The 2018 Hall of Fame Class in the ring (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
It’s the most important weekend for the sport of boxing, Hall of fame weekend. The Turning Stone Resort and Casino put on a night of fights to get the weekend’s festivities started. The night started with a special ceremony paying tribute to boxing greats.
Smitty introduces boxing legends and current boxers (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
James “Smitty” Smith introduced a plethora of current boxers and boxing legends in attendance
- Irish Mickey Ward
- Jessie Vargas
- Kelly Pavlik
- Jarret “Swift” Hurd
- Julian Jackson
- Mike McCallum
- Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero
- James “Lights Out” Toney
- Michael Spinks
- Antonio Tarver
- Marco Antonio Barrera
- Marvin Hagler
- Thomas Hearns
- Miguel Cotto
Smitty also introduced the 2018 Hall of Fame Class:
The Hall of Famers were elated to see their fans and in Vitali Klitschko’s case even volunteered a selfie for a lucky fan.
Vitali Klitschko takes a selfie with some fans (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
TV CO-MAIN EVENT – SUPER WELTERWEIGHT – 8 Rounds
Travell Mazion (12-0, w/ 11 KOs) versus Daquan Pauldo (17-1, w/9 KOs)
Mazion (bright red) and Pauldo (burgundy) face off (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
From the opening round Pauldo and Mazion were fairly cautious feeling eachother’s power. Later on in the round Mazion tested the waters and landed some slick counter-punches connecting with force on Pauldo’s chin.
Mazion throws a counter (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the second round Pauldo began timing Mazion and was catching and shooting effectively. The smaller fighter was effectively using his lower center of gravity to launch some viscous power shots to make Mazion step back. Mazion nodded his head saying “you ain’t hurt me,” which usually means the opposite.
In Round 3 Mazion began using his jab, utilizing his length and wingspan to his advantage. However, any time Pauldo got in close Mazion was clipped by the determined smaller fighter. That determination paid dividends when Pauldo in the middle of the fourth hit a right hand uppercut that rocked Mazion.
Pauldo rocks Mazio with a counter uppercut (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the 5th Mazio and Pauldo exchanged some more in close quarters, but this time Mazio was getting the better of the exchanges. Sweat was hitting us in press row from the firefight.
In the 7th Mazio seemed to find his swagger as he engaged in some theatrics treating the crowd to some Ali level footwork. Despite the swagger Mazio was on his bike consistently.
Pauldo gets caught coming in (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the eight round Mazio came out pumping his jab and caught Pauldo coming in a couple of times. However, within thirty seconds of the round Pauldo figured it out and ducked under while launching a right hook that caught Mazio clean. Both fighters exchanged and we went to the judges scorecards.
The crowd applaud Pauldo’s effort (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
The judges scored the fight 77-75 2x, 78-74 in a Unanimous decision for the still undefeated Mazio.
The decision did not sit well with the crowd who vehemently booed the decision and called it a robbery.
MAIN EVENT – NABF & NABO SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLES – 10 ROUNDS
Diego De La Hoya (20-0, w/9 KOs) versus Jose Salgado (35-4-2, w/28 KOs)
Salgado (gold) and De La Hoya (black) face off (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the first round the skills gap between both fighters became incredibly apparent. Diego De La Hoya landed a sweeping left hook to the liver. He then continued to attack the body with a series of Floyd Mayweather-like spear jabs to the gut.
De La Hoya lands a spear jab (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
The punishment continued as De La Hoya snapped Salgado’s head back with a vicious uppercut. Salgado showed his toughness by continuing to come forward despite bleeding profusely from his nose…all with a defiant smile on his face.
Salgado takes a clean punch that pushes him back (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the second round things only got worse for Salgado as a cut formed above his right eye. Salgado knew he had to step it up and began coming forward even more while swinging wildly. Boxing fans know that this rarely ends well, unless you’re Deontay Wilder and Salgado is no Wilder. He was getting clipped consistently coming in.
Blood begins to pour from Salgado’s cut (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the third round Salgado continues his forward march as he is getting popped left and right but continues to smile and challenge De La Hoya to trade with him. It was becoming apparent that Salgado may have too much heart for his own good.
Salgado gets caught (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the fourth Salgado began resorting to some dirty tactics, particularly throwing rabbit punches and throwing when the ref is breaking up the clinch. Salgado’s face is breaking up as De La Hoya begins to be more methodical in his approach.
In the fifth and sixth De La Hoya lowers his pace and seemed to be tired. The good thing is that he was still precise with his shots. At this point Salgado was bleeding profusely continuously wiping the blood off his face with his gloves.
Salgado tries to mount an attack (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
In the corner Salgado was getting grilled by his trainer he yelled at him “tira cabron tira!” The trainer was so irate he slapped the gauze onto Salgado’s face and told him to start doing something.
The expletives continued as Salgado was berrated by his trainer who yelled “tira pinche coño” The expletives did little to save his fighter as De La Hoya was simply too good tonight.
Salgado’s trainer stays seated in between the rounds (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
The fight was called off going into the 8th round. The corner said no mas extending De La Hoya’s record to 21-0.
The referee calls off the fight after the corner throws in the towel (c) 2018 Jose Cuevas
