Reporting Ringside: Diane Bennett and Robert Epstein
October 4, 2008
Boxing fans who attended the Shamrocks and Dreams event promoted by Philadelphia Worldwide at The Northeast National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were treated to a card full of hard punches, knockouts, upsets, first time victories, comebacks and one heart warming story.
You will read about Tim Witherspoon Jr. first professional victory, Paul Hyland's first career defeat and Kassim Ouma's first victory in his last four fights.
This night however, belonged to Philly's own Jamaal Davis a young middleweight who took on another Philly boxer Chris Hall in a 4 round battle. Davis was not fighting for a championship belt, he was fighting with a champion's heart while supporting cancer awareness month. It was not to long ago, last December that Jamaal's young bride Patrilla passed away at the age of 25 after battling breast cancer for years. Davis all decked out in Pink entered the ring for the second bout of the night with the thoughts of his wife in his heart. Davis who has dedicated his career to honor his wife was determined to get back on the winning track after suffering three straight defeats. Tonight Jamaal did not let her down he simply out boxed his fellow Philadelphian Chris Hall for four rounds just like his trainer Sharron Baker planned. Davis earned a unanimous decision victory. All three judges scored the fight for Davis who improved his record to 8 -4.
After the fight the humble Davis with his whole family in the center of the ring, this included his two children, his mother, his mother in-law and his trainer Sharron Baker. Davis, thanked all his fans for their support, love and most important asked everyone to be aware of Cancer. Davis who plans to fight on not only for the love of boxing but for the determination to do what ever he could to help raise funds for the fight against the deadly cancer disease. Along with Diamond Boxing, Davis has his sights sets on other events to help promote Cancer Awareness. It's Jamaal Davis on this night that should get the headlines for his courageousness, for the love and devotion he gives to his family, to his sport and his never give up attitude. IBF Cruiserweight champion Steve "USS: Cunningham who was on hand to support Davis also saluted the efforts of Davis.
Davis along with Diamond Boxing will be auctioning off a autographed pink T- shirt which was signed by many of the boxers who participated on the card and by many of the champions in attendance. The auction will take place on E-Bay and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
Former world junior middleweight champion Kassim 'The Dream' Ouma, 26-5-1 (16 KOs) was pitted against Martinus 'Magnificent' Clay 13-19-4 (5KOs) from Wilson, North Carolina in a 10 round junior middleweight battle. Ouma coming off three straight defeats was looking to get his career back on track. At the early stages of the match Ouma who was sizing up Clay was able to land a few jabs but in most part was not that active. Ouma started to get into a groove in the third round while producing more output. Through the first four rounds the game Clay was able to hold his ground and actually buckled Ouma twice in the forth with powerful combinations that woke Ouma up. From that point forward Ouma dominated Clay, looking very sharp in the fifth round Ouma with the momentum now on his side dropped Clay twice in the sixth. After the second knockout with the agreement of Clay's corner the fight was stopped at the 1:38 mark of the round.
The amazing and challenging life story of Kassim Ouma is being made into a motion picture which will be released this winter. Legendary Academy Award winning actor Forrest Whitaker is one of the Executive producers. The movie portraits Ouma's incredible life journey from his days of being kidnapped from school at the age of six by the rebel army who was seeking to overthrow the Ugandan government all the way through his championship boxing days.
In a four round Featherweight clash Paul Hyland from Dublin, Ireland put his undefeated record on the line against Lucian Gonzales. Both boxers came to battle slugging it out throughout. It was Gonzales who got the better of Hyland in round three landing solid body shots which he followed with a wicked combination knocking Hyland to the canvas. The hurt Hyland was able to finish the round the dazed Hyland after the bell walk to the wrong corner. In the forth round Hyland demonstrated his toughness and was able to gut out the round, while warding off the blows from the tough Gonzalez. In the end the three judges scored the fight for Gonzales 39-36,38-37 and 38-37. With the win Gonzales advances his record to 8-4, while Hyland's record now stands at 12-1.
In one of the co-featured fights up and coming star middleweight Simon 'Slick Fighting Irish' O'Donnell, 7-1 (4 KOS),a native of County Galway who fights out of Philadelphia. O'Donnell took on Antonio Baker (3-11-1, 4KOs) in a 6 rounder. O'Donnell in workmen like fashion was able to break down Baker and take him out in the fifth round. O'Donnell come away with a TKO victory after the referee stopped the fight at the 58 second mark of the fifth round.
All the way from Dublin, Ireland, Patrick Hyland 15-0 (8KOs), faced off against Santiago, Dominican Republic native, Elvis Luciano Martinez 11-27-2 (5KOs), in a four round super featherweight battle. Martinez was no match for Hyland who just dismantled him in the second round. Hyland floored Martinez with a beautiful right in the first round and finished his business in the second round, dropping Martinez for a second and third time.
To start the evening off Tim Witherspoon Jr. the son of Former Heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon in his second professional fight took on Julius Edmounds in a four round welterweight clash. Witherspoon Jr. did enough to earn his first professional victory by majority decision, two judges scored the fight 39 -37 for Witherspoon and the third judge had the fight even at 38-38.
