09.08.07 – By Scott Frake: Undefeated middleweight prospect Joe Greene (16-0, 12 KOs) showed both enormous power and a completely nonexistent defense in the process of knocking out Darryl Salmon (15-2, 4 KOs) in the 1st round on Wednesday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, in Hollywood, Florida.
Greene, 21, a 2-time National Golden Gloves champion and 2004 World U-19 (under 19) boxing champion, was knocked down early in the first round by Salmon. However, Greene immediately got up and quickly disposed of Salmon soon after with three consecutive left hand shots followed by a right hand as Salmon was falling to the floor. In the opening stages of the 1st round, the southpaw Greene wasted little time with a feeling out period and immediately jumped all over Salmon, 28, throwing every punch with knockout intentions.
However, Salmon, also a southpaw, dodged one of Greene’s wild swings and hit him with a perfect left hand as Greene was still bent over, sending him backwards and causing him to brace himself with both hands on the canvas to prevent from falling on his back. The referee Frank Santore Jr. counted it as a knockdown and the action quickly resumed after that. Salmon, looking more confident now, landed two excellent left hands to the head of Green, who was still showing zero ability to block a punch.
Greene, though, immediately answered back with a tremendous left hand shot that badly hurt Salmon causing him to back up against the ropes. Greene followed after him and briefly roughed up his face by showing his glove against it and trying to bend Salmons head backwards. The referee stepped in and put a stop to Greene’s unnecessary roughhouse tactics.
Both fighters exchanged left hands when the fighting resumed. Shortly thereafter, Greene landed three left hands in a row, the third of which badly hurt Salmon and sending Salmon falling forward to the canvas. As he was falling, Greene had time to chip in a right hand that connected to Salmon’s head, but it had little effect as he was already out before that. The referee immediately jumped in a stopped the bout seconds after Salmon hit the canvas.