In his seventh professional fight, Andre Ward gets up off the deck to score a unanimous decision victory over tough Darnell Boone, who dropped him heavily, and tested his durability.

Andre Ward vs Darnell Boone 

In the best bout of the evening of a seven fight card at Aviator Arena at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York promoted by Havoc Promotions, super middleweights Lennox Allen of Guyana and Darnell Boone of Atlanta, Georgia, battled to a majority draw. This bout was originally scheduled for Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota, on the undercard to Maurice Harris vs Nagy Aguilera vacant USBA heavyweight title card. According to Boxing 360 promoter Dr.Mario Yagubi, who handles Allen, the bout was moved to New York because owing to Showtime television time constraints, the bout could not be scheduled for eight rounds on the not televised portion of that card. Boone entered the ring in a clown mask, but once the bout began, the two fighters were locked in a war. Boone, a cagey veteran of 35 professional bouts, 17-16-2, took 12-0 Allen to school. The first six rounds appeared close and difficult to score. Southpaw Allen began using the right jab effectively in the first round, with Boone landing counter right power shots. Boone tried to tie up Allen wherever possible. Boone's gloves touched the canvas late in the first during an exchange, but the referee ruled no knockdown. In the second, Allen threw left and right power shots. Boone countered with awkward jab flurries to the head and body thrown off balance, then tried to hold. In the third, Allen worked the left jab in center ring and with Boone on the ropes. Boone attempted to counter but couldn't land, so he resorted to holding and then hitting off the break repeatedly, but no fouls were called. In round four, the fight turned dirty, with both boxers wrestling each other for position in corners. Allen was landing head and body power shots, and Boone, frustrated at getting hit, threw Allen to the canvas. In the fifth round, Allen stalked Boone and tried to walk him down, landing right jabs and power shots. Boone set traps, trying to lure Allen into corners, then spin him around and attack while pinning him on the ropes, but Allen smartly maneuvered out of them. The sixth round was Boone's best round of the fight, throwing left hand power shots at Allen all over and scoring with them while keeping on the move, not offering Allen a target. Allen threw counters, but did not land as many punches as Boone did. The seventh round appeared to be an even round, both fighters throwing jabs and trying to counter each other, also trying body shots, and boxing cautiously in center ring. Allen appeared to win the eighth and final round with many overhand lefts and rights and hooks to the head which scored. Nice applause from the crowd after this bout for an outstanding effort from both fighters. The bout was high level with both fighters in peak condition and could easily have gone ten rounds. The booed main event of the evening following this bout lasted only 81 seconds and had three knockdowns. As evidenced from the photo taken midway through this eight round bout, Allen (left) and Boone (right) were very evenly matched. After the bout, Allen stated "Boone was more than I expected, and in boxing you gotta come in expecting these things." Boone stated "I felt I won." Boone offered a rematch. Good sportsmanship on the part of the fighters and the individuals in both fighters' corners, who warmly greeted each other in center ring after this hard fought bout when the contest ended. According to Dr. Yagubi, Allen's promoter, "This was a good fight for Lennox, and we'll move on."

Andre Ward vs Darnell Boone

Lennox Allen vs Darnell Boone

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