Report and Photos by Bob Ryder
In the main event Friday night at Eastern Michigan University’s Convocation Center, super welterweight Patrick Boozer rolled to an easy first round TKO over Thomas Turner in their scheduled eight rounder.
Boozer (13-4, 4 KOs) had little trouble dominating Turner (5-9, 4 KOs), walking right through his opponent before landing a crushing overhand bomb that dropped Turner along the ropes. Referee Ron Cunningham waved off the count at 1:52 when it was obvious Turner was unable to rise.
In the best fight of the night on promoter Eric McGuire’s (A-Square Fight Promotions, LLC) show, lightweights Cedric Johnson and Miguel Banda entertained the crowd with some nice back and forth exchanges. Banda scored a clean knockdown in the second round with a body shot. Johnson came back to bloody Banda’s nose in the third. Johnson moved and boxed in the fourth and final round with Banda aggressively pursuing. To the delight of the crowd a close fight that Banda seemed to edge out with the knockdown went to the hometown Johnson by split decision on scores of 38-37 x 2 and 37-38. Johnson was making his pro debut, unlucky Banda falls to (1-3, 0 KOs).
Super welterweight Reggie Harris Jr also made his pro debut going up against Xavier Graham. Harris came out somewhat wild and overly aggressive in the opening round but settled down to score a knockdown near the end of the frame. Graham strangely took a knee at the bell to start the second before action had even begun. Rather than issue a count, referee Cunningham verbally convinced Graham that if he was not hurt it would be in his best interests to continue. Graham did rise and took a knee again following a brief exchange at which time Cunningham stopped the contest at :29. Graham falls to (0-4).
In the opening fight of the night super lightweight Maurice Anthony (2-1, 2 KOs) scored a clean knockout with a body blow at 2:10 of the second round over Christopher Reid (0-2), Reid needing to sit on his stool massaging his tender ribs for several moments at the conclusion.
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