{allcanada} Windsor boxer Gorges triumphs in Auburn Hills

 

Even his own fan base worried Andre Gorges had taken on too much when he accepted a fight against a far more experienced boxer for a North American Boxing Association welterweight title.

Despite moving up a weight class and performing for the first time over eight rounds, the gutsy 25-year-old from Border City Boxing Club won a split decision over Kronk's Lanardo Tyner Saturday night in the main event at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

"My fans were saying it was going to be a blood bath," Gorges said. "There were a lot of odds against me. It was a close, tough fight. The toughest I've had for sure."

Gorges is now 10-1 as a pro while Tyner, a hard puncher with 16 knockouts on his resume, is 24-4-1.

"It was a great fight," Border City coach Josh Canty said. "It was close but Gorges did win and deservedly so. He was the busier fighter. He landed some clean shots. We figured (Tyner) needed a KO in the last round and he came on really strong. It was a real war in that round."

Gorges got caught up in the moment in that final round and went toe-to-toe with Tyner instead of sticking with a more technical plan to out box him.

"I lost that round bad," he said. "But now I know I can take their punches at 147 pounds."

Normally, Gorges goes into the ring as a 140-pound junior welterweight.

Defeating Tyner, who as a Kronk boxer was bascially fighting in his own hometown, has put Gorges on the map, according to Canty.

"It was a main event and we took a big chance," Canty said. "It was a great step-up fight for Andre. He rose to the occasion and this puts him in the spotlight. Certainly an NABA championship is a great stepping stone."

It was Gorges' first fight in 10 months because finding willing opponents is proving to be a tall order.

"There was some ring rust but I knew that would come off after the first couple of rounds," Gorges said.

By the time Tyner decided to turn up the heat in the eighth, he was too far behind in the mind of two of the three judges.

"Tyner was stronger but Andre was the more accurate fighter," Canty said. "Andre had put too many rounds in the bank before that final round."

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