First Punch: Knockout After Knockout, Plus a Guest Appearance From Deontay Wilder

Jeremiah Artacho | TBL Writer

Week 4 was freaking awesome. Knockouts. Great crowds. 

Deontay Wilder. 

But be patient with me, I’ll get back to Wilder shortly. 

Week four was an incredible experience. I was taken aback by the number of knockouts that had happened just after the first two nights alone. The Nashville Smash defeated the Phoenix Fury, and Josh Johnson’s performance in the 22nd round was nothing short of powerful.

Literally. 

Johnson sent Daniel Bailey to the ground with a vicious punch to the face. Then, not too long after, Johnson continued doing his work on Bailey and eventually forced the referee to officially call it off, ending the round. It was a TKO that had Nashville holding a significant lead heading into the penultimate round, 17-8. 

That was my first time seeing a knockout in person. I’m still getting used to watching boxing live, but seeing that happen made me hungry for more. 

Well, that’s what I got. There were more knockouts in Dallas, Texas, and a few more in Atlanta, Georgia. It was incredible, super exciting.

If you enjoy the electric, adrenaline-fueled fighting that boxing brings, then Team Boxing League is right for you. Every single round, two new fighters square off and are looking to figure out, “How the heck do I defeat my opponent?” 

Three minutes. That’s it. That’s all the fighters have to solve their problems and come out as a winner.

In Texas, the Dallas Enforcers obliterated the Houston Hitmen, not only on the scoreboard but with their own knockouts too. In back-to-back rounds, the 10th and the 11th. Dallas’ Jack Sambiakuu defeated Houston’s Israel Rodriguez. After seeing Rodriguez fold toward the ground, it made me feel intrigued to know what really happens when someone gets knocked out like that.

What happens to the body?  

Admittedly, it was scary, but that’s the nature of the sport. It’s an all-out fight until the round is out of time. 

One round later, Briana Carrera for the Enforcers made the Hitmen’s Travia Pierce take a knee, only to lead up to the furious right-hand from Carrera that concluded the bout entirely. 

The action didn’t stop there either. 

The Atlanta Attack and the Miami Assassins were competitive. Ultra-competitive. No blowout. It was back and forth during the launch rounds. The lead kept changing hands, but the Assassins found a way to make it work. This happened way after the third and seventh, first a TKO by Atlanta’s Kaylee Ann Knight and then a KO by Miami’s Jeovanny Estela. 

Now, for Wilder. 

Wilder, a winner in his last fight by split-decision against Derek Chisora, was in attendance at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. And man, did he have fans excited to see him there. Picture after picture. Conversation after conversation. Wilder would pose with his mouth wide open, as if he were screaming at his opponent. He’s friendly. He’s approachable. 

Wilder’s presence at a Team Boxing League fight was historic. 

It’s only season four of TBL, but given Wilder’s magnitude as a person, not just as a boxer, the Bronze Bomber seems to be one of possibly many boxers to make an appearance at an event. 

His guest appearance alone says a lot about where the league is heading. And with eight new teams being added for season five, growth is certainly evident.

Who’s next? 

We’ll have to wait and see. There’s still a lot more in store for season four.