Photos and Ringside Report by Bob Ryder
Albert “Prince” Bell scored a comprehensive win over Nicolas Polanco in the headline event of promoter Vick Green’s (Pulse Boxing) show at downtown Toledo’s Huntington Center Saturday night. In the process, Bell captured the vacant WBO/NABO super featherweight belt by scores of 100-90 x 2 and 99-91.
Bell excited his hometown fans by dominating the contest despite Polanco’s never give up attitude and aggressive attack. Early rounds showcased Bell’s amazing ability to glide around the ring with excellent defense and footwork combined with a pesky offense although Polanco did manage to clip him along the ropes with a good shot in the second round which Bell handled with ease. Polanco never stopped trying to get into a slugging match but Bell thwarted him repeatedly, deftly moving out of the way as most of Polanco’s punches sailed harmlessly through the air, a pattern that continued for the entire fight. Bell landed a sweeping hard hook in the ninth but Polanco who came to win rode it out. Polanco took some good shots from Bell at the start of the tenth and final round but Bell was unable to do any real damage. Bell’s lack of a big punch is perhaps the one element holding him back from the next level but his boxing skills and ring generalship are superb. With the win Bell moves to (22-0, 6 KOs) while the Dominican Republic’s gutsy Polanco declines to (20-3-1, 11 KOs).
In one of the eight round supporting fights, Cleveland’s Thomas Mattice pounded out Orlando’s (by way of Brazil) Eduardo Pereira Dos Reis in their super featherweight match. Mattice had way too much for Dos Reis controlling the action with hard jabs. Mattice opened up in the fourth round scoring a hard knockdown just as the round ended. Dos Reis gave a good effort in hanging in there through the fifth round but suffered two knockdowns in the sixth with referee James Easter halting the contest at 2:14 after his second trip to the contest. Mattice advances to (19-3-1, 15 KOs), Dos Reis now stands at (24-10, 19 KOs). The less said about the other scheduled eight round match up the better. In a tedious heavyweight contest Cleveland’s Roney Hines improved his record to (12-0, 8 KOs) over Detroit’s Craig Lewis (14-6-1 8 KOs) by way of disqualification at :40 of round five. Very little action or clean punching in this fight and as Lewis tired, retaining his mouthpiece became an issue. Referee Lonnie Scott twice had to deduct a point from Lewis in third for having his mouth guard hit the canvas as the crowd booed its displeasure of the Motor City fighter. After Lewis lost his gum shield again in the fifth round (fifth time in the match) referee Scott immediately waived it off to the general relief of those in the arena.
Toledo’s super middleweight Antwan Jones remained perfect at (11-0, 5 KOs) as he bested Argentina’s Victor Hugo Exner (8-11-1, 2 KOs) over the six round distance by scores of 60-54 x 2 and 59-55. Exner was game but too slow to deal with Jones. Exner kept wading in and did land some hard punches in the third round but not nearly enough to turn the tide in his favor. Two other six round bouts were also on the show. Hometown welterweight Angelo Snow got a much needed win over Argentina’s Lucas Andres Dadamo. Snow exhibited power in blasting his rival to the mat twice in the third round with the Argentine’s corner imploring him to stay down on the second knockdown which Exner complied to be counted out at 1:40 by referee Scott. Snow improves to (8-4, 5 KOs) with the victory, Exner drops to (8-11-1, 2 KOs). Featherweight Javon Campbell now fighting as Javon Woodard Jr utilized a solid body attack to best Nicaragua’s Manuel Guzman over the distance with scores of 59-55 x 3. Campbell-Woodard who hails from Raleigh, NC stands at (10-1, 8 KOs). Guzman now (8-7-1, 5 KOs).
Two four round bouts opened the night. Pontiac, Michigan’s featherweight Cameran Pankey (5-0, 3 KOs) bested St. Louis native Printice Canada ( 3-7-1, 2 KOs) over the scheduled distance by scores of 40-36 x 3. The first bout of the evening was also a shut out (40-36 x 3) for David Craddock of Columbus who goes up to (3-0, 1 KO) over pro debuting Ishmael Dixon of Benton Harbor in a matchup of super lightweights.
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