Nelson Stops ‘Hero’ Ware Via TKO6
LAS VEGAS (September 5, 2020) — The night’s showcase of the B & B Boxing Academy started off with undefeated Super Middleweight Steven Nelson. He had the difficult assignment of facing hero DeAndre Ware, a 32-year old fireman from Toledo, Ohio. At some point during yesterday’s weigh-in Ware performed chest compressions that saved the life of Top Rank Pete Susens after the event coordinator collapsed and appeared to need medical attention.
Ware swooping into action reportedly earned him a bonus from Top Rank. A night later he still had to face Nelson.
Nelson started pressuring Ware (13-3-2, 8 KOs) after realizing the first responder preferred to wait and attempt to counter punch. The Omaha, Nebraska native sustained a pair of cuts in the corner of his left eye in round two and five. The second cut interrupted a punishing body attack from Nelson in round five.
In round six Nelson’s urgency returned. Ware’s pace remained somewhat the same. Nelson forced the issue and his attack seemed to visibly affect Ware. A flush left hook from Nelson staggered Ware in the center of the ring. As the stunned Ohioan backed away to regroup Nelson followed him into the ropes to unload a finishing combination. Referee Jay Nady observed Ware’s lack of a responsible defense and waved off the bout at 2:24.
The sixth round stoppage, Nelson’s fourth consecutive stoppage and 14th KO, improved the former U.S. service member to 17-0.
Nelson was Ware’s fifth undefeated opponent in a row, and he was stopped in the eighth round by Kronk Gym’s Vladimir Shishkin last August. Ware went 2-3 during the stretch, but after a pair of one-sided KO losses to fighters vying for title eliminator opportunities; attempting to fight emerging contenders while serving as a full-time fireman may, understandably, be too much to ask for any real-world hero.
All photos by Mikey Williams/Top Rank
