Boxing Coverage updated 24/7 at MaxBoxing.com

Godfrey Out-points Brown
By Stephen Tobey (Aug 11, 2007)

Send this page to friend

Give us your feedback

LINCOLN, R.I. – About a year ago, Matt Godfrey sparred five rounds with Derrick Brown.

Friday, the two fighters engaged in what was basically a 10-round sparring session, only without headgear, in front of a half-full Twin River Events Center with Godfrey’s North American Boxing Federation cruiserweight title on the line.

The session counted on each fighter’s record and went into the books as a 10-round unanimous decision for Godfrey. Steve Epstein and Glenn Feldman scored it 96-94 and Ed Scunzio scored it 97-93. Godfrey, who is ranked second by the World Boxing Council, improved to 16-0 (9 knockouts).

“When I sparred with him [last year] he came after me,” Godfrey said. “Tonight, every time I flinched, he went halfway across the ring. He stuck to his game plan and didn’t fall into my traps.”

Brown (13-3-3, 11 KOs) kept his hands up for most of the fight and didn’t commit leave Godfrey many openings. In the 10th round, the New York resident started swinging for the fences and caught Godfrey with some wild punches, but nothing that hurt Godfrey.

“He’s throw his jab, but he wouldn’t commit to anything,” said Godfrey.

There were no knockdowns in the fight and Godfrey did his best work in the seventh, landing a combination with Brown on the ropes, forcing Brown to hold.

“I haven’t gone more than two rounds in almost a year,” said Godfrey, who lives in Providence, R.I. “My legs were a little weary. He was a tough fighter, but nothing landed flush.”

Godfrey stopped his two previous opponents, Felix Cora, Jr., in two rounds in April, and Lloyd Bryan, in four rounds in December. The last time he went the distance was against Danny Batchelder last September 23, when he won a 12-round unanimous decision.

“This was different because Batcher was more aggressive than Brown was,” Godfrey said. “If a man doesn’t want to get knocked out, he’s tough to knock out.”

In another cruiserweight bout, nine-time national amateur champion Aaron Williams of Las Vegas knocked out Jeff Brownfield of Omaha, Neb. At 1:15 of the first round in a scheduled six. Williams (14-0-1, 10 KOs) hit Brownfield with a left hook and a right uppercut. Brownfield stumbled backward and fell down. He beat the count, but referee Ricky Gonzalez stopped the fight. Brownfield dropped to 9-7 (4 KOs).

Light heavyweight Manuel Antonio Lopes of Brockton, Mass. won a four-round unanimous decision over debuting Lonnie Bowen of Jacksonville, Fla. The scores were 40-34 (twice) and 40-36. Lopes is now 3-0 with one KO.

Light heavyweight Marcus Upshaw of Jacksonville, Fla. won a six-round unanimous decision over Savannah, Ga.’s Earl Doe. All three judges scored it 60-54. Upshaw is now 7-0 (2 KOs); Doe is 2-2 (2 KOs).

Russian native Andrey Nevsky of Clinton, Mass. knocked Albany, N.Y.’s Rakeen Carter through the ropes in the second round to earn a TKO victory, the middleweight’s third stoppage victory in as many pro fights. Carter, who had two draws in his first two pro fights, suffered his first defeat, dropping to 0-1-2.

Cruiserweight Rich Gingras of Claremont, N.H., the 2006 Ringside amateur heavyweight champion, picked up his third knockout win in as many pro fights, stopping Derrick Holsinger of Portsmouth, Ohio 39 seconds into the second round. Holsinger is now 3-9-2.