Perozzi-Nelson fight ends in a draw

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13: It was billed as All or Nothing and what the fighters and crowd got at the Fairmont Southampton was half a loaf.

Teresa Perozzi and American Tori Nelson were supposed to battle for Perozzi’s WBA middleweight belt and the vacant WBC belt, once held by Nelson.

One fighter was supposed to leave the ring with both titles, the other with nothing.

But as ring announcer Alvin Harvey read the split decision draw – 98 to 92 Perozzi, and two judges at 95-95 each – the very loud partisan Bermuda crowd grew quiet trying to make sense of it all.

In the end Perozzi retains her WBA middleweight title and the WBC remains vacant with no clear winner.

Perozzi said: “I thought I did enough to win. My coaches were encouraging me throughout ‘You’re ahead. Don’t get got up in slugging.’

“I’m disappointed. I didn’t train 10 weeks for this.”

It was a dull end to a good fight. Both boxers treated the sell-out crowd to an action-packed 10-round affair.

Perozzi entered the ballroom prior to the fight led by Gombeys, which brought the crowd to its feet cheering so loudly the floor was shaking.

As the two fighters settled in their corners, the first of what be many Collie Buddz’ songs would be played in keeping with a Bermuda theme.

Both Perozzi and Nelson stood toe-to-toe in the early rounds trading blows with Teresa perhaps getting the better of the exchanges.

And while Nelson may have been the aggressor in the middle rounds, stalking Perozzi around the ring, the Bermudian parried many of blows and counter-punched effectively.

Rounds eight and nine appeared to have favoured Nelson with both fighters giving it their all in the 10^th, throwing blows right to the bell.

Perozzi’s corner leapt into the ring and raised a Bermuda flag, confident in a victory that wouldn’t come.

Several times during the fight chants of B-D-A were chanted, including one time to drown a small vocal group of Nelson supporters chanting U-S-A.

Prior to the Perozzi-Nelson bout, Bolivian Jennifer Salinas handily beat American Karen Dulin 60 to 54 on all three judges’ cards.

Salinas was the heavy favourite and she did not disappoint in the ring with many in the seats rooting her on.

Canadian Daniel Kechecgo beat Sentwali Woolridge for the AMTAC Intercontinental Middleweight Championship. The five round fight saw several takedowns by both kickboxers.

Prior to their match, their were three other kickboxing bouts.

Canadian Anton Patockie had a TKO over promising teenager Samir Furquan while Jeron Gunness bloodied Canadian Edward Pierce on several occasions and won his bout.

One of the most entertaining matches of the night saw Corey Boyce beat Kahlid Pitcher.

Shannon Ford was a clear winner over Canada’s Mike Gale in a boxing match in which a large portion of the crowd was not happy with the referee and gave out a loud chant of “Change the ref.” During the second round Gale was leaning so hard against Ford on the ropes the pair were almost perpendicular to the mat.

Newcomer Steven Wright made a triumphant debut in beating Deondre Burgess. Wright took the fight to Burgess and remained the aggressor for most of the match.

Two exhibition bouts saw Danzil Smith face off against Jared ‘The Satin Latin’ Jimenez and Nikki Bascome battle Justin Garant in a crowd-pleasing bout.