Brinkley Gives a Boxing Lesson

Story & Photos By Jung Chul
 

Jesse Brinkley (31-5, 21 KO’s) sent his fans home last night at the Reno Ballroom knocking down the durable Jason Naugler (18-8, 11 KO’s) for the first time in Naugler’s career in the final seconds of fight.  The entertaining affair saw Brinkley show discipline with his boxing and sharp punches while Naugler attempted to lure Jesse into a slugfest.  At times Jesse would give in and trade before going back to his boxing.  Jesse would take the unanimous decision by 120-107 on all three scorecards.  This was Jesse’s fifth win in the last twelve months and the first defense of his USNBC Super Middleweight title.  Naugler came into the bout having won the Canadian Light Heavyweight title in his previous bout. 
 

“The whole plan from the beginning was to box, I had said that if I knocked him down or knocked him out it would be a bonus,” Jesse stated after the fight.  When asked about his future he would not call out any particular names, but the name going around the back was Jeff Lacy.  When asked about fellow Northern Nevada favorite, Joey Gilbert, Brinkley said “Let’s not bring him up.”  When asked about the local fans loving him he responded, “I love the crowd, I’m fighting my ass off for them.”

Naugler was taken to the hospital after the fight.  After contacting Terry Lane the morning afterwards it was discovered that he was in no danger despite looking pretty beat up.

 

In the co-feature, McDermitt, NV’s Derek Hinkey (5-1, 5 KO’s) returned to the ring following his defeat last February to record a sixth round knockout over the previously undefeated Gabriel Gil (3-1, 1 KO).  Hinkey came in looking to box, nonetheless, Gil was very tough and forced Hinkey into a rough fight from the beginning. 
 

Gil pinned Hinkey against the ropes and Hinkley landed a counter punch to drop Gil in the first round.  Hinkey would floor Gil again in the second.  Hinkey survived some tough moments in the third and fourth round.  However, it was all Hinkey in the fifth round and he would floor Gil in the sixth round and cause a cut which would prompt a stoppage of the fight.  The time was 41 seconds.   

“The confidence was always there, I never lost any confidence after the loss,” stated Hinkey after the fight.  “Gil is a tough guy, he was coming down in weight so I didn’t take him lightly,” continued Hinkey.

Tyler Hinkey (4-0-1, 3 KO’s), Derek’s younger brother, won a thrilling first round knockout over Michael Finney (1-1, 1 KO).  Hinkey stormed out of the corner landing hard body punches then coming up to the head almost knocking Finney out of the ring onto the photographers.  The referee counted it as a knockdown because the ropes clearly held Finney up.  Tyler followed up with more body punches and then went back upstairs to put Finney down for the next few minutes.  The referee immediately stopped the fight at 1:09.  “He gave me the body and I had to take it,” according to Tyler.  

It was all fun and games for the locals as Flavio Cardoza (1-3) of Carson City, NV was knocked out at 2:41 by Mark DeLuca (6-0, 4 KO’s).  Highly advertised Chad Forrester (0-1) of Reno showed heart, but learned boxing is more exhausting sport than it looks as he ran out of gas and was stopped in the second round at 1:18 by Michael Goins (1-1, 1 KO).  Alfred Happy (5-1, 4 KO’s) of Lovelock, NV was out boxed by Alvaro Morales (3-1-4) losing by the scores of 38-38, 40-36, 39-37.
 

 Also on the card was the Team Donaire managed Mongolian amateur star Batkhuu Otgonchuluun (1-0, 1 KO) stopped Omar Valencia (0-2) in the third round.  Batkhuu dominated the fight despite taking a few unnecessary punches.  Valencia was dropped in the second round after landed his shots.  The fight was stopped in the third round as Batkhuu turned up the pressure at 1:29.