WORLDWIDE WEEKEND RESULTS

by Pedro Fernandez
96' OLYMPIAN CLAY-BEY WINS ON FOX'S FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

Atlantic City-Lawrence Clay Bey, 228 lbs., stopped Nate Tubbs, 224(?) in the fourth round of the Friday night's main event on FOX Sports.

The AMERICA PRESENTS card was an all heavyweight encounter, the Denver promotional group's second card featuring nothing but the bigboys.

Clay-Bey, from Hartford, CT, was surprised the girth the normally svelte Cincinnati native Tubbs brought into the ring with him. Although the brother of former WBA heavyweight claimant Tony Tubbs was listed at 224, Clay-Bey didn't believe it when he appeared on the following evening on Ring Talk Saturday.

"I was a bit concerned because of his size. I never fought a guy who outweighed me like that" said the father of four who is now 8-0, as a pro with 7 KO's. Tubbs is now 17-3, 14 KO's.

Clay-Bey comes back on FOX Sports April 17, underneath the return of the "Pocket Rocket" Wayne McCullough that will emanate from the Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Ct. The 10 rounder will be Wayne's first fight in about 16 months.

The broadcast will be at 8 PM ET on April 17. FOX will carry the card in English on FOX Sports, and in Spanish on FOX Americas.

FOX UNDERCARD ACTION

A heavyweight to take notice of is the Big Apple's Monte Barrett who wasted no time in destroying Jeff Peques in the first round to go to 15-0, with 11 KO's. Chitown's Peqes declines to 14-4, 12 KO's.

Ex U.S. Amateur champ Lance Whitaker remains without a loss as he went eight heats with journeyman Garing Lane, Hillcrest, MD, to advance to 15-0, 13 KO's.

Former WBA heavyweight titleholder Greg Page, Las Vegas, now 53-12-1, 43 KO's, danced for eight rounds against trial horse Marion Wilson, Atlantic City, 10-24, for a decision win; Phil Jackson went to 39-6, 36 KO's with a TKO in 5 over 7-6 Bryant Smith of Rochester, NY; Chicago's Fres Oquendo is now 6-0, 4 KO's with a majority decision win over New Yorker Richie Brown, 7-4-1. And Jermell Barnes, Rochester, NY, won a four round unanimous win over vastly more experienced Abdul Muhaymin, 18-9, 12 KO's of the Bronx to advance to 3-0 as a paid pugilist.

LEWIS PREVAILS

Atlantic City-What was supposed to be a "stinker" of a fight between Lennox Lewis and Shannon Briggs Saturday night on HBO, surprised everybody as the battle for the WBC heavyweight belt turned out to be an entertaining contest between two quarter horses.

In the opening round, 12-1 underdog Briggs rattled the the British champion Lewis with a series of blows that were precipitated by a pretty good left hook. As Lennox careened into the ropes just before the bell ending the opening stanza, he was in serious, I mean serious trouble!

As was indicated in the pre fight piece, this fight was clearly a battle of front runners. Briggs' effectiveness would last about as long as his stamina and by the end of the second, Shannon was sucking wind big time.

Things changed in the third when Lewis began to land his "overrated" right hand at an incredible rate with some landing flush on Briggs' mug.

By the time the fight was called at the 1:45 mark of round number five, Briggs had hit the deck thrice and taken a pretty good thumping.

Looking at Lennox Lewis from an analytical point of view for a second. Everybody thought that Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward would be the answer to Lennox's fundamental problems. But Emanuel just can't seem to get the hardheaded 32 year old to adhere to the basics.

I'm talking about lunging and having his weight in front of his feet aka lack of balance. How about the anvil looking chin he holds higher than should. Combine this with the fact that Lennox has problems putting two punches together well, let alone three or four, this is again an indication of his limitations.

Team Lewis should be happy it was inexperienced Shannon Briggs, instead of say Evander Holyfield. For had it been the "Real Deal" Lennox Lewis would of been reduced to boxing rubble in that second round.

Back to Steward guiding Lewis. No matter how fine the preparer, a cook can't make chicken soup out of chicken spit. Therein lies the problem.

Lewis is now 33-1, 27 KO's, while a Briggs who deserves kudos for gameness, falls to 30-2, 24 KO's.

BREWER KEEPS PAPER TITLE IN SEMI WINDUP

On the undercard, IBF 168 lb. guy Charles Brewer survived being decked twice in the third round by light punching Brit Heroll Graham, before rallying to stop Graham at 1:34 of round 10. The 38 year old Graham will probably retire at 48-6. Philadelphia's Brewer is now 31-5

Other bouts: Former WBC 175 lb. champ Montell Griffin, Las Vegas, stopped San Jose's Kenny Lopez in the ninth of a scheduled ten rounder; Heavyweight Chris Byrd of Flint, MI remained unbeaten with a knockout over Derek Amos, Louisville.

MUSICAL CHAIRS: WBC 168 LB. TITLE CHANGES HANDS AGAIN

Telford, England-Finally they found a Brit who could beat Sugar Boy Malinga of South Africa Friday night when once beaten Richie Woodhall beat Malinga with a unanimous decision after 12 rounds for the WBC 168 lb title.

Malinga had previously defeated Nigel Benn for this same WBC title before losing to Italian Vincenzo Nardiello in his next fight.

Two years later Malinga beats 25 year old unbeaten Robin Reid for the title he had won from Nardiello in a scorecard rout on the Englishman's turf.

But his good fortune against fighters from the UK ended as Woodhall made Malinga look every bit his 42 years, and outboxed him in all facets of the game. The only knockdown is when Sugarboy was sent to one knee by a right hand in the third.

Malinga is now 42-11, while Woodhall, a loser only to WBC 160 lb. titilist Keith Holmes, improves to 22-1.

Pedro Fernandez

Ring Talk News Service

The writer has his own site at www.fighters.com and hosts Ring Talk, a syndicated boxing talk show heard on the TALK AMERICA Radio Network at 11 PM Saturday and Sundays with live Internet audio at www.talkamerica.com He can be reached at flash@inow.com


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