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Saturday, February 28, 2015

Wohman to Return in March

Zachary "Kid Yamaka" Wohlman is scheduled to return to the ring on March 6 at the Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California. Wohlman (8-2-1, 1 KO) is coming off of a decision loss against Paul Velarde last August, which snapped a four-fight win streak.

Wohlman's fight is scheduled for six rounds. No opponent has yet been named.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Seldin Defeats Garcia by TKO

Cletus Seldin maintained his undefeated record with a fifth round stoppage of Johnny Garcia at the Paramount Theater in Huntington, New York. Seldin rebounded from a slow start to notch the victory.

Seldin came out less aggressive than usual; the first wasn't exactly a feel out round though. Garcia pushed Seldin backwards and landed a right causing Seldin's knee to drop. Referee Tony Chiarantano ruled it a push and no knockdown was scored.

Garcia continued to use subtle defensive moves- rolling his left shoulder and moving his head- to avoid Seldin's dangerous overhand rights. He did leave his left hand low too often, which would eventually be a recipe for disaster. Since Seldin's overhand rights weren't yet working, he tried uppercuts with mixed success. Garcia peppered Seldin with lefts and appeared to win the first two rounds.

In the third, Garcia kept up his defense, but his offense was absent. Seldin's relentless pressure and brawling style seemed to tire Garcia. Seldin occasionally landed with an unintentional elbow or his head as he rushed forward.

By the fourth round, the Hebrew Hammer needed to try something new. The overhand right was becoming increasingly ineffective. His jab landed, but he couldn't land off of it. Then came a left hook that changed the fight. Garcia stumbled around the ring bravely remaining on his feet. Seldin chased and though he dominated the round and turned the fight in his favor, he couldn't put Garcia down.

Garcia was tired and battered in the fifth and couldn't rely on his subtle defense any longer. His left hand dropped low and he was unable to avoid the overhand rights that came crashing down on his face. Seldin landed another one and then another. Garcia wobbled around the ring like a drunk zombie. Devastating overhand rights continued to come.

Referee Tony Chiarantano is developing a reputation for letting fights last too long and this one was no different. Garcia had been unable to defend himself even before a few more overhand rights connected. The fight was mercifully stopped when Chiarantano finally stepped in and waved things off.

Seldin's showed improvement by finding another weapon- in this case the left hook in the fourth round- when the overhand right stopped landing against his toughest opponent to date. He was more patient and jabbed more than in the past. But the end proved that Seldin's best asset is still the overhand right.

Seldin moves to 16-0 with 13 KOs and his stock continues to soar. Garcia falls to 19-3-1 with 11 KOs after a game effort.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Seldin-Garcia Preview

Junior welterweight Cletus Seldin is scheduled to face Johnny Garcia tomorrow night at the Paramount Theater in Seldin's hometown of Huntington, New York. The fight will be the main event on ESPN 2's Friday Night Fights.

Seldin (15-0, 12 KOs) is an aggressive fighter who looks to floor his opponent with overhand rights. He has spent his career honing his ability to set up the devastating punch. His defense is gradually improving, but he's most reckless- and thus vulnerable- early in fights.

Garcia (19-2-1), who is the toughest opponent of Seldin's career, will need to take control of the fight from the outset to have success tomorrow night. Seldin won't allow him time for a feel out round. Against Angelo Santana, Garcia started off trading effectively with the hard-punching southpaw in their 2012 fight, but once Santana hurt him, Garcia's punches lost all technique. Garcia was stopped in the fifth round.

Garcia made a name for himself when he upset undefeated hot prospect Yordenis Ugas in 2012. Ugas was 11-0 at the time. Garcia had also defeated another young undefeated fighter, William Jackson, in 2011. But he hasn't had the same success since the Santana loss. Garcia is 0-1-1 in his last two fights. Garcia lost to John Williams last June. Williams was coming off of a loss to Ugas; Williams had also lost to a 7-31-2 fighter.

In his last fight, Garcia came away with a majority draw against an unheralded Nicaraguan, Moises Solis, in Garcia's hometown of Holland, Michigan. One judge had Garcia losing. All three judges were from Michigan and often oversee fights in Holland. Seldin is coming off of the best win of his career, a ninth round stoppage over veteran Bayan Jargal.

Seldin weighed in at 139.4 pounds, which is very close to the lightest of his career. Garcia weighed in at 139.3, which is the lightest he's been since the Santana fight. The bout is scheduled for ten rounds.