Heading into mid-season of Week 9 in its sophomore year, the Team Combat League (TCL) squads are facing critical battles with outcomes that will begin to clarify this season’s playoff picture. For all of TCL’s HD streaming action, go to teamcombatleague.tv on desktops, mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.), or smart TVs (with Chromecast or AirPlay support) by using the link provided by email after paying $7.99 per event. You can also watch by adding the channel on ROKU TV. Here is what is in store for fight fans (pro boxing records listed after fighters’ TCL records):
Thursday, June 6, at 9 P.M. ET - Houston Hitmen vs. San Antonio Snipers
Live from San Antonio Shrine Auditorium in San Antonio, Texas*
The month of June will begin with begin with another TCL all-Texas matchup, as the AC Bryant-coached San Antonio Snipers (0-3, 3 KOs) will defend their home court of the San Antonio Shrine Auditorium in San Antonio for the first time against the Bobby Benton- and Austin Trout-coached Houston Hitmen (2-2, 4 KOs).
The Hitmen are currently being led by female featherweight and U.S. Olympian Virginia Fuchs (TCL 7-0/3-1, 1 KO), female welterweight Samantha Ginithan (TCL 8-0, 1 KO/12-0, 3 KOs) and middleweight Raynard Talib Jr. (TCL 6-1/7-1, 2 KOs). They will be looking to rise above the .500 mark this season against the winless but still dangerous San Antonio Snipers (0-3, 3 KOs), led by welterweight Richard Howell (TCL 3-1, 1 KO/4-4-2, 2 KOs) and middleweight Amin Mitchell (TCL 1-0, 2-0, 1 KO).
The Houston Hitmen will be riding high coming in, having defeated defending Season 1 champs the NYC Attitude by a score of 230-225 on May 30, at Gas South District in Duluth, Georgia. The San Antonio Snipers will be looking to erase the memory of their 175-165 defeat to the Dallas Enforcers on May 30, at Thunder Studios, Long Beach, California.
For those who wish to attend live, The San Antonio Shrine Auditorium is located at 901 N Loop 1604 W in San Antonio. Click HERE to purchase tickets for the live event. On fight night, doors open at 7:00 p.m. CT and the action starts at 8:00 p.m. CT/9:00 PM ET.
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Recent action saw the Dallas Enforcers face the Snipers at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California. Tony Mack’s Enforcers (1-2) won “The TCL Battle of Texas” by taking a comfortable ten-point 175-165 victory over AC Bryant’s winless Snipers (0-3). Dallas’ Eric Howard and San Antonio’s Leondric Johnson shared a fan-friendly engagement to open the festivities in Round 1, with each having their free-swinging moments before Howard emerged victorious 10-9. The furious action continued in Round 2, when female fighters Alexis Araiza Mones of Dallas and Tianna Schroeder representing San Antonio got down to business for a full-round rumble, won by Mones 10-9.
In a surprising twist, 40-0 professional boxing veteran Abel Mendoza was dropped for a short count from the flying fists of San Antonio’s Richard Howell, giving Howell an extra point for his team and a 10-8 victory in Round 3. To his credit, Mendoza returned in Round 18 to cap off his team’s resounding victory with a thrilling 10-9 win against San Antonio’s dangerous Javier Fernandez. Their dramatic battle was later named “Fight of the Night.”
San Antonio’s Joshua Oxendine appeared to injure his arm while already taking heavy fire from opponent Jalen Moore of Dallas in their Round 4 encounter, to the point that referee Ray Corona waved the contest to a halt and gave Dallas a 10-7 outcome. The end came just as the score was tied at 28-28 after three fights and put Dallas up 38-35. Oxendine’s departure would cost his team another 10-9 bye round when their scheduled rematch in Round 13 had to be cancelled. Moore was later named first star of the night for his dominance.
Dallas fighter Briana Carrera was named third star of the night for outslugging San Antonio’s Mahogany Gaines in Round 5. Andre Ewell’s cut eye forced a 10-10 bye round in his scheduled Money Rounds rematch showdown with Leondric Johnson.
Continuing to impress was Dallas slugger Avoran Graham, who outslugged San Antonio’s eventual “Fight of the Night” recipient Javier Fernandez by a score of 10-9 in Round 11. Graham then returned to also best The Snipers’ Richard Howell in Round 19. The hard-punching Graham and his aggressive style appear to be built for Team Combat League stardom as he continues to shine.
“I told them to stay disciplined and loyal to the game plan,” said Dallas coach Tony Mack. “Do not give up. Just because we lost our last two fights, we’re not losers. I told them not to get comfortable with losing. I told them ‘Let’s stay disciplined and let’s just win!’ I love my team. They work hard, and they deserve this win. They’ve been putting in work for months and months. We came together as a team and worked together, and we bonded.”
