Abregu Beats Dulorme on HBO; Steward Is Honored

Abregu made Dulorme pay for his mistakes. Will the prospect regroup, or do you think he was exposed on this night? Weigh in, in our Forum.

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First Juan Ma, and now the next next big Puerto Rican thing, Thomas Dulorme, got taken down a notch. Auditions will continue.

Carlos Abregu's right hand hit home, time and again, and ended the night at the Turning Stone Casino, in Verona, NY on Saturday night in round seven. Abregu scored a knockdown in the third, and then in round seven, a straight right over a jab, on the chin buzzed him. He didn't clinch hard enough to stop Abregu, and the winner threw a left hook that sent the loser down.

The end came at 2:35.

TKO winner Abregu went 121-362, to 54-269 for the loser.

Abregu after spoke to Max Kellerman. “We analyzed him with our team and we saw he was too young,” he said. “Maybe with time he could be a great fighter.” He said Dulorme messed with him going lefty. He said he'd like a rematch with Tim Bradley, because now his right hand is solid. Dulorme said after his corner stopped it, and he respects that. Was this too much, too soon, Kellerman asked? He said he was controlling Abregu.

The Argentine Abregu was 147 1/2 pounds, and was 33-1 entering. The Puerto Rican Dulorme was 147 pounds and 16-0 entering.

Abregu went down in the third, off a right. He fell, after being hurt again, with 35 seconds left. “Pay attention,” his corner said after the round. Dulorme went lefty in the fourth, and had some luck. He stayed lefty in the fifth. Harold Lederman had Abregu up 57-56 after six, for the record. The still-lefty Puerto Rican went righty in the seventh, and got stung again. Down he went, with 42 seconds left. The ref saw the corner saying no mas, and he ended things.

Bob Papa got to honoring Emanuel Steward right away on Saturday's Boxing After Dark program. “On behalf of the entire HBO team, I'd like to extend our deepest condolences to Emanuel's family,” he said. Papa then got into the first fight of the tripleheader, featuring Mexican Marvin Quintero vs. Mexican Miguel Vazquez. Don't think tears would be shed in many places if this fight wasn't part of the show, as it never got traction. After 12 rounds, the judges saw it 115-113 for Quintero, 116-112 Vazquez and 118-110 Vazquez, a split decision win for Vazquez. The judges booed; they should have cheered that it ended.

V went 189-587, to 159-643 for Q.

Vazquez was without trainer Javier Capetillo, who is still banned from working ringside for the Antonio Margarito handwraps incident. The IBF lightweight crown, held by Vazquez, was up for grabs. Quintero (25-3 entering, was stopped in all three of his losses) was ranked No. 1 coming in.

The 31-3 Vazquez said before he wants the winner of next month's Adrien Broner-Antonio Demarco scrap. Two of his losses came to Canelo Alvarez, in Canelo's first pro bout, in 2006, and then again in 2008. Quintero lost his lone stepup fight, to Daniel Attah, in 2010. Attah went 1-7 after that scrap.

Quintero went 0-for-17 in the first round, according to CompuBox. Vazquez employed movement to confound Quintero early on. As the rounds progressed, it could be argued he moved too much. Quintero's left hand landed cleanly after round two a few times a round. Lederman had it 86-85 Quintero through nine rounds. Vazquez pressed harder late, but the fight never achieved liftoff.

After the bout, HBO showed a segment on Steward. Manny talked about how he got into boxing, how he got involved in Kronk. Jim Lampley provided a voiceover. He talked about Manny's first transcendent client, Thomas Hearns. We were reminded that Manny trained Oliver McCall to beat Lennox Lewis, and then joined Team Lewis. He worked 11 years for HBO, Lampley said. He will be deeply missed by family, friends, and the sport. “Ringside will never be quite the same,” Lampley said in closing.

Mauricio Herrera (18-2 entering; from Cali) then took on Karim Mayfield (16-0 entering; from Frisco; No. 6 WBO and WBA) in the second televised bout, a junior welter tussle. Mayfield wanted to land his heavy right and Herrera mostly plowed forward, with a more varied arsenal. Herrera's chin was tested in round seven. The right hand found a home repeatedly. Herrera's best punch was his jab, still stiff in round eight. That wouldn't get him the win on the cards. He landed more (222 to 203) and threw more (683 to 569) but what he threw wasn't loved by the arbiters. Mayfield won, by scores of 98-92, 97-93, 96-94.

Here is the press release that went out after the show:

October 27, 2012 – Gary Shaw Productions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, DiBella Entertainment, Thompson Boxing Promotions, Universal Promotions, Prize Fight, Joe Deguardia's Star Boxing, and Zanfer Promotions presented an amazing night of boxing at the Turning Stone Casino.

In the 10-round main-event, Argentine slugger, Luis Carlos Abregu (34-1, 28 KOs) defeated former undefeated Puerto Rican contender, Thomas Dulorme (16-1, 12 KOs) by way of seventh round TKO to capture the WBC International welterweight title.

Dulorme set the pace early as he boxed and used his jab to keep Abregu at bay. But in the third round, Abregu landed a powerful right hand and dropped the undefeated contender Dulrome. Thomas took the full 8-count and regained his composure for the time being. In the very next round, Dulorme started to use lateral movement and it gave Abregu problems. Just as it seemed Dulorme was starting to find a rhythm, Abregue landed a left hook and sent Thomas to the canvas once again. Abregu's right hands had found a home and Dulorme was still on wobbly legs and his corner stopped the fight.

“He was too young and maybe with time he'll become a better fighter,” said Abregu. “He couldn't get away from my right hand and I knew at some point he was going to get caught with it. As you can see he did and his corner stopped the fight.”

“I didn't want them to stop the fight but I respect their decision because they were looking out for me.” Dulorme stated. “I was controlling the fight but he caught me with a good punch but I came up and I was ok. I'll take this experience and learn from it.”

MAYFIELD RETAINS HIS NABO TITLE

The co-feature attraction showcased San Francisco's undefeated WBO/NABO Jr. Welterweight champion, Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (16-0-1, 10 KOs) vs. Southern California's, Mauricio Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs). Mayfield's NABO title was on the line.

When the opening bell rang, both fighters started off slow. Mayfield was looking to land his signature overhand right, while Herrera was being the aggressor. The action started to heat up in the fourth round when Mayfield started to land some combinations. Herrera wasn't backing down and snuck in a couple of right hands himself.

In the middle rounds, Mayfield started to find a home for his left hook. Herrera continued to press the action but was finding it difficult to get off as Mayfield was smothering his punches. A few powerful punches landed for Mayfield as he started to get into a rhythm.

The fight was close as it entered the final rounds but Mayfield started to land some nice combinations. Herrera had his moments late but never landed anything special. Mayfield retained his title with a unanimous decision victory as the scorecards read 96-94, 98-92, 97-93.

“My conditioning was good and I neutralized his punch output with my smothering,” said Mayfield. “I didn't get hit with too many big shots and I'm happy with the win. Next time I step into the ring I'm going to pick up my punch count.”

“I felt I was landing the better shots on the inside,” Herrera said. “I felt I won the fight but the judges weren't scoring the body shots I was landing in the trenches. I'll be back.”

VASQUEZ REMAINS IBF CHAMPION

In the opening televised bout, Miguel Vazquez (32-3, 13 KOs) and No. 1 contender, Marvin Quintero (25-4, 21 KOs) went the distance in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight title

Early on both fighters were felling each other out but the action started to pick up in the middle rounds. Quintero was doing his best to cut off the ring against Vasquez who was using his lateral movement to land his shots. He had success at times, landing some solid hooks to the head Vasquez, but Vasquez continued to back pedal. The same action continued through the middle and late rounds. Neither fighter was ever hurt and the fight went the full twelve rounds.

When it was all said and done, Vasquez won by split decision and retained his title. The scorecards read 115-113 for Quintero and 116-112, 118-110 for Vasquez.

UNDERCARD RESULTS

(8-round featherweight bout) Joel Brunker (24-0, 13 KOs) vs. Carlos Fulgencio (19-9-1, 12 KOs) – Australian born Joel Brunker scored a first round knockout when he landed a devastating left hook to the body of Fulgencio. After Fulgencio couldn't make the 10 count, the bout was halted at the 1:40 mark.

“I wanted to come out tonight and show everyone that I'm a real fighter,” said Brunker. “When I landed that left hook to the body, I knew he wasn't getting up. I want to thank Gary Shaw for believing in me and I promise to keep working hard in the gym.”

(8-round welterweight bout) Javier Flores (8-0, 7 KOs) vs. Alberto Herrera (8-8-1, 5 KOs) – Herrera came out the aggressor and won the early rounds as Flores was trying to find his range. Herrera kept coming forward Flores held his ground and the fight ended up in the trenches. Flores' punches were landing with more force, but Herrera's chin was holding and the fans were witnessing a great fight. Herrera was giving the undefeated Flores all he could handle and the middle rounds could have gone either way. In the final round both fighters went for broke and toe to toe action erupted. When the final bell rang both fighters were standing but it was Flores who squeaked out a majority decision. Scorecards read 76-76, 77-75 twice.

“I was satisfied with my performance and this was a tough fight for me but it was a fight that I needed to prepare me for the next level,” stated Flores. “I learned that I can go six rounds if need be, because not every fight will end in a KO. Hererra was a lot tougher than I expected but this experience gives me confidence moving forward.”

(6-round light-heavyweight bout) Ryon McKenzie (11-0, 10 KOs) Eric Watkins (7-3, 4 KOs) – In the early rounds both fighters were having their moments, but it was McKenzie who did the most damage. Watkins did his best to back up McKenzie and he had success at times but his punches never seemed to do any harm. As the fight progressed, McKenzie's heavier hands were landing but that didn't stop aggressive style the Watkins was displaying. McKenzie used his height, reach and superior boxing skills to win a majority of the rounds. McKenzie won by way of unanimous decision with the scorecards reading 58-56 and 59-55 twice.

“Watkins came to fight and I needed to go some rounds so I'm happy with the victory,” McKenzie said. “Going the distance for the first time is something new that I'm happy to embrace and I'm ready to move on to the next one.”

(6-round heavyweight bout) Eric Fields (21-1, 15 KOs) vs. Kevin Franklin (4-5, 1 KO) – In the first round Fields landed left hook to the head of Franklin and a mouse surfaced under his right eye. Fields continued to back up Franklin with his jab and the fight entered the later rounds. Fields was trying to close out the fight with a knockout, but Franklin was too slick and the fight went the distance. Fields dominated the fight and the scorecards read 60-54 twice and 59-55.

“This was another fight were I feel I learned something new,” said Fields. “It's time to get back in the gym and work on my craft.”

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