By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside

Super middleweights Darren “Bossman” Goodall (5-0-1, 4 KOs) and Tahlik Taylor (3-10-1, 1KO) slugged it out over six rounds in the main event, but when the dust settled it was ruled a draw. The battle at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany will easily be a strong candidate for the New Jersey fight of the year. The seven-bout card promoted by Andre Kut’s KEA Boxing Promotions, had KOs, upsets and even a split decision which left the crowd satisfied as the night came to a close. In the co-feature of the evening, Marcus Beckford (5-8-3, 1 KO) used a slick counterpunching style to squeeze out a split decision upset of Philly welterweight Ardrick “The Hitman” Butler.

The crowd was there in the anticipation of the successful return of Darren “The Bossman” Goodall. Tahlik Taylor had different intentions and shocked Goodall by rushing at the opening bell with furious ten punch combination. Goodall tried to cover but many of the shots reached their mark. Goodall fought back but was dropped in the second round from a Taylor left. The crowd was shocked as Goodall was rocked but rose to his feet and fought back. Taylor was putting everything on his punches but was fighting of the ropes. “The Bossman” was bloodied from the shots and rocked several times, but he just wouldn’t stop pounding Taylor’s ribs and mixing up a couple shots up top. Taylor appeared to tire and was rocked twice in the third. Goodall caught him in the corner and unleash a series of heavy shots. A short hook that appeared to put Taylor on his hands and knees for the ten count, but it was ruled a low blow and Taylor was allowed time to recover.

Taylor caught the local favorite backing up with a big right hand early in the fourth Goodall was rocked again so Taylor tried to unleash a series of heavy hooks up top. Goodall recovered and banged his share of big right hands. It wouldn’t stop Taylor who rocked him again in the fifth. Goodall put the pressure on and took the sixth and final round.

The fight went to the scorecards. One judge saw it 58-55 in favor of Goodall, while the second official saw it 57-56 in favor of Taylor. The third Judge scored it even 57-57 for the draw. Darren Goodall moves to 5-0-1, 4 KOs, while Tahlik Taylor slides to 3-10-1, 1 KO.

In the four round welterweight co-feature of the evening, Marcus Beckford (5-8-3, 1 KO) pulled the upset with a razor thin split decision victory over Ardrick “The Hitman” Butler (7-5, 3 KOs).

Beckford used slick counters and movement that frustrated Butler in the opening two rounds. The Hitman. who had to shake off several years of ring rust, finally appeared to find his mark late in the second He also appeared to turn the tide in the third round with a straight shot up the middle, forcing Beckford to wobble and touch his hand to the canvas for a knockdown. Beckford recovered countered well in the fourth and final round. Butler found his mark with the less frequent but harder shots which made it close. The fight went to the scorecards. One judge saw it 38-37 for Butler, but was overruled, as the other two officials saw it 38-37 in favor of Marcus Beckford for the split decision victory. Beckford jumps to 5-8-3, 1KO, while Butler slips to 7-5, 3 KOs)

Former national golden gloves runner-up Robert “Tiger” Terry improved to 2-0, 1 KO with a dominant four round unanimous decision victory over James “Thunder “ Robinson (5-10-4, 1 KO).

Terry looked much more advanced than his record indicated as he battered Robinson with heavy combinations throughout the opening two rounds. Robinson tried to fight back but his thunderous shots were not landing solidly. Robinson found himself fighting off the ropes more and more, but was forced to hold on the inside. Referee Ronald Bashir took a point off of Robinson in the third and again in the fourth rounds for excessive holding. all three judges saw the fight in favor of Robert Terry by scores of 39-35 and 40-34 x 2 for the four round unanimous decision victory, Terry moves to 2-0, 1 KO while Robinson falls to 5-10-4, 1 KO

Undefeated super bantamweight sensation Emmanuel “Major Pain” Folly (11-0, 9 KOs) easily shook off a year’s worth of ring rust with an impressive fourth round stoppage of thirty fight veteran Pablo Cupul (9-25, 5 KOs).

Folly brought the pain right from the opening bell with thudding combinations and hard body work. A short underneath in the third round made Cupul grimace from the pain and his knees buckled. Folly had sent Cupul down in the fourth round with two big lefts. He made it back up at the count of nine, but referee David Franciosi had seen enough and waived the fight off at 1:53 of the fourth round for the TKO victory. Emannuel Folly looks to be one of the best prospects in the USA.

Undefeated super lightweight John ”El Terrible” Bauza (10-0, 5 KO’s) looked nearly unhittable as he completely outclassed fight veteran Hugo Padilla (5-14, 2KOs) over six rounds.

Bauza easily picked the Mexican apart with sharp shots on the outside that had Padilla swinging at air. Padilla was a survivor though and made it to the final bell, sending the bout to the scorecards. All three judges saw it the same way 60-54 x 3 giving John Bauza the lopsided unanimous decision victory. Hugo Padilla falls to 5-14, 2 Kos)

Local super featherweight Andrew “Sweet Pea” Bentley up his record to 4-3, 4 KO’s with an impressive second round stoppage of previously undefeated Arrel Love (1-1, 1KO). Bentley used his superior reach to snap hard right jabs form the southpaw stance throughout the opening round. The shorter Love, took the fight on the inside, but a short right uppercut sent Love to the canvas. Love rose to his feet. He was not in great shape as Bentley continued to batter him on the ropes. Referee Ricardo Rivera finally had seen enough and stepped in and called a halt to the contest at the 2:42 mark of the second round, giving Andrew Bentley the TKO victory

The opening four round bout of the evening featured a pair of welterweights who looked to turn around their upside -down records. It was Orange, New Jersey’s Steve Moore (1-3, 1KO) who won for the first time in his professional career with a third round knockout of Laquan Lewis (2-10, 2 KO’s). Moore was the aggressor throughout and did most of his damage with heavy body work. Lewis was game though and landed several good counters. The body work finally forced Lewis to bend over in the corner in the third. Lewis immediately went on the retreat to survive but Moore would not let him off the hook and battered him around the ring. A overhand right put Lewis on his back. Referee Ronald Bashir immediately waived it off at 2:31 of the third round for the knockout victory