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Joey Spencer stays unbeaten, stops Travis Gambardella on Spence-Porter card

Photo by Dr. Ed De La Vega
Fighters Network
28
Sep

LOS ANGELES — Kicking off the Spence-Porter prelim telecast on Fox Sports 1, junior middleweight prospect Joey Spencer  walloped Travis Gambardella into a third-round stoppage. The contest was scheduled for four.

Spencer (9-0, 7 KOs) was on the attack from the start of round one. The 19-year-old from Linden, Michigan highlighted his combination punching with a left hook that blitzed the body and head of his 29-year old foe. Gambardella (5-1-2, 2 KOs) was unbeaten stepping into the ring with Spencer, but succumbed to his power rather quickly — falling twice in the opening round and once in the second — which was the only way the Revere, Massachusetts native could be kept from coming forward.

Despite the three knockdowns, Gambardella, to his credit, ventured for a fight going into the third but couldn’t keep up with Spencer’s quick hands and sly movement. Referee Ray Corona stepped in to stop the fight at the 53 second mark of round three just after Gambardella ate another left hand to the head. It was the right moment for Corona to wave it off despite Gambardella’s dismay of the decision.

“I thought the referee was going to stop it in the second round,” Spencer said after the win. “When he let him go I took a deep breath and made sure not to punch myself out. I stuck to my jab and let the rest take care of itself.

“I’m so happy with the improvements that I was able to show tonight on the big stage. I’m really excited for what’s to come.”

Spencer impressed coming off his first uneven bout as a young pro in June. He beat Akeem Black on paper via unanimous decision, but many observers viewed it as a controversial decision. Be that as it may, Spencer certainly showed that it wouldn’t immediately become transfixed in his mind, and after the fight he also mentioned he’s ready to go back up to six-rounders.

Untelevised results

Coming off his first defeat, Fabian Maidana (17-1, 13 KOs) dropped Ramses Agaton (21-11-3, 11 KOs) three times in the first round to earn a knockout victory. The welterweight contest was scheduled for eight.

Alfonso Olivera (12-6-3, 4 KOs) handed welterweight prospect Amon Rashidii (7-1, 5 KOs) his first defeat after eight rounds. Official scores: 78-74 and 79-73 twice.

Middleweight prospect Leon Lawson III (12-0, 5 KOs) remained unbeaten after once-dropping Alan Zavala (15-6, 13 KOs) in the second round to earn a knockout after his foe was counted out by referee Thomas Taylor. The bout was scheduled for eight.

Juan Antonio Lopez (15-7, 6 KOs) upset Fernando Garcia (12-2, 7 KOs) with a unanimous decision (79-73 twice, 77-75) after eight rounds of featherweight action.

Middleweight prospect Misael Rodriguez (10-0, 5 KOs) earned a third-round stoppage of Brandon Maddox (7-3-1, 5 KOs) once the latter’s corner threw in the towel to stop the fight. It was scheduled for eight.

Burley Brooks (4-0, 4 KOs) kept his perfect record alive with a first-round stoppage of Fabian Valdez (3-6), who was dropped four times before it was waved off by referee Ivan Guillermo. The light heavyweight contest was scheduled for six.

Jose Valenzuela (5-0, 2 KOs) blasted out Charles Clark (2-5-1, 1 KO) in the opening round after the first and only knockdown, when referee Gerard White waved his count at the 1:06 mark.

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