Flint’s own Ardreal Holmes Jr. chalked up another win, making it 15-0 with 6 KOs, after he put a stop to Marlon Harrington’s charge from Detroit in a swift second-round victory, defending his USBA Super Welterweight title with flair.
During the headline bout of the “Big Time Boxing USA” debut, streamed live for all on DAZN from Detroit’s Wayne State Fieldhouse, Holmes, towering at 6’2″ and wielding his southpaw stance like a maestro, initially tread lightly, respecting Harrington’s clout. However, by round two, Holmes unleashed a barrage of lefts that Harrington just couldn’t dodge, leading to a trio of knockdowns and the ref calling time at 1:25, much to the dismay of Harrington’s home crowd.
Holmes, not one to boast (well, maybe a little), admitted the win was all part of the grand plan, albeit the speed of it even took him by surprise. The victory marked his first title defense since snagging the belt last June.
In another highlight of the night, Ali Izmaylov, now calling Detroit home, maintained his unbeaten streak in the light heavyweight division by stopping Britton Norwood in the fourth. Izmaylov, with a knack for body shots, had Norwood tasting the canvas in the second and fourth rounds, the latter courtesy of a vicious left hook that sealed the deal at 1:28.
Meanwhile, Joseph Hicks Jr., a name familiar from the 2020 US Olympic team, kept his record spotless at 10-0, 7 KOs after dispatching Ricardo Ruben Villalba. Hicks found his rhythm by the third, sending Villalba to the mat with a hefty body shot and repeating the performance in the fourth, leaving Villalba down for the count.
Kicking off the event, Da’Velle Smith, a young gun from Inkster, Michigan, had to push through to a points victory against the tenacious Rolando Wenceslao Mansilla. Despite Mansilla’s resilience and a bloody nose for Smith, the latter’s agility and youth carried him to a unanimous decision win.
The night also saw a surprise in the featherweight division as Cameran Pankey faced his first defeat at the hands of Juan Hernandez Martinez, a last-minute stand-in from Mexico. Martinez’s aggressive approach paid off, earning him a unanimous decision victory.