Story & Photos By Boxing Bob Newman
Moldenhauer wins in main event, but Cullors-Swinehart steals the show!
Hitz Boxing Entertainment (Bobby Hitz) put on an entertaining six bout card at the Hard Rock Live Arena in Rockford, Illinois Friday night. Headlining the bill were the hometown kid Lukas Moldenhauer against Marko Szalai (trained by Roy Jones Jr.) in an 8 round super lightweight bout.
The first round was an even, feel ’em out round. That all changed in round two as Moldenhauer scored a flash knock down via the left uppercut. Szalai quickly rose to his feet, seemingly unfazed. Moldenhauer sprung into action, scoring another, more serious knockdown, from which Szalai rose unsteadily and bleeding from a cut on the nose. A follow-up barrage prompted referee Dave Smith to rescue the badly hurt Szalai from further damage. The time was 1:35 of the second round. Moldenhauer improves to 10-0, 8 KOs. Szalai falls to 7-3-1, 5 KOs.
In the semi main event, Seth Swinehart went in against Jeremy Cullors in a scheduled six round light heavyweight clash. These two came out throwing large shots with Swinehart coming away with the bridge of his nose cut. The second round was something out of a Rocky movie. Defense was non-existent and each guy was trying to prove they could take the bigger bombs. Unbelievably, round three was more of the same! Bombs were landed and neither man would go down. However, Swinehart seemed the worse for the wear, reeling around the ring on rubbery legs. Somehow he regained his stability to finish the round on the offense. In round five Cullors was teeing off in the last 30 seconds on a completely defenseless Swinehart. Somehow he survived the round stumbling back to his corner. But it didn’t take long in the sixth round as Cullors unloaded, forcing referee Ben Rodriguez to rescue the helpless and blood covered Swinehart. The time was 1:26 of the sixth and final round. Swinehart falls to 5-1, five KOs. Cullors improves to 7-2, 7 KOs. Easily the under-the-radar fight of the year!
Super welterweights Kewin Gibas (Poland) and Raymond Chacon (Torrance, CA) were scheduled for six rounds. While Chacon was very crafty, Gibas was able to track him down and finally stop him with a crushing left to the liver to the second round. Referee, Dave Smith reached the full count of 10 at 2:18 of the round. Gibas improves to 7-1, 4 KOs. Chacon drops to 11-70-1, 2 KOs.
Welterweights William Davis and Everett Olivares were set to go six rounds. Olivares thrilled his home state fans with three knockdowns in the first round for an automatic stoppage by referee Dave Smith at 2:59 of the opener. Olivares is now 7-0, 5 KOs. Davis plummets to 9-23, 8 KOs.
Welterweights Jaylin Strong and Lane Hanlin laced them up for a scheduled six round clash. Strong seemed to flinch with every punch or feint that Hanlin offered. A vicious left to Strong’s body in the third round elicited an audible groan from the stricken fighter, but he weathered the rest of the round. Strong was ducking so lowly In the fourth round, it looked as though he was about to hit the canvas. Hanlin sensed that Strong was weakening and went for the finish in the fifth. A non-stop barrage of punches forced referee Ben Rodriguez to wave matters off at 0:42 of the fifth. Hanlin improves 4-1, 3 KOs. Strong falls to 4-3, 4 KOs.
Opening the show were super welterweights Rashad Bowens and Hunter Lee in a scheduled four rounder. Lee didn’t seem to have a problem with Bowens’ southpaw stance as he nailed his foe with two hard rights in the first round, wobbling Bowens, but unable to finish him. By the third, Lee was starting to tire which allowed Bowens to land some of his own solid shots, drawing cheers from the crowd, as Lee hails from Canada, and the crowd was cheering on the American. Lee was able to box his way out of harm and hang on for a 40-36 and 39-37 twice unanimous decision to win and bring his record to 4-0, 2 KOs. Bowens evens out at 1-1, 1KO.
