RINGSIDE SEAT: Bundrage, Lara and Russell victorious in recent bouts

Cornelius “K9” Bundrage (31-4, 18 KOs) successfully defended his IBF light middleweight title June 30 in Indio, Calif., with a seventh-round TKO victory over former champion Cory Spinks (39-6, 11 KOs).  

Bundrage was able to knock Spinks down late in the first with an overhand right to the ear that had Spinks half in and half out of the ring. But, the champion from Detroit was unable to put his challenger away and saw his lead diminish over the next five rounds of the contest with Spinks ahead on two cards 57-56, and Bundrage leading on the third, 57-56, at the time of the stoppage.

In the seventh, after a severe tongue lashing from his Hall of Fame trainer, Emmanuel Steward, between rounds, the champ settled back into form and dropped Spinks three times, all with his powerful right hand.  

The victory over Spinks may bring another positive result for Bundrage as he is being considered for a bout against current WBC light middleweight champ, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, a fight that is currently scheduled for Sept. 15 in Las Vegas, but still has Alvarez without an opponent.  

In undercard action, another light middleweight with championship aspirations, Eristandy Lara, ran his record to 17-1-1 with 11 knockouts with a unanimous decision victory over Freddie Hernandez (30-2, 20 KOs).  

Lara kept Hernandez — who was coming up in weight from welterweight — at bay for most of the night with sweeping right hooks and piston-like straight left hands.   

Although neither fighter was ever in danger of being hurt, Lara was penalized one point in the seventh for low blows. The Cuban who defected to the U.S. in 2007, controlled the contest from the opening bell and won on cards of 99-90, 98-91 and 95-94.  

Featherweight sensation Gary Russell Jr. (20-0, 11 KOs) continued his hot streak, knocking out Christopher Perez (23-2, 14 KOs) in the third round in their scheduled 10-round contest.  

Russell, a southpaw from the Washington, D.C., area, showed why he is considered the future in the lighter weight classes, displayed the speed and power he possesses in both hands, scoring four knockdowns in just three rounds of work.  

After a dominating first round, Russell got down to business in the second, firing a lightning-quick right-hook, left-hand, right-hook combination that stunned and then floored Perez late in the round.  

Perez got to his feet and survived the remainder of the second, but early in the third he found himself looking up at Russell again from the seat of his pants, as the Maryland native popped his opponent with a blazing straight left hand that knocked Perez halfway through the ropes.  

It was just a matter of time from there as Russell used his blinding speed to further disorient, and then floor Perez two more times with combination punches that were too much for Perez to defend against. Time of the knockout was 1:41 in the third round. 

Upcoming Local Fight Schedule

July 14 - Absolute MMA – Drawbridge Inn, Ft. Mitchell

July 21 – Evolution Fight League – Derby Park Expo 5, Louisville

July 21 – HBO World Championship Boxing – US Bank Arena, Cincinnati

Aug. 11 – Future Promotions Boxing – Derby Park Expo 5, Louisville

Brian Grammer is the owner and editor of Fight Night Press Pass (www.fightnightpresspass.com) and a Bardstown resident. E-mail him at editor@fightnightpresspass.com.