A Night of Knockdowns on ESPN’s Wednesday Night Fights

By: Christopher Roche

Queens, NY middleweight sensation “Mean” Joe Greene overcome a flash knockdown midway through the first round and knocked out Darryl Salmon tonight in Hollywood, FL.

Greene, who recently signed with Warriors’ Boxing, was headhunting Salmon, when he was caught with a straight left hand. Greene fell backwards and put his glove on the canvas to prevent himself from landing on his backside, and Salmon was credited with the knockdown.

Greene, who did not throw a lot of body shots, bounced right back up and argued the referee’s correct ruling, and he stalked Salmon and knocked him out at the end of the first round. Greene landed a left to the head that put Salmon on Bourbon Street, and Greene followed with a right to the body for good measure, as Salmon was heading down. Salmon was counted out at 2:59 of the first round and fell to 16-2, 4 KO’s. Greene, who picked up the NABO Middleweight title, improved to 16-0, 12 KO’s.

In a light-heavyweight upset, Francisco Palacios, who stepped in for the MIA O’Neil Bell four days ago, knocked out Louis Azille in the sixth round. Palacios, of Puerto Rico, landed a sharp right uppercut that wobbled Azille, and he sent Azille to the canvas with a left hook. Azille got back up, but he could not survive the onslaught and the bout was waved off. Palacios improved to 12-0, 6 KO’s and Azille of Jersey City, NJ fell to 19-4-2, 15 KO’s.