By Chris LaBate

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida -  Lightweight contender Edner Cherry (28-6-2) was lucky that he wasn't disqualified after dropping Eric Aiken (16-8-1) with a big shot after the first round had concluded. A left hand, connecting a few seconds after the bell, caught Aiken on the head and put him down hard. Because the knockdown took place after the bell, the referee waved it off but Aiken was badly shaken up and unable to continue.

They were exchanging punches during the moment Cherry connected, which sparred him a DQ ending. Aiken claimed he heard the bell and dropped his guard, allowing Cherry to land flush. Cherry claims that he never heard the bell and continued to throw.

In an upset, welterweight Damian Frias (19-4-1, 10KOs) stopped once-beaten Henry Crawford in the ninth round. Crawford was broken down as the fight played out and eventually dropped and stopped in the ninth. Crawford was coming off a ninth round TKO loss to Antwone Smith, in 2009, and was hoping to get his career back in order.