Therre's YOURS TRULY, Ma'at Atkins with Florida-based singer Tranea Cannon after the fight last Saturday at Scott Trade Center. Cannon performed the National Anthem before the HBO After Dark broadcast went live for the double header fight leading with The Devon Alexander vs. Andryi Kotelnik as the main event. Check out the pics below of the event prior to the Main Event (IN ORDER OF EVENT)
One of the seven fights(five were non televised) fought was the Junior Welterweight Bout with Berlin native Ramzan Adaev and STl native Chris "Hometown Spoiler" Tyler (in red and black trunks)
Early fight attendees start to pack the Center. In the center of the seats is a camera man for HBO Sports.
Tyler sitting in his trainer's corner. He went all six rounds of the fight but eventually lost the fight as Adaey won by unanimous decision.
One of the commentators for HBO After Dark.
One of the Ring Girls holding up a Round 4 card during the next fight The WBC USNBC Cruiserweight fight with STL resident Ryan "The Irish Outlaw" Coyne and Warren "The Hitman" Browning. The fight was going 12 Rounds. Both were vying for the belt.
Browning (in blue) and Coyne (in yellow)
Browning sitting in the trainer's corner.
The crowd was gettin packed.
One of the Ring Girls holding up a Round 7 Card.
TV commentators talking about the fights on HBO After Dark.
Browning was in trouble in the 9th Round.
And got knocked out in the 9th Round and Coyne wins.
King waves the Italian flag the bout was dubbed "The Irish Eyes"
The next fight was the IBF Junior Middleweight title, 12 Rounds. Up first in the ring was challenger "The Contender" reality show winner Cornelius "K9" Bundrage
Then the reigning champ STL native Cory Spinks who did his signature dancing into the ring.
Bunradge came out the first round like a wild canine after Spinks as Spinks tried his best to counterpoint. The first sign of trouble was in Round One when Bundrage punched Spinks to one of the side ropes causing him to slip and his head got caught in between two ropes.
Bundrage was on fire with the punches whereas Spinks kinda fizzled.
The Ring Girl holding the Round 5 card . This was the round when:
Spinks got knocked out through the ropes!
Spinks was in a daze and in disbelief after the referee stopped the fight after the 10 count. Spinks' wife came to his rescue and wiped his face with a towel.
Bundrage knocked out Spinks in Round 5 in 1 minute 28 seconds.
After this fight Spinks was quoted as saying, “The referee stopped the fight, but I don’t know why. I totally disagree. He didn’t even hit me and I lost my title.”
TRAINER BUDDY MCGIRT said, “Cory is a world champion and I think a world champion deserves the benefit of the doubt in that situation.”
REFEREE MARK NELSON who stopped the fight said, "Spinks had a staggered and dazed look. He shook his head (after the knockdown) as if to say, no. At the count of eight, he stepped backwards and I didn’t want his opponent to hit him again in that condition.”
The winner CORNELIUS BUNDRAGE said, “I knew I was going to get him. It was just a matter of time. I want Manny Pacquaio next. I am thankful. We have the best team in the land with Keith Lee, Emanuel Steward and Don King. I went after it. He was right there at the opening bell, so I went for it. I went right after him. It was just a matter of time.”
His trainer EMANUEL STEWARD said, "It was a good fight. It could have been better. He was too anxious. He wasted a lot of energy. It has never been in this big of a fight. He is in a hot division and I am sure he will get a lot of offers.”
There was a fight that was squeezed in before the televised double header fights, the Super featherweight bout (that was supposed to be the very first fight of the night)
between fighters Jorge Espinoza and Kansas City native Ryan Pederson in a round of Four. The fight ended in the 1st Round and Pederson was knocked out in 1 minute 26 seconds!
Then Tranea Cannon sang the National Anthem,. She did great until she hit the verse, "And the rockets red glare" when her voice cracked (causing some of the crowd members to boo but the majority clapped in support) but she contained herself and overall did an excellent job.
TRAINER BUDDY MCGIRT said, “Cory is a world champion and I think a world champion deserves the benefit of the doubt in that situation.”
REFEREE MARK NELSON who stopped the fight said, "Spinks had a staggered and dazed look. He shook his head (after the knockdown) as if to say, no. At the count of eight, he stepped backwards and I didn’t want his opponent to hit him again in that condition.”
The winner CORNELIUS BUNDRAGE said, “I knew I was going to get him. It was just a matter of time. I want Manny Pacquaio next. I am thankful. We have the best team in the land with Keith Lee, Emanuel Steward and Don King. I went after it. He was right there at the opening bell, so I went for it. I went right after him. It was just a matter of time.”
His trainer EMANUEL STEWARD said, "It was a good fight. It could have been better. He was too anxious. He wasted a lot of energy. It has never been in this big of a fight. He is in a hot division and I am sure he will get a lot of offers.”
There was a fight that was squeezed in before the televised double header fights, the Super featherweight bout (that was supposed to be the very first fight of the night)
between fighters Jorge Espinoza and Kansas City native Ryan Pederson in a round of Four. The fight ended in the 1st Round and Pederson was knocked out in 1 minute 26 seconds!
Then Tranea Cannon sang the National Anthem,. She did great until she hit the verse, "And the rockets red glare" when her voice cracked (causing some of the crowd members to boo but the majority clapped in support) but she contained herself and overall did an excellent job.
During the National Anthem (as you can see in the background Cannon singing inside the boxing ring dressed in a red shirt), promoter Mocha Latte does the procedure for the Anthem and Whirl Editor Jason Bailey looking for something in his suit coat.LOL
The flag.
Cannon gettin into the Anthem as Clear Channel personality Steve Byes, who announced the boxing event, looks on.
Then THE ANNOUNCER of all announcers, Michael Buffer, walked inside the ring along with boxing promoter Don King, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (fourth from right) and other boxing officials, to announce to the crowd LETS GET READY TO......."
Buffer announced the boxers for the first header
the IBF Light Heavyweight Bout, 12 Rounds. First up was former champ Glen" Road Warrior" Johnson.
Then announced was reigning champ Tavoris "Thunder" Cloud who had the most creative boxing get up of the night a tiger print jacket and trunks to match!
Both fighters fought tooth and nail!
One of the HBO cameras, the roving camera that panned the crowd..
The camera panning the crowd.
A shot of the jumbo tron of the Cloud vs Johnson fight.
The Ring Girls holding up a Round.
BOOm BOOM POW!
A shot of Kotelnik in his dressing room getting prepped for the fight against Devon "Alexander the Great" Alexander." theer were mixed responses when his picture was flashed on the Jumbo Tron, but when Alexanders was shown, the crowd erupted in hcheers and applause.
Cloud with his trainer during one of the rest periods.
A Ring Girl holding a Round CArd.
Cory's father, the legendary boxer Leon Spinks was sitting in front of the lower area greeting people and signing autographs.
The lovely STL native Hollywood socialite Cynthia Rose gettin her ringside on during the fights.
The Fight went all 12 Rounds and the winner was:
Cloud, retaining his belt and the championship.
Before the Main Event:
Rams receiver Steven Jackson was in the building preparing to:
...get announced as well as boxers Floyd Merriweather and Evander Holyfield who also was in attendance and walked in the ring to wave to the crowd (boxer Mike Tyson and singer Trey Songz who, from our understanding, was supposed to sing the Anthem were no shows) .
Former Rams player Orlando Pace also was there but he didnt get announced in time during the shout outs. .
Buffer announced the last fight of that nite, The Main Event the WBC/IBF 140 POUND LIMIT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP match between reigning champ Devon" The Great" Alexander and Ukranian native Andriy Kotelnik.
Up first in the ring was Kotelnik
THEN:
The star attraction with Alexander who came out to a pyrotechnic sceen walking under a makeshift Arch. CLASSIC!
Alexander's theme song was DJ Khaled's " All I do is Win."
Alexander coming into the ring.
The fight was a nail biter as Kotelnik was gaining on Alexander in the punches landed and Alexander following up after getting hit.
Alexander looked good until he his opponent socked him in the eye mid rounds causing a cut above his right eye and blood.
During a break in the rounds, the Jumbotron flashed a pic of Mayweather causing the crowd to cheer insanely. At first Mayweather didnt know he was on TV until...
King told him he was on TV.
TA-DA! LOL
I love this shot. A pic of Alexander and Potelnik in action as ringside folk look on.
A longer shot where YOURS TRULY was sitting. LOL
A side shot of one half of the stand.
Prior to the decision, Alexander was quoted as saying, “We good. I think I did enough to win."
Buffer about to read out the decision. Alexander got the decisions from the judges by the scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 116-112.
AND THE WINNER
AND REMAINING CHAMP WAS:
DEVON ALEXANDER!
The crowd erupted in applause...
BUT in most folk s minds...Alexander was given that fight because of where he was...in his homewtown.
DEVON ALEXANDER WON IN A UNANIMOUS DECISION. During his interview he was quoted as saying, " It was an okay performance for me. I am my own toughest critic. Kotelnik is a tough fighter, an ex-world champion. Like I told everyone, I have an A, B and C plan. I have all three, so I can adjust to whatever anyone brings. Kotelnik trained hard. Give him credit. I listened to my trainer (Kevin Cunningham). He told me to box. (Leg issue) My left leg was going out on me in the final round. I had a cramp. I trained for 12 rounds and got the victory. That is what I came here to do.
(On the cut to his right eye) It was my first cut, but I fought through it like a world champion does. We knew Kotelnik would come in, in shape and he did.”
Then, he held up a t-shirt that read, "Bradley You Next" referring to WBO junior welterweight champ Tim Bradley and the possiblities of fighting hm next (which is reportedly in the works ).
Kotelnik said, " “I want the belt. I deserve it. If the fight were anywhere but here, I would be champion. I am speechless. I have no words to describe what happened. That guy has something that belongs to me.”
AFTER THE FIGHT:
Kotelnik said, " “I want the belt. I deserve it. If the fight were anywhere but here, I would be champion. I am speechless. I have no words to describe what happened. That guy has something that belongs to me.”
AFTER THE FIGHT:
Rose takes a pic with Buffer (Hmm, wonder whats in his black bag? a few mills? And we dont mean Stephanie. LOL )
King greets fans.
THEn LATER ON:
A press conference was set up with the winners of the fights that nite. Pictured is King and new champ Bundrage.
King said that Giv. Jay Nixon was overwhelemd with the fight saying, " (Jay) Nixon was thrilled to see a great show. He thought it was fabulous. He has never seen anything lihe this." Then King said, "Its like we took Dorothy, the Lion, the Tin Man and brought them to Oz. This was Oz tonite.:
First up was winner Coyne who first introduced his mother who attended the fight said that his opponent Browning was a"very tough opponent but he had to go to a lower weight to fight me . I took him to school . I was a bigger puncher. I give myself a B."
Bundrage said" it was K9s night and came a long way in Spinks' hometown (Detroit) and if you knew me you would have been rooting for me. I didnt graduate, from the streets. No Daddy, " He then said to the crowd "to take time out for God cuz without God nothing's possible."
King said that the double header broadcast here in St. Louis was the best HBO After Dark in the boxing series' history!
Cloud said that "I'm going to get bigger and better things. Let's keep it going. Johnson (my opponent) punches were consitent but I still got the job done."
Bundrage sitting down in the crowd showcasing his Jesus tee.
Meanwhile Kotelnik and his camp enters the press conference.
The Kotelnik camp was not happy with the decision.
Kotelnik's interpreter told the crowd, "I had the greatest fight in my career here in St. Louis. It means a lot to me...I didnt win but you know in your hearts, I did win. Check the referees. We all know who won."
Then, Alexander and his trainer Kevin Cunningham walked up to the podium.
Before they spoke, they brought up their mothers up to get a picture taken with King.
Alexander said, "It was a spectatcular night....it wasnt my best performance. I give myself a C minus. I know what went wrong but my trainer just told me to box...I'm continuing to get better and better."
Cunningham said talking abiout Kotelnik, "Anytime you win a Silver medal you can fight. We knew he could fight." On the fight he said, "The mark of a true champ...he bites down and win even when things aren't working. Thats what we did tonite. We dont make excuses for not knocking him out, but Devon has even more fans from this Tv fight who love to see action."
AFTER THE PRESS CONFERENCE
King poses with Rose
In the hallway media and family waits on Alexander to emerge from his dressing room.
NOTE: Overall Fight Week and the fight (which was attended by over 9,000 people in a 19,150
seater) was great business and hype for St Louis. Although it wasnt a sell out, it still was exciting to see that many fights on one ticket, a first for St. Louis.
No comments:
Post a Comment