2/15/06 - article by Tom Dodge / Daily World
Better, not bitter boxer
Prevost promises to bounce back after controversy
Photo by Tom Dodge
Blake Prevost looks at the judges' card of his fight against Martin Verdin.
The Lawtell boxer lost a controversial split decision Feb. 4 at Blackham Coliseum.
LAWTELL - He has gone through every emotion over the past 10 days since the controversial
split decision with his fight against Martin Verdin.
"I couldn't believe it," Blake Prevost said of the judge's votes.
"I was shocked at first and then I was angry for a couple of days."
'The Candy Man' admitted that his shock turned to anger has now set his determination to the future.
"This will make me a better boxer," Prevost (7-1-1) said.
"I will still be a world champion. This has just made me more determined."
Verdin won in a split decision that excited the 6,000 fans into a fever pitch as
they displayed their disapproval.
Judge Bruce McDaniel ruled all six rounds in favor of Prevost for a 60-54 win.
Judge Kenny Saintes gave the first and fifth rounds to Prevost, while handing Verdin four
other rounds for a 58-56 decision.
Judge Kenny Licata also ruled in Verdin's favor (58-57) but gave Prevost the upper hand
in the first, fifth and sixth rounds.
"I always feel confident heading into the ring," Prevost said of his pre fight feelings.
"I felt that if I was on the top of my game, which I was, then he couldn't really touch
me - which he didn't."
Prevost said he started well and easily won the first round, which all three judges agreed.
Licata and Saintes both gave the next three rounds to Verdin, which tipped the scales in
favor of the boxer from Cutoff.
"There were two rounds that maybe you could give to him," Prevost admitted, "because he
landed a couple of shots. But then I landed a lot of shots too- I send him several hard shots."
Prevost said he felt the fight was his after he beat Verdin easily in the last two rounds.
"I knocked the mouthpiece out of his mouth," Prevost said of the fifth round. "There was
a lull in the action. He had time to get water and wipe his face off - which you are not
supposed to do. You are supposed to put the mouthpiece right back in their mouth and keep fighting.
"He had time to eat a sandwich," Prevost joked about the delay. "I was in the neutral
corner waiting for the fight to start again."
The Lawtell boxer said he beat Verdin in the fight, with an "easy 3-to-1" punch exchange.
"There was nothing in my mind that indicated that I had lost the fight. When I heard
'split decision' I thought they had made it close, but I still thought I had won the fight."
The Lawtell boxer compared the decision to a home run that goes over the centerfield fence,
but ruled a foul ball.
After the split decision went against him, Prevost said his one regret was he didn't knock out Verdin.
"The next time these will be my judges," Prevost said of his gloves. "I will have to knock
out guys, I guess to win."
Prevost said he wants to meet Verdin again in the ring.
"If he is any kind of a man, he will fight me again," Prevost said of a rematch. "He
knows he lost that fight.
"I am going to beat him even worse next time."
Originally published February 15, 2006 |
