“Magic Man” keeps IBF belt with unanimous decision win.
By: Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation
Atlantic City – Defending his International Boxing Federation Jr. Welterweight belt in front of a standing room crowd in the main ballroom at Bally’s Casino tonight, Paulie Malignaggi did what he does best – he boxed. While not the most fan-friendly type of a fight, or the most exciting, Malignaggi was effective and did what he had to do to win, and to keep his well earned title belt.
If challenger Herman Ngoudjo, the IBF top ranked mandatory contender, had fought with the same notion – of doing what he had to do to win – there may have been more of an entertaining fight for the overflowing crowd on hand, and the SHOWTIME television audience.
Ngoudjo, who earned the right to challenge Malignaggi by narrowly besting veteran Randall Bailey in their twelve round title eliminator bout (split decision, June 8th, 2007), started slowly against the quick-handed champion. Getting tagged with a constant jab and unable to catch up with the elusive Italian-born & Brooklyn-breed slickster, Ngoudjo was lucky to have won a lone round on one of the judge’s scorecards by the end of the third round. Much of the same followed in rounds 4, 5 & 6, as Ngoudjo hardly applied any pressure, while the ever cocky and confident champion appeared content popping his jab and slipping and sliding away from the bigger and stronger fighter, born Cameroon, who now calls Montreal, Canada his home.
The many Ngoudjo fans were brought to their feet in round seven as the 2000 Olympic representative for Cameroon bounced several big shots off of Malignaggi’s head early in the round and looked to have the feisty champion hurt! Bleeding from an earlier cut around his left eye and shaking out the cobwebs from Ngoudjo’s bombs, Malignaggi was relegated to holding on and managed to escape any further damage, in Ngoudjo’s best round. Had the challenger continued the pressure and forged on with his attack this could have been a crucial turning point of the fight, instead the twenty-eight year old fighter reverted back to his listless self and let his golden opportunity pass. The effective aggression was replaced with a sporadic mix of wide looping punches and lunging telegraphic headshots – which served no purpose and did no good.
As the championship rounds approached it was obvious to all that a knockout was Ngoudjo’s only hope, and as the gutsy Malignaggi showed, in his admirable lone defeat at the hands of Miguel Cotto, his solid chin and giant heart are two of his biggest assets. While Ngoudjo pressed the issue in the last two rounds it definitely was “too little, too late”. As the final six minutes slipped away, so did Ngoudjo’s claim for boxing immortality. While it was obvious that the talented “Black Panther” had spent much time on his neatly trimmed and cut hair – which featured stars in bleached highlight, the time could have been better spent preparing and ensuring an effective offensive attack. Constant pressure may have made a big difference in the fight’s outcome; something Henry Ngoudjo, now 16-2 (9 KO’s), can think about on his trip back home to Montreal, without a championship belt in his luggage. All three judges had it right (Al Bennett: 117-111, Kenny Chevalier: 116-113 and Steve Weisfeld: 115-113) for Malignaggi, who improved to 24-1 (5 KO’s) and proudly left the ring with the IBF Jr. Welterweight Championship belt around his waist.
On the non-televised portion of the SHOWTIME “Championship Boxing” undercard:
The night’s co-feature bout pitted former two-time light heavyweight world champion Glen Johnson taking on Colombian native Hugo Pineda. Johnson came out slugging from round one and delighted the crowd with his workmanlike effort. Continually banging away at the bigger southpaw, Johnson had his foe all bruised up and slowing down by round four of their scheduled ten round bout. Johnson, looking to impress as an April 12th date with WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson is in the works, drove Pineda all around the ring and had the staggering back to his corner at the end of round 5. More brutal work by Johnson followed as the Florida resident pounded away to the head and body with both hands. Unbelievably Pineda lasted until late into the seventh round before the game fighter finally hit the canvas.
Totally spent and unable to defend himself referee David Fields pulled Johnson away from the damaged fighter at the 49-second mark of round eight. The technical knockout win pushed Johnson’s record up to 47-11-2 (32 KO’s), while Pineda slipped to 39-4-1 (28 KO’s). Unreal to think that the 177 lb. Pineda suffered his first loss over eleven years ago at the hands of Kostya Tszyu, as Pineda challenged the former world champion for his IBF Jr. Lightweight title!
Former IBF Jr. Welterweight Champion Lovemore N’duo opened the seven-bout fightcard with a dominating 7th round technical knockout win over Rafael Ortiz, now 14-13-2 (13 KO’s), out of Lebanon, Oregon.
N’duo, who lost his title to current belt holder Malignaggi in a one-sided boxing clinic (6/16/2007 UD 12), dropped the overmatched Ortiz with a left hook to the body, and referee David Fields waved off the mismatch at 2:14. N’duo, who has a contracted rematch set with Malignaggi improved to 46-9-1 (31 KO’s).
Heavyweight prospect Chazz Witherspoon had to dig down real deep to come away with his eight round unanimous decision win against tough-as-nails Kendrick Releford, from Ft. Worth, Texas. Outweighed by close to twenty pounds, Releford gave the bigger and stronger Philadelphia fighter all he could handle, right up until the fight’s final bell. Releford, who slipped to 15-10-2 (6 KO’s), earned the respect of the crowd as he constantly tagged Witherspoon, now 21-0 (14 KO’s) with just about every left hand he threw.
Credit goes to Witherspoon, a cousin of former two-time world heavyweight champ “Terrible Tim” Witherspoon, who showed that championship heart does apparently run in the family.
Two judges had it at 78-74, while the third saw it 78-75 – all for the still undefeated Witherspoon.
Many of the local fans were disappointed as the popular, young, jr. lightweight Nicky DeMarco dropped another fight and saw his record level off at 2-2 (2 KO’s). Alberto Amaro, fighting out of Cantano, Puerto Rico, surprised the Staten Island fighter and dropped him quickly in round one. Apparently hurt, DeMarco struggled to hold off the rushing Amaro and survived the disastrous first round. Unable to truly recover until late in the fourth and final round DeMarco valiantly tried to salvage the bout, but came up short. The judge’s marks of 39-36, 38-37 and 38-36 justified the win for Amaro, who improved to 2-1.
The sold-out crowd caught a brief glimpse of a possible future world champion, as Cuban-defector Yoriokis Gamboa needed only 1:54 to annihilate his bewildered opponent, Gilberto Lugue; who made the trip from Phoenix, Arizona for the savage beating. Gamboa, aptly called “El Cyclone” blistered Luque, now 7-5-2 (3 KO’s) with a Joe Frazier-like left hook, which crushed his stunned foe into the canvas. Beating the count but very hurt, Luque absorbed more hurtful blows before getting driven back down to the deck twice more before the bludgeoning was halted. Gamboa is now 8-0, with 7 knockouts, and all jr. lightweight fighters are now warned!
In the nights walk out bout; 263 lb. Ohio heavyweight Ryan Thompson withstood six rounds of agonizing punishment from Kevin “Big Man” Burnett, and found himself on the short side of a unanimous decision.
Burnett hit Thompson so much, and so hard, that it pained the audience to watch. Somehow the resilient Thompson, now 4-3 (4 KO’s), finished on his feet and earned all the cheers from the respectful crowd. Burnett, a giant of a man from Augusta, Georgia rose to 11-1 (6 KO’s).
It was great to see the Bally’s Casino ballroom filled to capacity, and the boxing fans were treated to a good night. While only the Malignaggi-Ngoudjo main event was telecast on the SHOWTIME Network, the DiBella Promotions fightcard showcased current, former and quite possibly future world champions.
These are the type of fights, and fighters, that will keep the fans coming back for more great boxing action!
*Mike Indri can be reached at rbfnjmike@aol.com.