All photos by Paul Jones: On Saturday, February 19th Super Featherweight prospect Jordan “Shortdog” White, (13-1, 10 KOs) and Super Middleweight Demond Nicholson (25-4-1, 21 KOs) teamed up to headline their second consecutive Jeter Promotions card at Live! Casino · Hotel® in Hanover, MD. Here’s a quick recap of the card:
White Edges Valdes by Split Decision
In the headliner, White-faced tough-as-nails Colombian Brandon Valdes (15-3, 8 KOs) in a 10-round Super Featherweight bout.
On paper, what made White vs. Valdes compelling was that Valdes represented a solid measuring stick for White, having given a good account of himself in a TKO loss to Top Rank prospect Robeisy Ramírez back in 2020.
And having pushed a fellow young and hungry blue-chip prospect, like Ramirez, over quality rounds, made Valdes the perfect step-up opponent for the 24-year-old White at this point in his career.
Fortunately, logical matchmaking produced the fight of the night.
The opening round began with Valdes bringing the fight to White’s doorstep, interspersing heavy pressure with thudding power punches to White’s body and head. However, White consistently returned the favor, countering Valdes’ attack with head-snapping jabs and targeted shots to Valdes’ gut.
As the round ended with the duo trading heavy leather, one thing was certain: Both fighters came to win.
White and Valdes continued to fight nip-and-tuck until the 4th round, when White caught a break — stunning Valdes with a beautiful counter left that rocked Valdes, and put the Colombian on his wallet. Although Valdes easily beat the count, and went right back to trading shots with White, the DC Native was beginning to find his rhythm and time Valdes with precision.
The 5
th round, arguably Valdes’ best, saw the Colombian bully his way inside of White’s guard and land some meaningful shots. White continued to counter Valdes, however, making a concerted effort to pick his spots and remain economical with his punches.
In the 6th round, White made Valdes pay with a steady diet of counters that brought fans to their feet chanting, “Shortdog!” to help energize the hometown favorite, as Valdes appeared to catch his second wind.
In the championship rounds, White and Valdes fought toe-to-toe, with both fighters drawing blood. And, after the bell in each of these rounds, White and Valdes stared each other down in the center of the ring, having to be separated by the referee on several occasions.
The final round saw both fighters give it everything they had, with heavy shots traded by White and Valdez. And, as the two fighters embraced after the final bell, it was clear that they gained a mutual respect, as well as the adoration of the crowd who gave the duo a standing ovation for their efforts.
When the final scorecards were read, it was White who eked out a split decision victory over Valdes, with White’s knockdown undoubtedly helping him secure the victory.
However, neither fighter should be considered a loser after their performance on Saturday night.
More important, White showed noticeable improvements in his game, overcoming several thorny moments to earn the victory. White is certainly a prospect to watch moving forward.
Final Result: White SD10 Valdes (scores: 97-92, 96-93 [White]; 94-95 [Valdes])
***
Nicholson Blasts Pham in 5 Rounds
In the co-feature, Demond Nicholson took on Gabriel Pham (15-3, 8 KOs), of Atlantic City, in a 10-round Super Middleweight bout. And Nicholson wasted little time in shellacking Pham over 5 lopsided rounds, en route to a knockout win.
The opening round saw Nicholson crouching down and barreling his way in on Pham to get under the New Jersey native’s jab and guard. Once inside, Nicholson opened up on Pham’s head and obliques with clean and consistent power shots.
Although this style of attack was a shift from Nicholson’s normal, boxer-puncher approach, the strategy proved to be successful for the Marylander, who tagged Pham with a crisp right hand that dropped Pham hard in the middle of the first round.
Pham would beat the count, however; but Nicholson continued to pour on the pressure.
Despite’s Nicholson’s onslaught, Pham would survive the round.
The 2
nd and 3rd rounds saw Nicholson continue to stick to Pham like glue, with Pham jab proving to be futile in thwarting Nicholson’s attack. And, by the end of the 3rd round, Nicholson’s pressure was taking a toll on Pham.
In the 4th round, Nicholson began to walk Pham down with little regard for Pham’s power. To quote former World Champ Andre Ward, it was as if Nicholson had unlocked a cheat code, and the Marylander was telling Pham, “You can’t hurt me, bro.”
By the 5th round, Nicholson was in complete control, getting the better of most exchanges. And Nicholson would find an opening near the end of the round, toppling Pham with a well-timed shot. As Pham lay on the canvas following the knockdown, two things were clear: (1) Pham was in deep trouble; and (2) Referee Bill Clancy had seen enough to waive the bout off at the 2:54 mark of the round, saving Pham from further damage.
Final Result: Nicholson KO5 Pham
***
Other notable results from on the card:
Madison UD6 Robertson: Colby Madison (10-3-2, 6 KOs), of Baltimore, easily outpointed Antonio Robertson (4-8-1, 2 KOs) in a showcase fight that proved Madison’s experience was simply too wide of a gap for Robertson to close.
Williams SD6 Oren: In a Super Middleweight fight that was tough to score, Anthony Williams (6-1, 2 KOs) edged Brent Oren (2-10-1, 2 KOs) by split decision. Scores were 59-55 and 58-56 (Williams) and 56-58 (Oren). My unofficial scorecard had the bout as a draw (57-57).
Chambers TKO1 Carroll: In the night’s weirdest fight, Brandon Chambers (7-0-1, 4 KOs) was awarded a TKO win over Paul Carroll (4-3, 4 KOs) in a single round. However, the plot twist stems from Carroll suffering what appeared to be a nasty ankle injury just seconds into the bout, which forced the referee to waive off the contest shortly thereafter.
Conde TKO1 Phillips: Twenty-three-year-old Mansaborie Conde (5-0, 4 KOs), of Laurel (MD), dominated Malcolm Phillips (0-1, 0 KOs) on Saturday night. Although Phillips was making his pro debut, Conde didn’t do the Sint Maarten native any favors, mauling Phillips from the opening bell and never letting up. Conde is a prospect worth keeping an eye on.
Veazey UD4 Champion: Super Welterweight Joseph Veazey (6-0, 4 KOs), of Baltimore, cruised to victory over Corey Champion (2-4, 2 KOs), with the official scores of 39-37 and 40-36 (twice).
About Paul R. Jones!
Paul R. Jones! is a longtime writer and photographer for East Side Boxing. His articles, photographs, and commentary have also appeared in outlets like Boxing News 24, Round by Round Boxing, Boxing Insider, Medium.com, and more.
You can keep up with more of what Paul R. Jones! is thinking about on Twitter @boxingepicenter. You can also e-mail him at prjones1@hotmail.com.