From Dr. Rashad Ali
Bare Knuckle Promotions
HATTIESBURG, MS - Aurora Entertainment LLC and Bare-Knuckle Promotions put on a thrilling night of professional boxing in Hattiesburg. The card featured two undefeated heavyweights, U.S. Olympic Bronze medalist, Deontay Wilder, and undefeated heavyweight prospect Kelvin Price. The two did not fight each other on the July 3 card, however this is something that is a definite possibility in the near future.
Promoter Dr. Rashad Ali made his boxing promotion debut to a packed house of cheering and grateful fans. Special guests in the house were none other than the legendary Roy Jones Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd legend Artimus Pyle, and James Alexander, former band mate of the legendary late Otis Redding. Additionally, working Wilder's corner, former U.S.Olympic Gold Medalist, and two-time world champ Mark Breland, was in the house.
Bare-Knuckle Promotions, (headed up by Dr. Ali) was named after the John L. Sullivan vs. Jake Kilrain fight. The fight was the last bare knuckle fight to take place in America, back in 1889. This historic fight took place in Hattiesburg. and went 75 rounds, with Sullivan retaining the heavyweight title. Dr. Ali is committed to bringing professional fights to waiting fans throughout the historic boxing state of Mississippi.
Hattiesburg’s own, Curtis “Baby Face” Johnson, Jr., made his professional debut, scoring an impressive knockout in the first round. Johnson displayed an awesome array of boxing talent, literally destroying his opponent, Hamilton, AL's Josh Gordon (0-1) as Roy Jones Jr. looked on with acknowledgement from ringside.
The Bare-Knuckle fight card presented a total of seven fights at Club Palace, including the two undefeated heavyweights.
U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist and Tuscaloosa resident Deontay Wilder (11-0, 11-K0s) remained undefeated with a very impressive first-round TKO over 398-pound Dustin "Worm" Nichols (4-3, 4 KOs), of Columbus, MS. Wilder busted Nichols' face open in the first minute of the bout. Wilder displayed a very effective left jab, taking it right to his opponent and making quick work of him. The retirement came at 3:00 of the opening round. The fight was scheduled for six.
Undefeated Pensacola, FL heavyweight prospect Kelvin "The Price Is Right" Price moved to (8-0,5 KOs) with a first round knockout over Texan Marvin Ray Jones (15-17-2, 11 KOs). Price looked quick and sharp as his punches landed hard, fast and on point. Price, supported by Roy Jones, Jr. at ringside, needed less than three minutes to end the night for Ray Jones.
Bringing Wilder and Price to center ring, promoter Dr. Ali set the stage for a future match between the undefeated heavyweights.
In other bouts, Tuscaloosa, AL cruiserweight Anthony Doughty (9-1, 8 KOs) won his fourth straight as he TKO'd Texan Moses Robinson (8-12-1, 3 KOs) at 51 seconds of the fi9fth round. The bout was scheduled for six;
Tuscaloosa super middleweight Gundrick "Sho-Gun" King (13-5, 9 KOs) won a 4-round unanimous decision (40-35, 40-34 X 2) over Columbus' Billy Cunningham (3-6, 3 KOs);
Cleoney Fuqua, of Tuscaloosa, won by TKO at 2:52 in the fourth and final round over Canton, MS' Donald Body (1-6, 1 KO) in a super middleweight bout;
Hattiesburg middleweight Felix Robinson won his pro debut with a 2nd-round TKO of Pritchard, AL's Antonio Lebeaux. The TKO came at 1:29 of the round.
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