Vegas-style boxing event a huge success in Vicksburg

It was like Vegas in Vicksburg last night when the Night of Champions II came to Lady Luck Casino with a total of nine fights.

The two main events were Cohen “Chop Chop” Sims vs. Ke’Eric Hinton and Rashid Akzhigitov vs. Willie Jake Jr. The fights were brought to Vicksburg by Hattiesburg-based BKPTV.

Hall of Fame ring announcer Bob Alexander announced every fight last night, and big guests were in the crowd including Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former boxing champion Roy Jones Jr.

Sims and Hinton fought first in the co-main event, and both fighters came out swinging, giving everything they had to win. The fighters were full of energy in the first round until multiple body shots wore the two down. The second round is when things got hectic. “Chop Chop” gave Hinton multiple blows to the face before the three minute round ended. In the third round “Chop Chop” got the best of Hinton once again, and the fight was called by the referee making “Chop Chop” the winner by TKO.

With his victory last night, Sims was made the USA Mid America Super Middleweight Champion.

Rashid Akzhigitov and Willie Jake Jr. (photo by Keith Phillips)

The main event involved Russian boxer Rashid Akzhigitov, trained by Roy Jones Jr., and Willie Jake Jr., from Indianapolis, Indiana. The fight was scheduled to go eight rounds and the fighters took it to the limit as they squared off head-to-head.

Akzhigitov gave Jake a tough time throughout the fight by knocking him off his feet a few times during the match. But every time Jake was knocked down, he got back up swinging, landing big blows on the Russian. The two went at it hard during the fight, and no one thought that Jake would last against undefeated Akzhigitov, but they both made it through the entire match. Plenty of times Akzhigitov backed Jake up into the ropes but Jake returned swinging with everything he had.

The fight ended after the eighth round and surprisingly, Jake was announced as the winner until a correction was made calling the fight a draw.

The fight had everyone in the crowd on their toes.

Ke’Eric Hinton on the canvas. (photo by Keith Phillips)

Other fights:

• Javonn Davis defeated Joshua Weems in the second round by knockout.
• Louis Hernandez defeated Najik Lewis in a unanimous decision.
• Divante Jones defeated Ronald Rivas in a unanimous decision.
• Tyi Edmond wins against Rashad Jones in a TKO where Jones threw in the towel.
• Michael Cook won by TKO in the second round against Anthony Walker.
• Garreth Payton won against Jayvone Dafney in a unanimous decision.
• Wayne Atlow defeated Anthony Molson by TKO in the second round as Molsen threw in the towel.