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David Stevens Dramatically Stops
Sean Hemphill With Two
Seconds Left
Photos: Amanda Westcott - SHOWTIME
David Stevens, a
power-punching boxer from nearby Reading, Pa., produced one
of the more dramatic endings in recent SHOBOX: The New
Generation history, theatrically dropping and stopping Sean
Hemphill with just two seconds left in their hotly contested
eight-round super middleweight showdown to capture the
biggest win of his young career in the main event of SHOBOX
on Friday, January 20 live on SHOWTIME from Wind Creek
Casino in Bethlehem, Pa.
Stevens, whose left boxing shoe had to be repaired before
the start of the seventh round, floored Hemphill with 21
seconds left in the final frame with a barrage of rights and
lefts that caused Hemphill to slump in his corner. Hemphill
rose and told referee Shawn Clark he was fine to continue.
But Stevens (12-0, 9 KOs) jumped on him and caught the New
Orleans’ native Hemphill (14-1, 8 KOs) with a razor-sharp
left-hook that sent Hemphill barreling into the ropes as
Clark waved the fight off at 2:58 of the eighth frame.
Stevens led 68-65 on all three judges’ scorecards entering
the final round, even while fighting the last few rounds
with the sole of his left boxing shoe coming apart and
dangling until his cornerman sliced it off.
“I felt like it was a good performance in front of my
hometown crowd,” Stevens said. “I didn’t know how the judges
had it scored and I knew I wasn’t executing like I should
have been, and I had to pick it up like my corner was
telling me. Near the end I just had to stay relaxed. I think
I could have done a better. Just improved on a little bit of
everything. We were both breathing pretty heavy near the end
there and I knew I just needed to keep pushing.”
The SHOBOX tripleheader will re-air on Monday, January 23 at
10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME®. This marked the second
straight year that SHOBOX opened the calendar year with a
tripleheader of undefeated fighters.
The 22-year-old Stevens fought a mature, disciplined fight,
continuously walking forward with his lead jab followed by
power shots. Hemphill, for his part, fought mostly off his
back foot, relying on his long jab and occasionally stopping
and firing back to blunt Stevens’ attack. Both had their
moments, but it was Stevens who landed the harder, more
telling shots, stunning Hemphill numerous times throughout
the match.
Both fighters had high-powered trainers in their corner,
with Hemphill guided by 2002 Boxing Writers Association of
America Trainer of the Year James “Buddy” McGirt, and
Stevens piloted by highly-respected 2003 BWAA Trainer of the
Year Ronnie Shields.
In the co-feature, West Philly blue-chip prospect Atif
Oberlton (8-0, 6 KOs) took a little time to warm up but once
he did the busy southpaw showed off his body-punching and
boxing ability in an impressive points victory over Artem
Brusov (12-1, 11 KOs) in the eight-round, light heavyweight
bout. The 24-year-old Oberlton, who describes himself as an
emerging fashion designer outside the ring, won by scores of
79-73, 78-74 and 78-74 to remain undefeated.
“I feel good and was glad I went the eight rounds,” Oberlton
said. “It really showed my conditioning. A lot of guys who
have my type of record early on in their careers don’t take
advantage of the opportunities and taking on opponents like
I am. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. He’s a guy from
Russia and he’s no slouch. I started a little slow, but
that’s the thing about pro boxing is you have more rounds to
show what you need to show. I’m proud of myself tonight.”
The 6-foot-3 Oberlton was led into the ring by unified
122-pound champion Stephen Fulton Jr., and like Fulton,
Oberlton controlled the distance and jabbed his way to a
win. Trained by highly respected Philly trainer Shar’ron
Baker, one of the few female trainers in the sport, Oberlton,
a highly-decorated amateur, kept Brusov at bay with whipping
uppercuts and a chopping left hand.
Brusov, who is trained by former two-time title challenger
Matt Korobov, emerged with a cut over his right eye
following the first round, the result of an accidental head
butt. Oberlton stunned Brusov in the second with a pair of
left hands. Brusov landed a counter right in the sixth that
briefly hurt Oberlton, and he finished strong with a hard
left to end the eighth round, but those types of hard shots
were the exception for the Russian now living and training
in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as Oberlton cruised to victory.
In the telecast opener, Julian Gonzalez from Reading, Pa.,
remained undefeated with a dominant fourth-round stoppage
victory, dropping Rosalindo Morales in the first round and
halting him with a stiff right hand that caused referee
Shawn Clark to intervene and wave the 130-pound bout off at
27 seconds of the fourth. Gonzalez led 30-26 on all three
judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage.
“I’m not surprised the way it ended,” Gonzalez said. “I knew
he had power, but so do I. I just had to stay composed and
let him make the mistakes. I was using the straight right
hand a lot, but I have power from the right and the left.
It’s not that important to get a knockout. Eventually, we’re
going to be getting some decisions. I just have to keep
believing in myself and get the job done.”
With seconds remaining in the opening frame of the scheduled
eight-round bout, the 21-year-old Gonzalez (9-0-1, 9 KOs)
floored Morales, 29, with a winging right hand. Morales
(9-1, 2 KOs) rose but Gonzalez continued to punish the
southpaw from Ellwood City, Pa., bloodying Morales’ nose in
the second with a straight left and beating him to the punch
with his superior speed and athleticism. Gonzalez, who goes
by the nickname “Gifted,” has sparred with Fulton Jr.,
experience that served him well on Friday.
An intriguing sub-plot to the 130-pound bout was the
presence of Allen Smith ringside, who nearly 20 years ago
helped a 10-year-old Morales and his mother and sister
complete a cross-country trip to Pennsylvania after their
car broke down in Nashville, Tenn. Smith paid for car
repairs and took the family in for six days and purchased
bus tickets for them to make it to relatives after the car
was deemed irreparable. Morales and Smith had lost touch
until reconnecting in December over the phone and then on
Friday, when Smith watched the bout from ringside in an
emotional reunion at the Wind Creek Casino.
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