Showtime Boxing: ‘Shields vs. Gabriels’ undercard results

Showtime Boxing touched down in Detroit to give fans a ‘Special Edition’ card that featured two major female title fights. There was some high drama on this card but the big story ended up being exactly what the fans came to see — Flint, Michigan’s own Claressa Shields.

Despite being knocked down in the opening round, Shields emerged victorious in her main event brawl with Hanna Gabriels, thus setting up a future battle with co-main event victor Christina Hammer that boxing fans have been clamoring for.

Below, we’ll take a look at the results from the six fights that took place on the undercard inside of the Masonic Temple before the Showtime broadcast hit the airwaves.

Heavyweight Bout (8 Rounds)
Apti Davtaev (15-0, 14 KOs) defeats Cory Phelps (16-11, 8 KOs) via TKO – Round 2, 1:17

Both men worked the body early here in the opening bout of the night but it’d be Davtaev, the more imposing figure, who would score the early knockdown. While Phelps did survive the opening round, it became clear in the 2nd that he didn’t want anymore from the Russian. The referee would do him a favor by saving him from further damage just over a minute into the second after he ate a horrific shot to the body.

Welterweight Bout (4 Rounds)
Joseph Bonas (4-0, 4 KOs) defeats Michael Klekotta (1-3- 1 KO) via KO – Round 1, 0:49

Bonas, the local favorite out of Detroit, hit Klekotta with a no doubter of a left that sent his opponent straight to the canvas. There was no coming back from this one for Klekotta.

Bantamweight Bout (8 Rounds)
Ja’Rico Quinn (9-0-1, 6 KOs) defeats Yaqub Kareem (14-10-1) via TKO – Round 4, 1:10

Quinn, another local favorite, put his fast hands on display here against West Bloomfield native Yaqub Kareem. Rico set a quick pace in the first against a fighter that showed virtually no offense throughout the fight. Rico stalked and wobbled his prey in the 4th, finishing him off with a right hand that left him confused enough to fall through the ropes.

USBA Great Lakes Region Welterweight Championship Bout (10 Rounds)
Bakhtiyar Eyubov (14-0, 12 KOs) defeats Nicholas Galvin (21-2-1, 11 KOs) via TKO – Round 7

Not the cleanest fight here. Eyubov definitely used some unsavory tactics but he got the victory in the 7th after the referee had seen enough. One of Givhan’s corner men shoved the referee after the fight was over and had to be escorted out by security. Eyubov rocked a papakha on his head, like UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, after claiming his new belt.

Super Welterweight Bout (6 Rounds)
Leon Lawson III (7-0, 4 KOs) defeats Javier Frazier (8-3-1, 4 KOs) via UD (60-53 x 3)

Lawson is a 18-year-old 6’5″ prospect out of Flint who you’re probably going to hear a lot about in the coming years. Frazier was giving up at least a foot here but to his credit, he hung in there, taking Lawson to the distance. Lawson stayed patient and kept a measured approach even though he couldn’t put Frazier away. He knocked Frazier down in the first en route to a 60-53 UD victory on all three judges scorecards. Again, keep an eye out for ‘Lethal’ Leon Lawson.

Light Heavyweight Bout (10 Rounds)
Aslambek Idigov (13-0, 5 KOs) defeats James Ballard (10-2, 3 KOs) via UD (97-93, 100-90 x 2)

This was another bout that wasn’t pretty but Idigov (pictured) got it done against the Detroiter. Ballard had a few moments but appeared to be working with an injury to his hand that left him unable to compete to his full potential. Ballard landed a nasty right to the jaw of Idigov, who utilized the front headlock throughout the bout despite multiple warnings, in the 9th but he failed to capitalize. Idigov, who trains at Kronk Gym in Detroit, was the far busier fighter here, and the scorecards told an accurate story of just that.

image credit – my.art.my.rules