World Series of Boxing: Miami Gallos vs. Memphis Force Results

The competitive and exciting World Series Boxing (WSB) League returned to action Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fl. The Miami Gallos where taking on the Memphis Force in the league's fifth week after a Christmas recess.

The Miami Gallos scored an impressive four matches to one victory for the win. They improved their record to 3-2 while Memphis fell to 1-4 in the WSB Americas Conference. All three Gallos (Spanish for gamecocks) victories have come at home.

In all WSB league matchups there are always five bouts in preceding order: bantamweights (119 lbs.), lightweights (134 lbs.), middleweights (160 lbs.), light heavyweight (187 lbs.) and heavyweight (201+ lbs.).

The third bout (middleweight) has been crucial for the Gallos' two out of the three victories at home. The first victory, the home opener Nov. 23, 2010 against the Los Angeles Matadors, and tonight against Memphis. Both matchups were tied 1-1 going into the third bout. William Williams, the Gallos' middleweight from Conyers, GA, has delivered both clutch victories giving the momentum for his team to pull out the victories.

Tonight 20-year-old Williams, a 2009 National PAL Championships silver medalist, defeated Memphis' 23-year-old Terrell Gausha, the 2009 USA Boxing National Champion from Cleveland, OH. Both fighters came into the match with a 1-1 league record. It was it very close fight as Williams gave it all he had in the fifth round to secure the victory by split decision. The scores were 48-47x2 and 47-48. Williams thanked God for everything afterwards, and said that he felt he had to pull it out in the last round, and thanked everybody for coming out.

In the first bout of the night Memphis Force southpaw bantamweight 22-year-old Ernesto Garza from Saginaw, MI defeated 2008 Beijing Olympian 24-year-old Paulo Carvalho from Brazil. It was a very close fight that had Garza throwing a lot of punches while Carvalho almost knocked out Garza in the second round and came on strong in the last round. It wasn't enough as Garza won a close split decision by scores of 48-47x2 and 47-48.

Next up in a lightweight all Eastern European showdown, Miami Gallo 21-year-old Leonid Malkov from Kiev, Ukraine against 19-year-old Elian Dimitrov of Memphis from Burgas, Bulgaria. Malkov defeated Dimitrov in overwhelming fashion by TKO at 1:10 of the fourth round.

The fourth bout of the night was an anticipated light heavyweight rematch between Memphis Force Robert Brant (St.Paul, Minn) versus Miami Gallo Sijoula Shabazz (Las Cruces, N.M.). Brant had defeated 11-9 Shabazz in the 2009 USA Boxing National Championships. Shabazz came in fired up and was the aggressor, having Brant backing and trying to land punches throughout all five rounds.

Shabazz, a 2008 National Golden Gloves Champion was victorious by unanimous decision 48-47x3. After the bout Shabazz stated that he came out aggressively for the victory and that in his previous defeats he had been relaxed; if Brant would have fought him toe to toe he would of knocked him out.

The final bout of the evening had Miami Gallo Donovan Dennis (Davenport, Iowa) knocking out Danny Calhoun (Chicago, IL) of the Force with a devastating left at 2:10 in the third round. Dennis told me that he was upset with the low blow that Calhoun had given him earlier in the round and that he was looking to put him out. Which he did without a doubt.

Dennis' knockout was the climax of the night for the Gallos, which so far, have found a way to win at home.

In the locker room head coach Pat Burns said that there were scores of 48-47 throughout the matches and that fights were won in the final fifth round. That their training and conditioning are making a difference.

Assistant coach Joe Burns told me that the team (the Gallos) was ready for the second half of the season and that they were training non-stop during the holidays.

Next up for the Miami Gallos is an away matchup Jan. 13 against the first-place Los Angeles Matadors.

Versus Network will televise tonight's fight on Saturday, Jan.15 at 6:00 pm.

Follow the WSB at www.worldseriesboxing.com