Amidu Wins in Hammond 

Photos: Hitz Boxing

Saturday night at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, Los Angeles, via Ghana lightweight Yakubu “Black Mamba” Amidu moved his record to 20-2-1, 16 KOs and picked up the NABA-US Lightweight Championship by taking a unanimous (78-74, 78-74 and 77-75) decision over Golden Meadow, Louisiana’s John Revish (10-3-2, 8 KOs). Amidu broke up a fairly even fight by applying constant pressure that eventually wilted the game Revish. Yakubu and his brother are managed by actor Vince Vaughn who was in attendance.

Ireland’s Henry Coyle (14-2, 11 KOs) finally stopped a stubborn William Prieto (5-5-1, 2 KOs) of Lorain, Ohio, in the sixth round of a junior middleweight bout. Coyle pasted Prieto for most of the fight as the tough Ohioan was content to lay on the ropes and hope to land a Hail Mary shot. Prieto refused to go down and he paid for his bravado, taking a sustained beating.

Buster Douglas protégée John Smith moved his heavyweight record to 2-0, 1 KO by humiliating someone named Robert Mendoza in 1:32 of the first round.

Hammond’s own Ruben “Modern Day Warrior” Galvan (27-16-4, 10 KOs) had his homecoming party spoiled by Toledo, Ohio’s Gabriel Morris (4-9-2). Galvan looked sluggish and stifled by the superior activity rate of the surprisingly capable Morris. All three judges scored it 59-55, giving Morris the unanimous decision.

Secret service agent Mike Kurzeja of Chicago and Chris Overbey of Sidney, Ohio, fought to a thrilling four-round unanimous draw. Every time one fighter would swing the momentum his way, it would come crashing back with a thud. Excellent fight. All three judges had it 38-38. Kurzeja is now 4-0-1, 4 KOs. Overbey is 9-14-1, 2 KOs.

Lafayette Louisiana’s Chris Singleton (2-0, 2 KOs) surprised formerly undefeated Chicago lightweight Russell “Rocky” Fiore (4-1-1, 4 KOs), stopping him at 3:00 of the first. Fiore appeared to hurt Singleton, but moved in too quickly and recklessly and paid for it dearly. The capable Singleton caught Fiore high on the head and dropped him. Fiore wasn’t able to get his legs back under him and two more knockdowns later the fight was waved off.

Comebacking Chicago junior middleweight John Lewus beat tougher-than-he-should-be Ohioan Shane Gierke until finally getting the stoppage at 2:39 of the fourth. This was a public beheading that was allowed to go too long. But true to form, Gierke refused to go down.

In deep undercard action, Chicago super middleweight Ninos Abraham scored an uninspiring four-round decision over clowning Indianan Nathan Wilkes. Abraham is now 6-0, 2 KOs and Chicago super lightweight Paulie Settepani made his pro debut a successful one by stopping Indiana’s Aaron Lucky at 2:28 of the first.

The event was a star-studded affair as, in addition to Vaughn, also in attendance were former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and actor producer Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from Christmas Story), Fabio, and actor Shia LeBouef among many other dignitaries.