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by John DiSanto |
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Harry Joe Yorgey and Julius Kennedy met again at the Valley Forge Casino Saturday night, and the pair put on another grinding battle. The fight was similar to their first meeting in March, only better. The fighters went at each other at close quarters through most of the 10-round distance, battling back and forth all night long. When it was over, Yorgey captured a close majority decision on the official cards, and improved his record to 26-2-1, 12 KOs.
It never appeared that Kennedy was trying to build a points lead in the fight, opting instead to chop away and work to set up a knockout. But over time, he dug his way into the fight, onto the scorecards, and came surprisingly close to taking the decision. However, Yorgey was the busier fighter and kept banking points, winning rounds, and securing the narrow win. But make no mistake, this was war with plenty of action.
Yorgey fought hard to win the fight and keep his career alive, and will now move on to fight another day. A loss to Kennedy Saturday night, would have officially bumped him into a career slide. Now he can try to make another run up the ratings.
Kennedy, who was denied a
deserved win in their last fight, put on another good
performance, but fell a little short this time. He's a solid
journeyman that fans would welcome back anytime. TEVIN
FARMER TKO8 VICTOR VASQUEZ In the hotly anticipated co-feature bout, lightweight Tevin Farmer backed up his pre-fight trash talk, and beat the popular Victor Vasquez by TKO in their 8-round fight. On paper, this one looked like World War III, but in the ring Vasquez could not match Farmer's speed, reflexes, or energy level. The result was a rather one-sided contest. Southpaw Farmer, 22, jumped right into the bout, as he usually does, and controlled Vasquez, 30, with his jab. Tevin got the pace of the fight up to breakneck speed, and never took his foot off the gas. It was the perfect plan. If Vasquez was going to use his greater experience and reputation as a brawler against Farmer, he was going to have to catch him first and be able to keep up with the young, free swinger.
Vasquez could not keep pace, and Farmer increasingly took the fight to the veteran, winging stiff power shots. He wasn't hurting Victor badly, but he was marking his eyes, and making an impression on the fans and judges.
Vasquez had his best round in the seventh, when for a moment, it looked like he might hurt Farmer enough to trap him. However, Farmer fought through it and kept his own punches flying. The problem for Victor was that he was not able to get his hands moving well enough to make Farmer take a backward step. The urgency of the situation made Vasquez increasingly desperate, and he began to miss wildly. This was a hardened, professional warrior who knew what to do, but was unable to do it. In the eighth and final round, Farmer, way ahead on the cards, did not coast until the final bell. He kept the pressure on Vasquez, looking to close the show. About halfway through the round, Farmer dug a hard body shot that hurt Vasquez. Farmer followed up with an avalanche of punches that pounded Vasquez across the ring. Farmer kept throwing, and landing, and referee Blair Talmadge stepped in to save Vasquez from more punishment. Vasquez wanted more, but Talmadge wouldn't let him have it. The time was 1:58.
Although the stoppage seemed quick for those who know Vasquez' toughness, it was not the wrong decision. Vasquez has given his flesh in some of the best local fights for years. Against Farmer, he was hopelessly behind on the cards and his chances of winning had dried up. There was no reason for Vasquez to take any more punches. The stoppage probably insulted Victor, but the TKO does not dampen how the fans feel about watching this guy fight. Vasquez could pack in a crowd on any day of the week, even after this loss. The question is, should he fight on? After the fight, Vasquez (16-8-1, 7 KOs) had no answers for this big question, but hopefully he will seriously think about it. If he calls it quits, I'll agree with the decision. If he continues to fight, I be there at ringside. Farmer fought very well and
posted the best win of his career. He also took the North Philly
bragging rights for the night. Like Vasquez, Tevin is a fighter
who knows how to thrill a crowd, but with a very different
style. Still, he is a welcome addition to the scene now that he
has stepped up to a new level. Farmer improved his record to
11-4-1, 2 KOs. FRANK
SANTOS DEALBA W6 JAMELL TYSON Reading, PA lightweight,
Frank Santos DeAlba (8-1-2, 3 KOs) won a 6-round unanimous
decision over Rochester's Jamell Tyson (3-10-2, 1 KO). The
southpaw dropped Tyson in round five with a hard left, and went
on to take the cards of all three judges. David Greer had it a
shutout, 60-53. Alan Rubenstein and George Hill both scored it
58-55. TODD
UNTHANK-MAY W6 MIKE WILMER Philly light heavyweight
Todd Unthank-May remained undefeated and ran his pro record to
8-0, 2 KOs, with a landslide points win over West Virginia's
Mike Wilmer (4-6, 3 KOs). All three judges gave every round to
Unthank-May, and turned in scores of 60-54. This was the
winner's first fight in six months due to a shoulder injury. KAMARAH PASLEY W6 JEREMY
STAUFFER
Pasley dropped Stauffer with a left uppercut, but also lost a point in the same round when referee Benji Esteves penalized him for holding. In round five, Stauffer
suffered a bad cut over his right eye, but he stayed in the
fight and did his best to turn the tables with a homerun punch.
KHALIB WHITMORE W4 LAMONT
CAPERS Khalib Whitmore, West
Philly, made a successful pro debut with a 4-round unanimous
decision over Lamont Capers, of Hawley, PA. All three judges
scored the fight 40-36 for Whitmore, who made a memorable ring
entrance along with his Concrete Jungle teammates. Capers fell
to 1-2. DAMON ALLEN W4 TRAVIS
THOMPSON Philly's Damon Allen won his second pro fight (2-0, 1 KO) with a unanimous decision over 15-bout vet Travis Thompson, Pottstown. Allen used his switch-hitting style to nail down the win, while Thompson did everything he could to make the youngster uncomfortable. Thompson (4-10-2, 3 KOs) tried to rough Allen up, but Damon kept his head and got the win. George Hill had it 40-36, and Lynn Carter and Alan Rubenstein scored it 39-37. I too gave Thompson round four and had the fight 39-37. ANTONIO DUBOSE W4 JOHN
PORTILLO Antonio Dubose, West Philly, won his professional debut with a serious display of power against John Portillo, of Lancaster. Dubose dropped Portillo four times over the course of the fight, once in the first, twice in the second, and once in the fourth. Dubose took a wide-margin decision (40-32, 40-32 & 40-33), and spoiled Portillo's pro debut. JAVONTAE STARKS W4 GEORGE
SOSA In the opening fight of the night, Javontae Starks, Minneapolis, won a 6-round unanimous decision over George Sosa, Reading. The action was back and forth and closely fought. George Hill and Lynn Carter scored it 59-55, while David Greer saw it 58-56. This was the second fight by Marshall Kauffman's Kings Promotions at the Valley Forge Casino, and the show drew a big, near sellout crowd. The series continues on August 23rd.
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Unlike
in their last fight, Yorgey had plenty of time to work on his
hard as nails opponent. Harry used his jab, solid right hand,
and an effective body attack to handle Kennedy, who found
success when he stepped inside and worked Yorgey over with his
uppercut and looping punches. Much of the fight stayed in the
trenches, but Yorgey held his own and outfought his nemesis a
lot of the time. 
The
scores of the official judges were much closer than my card.
Lynn Carter saw the fight even at 95-95, while David Greer and
Alan Rubenstein both had Yorgey up 96-94. My tally favored
Yorgey 97-93. 
By
the second half of the fight, Vasquez was in a hole on the
scorecards, and his experience told him he need something
dramatic to turn the fight around. Vasquez dug in and tried to
do the thing that has made him a fan favorite over the past
several years. 
Philadelphia
cruiserweight Kamarah Pasley (6-6, 2 KOs) returned after a
two-year layoff to score a 6-round majority decision over
Reading's Jeremy Satuffer (7-3-2, 6 KOs). 
