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04/24/2004 Archived Entry: "Edouard, Beaupierre Battle to Another Draw"
Edouard, Beaupierre Battle to Another Draw
By J.D. Vena at ringside
BROCKTON, MA – Going into last night’s anticipated rematch, Daniel “The Haitian Sensation” Edouard was eager to settle the score with rival Dorian “The Quiet Storm” Beaupierre. In their first go at it last month on ShowBox, the heavily hyped Edouard seemed to come up short against Beaupierre but after the dust settled, the judges ruled it a draw. Last night at the Shaw’s Convention Center, Edouard seemed to have done enough, in many ringsiders’ eyes but after waging another 10 exciting rounds it seems that the score may never be settled. One Massachusetts judge had Edouard ahead 97-94, another had Beaupierre winning by a score of 98-94, while the other had it even at 95 a piece.
“I’m going to be honest with you,” said a disappointed Pete Brodsky, the trainer of Edouard. “The last time out, I thought my guy lost. But tonight, I thought my guy definitely won.”
Your writer, along with Realboxing.com’s Mike Nosky, also felt Edouard deserved the verdict by a tally of 98-92, while MaxBoxing.com’s Stephen Tobey had Edouard winning 97-93. But not everyone in press row saw it as one-sided for Eduoard or even his way for that matter. Jay Miller of the Quincy Patriot Ledger had Beaupierre winning 97-93. As it turns out Miller and many others felt that Beaupierre was landing more of the better shots.
In the eyes of the CBZ, Beaupierre wasn’t using his right hand enough, though after the fight, the left side Edouard’s face, particularly his orbital area suggested that he was absorbing them all night.
“I took this fight to erase doubts,” said Edouard of West Palm Beach, FL, now 15-0-2 with 8 KO’s. “I have nothing against Dorian. He fought his heart out but I had something to prove tonight and I thought I did just that. Early on he was hitting me with a few shots because I was coming straight in but when we changed our gameplan to box in and out I took his jab and right hand, his best weapons, away from him. People think that I’m one-dimensional and that I’m a bully, but I showed that I can box.”
So is a third fight between them necessary?
“I don’t think so,” said Beaupierre of Newark, NJ who is now 11-1-2 with 5 KO’s. “It’s too early in my career to be fighting a guy three times, let alone three times in a row. I need to move on and face different styles so I can develop more.”
Edouard agreed. If anything, their two meetings proved once again that their styles made it difficult for scoring. And if they want to look at these two bouts as setbacks, at least they come out of this experience without losses on their records. Maybe, if the stars align right, they’ll fight again down the road. And maybe, just maybe, a winner will be decided.
Promoter Rich Cappiello was hoping that the winner between the Edouard-Beaupierre rematch would meet one of his latest developments, Willie “The Gladiator” Gibbs of Philadelphia. Gibbs, who fought in the co-feature last night, stopped Cuban native Giorbis Barthelemy of Hialeah, FL in 6 rounds when referee Eddie Fitzgerald noticed the surrender of Barthelemy’s corner.
Other than the left hook that dropped Barthelemy in the 2nd round, it wasn’t a good showing for Gibbs early on, who was troubled by Barthelemy’s slick, in and out style and excessive holding, which he was penalized in the 5th. During the first five rounds, Gibbs followed Barthelemy around the ring, pawing his jab and looking for the big right hand against his southpaw foe but didn’t find much success. It was clear that Gibbs’ activity in the 6th round had to do with his corner, headed by Aaron Ford and Charles Raymond, who must have gotten through to him.
“I thought I could take him out and I was getting a little anxious,” said Gibbs, now 17-0 with 15 KO’s. “When I knocked him down early, I thought it was just a matter of time but my corner reminded me that he was getting tired and that I should to stay to the body and turn it up.”
Once Gibbs followed these instructions, everything fell into place. He kept his feet under him rather than lunge with his punches and he fought with more zest. At 1:22 of the round, the fight was over.
“It doesn’t matter who I face next whether it’s Beaupierre, Edouard or anyone else,” said Gibbs. “It’s up to the fans and the writers to say how they think I’m going to do against (better opposition). I think I’m ready for anybody. I know I can do the rounds and it’s up to other fighters whether they’ll want to fight me or not.”
In an another bout, Eddie “The Irish Assassin” Bishop of nearby Stoughton, MA retained his unbeaten record, but suffered his first blemish when he and Favio Medina of Derry, NH fought to an exciting 6-round majority draw. Bishop, 149, fought with passion but Medina, 147 landed clean, head turning right hands. One judge favored Bishop 59-55 while the other officials had it 58-58 and 57-57 respectively. Bishop is now 7-0-1 with 3 KO’s while the more active Medina, who fought for the third time this year is now 5-1-1 with 3 KO’s.
In other bouts, Mass Cruiserweight Champion, Billy “The Kid” Mofford of Randolph, MA outlasted hefty Allan Smith’s amateurish swings and dropped him three times in the third round to win by TKO third round. Mofford, 199 ¼, was bullied for the better of the first two rounds until Smith, 210, of Desmoine, IA, ran out of gas. Mofford, who is now 9-1-2 with 4 KO’s, dropped Smith at the end of the second and sensed victory after that.
Dave Hamilton of Brockton and comebacking Mike Bonislawski of Cambridge rounded up a night of draws, when a cut over Bonislawski’s eye caused by an accidental headbutt in the second round, halted the bout at 1:46 of the 2nd round. Since the bout was stopped before four rounds had been completed, the fight was ruled a technical draw. In the swing bout, Jorge Pina of Brockton won a 4-round decision over Jose Ortega of Lowell. Ortega was downed in the 2nd round.
Promoter – Rich CappielloNetwork – ESPN2
