Fights at the Fitz Report! (7/16/07) Photos Coming Soon!
Ringside Report by Michael Sheffield

Saturday night, Prize Fight Boxing’s Fights at the Fitz boxing series returned to Tunica with five fights that provided the capacity crowd with thrills and knockouts and also included the debut of Prize Fight’s latest signee in the main event.

Rafael Valenzuela (8-1l, 4 KOs), the newest addition to the Prize Fight family, went the distance against Steve Trumble (12-22, 8 KOs) in a six round battle of featherweights.
Valenzuela dominated the fight from the opening bell thanks to his superior speed and punching power.

Trumble was up for the challenge, trading early and often with Valenzuela in the center of the ring and against the ropes. Valenzuela rocked him early in the second ground with a perfect right cross that floored Trumble, but he was able to get up and continue.

The second round also had a bit of controversy, as referee Randy Phillips deducted a point from Valenzuela for a suspicious low blow. The deduction proved to have no detrimental affect on
Valenzuela, who won the fight on a unanimous decision

The evening began with Josiah “Gorilla”Judah (7-0-1, 1 KO), younger brother of Zab Judah taking on a horribly overmatched, but willing Michael Rush (1-8-1) in a six round super middleweight opening bout. Judah landed whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted through three rounds. Referee Kevin Phillips called the fight after the third round, but probably could have called it after the first round. Judah was awarded the victory on a TKO

The shortest and most impressive performance of the night belonged to DeAndrey Abron (12-1, 9 KOs) laid out Marvin Hunt (11-17, 4 KOs) with a perfect overhand right that landed flush not ten seconds into the first round. Hunt was able to crawl to his feet, only to have Abron attack again and knock him out with a ferocious flurry that left Hunt in a heap. The official time for the six round light heavyweight fight was 50 seconds.

After two textbook boxing performances, the evening took a turn for the controversial when Anthony Bowman (8-25-2, 3 KOs) took on Ramon Arellano Jr. (15-1) in a six round welterweight fight that featured everything from head butts to kidney punches to headlocks and finally a clench that almost ended with both fighters tumbling out of the ring.

Bowman, clearly a brawler was able to goad Arellano, who came into the fight as a boxer into a war that was exciting at times and frustrating mostly. Bowman also frustrated referee Kevin Phillips to the point where the two men engaged in a shouting match at the end of the third round, possibly because the referee warned Bowman about his wrestling tactics. Despite a strong final round of actual boxing from Bowman, the split decision went to Arellano (58-55, 58-55 and 57-56).
The night ended with another appearance from local favorite, Jason Ross (1-2, 1 KO) getting perhaps the greatest reception a fighter with a losing record has ever gotten in the Mid South scoring a first round knockout of Charlie Ward (7-23, 5 KOs).