Richardson strong in 6-round victory

The Youngstown left-hander topped Akron native Gonzalee Jones.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
CHESTER, W. Va. -- Youngstown's Durrell Richardson remained undefeated (5-0) in his professional career with a unanimous six-round decision over Gonzalee Jones of Akron Thursday night at Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort.
Jones, a tough, young trial horse with a deceptive record is 0-7, but he didn't look like one early in the fight. In the second round, following a left hook by Richardson, Jones countered with a solid right to the jaw. This was one of several vicious exchanges between the two.
Working rights to the body and long left-hand leads off of his southpaw stance, Richardson easily won the first two rounds even while being tagged by Jones.
Richardson began to force the action in round three by landing several straight lefts, but just past the midway mark of the round Jones once again found the mark with a solid right, sending Richardson into a defensive mode.
Defensive tactics
In the fourth round Richardson began to move, scoring with straight rights and several left hooks to the body, but his evasive tactics through the last three rounds of the bout drew the ire of the crowd of more than 800 fans, who began to boo. Richardson reacted with a big rally in the sixth round.
The judges scored it 60-54, 60-54, 59-55.
"I was satisfied with my performance," said Richardson. "I'm a boxer, not a slugger, so I look for openings and if the knockout comes, it comes.
"I had good movement and thought I hurt him a few times."
Richardson said he wasn't bothered by the crowd.
"I want to be right with them, but the objective for me in the ring is to hit and not get hit and that's the way I fight."
Valuable experience
Jim "Tank" DiCioccio, working the corner with John Loew, said it was another valuable learning experience for Richardson.
"He is truly a ring technician and he may not have an appeal to the average boxing fan, but he knows what he is doing in the ring and I felt he did a good job of pacing himself," said DiCioccio. "With more fights Durrell will begin working combinations off that pure southpaw stance and he will be a much better fighter."
The fight was the first six-rounder for Richardson, who was supposed to fight Delaney Howard. But, it would have marked the pro debut for Howard and by rule he could not be in a six-rounder.
The main event saw Verquan Kimbrough, of Aliquippa, Pa., win a six-round unanimous decision over Chris Burford, of Memphis, Tenn. Kimbrough improved to 9-0 with all the judges voting 60-54.