Knockouts Rule Don King’s Boxing Extravaganza Peace and Freedom for Ukraine Trumpet
By Kenneth Miller, Don King Productions
MIAMI, FL—Three national anthems, six championships fights, 200 school children, NFL Hall of
Famer Lawrence Taylor, pleas for Ukraine and electric knockouts were the theatre for iconic
promoter Don King at his suspense and drama-filled ‘Fight for Freedom and Peace’ boxing
showcase’ at Casino Miami on Saturday, June 11th.
It’s customary for anthems to be played for the countries that fighters represent in a main
event, but never in the history of the sport has an ally nation been saluted as King did with
Ukraine.
Weaving in a plight as grave as the threat of World War III into a heavyweight world
championship can only be done by the brilliance and courage of a man who recognized his
platform with two relatively unknown pugilist wasn’t as significant as the war in Ukraine
that threatens civility in Eastern Europe and the rest of the world.
British fighter Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois (18-1, 17 KOs) pummeled an out-of-shape and lethargic
American Trevor ‘The Dream’ Bryan (22-1, 15 KOs) who was aptly put asleep in a fourth round
knockout when the Brit detonated the dynamite by whacking Bryan with a devastating left
hook, snatching his WBA crown after just two defenses.
Bryan did all of the boasting during the promotion and even attempted to humiliate his
powerful challenger by tossing tampons at Dubois feet during the weigh-in the day before, but
in the conclusion, Bryan was the one who suffered utter embarrassment, shame, and disgust
right in front of his Hall of Fame promoter.
Humbled by his defeat Bryan spoke of career redemption after digesting his first defeat.
“I haven’t tasted defeat since the amateurs and that was almost 15 years ago. True champions
get up and finish the fight get up and keep going, that’s what really makes a true champion. All
the best had a lost on their record and came back to do even better things. This is not the last
you are going to see of Trevor Bryan. I’m looking to dissect what I did tonight, but I can say that
I am really disappointed because I didn’t do half the stuff I know how to do best,” the dejected
former champion said. “Dubois is a big heavyweight, so I can say that he did bring the pressure
and did what he was supposed to do tonight. I give a shoutout to Dubois because he’s the
champion now.”
Bryan’s veteran trainer Stacy McKinley, who has worked with former champions Tony ‘TNT’
Tucker and Mike Tyson didn’t mice his description about his dethroned combatant.
“What happened tonight is we lost. Trevor didn’t come out fighting, he didn’t come out and stick
to the fight plan. The other guy came out fighting and you just can’t stand there and let the
other guy punch him, you gotta throw something back.”
Bryan now holds the infamous distinction of becoming the second King champion to lose his
championship in his second title defense joining Bermaine Stiverne who since losing the WBC
belt has won just once in his last four fights including suffering three consecutive knockouts.
Whether Bryan meets a similar fate remains to be seen, but his precipitous fall from grace at 32
years of age will only make his climb that much steeper.
In the co-feature attraction, streamed on Donking.com, the man who nearly took Bryans title
six months ago in January, Louisiana’s Jonathan ‘King’ Guidry (18-1,2, 5 KOs) demonstrated the
heart if a lion in capturing the NABA Gold Heavyweight Championship in a gritty and gutty
performance against previously undefeated DaCarree ‘Mac Truck’ Scott (7-1,6 KOs) scoring a
devasting knockout.
“I wore him down, Mac Truck ran out of gas. The fuel prices are high right now,” an ecstatic
Guidry declared while celebrating his victory in the ring, leaping on the ropes and inhaling the
applause of the hundreds of fans that made the trek from Dulac, Louisiana.
Dulac is a small town in Terrebonne Parish of Louisiana with a population of just 2,458, known
for fishing and Guidry works on a shrimp boat, but he caught his biggest prize in winning a title.
Promoted by King he figures to be in the mix for another and perhaps more significant strap
down the road.
Other fighters who enjoyed stellar performances was Newburgh, New York NABA welterweight
champion Tre’Sean ‘Trigger’ Wiggins (14-5-3, 8 KOs) who scored a scintillating first round TKO
of Fort Lauderdale, Florida native Travis Castellon (17-5-1, 12 KOs).
Wiggins stole the show on King’s Warren, Ohio card in January and again displayed the moxie of
an unheralded rising prospect to retain his NABA Welterweight title.
“I stand behind what I say, I said I was going to steal the show and my focus is at an all-time
high and I’m going to continue to steal the show until I am the headliner. Now, I got a good
team behind me, I got Don King behind me and the sky is the limit,” said Wiggins.
Tony Gonzales managed Luis Rodriguez (9-0) of Toa, Alta, Puerto Rico, a rising star was a
crushing KO winner over St. Louis, MO opponent Ryan Adams (8-5, 6 KOs) and newly King
signee Cuban born super lightweight Raynel Mederos (6-0, 1 KO) of Miami blasted Ryan Wilson
(1-1, 1 KO) in the first round.
Ian Green (16-2, 11 KOs) of Haledon, New Jersey scored a unanimous decision win over Niagara
Falls, NY Anthony Lenk (17-9, 7 KOs) to earn the WBA Continental Americas Middleweight
Championship; and in a fight of the night contest to Floridians Johnnie Langston (11-3, 4 KOs)
of Sarasota outlasted Isiah Thompson (6-2-1, 5 KOs) to retain the NABA Cruiserweight
championship.
For more than 50 years, King has continued to add to his legacy as being more than a boxing
promoter, but moreover an ‘Indefatigable Advocate for Peace and Women’s Rights’ and with
‘Fight for Freedom and Peace’ for Ukraine, a quest to save all of humanity for the world.
