Childhood buddies trade blows, not Valentines, at Roughhouse BoxingIt was Friday the 13th at Roughhouse Boxing at Marlintini's Lounge, and freaky things were happening.
Wayne "Koosh-da-ka" Fu, 58, with a string of recent losses, came up with a big win over 18-year-old Tyler Papasadora in the only MMA bout of the night. Papasadora tapped out after Fu got him in a mixed-martial-arts lock known as "the guillotine" when their feet fighting went to the mat.
"This was a dream come true for me," Fu said in a post fight interview. "I've been doing marital arts all my life, and they thought I was too old to fight and wouldn't let me. Then this kid came out Thai boxing, and I had more experience and won by guillotine.
"Hopefully I'll give hope to the old people," he said with a wink. Fu added that he was going to train Papasadora to fight MMA in Ketchikan.
Undefeated Bailey Johnson, 22, of Angoon, remained perfect with is win over undefeated Brian Lauth, 18, in a close bout that went the distance. Johnson was the crowd favorite, issuing Lauth a standing-eight-count in round one after delivering a huge right haymaker to his head. Lauth and Johnson stayed close through the final two rounds, but Johnson racked up more points to earn the win.
Cameron Mitchell, 22, (2-0) defeated the 2008 Southeast Showdown Champion Aaron "Red Baron" Tucker (9-2) in a tough fight pairing fast footwork and quick punches. The first two rounds were very even with Tucker easily weaving and dodging most of Mitchell's punches. But Mitchell tagged Tucker with a hard shot in round one and a hard combo in round two to out-score the champ. Tucker poured it on in the third, but Mitchell kept finding an opening to grab the close win.
Ketchikan's Shaun Guthrie, 27, grabbed his first win when he defeated first-time fighter Leon Paul, 21, of Juneau in a tough bout Guthrie dominated from the start. Guthrie tagged Paul hard, but he hung tough through round one. In round two, Guthrie came alive delivering combinations that stunned Paul. Then Guthrie finished him off with three left haymaker uppercuts that dropped Paul to the mat and earned Guthrie a TKO. Guthrie will take on "Barcode" next month in MMA.
In one of three bouts featuring fighting friends, Metlakata's heavyweight rookie Michael Henderson, 28, weighing in at 255 pounds, defeated Hoonah's 215-pound Eric Larsen, who had two wins and one loss at the bell. Pumped up on adrenaline like most first-time-fighters, Henderson came out swinging and landed a solid shot right away to issue a Larsen a standing-eight-count.
"I was surprised it was that easy," said Henderson, who is finishing up his accounting degree at the University of Alaska Southeast and is fighting to stay in shape for next month's Gold Medal Tournament. "(My strategy going in was) to throw the jab and wait for my opponent to present the right hand."
Larsen said after he got knocked down, everything was a little dizzy.
"I've never been hit so hard," he said.
Both 19-year-olds from Hoonah, first-time-fighter Mitchel Zarazua defeated Casey "Little Big Man" Yakovich (2-2) in another bout pairing childhood friends.
"Casey is a pitbull, and my hat's are off to him," Zarazua said of his opponent. "I hit him hard, and he didn't fall."
Zarazua ran to Yakovich at the bell and didn't stop throwing punches until Yakovich was delivered a standing-eight-count. Yakovich took some shots in round two then retired in round three with an injured shoulder.
Zarazua said he was extra motivated, because he needed the prize money to pay back $70 to his mom for the ferry over and $50 from a friend for Juneau spending money. It might also have been his reach over the shorter Yakovich that earned him the win. He is now heading to Palmer for heavy equipment operating training with Larsen.
Another childhood friendship met in the ring when Michelle "The Waitress" Macasaet, 23, defeated Alexa Elisoff, 24, in a bout featuring boxers gassing out half way through round one. Macasaet went on the attack in the middle of round two, but both boxers tired again, circling each without throwing punches.
"It was kind of hard to fight her, because she was my friend," said Macasaet, who ultimately grabbed the win by being more aggressive.
Brad "Porad" Soneson, 17, defeated Vicante Mendoza, 28, of Mexico, in a bout that had Mendoza against the ropes with Soneson pummeling him early in round one. Mendoza came back strong in round two against Soneson who was sucking air, but by round three, both boxers were gassed out.
James "The Beast" Roberts Jr., of Klawock, defeated David Young, of Wasilla, after delivering multiple shots to Young's head. The boxer retired in round two after his second standing-eight count.
The next fights will be March 13 at Marlintini's Lounge.
