Dominick Guinn Decisions Harrison

RANCHO MIRAGE – Dominick Guinn missed the 2000 Olympics but got his chance against the gold medal winner Audley Harrison and made the most of it.

Guinn captured a unanimous decision against Great Britain’s hopeful Harrison (19-2, 14 KOs) with a steady inside attack at the Agua Caliente Casino, a fight that was televised nationally by ESPN.

“He hit me once or twice and I was surprised,” said Guinn (26-3-1, 18 KOs), an Arkansas native who was given the decision 98-92, 97-93 twice. “I started to stand right in front of him because he couldn’t hurt me.”

Guinn enticed Harrison to negate his long reach and engage in a toe-to-toe brawl where Dominick’s blocking techniques and body punching excels. Guinn learned his lesson from his prior loss against James Toney who was in attendance.

“I learned a lot from fighting Toney,” said Guinn. “I owe that to James.”

Inside, Guinn was able to use his quicker hand speed and quick bursts to outscore Harrison who was coming off the first loss of his career a few months back.

“I was surprised he allowed me to get inside so easy. In fact he invited it,” Guinn said, who had one small knot in his forehead and a small scratch on his right eyelid. “It made my job easier.”

Toney said he could see it coming: “You know the Brits ain’t got no heart.”

Guinn said he just missed making the 2000 Olympic team in losing to Monte

Barrett. Harrison won the gold medal much to the surprise of the amateur boxing world.

“He shot out of nowhere,” Guinn said. “This win is my gold medal.”

Guinn said he’s looking to fight in Memphis when fellow Arkansan Jermain Taylor defends his middleweight world championship against Winky Wright on June 17, in Memphis. He's confident that his boxing world is in order.

“I have Joe Goossen in my corner. I'm in a good stable with Diego Corrales, I like where I'm at,” Guinn said. “I have good people talking to me and advising me.”

Team Toney got another win as Jason Gavern (9-1-2) grabbed a commanding win over Rafael Butler (16-3) in another heavyweight bout. Using his quicker hands and defensive superiority, Gavern lost the first round but steamrolled the rest of the five rounds according to the judges, whose scorecards were 59-55 and 60-54 twice.

In other bouts

Welterweight sensation Andre Berto (11-0, 9 KOs) forced Horatio Garcia (14-7) to quit in his corner at the end of the second round.

In a light heavyweight contest, Felipe Romero (1-0-1) and Richard Paige (4-3-1) fought to a four-round draw.

Attendance was an unofficial 1,000.