Medina earns cheers, too
<p>George Foreman III delivers a left to the chin of Robert Vasquez during the first round Thursday in Worley.</p>
WORLEY - Even after a former world heavyweight champion picked up the biggest cheers of the night in the House of Fury at the Coeur d'Alene Casino, a Sandpoint native picked up the biggest win of the night on Thursday.
Favio Medina of Sandpoint took control of his welterweight bout with Jason Papillion of Broussard, La., in the second round and controlled the pace through eight rounds, earning a decision to improve to 22-2-3 and claim the United States World Boxing Commission U.S. national title.
In October, the duo squared off with the fight being called in the third round due to an incidental headbutt to Papilion's (39-15-2) right eye.
On Thursday, Medina left no doubt who was the better fighter in the 12-round bout.
"It's a little overwhelming," Medina said of the win. "I've been training for five months and really hard for the past three. I didn't want what happened the last time to happen again. I was in really good shape and knew if I kept pushing him, I could win."
George "The Monk" Foreman III improved to 6-0 with a technical knockout 1:32 into the first round in a heavyweight bout against Robert Vasquez, who was making his professional debut. Foreman's famous father, George Sr., watched on from a private location after taking in the opening bout of the night between Roy McCarry and Rob Griswell.
The Foreman group was whisked away in a limousine before they could be reached for comment after the fight.
McCarry is trained by Foreman's camp, with the duo serving as sparring partners during their training.
Local favorite Skylar Anderson (15-1-1, 9 KO) of Newman Lake, Wash., dropped Moses Droz (13-10) of Tampa, Fla., in the third round of their heavyweight bout by technical knockout.
In earlier action, Parma's Hilario Lopez (154 pounds) improved his record to 12-7 with a 60-54 decision over Daniel Gonzales of Billings (19-26-2).
Charles Ellis (5-0-1) of Medford, Ore. and Emerson Chasing Bear (4-0-2) of Rapid City, S.D., fought to a technical draw after an incidental headbutt by Ellis opened a gash over Chasing Bear's right eye, ending the heavyweight fight in the third round.
Spokane's Kaleb Fisher (3-0, 2 KOs) made short work of David Mendez (1-3) of Gresham, Ore., with a technical knockout 1:59 into the first round at 154 pounds.
McCarry, a former Dallas Cowboy offensive lineman from Houston, defeated Griswell, of Portland, Ore., by knockout 1:56 into the second round in the professional debut for both. McCarry (315) outweighed Griswell (212) by 105 pounds in their heavyweight bout.