Marcus Browne has his full man strength, and it's showing, as he rubbed out another foe, fast and hard. Francy Ntetu couldn't make it out of round one, getting dropped, and then then stopped after beating the count.
Browne (20-0 entering; from Staten Island, NY) was 175.8 on Friday, while Ntetu (17-1 entering; from Congo, lives in Canada) was 174.4, and is new to 175. Sean Monoghan got stopped in the second, Ntetu in round one by the 27 year old, who could get a title shot against Artur Beterbiev next.
In the first, down went Ntetu. He got up, and he got worked again and it got stopped, by ref Arthur Mercante.
2:15 elapsed, was the time.
“We worked for this win,” said Browne after. “He walked into a sure shot and I made him pay. The overhand left caught him and that was the beginning of the end for him. I knew he was hurt.
“I need a world title shot. I'm ready to take on any of the champions. I don't have any preferences.
“I'm glad I put together another great performance here at Barclays Center. I'm going to keep improving until I really become Mr. Barclays Center.”
“I did not expect him to be that explosive,” said Ntetu after. “He got me with his right hook and a straight left. I was in enough shape to fight for 10 rounds, but this is not my weight class. I don’t want to make excuses. [Browne] is very explosive, congrats to him. He’s explosive, he’s fast, he’s smart. He made me sleep by going my speed then catching me with the right hook. This is the second southpaw I’ve fought, and he got me.”
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Can you say a star was born on this night, when Adam Kownacki stopped Iago Kiladze in round six of a scheduled tenner at Barclays Center?
You can if you were one of the couple thousand or so Polish fans who made the building seem packed, even though it was not even close, on Saturday.
This bout streamed on Showtime's YouTube and the pudgy victor will likely pack in 5,000 or so when he comes back here next. No, he's not ripped, but he rips, and has a terrific chin, as well.
“I think I made the fight a lot harder than I should have,” said the winner after. “It's another learning experience and I got the win. That's all that matters. This win helps me move towards where I need to be. I want to be in the top 10 and I think I'm close to that. My training was good but I could have made the fight easier. I caught him with the shot on the knockdown and broke him down from there. I'm so thankful to all my Polish fans who come out and give me that extra support. I'm going to keep fighting for the fans and give everyone a great show.”
In the first, they were banging from the get go. The 28 year old AK had a bloody nose and many more fans in the house. The doc looked at a cut over the left eye after the round ended.
In round two, IK slid and slid more. They traded later in the round, and the Pole kept edging forward; you felt like even against two guys with baseball bats, he’d KEEP…EDGING….FORWARD. They hammered each other to end the round and the Poles in the house loved it.
In the third, we saw IK slide and with some urgency. AK went to the body, edged forward as IK popped in retreat. The blood under Kownacki’s nose, he regarded it as nothing more than excess frosting off a luscious pastry treat.
To 4…Down went Kiladze, and he said no, he was tripped. He looked to hold as the Pole ripped him. To the fifth, after the Poles sang their asses off in between rounds. Blood-cherry syrup or pastry cream dripped still…AK stalked, threw one-twos. He was short with power tosses, as IK backed up. Straight back…
To the sixth…AK fired, backed off, wiped blood and snots, and resumed attacking. He landed the left hook and had success, and kept at it. Then down went Kliadze and he beat the count, but was groggy. The ref waved it off.
Here's a suggestion for next. Advisor Mike Borao would like to see his man Charles Martin tango with Kownacki next. Martin held the IBF title, before Anthony Joshua wrested it from him.
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Anthony Peterson somewhat made up for lost time, upping his record to 38-1, by bettering Luis E Florez in the second bout of the evening at Barclays Center in brooklyn, on Saturday, Jan. 20th. Peterson looked to end it early but Florez was not cooperating. After ten fairly lively rounds, the judges saw it thusly: 99-89, 100-90 times two.
This was an off TV, off stream affair for junior welter Peterson, big bro to Lamont, who would later be in the feature tango against Errol Spence. Peterson has been waiting patiently for the sort of opportunties bro has had and he lookd to take out some frustration on the Colombia Florez.
In round three, he edge forward, guard up, blocked and then ripped. Lots of body work, and he punctuated tosses with grunts.
Anthony fought once in 2016 and not at all in 2017; looks like he stayed in shape, he was low body fat and active. To open round five, he was halfway across the ring, staring at the Colombian. Florez tried to jab to keep AP off, and also threw lead rights while backing up. He also ate power shots, low and high.
AP kept on pressing, and Florez hung tough. Would AP be able to take out a guy who can be taken out with people with decent power? Regis Prograis, Sharif Bogere, and Sammy Valentin had done the deed previously. To round nine—AP swung for those fences, and his rooters buzzed, really a few times each round. Then AP got buzzed, by a right hand. Florez’ hand speed was still respectable for late in the game. To the tenth and final round…AP stalked as Florez slid and then set himself, slid and then set. Could AP get a stop? He tried, but Florez was still countering with some zest, seeking to tag the favorite with right crosses. We heard final bell and went to the cards.
Dylan Price, a Mayweather boxer, of NJ went to 5-0 and looked good doing it, against 7-7-3 Nestor Ramos, from Mexico.
Price went righty, then lefty, and showed fast hands in both stances. The loser didn’t come out for round two.
