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In a real home-coming type of
event, local favorites Aaron
Jaco and China Smith were upset
in World Boxing Federation (WBF)
North American title fights on
Friday night, April 3, at the
Robarts Arena in Sarasota,
Florida, when opponents Frankie
Filippone and Mike Sheppard
spoiled the party.
At Super Middleweight, Southpaw
Frankie Filippone came out
looking strong and relaxed,
landing some hard punches on the
counter, while Aaron Jaco
finished the first round well.
In the second, Filippone
continued to land with his
straight left, and caught Jaco
with a clean shot to score a
knockdown midway through the
round.
Jaco beat the count of referee
Emil Lombardi, and managed to
get through the round despite
Filippone continuing to find a
home for his accurate left hand.
The home-man tried to come back
strong in round three, but
Filippone controlled most of the
round with his right jab and
straight left to both body and
head.
In the fourth, Jaco started fast
again and tried to push his
opponent to the ropes, but it
back-fired on him as Filippone
opened up and landed several
hard left hooks clean which send
Jaco down. He got up, but was
clearly hurt and on wobbly legs
when Lombardi correctly
correctly stopped it at 1:49 of
the stanza.
New WBF North American Super
Middleweight Champion Frankie
Filippone, from Norfolk,
Virginia, improved his
professional record to 17-5-1
(4), while Aaron Jaco could be
nearing the end of a
thirteen-year pro career as he
drops to 17-4 (6).
In a rematch of their original
encounter from last June, which
was one of the best Heavyweight
fights in Florida state last
year and won on points by China
Smith, Mike Sheppard got revenge
as he took the WBF North
American Heavyweight title from
the reigning champion with a
second round stoppage.
Both boxers started the fight
aggressively, and it was
difficult to separate them in
the first round. But in round
two, Sheppard connected with a
hard right hand that stunned
Smith, and as Sheppard followed
up and threw all he had, Smith
went down and rolled over as
referee James Warring waved it
off. Time of stoppage was 1:29.
Putting some new life back into
his career, 39-year-old Mike
Sheppard is now 23-18-1 (10)
since entering the paid ranks in
1997. China Smith (36), making
his first title-defense, falls
to 35-5 (27).
“Making
History”, as the show was
billed, was presented by
promoter Marc Anthony Roman and
Perfect Energy Sports.
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