Fast Results from Foxwoods

The Foxwoods resort in Connecticut hosted a number of important fights over the years, the sorts of fights that today would likely materialize at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. But the property’s commitment to boxing waned, fights became less frequent, and small shows became the norm.

Tonight’s show, an extension of Lou DiBella’s Broadway Boxing Series, is a case in point. The show featured three undefeated up-and comers from the general area, one of whom suffered a devastating defeat.

In the main go, a 10-round affair in the 130-pound division, Hartford’s Mykquan Williams (pictured) out-worked Paterson, New Jersey’s Rickey Edwards (12-3) to win a clear-cut unanimous decision. The scores were 96-94, 97-93, and 100-90. Foxwoods has become a second home to the 21-year-old Williams (15-0, 7 KOs) who made his pro debut here and was making his 11^th start at the mammoth tribal casino. He is managed by Jackie Kallen, best known for having managed James Toney, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship.

In a junior lightweight contest slated for 8 rounds, Providence southpaw Toka Khan Clary (26-2, 18 KOs) dominated Carlos Reyes en route to a fifth round stoppage. Khan Clary looked sharp in his first start since last October when he went 12 rounds in a losing effort against the undefeated British fighter known as Kid Galahad. The 34-year-old Reyes had a nice record (33-5-1 going in), but had been toiling on low-budget shows in his native Dominican Republic.

In an upset, Oklahoma City southpaw Elijah Pierce (9-1, 8 KOs) had no trouble with previously undefeated Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (12-1). Pierce had Gonzalez on the canvas twice in the opening stanza and finished matters in the third. Gonzalez, a featherweight who runs a boxing gym in Worcester, Massachusetts, with his father, was on his feet when the bout was stopped but was taking a pummeling.

Bronx heavyweight George Arias, whose roots are in the Dominican Republic, advanced to 14-0 (7) but it did not reflect well on him that he was forced into going the full eight rounds by Keith Barr, a trial horse from West Virginia who had been stopped seven times. At 232 pounds, Arias, a former New York Golden Gloves champion, had a 28-pound weight advantage, but that didn’t faze Barr who didn’t exactly bring his “A” game but kept Arias from looking good in a relatively tame affair. The scores were 78-74 and 78-73 twice.

Marco Huck, a former two-time world cruiserweight champion who now competes as a heavyweight, needed only 57 seconds to put away Nick Guivas but the original verdict, a knockout, was changed to a no-contest when the replay determined that the final punches were landed after the referee ordered the fighters to break.

The 40-year-old Guivas (14-10-3 heading in) was wobbled seconds into the fight. Hailing from Topeka, Guivas is recognized as the heavyweight champion of Kansas which is the equivalent of being the CEO of a lemonade stand. Huck (42-5-1, 29 KOs) is only 34 years old but it seems like he’s been around forever.

Note: Today (May 17) was the 59^th birthday of Lou DiBella. Hats off to Lou, the colorful and indefatigable promoter who manages to keep the club scene from dying out completely in the New York area.

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