Fortune Makes Quick Work of Brinson in Heavyweight Bout

IRVINE â€”  Australian heavyweight Justin Fortune made a statement Thursday night, and he hopes highly ranked Jeremy Williams of Long Beach was listening. Fortune took only 1 minute 18 seconds to dispose of an outclassed Craig Brinson of Duarte in front of 1,047 at the Marriott.

Fortune (10-2-1), who looked more like a nose guard than a boxer, put down Brinson (3-5-2) seconds into the bout with an overhand right that landed on Brinson’s ear. He finished off Brinson with three thunderous left hooks that landed flush on Brinson’s jaw. Referee Gwen Adair smartly stepped in and stopped the bout.

“My targeting has been really good,� said Fortune, who is trained in Hollywood by former boxer Freddie Roach. “Now I want a piece of that . . . Jeremy Williams.�

Said Roach: “This was a step to show the people of America what he can do. Justin needs to step up in class. We’d like two more fights before Jeremy Williams. With Justin’s short, squatty style, we can beat Jeremy Williams.�

Huntington Beach’s Johnny Vasquez won his first six-rounder with a vicious third-round knockout of Tijuana’s Ricardo Contreras. Vasquez (4-3, with three knockouts) lost the first two rounds and appeared to be losing the third when he landed a straight right hand to Contreras’ chin during an exchange on the ropes. Contreras went down instantly and stayed down for a couple minutes before doctors helped him to his feet.

Afterward, the fans showed their affection for Vasquez by showering the ring with dollar bills.

Scotty Welch of Edinburgh, Scotland, sporting plaid walking shorts, lost a unanimous four-round decision to Scoobie Valdez (1-2) of Pasadena. The loss was Welch’s first in six fights and the difference was Welch had two points taken away by referee Bill Scott for pushing and holding. Welch lost on two judges’ cards, 37-36, and 38-36 on another.