Albert “Prince” Bell excited the hometown fans with a shut out win over Keith Hunter in promoter Vick Green’s ten round main event Saturday night at Toledo’s Huntington Center. Hunter never stopped trying but Bell had too much skill, speed, and defensive footwork for him to overcome. Bell winning by scores of 100-90 x 3, was able to evade Hunter’s attempts to corner and land anything significant. Bell’s best moment occurred in the fifth round when he caught an off balance Hunter with a flurry of punches that had him momentarily unsteady. Hunter survived and the fight proceeded with Bell continuing to control the pace and action. With the victory Bell (28-0, 9 KOs) wins the vacant IBF International and North American Boxing Association vacant Lightweight titles and puts him in line for a possible IBF world eliminator fight. Hunter came to win but declined to (16-3, 10 KOs) with the loss.
The semi main event saw the announced last fight of heavyweight Devin Vargas’ career that nearly turned sour for the Toledo native. Vargas faced Santander Silgado Gelez in the scheduled six round bout. In the first round Vargas was angered by a head butt that landed squarely to his nose. Vargas then came in wild and open and was caught and dropped by Gelez in a neutral corner near the end of the opening round. Vargas was not hurt, rose and then regrouped in his corner between rounds. Coming out for the second round, controlled and focused, Vargas proceeded to score two knockdowns over Gelez. Gelez (33-22, 27 KOs) made it to his feet to end the second stanza but chose discretion over valor and stayed on his stool before the bell for the third rang giving Vargas (23-11, 10 KOs) the TKO 2 at 3:00. Veteran Vargas has been in some tough fights and it is hoped that he sticks to his “win or lose” last fight decision.
In an exciting eight round match Toledo’s Tyler McCreary was out hustled by a determined and busy Derrick Murray. The fight was filled with many good exchanges with Murray establishing the lead early. McCreary seemed slower than usual in the early stages and Murray took full advantage landing solid punches in the second round. McCreary started to come alive midway in the fight and the fifth round saw the super featherweights engage in an exciting extended exchange. McCreary was starting to pull even when Murray closed strong in the seventh and drawing blood from Tyler’s nose in the eighth to secure the victory by majority decision on scores of 77-76, 78-74, 76-76. Murray moves up to (20-11-1, 6 KOs). McCreary declines to (19-3-1, 9 KOs).
Heavyweights James Evans and Vercell Webster spent a lot of time jawing with each other during their six round contest rather than throwing punches. Evans (9-2-1, 7 KOs) did land enough however to take the 60-54 x 2, 59-55 decision win over Webster (3-7-1, 2KOs)
Light heavyweight Dante Benjamin (12-0-1, 9 KOs) scored two knockdowns over Victor Hugo Exner (11-20-3, 5 KOs) in the first round to take the win at 1:33. Exner indicated to referee Cliff Pinkey that he was not interested in continuing during the second knockdown count.
Martin Tucker (10-11, 5 KOs) won a bizarre lightweight contest over Ryan Venable (7-22-1, 2 KOs). The first two rounds saw roughhousing tactics by both and Venable was enjoying some success. At the start of the third round referee Pinkey was admonishing Venable about his tactics which Venable took exception. After a tense verbal between the two ref Pinkey disqualified Venable for “unsportsman like conduct”. Goes into the books as a DQ 3 at :02.
Lavaras Carter (2-0 1 KO) won a 40-35 x 3 decision over Ramsey Beard (2-1-1) super lightweights.
Featherweight Jeffrey Hudson Jr (5-0, 5 KOs) needed just 1:17 of the first round to stop Ahmond Oates (1-8-1, 1 KO).
Adel Mason (3-0, 2 KOs) won a majority decision over a spirited Ira Terry (28-37, 16 KOs) by scores of 39-37 x 2, 38-38, super bantamweights.
Ryan Williams (3-0, 3 KOs) scored a shocker first round knockout over Marcus Decamp (0-7). Super flyweight Williams landed a monster hook withe first punch he threw and it was over at 13 seconds. Decamp needed medical attention before he could leave the ring under his own power.
Light heavy Armone Belmon (6-1, 4 KOs) defeated Marcus Smith (2-3, 2 KOs) by scores of 40-37, 40-36 x 2).
Davonte Kirk (9-0-1, 6 KOs) beat fellow welterweight Jorge Rodrigo Sosa (8-13, 8 KOs) on scores of 40-35, 40-34 x 2.
Rickeyblue Stanley won his pro debut by KO 2 at 1:53 over Logan Reynolds (0-2) super lightweights.
The opening fight of the night had lightweight Kechaune Jenkins (4-01, 2 KOs) stop Jeremiah Pitts (2-6, 2 KOs) at 2:48 of round 2.
The Sean Waugh vs Tavaris Smith fight was canceled when Smith failed to show up.
