In what was a shorter than expected main event IBF Title Eliminator from the Minneapolis Convention Center which was broadcasted by Espn2 and Espn Deportes. Rances Barthelemy scored a 2nd round knockout with shots the body that put Fahsai Sakkreerin on the floor for the full 10 count. Fortunately Sakkreerin was able to get up after a being tended to by the ringside doctor.
Rances controlled the 1st round with lead left hooks and counter right uppercuts on the inside. Fahsai landed his left early in the round but Barthelemy’s ability to roll his punches enabled him to land anything clean.
In the second round Barthelemy stuck his long jab in Fahsai’s face than followed it up with solid shots to the body and head. The fighters exchange body shots a few times in a row but it was Rances bigger, more accurate shots that ended the night. The win moves Barthelemy’s record to a perfect 19-0(12Ko) and puts him in prime position in the IBF rankings.
The co-feature pitted a pair of Midwest fighters in a 10 round catchweight fight at 162 pounds. It was a crossroads fight between University of Minnesota Alumni Caleb Truax and Chicago native Donavon George. George landed some jabs to start the action in the 1st round. Truax returned the favor with his jab but followed them up with straight right hands, one that seem to trouble his opponent. Donavon landed some combinations while Caleb finished the round with more straight right hands.
The second round saw some early 2 way action, than slowed with both fighters tying each other up for large portions of the round. George seemed to land more in a slow 2nd half of the round.
Caleb came out firing a crisp jab early and often in round 3. A lead right hand landed flush enough to put George on the ropes. Truax turned up the head with several 1-2 combinations and left hooks to the body and head. Both fighters use their jab and often exchanged with them throughout the fight.
George bounce back in round 4 in a close round that was controlled by Don’s right hand, something Truax was making worse by moving to his left in to range. Truax landed the better shots in the 5th which was a tight round. Caleb opened the six and final round doing some major work to the body than coming back up with huge right hands to the head. Another body shot hurt George when Caleb put the finishing touches on the fight with a right hand to the temple that dropped George for good.
In other action a 154 pound swing fight between now 3-0 Kenneth Glenn and 1-1 Gavin Quinn entertained the crowd. Even thought Glenn dominated the fight seemly landed everything he threw, Quinn showed heart, a good chin, and from time to time would fire back to stay alive in this one-sided 4 rounder.
363 pound Heavyweight Pat Quinn tried to smother the much smaller John Schimon, but Schimon stayed active with his jab and overall work rate, landing to the body and pushing back when the behemoth Quinn would try to bully him on to the ropes to earn a unanimous decision.
Tyler Hultin of Fergus Falls, MN lost his fight versus fellow Minnesotan Charles Meier but, Hultin seemed to be the sharper more effective puncher, as well as use ring generalship to control the fight.
The show started and ended with two great action fights. In the open bout Adrain Martinez of Milwaukee, WI took on Leonard Overstreet from Davenport, IA in a 4 round lightweight fight. Martinez was busier and sharper possibly hurting Overstreet early but it was Overstreet who hurt Martinez in the last round. Martinez won the fight with two judges scoring in 39-37 and one judge had it a draw.
Seconds Out Promotions and Warriors Boxing Promotions left the best for last. Clearly the best fight of the night was a matchup between Tony Lee vs. Jeremy Mclaurin, both St. Paul natives. It was the battle of the right hands and a game of who had the best chin. Mclaurin had a long right hand that found a home to the head and body, but it was only one at a time. While Lee mixed his right hands with a crisp jab and lead left hooks that had Mclaurin hurt and almost dropped several times mid to late in this fight. The war was declared a draw with 2 judges scoring it 76-76 with the one remain scorecard favoring Lee 77-75.