By Nick Bellafatto
The end would come at 2:59 of round 5 by way of the Gavin Rees corner throwing in the towel after Cincinnati, Ohio’s Adrien “The Problem” Broner (26-0, 22 KO’s) would turn up the heat to accurately pound his undersized opponent into complete submission in Adrien’s first ever lightweight title defense telecast on HBO from Atlantic City, New Jersey’s Boardwalk Hall.
Stated Broner post-fight, “I knew coming into the fight like I said he’s gonna come to fight. He’s a world class fighter.” And as to why the bout lasted as long as it did Broner would respond, “I had to see how much gas was in that little Toyota he was pushing. It’s different levels man, if they go to one level, I go to the next level, that’s all that was.”
Although Rees (37-2-1, 18 KO’s) of Newport, Wales, U.K. would give a good account of himself over the course of rounds 1 and 2 only because Broner would permit him to, the challenger’s ineffectual but scoring blows would from that point on give way to a shellacking administered by the champion.
Landing a massive right uppercut that would deposit Gavin on his backside in the fourth frame, although able to beat the count, Rees would on instinct alone make it back to his corner, prompting the Welshman’s girlfriend to make an early exit who couldn’t bear to further witness what was yet to come.
Round 5 would see a revived Rees give it another go, only to become victimized with a body shot which would force the challenger to a knee in a no-win situation. Perhaps a little late, it was at this juncture that chief second Gary Lockett would step in to save his pupil from further punishment.
Bika dominates Sjekloca to claim number 1 ranking
Coming in as the WBC #1 ranked super middleweight contender in what amounted to a title eliminator, now formerly undefeated Serbian born Nikola Sjekloca (25-1, 7 KO’s), although able to hang in under heavy fire, would prove to be no match for #2 rated Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika (31-5-2, 21 KO’s) of Sydney, Australia via Douala, Cameroon. As a result, by scores of 120-108, 119-109, and 118-112, Bika would in unanimous fashion inflict Sjekloca’s first defeat.
Well in control and short of dropping his game opponent after wobbling him on more than one occasion, Sakio now under the tutelage of trainer Kevin Cunningham would not only overpower Nikola, which isn’t much of a surprise, but in addition he would outwork and outbox his latest adversary to claim the WBC’s number 1 ranking, in essence earning him a mandatory shot and second go-round with division kingpin Andre S.O.G. Ward.
Cherry kayo’s Escobedo in sixth
In a bit of a crossroads encounter, former world title challengers Vicente Escobedo (26-5, 15 KO’s) of Woodland, California and Nassau, Bahamas Edner Cherry (31-6-2, 17 KO’s) would tangle, only to see Escobedo victimized by a right hook that for all intensive purposes would end matters towards the close of the sixth round in this scheduled ten-rounder.
With Cherry the busier and more aggressive of the two from the outset, he would take the initiative to press the former Olympian Escobedo whom Edner would drop for a nine-count as early as round 2 with a left uppercut-right hook combo.
This would be the very combination that would drop Vicente in the sixth frame for yet again another nine-count, only to see Cherry subsequently and immediately jump on the Mexican fighter prompting referee Allan Huggins to call a halt.
Uncharacteristically tentative, perhaps Escobedo in suffering a serious beating at the hands of Adrien Broner in his last outing had prevented him from performing up to snuff. Only time will tell but with Cherry usually coming up short against recognizable talent, this loss and the way it came about doesn’t bode well for the Woodland native.
Hopkins stops Whittaker to wrest USBA title
Philadelphia, PA’s Demetrius Hopkins (33-2-1, 13 KO’s), nephew of Hall of Fame bound Bernard Hopkins, didn’t have to do much to garner a title this evening, retiring the tentative 39 year old defending champion Charles Whittaker (39-14-2, 23 KO’s) of Miami, Florida who for reasons unknown would retire after six complete rounds.
In a lackluster affair, Hopkins under the tutelage of Nazim Richardson and behind a sharp jab would effectively follow up mainly with a right hand, dropping Whittaker to the canvass along the way in round 4 en-route to improving his record while capturing yet another USBA title, this time at junior middleweight.
