Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By DOUG PAPE dpape@leader.net
Monday, February 07, 2000 Page: 1B
SCRANTON – Robert Koon entered the boxing ring and sheepishly grinned at
the Scranton Cultural Center crowd as a chorus of boos rained down on him.
Turned out, Koon’s smile was an eerie symbol of the doom that lurked ahead
for hometown hero Chris Mills.
Mills dominated the first four rounds of the fight, until Koon landed a
few power shots that eventually led to a fifth-round technical knockout on
Sunday in front of approximately 3,000 fight fans.
“I’m no stranger to going into someone’s backyard,” Koon said. “Their
boos were cheers to me.”
In the other featured bout, Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, daughter of former
heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, scored a technical knockout in her
professional debut over Teela Reese at 1:23 of the first round of their
cruiserweight fight.
Koon (21-8-1) earned the International Boxing Council Intercontinental and
World Boxing Association North American championships. Mills suffered the
first loss of his career after 18 victories.
“I believe I got all the fans’ respect,” Koon added. “I knew they were
rooting for Chris and I hope Chris does well here in Scranton. I wanted to win
these titles, that was the most important thing.”
Mills and Koon contrasted as much as any two fighters could. Mills entered
the ring a chiseled 173 pounds with a focused look of determination on his
face. Koon, who took the fight on five days’ notice, appeared over-confident
and out of shape at 175.
In the first round, Mills bloodied Koon’s nose with stiff left jabs and
added heavy hooks to the body. He controlled the first four rounds as Koon’s
body turned into a red-welted collage.
Mills said he was prepared to go the 12-round distance using his jab and
selectively working the body.
“The plan was working great,” Mills said. “I was in no hurry to take
him.”
Mills appeared to hurt Koon in the fourth as he punched him into the ropes
as the bell ended the round.
Late in the fifth, Koon landed a combination of power punches to Mills’
head, one of which landed behind the ear. Mills slumped into the ropes and was
given a standing eight count.
“A kind of punch like that you’re just not used to taking,” Mills said.
“He hit me on the chin with one and it was absolutely nothing. Next thing you
know he hit me in the back of the head and I couldn’t get my legs underneath
me.”
Koon continued his attack, sending Mills to the canvas two times before the
referee stopped the fight with seven seconds left MD112in the round. It was
only the seventh knockout of Koon’s career.
“I should have just hung on, but I let my guts get the best of me,” Mills
said. “I tried to swing with him and he hit me in the same spot again.”
Mills, 32, was originally scheduled to fight Salvatore Di Salvatore for the
International Boxing Council light-heavyweight championship, but Di Salvatore
of Switzerland, fell when he arrived at the Philadelphia International Airport
Jan. 28, bumping his head and injuring a knee.
Koon, who has fought seasoned fighters including Tony Ayala and
International Boxing Federation super-middleweight champ Sven Ottke, took the
fight on Wednesday.
“I knew I was the veteran coming in,” Koon said. “Anybody can build
their record up, but when it comes showtime, you’ve got to show what you can
do. This guy just hasn’t been in with the opposition I’ve been in there with,
and it made it easier for me tonight.”
After the fight, Koon said: “I want to fight Roy Jones Jr., why not?” But
the Alabama native will likely not get a shot at the undisputed
light-heavyweight champ anytime soon.
While Koon’s next opponent is uncertain, Mills knows who he wants to fight
next.
“I want to get a rematch as soon as possible,” he said. “When you fight
19 fights and all of a sudden you lose one, your mind is on the guy that beat
you.”
Frazier-Lyde, nicknamed “Sister Smoke,” rushed her opponent with wild
right and left hands. The bout resembled a one-sided street fight instead of a
professional boxing match.
Frazier-Lyde punched her opponent into a corner and after little opposition
by Reese, the referee stopped the fight. Reese is now 0-2.
“I wanted to do a whole lot more,” Frazier-Lyde said. “I’m really kind
of a slow starter and it was over before I really got into it.”
Frazier-Lyde, who fought at 176 pounds, is looking to fight Muhammad Ali’s
daughter, Laila, this fall. Frazier-Lyde, 38, would have to drop to 155 for
the bout.
Frazier-Lyde earned $25,000 for Sunday’s fight.
Notes: Larry Holmes and Joe Frazier were both on hand to watch Sunday’s
boxing card, along with International Boxing Federation champion Bernard
Hopkins, who was presented with the IBC middleweight title belt, lightweight
contender Ivan Robinson and Chuck Zito, who acts on HBO’s hit show “Oz.”
Call Pape at 829-7227