Mitchell KOs Kelly at Forum
Russell Mitchell won the North American Boxing Federation welterweight championship Monday by knocking out former champion Derrick Kelly of Riverside in the seventh round of their scheduled 12-round bout at the Forum.
Mitchell, of Quail Valley, Calif., was rated No. 10 by the NABF. He was outpointed in the first five rounds as Kelly took command.
Mitchell responded with a short right cross that struck Kelly on the temple and at 2:52 of the seventh round, referee Chuck Hassett counted Kelly out.
Kelly is 24-2-2 with nine knockouts and Mitchell is 16-10-3, also with nine knockouts.
In an earlier bout, Kenny Baysmore of Washington knocked out Benny Lopez of Upland in the first round of their scheduled 10-round quarterfinal Forum super featherweight tournament match.
Baysmore knocked Lopez down with a right, and referee Lou Moret ended the bout at 2:59 of the first round.
Baysmore is 25-2-1, with 21 knockouts, and Lopez is 13-6, with nine knockouts.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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