By Ryan Burton and Arthur Davis
On Friday night at the Orleans Hotel and Casino, former World Champion Oliver "The Atomic Bomb" (55-9) McCall won a unanimous decision over Lance "Mount" Whitaker (34-6) in the main event of the Crown Boxing card.
McCall dropped Whitaker in the first round and that extra point proved to be decisive as all three judges, along with BoxingScene.com had it 95-94 for McCall. The Atomic Bomb was the aggressor from the opening bell as he charged the bigger Whitaker and landed a series of blows and forced Whitaker into the ropes. Whitaker seemed as if he didn't warm up properly and was confused as McCall landed combinations and dropped him.
Whitaker was not in serious trouble, bounced up and finished the round. Whitaker seemed to need that knockdown to get him going. He controlled the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds with his jab and was just a busier fighter. The smaller man, McCall had some trouble getting inside and getting to Whitaker. In the 5th round McCall seemed to turn it up a little bit and Whitaker appeared out of gas. McCall was able to open up a cut over Whitaker's left eye and he was able to get the small ballroom crowd fired up as chants of Oliver began ringing out. McCall won the round but Whitaker wasn't ever in any danger of going down.
The 6th and 7th rounds were very slow as not only was Whitaker still fighting like a man out of gas but so did McCall. McCall was more aggressive in the 9th and won the round which ended up being the decisive round he needed to eek out the decision as Whitaker came out aggressive in the 10th as he was reenergized. It was the classic case of too little too late for Whitaker. If Whitaker had came in better shape he probably would have overcame the knockdown and the decision in McCall's "adopted" hometown.
Undercard results were:
Junior Welterweights: Juan Heraldez TKO 1 over Ivan Diaz
Heavyweights: Elijah (son of Oliver) McCall TKO 2 over Reggie Jackson
Welterweights: Lawrence Huges TKO 3 over Mike Coca Gallegos
Welterweights: Ricardo Calzada TKO 1 over Abram Young
Featherweights: Brian Battease UD 40-36 39-37 39-37 over Isaac Hidalgo
Comain Event Cruiserweights: Victor Barragan TKO 7 over King Arthur Williams
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