Due to a little confusion I was given "Auxillery Media" credentials. After talking to the people in charge this is where I wound up sitting. There wasn't a closer seat in the house - not a bad night.
- Due to a little confusion I was given "Auxillery Media" credentials. After talking to the people in charge this is where I wound up sitting. There wasn't a closer seat in the house - not a bad night.
- I thought it was nice of Gary Shaw to dress up for the evening. This is Shaw watching the early bouts with his wife and looking pretty dour if I do say so myself.
- Emad Ali (3-0, 3 KO's) in white stares down Kelsey Arnold (1-4-2, 0 KO's). This was the opener that ended with an Ali 1st round TKO of Arnold at 2:49.
- Tyrone Brunson (21-0-1, 20 KO's) in blue, squaring up with Jose Medina (15-16, 11 KO's) in black. Brunson would win with a third round KO at 1:31.
- Chris Avalos (13-0, 10 KO's) trapping Robert DaLuz (12-22-3, 9 KO's) against the ropes. This was a good slugfest that Avalos controlled for the majority - leading to a unanimous victory after 8 rounds.
- "The Chairman of the Board" Michael Oliveira (9-0, 7 KO's) pushing Francisco Osorio (12-7, 10 KO's) against the ropes. I included this picture for a reason, the only time I couldn't get a great view of the action is when it happened along these particular ropes, that'll come up again later, trust me.
- The HBO crew Emmanuel Steward (L), Jim Lampley, and Max Kellerman (R) getting ready to go on the air.
- ESPN's Brian Kenny. I desperately wanted this picture to come out better but felt like a creep taking it. Kenny was talking to Dan Rafael behind me (that's right behind me) and he had on the most amazing scarf/ascot I've ever seen. I know the picture isn't great but you can still make out the amazing neckwear.
- This guy is either removing lint from Kellerman's jacket, or replacing his batteries. Honestly Max Kellerman looks fake when you stand near him - I did not expect that. I think you know you've made it when a man de-lint's your tuxedo.
- This is Orlando Lora (26-0-1, 18 KO's) wiping the blood off his eyes after his bout with Octavio Narvaez (7-8-1, 4 KO's). Lora looked like a man who lost a fight, and the crowd thought he lost but the judge's game him a wide margin unanimous decision. It was not a popular call.
- Alfredo "El Perro" Angulo stretching out before an eight minute break for HBO to introduce the television audience. You can see the WBO Inter-Continental Junior Middleweight Championship in the background.
- I know this picture isn't great, but you can make out the diamond encrusted dog collar that Angulo wore into the ring. When he took that off it somehow wound up around my feet. I wish I had noticed earlier because I absolutely would've worn that Perro dog collar to the bank on Monday
- The referee John Callas administering the count to Harry Joe Yorgey after he was knocked down in the second round.
- I included this picture because this was the point where I thought the fight should have been stopped. It's the second round still and Yorgey looks very much in trouble right here. He'd somehow last the round but for his long term health I wished they had ended it right around this point.
- I know you can't see much in this picture but it was taken about two seconds before Angulo knocked out Yorgey in the third round to end the fight. I included it because you can see from my vantage point that while the actual punch that caused the KO was not in my line of sight I was looking directly at the mat when Harry Joe's head bounced off the canvas. It was a very scary sight.
- "Bad" Chad Dawson (29-0, 17 KO's) the IBF and WBC interim light heavyweight champion entering the ring.
- The biggest problem that Dawson's corner had to deal with all night was his shorts being too low. I wish I was kidding but I'm not it was an endless struggle that lasted the whole night. You'll also notice Dawson's fantastic sponsor for the evening. I for one always think of protection when I think of boxing -- so I guess it works in a way.
- Chad Dawson in his corner with his trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. This was pretty late in the fight - I believe the 10th round so I'm guessing they were brushing up on their French for the next fight by this point.
- This was immediately after the fight when Glen Johnson jumped on the turnbuckle in celebration. He got a hearty round of boos from the crowd and I'm still not sure exactly which fight Johnson thought he was a part of because he seemed very confident that he had won.
- This is the post fight press conference.
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