Litzau TKOs Kimbrough!

Jason Litzau won by TKO tonight when his opponent’s corner threw in the towel after three rounds.

News and comments to come!

Jaidon Codrington’s Status for June 5 in Question

An industry source has informed the Fistic Mystic that Jaidon Codrington will not be appearing at Grand Casino Hinckley in the “Cornered” boxing event on June 5.

Calls made Saturday afternoon to Tony Grygelko of Seconds Out Promotions and Jim Erickson, boxing commissioner for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe were not answered, and a message left for Erickson was not returned – So the Fistic Mystic is unable to confirm or debunk this report.

Upcoming Boxing Event: February 20 in Buffalo, NY

Here’s a look at the tentative card for Jungle Boy Zach Walters’ tilt with Byron Mitchell on February 20.

Byron Mitchell (26-4-1 with 19 kayos) -vs- Zach Walters (23-3 with 18 kayos), light heavyweights, scheduled for 12 rounds.  This appears to be a defense of Walters’ NABA US light heavyweight title, won last June against Aaron Norwood.

Paul Marinaccio (24-4-3 with 11 kayos) -vs- Ryan Thompson (8-6 with 6 kayos), heavyweights, scheduled for 8 rounds

Meacher Major (15-3-1 with 13 kayos) -vs- Kevin Carmody (10-10-1 with 1 kayo), lightweights, scheduled for 8 rounds

Harvey Murray (2-2-2 with 1 kayos) -vs- Omar Carrol (0-2-1), featherweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Greg Brady (debut) -vs- Justin Riegle (2-0 with 1 kayos), cruiserweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Mike Faragon (4-0 with no kayos -vs- TBA, light welterweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Lionel Thompson (debut) -vs- TBA, light heavyweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Johnny Davis (debut) -vs- TBA, heavyweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

Matt Vanda Wins, and Other Results from the St Paul Armory, May 17

Matt Vanda took a unanimous decision win against a badly overmatched opponent at the St Paul Armory tonight.

Bruce Rumbolz barely put up a fight, his jabs pawing at empty air and his hooks hovering like a bee and stinging like a butterfly.  He did what was expected of him, giving Vanda a much-needed “W” that improved his record to 38-6 with 21 wins by knockout.  Rumbolz dropped his sixth straight boxing match (and the thirteenth out of sixteen) to fall to 21-17 with 15 wins by kayo.

Matchups like tonight’s are inevitable as long as some fighters need guaranteed wins and others need cash.  Unfortunately this was a boring dog of a fight, with Vanda showing more respect for Rumbolz than was probably deserved, and Rumbolz unwilling or unable to do anything to hurt Vanda.

Tonight’s results are below.  Full results will be published as they are verified and finalized.

• Matt Vanda (now 38-6 with 21 kayos) defeated Bruce Rumbolz (now 21-17 with 15 kayos) by UD in 8 rounds.
• Caleb Truax (6-0 with 4 kayos) defeated James Crayton (34-28 with 21 kayos) by TKO in round XX
• Corey Rodriguez (4-0 with 3 kayos) defeated Raphael Magdaleno (1-6 with zero kayos) by UD in four rounds
• Brad Patraw -vs- Vlad Ustimchuk Jr: fight canceled
• Robert Kliewer (8-4 with 4 kayos) defeated Ray Walker (1-5 with zero kayos) by UD in four rounds

Butler Looks Sharp, Abell Gets Rocked

Raphael Butler sealed a shot at highly ranked contender ”Fast” Eddie Chambers by TKOing journeyman Otis Tisdale in the fourth round Saturday night.  Action was said to be slow for the first three, picking up in the fourth when Tisdale tried to to go toe-to-toe with Butler and consequently got the worst of the exchange.  Butler ripped Tisdale against the ropes until referee Mark Nelson stopped the fight.

By contrast, Joey Abell suffered a career setback when he was stopped by Andrew Greeley in a shocker.  Abell was looking good and in control, and decided to go for the kill. Abell landed some good punches but then got caught.  A Greeley right put Abell down and through the ropes.  Abell got up in time but was unable to adequately defend himself, taking a couple more power shots after the knockdown.  Mark Nelson stopped the fight with two seconds left in the fourth.  There is bound to be criticism of Nelson for stopping this one as he did, but any criticism is unfair.   Nelson is an excellent ref, probably the best in Minnesota.  And one cannot expect a referee to be watching the clock when a fighter is in trouble.

While Butler (now 31-4) trains for a fight with Chambers in the Cayman Islands June 20, Abell (now 20-2) will most likely be looking at some more bouts in Philadelphia as he tries to improve his ranking and reputation following this difficult loss.  Abell may take some consolation in the example of the great Harry Greb, a old-time boxer who had some difficult losses (some awful beatings, in fact) early in his career but learned from them, eventually becoming one of the all-time greats and retiring with a career record of 260-21.

Antwan Robertson and Darby Smart Both Booked for May 8 in Green Bay

According to a posting on the Minnesota Boxing Forum (see the end of this article for a link) the event scheduled for May 8 in Green Bay will include Minnesotans Antwan Robertson and Darby Smart, among others.

Robertson is scheduled to face Tim Watts of Winnipeg, MB in a 4-rounder.  Robertson is a super flyweight, Watts is a super bantamweight.  We’ll see what gives.

Smart is pencilled in against Tim Carrizales, a super featherweight whose most recent result was a 2nd round kayo loss to Allen Litzau in February of 2006.  Of course we know very well that inactivity isn’t always voluntary, just ask Mister Smart, the former Minnesota State Featherweight titleist, who hasn’t fought in a year and a half.

Other familiar names on the card include heavyweight Jake Betz, his opponent Harry Funmaker, Terrance Trottier, and Butch Hajicek.  More details will be published here as they become available.

The info cited here was evidently posted by John Hoffman, and can be viewed at: http://minnesotaboxingforum.aceboard.com/274221-1022-4088-0-Riverside-Ballroom-Green.htm

Joey Abell: On the Right Track

They’re talking about Joey Abell in Philadelphia.

There are two trains of thought on Abell in Philly.  One says that he’s the greatest thing to hit town in years, he’s an exciting knockout artist with a good future and a fun present, and everybody should get on the Joey Train.  These folks are his boosters, the reason Don Elbaum keeps bringing him back to the Legendary Blue Horizon.  They think of Abell as one of their own, and they follow him as closely there (in Philly) as we do here in Minnesota.

The other train of thought says that Abell is a big strong guy with a puffed-up record and bad defense, that the first time he’s in the ring with a top-quality opponent he’ll fold like a Valentine’s Day card.  They point out that many men have been able to land punches on Abell, but that most of them just weren’t strong enough to hurt him.  These skeptics will also tell you that Abell is only popular because he’s big and strong and white.  There’s a “homer” aspect to this perspective, an attitude that Joey isn’t really one of them, and he shouldn’t be getting home-town support from Philadelphians.

Not being from Philly, the Fistic Mystic doesn’t take to either opinion.  We feel that it’s a good thing for Minnesota boxing if Abell can establish a base at the Blue Horizon, and we’re as excited as any Minnesotan about the potential for Abell to become a star.

But it’s also true that Abell’s defense is spotty, and it’s true that many opponents have been able to walk right in and land punches on him.

Clearly that’s why he’s been working hard at improving his jab (which is a great defensive tool for a big man) and getting as much ring time as possible.

Think of the riddle he poses to his trainers – he’s never in the ring long enough to learn anything! And how do you teach a guy like that good defense? Put him in the sparring ring and tell him not to throw any punches?

He needs developmental time with guys like his recent opponents, Ratko Draskovic and Maurice Wheeler, and his next opponent, Andrew Greeley.

Draskovic has been in the ring with Audley Harrison, Matt Skelton, Danny Williams, Sinan Samil Sam (twice)…Wheeler has done time with David Bostice, Dominick Guinn, Tony Thompson, Alonzo Butler, David Tua, and DaVarryl Williamson. Sometimes he goes the distance and sometimes he gets KOd, but nobody ever put him down as fast as Abell. And Andrew Greeley went the distance in fights with Kevin Johnson, Malik Scott, Travis Walker, Eddie Chambers, and Chris Arreola.

The Fistic Mystic says: these are the kind of opponents Abell needs time with to learn his craft.  They aren’t big punchers but they’re tough and experienced, so they offer the possibility of extending Abell past the first round.  They’ve been around the block a few times and they won’t be overawed by his power – at least not before he hits them.  And they provide a measuring stick for the media and the public.  It’s a fun game (even if not very instructive) to compare boxers’ performances against common opponents, and it gives the chatterers something to natter about.

Upcoming Boxing Event: June 6 at Grand Casino Hinckley (Welcome Back Old Friends!)

Good news on the home front: Kenny Kost, Allen Litzau, Wilton Hilario, and others will participate in a June 6 card at Grand Casino Hinckley.

The tentative schedule posted on Boxrec.com:

• Kenny “K.O.” Kost (14-3 with 6 kayos) -vs- Justin Flanagan (8-1 with 5 kayos), scheduled for 8 rounds, middeweights
• Allen Litzau (12-3 with 6 kayos) -vs- Jose Laureano (18-13 with 8 kayos), scheduled for 8 rounds, featherweights
• Phil “The Drill” Williams (7-0 with 7 kayos) -vs- TBA, scheduled for 6 rounds, light heavyweights
• Wilton “Pretty Warrior” Hilario (8-0-1 with 7 kayos) -vs- TBA, scheduled or 4 rounds, featherweights
• “Hard Hitting” Kirstie Davis (3-1 with 3 kayos) -vs- TBA, scheduled for 4 rounds, lightweights
• Harley Kilfian (4-1 with 3 kayos) -vs- TBA, scheduled or 4 rounds, cruiserweights

Abell’s Website Dismisses Gerald “The Jedi” Nobles

In remarks posted on Joey Abell’s website, www.joeyabell.com, the following blurb can be found:

“After the [Maurice Wheeler] fight, Gerald ‘The Jedi’ Nobles (26-1), jumped into the ring and demanded the next shot at Joey. The Jedi…even followed Joey into the locker room waving money at him. Nobles has been attempting a comeback after his long layoff and I am sure this was an attempt to get his name in the news. Joey quietly responded “talk to my manager.”

Results for John Sargent’s Comeback at Northern Lights Casino, Plus Undercard Results

Initial updates are courtesy of www.minnesotaboxing.com, which has a correspondent at Northern Lights Casino this evening.  The Fistic Mystic makes no representations regarding the accuracy of the results reported here.  We will verify these results by cross-referencing www.boxrec.com as soon as possible.

• John “Hogman” Sargent (now 28-5 with 17 kayos) defeated Ritchie Goosehead (now 7-21 with 3 kayos) by knockout in round 5
• Christopher “The Hammer” Holt (14-9 with 9 kayos) defeated Tony Ault (10-23-2 with 10 kayos) by knockout in round 4.
• Tyler Gould (5-2 with 5 kayos) defeated Michael Davis (0-3) by knockout in round 3.
• Patrick Cape (4-1 with 2 kayos) defeated Jesse Barbot (4-3 with 3 kayos) by knockout in round 4.
• Ben Lane (4-1-1 with 4 kayos) and Nick Whiting (0-8-1) battled to a split draw after four rounds.
• Jake Betz (1-2 with 1 kayo) defeated Dion Sgro (1-2 with no kayos) by knockout in round 2.
• John Hoffman (11-20 with 3 kayos) defeated Daniel Schlienz (6-13 with 3 kayos) by unanimous decision after four rounds.