Denzel Whitley has finally squared his account with Kenny Larson in a sizzling showdown for the vacant Junior North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Welterweight Championship in Worcester, MA.
In front of a raucous and pumped-up crowd, Whitley, nicknamed “Double Impact”, brought his A-game to “Pandemonium at The Palladium 2”, a gala thrown by Granite Chin Promotions. This electrifying event, also a boon for the veterans via Project New Hope, was streamed live on BXNGTV.com.
Whitley and Larson, both unscathed in their careers until now, finally clashed in a bout that had been on the burner for ages. This was their first dance in a 10-rounder, and boy, did they tango!
Round one was a bit of a teaser, with Whitley playing it smart, keeping his mitts high and countering with precision. Larson, living up to his “Lionheart” moniker, wasn’t shy about mixing it up, throwing punches from all over. Whitley’s sharp counters had Larson spitting out his mouthpiece twice in the early rounds.
The tempo dipped a bit in rounds six and seven, but Whitley kept his cool, slowly but surely wearing down Larson, who continued his onslaught in the eighth round. Yet, Whitley was unshaken by Larson’s bullish approach.
The ninth round saw Larson docked a point for his mouthpiece making a fifth unscheduled exit. Whitley, clearly the fighter of the night, just needed to stay vertical to win, but he chose to go the distance, trading blows until the final bell. The judges’ scores – 99-90, 97-92, and a head-scratching 92-97 – handed Whitley a somewhat controversial 10-round split decision win.
Post-fight, Whitley tipped his hat to Larson’s toughness, noting this full-length bout as his best yet. “Every time he swung his right, I countered with uppercuts,” Whitley said. “Thought I’d knock him out, but he clung on and kept coming back.” Whitley’s eyes are now set on bigger fights outside New England in 2024, aiming for a leap in the WBC rankings.
With this win, Whitley now wears the NABF Welterweight Champion belt, adding to his Massachusetts and United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Welterweight titles.
The night also saw Kendrick “Peppa” Ball, Jr., a local hero, seize the USBF light heavyweight title, Joe Bush making a knockout pro debut, and several other fighters like Robert Degaetano, Khiary “Too Sharp” Gray, Carlos “El Gallo” Gonzalez, and Kevin “Big Gulp” Nagle marking their territory in the ring with impressive victories. Danny Lafos Poll, Carlos Marrero III, Famous Wilson, and Edwine Humaine also left the ring with their hands raised, while Keno Luna’s eagerly awaited debut got shelved as his opponent was a no-show.