(OCT 7) Last night Tammie Johnson
stepped in to the ring at the Lucky Eagle Casino, in Rochester,
Washington, for her pro debut to face Jana Simms, who is still
looking for her first professional win. At the opening bell of the
four round welterweight fight both women swung wildly. First fight
nerves seemed to be pushing Johnson, while Simms was swinging for a
win.
Half way through the first round the
pace slowed considerably. Johnson threw fewer punches, which meant
that Simms could look to throw a few back rather than duck out of
trouble. Between rounds Johnson was settled down, told to keep a jab
in Simms' face and then look for a right to the body. Simms was told
to move, stay off the ropes, and fire her punches down the middle,
an area Johnson left open with some widely thrown punches in the
first. Johnson used her jab effectively, but still threw the
swinging wide right. Simms was able to catch Johnson, but with only
single punches; she was unable to mount any type of serious assault.
Johnson won all four rounds on each judge's card for the 40-36 win.
Jana Simms' hard luck continues as she drops to 0-2-2.
Johnson looks like a young women who
with a little work and discipline could gain some attention in the
northwest. She has the first fight jitters behind her and should be
a bit more focused in her next fight. As for Simms, somewhere out
there is a welterweight she can beat, and Jana needs to find her.
-mike blair-
boxingprospects.net
