By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
It was no sudden rush for Dillon Rush.
The former Stanford wrestler patiently picked apart Jacob Smith to score a third-round technical knockout in the semi-main event of the Toughman Hawaii Tournament of Champions on Saturday night at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
It was the 19th bout of a 20-fight card in the stand-up kickboxing competition, and one of the best fights before the main event, the lightweight championship title fight between Donald “School Boy” Gonzales and Jon “Untamable” Barnard.
The first round of the final bout was fast and furious. Gonzales and Barnard threw caution out the window and gladly traded punches to the head. Apparently, Barnard was “untamable,” because after the first round Gonzales was unable to answer the bell, giving Barnard a technical knockout victory.
In the semi-main event’s first round, Rush charged, got held in a clinch and pounded right hammers to the body. The action came to a suddenly halt when Smith was accident hit with a shot to the groin.
When the action continued, Rush got in close again, clamped Smith in a Muay Thai clinch, and fired knees to his gut. The two separated and Smith threw a spinning back-leg kick that Rush blocked and pounced with a left hook to the head, which dropped the Oahu challenger to his knees before the bell.
In the second round, Rush continued the punishment to Smith’s midsection, windmilling combinations that turned Smith’s body color to a bright red.
Then Rush finally finished the fight in the third, getting a TKO with a devastating right hand to Smith’s head.
In the first title fight of the night, Waianae’s Theadore Brown scored a decision over Hilo’s Ikaika Rodrigues, taking the Toughman Hawaii flyweight (100-120 pounds) title back to Oahu.
Brown got the better of the action in a fast-paced first round, exchanging knees and punches with Rodrigues. The second round’s intensity slowed considerably for both fighters. In the third, Rodrigues came out with a flurry of blows, but didn’t follow up and the decision went Brown’s way.
Hilo’s Matt Majamay made a spirited attempt to claim the inaugural Junior Division title, drawing encouragement from the hometown crowd. But Oahu’s Isreal Lovelace pulled out a three-round decision for the belt, controlling the tempo of the fight a tad better.
Despite getting in several solid shots to Lovelace’s chin and knees to the body, it wasn’t enough points for Majamay, who was kicked in the kicked in the groin three times, including twice in the second round.
In other bouts:
* Pettey (Cing gasos) Vital and Micah Abrew Laybon, no contest. No one won.
* Kira De Morales def. Sharla Sopoaga, TKO.
* Tiani Pruett def. Rachael Silva, decision (wahine).
* Tyler Leopoldino def. Michael Kay, decision.
* AJ Veriato def. Moses Miller, decision.
* Elswood Noehu def. Jashua McCullough, TKO.
Junior division
* Keone Rodrigues def. Shayn Waiwaiole, TKO.
* Awsom Barrozo def. John Frost, KO.
* Sean Robbins def. David McKinney, diloecision.
* Kuulei Estabilio def. Abigale Hendrix, TKO (wahine).
* Conrado Martin def. William Hocson, TKO.
* Juanito Raquel def. Nephi Lancaster, TKO.
* Keiran Rosas def. Quinten Vea, KO.
Junior novice
* Dustin Ah Chong def. Nic Das, decision.
* Uriel Santiago def. Keith Pabre, decision.
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
It was no sudden rush for Dillon Rush.
The former Stanford wrestler patiently picked apart Jacob Smith to score a third-round technical knockout in the semi-main event of the Toughman Hawaii Tournament of Champions on Saturday night at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
It was the 19th bout of a 20-fight card in the stand-up kickboxing competition, and one of the best fights before the main event, the lightweight championship title fight between Donald “School Boy” Gonzales and Jon “Untamable” Barnard.
The first round of the final bout was fast and furious. Gonzales and Barnard threw caution out the window and gladly traded punches to the head. Apparently, Barnard was “untamable,” because after the first round Gonzales was unable to answer the bell, giving Barnard a technical knockout victory.
In the semi-main event’s first round, Rush charged, got held in a clinch and pounded right hammers to the body. The action came to a suddenly halt when Smith was accident hit with a shot to the groin.
When the action continued, Rush got in close again, clamped Smith in a Muay Thai clinch, and fired knees to his gut. The two separated and Smith threw a spinning back-leg kick that Rush blocked and pounced with a left hook to the head, which dropped the Oahu challenger to his knees before the bell.
In the second round, Rush continued the punishment to Smith’s midsection, windmilling combinations that turned Smith’s body color to a bright red.
Then Rush finally finished the fight in the third, getting a TKO with a devastating right hand to Smith’s head.
In the first title fight of the night, Waianae’s Theadore Brown scored a decision over Hilo’s Ikaika Rodrigues, taking the Toughman Hawaii flyweight (100-120 pounds) title back to Oahu.
Brown got the better of the action in a fast-paced first round, exchanging knees and punches with Rodrigues. The second round’s intensity slowed considerably for both fighters. In the third, Rodrigues came out with a flurry of blows, but didn’t follow up and the decision went Brown’s way.
Hilo’s Matt Majamay made a spirited attempt to claim the inaugural Junior Division title, drawing encouragement from the hometown crowd. But Oahu’s Isreal Lovelace pulled out a three-round decision for the belt, controlling the tempo of the fight a tad better.
Despite getting in several solid shots to Lovelace’s chin and knees to the body, it wasn’t enough points for Majamay, who was kicked in the kicked in the groin three times, including twice in the second round.
In other bouts:
* Pettey (Cing gasos) Vital and Micah Abrew Laybon, no contest. No one won.
* Kira De Morales def. Sharla Sopoaga, TKO.
* Tiani Pruett def. Rachael Silva, decision (wahine).
* Tyler Leopoldino def. Michael Kay, decision.
* AJ Veriato def. Moses Miller, decision.
* Elswood Noehu def. Jashua McCullough, TKO.
Junior division
* Keone Rodrigues def. Shayn Waiwaiole, TKO.
* Awsom Barrozo def. John Frost, KO.
* Sean Robbins def. David McKinney, diloecision.
* Kuulei Estabilio def. Abigale Hendrix, TKO (wahine).
* Conrado Martin def. William Hocson, TKO.
* Juanito Raquel def. Nephi Lancaster, TKO.
* Keiran Rosas def. Quinten Vea, KO.
Junior novice
* Dustin Ah Chong def. Nic Das, decision.
* Uriel Santiago def. Keith Pabre, decision.