Auburn WA's Marcello Gallardo (l) fights to a draw with Juan Funez in one of 12 pro bouts

ESPN's Friday Night Fights made yet another return to the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton WA on August 1st with a marathon night of boxing that saw 12 professional bouts take place, three of them televised live around the world. Unlike previous shows at the casino, this one was light on NW representation with only 3 Washington State-based boxers among the 24 fighters. This perhaps was the reason for the somewhat low attendance in the casino's Skookum Creek Event Center as compared to past sold-out events. A shame really as the fight card, put together by Goosen Tutor Promotions, had a great mix of former champions, veterans, contenders, and up-and-comers showcase their skills and provide for plenty of fantastic pugilistic action for those on hand.

The main event was a 12-round IBF Light Heavyweight Title Eliminator bout and had highly-touted undefeated Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr, fighting out of Washington DC, taking on Spanish fighter and former WBA World Champion, Gabriel “Chico Guapo” Campillo. In the opening few rounds, Williams was the aggressor, landing with combos and hard shots to the body while Campillo covered and looked to counter with jabs. In the fourth round, one of Campillo's jabs went through Williams defenses and opened up a cut over his left eye. The tide turned at this point with Williams slowing down considerably in the 4th and 5th rounds, clearly bothered by the cut. Before the 6th round, Williams' corner called for the doctor who checked the cut and recommended the fight not continue. Campillo and his cornermen were elated as he was awarded the TKO victory, while Williams Jr was heart broken in suffering his first pro loss.

The Co-main Event was in a 10-round Super Middlweight bout that saw the return to the ring after an 18 month hiatus of former Super Middleweight world title challenger and 2004 Olympian “The Matrix” Andre Dirrell. He faced 21-fight veteran Vladine “Mr. Providence” Biosse. The opening couple of rounds were relatively even with both fighters showing caution, with Dirrell scoring with body shots while Biosse landed with jabs. As the fight progressed however, Dirrell found his comfort zone and punished Biosse with power punches against the ropes to end the 4th round. In the fifth, it was all Dirrell who let loose with shot after shot, forcing the referee to step in to end it at the 2:46 mark. Dirrell punctuated the win by loudly stomping on the canvas a couple times, clearly relieved and happy to be back in contention after his long time out of the ring. Afterwards, a smiling Dirrell thanked the crowd, signed one of his gloves and threw it to a lucky fan.

One of the most entertaining matches of the night came in the televised swing bout between Super Middleweights Immanuwel Aleem fighting out of NY and Mexican boxer Juan Carlos Rojas who took the bout on short notice and was fighting up in weight class. Aleem connected with a big right hand that staggered Rojas midway through the first but Rojas was able to survive to the bell. In the 2nd, Rojas moved in close on Aleem and threw nonstop jabs and punches that kept Allem off balance and gave Rojas the round. In the 3rd, Rojas taunted Allem to hit him which Allem did by staying outside and picking his moments to connect with some hard shots. In the 4th, Rojas again moved in close throwing non-stop to steal the round. In the 5th, Allem started to take over, connecting with power shots to Rojas' head. Rojas came out for broke in the sixth, trying to end it with some big bombs. But it was the quick-footed Allem who was able to control the action and finally finish Rojas at 2:45 of the final frame. With the win, Aleem moves to 10-0 as a pro, with 6 KO's.

Another entertaining fight came in the 2nd to last bout, five hours into the event. Luis Cruz, fighting out of Philadelphia, entered with 21 wins and just 2 losses, and was taking on LA-based Light Welterweight Joaquin Chavez who came in with just 7 wins against 13 losses and 3 draws. On paper it would look like it should have been an easy victory for Cruz, but the fighters themselves write the script and Chavez gave Cruz one great battle over 8 rounds. In the end, it went to the scorecards and it was Chavez getting the win via split decision 79-72, 78-73, 74-77.

In the Welterweight division, Nigerian-born Wale "Lucky Boy" Omotoso, fighting out of Los Angeles, took on Ecudorian boxer Eduardo Flores. Omotoso's sole loss in 23 fights came in early 2013 where he dropped a close decision to Jessie Vargas in a WBC Continental Americas title fight. Against Flores, Omotoso had to work hard throughout, but as the rounds progressed, his power wore down Flores until a big right hand sent Flores to the canvas and the referee stepped in to stop the contest at 1:09 of the 8th round.

In January of this year at the Little Creek Casino, Auburn WA's Marcello Gallardo and Van Nuys CA's Juan Funez engaged in a four round brawl that saw Funez come out on top via a close decision. In their rematch, again the pair threw down for four solid rounds, and this time the outcome was even tighter, with one judge seeing it for Funez, and the other two calling it even for a majority draw result.

Yakima MMA fighter Hector Lopez made his pro boxing debut in the Junior Lightweight division against undefeated Gervonta Davis out of Baltimore. Lopez tried to work his jab but Davis' boxing experience displayed itself when he forced Lopez into the corner and threw numerous unanswered body shots that eventually dropped Lopez to the mat. The referee instituted the ten-count but Lopez stayed down and Davis went home the victor for the 8th straight time at 1:16 of round one.

NW MMA fighter Lupe Hudgens was looking for his first pro boxing win, taking on Cuban-born Leduan Barthelemy in the Super Featherweight class. In the first minute of the fight, Hudgens would move in and out of the pocket to throw a couple of shots, while Barthelemy utilized his jab and stayed patient awaiting his opportunity. This came at the 1:19 mark as Hudgens moved in again, Barthelemy timed a body shot that put Hudgens on the canvas for a KO. With the win, Barthelemy moves to 3-0 as a pro.

The night's opening bout saw once-beaten Phillip Jackson-Benson of New York City, take on Kentucky's Thomas Hanshaw in the Super Middleweight division. The fight started at a slow pace but as it wore on, Jackson-Benson found his range and started landing with big shots that put Hanshaw down a number of times. The referee saw enough the last time at 1:50 of the fourth round, giving Jackson-Benson the TKO win and moving him to 14-1.

In a Welterweight matchup, undefeated David Grayton of Washington DC took on Utah's Eddie Cordova. In the first round, both men landed clean shots but Grayton clearly had more power behind his punches. Late in the 2nd, Grayton scored a tremendous knockdown with his right hand and the referee stopped the fight, giving Grayton the TKO win for his ninth straight victory.

Haitian-born Wilky Campfort of Tampa Florida scored a TKO win over Colombia's Milton Nunez in the Middleweight division. Campfort's numerous body shots started taking their toll on Nunez and the Colombian's corner threw in the towel to stop the damage at 2:57 of the fourth round. With the win, Campfort's record is now 18-1.

In the cruiserweight division, undefeated 25 year old Jordan Shimmell of Wisconsin took on 38 year old Epifanio "Diamante" Mendoza of Colombia, a veteran of 55 pro bouts. This fight was spent mostly in the clinch, with Mendoza holding Shimmell and Shimell trying to create distance to land his punches. The referee took a point from Mendoza twice for hitting Shimell on the break and when it happened a third time, he disqualified the Colombian, giving Shimmell his 16th win at 2:31 of round 4.

Learn more about the Litle Creek Casino at www.little-creek.com.
ESPN Friday Night Fights is on Facebook at facebook.com/espn.fnf.
Goossen Tutor Promotions is on Facebook at facebook.com/goossenboxing.