A night of brute force, blood and guts, at the Legendary Blue Horizon

07.09.07 – By Mike Cassell: PHILADELPHIA – There are two things you should never do if you are sitting ringside at the Blue Horizon. Never wear a white shirt, and never blink. Last night was another in a series of absolutely fabulous boxing fights, in the hallowed halls of the storied arena. The crowd was treated to night of pure power, guts and determination.

Every fighter on the card came to fight. Heavyweight phenomenom Joey Abell 16 – 1 16 KO’s came into this fight, knowing he was getting on a plane to Sweden Tuesday, for a fight next weekend.

Abell is flat out the best puncher I have seen in years. He totally demolished the very game Levon Warner just seconds into the first round. Abell, a former defensive end from South Dakota State, all conference three years in a row, chose boxing over football, and we all thank him for it. Looking for a new American heavyweight to be proud of? Well look no further.

Warner only had 11 fights in his career, but he has been around a long time, and has fought some very good fighters. He always takes pride in that fact. Before the fight Warner told us, “Abell is big and slow. I am going to make him work.” That plan went south quickly as able brought his lunch box too, landing a beautiful straight left hand, sending Warner to his knee’s in round one. He tried to continue, but Abell stepped up and literally sent a sledgehammer to the right temple of Warner, leaving his feet planted, as his head hit the ground. It was one of the most brutal Knockouts I have ever witnessed. This kid is going to be a star, and is really giving the heavyweight division the long awaited boost it needs from an American heavyweight. The co-main event ended in a brutal and bloody no-contest. Undefeated Jr. Middleweight Alex Perez 8-0 6 KO’s, had an out and out street fight with New Orleans native, Darian Ford 11 – 14 4 KO’s. Ford had a tremendous amount of ring experience, fighting the likes of Wilfredo Rivera, and he recently had a NC against the rugged Contender star Mike Stewart of Delaware.

The two fighters were colliding into each other early, causing an ugly bloody cut, over the right eye of Perez. By the third round, it became a street fight as Perez grabbed Ford’s leg, and body slammed him into the canvas after another clash of heads, that opened another big cut under Perez’s left eye. Ford lay on the canvas, his shoulder out of the socket, writhing in pain, as the doctor snapped it back in. The Pa. commission ruled it a NC, sending Ford into a rage, yelling that he could continue, waving his arms, to let the crowd no he was ok. Perez, still angry from the butts, taunted Ford across the ring, and a fight after the fight nearly broke out again. Welcome to Philadelphia gentlemen.

Fighting City Notables:

Welterweight Steve Chambers 15 -1 won an easy UD Jason Jordan.

Newcomer’s Naj Murray and Paul Fernandez both showed up big. Murray and Fernandez brutally disposed of their opponents with KO’s.

Gee Culmer 11-1 defeated James North by UD.

Jules Blackwell kept his record clean at 5-0, with a walk away victory over undefeated Joseph Rosa.

Bernard Hopkins sat ringside to call the heavyweight match between Israeli soldier, Ran Nakash 9-0 of Israel, and American Soldier Sam Brown 4-3 , coming off his 2nd tour of Iraq. Nakash took the decision over Brown in a six round war of will. COMCAST SPORTS NET WILL AIR THESE MATCHES ON A DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED!!!! DON’T MISS IT.

These matches were taped for broadcast on Comcast Sports Net. IBF Cruiserweight champion USS Steve Cunningham was honored, and Fast Eddie Chambers was present for the ceremony.