Jesse Hart, 29, has become the number one contender and man-datory opponent for Gilberto Ramirez.
In a quest (that’s code for “obsession”) to avenge the single loss of his career, Jesse Hart (25-1, 21 KO’s) has become the number one contender and mandatory opponent for Gilberto Ramirez…the guy who handed Hart that lone loss a year ago.
The speed-bump on Hart’s road to redemption was Mike Gavronski (24-3-1, 15 KO’s). They fought for the NABF super middleweight title.
Hart admonished Ramirez to ‘stop running like a coward’ and fight him.
The early rounds were clumsy. Hart is known to be frenetic (that’s code for “crazy”) and Gavronski was charging in to get close, so they were off-balance and did a lot of clenching.
At the top of Round 3 Hart closed the distance with two jabs and followed in with an overhand right. It caught Gavronski on the side of the head and sent him to the seat of his satins.
He got up, took the mandatory count, and had at it again. But Gavronski couldn’t weather the storm of punches that Hart rained down and it washed him to the canvas for a second time.
By the count of “seven” the referee saw the danger in continuing, and called an end to the contest.
Jesse Hart added a third TKO victory (since the loss) and admonished Ramirez to “stop running like a coward” and fight him.
The main event on that card was in the heavyweight division.
Big (6’3”) Bryant Jennings took on huge (6’7”) Alexander Dimitrenko for the vacant WBO NABO title and the IBF International belt.
Amazingly, Bryant has the longer reach by a couple of inches, at 84”.
Which reminds me of a scene from The Nutty Professor (youtube.com/watch?v=93F4Yh0UEak at the 5:55 mark).
Bryant used his reach to back Dimitrenko around the ring in the early goings.
But a minute into the 4th, Bryant threw a left and Dimitrenko countered with a right to the casaba that drove Bryant into the floor.
He shook it off, took the count, got his wheels back under him, and survived the round.
Bryant fought with renewed purpose. He landed a left hook to the forehead that put Dimitrenko on his knees…and took the steam out of his kettle.
Bryant mauled him to the mat a second time yet Dimitrenko made it to the bell.
They clenched through the first minute of the 9th but Bryant caught Dimitrenko with two consecutive uppercuts that sent him down a third time. The referee wisely called a halt to the competition.
Bryant improves his campaign to 24-wins against 2-defeats, with 14-victories coming by way of knockout.
Undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury went all 10-rounds with Francesco Pianeta for a unanimous decision win in Belfast Ireland.
Neither boxer arrived svelte (that’s code for “portly”…which is code for something else) and “Pianeta” must mean “piñata” because Fury whacked away and Pianeta did little more than hang there.
If they fight, Fury will get his keister handed to him (and you know what “keister” is code for).
Carl Frampton retained his interim WBO world featherweight title against Luke Jackson in the main event from the Emerald Isle.
Frampton controlled the action from the start and steadily ramped it up starting in Round 5 by bombing to the body with increasing success.
He dropped Jackson in the 8th on a left hook to the ribs and Luke’s corner “called it quits” in the 9th.
Carl Frampton extends his record to 26-1, with 15 KO’s.
The NFL preseason is like a bar full of average looking, self-centered people; there might be some scoring…but it probably won’t mean anything.
Los Angeles hosted the Raiders. Starters were rested, and nothing came from the playbook because these two teams will meet in Oakland on Week 1 of the regular season.
The Rams beat the Raiders, 19-15.
God Bless and don’t be self-centered.
Mark Felicetti enjoys the preseason…and that’s not code for anything. Reach him at mark@tolucantimes.com.