Saturday, 17 March 2012

A new era for the Spinks Jinx

It was an explosive night of knockouts at the Ameristar Casino and Spa in St. Charles, MO, Friday night as Steve Smith’s Rumble Time Promotions put on their “March Mayhem” contests. Leon “III Generation” Spinks (1-0, 1 KO), grandson of former heavyweight champion, Leon Spinks, convincingly won his professional debut, quickly dispatching of Casey Crane (0-4) in just 1:41, knocking him out with a beautiful right hook.
Spinks worked his jab early , landing it as he started to get into a rhythm. Crane tried to mix it up with Spinks, but as “III Generation” later said, “I was trying to spin him, and doing what I had to do to get the W!” Spinks was able to land a 3 punch combination followed by a four punch combo and Crane was immediately overwhelmed by Spinks’ speed. Coming off of a third combo, Spinks landed the right hook, and Crane dropped to the canvas. Crane got to his feet, but as he was doing so, he told referee Mike England that he would not continue, giving the latest family member in the Spinks Jinx tradition his first win.

Spinks said that this is “just the start and that he is going to the top.” He also said that trainer Buddy Shaw told him before he stepped through the ropes to “do what he had to do” and “ to “rip him with the hook and keep him spinning.” “I am very excited to be a pro. I have already had about 500 people wish me congratulations for getting that first win.”
Featherweights Nick Fannin (0-1) and Stephon Young (3-0, 2 KOs) took to the ring in a 4 round contest. Young showed why he was the number two U.S. amateur at 114 pounds last year as he dominated the very tough, but raw, Fannin. Young started the first with the left hand, tripling it up to Fannin’s chin as he pursued him around the ring. The straight 1-2 from Young startled Fannin, but the debuting fighter did not seem deterred as he continued to try to throw the jab, but not finding his opponent. Fanin landed a right hand, but caught a left hand in return for his trouble. Young then saw Fannin leaning in and fired a picture-perfect check right hook that landed flush on Fannin’s chin. Young ended the round with an 8 punch combination, finishing the sequence with another left hook that left his opponent shaking his head.
Young later told me that as the second round started, “I heard Fannin’s corner tell him to stay away from my left. What they don’t know is that I am actually a right hander.” That would prove to be a problem for Fannin as the round started with Young landing a right hook that stunned Fannin. The round would belong to Young as he then landed a good left to the side of his opponent’s head, followed by another right hook. A four punch combo ending in a hook was then followed by Fannin leaning in and Young catching with another check hook. Fannin went down in a heap but got to his feet as referee Mike England completed his eight count. He would not stay upright much longer as again Fannin leaned in and the check hook dropped him in a heap. England immediately waved the contest to a halt and Young picked up his third professional victory.
Opening the show, cruiserweights Robert Pfanner (0-2) and Jacob Chavez (3-3, 2 KOs) started the night off with a bang. Chavez showed his experience by going to the body early, landing a three shot combination to Pfanner’s ribs and then going back for more with another left hand to the belly. Pfanner, realizing that his night could be a long one, fired a right hand at his opponent that Chavez deftly avoided. The counter right hand that came back at Pfanner caught him on the chin and dropped him immediately to the canvas. Pfanner was able to regain his feet prior to referee Mike England’s eight count, but ended up on the floor again, the victim of another counter right hand. Pfanner was not as quick to his feet this time and England waved the bout to a conclusion. Time of the TKO was 2:04.
Chris Rapa (5-0, 4 KOs) and John Brewer (1-1, 1 KO) continued the animosity that began at the weigh-in Thursday night. These two junior middleweights came out swinging, but it was Rapa that did all the landing. A right hand over the top dropped onto Brewer’s cheek and that was followed up with a triple left hook that had two shots going to the body and the third ending up on his opponent’s chin. Rapa then doubled up the hook again mixing up first to the body, then the head. A straight right from Rapa followed by a hook to the chin and it was all over as Brewer never landed a punch. Mike England waved the ring doctor into the ring, never starting a count. Time of the knockout was :52.

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