppy appeared to have the edge when pitted in the center of the ring as he was able to evade wild overhand rights and place well put combinations. Against the ropes, it was Cummings who did most damage, forcing hard shots to the noggin. Joppy easily controlled the round in the eighth, using his lateral movements and caught his charging opponent with several jabs and body shots. It was back-and-forth action in round nine where Cummings again, forced the action against the ropes while Joppy aimed to counter. Cummings remained a similar pace in the final round, repeatedly catching Joppy with hard hooks. Joppy weathered the storm and fired back with staggering uppercuts and right hand as the two combatants stood toe-to-toe in the final minute.
After ten very brutal rounds, majority of the crowd in attendance stood in ovation. Ultimately, one judge scored 96-94 in favor of Joppy while the others scored it even (95-95).
Joppy, now residing in Woodbridge, VA is probably one of the three or four best middleweights to have laced the gloves in the past two decades. Although his best days as a fighter are behind him, the former champion from D.C. still appears to be a popular attraction, proved by the reaction from his immense supporting crowd in attendance.
REID DAWG WINS AND SINGS
Former reality show ‘The Contender’ participant, Jonathan ‘Reid Dawg’ Reid (35-13, 19KOs) got back on the winning track, tabbing a lopsided six round decision over veteran Mike McFail (12-41-2, 4KOs) of Baltimore, MD. From the get go, Reid dictated pace with sharper technique, easily finding his target with consistent jabs and loud blows to the mid-section. McFail persistently applied pressure, but to no avail, largely due to Reid’s tight defense and savvy ring movement. Tides momentarily turned in favor of McFail in round five when he landed a hail-mary left hook to the chin that buckled Reid against the ropes. The referee credited McFail with the knockdown, but Reid re-took his command when he landed a huge hook that sent McFail’s mouthpiece flying out of the ring. Reid resumed in charge in the sixth, utilizing his superior athleticism and more accurate punches. All judges were in agreement with outcome, scoring the bout 59-55 (twice) and 58-55.
BALLARD DRILLS MULLINS!
The very popular and former Jimmy Lange foe Perry Ballard (21-2-1, 16KOs) scored a sensational first round knockout win over Booker Mullins (3-10, 2KOs) of Sparatanburg, SC in a six round scheduled welterweight contest. Mullins rocked Ballard with a well placed uppercut, but the ‘The Punisher’ retaliated with a perfectly timed right hand that dropped Mullins, prompting the referee to put a halt to a bout at 2:54. After the bout, the charismatic West Virginia native was vaunted by the responsive crowd. Ballard, who holds a Master’s degree in Safety, proceeded to interact with the crowd and even went on to call out Jimmy Lange for a rematch.
Local favorite and Fairfax resident Todd ‘White Lightning’ Wilson punished Columbia, SC’s Cory ‘Bad Boy’ Goodwin (7-6, 4KOs) to improve his unblemished record to 9-0, 3KOs. Wilson, an energetic lefty welterweight, was simply too fast, too powerful and just too relentless to overwhelm Cummings, who was haplessly getting pounded against the ropes in the third stanza. Official time of the stoppage was 2:24.
In the opening bout of the night, Alexandria, VA’s Brandon Quarles won an entertaining four round unanimous decision over Reston, VA’s Lawrence Jones. It was a closely contested bout throughout between two junior middleweights, but Quarles was awarded with the razor thin score of 38-37 across all three judges’ cards.
It was only the second fight of the night, but fans in attendance were convincingly pleased when middleweights Zain ‘Tiger’ Shah (4-0, 2KOs) and Omar Sims (5-3, 3KOs) gave their best efforts in the ring.
Annandale, VA’s Shah appeared to have won the first round, using his superior reach and connecting with jabs and occasional right hands to the head. Action increased towards the end of the round two when Sims pressed attack, landing crisp hooks to the head. Sims, who hails from Baltimore, MD, began to find his mark in round three, landing early with right hands. Shah seemed a bit fatigued as Sims progressively applied pressure and inflict damage on the inside. Sims resumed his attack in round four, but Shah was able to stun Sims just before the bell. Fifth round was close, with Shah continuing to create distance to land his counter right hand while Sims pursued to the body and doubling up with the hook. Both fighters let their hands going in the sixth and final round, but it heavily favored Sims, who was able to relentlessly land clean hooks to the head and hard shots to the body. Most ringside observers appeared to have Sims winning, but the judges disagreed, scoring 58-56 (twice) and 59-55 in favor of Shah.
In other interesting notes, Jonathan Reid, who was coming off his hard-fought win earlier in the night, displayed talent beyond pugilistic arts, singing a happy birthday tribute to Jimmy Lange’s sister in front of the audience. Other notables at ringside included the very high regarded Paul Williams, former junior welterweight champion DeMarcus ‘Chop Chop Corley’, and junior middleweight contender Harry Joe Yorgey.
