At the OTE Arena in Atlanta, a Friday night brawl set the boxing community ablaze, as super featherweight, Albert “Prince” Bell (24-0, 7 KOs), ranked WBO #2 and WBC #10 squared off against Presco “Iceman” Carcosia (11-3-1, 9 KOs).
Eventually, Bell’s agility and precision proved too much for Carcosia, who was dropped in the fifth round. After enduring such punishment, Carcosia’s corner decided he had had enough and he remained on his stool post the fifth, giving Bell a commendable victory and the WBC OTX title to his name. Bell’s eyes now turn to Las Vegas, where he’s keenly anticipating the showdown between WBO champion Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez. With this win, Bell has positioned himself perfectly for a shot at the victor.
In the undercard, in the middleweight division, Tyler “Hercules” Howard (20-1, 11 KOs) delivered a tight contest against Raul “Money” Salomone (12-2, 10 KOs). An early knockdown by Howard in the first round played a crucial role, with scorecards reading 76-76, 76-75, 76-75 in his favor.
Super lightweight prospect David Navarro (6-1, 3 KOs), carrying the legacy of his uncle - the famed US Olympian and four-time world title challenger Jose Navarro, bagged a unanimous decision over D’Angelo Fuentes (8-2, 5 KOs). The battle was intense and the scores mirrored the tightness of the contest, standing at 60-54, 58-56, 60-54.
The welterweight category saw Giovanni Marquez (6-0, 4 KOs), under the tutelage of his father and former world champion Raul Marquez, pull off a remarkable second-round TKO against Nicky “The Bull” Vitone (9-3-1, 7 KOs). Vitone tasted the canvas at the end of the first and could barely survive Marquez’s onslaught in the second, leading to the referee halting the contest.
Image Credit: DAZN