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Porter Decisions Robinson after Battle!
By: Michael Sheffield, Photos: JD Meredith / Memphisboxing.com

The DeSoto Civic Center played host to its first nationally televised boxing event with Showdown on Showtime, which featured rising stars and local favorites Fernando Guerrero , Shawn Porter and Lanard Lane taking on their toughest challenges to date against Ishe Smith, Ray and Mike Dallas Jr. on the televised card.

The main event of Showdown on Showtime would prove to be one of the two most entertaining fights of the entire card. Unfortunately, by the time middleweights Fernando Guerrero and Ishe Smith made their way to the ring for their 10 round NABF Middleweight Championship fight, more than half the crowd of 2,700 had already left DeSoto Civic Center, most likely due to the fact the main event begn around the eleventh hour.

The fans that remained were treated to a methodical and skillful performance from Guerrero (18-0, 15 KOs), who would start the fight slowly and gradually employ the power and speed he’s known for in Mississippi boxing circles. However, Smith (21-4, 9 KOs) would put forth his best effort and end up making the fight a lot closer than the end result would have the casual fan believe.

Both fighters started the 1st and 2nd rounds feeling each other out before Guerrero would open up his tool box in the 3rd. Smith would openly complain in the 3rd round about Guerrero throwing low blows, despite landing a few questionable shots himself.

However, Smith would open up his own array of skills in the later rounds, backing up Guerrero on occasion and landing a quick, flush jab that would knock Guerrero down, ever so briefly, but for the first time in his career to close the 8th round.

Smith would sense opportunities in the 9th and 10th round, arguably winning one, if not both rounds before losing a unanimous decision 96-93, 95-93, 97-91.

Welterweights Shawn Porter (15-0, 12 KOs) and Ray Robinson (11-1, 4 KOs) would be
responsible for the most entertaining fight of the night with both fighters trading hard, fierce shots in their 10 round bout.

Robinson, who easily a height advantage of at least six inches on Porter, couldn’t utilize that advantage to prevent Porter from constantly invading the inside and landing hard head and body combinations over the course of the first five and a half rounds, before knocking Robinson down in the 6th round. Robinson would beat referee Randy Phillips’ count and survive the round. He would then literally run during the entire 7th round to regain his wits.

Robinson would finish the fight with just enough activity to keep Porter honest, but the outcome of the fight was never in doubt. Porter would take a unanimous decision, 99-89, 97-92, 98-91.

Junior Welterweights Lanard Lane (12-0) and Mike Dallas Jr. would also go the distance in an 8 round match up that was short on action until the later rounds.

Dallas would do enough early to maintain a lead on the scorecards, which led Lane to turn up the heat in the final two rounds, but it would be too late, as Dallas would win a unanimous decision, 78-74 on all three judges’ scorecards.

The first (and best) and preliminary bought of the night would feature promising middleweight Dennis Douglin (9-0 5 KOs) taking on journeyman Marteze Logan (26-43 2 KOs) in a scheduled 8 round contest.

Douglin would impress early, cutting off the ring and dominating the first two rounds, while the always-tough Logan would rely on his defense and chin before it became obvious Douglin was the more skilled fighter.

After opening the 3rd round with a right jab that sent Logan into the ropes, Douglin would move in to finish his opponent, but couldn’t pull it off. Logan would actually end the round with an impressive flurry that may have scored points, but didn’t hurt Douglin.

The next two rounds would feature Logan taunting Douglin by lowering his hands and
offering up his chin. He would also resort to turning his back on Douglin, which appeared to frustrate referee Randy Phillips. Early in the 5th round, Phillips stopped the fight, appearantly not seeing enough from Logan, and award Douglin a TKO within the first 46 seconds of
the round.

Junior Middleweight Bobby Bryant (4-0, 3 KOs) would continue his string of impressive performances against Andrew Hartley (2-16, 2KOs), who would have been better off anywhere but in the same ring as Bryant. Bryant, who always puts on a technical and powerful fight eliminated Hartley within the first 1:39 of the first round, knocking him down with a left hook before finishing Hartley by TKO in his own corner with a series of combinations that left his opponent seated on the ropes in the corner.

The evening’s next bout featured Memphis Jr. Welterweight Marlon Lewis (3-1) against John Willoughby (1-3, 1 KO) in a 4-round fight that would go the distance and provide the first surprise of the evening.

While Lewis has been able to pad his record with two unimpressive decisions against Chris Gray, Willoughby would not only prove to be a tough out, but would come alive in the final three rounds to dominate the soft-punching and poorly conditioned Lewis.

Willoughby would win over the crowd mid-way through the 3rd round by punishing Lewis against the ropes and almost knocking him down before the bell ended the round.

The 4th round would be more of the same, with Willoughby winning the round, despite wearing himself out. However, the judges had seen enough to award him a unanimous decision (37-39 on all three judges’ scorecards).

The remaining preliminary bouts would feature professional debuts from two heavyweights that showcased skills better fit for a tough man competition. Heavyweights Curtis Tate and Jonathan Perry needed little skill to score immediate knockouts of their opponents, Jason Harbin and Ozell Caldwell, respectively.

Brawler Dedrick Bell (1-2, 1 KO), would employ his wild tactics to dispatch Tim Reynolds (0-3) immediately in a bout that actually took less time than Bell’s entrance.