ATLANTIC CITY, NJ–Sergio Martinez retained the undisputed Middleweight title with a eleventh round stoppage over previously undefeated Englishman Darren Barker at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Martinez boxed well over the first two frames using his quickness. Barker got into the fight in round three as he landed a couple nice right hands but probably wasnt enough to take the round. In round four, Barker landed numerous right hands that had blood squirting out of the nose of the champion. Martinez settled in once again by flicking shots from his unorthodox “Hands Down” defense. Martinez started putting more punches in bunches in round six only to have Barker land a big right at the bell.
Martinez started getting comfortable by sticking and moving while Barker was looking for the one big score. Round eight was an action filled fight with Martinez and Barker standing toe to toe for much of the last ninety seconds of the frame with Martinez landing four and five punch combinations while the challenger landing a solid left hook and yet another good right.
Martinez had a big round nine as he rocked Barker with a huge right hook that buckled Barker across the ring. Martinez threw and landed some of the twenty some odd punched that were to follow and had Barker in trouble for the first time in the fight.
Martinez ended things with a huge right hook to the side of the head that sent Barker down on his back and he could not beat referee Eddie Cotton’s ten count
Andy Lee got even with Brian Vera by scoring a ten round unanimous decision in a Middleweight bout.
Lee started round one trying to establish the jab. In round two Landed a huge left that sent Vera sprawling to the canvas just before the bell sounded to signal the end of the round. Lee continued to dominate in round three as that frame was highlighted by a monstrous left uppercut that Vera took well. Round four saw the effects of Lee’s work by a cut that was formed around the left eye of Vera. The fight was fought at a fast pace with both guys getting good shots. Despite the cut, Vera came back to have a strong round five as he blasted Lee with a couple of hard right hands.
Lee landed a beautiful check hook that sent Vera head first into the corner post in round six and then buckled Vera with a hard left in round seven. Round was a great action round with Lee continuing to land solid left hands while Vera pounded away with a handful of right hands.
The two continued to slug going down the stretch and it was Vera who continued to land the bigger shots but a visibly exhausted Lee hung and was able to avenge his only career loss
Lee, 163 lbs of Limerick, IRE won by scores of 99-90; 99-90 and 98-91 to raise his mark to 27-1. Vera, 160 lbs of Austin, TX is now 19-6
In a mild upset, Daniel Lugo scored a four round unanimous decision over Kevin Rooney Jr. in a Jr. Middleweight bout.
Scores were 39-37 on all cards for Lugo of Harrisburg, PA and is now 1-1. Rooney of Catskills, NY is now 2-1.
J’Leon Love remained perfect by scoring a six round unanimous decision over Eddie Hunter in a Middleweight bout.
Scores were 60-54; 60-53 and 60-53 for Love of Detroit and is now 9-0. Hunter of Kent, WA is now 5-7-2.
In the first bout of the evening, Troy Artis sprun an upset by dropping Israel Dufus three times in round three to gain the stoppage in that round which was a scheduled four round Middleweight bout.
Dufus controlled the first two round with good boxing skills.
In round three, Artis dropped Dufus with a hard left-right combination. He dropped him a second time from a straight right. Dufus was reeling when he ate several unanswered blows and dropped to his knees and referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout at 2:03.
Artis of Bronx, NY is now 3-2-1 with two knockouts. Dufus of Panama is now 2-1.
