Miami, FL – Don King Productions’ “People’s Championship” event delivered a night of fights at the Casino Miami Jai Alai Saturday night.
The evening’s main event featured WBA middleweight Continental USA champion Ian Green (18-2, 12 KOs) successfully defending his title against St. Louis, MO’s challenger Vaughn Alexander (18-8, 11 KOs).
Establishing his jab early, the measured Green landed a devasting body shot that floored Alexander for a ten count in the eighth round.
Green on the significance of this bout: “I want to dedicate this fight to my late mother. Tomorrow is her birthday and there was a lot of pressure on me going into this fight. I want to say happy birthday mom and I hope you’re proud of me. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and raising me to the man I am today. If you’re ever going through something, keep pushing. If you’re ever depressed and don’t know what you want to do, keep pushing. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I ain’t where I want to be, but I’m not where I started, and that’s all that matters.”
Green on his victory: “Like I said before I’m a dog. He caught me with a good shot, so I had to show him and switch it up. I worked on that body shot every day in the gym, and I made it happen today.”
Green on what’s next: “I told Don, whoever he puts in front of me, I’ll beat them. I want champions, I want the best.”
The co-main event saw reigning WBA NABA welterweight champion Tre’sean Wiggins (16-5-3, 9 KOs) score an emphatic first round TKO over Cincinnati, OH’s Chris Howard (18-3-1, 8 KOs).
Stunning Howard within the first ten seconds of the first round, Wiggins quickly found his pace. Wiggins entered this bout on the strength of four straight victories.
Harrisburg, PA’s Antonio Perez (9-0, 5 KOs) and Las Vegas, NV’s Haskell Rhodes (29-6-1, 14 KOs) clashed for the WBC Vacant International lightweight title in a back-and-forth brawl. Though a competitive bout, Perez’s speed proved to be too overwhelming for the lightweight veteran. Scoring two knockdowns in the tenth round, the newly crowned Perez was victorious via unanimous decision.
Lastly, Colombia’s Alex Castro (14-1, 11 KOs) outclassed Harry K. Cruz (14-4, 11 KOs) for ten rounds, defending his WBA NABA middleweight title in the process.