BLUE HORIZON REPORT: YORGEY NOTCHES ANOTHER WIN
Posted on | June 3, 2007 | 2 Comments
Blue Horizon Boxing Report – 6/1/07
Yorgey impressive in win over Aguirre
By Tony Penecale
The term “Blue Horizon Blue Plate Special” was coined by boxing analyst and former world champion Sean O’Grady when he worked as a color man for USA network’s Tuesday Night Fights series. The term described a spectacular slugfest in the small and often stifling-hot arena, which gave the Blue Horizon its “Legendary” moniker.
Although the weekly series on USA is no longer aired, the existence of the “Blue Horizon Blue Plate Special” is alive and well. The fans that jam-packed the 100 degree arena on Friday night were treated to a “Blue Plate Special” as Harry Joe Yorgey won a hard-fought unanimous decision over Edson Aguirre in the main event of a solid nine-bout fight card.
Yorgey, 154, Bridgeport PA, was returning to the Blue Horizon for the first time since 2004 when he suffered a broken jaw in winning a decision over Larry Brothers. Yorgey boxed well in the 1st round, landing spearing jabs against the aggressive Aguirre. After finding his range, Yorgey started to set down on his punches, landing hard counter right hands and uppercuts that while they sent Aguirre staggering, they did not deter him from coming forward.
Aguirre, 154, Greensboro NC via Mexico, found some success in the middle rounds, forcing Yorgey to the ropes and firing and assortment of punches to the head and body. Yorgey fought well off the ropes before getting his second wind in the 7th round and taking the control back from his tiring opponent. The 8th and final round saw some excellent two-way action with Yorgey getting the better of it, which had the fans on their feet at the bell, giving a standing ovation to both boxers for the excellent scrap.
All three judges had Yorgey winning the bout by scores of 80-72, 79-73, and 78-74. The popular Yorgey raises his record to 19-0-1 (9) while Aguirre, who won the respect of the Philadelphia crowd with his heart, skill, and sportsmanship, sees his record fall to 12-7-1 (2).
In the lead under-card bout, Dave Brunelli outboxed and outfought Aaron Lyons over six rounds. Brunelli, 218, Philadelphia used his advantaged in height and reach to keep Lyons, 231, Gulfport MS, on the outside and in punching range.
Brunelli was looking to rebound from a decision loss to Levon Warner in January against Lyons who was known for a one-round TKO over Joey Abell. Lyons tried to force the action in the first three rounds while Brunelli was content to jab and box from the outside. Lyons started to tired late in the 3rd which allowed Brunelli to throw a series of short punches from the outside.
Brunelli landed some good punches on the exhausted Lyons in the 4th and 5th rounds before coasting in the 6th en-route to a unanimous decision win by scores of 59-55 (twice) and 58-56.
Brunelli improves to 7-2 (3) while Lyons suffers his first defeat and is now 5-1 (4).
In Other Bouts:
Philadelphia’s up-and-coming lightweight prospect “Hammerin” Hank Lundy, 136, scored an impressive win over 50-fight veteran Reggie Sanders, 135, Fort Wayne IN. Lundy spent most of the first round trying to figure out Sanders awkward southpaw style, even switching southpaw himself, before settling down in the 2nd round and landing hard shots that put Sanders on his bicycle. The assault continued in the 3rd round where Lundy dropped Sanders with a vicious assault in the corner. Sanders was in clear survival mode during the 4th round, clinching and holding whenever Lundy got close. Lundy tried for the stoppage victory but also entertained the crowd by landing behind-the-back bolo punches as the round concluded.
Lundy took home the decision by scores of 40-35 (twice) and 40-34, improving his record to 6-0 (4) while Sanders dips to 12-39-4 (2).
Najee Murray, 160, Philadelphia, opened the card with a decision victory over Jason Collazo, 157, Patterson NJ. Murray kept his range early in the bout while Collazo was content to pose more than punch. Murray scored knockdowns in the 3rd and 4th rounds but failed to finish Collazo.
Murray was awarded the decision by scores of 40-34 (all three judges) and wins his pro debut and is now 1-0. Collazo, whose best offense was his menacing facial gestures, falls to 0-2.
Bryheim Douglas, 134, Philadelphia, fought to a majority draw Mondre Pope, 133, Norfolk VA in an entertaining scrap. Pope fought aggressively from his southpaw stance while Douglas sat down on effective right hands and hurtful body shots. Douglas kept the body attack through the 2nd round while Pope was less aggressive. Pope tried to rebound in the 3rd firing big punches while Douglas was content to land sharpshooter straight rights. Douglas tried to coast in the 4th while Pope was able to land some big punches.
One judge had Douglas ahead 39-37 but was outvoted by the other two who turned in scores of 38-38. This reporter favored Douglas by the score of 39-37, who now resides at 1-0-2, with his last two bouts ending in stalemates, while Pope, who was making his pro debut, is 0-0-1.
Rapidly improving Jacob Rodriguez, 174, Philadelphia, won a sloppy technical decision over Juergen Hartenstein, 175, Germany. The bout featured a lot of awkward action, including grappling and shoulderblocks. But when the actual punches were landed, it was all Rodriguez, as he repeatedly staggered his balance-challenged opponent. A clash of heads in the 2nd round caused a bad cut on Hartenstein’s forehead. Rodriguez had his opponent staggering badly in the 3rd and 4th rounds before the doctor was forced to stop the bout with Hartenstein’s face a crimson mask.
Since the cut was caused by a headbutt, it went to the scorecards, with Rodriguez winning by the score of 40-36 (all three judges). Rodriguez, who has a deceiving record, improves to 8-16 (5) while Hartenstein drops to 11-12-1 (2).
An entertaining female scrap was marred by a cut as Michelle Garland, 148, Philadelphia and Akima Stocks, 153, Newark NJ, were engaged in a crowd-pleasing slugfest. Stocks attacked from the opening bell and forcing the fight to Garland. Garland, while she was taking the brunt of the punishment, did land some good punches. The action picked up a notch in the 2nd round, with Stocks landing bombs, one of which knocked Garland’s mouthpiece into the lap of former light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion Michael Spinks, sitting in the 2nd row. During the sequence of the action, a headbutt opened a bad cut over Garland’s right eye which forced the doctor to stop the bout.
Since the bout did not complete three full rounds before the stoppage, it goes into the book as a “no-contest”. Garland, making her pro debut to honor her late brother, William Boggs, a Blue Horizon favorite, who was tragically cut down by street violence last year, has her record now at 0-0-1 while Stocks, who has the potential to be an exciting combatant in the female boxing scene is now 1-0-1 (1).
In a keep-busy tuneup bout, Derek Ennis, 154, Philadelphia, made quick work of the over-matched Mike McGuire, dropping him three times in the opening round, forcing the referee to stop the bout. Ennis was firing crisp and compact punches while McGuire flailed away with ineffective punches. The first knockdown came courtesy of a straight right. It got no better for McGuire, 161, Topeka KS, who was immediately felled by a left hook, and for the final time by another right hand.
Ennis improves to 12-1-1 (9) while McGuire falls to 5-17-1 (2).
For those who stayed for the “walk out” bout, they had the chance to yell “TIMBER” as Faruq Saleem, 248, Newark NJ, felled the 6’8” Wallace McDaniel, 289, Augusta GA, with a single uppercut, which caused the big man to hit the canvas with a resounding thud where he was counted out in less than one minute of the 1st round.
Saleem improves his record to 36-0 (32) and should be ready to take a step up against better opposition. McDaniel drops to 8-18-1 (4).
Aside from Michael Spinks, other notables in attendance included former heavyweight contender and movie star, Randall “Tex” Cobb, former featherweight world champion Calvin Grove, former USBA lightweight champion Ivan Robinson, former USBA middleweight champion Willie Gibbs, and up-and-coming prospects Eddie Chambers, Chazz Witherspoon, and Anthony Thompson. The next scheduled card at the Legendary Blue Horizon is scheduled for September 7.
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