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09/17/2008 Archived Entry: "David Banks Gets Back on Track, Claims Regional Title in Tacoma"
David Banks Gets Back on Track, Claims Regional Title in Tacoma
By Ricardo Ibarra
Photos by Bernardo Ibarra
Banks (right) and Sargent trade blows
TACOMA, Wash. -- After a devastating knockout loss to Edison Miranda earlier this year and a lackluster win over aging veteran Kenny Ellis last month, questions had begun to circulate over where David Banks’ career was headed. The promising prospect from Portland, Oregon had appeared to hit a wall in his progression. In order to answer those questions and quiet doubts, Banks needed an assertive victory to demonstrate to his detractors he still had the desire to climb in this sport.
He delivered with a dominant performance this past Saturday, September 13th at the Emerald Queen Casino of Tacoma, Washington.
In the main event of a six bout fight card promoted by Brian Halquist Productions, Banks (17-4-1 3KOs 167 ½ lbs.) scored one of the most impressive victories of his career, knocking out veteran Louis Sargent (10-12-2 2KOs 165 ½ lbs.) in three rounds and claiming the vacant North West Boxing Association’s Super Middleweight title.
Banks (left) looks for an opening
Throughout the fight Banks used good lateral movement and sharp lead right hands to control the distance and keep his opponent at range. While Sargent fired back on occasion and tried to press the fight, his hand speed was simply not fast enough to compete with that of Banks. In the first two rounds Banks continuously stepped into the pocket and opened up, peppering his opponent with brisk combinations before moving out of the way of Sargent’s counter shots.
In the third round Banks began to open up with greater regularity. A vicious straight right caught Sargent flush on the chin, leaving him wobbling in the middle of the ring, visibly out on his feet. Banks immediately followed up and sent Sargent crashing to the canvas. The referee reached the count of ten at 2:51 of the third round, giving Banks his third career KO.
For Banks, the performance was what he needed to rebuild some of the momentum lost in the last few months. He displayed the hand speed and quick reflexes that had been missing in his most recent performances. While there is undoubtedly more left to be worked on before he can make another attempt at scoring a victory over a name fighter, the vicious nature of the knockout has done much to restore his fans’ confidence in his dedication to the sport.
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Brue (left) presses the fight
In the semi-main event of the evening, Portland, Oregon’s Robert Brue (5-0 3KOs 176 lbs.) had to battle back from an early deficit to secure his fifth victory as a professional, stopping Ron Simmons (2-2 1KO 176 lbs.) of Lewiston, Idaho in five. The bout got off to a slow start as both fighters felt each other out. Simmons began to open up mid-way through the first round, firing quick one-twos at the shorter Brue. A hard straight right landed flush on the nose of Brue, sending him down for a mandatory eight-count.
In the second round Brue pressed the fight with urgency, digging hard to the body. A hard right momentarily stunned Simmons, pushing him back to the ropes where Brue continued his assault. Simmons fired back gamely; giving the Tacoma fight fans an entertaining end to the round.
Both fighters continued to work at a fast pace for the next two rounds, Brue pressing with hard body shots and uppercuts, while Simmons fired back with left-right combos. The rounds were close, but Brue appeared to be getting to his opponent with the body work.
In the fifth round Brue pressed from the sound of the first bell, letting his hands go with intensity. Simmons fired back, trading heavy punches with Brue. Repeated left hooks to the body forced Simmons to take a knee. The referee stopped the fight at the count of eight at 2:32 of the fifth round.
The stoppage was not without controversy as many at ringside felt that Simmons should have been allowed to continue as he voluntarily took a knee to recuperate and rose at the count of eight. The referee apparently saw something in Simmons that forced him to wave the fight off instead of allowing him the opportunity to continue.
Controversy or not, Brue adds his fifth win in his most impressive outing so far. After suffering a knockdown he displayed the determination you want to see in a young fighter, securing the victory in decisive fashion.
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Bercier (left) trades with Willaimson
Williamson lands the right
In a solid four round heavyweight bout, Leo Bercier (5-7-1 4KOs 223 ½ lbs.) of Billings, Montana and Anaheim, California’s Jamiah Williamson (3-2 2KOs 235 ½ lbs.) engaged in four rounds of close, back and forth action. From the start of the bout both fighters opened up with hard power shots, trading in close. Williamson seemed to control the first round with the higher output. Bercier came back in the second and third rounds, landing solid left-rights. A hard right momentarily stunned Williamson in the third. In the fourth round Williamson came back strong, opening up with hard left hook-right hand combinations, catching Bercier repeatedly. The bout came to a close with both fighters trading hard punches. The judges’ scores read 39-37, 39-37, 38-38, awarding Williamson the victory by majority decision.
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Morrow (left) and Korotkov trade blows
Vancouver, British Colombia’s Aubrey Morrow (2-0 2KOs 164 ½ lbs.) added his second straight victory with a second round stoppage of Bellevue, Washington’s Valery Korotkov (0-1 161 lbs.). Morrow had problems landing his punches early, due mostly to his overanxious attack which featured mostly wild punches thrown from a range that was not effective. Although Morrow did land some hard shots in the round, Korotkov managed to avoid much of his opponent’s aggression by holding on the inside, making the first round an ugly one. In the second round Morrow pressed at a much more measured pace and found success with his right hand. A hard right uppercut opened up a cut over the eye of Korotkov. After a punch sent Korotkov’s mouthpiece flying out of his mouth, the referee called for time to re-insert it, at which point he also asked the doctor to inspect the cut. The referee stopped the bout upon the advice of the doctor, awarding the TKO to Morrow at 2:30 of the second round.
Almaraz (right) steps in with his left
In a welterweight bout, Medford, Oregon’s Juan Almaraz (2-0 146 ½) defeated Vancouver, British Colombia’s Darren Darby (4-9-2 1KO 146 ½) with a four round unanimous decision. Almaraz displayed sound boxing skills throughout the bout, using good lateral movement to maneuver in and out of the pocket, landing crisp combinations on the inside. Darby had his best moments in the third round; picking up his output and landing a big right-left combination that seemed to momentarily stun Almaraz. Almaraz picked up his pace in the fourth, securing the win by scores of 39-37, 39-37, and 40-36.
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Bentley (left) trades with Umarov
In the opening bout of the night Len Bentley (1-0 167 ½) of Olympia, Washington took a four round unanimous decision over Seattle, Washington’s Rafael Umarov (1-2 160 ½). Umarov pressed the fight early with a wild attack, giving Bentley, who threw tighter more compact punches, the openings he needed. Bentley repeatedly landed hard shots down the middle and had Umarov hurt on numerous occasions throughout the fight. All three judges scored the bout 40-36 for Bentley.
The next boxing event at the Emerald Queen Casino takes place October 25th and will feature Carlos Molina and David Torres in separate bouts. Tickets are on sale now at the casino box office or Ticketmaster.
