Extra incentive fuels Beamon in first-ever pro boxing match

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on August 11, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Dewayne Beamon needs little incentive when he steps into the squared circle.

An inexperienced boxer, he knows he's considered an underdog by every challenger he faces. Once Beamon laces up his gloves and crawls between the ropes, that opinion quickly changes.

His latest foe, Jesus Gonzalez, found out Saturday evening. In his first-ever professional fight -- in front of a jam-packed hometown crowd -- Beamon needed just 100 seconds to defeat Gonzalez in their 118-pound bout at the Goldsboro Elite Athletic Center.

"On paper, I'm not supposed to beat guys like that because they have experience," Beamon said.

But this matchup had a little more of an edge to it.

Beamon originally asked to fight at 118 pounds and Gonzalez's camp said he couldn't make that weight. When Friday's official weigh-in rolled around, Gonzalez tipped the scales at 118 pounds. Beamon came in overweight, and had just one hour to drop three pounds off his already muscular frame.

Upset with the situation, Beamon headed to the Y and shed the three pounds by running laps and sitting in the steam room.

"It made me a little angry, gave me a little incentive to take him out earlier," Beamon said. "I went into the fight with a chip on my shoulder. I still fought my fight and didn't lose control."

Gonzalez couldn't counter two big blows -- the second which literally knocked him out of the ring.

The referee stopped the fight at that point.

Beamon raised his gloves in victory.

"Man, it was wonderful ... almost brought me to tears," Beamon said. "That was a chance to see all of my family together. Some people caught planes to be at this show. It was great to see all of them here."

The Eastern Wayne alum plans to fight again in October, hopefully in the same building where he launched his pro career. He already has two opponents in mind, but can't make an official announcement until the fight is arranged.

Excited about the prospects of competition in the pro ranks, Beamon has a bigger picture in mind -- he wants to start a "No Guns, But Gloves" campaign to send a message to kids in his hometown that there is something out there for them.

He got off to a good start Saturday evening. Beamon took pictures and signed autographs with the kids after his fight.

"I'm determined to bring boxing to Goldsboro," he said.

Spoken like a true underdog.