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MCHUNU ROUTS WILSON
Story by John DiSanto |
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Cruiserweight Thabiso Mchunu won a 10-round unanimous decision over Philadelphian Garrett Wilson to retain his NABF 200-pound title Saturday afternoon at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, CT. The fight was the main event of a nationally televised double header by NBC. Mchunu proved too skilled and powerful for Wilson, who chased the South African for ten full rounds, but could not land well enough to change the course of the fight. Mchunu used his tricky southpaw style and an impressive array of power shots to control the action and repeatedly hurt Wilson. When Wilson did attack, Mchunu made him pay with effective and accurate counter shots. The result was a one-sided, yet still entertaining affair.
“I caught him, but he wasn’t out,” Mchunu said. “If he was out, I would have went for a knockout. But then you can’t just go punch yourself out against a guy like Garrett Wilson and then he comes back and he ends up knocking you out. I didn’t want that to happen to me. So I told my corner I would just box him the rest of the rounds. And I believe I did enough."
The pattern of the bout remained the same until the final two rounds when Wilson threw caution to the wind and tried his best to gain control. Garrett had more success during this late surge, but still was unable to land the heroic blow he needed to claim victory. At this point in the fight, Mchunu was boxing defensively and doing his best to stay out of trouble. “I knew Garrett Wilson always comes on strong at the end,” Mchunu said. “I was waiting for that, and he did come. But I kept my composure. I made him miss. I counter punched him. I kept on jabbing him, using the ring. I did enough to win the fight and I believe I won the fight nicely and convincingly.” In the last round, Mchunu was penalized one point for excessive holding, but by the end of the 10-round distance, the decision was not in doubt whatsoever. All three judges scored the fight for Mchunu. Glenn Feldman saw it 99-90. Don Trella scored 98-91. However, Clark Sammartino saw the contest much closer at 96-93. I scored the fight 98-90 for Mchunu, now 17-1, 11 KOs.
“He really wanted to win it,” Mchunu said of his opponent. “I put on a good show, I believe. I got the decision. I believe I won most of the rounds except one round or two. But I did enough to win the fight. I was smart. I used my speed.” Wilson's record fell to 13-8-1, 7 KOs. It was his third straight defeat. “I’m disappointed with my performance,” Wilson said after the fight. “Yes it was entertaining, but I’m not just an entertaining fighter. I believe I can compete with world class champions.” Wilson gave it his all in the fight, but could not solve the riddle presented by this very awkward, and very good fighter. “I don’t take nothing away from him,” Wilson said. “He did what he was supposed to do, which is stay away from me. I was supposed to cut the ring off and get on him, but I didn’t capitalize.”
DARGAN WINS BY
SPECTACULAR KO
In round three, Perez caught Dargan with a right hand and a follow up left hook that put Dargan on the mat. Perez took the opportunity to throw two additional shots at his fallen opponent, with one of them landing. For a moment it appeared that Perez was Dargan's worst nightmare, but Karl got up, brushed himself off, and went back to work. “I was a little off balance,” Dargan said. “But when he punched me I felt the power. Of course, I felt the power.”
“It was hectic in there,” Dargan said. “Sometimes in a boxing match, a fight breaks out. When I visibly hurt someone, it’s time to go for the knockout. I don’t try to punch myself out or anything, but if I got a guy hurt, I’m going to try to get him out of there. I did so and it worked out.”
“He tried to rough us up, but I think we had control of the fight,” Dargan’s trainer, Brother Naazim Richardson said. “We got hit with that shot, but that just proves that you are a fighter. I thought it was one of those fights for a young fighter coming up that are good for the resume.” Dargan improved to 17-0, 9 KOs. Perez surprised everyone, but fell to 16-6, 14 KOs.
APOSTOL DEBUTS WITH
A WIN
PEREZ AND MAURAS
DRAW
BARRERA KOS WATKINS Finally early in round six, Barrera landed a one-two combination that floored Watkins and referee Arthur Mercante stopped the fight immediately. The time was 24 seconds of the sixth round. FOSTER BLASTS
JACKSON Jackson regained his feet, but after Foster landed a single overhand right, referee Arthur Mercante stopped the fight. The time was 1:51 of round one. Foster remained undefeated, 6-0, 3 KOs. Jackson fell to 0-2.
WILSON DEFEATS
EVERETT |
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Mchunu
looked most impressive in round two when his blazing attack
nearly floored Wilson, but Garrett was durable and survived
the storm. The action was so one-sided in the round that it
could have easily been scored 10-8, even without a
knockdown. However, none of the officials went that far. 
Dargan
won the fourth round and then closed the show with an
impressive burst of power in round five. A right uppercut
dropped Perez for an 8-count. Then Dargan launched a rocket
right hand that knocked Perez cold. As he fell face-first
to the canvas, referee Mike Ortega stopped the fight without
a count at 1:32 of round five. 
