Bakersfield's Dallas stays undefeated
| Friday, Jul 16 2010 10:40 PM
Last Updated Friday, Jul 16 2010 11:17 PM
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Boxer Michael Dallas Jr. of Bakersfield.
Boxer Lanard Lane said earlier this week he planned to give Bakersfield's Michael Dallas a "rude awakening" in their junior welterweight bout Friday at Southaven, Miss.
There was a rude awakening, all right, but Lane was on the receiving end of it.
Dallas, 23, improved to 15-0-1 after an eight-round unanimous decision at the DeSoto Civic Center that was televised nationally on Showtime.
"It'll help my career," Dallas said. "This is a big step for me."
The defeat was the first as a pro for the 27-year-old Lane (12-1, 7 KOs), a Houston firefighter.
Dallas looked quicker and more composed than his foe, and showed great skill in ducking and avoiding Lane's punches. Dallas also showed more precision in his strikes.
"I had tougher fights than this but it was a good fight," Dallas said via telephone interview a half hour after the bout, which was the first of a three-fight card. "I knew I was going to be faster and his punches would come in wide, and he was going to try to rush me so I was just going to fight smart."
All three judges scored the bout 78-74 in Dallas' favor.
Lane's best round was the seventh. Near the end of the round, Dallas took his eys off his opponent and focused momentarily on the referee. Dallas said afterward he was trying to signal to the referee that he was slipping on water on the canvas.
Lane siezed the moment, forcing Dallas to the ropes with a series of punches. But none, Dallas said, were of consequence.
"He didnt catch me with nothin' and I beat him easily."
Dallas clearly wasn't hurting for confidence. Near the end of the fourth round, after ducking a series of vicious punch attempts, he celebrated his moment with a little shoulder-shimmy dance.
"I'm trying to get the town behind me," Dallas said. "I want to get Bakersfield behind me."
As anyone watching Showtime could see Friday night, Dallas certainly put another opponent behind him.
