Ledyard, CT - In The Contender season 4 championship match, 2000 Canadian Olympian Troy Ross (21-1, 15 KO’s) scored a 4th round TKO over Ehinomen “Hino” Ehikamenor (15-4, 7 KO’s) at 2:00 of the round. Ross landed some stunning looping shots to Hino’s head, forcing Ehikamenor to turn into a corner. Referee Steve Smoger stepped in and stopped the fight as Hino’s back was turned.
With the victory, Ross was awarded The Contender championship belt. He becomes the 4th winner of the TV boxing tournament and the 2nd consecutively to win the championship bout via knockout.
Former winners Sergio Mora, Grady Brewer, and Sakio Bika were all in attendance ringside.
In the evening’s co-feature, former world title challenger Rico Hoye (23-3, 15 KO’s) won a convincing 8 round unanimous decision over Akinyemi “AK” Laleye (12-3, 6 KO’s) in the battle of the bronze match-up.
AK got off to a good start, stunning Hoye with a left hook in the opening round. However, that’s as good as it got for Laleye all night.
Hoye backed AK up against the ropes several times throughout the fight while unleashing furious shots to the head and body. In the 5th round, Laleye was deducted a point for holding and pushed Hoye through the ropes and almost out of the ring moments later.
AK’s moment of desperation did not deter Hoye. Hoye hurt Laleye in the 6th and 8th rounds and earned the decision victory.
Official scores were 79-72 (three times) for Hoye. 8countnews.com also scored the bout in favor of Hoye 79-72.
Galveston. Texas’ Felix Cora Jr. (20-3, 10 KO’s) scored a 3rd round TKO over fan favorite Tim Flamos (20-6, 8 KO’s) of Brockton, Massachusetts. Official time of the stoppage was 1:57 of the 3rd frame.
Cora was in control from the get go, using a height and speed advantage to land numerous head shots on the overmatched Flamos. However, despite being rocked on several occasions, Flamos never stopped moving forward and throwing punches with conviction.
Finally in the 3rd round after eating several shots, a right hook from Felix Cora sent Flamos to the canvas. Flamos got up on shaky legs and was noticeably wobbling, yet the referee gave him a standing 8 count before ultimately deciding to call a halt to the fight.
Ryan Coyne (11-0, 3 KO’s) won a unanimous decision over Richard Gingras (8-2, 4 KO’s). Scores were 60-54 (twice) and 59-55 for Coyne. 8countnews.com scored the fight for Coyne 58-56.
Gingras had some success early on with straight right hands, but Gingras was in control from round 3 to the end of the fight.
In the opening fight of the evening, Puerto Rico’s Alfredo Escalera Jr. (17-2, 12 KO’s) scored a 6th round TKO over Texas’s Erick Vega (8-4, 6 KO’s) in a scheduled 6 round cruiserweight fight.
There was good two way action throughout. Escalera got off to a good start in the opening round landing cleanly with the left hand. Escalera would have his best round on the fight in the 2nd, getting Escalera’s attention with a good one-two combination.
Ecsalera regained control in the third and never let up. By time the 6th round came, Vega had noticeable swelling under his left eye and Escalera opened up a cut on his left nostril. After taking several clean head shots in the frame, the referee stepped in to stop the fight at 2:50 of the 6th and final round.
8CN's favorite ring card girls: Melanie Weller and Brooke Dawson
All fight photos Copyright Emily Harney/TOC
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