Abon, Reid in Slugfest. Abron Retains Belt in Tough fight! (1/27/08)
By: Michael Sheffield

Prizefight Boxing held in its own late January new year’s party when "Fights at the Fitz" started its year off with a six-fight card that featured the return of NABO light heavyweight champion

Deandrey Abron, fighting in Tunica for the first time since winning the belt last fall.
Abron’s fight would be a war with a determined and tough opponent in Thomas Reid that would push both fighters physically and mentally.

Abron, who had been ill earlier this week with strep throat and a sinus infection, struggled at times and absorbed numerous hard shots from Reid, who took his fair share of punishment as well.

The normally aggressive Abron seemed tentative in the first round, which surprised Reid, who seemed prepared for an onslaught that never came. Reid took advantage of the situation and took the fight to Abron late in the first round and through most of the second. Abron’s aggression arrived late in the second round and both fighters spent the last ten seconds of the round and ten seconds after the bell brawling in Abron’s corner before being separated by referee randy Phillips and Abron’s trainers.

(01-27-08) DeAndrey Abron (L) connects with a eft hook to the body against Thomas Reid in his first NABO Light Heavy Title Defense. Reid proved to be a very stiff opponent for Abron and pushed him to his limits, however, Abron weathered the storm and won by unanimous decision after 8 action packed rounds. Photo by: JD Meredith

Reid continued to press his opponent throughout the rest of the fight, but lacked the stamina to sustain his barrages for a significant amount of time. Those lags gave Abron the openings he needed to land his own power shots. But the last ten seconds of each round always gave the crowd a flurry of hard and wild shots that took their toll on both fighters’ stamina in the final round.

Abron hurt Reid a few times on the ropes in the late rounds, but was never able to knock him out. Reid, to his credit, pushed Abron to the limit, but never really hurt him. Because of that, Abron took a close, but still unanimous decision, 77-75, 77-75, 77-75.

Howard vs Lacy - Lightweight
The night got off to a rousing, but delayed start when Mario Lacey, who was taking on Chris “Hurricane” Howard in the opening bout was sent back to his dressing room when the ring doctor informed the referee and announcer that the paramedic crew hadn’t arrived. The ring girls kept the crowd entertained during the 15-minute delay by tossing t-shirts, but once paramedics arrived, it was non-stop action, with lags of barely two minutes between the five fights leading to the main event.

(01-27-08) Chris "Hurricane" Howard dropped mario Lacy four times in route to a second round knockout. Photo by: JD Meredith

Howard once again took his hurricane name to heart, decimating his opponent in the first round, but not finishing him off. Lacey would barely survive the first round, see the eye of the storm between rounds and get Howard’s best shots in the second round. Howard would knock him down four times in one minute with textbook shots to the jaw, heart and nose before referee Randy Phillips finally saved the day at 2:12 in the second round.

Davis vs Griffith - Feather
The second fight, featuring 3-0 Mark Davis taking on an eager, but obviously overmatched debuting fighter in Lee Griffith would take a fraction of the time of the first bout.

(01-27-08) Griffith was Pummeled by mark davis (L) in his pro debut. Photo by: JD Meredith

Griffith had no idea who he was in the ring with, but landed a couple of early headshots that apparently showed Davis everything he was looking for. Griffith wouldn’t land or throw another punch for the remaining one-minute he would be in the ring with Davis. Davis utterly destroyed his opponent before Phillips called the fight at 1:59 of round one.

(01-27-08) Nicole Woods lands a solid right hand against Lindsey. Photo by: JD Meredith

Woods vs Lindsey - Welterweight
The knockout train was momentarily derailed by a fight between welterweight female fighters, Nicole Woods and Cassandra Lindsey. Lindsey lacked speed and power went the distance with Woods. Woods lacked aggression and at times, it seemed, the will to mix it up for any specific period of time. Woods would land enough power shots to get the unanimous 40-36 decision.

Guererro vs Reese - Middleweights
The knockout train left the station once in a 4-round middleweight match up between Fernando Guerrero and Anthony Reese. Both fighters were undefeated, but Guerrero was going to keep his “O” tonight, landing a perfect right to Reese’s jaw that sent him across the ring, into the ropes and into a knockout at 1:03 seconds into the opening round.

Guerrero’s knockout would be the final knockout of the evening.

(01-27-08) Guerrero Lands a Huge left hand vs the unbeaten Reese. This was the last punche thrown in the fight as reese hit the canvas afterwards and didn't get up. Photo by: JD Meredith

Barnett vs Brown - Jr. Welterweight
Welterweight Ty Barnett would spend his 6-round welterweight bout with John Brown being constantly frustrated by his charging, but one-foot shorter opponent. The fight would go the distance in part due to Brown’s charging style that allowed him to shrink himself even further to get past Barnett’s defenses, but once he got in, he relied on wild overhand rights that only landed glanced his opponent’s head.

(01-27-08) ty barnett does some damage to the body of John Brown in route to a unanimous decision victory. Photo by: JD Meredith

Barnett seemed unwilling or unable to use a jab to keep Brown away from him, despite the height and skill advantage. Barnett dropped Brown once in the fourth round, but Brown was able to get up and go the distance before losing a 59-54 unanimous decision.