Kevin “The Killa” Abanilla boxed his way to victory at Friday Night Fights on the corner of Freret and Jena Streets.
After three rounds of back-and-forth action, the southpaw from New York City was awarded a unanimous decision.
“I could have done better. There were too many right hands. I should’ve been more aggressive, but I wasn’t because I didn’t want to punch myself out,” said Abanilla, a biology freshman.
The first round saw many punches traded between Abanilla and his orthodox opponent, Jeff Corban. Although Abanilla got the better of the exchanges, Corban finished the round with a straight right that rocked the southpaw.
In the second round, “The Killa” utilized his footwork to close the distance between him and Corban. Abanilla dominated with a flurry of short hooks and uppercuts to the body and head of his opponent.
“He has a knack for moving well. He’s balanced,” said Jonathan Bertucelli, Abanilla’s cornerman.
Early in the third round, Corban caught Abanilla with a series of hooks. Abanilla defended himself from further damage, recovered, and countered with a few of his own hooks. However, the referee deducted a point from Abanilla for hitting Corban outside the white “scoring area” of the glove.
After a short timeout, Abanilla forced Corban against the ropes and finished the round with a combination of straights and hooks.
“He’s real smooth. For a beginner, he has a good mindset. He’s composed. He’s not hotheaded,” said Bertucelli.
Even after the gold was placed around Abanilla’s neck, he still felt dissatisfied.
“Mardi Gras break messed me up. I was overweight and didn’t have enough cardio. After the fight, I still felt frustrated over the point loss,” he said.
“The Killa” says he is is considering changing his training routine in the future.
“I will train harder next time,” vowed Abanilla.
Michael Sanchez can be reached at [email protected]
Kevin “The Killa” Abanilla, biology freshman, takes a punch in his April 1 fight at the Freret Street Gym. Abanilla was frustrated by his performance, even though he won. (Elizabeth Kunzig/Staff Photographer)
