::DEEP SOUTH BOXING::

Thomas Wins In Main Event at Batesville (AR) National Guard Armory

From Staff Reports

BATESVILLE, AR - Super middleweight Jake Thomas recently moved from Nashville to Batesville and had a fight to prepare for all at the same time.

Thomas didn't allow the distraction affect him Saturday night (Feb. 27) as he took care of Pine Bluff, AR veteran Dominique Azeez in a 4-rounder. Thomas won by a shutout on all three scorecards to win the main event on the Bad Boy Promotions card from the National Guard Armory before approximately 500 fans.

The 25-year-old Thomas improved to 2-0-1 with the victory. The 41-year-old Azeez fell to 3-19, 3 KOs.

"(Azeez) was awkward, and we we were afraid Jake was going to get head-butted. He hadn't had a lot of sparring since moving from Nashville. He gave Azeez a lot of angles and landed a whole lot of left hands about every time he threw them," said John Bryant, who worked Thomas' corner. For a guy to not have had a lot of sparring until moving to Batesville, he looked pretty good."

A heavyweight bout that was scheduled for six saw Milwaukee's Eonbong "The Nigerian Gentleman" Umohette score a TKO in the third round over Marvin Jones. The 215-pound Umohette, who weighed 215 pounds, improved to 5-1, 4 KOs. Jones, 201 pounds, dropped to 1-1.

Batesville welterweight Mike Wagenblast won a 4-round unanimous decision over Memphian Josh Hickerson. Wagenblast, who weighed the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, improved to 2-1, 1 KO. Hickerson dropped to 0-3.

Pine Bluff heavyweight Miles Kelly on by TKO in the third round over Ft. Smith, AR's Brent Domorese, who was making his pro debut. Kelly moved to 1-1, 1 KO. The bout was scheduled for four.

Memphis resident Keuntrey Henson won a majority decision over Caleb Turpitt in a 4-round light middleweight bout. Both weighed 150 pounds.

Turpitt floored Henson in the third round. In the second, Turpitt was given a standing 8 after he stumbled after getting hit with a counter shot. His glove apparently touched the canvas.

The decision was roundly booed by those in attendance, according to promoter Brandon Foster.

A 4-round lightweight fight saw Batesville's Chris Gray score a second-round TKO over Ft. Smth's Oscar Pineda. Pineda got up from the knockdown, but the fight was waved off. Both fighters were making their pro debut.

In a women's light middleweight attraction, Batesville's April Ward got back on the winning track after a loss in her last outing by knocking out Indianapolis, IN's Samantha Huber in the first round. Ward (5-1, 4 KOs), who weighed 152, floored Huber twice in the fight. Huber was making her pro debut.

Before meeting Huber, Ward was TKO'd in the third by Cassandra Lindsey in January at Bay St. Louis, MS. Foster said a rematch is in the works for that fight.

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