Fight:1679975
Sadam Ali 147 lbs beat Franklin Gonzalez 146 lbs by TKO at 2:22 in round 8 of 8
- Date: 2012-06-02
- Location: Aviator Sports Complex, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Referee: Danny Schiavone
- Judge: Larry Hazzard Jr
- Judge: Frank Lombardi
- Judge: John McKaie
Sadam Ali versus Franklin Gonzalez WBU Americas Vacant Welterweight Title Bout
In the main event of a five bout card at Aviator Arena Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York, welterweight prospect Sadam Ali brought his record to 16-0 with an eighth and final round stoppage of veteran Franklin Gonzalez of the Dominican Republic, fought for the vacant WBU Americas Welterweight title. The WBU official at ringside was Bruce Lewis. The boxing show was the first for Sadam Ali's World Kid Promotions. Congressman Michael Simms, representative of the 13th District of Brooklyn and Staten Island, was on hand to cheer Ali on and offer encouragement. Three bouts were scratched before fight time due to no-shows and medical exam MRI issues. World champion Paul Malignaggi and Boyd Melson were among the boxers at ringside. The card featured a number of male and female debuts, as well as Steven Gamache fighting, son of former world champion Joey Gamache who worked his son's corner. USA Olympic boxing team member Marcus Brown was also present.
Ali played the cat, and Gonzalez the mouse in the ring for most of the night. Ali patiently worked his left and right jabs and gradually cut off the ring, forcing Gonzalez, who landed an occasional counter body shot, into the corner or trapped along the ropes. By the sixth round, it was all Ali landing numerous head jabs, and Gonzalez, who ducked many punches, running to survive on his bicycle. Ali could have closed this show earlier by working Gonzalez to the body, but did not do that until the seventh round, eventually wearing Gonzalez down with a head and body attack as Gonzalez' legs were shot and he couldn't really run anymore.
From the sixth round on, Gonzalez was swinging wildly at nothing, desperately looking at his corner during rounds for advice and not getting any, and staggering off balance on his feet awkwardly as Ali began to score at will with his jabs. Gonzalez slipped to the canvas in the seventh and eighth rounds off balance, and got knocked down twice in the eighth, exhausted and desperate. He tried to reach the final bell, but the bout ended when Ali put Gonzalez on his back with a straight left for good at 2:22 of the eighth and final round of the title bout. Good stoppage, fair fight, clean bout with almost no holding throughout the contest. Gonzalez' left eye was puffy and swollen by the fifth round, but there was no cut and the fighter's vision was not affected. In defeat, Gonzalez, who appeared in top condition for this bout, gave a good accounting of himself and did try to win, though he was outclassed. Sadam fought to the crowd chants of "Ali! Ali! Ali!", appeared in top condition, and meticulously took Gonzalez apart with his jab, never looking for a knockout, and never offering Gonzalez a target with superior foot movement, pressuring Gonzalez backwards in retreat all night. Malignaggi at ringside, who shouted advice to Ali during the contest, described Gonzalez as a clever experienced veteran well-schooled in the art of survival, though, as Malignaggi noted, Gonzalez did not do as well in his bout with Luis Collazo.