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"A RING OF THEIR OWN" DELIVERS BLOOD, GUTS, DRAMA

Rock & Sock Productions has done it again. Last January their all-female professional show, "A Ring of Their Own", debuted in Las Vegas with a highly
entertaining, competitive card. Surely they couldn't match the first show. But tonight at Harrah's Laughlin, Rock & Sock topped themselves, overcoming a cancelled bout, chilly temperatures, gate crashing insects, and a near fight between referee Jay Nady and a video cameraman.

We were outdoors in the parking lot of Harrah's Laughlin, with bleachers providing intimate seating set up on three sides of the ring. The temperature went down to about 50 degrees, and the ring lights attracted curious moths and mosquito-like creatures from the nearby river. By the end of the night, the canvas was littered with their corpses. A scheduled 4 round bout between Bose Ijoala and Leanna Owens had to be scrapped when Owens failed her pre-fight physical, leaving just four fights on the card. But what a tremendous four fights they were.

MAIN EVENT

ASHLEY STOPS "BABY DOLL"

World number one ranked female bantamweight Elena "Baby Doll" Reid was the star of the first AROTO, knocking out Lakeysha Williams with a single body shot. Tonight she was matched with Alicia Ashley of New York by way of Jamaica in the scheduled 8 round main event. (On a sexist note, you will not see two more attractive fighters squaring up against each other in the ring.) Ashley is trained at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn by Hector Rocca, who prepared Hilary Swank for her Oscar-winning turn in "Million Dollar Baby". She entered the ring with a modest record of 10-5-1, 0KOs, but had gone the distance with Laura Serrano, Chevelle Hallbeck, and Layla McCarter, all big bangers. Her unimposing appearance raised questions as to how this was possible. But as the bell rang, it was immediately apparent how this was possible, as she is every boxer's nightmare: an awkward southpaw. "Baby Doll", being a lefty herself, got a little taste of her own medicine tonight. Alicia's style is reminiscent of Lou Del Valle, who gave Virgil Hill and Roy Jones fits. She is light on her feet and moves backwards and side to side as gracefully as a dancer. From the opening bell, she made it clear she would not stand in front of Elena. It was Elena (116 ¾) chasing and reaching and missing, and Alicia (116) dancing, though offering little offense of her own.

Between the 2nd and the 3rd round, referee Jay Nady got into it with the video cameraman, who insisted on shooting from halfway between two corners, instead of from a neutral corner as is the standard procedure, effectively obscuring the view of a third of the crowd. Nady ordered the cameraman to the neutral corner, and threatened to stop the fight if he did not comply. I've never seen anything like it.

Alicia turned up her offense in the 3rd, staggering Elena with a sweet straight left to the face that caused her to hold on. Alicia controlled the next several rounds, getting Elena to chase and miss, and then landing good counter combinations on the off-balance "Baby Doll". The 6th round was a solid one for Alicia, as she nailed Elena with several clean straight lefts. Elena walked back to her corner after the 6th with blood streaming down from a cut over her right eye. Nady's view was that the cut was caused by a punch. If you've never seen a baby doll with blood pouring down its face, I can assure you it's a
disturbing image. Trainer Chris Ben attempted to treat the cut and give Elena instructions at the same time. Elena came out for the 7th, but the cut soon opened up, releasing blood into her right eye. Nady took her to see the doctor, who advised Jay to stop the fight, which he did, giving Alicia a TKO victory. Official time was 1:04 of the 7th round. After 6 rounds, lvboxing.com had Alicia up 4 rounds to 2. Alicia Ashley, now 11-5-1, 1KO, scores the biggest win of her career at age 37, while Elena "Baby Doll" Reid, 16-2-5, 6KOs, suffers a significant setback and goes back to the drawing board.

UNDERCARD ACTION

FOUNTAIN AND BURTON GO TO WAR

Unbeaten Akondaye Fountain (153 ½) of Houston and Shelly Burton (154) of Las Vegas by way of Kalispell, Montana put on quite a show in their scheduled 8. They went at it right from the opening bell, as they stood in front of each other throwing furious shots, each trying to establish an immediate advantage over the other. Though both were extremely game, Fountain soon proved to be the stronger puncher, staggering Burton with big right hands in the 2nd and again in the 3rd. Burton gathered herself and fought on even terms with the stronger Fountain in a fast and furious 4th and 5th rounds. Then Fountain had a huge 6th round, teeing off on Burton with big shots to the head, snapping her head back in a disturbing fashion. Referee Robert Byrd could have stepped in at any time. Burton was allowed to finish the round, and Byrd and the doctor visited her in the corner. Once again, Byrd could easily have called it off, but he chose instead to advise Burton that he would stop it if she took any more clean punches. Burton took Byrd's words to heart, and in a remarkable show of courage, came storming out for the 7th round firing on all cylinders. Fountain, along with all observers, was taken by surprise, and now it was Burton backing Fountain up and landing good punches. What followed was straight out of the 15th round of Rocky-Apollo Creed . For a full minute it was back and forth bombs, each fighter desperately trying to make the other succumb. Then Burton took two clean shots to the head in a row, and Referee Robert Byrd followed up on his promise and stepped in to stop it. Though Burton was taking hard shots, she was more competitive in this round than she had been in the previous. Akondaye Fountain scores a well-deserved TKO at 1:29 of the 7th, and remains undefeated at 5-0, 3KOs. Shelly Burton displays as much guts as you'll ever see in any athlete as she drops 6-2, 1KO.

SANDELL AND SWINDELL BATTLE TO DRAW

Swedish sensation Asa Sandell (162), who was so impressive in outboxing Bose Ijoala in the first AROTA, was matched very tough tonight in a scheduled 6 with brawler Yolanda Swindell (165 ¾) of Houston. Tonight the Swede had to deal with an opponent of equal height, as both ladies stood about six feet. Yolanda proved to be a tall order in more ways than one. This was a clear contrast of styles, with Asa throwing the shorter, straighter punches, and Yolanda's punches coming in hard from the side. Once again, Asa was very successful landing her straight punches, but the harder shots were landed by Yolanda. Yolanda cracked Asa good with a big overhand right in the 2nd, causing a flow of blood from Asa's nose, which continued to bleed for the remainder of the fight. Yolanda had a big 3rd round, landing rights and lefts to Asa's face, sending a spray of Swedish blood across the Laughlin night. The rounds were close. It came down to Asa's accuracy and technique versus Yolanda's hard power shots. The scores reflected the closeness of the rounds. Dalby Shirley scored 60-54 for Asa, Adalaide Byrd scored 58-56 for Yolanda, and Dave Moretti scored 57-57. Lvboxing.com scored 57-57. A draw it is. Rematch anyone? Asa Sandell now 2-0-1, 1KO, Yolanda Swindell 3-2-1, 2KOs.

PERCIVAL OUTSLICKS SALINAS

Jennifer Salinas (120 ½) of Michigan proved herself an athletic action fighter in the first AROTA, taking a 4 round decision over Sharon Gaines. She returned undefeated tonight in another 4 rounder, accompanied by her trainer Floyd Mayweather, Sr. Across the ring from her stood Heather Percival (119 ½) of Fontana, CA. Going by looks alone, it appeared to be a mismatch. Jenny stood with a toned, athletic build, and Mayweather by her side. Heather stood pale with a build that does not accurately reflect the work she must put in the gym, as she proceeded to administer a boxing lesson to Jenny. Jenny was the aggressor throughout, coming forward with wide punches, but Heather would simply shoot straight punches down the pipe, pop pop pop, three or four at a time. Jenny's' aggression and potential for doing damage made the fight competitive, but at the end of 4, all three judges had it a shutout for Heather, 40-36. There's always something satisfying about seeing a fighter use the fundamentals to outbox a more athletic, aggressive opponent. Heather Percival improves to 6-1, 1KO, while Jennifer Salinas suffers her first defeat and is now 5-1, 1KO.