Jared Anderson went the distance for the first time and won a 10-round unanimous decision over former IBF Heavyweight champion Charles Martin at The Huntington Center in Anderson’s hometown of Toledo, Ohio.
At the end of round three, Anderson dropped Martin by flinging a left from the southpaw stance that hit the top of Martin’s head. Anderson continued to pound away and rock Martin. In round five, Martin hurt Anderson with some hard left hands.
In round nine, the mouth of Martin began to bleed. Anderson was able to dominate the second half of the fight alternating from orthodox to southpaw, landing jabs and some solid punches to the jaw. Martin tried to make a last second stand as he landed a perfect left to the jaw that sent Anderson back, but time ran out.
Anderson landed 157 of 369 punches; Martin was 85 of 324.
Anderson, 243.4 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 98-91 and 99-90 twice and is now 15-0. Martin, 259.5 lbs of St. Louis, MO is 29-4-1.
Anderson said, “It felt great. I had my team with me. I got my family with me. I got Toledo with me. They showed up and they’re in the building. They were with me the entire 10 rounds. I heard them all the way through. I’m grateful for my opponent. He took the fight on short notice. He came and performed really good. I think we put on a hell of a show for Toledo.
“I wanted to go the distance. It was my first time. I just wanted to make sure that I could go the distance and especially be able to withstand power the whole 10 rounds. He had power until the last round, and I was happy to get the rounds in.
“I think I took his best shots very well. I don’t think there was a time in the fight where I looked unsteady or where I couldn’t hold my own. Did feel like he got me with a good shot and stunned me? No. But do I feel like he got me with a good shot and made me aware? Yes, so I had to readjust and get back to the game plan.”
Martin said, “I took the fight on 11 days’ notice. I did the best I could. He’s a real champion. He’ll be making his way to the top soon. I’m proud of him.
“He’s really good. He’s a crafty boxer. Usually, when I catch somebody and hurt them, I can finish them. If they don’t fall, usually I can follow up and put them away. But he is like a little middleweight. He is crafty. He was able to get out even when he was rocked. He was able to maneuver and get out the way. He’s going to be a champion.
Makhmudov Stops Akepejiori in 2
In a battle of heavyweight sluggers, Arslenbek Makhmudov stopped Raphael Akepejiori in round two of their 10-round bout.
In round one, Makhmudov came out fast and dropped Akepejiori with a perfect right uppercut. At the end of the round, Makhmudov dropped Akepejiori again with a left hook while Akepejiori’s right hand was caught in the ropes. In round two, Makhmudov landed several devastating uppercuts that wobbled Akepejiori and then sent up down with a hard right. Akepejiori got to his feet, but the fight was waved of at 1:43.
Makhmudov, 263.4 lbs of Montreal, CAN is now 17-0 with 16 knockouts. Akepejiori, 255.5 lbs of Lagos, NIG is 15-1.
Abdullah Mason stopped Alex de Oliveira in round two of their six-round lightweight bout.
In round two, Mason landed three fast and hard left hands that put de Oliveira down and the fight was stopped at 2:18.
Mason, 135.2 lbs of Cleveland is 9-0 with eight knockouts. de Oliveira, 135.8 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is now 20-5.
Mason said, “It was amazing. I felt amazing. I felt great in this camp. Right now, there is no cap on my ceiling. I’m just focused, and I’m going hard.”
2020 United State Olympian Tiger Johnson remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Jonathan Montrel in a junior welterweight bout.
In round three, the left eye of Montrel began to swell.
The eye continued to worsen as the doctor checked on it before round seven commenced. The right side of Montrel’s forehead became a bloody mess in round seven.
Johnson, 141.2 lbs of Cleveland, OH won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 9-0. Montrel, 140.6 lbs of New Orleans is now 15-2.
Dante Benjamin Jr. remained undefeated by stopping Mirandy Zola in round one of their six-round light heavyweight bout.
In round one, Benjamin landed a big left hand that was followed by a right to the chin that put Zola on his back. Benjamin came forward and landed a big right that snapped Zola’s head back and the bout was stopped at 1:56.
Benjamin, 173.3 lbs of Cleveland is 7-0 with six knockouts. Zola, 173.9 lbs of Columbus, OH is 4-3.
DeAndre Ware won a six-round unanimous decision over DeCarlo Perez in a super middleweight bout.
Ware, 167.9 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 16-4-2. Perez, 167.5 lbs of Atlantic City, NJ is 19-9-1,
Rance Ward scored a six-round majority decision over previously undefeated Husan Al Mashhadi in a junior middleweight bout.
Ward, 153.6 lbs of Houma, LA won by scores of 59-55, 58-56 and 57-57 and is now 8-5-1. Al Mashhadi, 151.2 lbs od Dearborn Heights, MI is 6-1.
Tyler McCreary came back after a two-year layoff with a six-round unanimous decision over Deivi Julio in a junior lightweight bout.
In round two, Julio was docked a point for holding.
McCreary, 131 lbs of Toledo, OH won by scores of 59-54 and 57-56 twice and is now 18-2-1. Julio, 130.9 lbs of Monteria, COL is 26-14.
Nicklaus Flaz upset previously undefeated Jahi Tucker via eight-round majority decision in a junior middleweight bout,
Flaz was cut on his right eyebrow in the final round.
Flaz, 151.2 lbs of Bayamon, PR won by scores of 78-74, 77-75 and 76-76 and is now 11-2. Tucker, 151.8 lbs of Deer Park, NY is 10-1.
