Where do we even start when discussing the efforts and performances at the Extreme Maximus Boxing Fightfest event Saturday night at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport, Iowa?
What were the highlights?
How about Robert Calvin, who entered the ring a single man and left it with a KO of Derek Gottlieb, a 2-0 record, and a fiancee?
How about Stephen Edwards and Junior Hernandez, who turned what started out as a social-media battle into an exciting, and competitive, main event?
How about Donovan Dennis, who won his third straight fight, and the USA Mid American Cruiserweight Championship, with a TKO over previously unbeaten Brian Houston?
How about Josiah Molina and Nautis Shadrick, who proved that amateur kickboxing can be the most exciting fight on a card full of exciting fights?
How about giant (6-foot-7, 300 pounds) Deontae Pettigrew of Chicago, who definitely looked like a prospect to watch en route to a KO victory over Thomas Matlon?
How about 45-year-old Jeremy Castro, who won a rematch with 44-year-old Jeremy Marts in a super-tough battle? That’s 89 years old combined!!!
How about heavyweights Kevin Childs and Ryan Delf, who battled each other to exhaustion, only to end up with a majority draw?
How about Sean Nonhof, who won the Extreme Maximus 170-pound kickboxing title with a TKO win over local standout Adam Frederick, who was unbeaten in EMB events?
How about Jason Shafer (43) and Nate Hege (40) who put on a kickboxing show before Shafer aggravated a foot injury and had to stop?
How about Shawn West, who continued his march to a big fight with his fourth win in five bouts? And opponent Bruce Miller, who agreed to make his debut on two days notice?
How about Zach Hill who used all four rounds before getting the KO over Mike Randolph? Both guys were looking for the first win of their careers and Hill came out on top.
How about Rockeith Brown, who drove in from Champaign, Ill., to improve his record to 3-0 with a third-round KO over Sam Hernandez?
How about the super-sweaty exhibition fight between Ryan Antle and Taurean Bogguess that opened the show during the hottest part of the day?
No matter what you enjoyed most, the fans were treated to a night of effort, talent and entertainment. There’s no doubt boxing and kickboxing are both making a comeback in the Quad City area!