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Written by Press Release   
Sunday, 18 July 2010 04:14
Porter, Dallas Jr. also take home victories

Highly touted middleweight puncher Fernando Guerrero was seeking a career best win on Saturday night against wily veteran Ishe Smith at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Mississippi, USA. After ten hard fought rounds, the 23-year-old emerged from a severe test with an impressive, coming-of-age unanimous decision victory through 10 rounds.


With a majority of his wins coming inside two rounds, Guerrero 19-0 (15) is an explosive, exciting young fighter but it was clear from the off this evening that he was facing a different level of competition. Both he and Smith 21-5 (9) engaged in a chess match from the opening bell, trading jabs and body shots throughout the first two quiet rounds.

Smith’s punches were thudding and slightly more frequent but in the third, Guerrero depressed the gas pedal and forced a sweaty pace – catching Smith with combinations set up by a solid jab. For his part, Smith continued to thump Guerrero to the body and landed some heavy shots downstairs – a handful of which strayed low prompting referee Randy Phillips to issue a warning.

Guerrero controlled the fourth and fifth rounds on the strength of terrific combinations and forced Smith to fight for every second of those six minutes. Smith retaliated effectively in the sixth and pounded Guerrero’s body early in the round although the young undefeated fighter quickly turned the tables and rattled off lightning fast, scoring sequences that disrupted Smith’s aggression.

Smith’s quest for victory was handed a further blow this round when Phillips deducted a point for repeated low blows.

Smith flirted with further punishment in a fast-paced and even seventh, complimenting an otherwise well fought three minutes with further low punches, all of which went unnoticed by Phillips.

A different version of Guerrero emerged for the eighth round. He showed angles and footwork and rattled off fast sequences while a vulture-like Smith took opportunities to load up with hard shots to the body and head. In the final seconds, Smith struck gold when a short, straight right hand dropped Guerrero for the first time in his career.

Buoyed by his knockdown, Smith exploded out of the corner for the ninth and scored consistently with well-placed, sharp and powerful combinations as he tried to cement the fight in his favor. Clearly searching for a knockout, he continued this momentum in the tenth and final round – landing the harder punches in a fiercely fought finale.

Scores: 96-93; 95-93; 97-91

Undercard Report

Former amateur star Shawn Porter overcame a spirited challenge from fellow prospect Ray Robinson to score a unanimous decision victory over eight rounds.

Porter 16-0 (12) was aggressive from the outset, battering his opponent with combinations to the body and head throughout the first half of the round. Robinson 11-2 (4) shot back with single, well-placed counter shots that set the tone for a well-authored final minute – tightening the round with looping right hands and counters.

Robinson made his opponent pay for every inch of real estate and, although he was out-worked in the first frame, he answered his man shot for shot in the second and third before a spirited effort from Porter saw the momentum swing in the fourth.

The undefeated fighter elected to seek counter opportunities early in the fifth and connected with powerful shots to the body and head during the three minutes. To his credit, Robinson landed his best punch of the fight in this frame – a flush left uppercut that caught Porter coming in midway through the round.

Porter’s power was beginning to have an effect on Robinson, however, and he dropped the tall Philadelphian in the final minute of the sixth with a clean right hand after a vicious combination. Robinson fumbled through the remaining seconds to survive the round but he was now operating on tired legs and Porter sensed his opportunity to finish the fight.

The hard-hitting Cleveland native thumped a retreating Robinson with heavy shots in the seventh but allowed himself to be tied up on the inside at critical moments. Robinson fought bravely in a close eighth but he was second best in the power stakes and was rocked heavily in the ninth after a barrage of thudding, short combinations from Porter.

Robinson needed a big effort to salvage anything from the contest and he tried extremely hard in the tenth and final round. Although weary, he emerged as the aggressor and largely out-worked his man. Still, though, as was the case throughout the contest, Porter connected with the harder, cleaner shots and was deserving of the victory.

Scores: 99-89; 97-92; 98-91

In a battle of unbeaten 140lb prospects, fast-handed Californian Mike Dallas Jr. used a combination of speed, clinching and an accurate jab to frustrate the efforts of Lanard Lane over eight rounds.

Dallas 15-0 (5) was able to score regularly from the outside during contest and landed the tastier shots throughout the duration. He made Lane 12-1 (7) miss consistently and when the smaller, harder-hitting fighter managed to close distance, Dallas simply clinched, effectively ending Lane’s opportunity to cause damage.

Despite increased activity and effectiveness by Lane in the final pair of rounds, all three judges rewarded Dallas’ impressive effort with a unanimous decision victory.


Scores: 78-74; 78-74; 78-74