Glanton defeats WBA #1 Apochi; Rivera defeats unbeaten Juarez; Gallimore defeats unbeaten Lawson

Report/Photos by Boxing Bob Newman

Good night for the B-sides on the Morrell-Cazares undercard Sunday night at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In a clash between unbeaten cruiserweight knockout artists, Brandon Glanton (14-0, 11 KOs) won a ten round split decision over WBA #1 Efetobor Apochi (11-1, 11 KOs). Glanton had Apochi out on his feet at the bell ending round six and it was all out war after that. Apochi staggered Glanton at the final bell. Scores were 96-93 Apochi, 95-94, 95-94 Glanton.

Super lightweight All Rivera (22-5, 18 KOs) upset previously unbeaten Omar “El Relámpago” Juárez (11-1, 5 KOs) by majority decision.

Super welterweight Nathaniel Gallimore (22-5-1, 17 KOs) won a majority decision over previously unbeaten 6’5 Leon Lawson III (14-1, 7 KOs).

FULL REPORT

Cruiserweight knockout artists Efetobor Apochi and Brandon Glanton played Rock-em Sock-em Robots right from the opening bell of their scheduled ten-rounder. Glanton seemed a tad more polished, utilizing the jab to set up his power shots. By round five, both men’s punches seemed to lack luster, as each threw arm punches, both tiring from the torrid pace. Finally, at the end of round six, Glanton landed two hard rights, snapping Apochi’s head back violently. Referee Miezwa appeared to step in and stop it, but the ropes had held Apochi up at the bell saved him. Apochi seemingly got a second wind and held his own in round seven. Glanton tried to finish things at the start of the eighth, but Apochi found head movement to his liking, and Glanton missed a ton, gassing himself in the process. Late in round nine, as Apochi was getting the worst of it along the ropes, referee Miezwa called time to secure loose tape on Apochi’s glove. The same tape repair happened for Glanton in the tenth. Late in the fight, with seconds to go, Apochi tagged Glanton high on the temple with an overhand right, buckling Glanton’s knees in the process. Both men heard the final bell- a rarity in both their explosive careers thus far. The judges saw it 96-93 for Apochi and 95-94 twice for Glanton- by split decision, now moving to 14-0, 11 KOs. Apochi drops his first to fall to 11-1, 11 KOs. Rematch anyone?

Super Lightweights Omar Juarez and All Rivera opened the Fox portion of the telecast in a scheduled ten-rounder. Both men picked their shots with Juarez seeming faster and crisper. Rivera, for his part, seemed to have the heavier if not slower hands. By the end of round two, Juarez was sporting a nasty swelling under his right eye. In round four, Juarez came out looking to do damage, unloading on Rivera. Briefly, Rivera turned the tables and had Juarez on the ropes. After another exchange in which Rivera was getting the worst of it, He grabbed to steady himself and both men crashed hard to the canvas with Juarez rising in pain. By the sixth, Juarez resumed control, though Rivera kept pursuing, if somewhat ineffectively. Rivera seemed content to let Juarez tee off, hoping to draw him into a firefight, which happened only on occasion. Juarez kept his crisp combination punching style in play, giving Rivera little chance to engage. Juarez opted to switch stances back and forth in the eighth, confusing Rivera and throwing him off his rhythm. In a surprising turn of events, Juarez looked to lure Rivera in and Juarez backed into a corner to counter, when he got countered himself by two rights and a left, depositing him on his rear end. Juarez rose to referee Mark Nelson’s count and boxed neatly to get out of the round. Rivera kept up the pursuit in the tenth, but wasn’t able to capitalize as Juarez hopped on his bicycle to get out of the round. In the second upset of the night, All “The Machine Gun” Rivera escaped with a majority win by scores of 95-95, 95-94 and 95-93, moving to 22-5, 18 KOs. Juarez loses his first, dropping to 11-1, 5 KOs. The knockdown was the difference.

“Lethal” Leon Lawson III and Nathaniel Gallimore showed little love loss in their scheduled ten round super welterweight affair. Lawson worked behind a long left jab, aiming to drop in his lethal right when possible. Things got rough in the third as Gallimore tried to turn it into a street fight- mauling, jumping up and down, ramming his head and shoulders into Lawson’s face. The fourth saw Lawson’s output diminish as Gallimore became more productive, backing up the taller Lawson with his own effective, if not shorter, jab. The sixth saw Lawson take control with several telling shots to the head in Gallimore’s own corner. While Lawson seemed to take further control with the left jab/right cross combo in ring center to start round seven, Gallimore turned the tide at the end of the round, landing his own hard blows and drawing cheers from the crowd. Lawson followed an elusive Gallimore around in round eight as Gallimore tried to lure his foe in and land a counter, which didn’t work. The pattern continued until late in the tenth, when Gallimore landed a desperation overhand right to the temple of Lawson. Lawson’s legs splayed like a newborn colt, prompting Gallimore to rush in wildly for the finish. Lawson, however, fought back and lasted the round, averting and further danger.

In the end, the judges saw it 95-95, 97-93 and 96-94, in favor of Nathaniel Gallimore by majority decision. Lawson loses his first match, dropping to 14-1, 7 KOs, while Gallimore gets a much-needed win, now at 22-5-1, 17 KOs.

Light heavies Atif Oberlton and Jasper McCargo both entered the ring full of confidence for their scheduled eight-rounder. Oberlton danced his way to the ring while McCargo strutted in wearing mirrored sun glasses. After a sloppy first three rounds, McCargo hit the deck courtesy of a punch to the back of the head in the fourth, referee Gary Miezwa waving it off. A legit trip to the canvas came at the end of the round with the bell saving McCargo. Sensing his prey was wounded, Oberlton came out with purpose in the fifth, and dug in a vicious body shot to sink McCargo once more and prompt the ref to wave it off at 0:24. Oberlton goes to 3-0, 3 KOs, while McCargo slips to 4-2-2, 2 KOs.

Super Welters Travon Marshall and Ruben Torres wasted no time feeling each other out in their scheduled four-rounder. Each man threw hard shots right off the bat. In the third, Torres went down hard seconds before the bell, but beat the count and made it back to his corner. Both men picked their spots in the fourth with Marshall seeming to get the better of things, landing a low blow for good measure. In the end, it was Marshall remaining undefeated at 2-0, 1 KO by scores of 40-35 x 3. Torres drops to 4-2, 1 KO.

Super middleweight Alantez Fox outclassed the over-matched, but cagey Manny Woods over eight one-sided rounds to open the show at the Armory in Minneapolis. The fireplug Woods made Fox work for everything he got, ducking, bobbing and weaving as he made Fox miss frequently. Still, Fox worked off his long jab. After Fox landed a hard right that buzzed Woods, referee Gary Miezwa waved matters off at 1:11 of round 7. Fox improves to 28-2-1, 13 KOs, while Woods drops to 17-12-1, 6 KOs.