Jeremiah Artacho | TBL Writer

Once in Florida. Twice in California. 

The Miami Assassins and the Nashville Smash had an epic duel inside the War Memorial Auditorium on Friday, June 26 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Then, to conclude week 14, Saturday and Sunday’s fights were held in Long Beach, California at Thunder Studios. It’s where the LA Elite and Houston Hitmen squared away plus the Las Vegas Hustle and the Phoenix Fury. 

It was an epic showdown between the second best team in Team Boxing League and one of the bottom teams on the standings. However, head coach Fred Dulay prepared and executed as much as possible against a squad that was 6-0 once upon a time (before the Philadelphia Smoke conquered The Battle of the Undefeated on May 17). 

Don’t Be Deceived 

It was an epic showdown between the second best team in Team Boxing League and one of the bottom teams on the standings. However, head coach Fred Dulay prepared and executed as much as possible against a squad that was 6-0 once upon a time (before the Philadelphia Smoke conquered The Battle of the Undefeated on May 17). 

Yes, the final score was 17-7 — another double-digit victory for Miami. But Nashville came in and gave everything and then some to keep the score close through 15 rounds. The final bout of the middle rounds arrived and it was 8-7, the Assassins led. And from then on — Miami flipped a switch in an instant — winning every single round to close out the contest. 

There were no knockdowns or knockouts — the judges had to make up their minds in this one.

One matchup that stood out to me was between Smash’s Isaiah Elrod and Assassins’ Jeovanny Estela. The two threw constant exchanges and traded punches in both rounds (rounds seven and 16). Though it was Estela that drew interest from the judges both times — going 2-0 on the night. 

This time, Luis “King Kong” Ortiz did not get a knockout, as Terrell Jamal Woods stood strong and on two feet after three minutes in round 16. 

I was surprised, and I’m sure everyone else in that room felt the same way — you were just expecting Ortiz to do it for a third time — viciously destroying his opponent. 

Maybe next time? 

LA Elite Drops 30 Yet Again 

To score at least 30 points in a TBL contest was already an achievement in itself — it was the first time in the league’s history that it happened.

But to do it twice? Well, that just doesn’t come out of nowhere. This time, LA won 36-3. 

I should mention that due to there being no swing rounds on the bout sheet, Houston had no choice but to cough up the 12 extra points due to two knockouts and an injury. Angel Munoz (against Solomon Colton in round six) and Jonathan Rice (against Mike Nguyen in round eight) scored knockdowns to lift LA’s score to 14-0 after the launch rounds. 

Brewer, a featherweight who defeated Kenneth Taylor in rounds two and 10, has, in my opinion, been one of the better boxers lately. TBL Stats proves it too — standing as the third best featherweight behind Philly’s Rasheen Brown and Nashville’s Josh Johnson, who holds the top spot. 

Elite has scored 60-plus points between victories over the Dallas Enforcers and the Houston Hitmen this season. And while both teams are at the bottom of the standings, it should make you think (at least I do), what kind of run it can make during the playoffs if things swing the right away. 

Is LA a dark horse going into the playoffs? 

Las Vegas Hustle-Phoenix Fury Take It to the Wire 

Talk about a nail-biter, my goodness. 

In another contest that featured zero swing rounds yet again, the same consequences applied from night one in Long Beach to night two. 

This one did not disappoint, as the final score was decided in the last two rounds of the night. Super middleweight Dayan Depestre and light heavyweight Yojanler Martinez won to claim the victory and add another dash in the win column for the season. 

Though, it was Fury’s Charles Pugh, the former NCAA college football player, who gave Phoenix prime position to slug away for a victory — winning round 22 to even the scoreboard at 12. 

Not too bad, eh? 

Pugh won both bouts against Luis Portuondo, including a knockdown in round 14 — which was followed by some trash talk outside of the ring. 

It was feisty. It was chaos. It’s TBL. 

But what else is in store for Phoenix? Its next matchup is against LA in Arizona on Saturday, July 18, as the two fight for a fifth place spot — both holding a record of 3-4 going into week 15. 

Well, that was a fun one to write — just as fun as watching all three of those fights in person. 

I’ll see you later, TBL fans.