Kevin Clifford/Nevada Appeal
RENO - Curtis Stevens told anyone who would listen that Jesse Brinkley had not fought a boxer as powerful as him and that the Yerington native couldn't last 12 rounds in the ring with him.
On Friday night, Brinkley (35-5, 22 KOs) did last 12 rounds and put Stevens (21-3, 15 KOs) on the canvas in the process. Brinkley took a unanimous decision over Stevens (117-109, 118-08, 119-107) at the Grand Sierra Resort in front of about 2,000 fans and now has the title shot that he has always dreamed of.
"It's about time I got it, it's been a long time coming," Brinkley said.
With the win, Brinkley moved into the International Boxing Federation's No. 2 spot, which guarantees him a title bout in the next months. Brinkley and his promoter, Let's Get It On Promotions, are already in negotiations to face super middleweight champ Lucian Bute for bout on April 17 in Canada.
"It's not much of a break, but this is the most critical point in his career," said Terry Lane, president of Let's Get It On Promotions. "He'll probably take a couple weeks off, max, and then back to Rhode Island for training camp."
Brinkley came in a 2-1 underdog to Stevens, but showed early on that he had control of the match. He came out of the first round with a swollen right eye, but moved and utilized his jab enough in proceeding rounds to keep Stevens from targeting it.
Brinkley was already winning according to ESPN2's Teddy Atlas in the fifth round 49-46. But in the sixth round he connected a left hand to Steven's chin that sent him stumbling. Brinkley got him against the ropes and continued the assault before knocking him down for an eight-count.
"I know there was a few rounds that I threw hooks and I thought if I could catch him with a couple more of those left hooks that it wasn't going to be my right hand that coach thought was going to put him out," Brinkley said. "I was trying to, but you have to be careful because if you hook a hooker and beats you to it it's over."
Peter Manfredo Sr., Brinkley's trainer, said that the plan from the beginning was utilize the jab and that seemed to keep Stevens off balance all night and took away a chance from him to set up a combo to unleash the heavy hands he is known for.
"When we were viewing some of his fights, I studied what he was having problems with," Manfredo said. "And he had problems, from what I saw, when someone jabbed at him. I saw about five or six of his fights and when someone came at him with a jab, it would throw him off balance. The jab is the best punch in boxing, it nullifies a lot of stuff. "
Brinkley had trouble in the middle rounds as Stevens was able to land some hard punches to his chin. That also was the same time that Brinkley stopped following his jabs with a right, something he said was more out of defense.
"He did hit me with a couple good shots, but he didn't have that same power that I thought he was going to have," Brinkley said. "I was kind of a little more relaxed with taking some of the shots and taking chances. When he goes on the defense, if I could get him to open up a little more the he would give me something to counter. That was totally opposite of what my coaches were telling me, but I had to do what they said but I knew it was working."
Stevens took another standing-eight count in the 12th, although he never went down to the mat.
Andre Rozier, Stevens' trainer, said he almost entirely went away from the game plan coming into the bout.
"I wanted him to control Jesse with his jab," Rozier said of Stevens, who was unavailable for comment. "I thought he was a little flat-footed and he was reaching for punches and he wasn't combinating. I was looking for him to go to the body and slow him down a little bit and I was having a hard time with his translation of combinations."
Despite all of Stevens' talk before hand, it was Brinkley who was left standing in the end and now at the age of 33 he finally has title bout staring him in the face.
"I've done everything I could do," Brinkley said. "It's been a long time coming."