Boxing: Saunders captures title

Beltzhoover cruiserweight wins NABC belt by decision

Sunday, August 08, 2004

Rayco Saunders works alone. He promotes his boxing career. He manages his boxing career. He follows his plan. Weightlifting a no-no for pro pugilists? Not the way he does it.

Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Rayco Saunders, right, lands a left on James Walton of New Orleans in the North American Boxing Council cruiserweight title fight last night at Heinz Field. Click photo for larger image.

"The belt? Hey, the belt has my legs shaking right now," Saunders (11-3-1) said at the end of an outdoor fight night witnessed by nearly 2,000 on the patio underneath the Jumbotron. "But it feels good. First [Pittsburgh outdoor] title in 53 years. I want to thank the Rooneys. I've got to come to a Steelers game now. If it's cold, maybe sit in the box with Dan Rooney."

Saunders is the first winner of a no-roof title fight since Ezzard Charles-Jersey Joe Walcott at Forbes Field in 1951.

Two judges scored the match for Saunders, Tony Tarantino, 97-94, and Paul Silverman, 96-94 (the same as the Post-Gazette card). Judge George Kachulis had it a draw, 95-95. To be sure, Saunders took the fight to Walton (19-5-2), winning the first three rounds and five of the first six. Then came the seventh and those cramps.

"First, my left leg cramped up. Then my right one," Saunders said.

He kept slipping on sweat on the tarp that served as a canvas. Walton took advantage of his foe's lack of legs and footing, appearing to win the final three rounds. Not bad for a guy who replaced a challenger who pulled out a week ago and had lost three of his past four fights.

Walton, who has fought at heavyweight against such a recognizable foe as Michael Grant, didn't have enough late to overcome Saunders' early start.

Saunders overcame a trying last few months. His life was threatened by a gunmen standing at his driver-side window. (There was no bullet in the chamber, and three men were later arrested in that foiled contract killing.) He lost a hometown-decision to former International Boxing Federation cruiserweight world champ Imamu Mayfield in Philadelphia.

"Mayfield is welcome to come get a shot at this," Saunders said afterward, pointing to his NABC belt. "In Pittsburgh. In Heinz Field."

In the undercard: Homer City's Scott Kelly won by decision against his old friend Scott Shippley in a four-round fight at 178 pounds; McKees Rocks' Jose Caraballo won his pro debut against Chicago's Ron Cabili at 140 pounds; Punxsutawney's Jim Northey knocked out Michael Shanks of Kokomo, Ind., at 1:12 of the first round at 195 pounds; and, at heavyweight, Penn Hills' Rick Carter scored a first-round KO, at 1:39, against Edgar Myers of Kokomo, Ind.

Because of a lack of state-mandated HIV tests by their opponents, Carnegie's Rob Strauss and North Braddock's Mario Acosta waged exhibition bouts.

The Iron City Pro Boxing series is scheduled to return to the Heinz Field patio Sept. 18, with Ghana-come-Beaver County boxer Ray Nahr slated to compete for an NABC belt.

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