Nolan Outboxes Savarese, Takes 12 Round Decision
By Stephen Tobey (May 8, 2004)
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MASHANTUCKET, Conn. – Leo Nolan remained undefeated with a 12-round unanimous decision over Lou Savarese Friday at Foxwoods Resort Casino.
Clark Sammartino and Steve Weisfeld scored it 116-112. Robert Paolino scored it 115-113. Nolan is now 22-0, with eight knockouts. Savarese dropped to 43-6 with 35 KO s.
Nolan used superior hand speed to out-land Savarese, keeping the jab in his face for most the fight. In the 10th, Nolan landed a hard right uppercut, snapping Savarese's head back.
"[The key was] boxing, boxing, boxing," said Nolan. "My jab was awesome. My jab was the key. Lou likes to come right at you and we had a game plan to deal with that."
Savarese said he suffered a torn bicep muscle in left arm, which he said he sustained in the fourth round.
"It just popped," said Savarese, who had his left arm wrapped with an ice pack after the fight. "After that I couldn't get my rhythm going. I was a one-handed fighter. I had a little tennis elbow before the fight and it was a little tight the first few rounds."
Savarese landed his best shot in the in the seventh round when he staggered Nolan briefly with an overhand right.
"I was caught several times, but my conditioning kept me in the fight," said Nolan. "I was prepared to go 12 rounds."
Nolan trained for the fight in Vero Beach, Fla. sparring with Michael Grant, among others.
"I knew if I could stay with Grant, I could stay with Savarese," he said.
The 31-year-old Nolan won the vacant International Boxing Association Continental Americas title with the victory.
"For where I want to go, this was a small step," said Nolan. "But I had to cross it. I've never fought anyone who was ranked as high as Savarese before."
The 38-year-old Savarese is uncertain about his next move.
"I've had a great career," he said. "I'm just getting older. I'm just going to take some time off and relax."
Welterweight Paul Williams remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Hernandez. Sammartino, Weisfeld and John Lawson scored it 100-90 for Williams, who improved to 23-0 with 18 knockouts.
Williams, a tall southpaw, kept Hernandez on the outside for most of the fight, peppering him with hard right hooks and uppercuts. The durable Hernandez was able to get inside on occasion, landing some straight right hands that got Williams' attention, but Williams remained in control for the entire bout.
Hernandez was fighting for the first time outside of his native Ecuador. He was bleeding from the nose from the fifth round on. He dropped to 17-1 with 11 KOs.
Welterweight Allan Conyers of Queens, NY stopped Waklimi Young of Scranton, Pa in the third round of a scheduled six. Conyers climbed to 7-0 (5 KOs); Young dropped to 3-13-1.
In a four-round lightweight bout, Elio Rojas of Queens out-pointed Luis Lopez of North Bergen, NJ. All three judges scored it 40-36. Rojas is now 2-0; Lopez is 1-5.
Elvin Ayala of New Haven, Conn. Scored a six-round unanimous decision over Aundalen Sloan of Milwaukee in a middleweight bout. All three judges scored it 59-55. Ayala is now 5-0; Sloan is 4-8-1.
Super middleweight Richard Grant won a six-round majority decision over Philadelphia's Jake Rodriguez. The scores were 58-56 (twice) and 57-57. Grant is now 16-10, while Rodriguez is 5-6.
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