WKA-sanctioned main event lasts just 117 seconds

By John D’Onofrio Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

LOCKPORT —

Robert Katzfey put up a better fight at the weigh-in.

Lockport’s Amer Abdallah earned a technical knockout victory over the listless Wisconsonian in 1:57 of the first round of their World Kickboxing Association-sanctioned United States light heavyweight title match before another large and raucous crowd at the Kenan Center Arena.Making up for a somewhat disappointing main event, fellow Lock City fighters Joe Taylor and Dominic Esposito earned impressive victories in Saturday night’s international card that drew one of the largest crowds ever to see such an event in this city’s history.Three, first-round knockdowns via a leg kick to the head, right hand to the head and leg kick to the stomach ended the full-contact title match prematurely as referee Joe Pagan stopped the fight seconds before the bell sounded to end the first of what was a scheduled eight-round affair.

Katzfey was timid and overwhelmed from the start as Abdallah moved in for the kill just seconds after Lockport businessman Pete Robinson crooned the Canadian and U.S. national anthems.

It was an extremely disappointing performance by Katzfey, who exchanged words and shoves with Abdallah — nearly starting a fist fight — 24 hours earlier at the card’s official weigh-in at Lock 34 downtown. Locals hoping for a brawl, as Katzfey (10-3) had promised, saw little from the unimpressive former Denver gym owner, as Abdallah improved to 14-0 while barely breaking a sweat.

“Going into the fight, we thought from all the hype from the videos he sent us criticizing us, from his MMA style and his tactics — plus his demeanor at the weigh-in — that he would come out brawling,” Abdallah said.

“Our game plan was as soon as the fight started, hit him hard to throw him off and show him exactly what he was up against. (But) I hit him hard the first time and he had no heart. I’m grateful for the win — don’t get me wrong — and glad that I came out of the fight unscathed, but I’m disappointed that he didn’t even challenge me.

“We were looking for a higher quality opponent and I trained hard for this fight — 10 weeks, and traveled across the country, hired the best trainers —so I was very discouraged he did not put up a better fight. After the second knockdown, his cornerman put up his hands as if to say ‘please take it easy on him.’ I’m human and I have emotions so I concentrated on just knocking him down again nicely and getting him out of there with the three knockdown rule,” Abdallah said.