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Clearwater's Thurman Wins Pro Debut By TKO

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A Tribune staff, wire report

Published: November 10, 2007

TAMPA - In his professional debut Friday night, Clearwater's Keith Thurman took only one round to dispense of Panama City's Kensky Rodney by technical knockout in a scheduled four-round middle heavyweight fight at the A La Carte Event Pavilion.

Thurman used an array of hard body shots that visibly hurt Rodney (0-2), then backed his opponent into a corner and began landing numerous shots to the head, prompting the referee to call the fight at the 2:03 mark.

"I started off with the jab, after I saw he was having trouble with that, I just went at it," Thurman said. "I just mixed it up with body and head combinations."

Thurman is known for his blistering body shots, according to adviser Dan Birmingham of the St. Petersburg Boxing Club, and believes the 19- year-old will quickly climb the ranks in the pro level.

"Thurman's got a pro style that wasn't very conducive to amateurs," noted Birmingham, who trains local pro fighters Jeff Lacy and Winky Wright. "They never counted body shots in amateurs.

"It was a detriment to him."

The last amateur fight for Thurman was a loss in the 2007 Olympic team trials against Demetrius Andrade in the welterweight division, as he settled for a silver medal.

Although it was disappointing not being able to represent his country in Beijing, Thurman used the match as motivation to further his career.

"Whenever you lose, you feel like you have something to prove," Thurman said. "Even if you give it your all and you give it your best, sometimes in life your best isn't going to be good enough."

On the featured card of the night, Derrick Samuels (13-3-1) of Orlando used a combination of punches, including a strong right hook, and was awarded the match with a unanimous decision over Marty Robbins of Crossville, Tenn.

Inka Laleye (2-0) of St. Petersburg won with a TKO in the first round at the 2:46 mark over Frankie Reed of Williston, S.C.
Jeffrey Jones
Mosley, Cotto Should Provide Fireworks

NEW YORK - Shane Mosley knows all about big fights. They don't get much bigger than his two matchups with Oscar De La Hoya.

So when Mosley enters the Madison Square Garden ring tonight to face WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, there won't be any stage fright. Mosley can handle the spotlight.

Can he handle the ultra-aggressive Cotto, who has knocked out 25 of his 30 opponents in an unbeaten career? Cotto will have a huge edge in the stands, too, because the Puerto Rican has become something of a favorite son among New Yorkers.

"You know it'll be a war in there," promised Mosley (44-4). "I'll do that myself and I know Miguel feels that way. It will be electrifying, fireworks everywhere."

But if the 36-year-old Mosley is showing any age, Cotto, who is nine years younger, could dominate.

The undercard on HBO pay-per-view features a WBC lightweight interim title bout between Cuban Joel Casamayor (34-3-1, 21 KOs) and Californian Jose Armando Santa-Cruz (25-2, 14 KOs). Also on the card is a 12-round welterweight bout between former champion Antonio Margarito of Mexico and Golden Johnson of San Antonio.

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