Hebert Conceicao wins decision over Johan Gonzalez in Newark
WBO #15-ranked Hebert Conceicao Sousa (11-0, 5 KOs) of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, survived a temporary scare to outpoint dangerous knockout puncher Johan “The Chelo Manotas” Gonzalez (36-5, 34 KOs) of Las Vegas via Valencia, Venezuela, by unanimous decision.
Fighting in the 10-round middleweight main event of ProBoxTV’s “The Contender Series” from Prudential Center in Brick City (Newark, New Jersey) and presented by Thomas LaManna (Rising Star Promotions) and Garry Jonas (Pro Box Promotions), Gonzalez dropped 2020 Olympic gold medalist Conceicao with a big right hand for a flash knockdown, midway through round three.
Gonzalez, however, failed to capitalize on his punching-power advantage the rest of the way. To his credit, Conceicao righted the ship, made adjustments and never really struggled again while winning by the scores of 96-93 on two cards and 95-94 on the third in a world-class game of cat and mouse.
On the undercard Yoell Cooper of Newark winning his pro debut at 1:33 of the first round over Peter Emmanuel Gonzalez (0-4). Gabriel Gerena of Piscataway was scheduled to fight in a six-round junior welterweight fight against Chicago’s Rani Jalomo but withdrew due to health concerns.
In the night’s 10-round co-featured bout, Francisco “Bebu” Daniel Veron (17-1-1, 10 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina, scored a unanimous 10-round decision over Raul Garcia (15-3-1, 12 KOs) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
A chippy super welterweight encounter between rock-solid veterans, Veron’s faster hands and feet forced Garcia out of his game plan repeatedly, round after round, giving him a slight advantage in a well-fought battle.
The taller Veron had too many offensive weapons for the cruder but always game Garcia, who never stopped trying.
Garcia hurt Veron in round nine and had a strong round 10, but Veron managed to stay cool, and hinder Garcia’s follow-up, to coast to a unanimous decision win by scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 98-92.
In the 10-round super featherweight chief supporting bout, William Foster III (19-3, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Connecticut, and Joshafat Ortiz (13-3, 6 KOs) of Reading, Pennsylvania, fought to a bloody “No Contest” after three competitive rounds.
Spoiling a good matchup, both men were cut by an accidental headbutt in round two, heating up the temperature of the fight temporarily until the ringside physician advised referee Earl Brown to rule a No Contest after round three, due to both fighters’ wounds and four full rounds not having been completed.
Bantamweight Emmanuel Chance (4-0, 1 KO) of East Orange, New Jersey, won a razor-thin, six-round split decision over Angel Munoz (3-3, 2 KOs) of Baldwin Park, California.
The quick-fisted southpaw Chance was seemingly in total control early on, dropping Munoz with a straight left midway through round two, however, it was the determined Munoz who came back strong later in the round.
The rejuvenated Munoz came out firing in round three, landing several eye-catching lead right hands on a tiring Chance and continued his comeback momentum in rounds four and five. Munoz then poured it on in round six, notably staggering an exhausted Chance with an uppercut.
Despite a 106-85 advantage in punches landed, the judges scored it 58-56 Munoz, overruled by two scores of 57-56 for Chance. Without the knockdown, the fight would have been a draw.
In a six-round super middleweight prelim, Erick Kedar Gainous (9-0, 6 KOs) of Detroit scored a third-round TKO over Alejandro Ibarra (8-4, 2 KOs) of Denver.
After a one-sided first round, Kedar Gainous rocked Ibarra to the soles of his shoes with a right uppercut early in round two, cutting him between the eyes.
Smelling blood, Kedar Gainous moved in and pummeled his iron-chinned foe for the remainder of the round. Ibarra’s brave cornermen decided to send their battered fighter out for round three, only to see him take an extended two-fisted pasting until Referee Richard Gonzalez finally waved it off at 2:48.