Monday, May 17, 2004
The Warren boxer got caught off guard in Friday's bout in Phliadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA -- Warren's Etianne "E.T." Whitaker seemed to have smooth sailing Friday night in his light heavyweight 10-rounder, until an Omar Shieka overhand right caught him inside the last 20 seconds of the second round.
Whitaker went down from the shot and staggered to his feet just past the eight-count, but it was apparent that his legs were gone. Though Whitaker protested, the referee stopped the fight at 2:56 of the second round.
The 31-year-old Whitaker (31-13-2) had an easy first round with the 27-year-old Patterson, N.J., contender, moving him back with a stiff left jab and hurting him with a solid right uppercut.
Whitaker was the aggressor throughout the first round. But for some reason midway through the second round, he began to back up, and this encouraged Shieka to throw several right-hand leads.
Shieka actually never tagged Whitaker until the overhand right, which caught Whitaker in back of his left ear and sent him to the canvas.
Shieka (24-6, 17 knockouts) never really got off any of his patented quick combinations, but apparently the one overhand right was all he needed.
J.O. districts
CLEVELAND -- Amateur Juan Salinas lost a close and controversial decision to John Barnett in the 95-pound final of the Junior Olympic district championships at West Park Party Center.
Barnett was sharp with quick combinations, but Salinas not only boxed well, keeping his left jab in Barnett's face, he also mixed it up well and in the final round of an outstanding fight he was beating the hometown fighter to the punch.
Hanshaw wins by KO
CHICAGO -- Warren native Tony Hanshaw, in his second bout after a two-year layoff, stopped a second consecutive opponent Saturday, using a blistering two-fisted attack against Tyrus Armstead of Elkhart, Ind., that had the referee step in at the 1:41 mark of round three to halt the action.
Hanshaw (17-0, 12 knockouts), began a deliberate body barrage in round one, wearing down Armstead (10-21-4). In round two Hanshaw went from landing good body shots to using right uppercuts that took their toll on Armstead and the attack continued into round three when a Hanshaw uppercut was followed by a left hook that sent Armstead down for an eight count. When he got up Hanshaw was all over him and the referee stepped in and stopped the fight.