Results from ringside @FoxwoodsCT

Kinda's trainer charges Jimmy Williams after his fighter was counted out

Jimmy Williams wins weird over Issouf Kinda;

Popeye Rivera wins ugly;
Marrero squeaks past Ortiz;
and more from Foxwoods Premier Ballroom

By Alex Pierpaoli

Photos by Sean Laydon

More photos here

Last night, New Haven welterweight Jimmy Williams scored a fourth round knockout over Issouf Kinda of the Bronx, NY, in the Main Event of a seven bout card from Foxwoods Premier Ballroom in Uncasville, CT. Williams connected with a right hand to the face of Kinda as ref. Steve Smoger was breaking the two fighters near a neutral corner in the middle of a round Williams was begining to dominate. Kinda went right down from the solid shot but looked to be acting a bit, perhaps in hopes of earning a DQ win from looked to be a foul. But instead of calling Williams for hoitting on the break, Smoger began the count over Kinda, calling it a legitimate knockdown. Before Smoger was able to reach ten ringside physician Dr. Anthony Alessi was up and into the ring attending to the condition of Kinda and the bout was quickly waved off as stoppage win for Williams. 

That's when Issouf Kinda's corner lost it. Two of the defeated fighter's handlers charged up into the ring, going after security officials, Jimmy Williams and promoter Jimmy Burchfield. Eventually when calm was restored and a replay of the final seconds of the bout were reviewed at ringisde via Facebook Live's video feed--it was clear that Smoger had made the right call as both fighters were throwing punches on the break, in fact, Kinda's punch had actually bounced off the head of Smoger. As both fighters were throwing punches, Smoger was correct in calling it a legitimate knockdown for Williams. Though dissatisfying a finish it was certainly the correct call.

Up to that point Kinda, 143lbs, had been countering Williams very well and this observer
had the man originally from Burkina Faso up 2-1 in rounds although Williams, 144lbs, was fighting better in the fourth when the knockout came. 

With the win Williams defends his WBC USNBC Title and moves to 14-0-1 (6) while Kinda drops to 18-5 (7). 

Quick-fisted Jamaine Ortiz, 138lbs, of Worcester, Mass., bested Angel Figueroa, 140lbs, of Loraine, OH, by four round unanimous decision. At the end of four the three judges at ringside saw it all the same with 3 scores of 40-36 in favor of Ortiz. Jamaine Ortiz raises his record to 5-0 (3) while Figueroa falls to 4-5-1


Heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano, 239lbs, of Carini, Sicily, scored a first round TKO over Robert Dunton, 257lbs of Wilmington, Delaware. The six foot four inch Cusumano picked up his tenth knockout, now 12-1, while Dunton dropped to 11-17-1 (6)

In the best fight of the night, Cristobal Marrero, 144lbs, of New London, CT, squeaked past Miguel Ortiz, 143lbs, of Springfield MA, by four round split decision. 

This observer thought Ortiz deserved the nod on the basis of activity and harder punches throughout. No doubt these two would make for a great rematch. Marrero remains unbeaten at 5-0 (2) while Ortiz falls to 2-1 (1). 4-0, 2 KOs,

Richard "Popeye" Rivera, 177lbs, of Hartford, CT, defeated Leandro Silva, 178lbs, of Sao Paolo, Brazil, in a clash of boxer versus mixed martial arts fighter. Rivera dropped Silva in the second round of an awkward clash of styles and stances. Switching back and forth from orthodox to southpaw, Popeye tried to find the right angle on his cagey opponent. Silva's hands were busier in the final round but it didn't look to be enough to score him any points. After four the officals had it 40-35 x 3 all in favor of Popeye Rivera. 

With the unanimous but ugly victory, Popeye climbs to 3-0 (2). Meanwhile, Leandro Silva, a thirty-plus fight veteran of MMA, makes his prizefighting debut, now 0-1. 

Jarel Pemberton, 170lbs, of Boston, MA, defeated Nate Schlute, 172lbs, of Woburn, MA after four heated rounds. Making his pro-debut, The Sandman Pemberton got off to an early lead, winning the first two rounds, repeatedly landing a hard left hook to the body of Schulte. But in the second half of the fight Schulte surged, stunning Pemberton early in the fourth round. In the final minute both men were slugging away with the crowd cheering them on, Pemberton looking to even up a round he probably lost. After the bell sounded and the decision came it was unanimous in favor of Jarel Pemberton, by three scores of 39-37. Pemberton now joins the professional ranks at 1-0 while Nate Schulte drops to 0-3.

Jose Rivera, 159lbs, of Hartford, CT, controlled Corwin Farmer, 159lbs, of Tarboro, N.C., over four rounds in the first bout of the night. Rivera landed the heavier combinations throughout in the face of Farmer's spirited attack. At the end of four the officials saw it 40-36 x 2 and 39-37 all in favor of Rivera. In victory, Rivera goes to 4-1, 3 KOs, and Farmer falls to 1-2.