Johan Gonzalez Outlasts Guido Schramm in Thriller
For the second straight day, boxing hardcores were blessed with a midweek card, and it was a doozy. In the main event, Johann Gonzalez escaped with a controversial decision. Gonzalez, a native of Venezuela, picked up a majority decision victory to move his record to 34-2 (3). It was actually the first decision the veteran has ever won in his 36-fight career. However, most felt it was the Argentine Guido Schramm who deserved the nod.
Gonzalez struck first with the first punch of meaning perfect left hook a minute into the second round. The Venezuelan was able to land quick, short shots on the inside, including a right uppercut midway through the stanza to take the round. Schramm did not work behind the jab, instead, he tried to slip his way in but often ate shots from long range. When the Argentine did get on the inside, he did some good work and was quite busy. Gonzalez had most of his success when he could keep his opponent at arm's length and nail him with his right hand. Schramm certainly had moments where he could slip his way onto the inside, and that's when the action picked up. Both guys landed, but Schramm landed cleaner and harder shots. It appeared the Argentine was maybe losing rounds, but appeared to be winning the war. It was Gonzalez who appeared to be wearing down as Schramm continued to make it a phone booth fight. Hernandez was still landing clean clean shots from long range but appeared to be gassing. A massive right hand from Schramm ended the seventh that really shook Gonzalez up right before the bell. The Venezuelan rallied back in the eighth round and buckled Schramm with an overhand right, and scored with some good body shots as well. With the fight up for grabs, Schramm came out quickly to start the ninth. He aggressively applied the pressure and even started jabbing and doubling up the jab. Schramm applied pressure throughout the final six minutes. He dictated the pace and outworked Gonzalez, trying to steal the fight in the final six minutes. However, a lot of his aggression was snuffed out by Gonzalez, and it was largely ineffective. The judges favored the early boxing and clean shots of Gonzalez by majority decision with scores of 96-94 & 97-93, and 95-95 even.
In the co-main event, Justin Pauldo put on a star-making performance. Pauldo, originally of Orlando, Florida, came out strong, scoring the uppercut in the left hook. The stout, stocky fighter beat up his opponent, Jerry Perez, who just went the distance with Jo Jo Diaz from the opening bell on. By the end of the second round, Perez's face was a bloody mess. Pauldo controlled the tempo and distance in the fight, walking Perez backwards and being selective with his shots. He scored with a precise left hook that rocked Perez midway through the second. The Floridian wasted no shots and picked apart his opponent. Perez tried valiantly to stay competitive and landed some clean body shots. Going to the body was clearly the game plan for Perez. However, it wouldn't slow his opponent down as Pauldo landed with a right hand and a lightning-quick left hook to end the third. At the end of round three, Perez was bleeding profusely from his nose and was taking a tremendous beating, causing the referee to wave off the bout in the corner after round three.
In a bizarre fight veteran and former world title challenger Juan Velasco was finally DQ'd in his fight with Jimmy "Kilrain" Kelly. Kelly was putting on a demo against what appeared to be an out-of-shape and unmotivated Velasco. Kelly dominated every moment of the fight till the bizarre ending. Velasco and Kelly collided heads early in the 5th, and Velasco appeared to want out of the fight. Velasco was told by the ref to go fight. He gave it one last shout and tried to jump in on Kelly. When the two clinched, Velasco began head-butting Kelly. The ref broke the two fighters. Velasco twice shoved the female referee, who waved the scrap off and DQ'd Velasco.
Also on the card was 18-year-old phenom Emiliano Moreano of Long Beach, California, who unleashed a vicious body attack and scored three knockdowns in the second round knockout to finish off his opponent Daniel Lim and got the stoppage at the 2:59 mark of the 2nd round.
