Jamel Herring rides two knockdowns to unanimous decision victory

Jamel Herring, the Marine sergeant and 2012 U.S. Olympian, remained undefeated, knocking Colombia's Luis Eduardo Flores down twice in the fifth round to win a unanimous decision Tuesday night in a 10-round lightweight bout in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions card at Sands Event Center in Bethlehem, Pa. The bout was televised by Fox Sports 1.

Herring (15-0, 8 KOs) won by scores of 100-88, 100-88 and 99-89 while easily fending off Flores' wild swings throughout the bout, as the Colombian was looking for a quick knockout. Herring, a southpaw, used his right jab and lightning-quick combinations to keep the offensive-minded Flores in a defensive mode much of the evening.

"I knew if I boxed smart it would show, but I didn't think it would be that wide a margin," said Herring. "He's a very experienced fighter.

"I was trying to get rid of him early because he's a dangerous guy. If you let a guy like that sit around too long there's always the risk that you might get clipped with something and regret it."

Herring hopes Tuesday's victory will launch him into world title contention in 2016.

Making his U.S. debut, the taller Flores (21-3, 17 KOs) was ruled to have been knocked down twice, but disputed both calls.

"Both times that the official called it a knockdown and started counting were just slips. I didn't actually get knocked down either time," Flores said. "I know that (Herring) had the advantage tonight, and he outperformed me. But I'll keep trying wherever my next opportunity comes."

Herring, 30, said he hopes a big, nationally televised win helps him gain respect.

"People seeing me win on my first PBC card on national TV just helps raise my profile and I look forward to being back," said Herring, who was deployed twice by the Marines to Iraq, most recently in 2007.

The opening televised bout featured unbeaten prospect Alex Martin (12-0, 5 KOs) defeating Rossemberth Gomez (17-5-1, 13 KOs) by unanimous decision in an eight-round welterweight contest.

Martin, a 2012 National Golden Gloves champion, controlled much of the fight from the outside using superior footwork to evade Gomez.

"I could see his punches coming from a mile away, but I should have followed up a little more than I did tonight and let my hands go a bit more too," Martin said.

Also, former U.S. Olympian Raynell Williams (11-0, 5 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Gabriel Tolmajyan (14-3-2, 3 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout.

"The only time he was able to catch me with anything was when I got a little lazy," said Williams, who fights out of Cleveland.

That happened in the final round when Tolmajyan, from Glendale, Calif., caught Williams with a shot that nearly ended the fight. "It was an overhand left that he hit me with," said Williams. "And then he came after me again, but the ref and I made contact, so then the ref pushed me away because he didn't want me to try holding on to him. But once I got my feet under me I was fine."

(Photo of Herring, right, and Flores by Lucas Noonan, PBC)