Middleweights Antoine Douglas & Brian Vera Win On ESPN
Antoine Douglas photo by Trey Pollard for StiffJab.com
by Gautham Nagesh
Competence is rare in boxing, which makes it refreshing when encountered.
Whoever is managing the career of Washington, D.C. middleweight Antoine Douglas knows what they are doing. The 20-year-old has already been on ESPN Friday Night Fights twice after just five professional fights, both times in four-rounders against limited opposition. Douglas’ handlers have kept him busy, found him opponents to go rounds, and raised his profile on the national circuit. There’s not really much more you could do for a young fighter.
Douglas was back in action for the third time this year against John Worthy at Turning Stone Casino in Upstate New York on Friday night. He looked perhaps a little too comfortable, allowing Worthy to survive the full fight instead of finishing him early as expected. Douglas kept his hands low and fired sharp, crisp shots at his covered-up foe, but never pounced after rocking Worthy with a hard shot. Worthy was mostly content to grab, hold, and do whatever he could to stay upright. The final decision for Douglas was purely academic.
We first encountered Douglas at the 2011 Washington Golden Gloves finals, where he edged D’Mitrius Ballard in one of the most entertaining fights we’ve seen at any level, pro or amateur. Ballard won the National Golden Gloves title the following year and signed with Golden Boy Promotions; he made his pro debut earlier this month on the undercard of Ishe Smith-Cornelius Bundrage at the Masonic Temple in Detroit.
I was ringside for Douglas’ pro debut last year, which came only after he fell just short of qualifying for the 2012 Olympics. He’s not the flashiest fighter in the world, but he’s got the amateur experience and technical ability that should serve him well if he reaches the top level. At this point Antoine looks like a boxer-puncher, one that will need to move slowly in a dangerous division. But there’s no reason to think he won’t eventually become at least a solid contender.
The main event ended in controversy after Donatas Bondorovas complained that the nasty gusher on the bridge of his nose had left him unable to see well. The referee chose to stop the fight, with the official result that Bondorovas had retired after the 7th round. Bondorovas looked put out by the stoppage, understandable since he had been rallying furiously in the 7th behind some hellacious right hands. The cut was bleeding badly, but it was hardly the worst we’ve seen.
His opponent Brian Vera had been the favorite before the opening bell, but looked susceptible before the stoppage. Vera has always been hittable, and may have found his level separating contenders from pretenders on ESPN. Bondorovas deserves at least one more shot on television after delivering solid entertainment value in this bout for little reward. The fight was much closer than expected before the early conclusion. A rematch wouldn’t be the worst way to headline another ESPN show.
Light heavyweight Umberto Savigne won decisively in the co-feature, as his punching power proved too much for the previously unbeaten Jackson Junior Dos Santos of Brazil. Savigne knocked Jackson Junior down in once in the 2nd and three times in the 4th round, hurting him badly with body shots and finishing the job with right hands. Savigne is already 34 years old, but the light heavyweight division is shallow, so he may be able to make a little noise before hanging up his gloves.
2012 Olympic bronze medalist Taras Shelestyuk of the Ukraine made his professional debut at lightweight in the TV opener, knocking fellow debutante Kamal Muhammad down twice en route to a quick stoppage. Shelestyuk is 27 and signed with Banner Promotions, who will likely look to put him on the fast track.