'The Beast' was unleashed at Roughhouse Friday

Klawock's Roberts, weighing in at 300 pounds, wins second career fight against Feleti 'The Islander' Maka to stay perfect

By Courtney Nelson | For the JUNEAU EMPIRE

Eight tough bouts were fought at Marlintini's Lounge at Roughhouse Friday, with plenty of upsets and knock outs. Feleti "The Islander" Maka called in his Samoan dancers before his bout but it wasn't enough to stop James "The Beast" Roberts Jr. of Klawock in one of the best fights of the night. Roberts, weighing in at 300 pounds, won his second career fight to keep his record undefeated by following direction from his corner man.

"He told me to get Maka in a corner and tire him out so that's what I did" said the soft spoken boxer as his grandmother put a jacket around him so he wouldn't get a chill. Roberts, who seemed unphased by the hard shots Maka delivered, got his nickname "the Beast" from pinning the most guys in high school wrestling. When asked about his current training Roberts said, "I punched a punching bag but I ripped it open so I couldn't use it anymore."

Even though the Beast got the best of Alaska Airlines employee Maka, his three male relatives doing a traditional Samoa Haka dance to bring him in were a hit with the crowd.

Anthony Manacio, 26, defeated the 2007 lightweight division Southeast Showdown champion, and formerly undefeated Aaron "Red Baron" Tucker, 19, in an exciting bout that left Tucker shaking his head in disbelief. The fight was even after the first two rounds with Manacio, a former amateur boxer, pumped up and swinging his Popeye arms at the quick Tucker landing a hard right. Tucker tagged Manacio hard in round three and he answered with a left hook that dazed Tucker and ultimately earned Manacio the win.

The main event featured a rematch with a surprising win by 50-year-old Taku Fisheries employee Nestor Manuel Pinango against the much younger 20-year-old Norman "Thunderpunch" Flood III. Pinango had several falls and three standing-eight-counts by the middle of round two when the dominant Flood unexpectedly offered his chin to Pinango. Pinango accepted the invitation delivering about 20 hard shots directly to Flood's face to end the fight.

Al "Mean Machine" Valentine, 48, defeated "Crown" Royal Hudson, 18, via TKO 48 seconds into round three in another exciting bout. Valentine talked about his strategy before the fight saying he was going to try and take the control away from Hudson early. "He's going to come straight at me like he did last time and I'm just going to trade punches with him right off the bat and try and slow him down because he's real strong and I don't want him to accidentally feel like he's in control," he said. "I'm going to look for an opening and make him go backwards; whoever makes the other go backwards is probably going to win," said the experienced boxer. Valentine knocked Hudson down in the first round with a right upper cut and knocked him down again with a roundhouse left near the end of the third round. Hudson popped back up both times but retired after the second knock down.

Brian Lauth, 18, defeated the U.S. Air Force's Ryan "Team Swagger" Carrillo, 23, in a close bout pairing height against might. The tall Lauth had a considerable reach on the adrenaline-filled Carillo who was shorter and quick. Carillo's corner yelled "hit that body baby, hit that body" as Carillo attacked Lauth's middle with powerful punches in between quick upper cuts to the jaw. Carillo took round two with his quickness and landed head blows so it was anybody's fight going into the third round. Lauth and Carrillo traded blows but Lauth won by close decision and the audience booed their disapproval.

First-time-fighter Fred Grant Jr., 26, of Metlakatla jumped into boxing with both feet by fighting twice in one night, defeating fellow first-time-fighter Will "Diddy" Kinser of Arizona and then losing his bout to 22-year-old Cameron Mitchell. In the first bout Grant dominated from the bell getting Kinser in a corner and pummeling him until Kinser was delivered a standing-eight count. Kinser came back strong landing some head blows and dodging most punches. Round two Kinser found an opening and tagged Grant with a right hook that dazed him. Round three both boxers tired then Grant landed a huge right delivering a second standing-eight count to Kinser to earn the win.

Grant went on to fight the fast Cameron Mitchell who got the win by delivering multiple upward jabs with his weight forward. He sealed the win when he got Grant against the ropes after tagging him with repeated headshots in round three.

Archie Hunt defeated first-time-fighter James "Old #7" Lewis who had only sparred with his dad in the yard before. "It was a really different experience, being in the spotlight," said Lewis who wants to fight again.

The next roughhouse boxing will be On Dec. 12.