PHILLY BOXING HISTORY - November 27, 2021 |
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Betting favorite Paul Kroll emerged the winner in his main event showdown against Mark Dawson Saturday night at the 2300 Arena. However, what started as a would-be walkover, ended up a tougher than expected, full-distance victory for Kroll that somehow revealed weaknesses in the winner and strengths in the loser. The eight-round welterweight fight topped a six-bout card promoted by RDR Promotions. The anticipated match-up almost ended before it got started thanks to Kroll's punching power. Paul the "Punisher" cracked Dawson with a hard right to the jaw that slammed him against the ropes and sent him crumbling down each strand until he hit the canvas. It was a crushing punch and the fight appeared to be over. But Dawson wasn't going out like that. The unbeaten fighter climbed to his feet took referee Shawn Clark's eight-count, and, with most of the round still before him, walked back into the action. Kroll was ready and tried to finish Dawson before the bell. He ran out of time, but Kroll resumed his onslaught in the second, repeatedly landing right hand punches. Dawson wobbled at times, but he proved his toughness by surviving and soldiering on.
The third round was closer than the previous two, but Kroll was still in control. Then in the fourth, a mild shift occurred with southpaw Dawson squeaking out the round on my card. Suddenly he wasn't finished. But with the memory of the early near-knockout hanging in the air, it still felt like Kroll might end the fight at any moment. However, this was just not the case. Paul had chased Dawson, loaded up, and reached in to land his shots, but Dawson hung in there and in time Kroll became less effective.
At around this mid-point of the fight, Kroll became passive and appeared satisfied with banking rounds and winning in less spectacular fashion than in the way he had started. Dawson edged the sixth round, but his hopes of winning the decision were already gone. This was Kroll's fight and he took the final two rounds to lock down his victory.
However, by the end, despite winning clearly on all three judges scorecards (80-71, and 79-72 twice), Kroll's performance felt like a disappointment. He was supposed to win this fight, and he did. But he let the knockout slip away and despite dominating the fight, failed to truly impress. Perhaps his conditioning was off. He originally weighed in at 150.5 pounds, came back once at 150, and left it at that, agreeing to pay a penalty for exceeding the contracted weight of 148. To be fair, it was his first start in just over a year. Dawson, on the other hand, came in at a trim 145.8 pounds, apparently learning from his own weight-making issues in the past. He was also been far more active than Kroll over the past year. Clearly, Dawson prepared for a long, tough fight, and it's a good thing that he did. Had he not, chances are he would have never made it out of the first round.
The win improved Kroll's record to 9-0, 6 KOs. Dawson lost for the first time and went home 9-1-1, 3 KOs. I look forward to seeing both fighters in the ring again. Kroll, who came into the fight with better credentials than Dawson, left that way. Many thought Dawson had no chance against Kroll, but by the end of the fight, proved that he was tougher, sturdier, and even better than everyone expected. It was a great match-up and a good fight, but my hopes that it would run away with "Philly Fight of the Year" honors, were not realized. Still, a terrific pairing of good rising locals is always welcome.
A solid crowd of about 900 came out for the show. RDR Promotions returns to the 2300 Arena on December 11, with Jesse Hart in the spotlight fight. |
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