Undercard Results from Brooklyn, NY

By Matt Richardson at ringside
Photos: Emily Harney

In a clash of undefeated super welterweights, Jarrett Hurd (18-0, 12 KOs) scored a tenth round TKO over Oscar Molina (13-1, 10 KOs). Hurd dropped Molina in round one with an uppercut and was in command all the way. The bout was finally waved off at 2:02 on the tenth with the game Molina taking shots but still fighting hard. At the stop of the stoppage, Hurd was ahead 87-83, 88-82, 90-80.

Female featherweight Heather “The Heat” Hardy maintained her unbeaten record with an eight-round unanimous decision victory against Kirstie Simmons. Hardy, fighting and training out her hometown of Brooklyn, gave her usually gutsy effort. Simmons, who yelled with every shot she threw, also came to fight but she was outclassed by the quicker and more effective Hardy. Hardy (17-0, 4 KO’s) earned scores of 79-73 and 78-74 (twice). Simmons is now 8-2 with two wins inside the distance.

In a highly controversial light heavyweight fight, unbeaten David Benavidez stopped Francy Ntetu in the seventh round of a scheduled eight. The fighters engaged in a back and forth contest where both men had their moments. So it was shocking to see referee Shada Murdaugh stop the fight at the halfway point of the seventh when nothing of consequence had truly occurred. Benavidez (15-0, 14 KO’s) and Ntetu (16-1, 3 KO’s) had been fighting on the inside and Benavidez connected with a right while engaged in the exchange. Neither fighter was hurt or even stunned. But Murdaugh inexplicably stepped in, separated the fighters and waved the fight off in favor of Benavidez. Ntetu was outraged, Benavidez was surprised and the fans in attendance immediately began to boo. Simply put: the decision to stop the fight wasn’t based on what was occurring inside the ring. “He was winning the round!” promoter Lou DiBella declared from ringside, truly perplexed at the decision to call a halt to what to that point had been an entertaining fight.

Jonathan Alonso won every round on all three judges’ scorecards en route to a shut-out six round decision victory. Alonso (10-0, 4 KO’s) was in charge throughout, dominating his opponent with quicker moves and shots on the outside. Jones (13-6, 7 KO’s) tried to get his punches off but he was overmatched and outworked by the more well-rounded Alonso.

Texas’ Regis Prograis stopped Luis Florez in the fourth round of a scheduled ten to secure the NABF junior welterweight belt. Prograis (18-0, 15 KO’s) dropped Florez in the second round. Florez (21-4, 17 KO’s) rose and continued to fight respectably but when he got caught again with a hard combination in the fourth the referee elected to step in and call the fight off with Florez still standing. Time of the stoppage was 1:47.

140-pound hopeful Josue Vargas dominated journeyman Ryan Picou over four rounds and earned a shut-out decision for his efforts. All three judges submitted identical scores of 40-36 for Vargas. There were no knockdowns. Vargas (5-0, 3 KO’s) tried mightily to hurt and stop his wily opponent but Picou knows how to get in out and of the way of danger and did an effective job of doing so, even if he wasn’t active enough to win a round. Picou is now 2-10-1.

Junior middleweight Nicklaus Flaz blew out Mack Babb in 73 seconds to start off the night. Babb, 1-7, wasn’t expected to deliver much resistance and he performed as expected. An overhand right from Flaz, 3-0, 3 KO’s dropped Babb to the canvas and the fight was quickly called off before he could even try to gather his senses.