42nd Ohio Valley Toughman Contest Features Four Local Winners
Joe Lovell Trending
WHEELING -- Four Ohio Valley residents found out Saturday night they were tough enough as they claimed titles during the 42nd annual Ohio Valley Toughman Contest inside WesBanco Arena.
Wheeling's Jakia Williams (women's middleweight), Bridgeport's Bobby George (men's lightweight), Belmont's Demitree "Hitman" Turner (men's middleweight) and Barnesville's Hunter "Polish Hammer" Markovich (men's cruiserweight) all had their hands raised following unanimous three-round decisions.
The victories by Williams, Turner and Markovich were each their third, thus forcing them to retire from the Toughman circuit.
Williams, who trains at Team Green, defeated Barnesville's Carly "Powerhouse" VanFossen. It was their only fight of the two-night event.
Williams had previously won in Martinsburg and Parkersburg.
"It was fun. She was a tough competitor," Williams said of VanFossen.
Turner, who won two weeks ago in Parkersburg, defended his Ohio Valley title when he sent Brandon Barber, from Hookstown, Pa., crashing to the mat with a jaw-jarring right hand in the third round.
"It never gets old," Turner, a Union Local product, said of winning. "I want to keep on fighting. I have to give a big shout out to my trainer Johnny Haught. He's the Picasso of trainer's and I take care of things on the canvas."
Markovich had an interesting night in which he also fought three times.
However, after his split decision in the semifinals, the wrong winner was announced. It was corrected quickly, but had the former Shamrocks wondering.
"I was like 'wow.' He never hit me or hurt me," Markovich said of the initial decision. "Winning these titles is fun. I had a blast out there."
Markovich, a 6-7, 211-pound corrections officer, had to stave off a strong first period from Zanesville's Stevie Allen, but took care of business after that.
"He was doing a lot of talking in that first round," Markovich noted. "That fired me up even more."
George, who also had to fight three times Saturday night, took down Long Bottom, Ohio's Wyatt "The Last Spartan" Boggs in the finals. George hurt Boggs in the second round and knocked his mouthpiece out in the third.
"This was a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be," George admitted. "I had three pretty tough fights tonight."
Other winners were Morgantown's Jessica "Mayhem" Miller (women's lightweight), Parkersburg's Vincent "The Vampire" Baisi (men's welterweight) and Zanesville's RJ Harris (men's heavyweight).