TORONTO, ON – (MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2013) Kitchener, Ontario’s “Dangerous” Denton Daley claimed his first of what promises to be many important boxing titles with a lopsided 10 round unanimous decision over former light heavyweight world champion Richard Hall, to capture the NABF Cruiserweight crown.
Daley (9-0, 5KO’s) utilized his obvious edges in hand and foot speed to confuse Hall (30-12, 28 KO’s) early, and batter him late, enroute to the impressive win.
All three judges had the fight 100-90 for Daley, who had nothing but praise for the cagey Hall after the verdict was read.
“I learned a lot this fight,” Daley said afterward.
“Hall is such a warrior, and knows all about making the right moves at the right time. One inch this way, or one inch that way. And you’re not in the proper position to land. This is the kind of fight that makes you a better fighter, and allows you to finish off guys like this.”
Despite Daley’s praise for Hall, his right hand found a consistent home all over Hall’s head and body, throwing it from every angle violently and effectively.
After the cagey Hall was on the wrong end of a cat and mouse game over the first four rounds, he came out aggressively in the fifth, attacking Daley in a corner with both hands before the sharpshooting prospect battled back with a series of concussive rights to take emphatic control of the fight.
The offensive display from Daley continued through the seventh, when a fusilage of Daley rights opened a cut over Hall’s right eye, and had the veteran of four world title fights wobbling noticeably.
“He’s a tough tough fighter who knows how to survive in the ring. This was a real test for me.”
In the evening’s co-feature, Ghislain Maduma of Montreal (13-0, 9 KO’s) and Mexican Josafat Perez (13-5-1, 8 KO’s) battled for the vacant WBC Continental America’s Lightweight title, with Maduma surviving the bloody battle with a tenth round TKO win.
A strong Maduma right hand in the first opened a cut over Perez’ right eye, and set the tone for the blood that was to come.
The second round saw crimson flow from both fighters after a headbutt split Perez open just to the left of his nose by the brow, and opened Maduma up just over the right eye. Madua answered the adversity with a quick hand that sent Perez to the canvas.
The pitch battle continued through the middle rounds with Perez scoring some effective counters, and Maduma pressing the pace with a stiff jab and crisp rights to the head and body.
Eventual, Maduma’s pace, conditioning, and diligent work from his cutman, Bob Prince, began to tell, as the blood from above his eye subsided, and his pace seemed to quicken that much more, despite Perez’ best efforts that included a crunching uppercut along the ropes in the sixth that saw Maduma take his first unsure steps of the fight.
In the seventh, Maduma blasted several lefts and rights that landed square on the jaw of Perez and foretold the punishment that was to come in the 8th as Maduma picked up the pace even more, adding debilitating body shot to his repertoire that further weakened the game, but now dangerously weary and increasingly vulnerable Perez.
By the tenth, the courageous and game Perez finally succumbed to the Montrealer’s onslaught after two crushing Maduma body shots sent the Mexican down to a knee. After beating referee Dave Dunbar’s count, Perez indicated that he was done.
Toronto cruiserweight Chukwunoso Okafor (3-1-1, 1 KO) was out-worked over four rounds by Mexico’s Benito Quiroz (8-2, 7 KO’s). Scores were 39-37, 39-38, 39-37 all for the fresher Quiroz, who broke down the noticeably exhausted Okafor with crushing shots to the body throughout the fight.
In the opening bout of the evening, Toronto welterweight Junmar Emon raised his record to 5-1 (1 KO) with a hard fought 6 round split decision over Brampton’s Jeremy Abbott (3-4, 2KO’s).
Scores were 59-54, 57-56, and 57-58.
A crisp counter right hand early in round one that sent Abbott crashing to the canvas proved to be the difference for Emon, who battled through a nasty cut over his right eye for most of the fight, not to mention Abbott’s long jab and effective lateral movement with the heavier, all the while landing the cleaner, more effective punches.
