WSB Report for first weekend of March

Memphis Force Win 3-2 in Close Battle with Miami Gallos

By WSB - March 4

The Miami Gallos traveled to Memphis Thursday night looking to upset the home team Memphis Force in their final away match of the inaugural season of the World Series of Boxing.  While the Gallos made a valiant effort, it wouldn't be enough to overcome a strong Memphis squad.

Bantamweight (54kg/119 lbs) Luis Miguel Diaz (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) started the night off for the Miami Gallos taking on Force Ernesto Garza (Saginaw, Mich.).  Diaz entered the ring aiming for his first win of the season after coming up short in his first four attempts.  Diaz came out slow, but picked up the pace as the bout went on and used his quick footwork to elude Garza's punches.  On this night Diaz would get the win he's been searching for, 47-48, 45-50, 49-46.

In a rematch from November 26, 2010 Lightweights (61 kg/134lbs) Roberto Navarro Gonzalez (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) and Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) met again.  These 2008 Olympians would battle it out again tonight, however it would be Williams that would get the better of Navarro Gonzalez, 50-44, 49-45, 48-46.  

Middleweight (73 kg/160lbs) Felix Rodriguez (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) found himself overwhelmed by Force Terrell Gausha (Cleveland, Ohio) and would ultimately take enough overhand rights by Gausha for the referee to call the bout at 1:48 in the fifth round for the TKO.

In the light heavyweight (85kg / 187 lbs) bout Sijuola Shabazz (Las Cruces, N.M.)and Imre Szello (Cegled, Hungary) met for what was a rematch of their meeting on November 26, 2010 where Szello won a unanimous decision.  Both fighters came out swinging, and Shabazz would find himself on the canvas in the first round.  Even though Shabazz would battle back throughout the bout, it was Szello who was victorious, 50-45, 49-46, 48-46.

While at this point in the match Memphis had already secured the team win, heavyweight (91+ kg/201+ lbs) Paul Koon (Philadelphia, Pa.) took to the ring in his first bout of the WSB season against Force Cameron Thompson (Uniondale, N.Y.) with only a victory on his mind.  The bout was a back and forth brawl, but Koon would remain focused throughout and get the win, 46-48, 45-49, 44-50.

Tonight's match will air on VERSUS on Saturday, March 19th at 2:00 p.m.  

The next match for both teams comes Sunday, March 13th, when the Gallos take on the Memphis Force.