Cherry and Edwards Land a Memorial Bombs!
By: Bill Ethan
May 21st, Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, North Carolina: In the nights main event, lightweight Edner "Cherry Bomb" Cherry 24-5-2, 11 Ko’s took his time and caught former two-time WBC lightweight champion southpaw Stevie "Lil' But Bad" Johnston 42-5-1, 18 Ko’s with a right hand like a “Cherry bomb” explosion on a memorial day celebration. Johnson who was down three times in the fight came in winning three of his last four outings.
Cherry boxed well behind a strong jab landing with the right hand to the body. Johnson could never claim his space and in the third round he ate a “Cherry” short right hand followed by a left planting the former champion on the deck for the first time. Cherry stayed composed boxing from the outside methodically working over Johnson who effectiveness was “Lil’ and Bad.” Continuing to box at a measured pace Cherry exploded in the ninth round driving Johnson to the ropes firing heavy combinations punctuated by a thunderous right hand depositing the former champion on the deck for the second time. 
In the tenth round Cherry began to bounce and move circling the south paw moving to his left stopping to fire a bombing right hand hidden behind a quick jab flattening Johnson, bouncing his head off the canvas causing referee dale Frye to immediately call the fight at 2:34 of the tenth round. Johnson was down for several minutes while being attended to by the ringside medical staff.
Johnson fell to 42-6-1 and probably should re-evaluate his comeback while Edner Cherry claimed the WBC USNBC lightweight title and should be right back in the thick of the lightweight scramble.
In the semi main event former Marine, lightweight Johnny “The Lumberjack” Edwards 14-2-1, 8 Ko’s came back strong after his February first round Tko loss to rising star Yuriorkis Gamboa winning his rematch with former world champion Freddie Norwood 42-3-1, 23 Ko’s with a stunning seventh round knockout. Norwood was disqualified in their first bout for repeated low blows. Edwards controlled most of the action then in round three a clash of heads opened a cut over the Norwood’s left eye and the “Lumberjack” went on the attack. Picking up the tempo Edwards stalked the former champion catching him with a left hook dropping him to the canvas.
In round four Norwood appeared intent on changing the momentum and hurt the former Marine with a solid combination driving him to the ropes Norwood failed to follow up and the wounded Marine was outworking him as the round closed. Edwards turned up his head first attack and pressured the older Norwood breaking him down. Norwood appreared to be looking for the big counter shot but in round seven he was beaten to the punch with a sledge hammer left hook to the temple the deposited the ex-champion on the deck for the count when referee Dale Frye stopped the action at 2;51 round seven..
On the undercard former cruiserweight champion "King" Arthur Williams 44-15-1, 30 Ko’s used combinations to dominate opponent Clarence Moore 5-4-1, 5 Ko’s dropping him twice in the second round en-route to a shutout unanimous decision 60-52 on all three judges cards.
