Nguyen Decisions Hernandez at H-Town Event
By Michael Campbell
Arena Theatre on Houston’s southwest side hosted TKO promotions “Hometown Heroes to World Champs” boxing series Thursday evening. Top local prospects, an Asian sensation and a fighter better known in the MMA cage thrilled the approximately thousand fans in attendance.
Houston’s Vietnamese community came out en mass to support their native son, Dat “Dat Be Dat” Nguyen. Led to the ring by the soaring phoenix dragons and lions performing group, Nguyen accounted for the majority of fans in attendance.
Dat faced off with veteran and California native Carlos Hernandez in a sometimes dirty foul-filled bout. Nguyen showed superior technical abilities which he’d honed in his years as a top U.S. amateur fighter, including a stint at the Olympic Education Center based at Northern Michigan University.
Unable the cope with the Nguyen’s skills, Hernandez resorted to dirty tactics which were retaliated two-fold resulting in point deductions for both combatants. The bout remained exciting and competitive as Dat’s speed met with Hernandez’s brawling resulting in a fun lively match. The rounds were close but Nguyen won most of them resulting in a decision victory.
MMA star KJ Noons made a successful homecoming in his first boxing contest ever in Houston. The 2001 Clements High School graduate began his pugilistic training as a youngster in the Bayou City as an amateur boxer. That experience translated to his being considered one of the better strikers in the mixed martial arts.
Noons came out quick versus Enrique Gallegos from Oregon and scored a first round knockdown clipping the chin of his opponent with a right cross following a slick bobbing move to elude an oncoming punch. Gallegos recovered and fared better for the remainder of the contest, figuring out how to cut off the ring and crowding Noons effectively smothering his attack.
As the bout went to decision, the judges thought that Noons held the edge in the middle and late rounds awarding him a highly unpopular unanimous decision met by a chorus of boos.
Houston firefighter Lanard Lane gave Station #41 more reason to be proud by scoring a 4th round knockout over Billy Ray Cunningham. Lane controlled his bigger opponent, moving him around the ring at will until a barrage of unanswered punches prompted referee Bobby Gonzales to halt the contest.
Gerardo “Tin Tin” Ibarra kept his ledger unblemished in scoring his fourth victory in as many ring appearances. The former Junior Olympic national champion displayed good rhythm and sense of range in landing a barrage of hooks that overwhelmed his opponent Dustin Reinhold from Massachusetts leading referee Sam Garza to halt the contest in the third round.
In one of the best matchups of the night, two prospects met in the center of the ring and good back and forth action ensued. Raul Tovar from Mission, Texas, scored a knockdown in the 5th round versus previously unbeaten Simeon Dunwell of Massachusetts to make the difference in a tightly scored decision victory.
San Antonio native Jonathan Gover’s pro debut was spoiled by Gustavo Mejia in a sloppy slugout consisting of a bevy of overhand wild punches from both fighters. Mejia’s ring experience proved the difference as every time he landed a clean punch he dropped his inexperienced foe.
Two young boxers from Willie Savannah’s gym opened the evening’s action in a exhibition display of boxing. Jevon Boisseau and Omar Henry warmed up the crowd with unfriendly exchanges that showed off the skills they’ve been practicing under the tutelage of trainer J. Johns.
Full Results
Featherweights - 8 rounds
Dat Nguyen (15-1, 6 KOs) of Vero Beach, FL over Carlos Hernandez (14-7-1, 5 KOs) of Indio, CA by Unanimous Decision with judges’ scores of 77-73, 77- 73, & 78-71.
Middleweights - 6 rounds
Karl Noons (9-2, 5 KOs) of Houston, TX over Enrique Gallegos (6-5, 1 KO) of Medford, OR by Unanimous Decision with judges’ scores of 58-55, 60-53, & 60-53.
Welterweights - 6 rounds
Raul Tovar (6-1, 2 KOs) of Mission, TX over Simeon Dunwell (9-1, 2 KOs) of Lynn, MA by Split Decision with judges’ scores of 59-54 for Tovar, 57-56 for Dunwell, & 57-56 for Tovar.
Junior Featherweights - 4 rounds
Rafael Valenzuela (13-1, 6 KOs) of Phoenix, AZ over Jose Garcia Bernal (27-17-1, 18 KOs) of Miami, FL by Unanimous Decision with scores of 40-35 on all three judges’ scorecards.
Junior Middleweights - 4 rounds
Lanard Lane (6-0, 5 KOs) of Houston, TX over Billy Ray Cunningham (3-3, 3 KOs) of Jackson, MS by TKO at 1:06 of the 4th round.
Welterweights - 4 rounds
Gerardo Ibarra (4-0, 3 KOs) of Houston, TX over Dustin Reinhold (1-1, 1 KO) of Fall River, MA by TKO at 1:47 of the 3rd round.
Welterweights - 4 rounds
Gustavo Mejia (3-6-1, 3 KOs) of Kansas, MO over Jonathan Gover (0-1) of San Antonio, TX by TKO at 1:09 of the 1st round.
Junior Middleweights - 3 rounds
Omar Henry (3-0, 3 KOs) of Houston, TX and Jevon Boisseau (2-4) of New Orleans, LA fought in an exhibition.
Referees
Sam Garza & Bobby Gonzales
Judges
Barry Yeats, Kellie Yoh, & Gary Simons