Flint, Mi - On Thursday September 12th, Big Time Boxing USA and Solita Promotions held their first event in Flint. I arrived early to get situated, and as I took my first steps into the mostly empty Dort Financial Center, I was hit with this "surreal" feeling. I was walking into the same building that I used to see the circus in as a kid, this was the building I graduated high school in. And yet here is this boxing ring surrounded by cameras and staff scurrying around and taking notes. The Megatron was lit up, "HOLMES JR. VS NORIEGA". I'm sure I looked like a deer caught in the headlights as I found my place ringside and prepared to get to work.
Getting situated was quick and painless, the ringside media was briefed, and it wouldn't be long until the action picked up.
The Action!
Chris "JuiceMan"Thompson coming out on top against Eric Hadley
Chris "Juiceman" Thompson (3-0, 3KOs) vs. Eric Hadley
Chris "Juiceman" Thompson was quick to put Eric Hadley away. What little offence Eric Hadley was able to get in Thompson was either able to block or quickly shrug off. When Thompson saw his opportunity to mount a heavy offense he took it. Once he was able to maneuver Hadley into the corner, he began laying in with a combination of heavy punches that Hadley wasn't able to overcome. He made it out of the fleury once but was quickly defeated in a stoppage resulting in a TKO making Chris "Juiceman" Thompson 3-0.
Darrion Lawson welcoming Isaiah Cobbs to Flint
Darrion Lawson (3-0, 3KOs) vs Isaiah Cobbs
I thought the first fight had gone rather quick, until I had experienced the second. As soon as Lawson and Cobbs met in the ring, Lawson connected a staggering heavy jab. Cobbs wasn't able to recover, and it was quickly over when Lawson connected a perfect left hook and put Isaiah Cobbs to sleep.
Claressa Shields prepping Ja'Quan McElroy for victory
Ja'Quan McElroy (2-0,1KO) vs Lamar Bolden
This match was slower to start than the other two, but that is because the "game" was being played. Bolden's offence was wild and aggressive, while he was able to connect a few heavy jabs, McElroy was able to capitalize on the openings given to him. This pattern continued through the second round where McElroy started aggressively pressuring and connecting with Bolden. While Bolden was able to weather the second round, he wasn't able to weather the third. McElroy's patience paid off and he was able to apply enough pressure to wear down Bolden into a TKO.
A couple of SAVAGES
DeAndre Savage (6-0,6KOs) vs Keshawn Jackson
I was especially excited to see DeAndre Savage and his brother Dionte ringside. I went to high school with these two and now I get to see DeAndre in a professional match, and the man lives up to his family name. The man is a Savage. From the beginning of the match Savage was looking for the right opportunity to leverage his heavy right hand. Jackson was able to avoid most of the damage due to his footwork in the first round. But part way through the second Savage was able to start laying in some solid shots. Unfortunately, as Jackson was heading to the ground with his knee down Savage laid in a solid headshot, seconds too late. As Jackson's eyes rolled back, and his body hit the mat the coaches began yelling. It was quickly decided no contest.
"Lethal" Leon Lawson III squaring up against Luis Alberto Veron
"Lethal" Leon Lawson III (16-1, 9KOs) vs Luis Alberto Veron
With the height and reach advantage from the outset this felt like a "when" rather than an "if". Throughout the first round Lawson picked the time and place of his punches carefully as he familiarized himself with his opponent. While Veron was trying to do the same his reach disadvantage was painfully obvious. The amount of energy Veron had to exert simply to find an opening and get within striking distance felt unsustainable. As the rounds wore on Lawson became more and more aggressive as his punches started to visually take their toll. Veron was able to stay mostly upright until Lawson finished him off with a heavy right hand to the head.
Da'Velle Smith dominating Esau Herrera De La Cruz
Da'Velle Smith (9-0, 7KOs) dominating Esau Herrera De La Cruz
There honestly isn't much to discuss about this match. While De La Cruz did manage to last 4 rounds, and to impose one flurry of offense, he took a real beating from Smith. Smith had simply knocked De La Cruz into submission. De La Cruz didn't see a path to victory and was tired of being pummeled. He conceded in the 4th round.
Joseph "Sug" Hicks battling it out with Ronnie Austion
Joseph "Sug" Hicks (11-0, 7KOs) vs Ronnie Austion
This was a hard-fought almost evenly matched slug fest. From the beginning of the match, it was easy to see how badly both fighters wanted to win. Each fighter through their best flurries of jabs, upper cuts, and body shots getting the best of the other at one point or another. But as the rounds wore on and endurance became a factor. Hicks was able to maintain a higher level of successful offence to earn him the victory.
Ardreal Holmes Jr. puts what he's been working on on display
Ardreal "Bossman" Holmes Jr (16-0, 6KOs) vs Hugo Noriega
In the post-match interview, it was clear that Holmes Jr was disappointed that he didn't dominate his opponent more handedly, and that he wants someone in the top ten. Specifically name-dropping Erickson Lubin and Jermell Charlo.
While he didn't get the KO he was looking for Holmes Jr. simply outclassed Noreiga. The match went the distance and went all ten rounds, but while Noreiga was able to connect here or there he was simply getting edged out on meaningful shots. As the match wore on you could feel tension in the air. Everyone knew that Ardreal was looking to show out with a decisive victory for a shot to mix it up with a fighter in the top 10 of his division. We'll have to see if the technical prowess will be enough to entice someone at the top.
Closing Thoughts
Anyone who knows me personally and / or has talked to me recently has probably had to experience my diatribe about Flint being special or there being "magic in the air right now"... and this really isn't going to make me any more bearable.
Getting to watch Claressa Shields spar with Holmes on media day, getting to see the Dort Financial Center under the big bright lights, Flint celebrities showing up and screaming for a Flint win... there IS something special here.
We have the historied legendary gym in the Berston Field House, we have Olympian boxers, we have a current World Champ in Claressa Shields, who has a movie releasing on Christmas Day AND we have multiple boxers taking their journeys to climb their weight classes.
There is a beautiful and brutal romance in the history of boxing. We just need to fan the flames a little, and Flint could play a major role in its future.
-Rob
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