Monroe out-slicks Vera

By Tony Nobbs - 01/17/2015 - Comments

In the main bout of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, 2014 Boxcino middleweight champion Willie “El Mongoose” Monroe Junior (19-1, 6 kos) scored a ten round unanimous decision over Brian Vera (23-9, 14 kos) at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona.

The slick New York southpaw could hardly have been more impressive as he dominated the 33 year old Texan veteran putting on a wonderful exhibition of boxing.

It was not just a classic boxer – brawler match up but also one pitting a rising star against an opponent on the slide. The fleet footed Monroe, 28, rated WBA # 3/WBO # 7/ WBC # 13 out maneuvered Vera throughout and took complete control in the fifth round.

Vera was given a count when he was caught off balance with a short right hook and his glove touched the floor before being stung by sharp left hands.

Monroe was in cruise mode over the final few rounds showing beautiful evasion, dipping under and sliding off setting up clean shots with both hands either off counters or from fast leads.
Official scores were 99-90, 98-91 and 97-92. My score was a shut out 100-89. Vera’s best rounds were three and four.

In the main support Brandon Adams (14-1, 9 kos), beaten in the160 pound Boxcino Final by Monroe, warmed up for this year’s 154 pound tournament beginning in four weeks with a two round knockout of Lekam Byfield (6-6-2, 1 ko).
Adams scored three knockdowns finishing at 1.58 of the second with a right to the body followed by right to the head.

In the first televised bout – a welterweight four rounder – Greg Jackson (4-1-1, 2 kos) got off the deck in round two to score a three round stoppage of Cornelius Whitlock (3-2-2, 2 kos).
The wiry Jackson (only 4-6 as an amateur against his opponents 51-13) boxed nicely from range for the first five minutes of action until getting cracked flush with a right hand as he attempted to step in with a careless right uppercut. He got back on top in the third. He stunned Whitlock with a long right and had him in trouble in a corner when the referee stepped in at 1 minute 27.