By Bob Caico at ringside
The main event at the Hamilton Convention Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada displayed a boxing clinic performed by lightweight Bradley Wilcox in his hometown. His opponent, Domingo Vazquez (7-3, 2 KOs) who was a late substitute, was willing but unable to outbox the young Canadian in any of the eight scheduled rounds. Wilcox used his jab and ring savvy to frustrate his game opponent throughout the fight. Neither fighter sustained any serious damage as Wilcox (9-0, 4 KOs) kept his perfect record with a unanimous decision by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73.
An all-out war was waged in the co-main event featuring cruiserweights Ryan Rozicki of Nova Scotia and Khetag Pliev of Canada by way of Russia. Pliev who was a former Canadian Olympian and Rozicki threw nothing but well placed bombs from the opening bell. Rozicki who is nicknamed “The Bruiser”, for good reason, landed thunderous body shots while Pliev connected with rights and lefts to the head. The second round started just like the first with both fighters throwing caution to the wind. Rozicki was cut from one of the missiles thrown by Pliev that would later require 14 stitches to close. “The Bruiser” showed his power as a quick left hook dropped Pliev who looked shaken as he rose. Rozicki followed up with punishing combinations that made his opponent sink to the canvas. Pliev beat the count but the referee showed him mercy by stopping the fight at 2:19. With the win, Rozicki now is a perfect 11-0 with 11 knockouts. Pliev suffered his first loss and his record now stands at 5-1, 2 KOs.
Super welterweight Jessie Wilcox of Hamilton (older brother of Bradley) manhandled Azael Villegas of Mexico stopping him in the second round of a scheduled eight. Wilcox landed a straight right hand followed by a left hook that sent Villegas to the canvas in round one. Wilcox came out for the second round determined to punish his opponent and he did just that. Perfect combinations to the head and body had Villegas flailing around the ring. While Villegas was pinned near the ropes Wilcox landed a crushing left jab-straight right-left hook combination that nearly spun the Mexican’s head around. The referee didn’t bother to count the fallen fighter as he waved off the bout. Wilcox remained undefeated at 14-0-2 with his ninth knockout while Villegas drops to 9-6-1.
Debuting Pat Pytlik Waterloo, Ontario was awarded a gift draw with Marco Parente (1-4-3) of Woodbridge, Ontario in a four round light heavyweight tilt. Parente had Pytlik hurt several times in the first round and seemed to out-box him in the remaining three rounds. Pytlik showed heart and his continued aggression had the judges split with scores of 39-37, 37-39 and 38-38.
Heavyweight Jorge Sevilla Acosta (2-0) of Mexico stopped Nick Dragich (4-2) of Edmonton in the second round of a scheduled four. Dragich hurt Acosta in the first round with straight left hands that blooded the Mexicans nose. Acosta landed some nice body shots in the first and continued that assault in the second round. Seeing the effects it was having on the tiring opponent he moved to the head and floored the Canadian with a left hook. Dragich barely made it up at 10 but referee Mark Simmons correctly stopped the bout at 2:59.
Carolyn Redmond of Ontario made a successful pro debut with a third round TKO over Veronice Diaz Marin (0-4) of Mexico in a four round super lightweight contest. Time was 58 seconds.
Niagara Falls, Ontario rising star Lucas Bahdi stopped Laramie Carmona of Mexico at 2:59 of round one. Bahdi used a sustained attack and finally battered his opponent to the canvas. Super lightweight Bahdi is now 4-0, all by KO while Carmona slides to 8-9.
In an entertaining four round bantamweight contest Alex Castellano of Buffalo, NY making his pro debut took home a majority decision over tough PG Tondo (0-3-1) of Toronto by scores of 40-36, 39-37 and 38-38.
The card was promoted by Daniel Otter of Three Lions Promotions who held his seventh card at the venue in the last three years. By the sights and sounds of the enthusiastic crowd, his eighth card can’t come soon enough.