Fantasy Springs June 2024

Kalkreuth and Fulghum Win at Fantasy Springs Casino

(photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy)

By Raymundo Dioses 

Darius Fulghum dominated replacement veteran Vaughn Alexander throughout 10 light heavyweight rounds to win by unanimous decision in front of a lively crowd inside of the events center at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.  The event was publicized as Golden Boy Promotions ‘Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN’ series. 

In the outset Alexander (18-12-1) pressed forward while Houston native Fulghum (12-0, 10 KOs) looked for timing and distance.  A body shot landed midway through round one and the Texan continued a body attack that put Alexader into a shell stance.  A full minute went by with Alexender not attempting a punch and the round ended with Fulghum connecting with a right hand.  Fulghum was originally set to square up against Ronald Ellis.   

Both fighters went to the body to start round two and Alexander narrowly missed an overhand right that could have light up Fulghum.  Alexander fought off the ropes as Fulghum wisely stayed outside and worked, keeping his hands active and landing two straight unanswered right hands.     

Fulghum kept his hands busy in round four as Alexander mostly circled and worked his way inside without throwing punches.  Fulghum hit yet didn’t hurt Alexander as he threw from the inside and outside in what became a slower paced match.  The overhand right finally came from Alexander at the closing seconds of round three which caught Fulghum by surprise.   

A more confident Alexander came out for round five, yet Fulghum continued to land with jabs and right hands to the head and body.  The pair traded in the middle of the ring and backed each other up with their shoulders without letting their hands go.  The crowd became restless and let the fighters hear it as the match continued into the sixth.   

Alexander cited a rabbit punch to begin the seventh which referee Rudy Barragan waved off to let the action continue.  Fulghum stalked as Alexander was content to bob and weave without hitting Fulghum.  Fulghum landed a solid uppercut yet Alexander kept pressing forward, which led to a nice inside right hand landing in what was the fighters best punch of the night.  Fulghum landed at will yet Alexander proved sturdy.    

Three left hands landed in round eight for Fulghum as he continued to rout Alexander.  A fight broke out in the crowd which momentarily got the entire crowds attention from the fight inside the ring.  Fulghum used an overhand right of his own on Alexander and continued to press the action, fighting well on both the outside and inside.  The shell stance proved effective defensively for Alexander, yet the St. Louis fighter threw very little punches per round.   

Fulghum proved most effective throwing from the outside while Alexander failed to find any effective offense.  A fair amount of trading occurred towards the end of the fight, yet Alexander continued to fight out of a shell stance as Fulghum parried away.  Alexander let his hands go with thirty seconds left in round nine, even throwing three straight lefts to Fulghum’s abdomen.  Fulghum proved undeterred and resumed his effective offense.   

In the tenth frame Fulghum looked for offense from different angles, looking to land hooks yet eventually went back to fighting from a distance while Alexander pressed without throwing his hands.  There was little to no action as the final bell rang.     

Two judges went with Fulghum at 98-92 and the third judge had Fulghum at 99-91. 

Fulghum kicked off 2024 with fights in Phoenix Arizona, (MD over Atlantez Fox) and a feature bout on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney fight at the Madison Square Garden in New York.   

With a ‘have fists will travel’ architype record, since beginning his career in 2021 Fulghum has thrown leather in Mexico (TKO debut in La Paz, Mexico), Texas, Detroit, California, Nevada, Arizona and New York in succession. 

LAS VEGAS CRUISERWEIGHT KALKREUTH DECISIONS DETROIT’S HALLOWAY 

Tristan Kalkreuth and Anthony Holloway created a great co-feature attraction with plenty of fan-delight punches were landed throughout an entertaining ten round contest.  The originally scheduled Eric Priest- Janer Gonzalez super middleweight co-feature was dropped following a failed medical examination.   

The cruiserweights used their measuring sticks early on, with Hollaway throwing lead left hands to open the first effective offense. After an even round one, Kalkrueth circled left away from Halloway’s right hand and punched to the head and body.  

Kalkrueth, (14-1, 10KO) from Las Vegas, Nevada, loaded up on right hands and showed ring generalship as he began to look more comfortable as the fight wore on.  Clinches dulled the action midway through the bout until Halloway let his hands go with a few ticks left in round two.  A clinch warning came from referee Jerry Cantu, then Halloway again stepped outside and let his leather fly.  A solid right hand came from Kalkrueth at the end of the frame; a few more ticks and Halloway would have touched the canvas.   

Holloway started off round four well yet ate some combinations from Kalkrueth.  The effect had Holloways corner talking to the fighter up until the sixty second break came which drew the attention of referee Cantu.  Halloway moved from corner post to corner post as Kalkrueth stalked, yet Halloway caught Kalkrueth walking in which lead to a solid right hand.   

A combination thrown by Kalkrueth followed by a clinch and referee break halfway through round five provided the most action until Holloway, (7-6-3, 6KO) through an uppercut followed by a clinch and break.  It was a throw, clinch and break type of match.    

Some solid work came from all angles from Kalkrueth as hooks, body shots and uppercuts landed on a slowly fading Holloway.  Holloway was again at a corner post eating punches as round seven ended.  An uneventful breather-type eighth round was followed by Holloway stringing some offense together in the ninth.  The fight would heat up as round nine came to an end, with even termed offense being scored. 

Mic man Joe Martinez announced ‘the tenth and final round’ as the boxers got to work for the last three minutes of the fight.  Halloway bobbed with confidence as Kalkrueth looked for his opening.  A few big shots were thrown yet only hit air, followed up with a Holloway combination.  As the ten second clicker clicked both fighters got in head shots.  The end result was 99-91 all cards for Kalkrueth.  

Detroit native Holloway is trained by top rated fighter Terence Crawford trainer Brian ‘Bomack’ McIntyre.  Holloway proved to be Detroit-made indeed.      

UNDERCARD  

COACHELLA SUPER WELTERWEIGHT FLORES WORKS GONZALEZ  

Joel Diaz trained fighter Grant Flores (5-0, 4 KOs) put in a workmanlike effort against opponent Josias Gonzalez (2-3-1), notching a third-round stoppage in a super welterweight contest.  

Flores fought out of a strong stance to start the fight and landed a few shots one at a time, then countering as Gonzalez would step forward.  After a tie up Gonzalez landed a series of body shots with Flores stepping back and letting his hands go in response.   

A huge right hand landed for Flores to start off matters in the second and the Coachella native stayed patient for his next opening, which came sometime later via right hook.  Gonzalez was unfazed yet the points piled up.  A fair exchange ensued towards the end of two of a scheduled six rounds.   

Gonzalez walked into a nice right hook thrown from Flores in the third as Flores then began loading up and pressuring Gonzalez into a corner.  A combination dropped Gonzalex in the blue corner and after the fighter didn’t make an attempt to get up, the referee Krysti Rosario called off the match at 2:43 of round three.   

“BAZOOKA” SANCHEZ FELLS LAUSA IN FOUR   

The DAZN live telecast began as lightweights Leonardo Sanchez and Jenel Lausa gloved up in separate corners.  The duo wasted no time or square footage as the boxers met in the middle of the ring and began trading.  Both chose body attacks with Sanchez more effective and once the punches began upstairs the action slowed.  A left hook landed on multiple occasions from Lausa who ended round one well. 

Sanchez, (7-0, 6KO) played aggressor in round two with a strong display of head-to-body shots.  Clinches continued to slow down exchanges as neither fighter gave ground.  Lausa (11-41) used the final seconds of round two to land the night’s best landed punch in what could have been an even 1-1 in round scores to that point.  

A flurry of shots dropped Lausa in the third with the Philippine getting up and throwing a haymaker that halted the attack from Sanchez. Lausa decided to take a knee while holding onto the ropes for a breather, then ate a few body shots upon his return upright.   

Lausa came out willing for round four yet started to back up as Sanchez’s leather began to take effect.  Lausa was dropped again from two unanswered left hands and referee Rudy Barragan wasted no time in calling off the fight at 1:08.  

COACHELLA CAYDEN  

Coachella native super lightweight Cayden Griffiths walked through the ropes for the first time as a professional against Mexicali, Mexico’s Juan Romero.   

Griffiths landed a straight left hand in the early ticks of the first round and some entertaining exchanges ensued before a body shot felled Romero.  A stiff lead left hand snapped back Romero once he got up to beat the count and Griffiths threw shots until the bell rang in what was as productive as a pro debut first round that you’ll see in the sport.  

An exchange in the second dropped Romero for the second time in the match and referee Kristi Rosario waived off the fight at 43 seconds into round two with Romero (0-2) on one knee. 

Griffiths, (1-0, 1KO) is trained by Indio’s Julio Diaz.     

SANCHEZ THE SOUTHPAW FROM SOUTH OF THE BORDER 

Opening punches of the night were thrown by featherweights Brandon Sanchez and Mj Bo.  Sanchez established a jab from the outset which effectively set up straight left hands that softened up Bo midway through the first frame.  The Tijuana, Mexico prospect continued the success with 1-2 combinations with the Philippine not throwing much in return. 

Bo attempted more movement in round two, yet Sanchez continued to tee off and gain confidence.  Every shot Bo threw was countered and then some.  Bo proved game yet lacked in offense what he had in fighting spirit.  Sanchez continued his onslaught with combinations punches and scored and knockdown in round four.  Bo faired well post knockdown yet failed to get his head out of Sanchez’s firing range.   

Another knockdown ensued in the fifth with Bo beating the count and fighting through bruised eyes until the referee called matters off at 2:10. Sanchez’s ledger moved to 9-0 (8KO) with Bo sliding to 9-8-2 (5KO). 

Commentators for the night included Beto Duran and Gabriel Rosado. 

Fighters in attendance included John ‘Scrappy’ Ramirez, Alexis Rocha and Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya.