REF PANICS - STOPS FIGHT - GIVES  LYONS 1ST ROUND TKO

Joey Abell, The Ice Man Cometh  

Created: Tuesday, 11 Sep 2007, 1:21 PM EDT
Mike Cassell's Philadelphia Boxing Report

PHILADELPHIA --
     At nearly 6’5” 245 lbs. Joey Abell “Minnesota Ice” 15 – 1 with 15 KO’s, is an imposing figure. He has begun to make something of a name for himself around the Philadelphia fight scene. Rumors of his punching power are whispered in local gyms, and the few lucky spectators that have witnessed the carnage that is a Joey Abell heavyweight match. It usually starts out simply enough, but he eventually catches his prey, and it is something to behold. I personally witnessed him knock an opponent out of the ring, not once, but twice in the same night. All of his wins have come by knockout, as did his only loss, which is quickly becoming legend as well.
     An unimposing young Heavyweight named Aaron Lyons was undefeated with 3 of his four wins coming by knockout. At the time, he looked soft. He did not look like a true heavyweight. His 235 lbs. was mostly gut, and some say it was his biggest advantage on December 2, 2006.
     Abell entered that fight a fearsome force, who only weeks before was rumored to have sparred with former champion John Ruiz, and some inside reports said he man handled the former champion. Some even used the word mangled, prompting the Ruiz camp to send Abell home early. Abell seemed unstoppable on his rise to heavyweight greatness. He was 9 – 0 with a perfect 9 KO’s. Like Hurricane Katrina, Aaron Lyons, who ironically hails from Gulfport Mississippi, extended his unheralded record to 5 – 0, by scoring a first round TKO over Abell on that cold December night. Abell got hit with something he never saw.
Some say the referee jumped in too soon. Some say Abell was beaten easily. The truth, is actually a little bit of both. Abell is young. And young fighters usually fight out of postion. It is always the punch you do not see that will take you out. Lyons got very lucky, very early.
     Since That fight, Abell has gone on to win 6 of his last 6 fights, and you guessed it, they all came by knockout. Some say the Lyons fight was a fluke, and maybe it was, but for a young hungry heavyweight, sometimes it is better for a fluke to happen now, rather than later, when it may really mean something. He has all the skills. He is big, strong, has a tremendous punch. He is young enough to learn as he goes. If you are going to see him fight at the Blue Horizon on September 7th, try not to sit too close. You may have an uninvited guest land in your lap, because when this kid puts on the gloves, ice water runs through his veins, and I have a feeling that every guy he hits from this day forward, will be getting the hammer that he is saving for Aaron Lyons. Can anyone say rematch?