(OCT 23) On Indianapolis, IN - On Friday
night, Octavius James/One In A Million Inc. promoted their first
event in Indy, "The Circle City Rumble," before an enthusiastic
crowd.
In the first bout, Chicago super featherweight Evette Collazo (2-0,
2 KOs), a former 2-time Chicago Golden Gloves Champion, quickly over
powered Milwaukee's Kelah Pollari (0-4). At 1:51 of round one,
Pollari told referee Tony Gray, "I'm done," and the bout went into
the books as a TKO.
Up next, Shelbyville's light welterweight Frankie "Panchito" Zepeda
(15-5, 9 KOs) entered the ring to thunderous support supplied by a
huge turn out of Indy's growing Mexican-American community. Zepeda
faced Fort Wayne's Paul Reyes (2-7, 1 KO) in what was a typical
Mexican-warrior bombs- away bout.
In the second round, Zepeda seemed to be breaking Reyes down with an
assault of perfectly placed body shots resulting in an eight-count
for Reyes. Zepeda, a southpaw, and Reyes had frequent
inconsequential head butts that foreshadowed an early and bloody
end.
In the third, Zepeda attacked again, but Reyes returned enough fire
to keep the bout going. An accidental head butt cut caused an ugly
gash above the right eye of Reyes and, much to the disappointment of
Zepeda fans filling the house, the bout was ruled a No Contest after
the third.
After the official result was announced, Zepeda asked announcer Joe
York to make a special dedication on his behalf. York announced to
the fans that Frankie dedicated this bout to his corner woman,
Vickki Marconi, who was, as always, working Zepeda's corner. Marconi
recently beat breast cancer and her own fight has been a great
source of inspiration to Frankie.
After York's moving tribute to Vickki, who is clearly loved and
respected in Indy, Rodney Langel of Langel's Pizza announced that he
would make a $1000 donation to Passionately Pink in her honor. One
In A Million Inc. also made a donation to Passionately Pink campaign
and encourages fans to go to PassionatelyPink.com to make a donation
of their own during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
In the Rumble's third bout, Indy's "Downtown" Louis Brown (15-4, 10
KOs), who rivaled Zepeda in fan support, was upset by GI Joseph
Pujoe (7-5-1, 1 KO) in a welterweight bout. In what ringside locals
referred to as "one of the best local fights they've ever seen,"
Brown dropped a unanimous decision (53-60, 54-59 twice) to the
spoiler, Pujoe.
After a first round "feeling out" session, the two got down to
action in the second. Pujoe, a southpaw, suffered a cut over his
right eye due to an accidental head butt. There was nothing but
back-and-forth, hard punching action through the fifth round when
Pujoe dropped Brown with a flurry.
Brown rose easily with a "you didn't hurt me" motion and the brawl
was back on. After six rounds, the crowd gave the two fighters a
standing ovation for a bout exciting enough to call for a re-match.
In the evening's main event, Gary,
Indiana's "Merciless" Mary McGee (12-0, 7) won her first
championship bout and the NABC Light Welterweight title with her
fifth-round TKO over Tawnyah Freeman (8-5, 3 KOs).
McGee dropped Freeman for the first time in round three and twice in
the fourth. McGee, who got stronger and sharper as the fight went
on, finished Freeman off at 1:12 of the fifth.
"At first, it was hard for me to settle down," McGee said after the
victory. "But I looked to my corner and my trainer Carlos (Jones)
told me to relax and do what we worked on in the gym. So that's what
I did. When she threw her jab, I moved and then dropped her."
"I nailed her perfectly," McGee continued. "Now I want Amy Yuratovac.
I'm tired of hearing her name."
A heavyweight bout between Luke Dunnuck and Leo Sylvest was scrapped
when Dunnuck failed the pre-fight physicals.
