"Operation Brawl for it All" Becomes free-for-all in Music City

Press Release

Joe McEwen's Rock Solid Boxing Promotions brought a six-fight card to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena in Nashville. Despite "The Contender" participant Jonathan Reid and undefeated welterweight contender Tim "Spider" Webb unable to participate as originally scheduled, the near-capacity crowd was still treated to an entertaining - albeit bizarre - night of action.

Headlining the card was WBE North American Cruiserweight Champion Bobby Gunn, who scored a fifth round stoppage over full-time policeman and professional fighter Jeff Holcomb of Ringgold, Georgia. They fought for the WBE World Cruiserweight and NABC America's Cruiserweight Titles. The main event was up in the air up for much of the day, as Holcomb failed to show up for the weigh-in and final presser earlier Thursday. He showed up at the arena forty-five minutes before the first bout took place. In retrospect, he would have been better served not showing up at all.

Gunn controlled the action from the opening bell, with Holcomb offering very little throughout the fight. Things got interesting in the second round, as Gunn was warned and eventually penalized for a questionable foul.

Moments later, Gunn landed a shot south of the border that had Holcomb on all fours, and eventually on a ring stool while taking full advantage of the entitled five minute break. Referee Alan Lovell ruled the infraction an intentional foul, thus deducting two points from Gunn's scorecard. Despite having easily won the first two frames, the fight was even after two as a result of the deduction.

After a listless round three featuring little more than Bobby Gunn forcing the action, Gunn unloaded in the fourth. Holcomb was pinned in Gunn's corner for the first half of the frame, covering up and not fighting back as Gunn drew blood from Holcomb's left eye, nose and mouth with a barrage of punches. Many in the crowd - including Gunn's father - protested for a stoppage as Holcomb took a major beating.

Lovell let the action continue, and Gunn took matters into his own hands. A sweeping left hook toward the end of the round decked Holcomb, who apparently threw out his back in crashing against the ropes and eventually to the canvas. He beat the count and survived the round, but was clearly in no condition to continue.

After a one-minute rest period and Tennessee Boxing and Racing commissioner Dan Kelly giving a thorough look, Holcomb was allowed out for the fifth. It didn't last long; Gunn put down Holcomb for good, thirty-seven seconds into the round. As Gunn celebrated in one corner, a bloodied and battered Holcomb laid stretched out on the canvas for several minutes before being escorted back to the dressing room.

With the win, Gunn improved to 13-1 (11KO) and picked up the WBE World Cruiserweight title in the process. It was his second fight in Nashville in less than four months, and promoter Joe McEwen plans to keep Gunn busy in Tennessee and Canada in the coming months. The 37-year old Holcomb falls to 9-4-1 (4KO) with the loss.

In the co-feature, heavyweight Keith McKnight returned to the ring for the first time in two years. His return was a successful one, as he scored a second-round stoppage over former sparring partner Lamar Long.

The bout was chock-full of intrigue well before the opening bell. Claiming a familial lineage to the legendary Paul Bunyan, the 45-year old Long entered to the ring decked out as a lumberjack, complete with climbing gear, chainsaw and all. Long could have used the chainsaw once the fight began, as his fists proved to be useless. McKnight dominated from jump, save for a brief scare when an inadvertent head butt clipped him in the eye a minute into the opening frame.

Once he settled down, McKnight began to unload in round two. A big left hook sent Long crashing to the canvas late in the round. He beat the count, but staggered abound the ring before referee Freddie Boges waved the fight off, 2:03 into the second round.

McKnight improves to 43-4 (30KO), as he looks to bring his career back to the level that prompted ESPN2 to showcase him several times in the past. Where Long goes from here is unknown, though the lumberyard seems to be a good fit. He falls to 3-20 (2KO) with the loss.

The highlight of the evening - for the right reasons, anyway - came from budding welterweight prospect Luis Galarza. A Puerto Rican now living and fighting out of Antioch, TN, Galarza easily drew the biggest ovation of the evening, both before and after his blowout of Martin Huff in the first round of their welterweight contest.

Having sparred with both Jose Luis Castillo and Miguel Cotto throughout 2005, Galarza delivered his best performance to date. Fighting at a trim and ready 142 lb., Luis overcame a 14 lb weight disadvantage and steamrolled through his 41-year old opponent. A left hook dropped Huff hard midway through the opening round, and he was in no condition to continue. Referee Allan Lovell waved the bout off upon completing his mandatory eight count, 1:40 into the first round.

Galarza rolls 9-1-0-2NC (6KO), and looks to land a spot beneath the June 18 card in Memphis headlined by the rematch between Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver. For Huff, his career takes a spin in the opposite direction. Falling to 6-9, 3KO (though BoxRec lists him as 1-8 heading into the fight), Huff was indefinitely suspended by the Tennessee Boxing and Racing Commission immediately following the bout.

As three bouts resulted in knockouts, the other three remaining bouts went the distance.

Undefeated welterweight prospect Mike Post (10-0-1, 8KO) scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Ali Muhammad (nee Jeff Williams, 5-33-2, 3KO). Scores were 80-73, 80-72 and 79-73. No knockdowns, and not much action. Muhammad has now lost an incredible eighteen straight, and twenty of his last twenty-one, with the one non-loss being a six round draw. The 35-year old Detroit journeyman has not won a bout since 1995. No word on whether or not he will be suspended anytime soon.

Four-time Golden Gloves champion Samuel Brown made his pro debut, scoring a four-round decision over Jeff Bowman. The soon-to-be 43-year old fireman returned to the ring for the first time in nearly two years, but did little more than mock and occasionally frustrate Brown, who currently serves at Ft. Campbell for the US Army. Brown scored a pair of knockdowns in the opening frame, but seemed confused in each round thereafter, settling for a points win. Scores were 40-34 across the board. Brown is now 1-0, while Bowman falls to 8-36-1 (2KO).

Familiar foes Marty Dale Robbins and Chris Burford opened the show with a six-round lightweight contest that featured no knockdowns but plenty of contact. Having stopped Burford in seven rounds back in December 2003, Robbins threw everything but the kitchen sink in this one, but was taken the distance by the battle-tested Memphis journeyman. Surviving the full six was Burford's only reward, as Robbins pitched a shutout on all three scorecards (60-54 across the board). Robbins improves to 20-24 (15KO), while Burford suffers his thirteenth straight defeat in falling to 5-30 (4KO).

Jonathan Reid of NBC's "The Contender" was to serve as the co-feature. To the dismay of the crowd on hand, he was forced off the card at the last minute when lawyers from the series reminded him of his contractual obligations to Mark Burnett, creator of the show. He did take the time to greet the crowd, and announce his return to the ring, scheduled for the summer on either NBC or a possible Contender pay-per-view show.

Undefeated welterweight Tim "Spider" Webb was also forced off of the card for medical reasons. Upon scoring a thrilling come-from-behind stoppage over Jose Celaya on ESPN2 three weeks ago, Webb suffered multiple cuts that physicians insisted would not heal in time for this card. Like Reid, Webb still took the time to attend the card and greet adoring fans at ringside.

Former undefeated tough woman champion Melinda Woody was looking forward to her pro debut. Unfortunately, her opponent, Lana Alexander, was injured in a loss to Christy Martin last month and could not fight. There were several attempts to line up a replacement for Woody, but it was to no avail. Melinda was left with a ringside view for the evening.

Rock Solid Boxing Promotions presented the night's action, in association with Coyote Ugly Saloon (shout out to Joy and all of the bartenders who served as ring card girls), Ajax Turner and Arellanos' San Jose Restaurant.