By: Sean Cross
Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino hosted a Showbox card televised live on the cable network Friday night. First up was an 8 round heavyweight affair between 8-0-1 Moses Johnson and 12-0 Elvis Garcia. The warriors used to trade hides. This wasn’t the opening round where the fighters felt they had to see each other off. The two heavies continued to trade in the second. Everyone rested well. On the third, it appeared that neither fighter was particularly interested in traveling far. Johnson was able to reach the man in the fourth.
The pace slowed down a bit in the fifth as the two big men looked for hard shots. Although neither fighter was as energetic as before, both willingly went ahead in the sixth. This was a fight, plain and simple. It was evident in the seventh and eighth that both fighters were able to land punches. In all the struggles up to that point, nothing had come close to falling. In the eighth and final round, Johnson and Garcia continued to go toe-to-toe. It was an entertaining affair, with the judges ultimately ruling in Johnson’s favor by a majority.
Next up was a super welterweight bout scheduled for 8 between 12-0 Marquis Taylor and 8-0 Marlon Harrington. Harington seemed to be the stronger man at first. Taylor tries to block his opponent’s punch somewhat in the second. Taylor continued to employ intelligent defense in the third. Harrington came out strong in the fourth. In the fifth, however, it was Taylor who came forward. Taylor continued to dominate the territory in the sixth. Harrington continued to struggle in the seventh man. The same can be said about the eighth. Suffice it to say, Taylor was awarded a unanimous victory.
It was time for the main event, a 10-round super middleweight bout between 26-2 Senna Agbeko and 16-0 Isaiah Steen. The opening round saw Steen stick and move. Fasting Agbeko, however, pushed his man to second, then moved on to third. Steen seemed to have trouble controlling the range in the fourth. Midway through the fight, Agbeko seemed to be doing a better job of tracking Stan than Stan was putting Agbeko off his game.
The sixth and seventh did not offer anything particularly new. The truth is, Steen had no real answer to Agbeko’s attack, although the Ohio native certainly threw his boat with regularity and determination. Agbeko looked relaxed throughout the eight, making sure Steen wasn’t exerting too much power as he tried to post and move. The ninth was as close as most of the war had been. Indeed, Agbeko appears to have a small cut over his left eye. The 10th saw Steen put to good use the defensive tactics he’s used so unfairly throughout the season.
After the final bell, Agbeko was able to exit the ring with a new decision victory.
