Cuban southpaw Yudel Jhonson, 16-1 (9), out of Miami, FL, dropped Mexican Norberto “Demonio” Gonzalez, 20-4 (13), out of Monterrey, MEX, in the 5th and 9th rounds to win on all score cards 97-91 Friday night over ESPN2 for the vacant NABA light middleweight title!
It was a large crowd at the Turning Stone Casino & Resort, in Verona, NY, due to the IBHOF inducting such boxers as Joe Calzaghe, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad! Iron Mike Productions had Mike Tyson at ringside with his good friend the former world champion Zab Judah.
Jhonson’s win was not the most exciting part of the show but it keeps him in the spotlight. A pair of left hands dropped Gonzalez who was right in front of the Cuban. He has won 4 straight since his only loss over 2 years ago to Willie Nelson.
In the co-feature southpaw welterweight Sammy “The Who Can Mexican” Vasquez, 15-0 (11), Monesson, PA, had Jay Krupp, 17-7 (8), of Catskill, NY, coming right to him round after round dropping him in each of the 3 rounds until referee Benjy Esteves, Jr., wisely called a halt at 1:19 of the 3rd round of a scheduled 8! He couldn’t seem to miss with his left hook time and again. Krupp tried his best but was over powered!
Vasquez continues his winning ways under the Iron Mike Banner. This 2-time Iraq veteran and star amateur is one to watch as manager Robert Healy guides his fighter closer to the rankings.
Opening the show was 2012 Ukrainian Olympian Levgen “The Ukranian Lion” Khytrov, 5-0 (5), was in the fight of the night against southpaw Chris Chatman, 12-4-1 (5), of San Diego, CA, who gave as much as he took coming off the canvas once in round 2 and twice in round 3 before referee Dick Pakozdi called a halt at 2:18 of the 3rd round of a scheduled 6 in the middleweight division. Iron Mike PR man Bob Trieger had predicted it would be the fight of the night and that it was!
