‘Swamp King’ Jonathan Guidry Vanquishes Bermane Stiverne in Miami

Don King, once the most powerful boxing promoter in the world and now a pale imitation of his former self, presented an 8-fight card tonight at the tawdry Miami Casino Jai Alai. The main event pit Jonathan Guidry against Bermane Stiverne.

Guidry is easy to root for. A 33-year-old father of four who supports his family harvesting crabs and shrimp in the bayous around his South Louisiana home, he has never had the luxury of giving boxing his full attention. But he’s an honest workman who went the distance with previously undefeated Trevor Bryan, losing a 12-round split decision in a bout that he took on short notice, and then followed that up with a seventh-round stoppage of favored Dacarree Scott.

Tonight, the fighter that Don King dubbed the “Swamp King” improved to 19-1-2 (11) with a 10-round decision over 44-year-old Stiverne (25-6-1) who lasted the 10-round distance but was widely out-pointed in a rather dull fight after being stopped in each of his three previous encounters. The scores were 97-93 and 100-91 twice.

Stiverne, born in Haiti, won the vacant WBC world heavyweight title in 2014 with a sixth-round stoppage of Chris Arreola, but lost the belt in his first defense in a bout that marked the beginning of Deontay Wilder’s title reign. He was the first person to go the distance with Wilder, but was bombed out by the Bronze Bomber in the opening round of a rematch. In recent years he has been semi-retired. He missed all of 2018 and 2020.

Carrying 253 ½ pounds on his 5-foot-11 frame, Jonathan Guidry, trained by his older brother, has scant chance of defeating any of the top dogs in the heavyweight division, but like we said, he is an honest workman and easy to root for.

Other Bouts of Note

In a lackluster affair, welterweight Tre’Sean Wiggins, a 33-year-old southpaw from Newburgh, New York, improved to 15-5-3 (8) with a unanimous 10-round decision over Nigel Fennell (13-2). The scores were 00-91, 98-92, and 97-93.

In the best fight of the evening, New Jersey middleweight Ian Green (17-2, 11 KOs) overcame a rough start to carve out a split decision over previously undefeated Alexander Castro. Two of the judges favored Green by a 96-94 score with the dissenter favoring Castro (11-1, 9 KOs) by the same margin. A native of Colombia who has fought extensively in Tijuana, Castro was making his U.S. debut.

In a 6-round light heavyweight contest, Kenmon Evans, a 30-year-old Floridian, improved to 10-0-1 (3) with a unanimous decision over 36-year-old trial horse Cleotis Pendarvis (21-14-2). The scores were 59-55 and 60-54 twice.

Pendarvis, who has been stopped eight times, is a busy beaver. He has fights booked in February in Kentucky and in far-flung Wyoming. At least he carries a winning record, one of only three of Evans’ opponents about whom this can be said.

Photo credit: David Martin-Warr / DKP

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