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06/26/2005 Archived Entry: "LOPEZ AND PERNELL, ALL FIRE & GLORY"
LOPEZ AND PERNELL, ALL FIRE & GLORY
By Katherine Dunn
Yakama Nation Legends Casino Resort,Toppenish, WA……June 25, 2005
Not all the great fights are on TV. The best matches are not always between stars with household names. Once in a while two big hearted kids on an undercard bring good skills and enormous desire to demand the very best from each other. Last Saturday night in the high clear air of the Yakama Nation, some 2500 fans were privileged to see one of those rare and wonderful wars.
It was a light heavyweight six rounder between Luis Lopez, 173 lbs (now 6-5) of Pasco, WA and formerly undefeated Marcus Pernell, 173 lbs (now 9-1) of Portland, OR. Pernell is the step-son of former lightweight great, Ray Lampkin. Lopez is the son of Jim "Cobra" Lopez. Both fathers were in the corners. It was Lopez attacking to the body and Pernell fast and heavy-handed from the outside. The pace was hot from bell to bell, the battle was tooth and claw all the way and the crowd roared to its feet after every round. Pernell hit the deck briefly in the fifth but came out on fire in the sixth. By the final bell there were tears on the faces of some tough cornermen. There were tears in the standiing, cheering audience. It wasn’t sadness. One ringsider said, "It was a crying shame to have either of them lose. It was beautiful."The unanimous decision went to Lopez—57-56,58-55, and 60-54.
In other bouts on this card:
In a main event scheduled for 12 rounds for the Global Boxing Union Americas lightweight title: Rafael Ortiz, 135 lbs (now 12-5-1, 12 KO’s) of Lebanon, OR stopped Michaelangelo Lynks, 135 lbs (now 8-4-2) of Los Angeles, CA at 2:54 of the fifth round. Ortiz, the puncher, had boxer Lynks down in the third and taking unanswered head-shots in the fifth when referee Jim Ericksen called the halt.
Women, 6 rounds: World Featherweight champ Kelsey Jeffries, 123 1/2 lbs of Gilroy, CA stepped in for her second non-title fight in less than two weeks. Her opponent was banger Kimberly Colbert, 125 1/2 lbs, of Atlanta, GA. Colbert didn’t make the contract weight of 125, so she chose to forfeit 20% of her purse to Jeffries up front. Colbert still managed to make a fight of it. Two judges called it 60-54 and one saw it as 60-55, all for Jeffries.
In a super middleweight four, Alan Medina, 165 lbs (now 1-5) of Aurora, Colorado won a split decision over Jacob Ruffin, 165 lbs of Post Falls, ID who was making his pro debut. Two judges called it 39-37 for Medina. The other judge saw it as 39-37 for Ruffin.
A four round Jr. welter encounter had promising Jason Davis, 143 lbs, of Vancouver, WA winning his pro debut with a unanimous decision over Nalo Neal, 143 lbs, (now 3-5-1) of Seattle, WA.
A heavyweight bout scheduled for 5 rounds ended early when Roosevelt Parker, 257 lbs, (now 2-4-1) of Denver, CO failed to answer the bell for the third round. Bridger Bercier, 230 lbs ( Now 3-2, 3 KO’s) of Great Falls, MT won the official TKO in the third.
A scheduled four round Jr Welterweight match ended when Alejandro Lozono, 139 lbs, (Now 1-4) of Seattle, WA stopped Matt Blake, 139 lbs (Now 0-2) of Billings, MT at :46 of the Second round.
Legends Casino Resort
Yakama Nation
Toppenish, WA.
Saturday, June 25, 05
Promoter: Ringside Ticket, Inc.
Regulation: Yakama Nation Tribal Boxing Commission
Executive Director: Bruce Anderson
Referees: Jim Erickson, Jeff Macaluso
Judges: Greg baker, Jim Howard, Denis Ryan, Tom Sporar
Ringside Physician: Dr. John Denker, M.D.
