Local fighters shine under ballroom's chandelier lights

PORTSMOUTH

Bobby and Gail Jordan spent their 32nd wedding anniversary in a posh hotel ballroom Saturday night, together with family under the glittering chandelier lights.

Gail held the spit bucket. Bobby worked the corner between rounds, imploring their son, boxer Bobby Jordan Jr., to "let his hands go" in his main-event bout against Willis Lockett of Tacoma Park, Md., at the Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel.

The younger Jordan, 28, eventually did. Fighting at 168 pounds, he dropped Lockett three times on the way to a unanimous eight-round decision, to run his record to 5-0-1.

"I wanted to give them a knockout on their anniversary," Jordan Jr. said afterward.

It wasn't to be. But Jordan, a longshoreman who trains under his dad in Norfolk, put on a technically sound show, switching stances from conventional to southpaw to keep Lockett guessing. Jordan landed whistling left hooks and overhand rights, including one that floored Lockett (10-6-4) with just seconds left in the fifth round.

Jordan's win capped an evening of credible fights in an upscale setting. State boxing commissioner Dave Holland called it the best card in Virginia in more than a year.

Among the highlights was the professional debut of lightweight Miguel Gonzalez, chosen as an alternate on the Olympic team. Gonzalez, from Cleveland, has patterned his style after Hall of Famer Pernell "Sweetpea" Whitaker, the six-time world champion from Norfolk who was known for his defensive prowess.

Whitaker worked Gonzalez's corner as the slick southpaw easily dispatched David Derby of Currituck, N.C., in two rounds.

"I decided not to go to China just for this moment here," Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez, 22, has signed with Whitaker's former manager, Lou Duva. Gonzalez said he's hoping to work out a deal for Whitaker to train him.

"He was my favorite fighter," Gonzalez said.

"Still to this day I watch his fights and try to pick up as much as I can."

In other bouts, Norfolk lightweight Stephan Alexander, another Jordan-trained fighter, improved to 3-0 with a first-round knockout of Gustavo Dailey (2-3) of Philadelphia. Chesapeake cruiserweight William Bailey (9-14-2) won a unanimous six-round decision over Juan Robles (9-2) of Waynesboro.

The show drew a modest but enthusiastic crowd of about 400 fans in a venue that can accommodate 1,200. First-time promoters Rodney Hanks and Kariann Taylor were disappointed by the turnout, but not enough to rule out trying it again, Taylor said. Part of the proceeds will go to the Police Athletic League.

Ed Miller, (757) 446-2372, ed.miller@pilotonline.com