By Sean Reed
The good news for Johnny "The Bulldog" Suarez (5-2-2, 3KO) is that he's presently back home in Burbank, California, reaping the rewards of a hefty payday, earned from a hard night's work on the latest Black Gloves Promotions boxing card.
The bad news is, his recent past was shared with Charles "The Future" Hatley, which resulted in his being stopped for the first time in his career.
Brutally.
Hatley (6-0, 6 KO's), a 2008 U.S. Olympic alternate, was finally extended past the second round for the first time in his young professional career. He still kept his perfect knockout ratio intact when the referee mercifully stopped the contest in the fourth round of their scheduled six-round October 17 main event at the Cedar Canyon Dude Ranch in Lancaster, Texas.
Hatley wondered aloud about Suarez's nickname while hitting the mitts prior to the bout. "The 'Bulldog', huh? Well I'm about to do that 'Bulldog' like Michael Vick did his dogs,” he said in his dressing room, prompting members of his team to burst out in laughter.
Wearing tuxedo styled attire ala Roy Jones Jr., sporting a newly shaven dome and surrounded by his homey's, Hatley danced his way to the ring as if it were a nightclub dancefloor.
Suarez was unfazed and the picture of quiet self-confidence, although he would have no choice but to be impressed by his opponent the moment the opening bell rang.
Like most Hatley fights, it doesn't take long for him to acquaint himself. Suarez was hurt with a right and rocked with a left jab very early. Less than a minute into the bout and already he was red around the nose. A huge right buckled Suarez, but all the while he kept Hatley honest with counter left hooks as Charles got overly aggressive, going for the kill.
Hatley smartly came out in the southpaw stance to start the second, nullifying Suarez's counter left hooks. From that position, he landed left crosses, left hooks to the body and right hooks up top, all of which compromised Suarez's legs, but failed to deposit the determined warrior on the canvas.
By round three, the "Bulldog" was tamed with swelling under his left eye and severe bruising on the right side of his torso, courtesy of work put in by the artist formerly known as "The Bodysnatcher.” Since they were successful, Hatley continued to unload left crosses to the head and body, but then an orthodox right hand snapped Suarez's head back violently.
Hatley seemed to be taking a breather in the fourth, which gave Suarez a false sense of security. He closed the distance, looked to make a dogfight out of it and trapped Hatley along the ropes when a monstrous left hook knocked every bit of perspiration from his head.
Suarez was in retreat mode the rest of the way, looking to hold as Hatley prepared for target practice. An unending flurry of hand grenades exploded off of Suarez, then an overhand right-left hook to the body finally dropped him to his knees.
The referee probably should've stopped it earlier in the round, but he officially waved it off as Suarez was on the canvas.
The official time was 2:42 of the fourth round.
Hatley was gracious and appreciative of Suarez's durability afterwards and offered to fly him in to Dallas for sparring down the road.
Up next for "The Future" is a November 5 stay-busy bout against Brandon Oldham on the undercard of Taronze Washington's WBC Continental America's title fight against Austin Trout on an invitation-only black-tie event.