Previous Story
Fitial hammers Carpenter
|
Posted on Mar 29 2009
Kelvin “The Hitman” Fitial connected a powerful right hook to the chin of Ed Carpenter early in the second round to win via referee stoppage in the main event of last Saturday’s Gorilla Warfare MMA “Battle Ready” at the Royal Taga Hall of Saipan World Resort.
Fitial actually was in the brink of defeat in the early goings of the fight, as Carpenter punished him with a barrage of punches in the first round.
Contradicting his promise to use his fists in scoring a first round knockout, Carpenter went immediately to the ground as he rushed Fitial right from the opening bell and the two fought on the mat for over two minutes.
Right then and there, Carpenter let go off over 50 powerful punches to the face and body, while sitting on top of Fitial’s belly.
Fitial struggled for two minutes to get up and as the two fighters suddenly changed position, the Marianas Elite fighter retaliated with strong punches, mostly to Carpenter’s head.
Luckily for the mainland fighter, the bell rang preventing Fitial from inflicting more damage.
Fitial continued his domination of Carpenter in the second round and with a minute and 35 seconds gone, the referee stopped the fight when the former knocked the latter down with a right hook to the chin.
The referee’s decision to halt the match didn’t sit well with the crowd, as they pelted the ring with plastic cups full of beer from all directions.
“I don’t want to disappoint the people. All I was thinking was to win the fight and keep the pride for the CNMI flag. I had to get out of that,” Fitial said.
He did parade the CNMI flag around the ring after the referee declared him the winner.
Carpenter promptly accepted the verdict, but couldn’t give any comment after going out of the ring.
It was the first defeat in five fights for the Illinois, Chicago-based Carpenter, a 22-year-old fighter of the Midwest Training Center.
It was the first fight outside of the U.S. mainland for the 6’3” , 246-lb. behemoth.
Fitial, meanwhile, improved his record to 18-7-1 win-loss-draw.
“I didn’t expect this to happen, but I just did my best in the fight,” said the 244-lb, 25-year-old Fitial.
