Friday Night Fights notes: 21 May 2010

Quip: Prior to the Ji-Hoon Kim versus Ameth Diaz lightweight division fight, the referee made the “Sign of the Cross” prior to the fight. Announcer Joe Tessitore exclaimed “you thought that boxing was a secular sport”; Teddy Atlas said that he didn’t know who the referee blessed, but thought that Kim would win.

The fight itself: Diaz was doing well and hurt Kim early; in fact up to 2:48 into the round I was ready to give it to him. But Diaz made a defensive mistake and Kim landed a huge right hand to the side of the head, thereby knocking him out!

In the early bout, Ruslan Provodnikov boxed Emanuel Augustus in the junior welterweight class. Augustus is 38 years old and had a record of 38-31 going in; Provodnikov was 14-0. Though Augustus had his moments and won a few rounds on my card, Provodonikov landed the heavier blows and dropped Augustus late in the 5′th and then won by a TKO after knocking Augustus down twice. Augustus was game but was worn down by repeated power punches…and yes, old age. He also took the fight on 4 days notice; in all he really hung tough and made it competitive for all but the 9′th round.

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