Story last updated at 5/12/2008 - 9:43 am
Valentine reigns supreme
Al "Mean Machine" Valentine, 48, took the heavyweight title belt in the Roughhouse boxing Southeast Showdown at Marlintini's Lounge on Friday after defeating 17-year-old "Crown" Royal Hudson.
Valentine, who used to spar in Washington, defeated Hudson despite a 31-year age difference.
"That is the toughest 17-year-old I've ever met," Valentine said. "I was going to take it easy on him until he hit me, then I realized that he is really strong."
Hudson surprised Valentine early with his power-packed punches. The veteran, however, let Hudson punch himself out. Valentine countered by bloodying Hudson's nose, but "Crown" Royal refused to let up.
Valentine earned the decision and agreed to start training young Hudson.
Valentine reached the finals after beating Darrin Wigg, 30, earlier in the night.
Wigg retired after the first round after getting knocked down by the Roughhouse veteran.
Hudson reached the finals despite losing to undefeated Josh "The Tongan Warrior" Lehauli in the semifinals.
After defeating the fearless Hudson earlier in the evening, Lehauli said he was too exhausted to continue.
In the semifinal, Lehauli went after his opponent with his signature uppercut, but Hudson kept asking for more. Hudson tagged Lehauli with a huge right to the head that stunned the undefeated fighter. As both tired boxers circled each other at the end of round three, Lehauli said he would have jabbed him again but "I couldn't lift my right arm at all."
Lehauli said he was so tired, "if Hudson even tapped me I would have gone down."
In the lightweight division, 18-year-old Aaron "Red Baron" Tucker improved to 7-0 after stopping 27-year-old soldier Andrew "Smash" Swanston, in the finals in a thriller.
Tucker never seemed to tire despite absorbing some hard blows from Swanston. Tucker sealed the win by forcing referee Joe Isturis to give Swanston a standing-eight count in the first round.
In the semifinals, Tucker used a big first round to beat 18-year-old Casey "Little Big Man" Yakovich. Isturis issued Yakovich two standing-eight counts in the first round. Tucker credited his reach advantage for the win.
In the other semifinals, Swanston stopped Ryan Williams, 19. The two fighters exchanged knockdowns in the first round. Swanston earned the win, however, when Williams retired after round two.
Nick "The Nightmare" Morgan, 23, won the inaugural middleweight mixed martial arts title when he beat 18-year-old Charlie "Go Getta" Gallant of Hoonah via a choke hold in the first round.
Morgan, making his MMA debut, took a hard shot to the eye before getting Gallant in a choke hold. Gallant submitted, but Morgan, hyped up and out of control, ignored the tap out and continued to apply the hold. Referee Bob Haag had to pull him off the injured Gallant, who appeared to be losing consciousness and unable to breathe.
Gallant advanced to the finals after beating first-time fighter Shawn Guthrie via decision.
Gallant attacked his opponent from the opening bell, forcing Haag to issue the 27-year-old Ketchikan resident a standing eight count.
The knockdown proved huge as Guthrie recovered to stay even with Gallant the rest of the way.
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