Photo gallery below
(Credit all pictures: Emily Harney)
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (July 3, 2014) – Filipino knockout artist Michael “Hammer Fist” Farenas (39-4-4, 31 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten Mark “Too Sharp” Davis (18-1, 5 KOs) in eighth round of last night’s main event on a special edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights.
The second annual “50 Cent’s Birthday Bash,” presented by SMS Promotions and sponsored in part by Uber, was held in Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
Farenas overpowered Davis, cutting the Cleveland fighter over the right eye in the opening round, and pounded him throughout the fight until referee Steve Smoger wisely halted the action at 59-seconds of the eighth round. The slugging southpaw from the Philippines impressively won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title eliminator for the No. 2 spot in the IBF rankings, positioning himself as the mandatory challenger for the winner of next week’s IBF junior lightweight title fight between defending champion Argenis Mendez and No. 1 contender Rances Barthelemy. Farenas and Davis went into the fight rated No. 4 and No. 11, respectively, by the IBF.
Former world featherweight champion Billy “The Kid” Dib (37-3, 21 KOs) overcame a cut over his right eye, resulting from an unintentional head butt in the opening round, to win a unanimous 10-round decision over former world title challenger Alberto “Kichis” Garza(26-8-1, 21 KOs) in the co-feature. Fighting for the first time as a junior lightweight, Dib made the most of a long trip from his native Australia in hopes of earning another world title shot in a higher weight class. Dib is presently rated No. 13 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO).
In the other ESPN fight, 12-time national amateur champion Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (7-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of Cleveland, continued his winning ways by pitching a complete shutout against Mathew “Champ” Baca (4-2-1, 2 KOs) en route to a four-round decision.
COMPLETE RESULTS
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Junior Younan (5-0, 4 KOs), Brooklyn, New York
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
Azamat Umarzoda (0-4-1), Las Vegas, Nevada
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Jimmy Williams (7-0-1, 3 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut
WDEC6 (60-53, 59-54, 57-56)
Stephan Owusu (8-7, 4 KOs), Bronx, New York
WELTERWEIGHTS
Nick DeLomba (4-0, 0 KOs), Cranston, Rhode Island
WDEC6 (59-56, 59-55, 57-57)
Edwin Soto (9-2-2, 4 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut
JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS
Luis Cruz (8-0, 4 KOs), Bronx, New York
WDEC6 (59-52, 59-52, 58-56)
Ryan Picou (1-3, 0 KOs), Las Vegas, Nevada
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Ryan Martin (7-0, 3 KOs), Cleveland, Ohio
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
Matthew Baca (4-2-1, 2 KOs), Albuquerque, New Mexico
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS
Michael Farenas (39-4-4, 31 KOs), Paranaque City, Philippines
WTKO8 (0:59)
Mark Davis (18-1. 5 KOs)), Cleveland, Ohio
(Farenas won IBF title eliminator and No. 2 rating)
Billy Dib (37-3, 21 KOs), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
WDEC10 (98-91, 96-93, 96-93)
Alberto Garza (26-8-1, 21 KOs), Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
FEMALE SUPER BANTAMWEIGHTS
Shelly Vincent (12-0, 1 KO), Providence, Rhode Island
WDEC6 (59-55, 58-56, 57-57)
Nydia Feliciano (7-6-3, 0 KOs), Bronx, New York
L-R: Mark Davis and Michael Farenas
Team Dib
L-R: Billy Dib and Alberto Garza
L-R: Matthew Baca and Ryan Martin
