Heavy Hitter Promotions hosted its inaugural boxing event Dec. 13 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn. Despite having everything that could go wrong with a show happen, the event turned out to be a pleasant surprise, thanks in large part to the main event.

Vernon “The Iceman” Paris (17-0, 12 KOs) gave the crowd its money’s worth against a very game and competitive Kevin Carmody (10-9, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in the main event. Carmody is no stranger to undefeated Detroit fighters, having handed local boxer Frankie O’Neal his first defeat in 11 bouts last March at Cobo Hall. Carmody came prepared to do the same against Paris.

The two boxers wasted little time getting acquainted as they greeted each other with their best punches at the opening bell. Both were content to fight at a puncher’s distance, with Carmody moving in and tying up Paris when the need to neutralize Paris’ power presented itself. A frustrated Paris responded to the defensive skills of Carmody by resorting to tactics taken from a Fritzie Zivic handbook.

Paris possessed the heavier hands and the aggressive style, but Carmody held his own, getting in his fair share of power punches. In the sixth round, however, Paris landed a solid right hand that turned the tide in his favor. The punch sent Carmody retreating to the ropes. Paris opened up on his wounded opponent, but there wasn’t enough time remaining on the clock to end matters. A dazed Carmody staggered to his corner and at the opening bell of round seven, he still appeared somewhat groggy. Paris moved in for the finish, pinned Carmody against the ropes once again, and as Carmody’s corner threw in the towel, the referee stepped in and stopped the bout – awarding Paris a TKO win at 1:07 of the seventh round.

In the co-main event, Detroiter Damon “Bulldog” McCeary (13-0, 10 KOs), once a promising light heavyweight before an incarceration took him out of action for six years, returned for his second fight this year as he stopped durable Salah Zabian (6-9) of Las Vegas on a third-round TKO.

Seconds before the closing bell of Round 2, McCeary caught Zabian with a solid right hand that opened a nasty gash above Zabian’s left eye. Zabian’s corner worked on the cut but was unable to contain it. Following the one-minute rest period, the ringside physician examined the wound and advised the referee to stop the bout, making McCeary the winner.

Speaking of comebacks, former Kronk heavyweight Fadi Faraj (5-0-1, 3 KOs) of Dearborn came out of a self-imposed retirement to stop Salomon Becerra of Muskegon by way of knockout at 2:36 of Round 1. In an entertaining four-round heavyweight bout, Tommy Washington (3-4-1) decisioned a game Andy Cornado (making his pro debut) on scores of 40-36, 40-46 and 39-37. Muskegon’s John Lofquist was well on his way to victory in his pro debut against Larry Carter (2-2-1) when a dislocated shoulder at 1:06 of Round 1 ruined his evening and gave the bout to Carter via TKO. In a light heavyweight bout, Santos Martinez made it a short evening for Shawn Dean (0-2), stopping him at 2:20 of Round 1.

Looking back at 2007 – the Best of the Best: My debatable Best of the Year Awards, made on limited memory recall, are as follows: Michigan Fight of the Year goes to Jonathon Banks vs. Derrick Brown on Nov. 15. The Ecorse Express won his first major title, winning the WBO’s North American Boxing Organization Cruiserweight belt. But more importantly, he learned he’s ready for a world title shot. Reflecting on his accomplishment, Banks said, “Before that fight, I didn’t know if I was ready to go 12 rounds. I had to know if I would be as strong at the end of 12 as I was at the start of Round 1.” After 12 hard rounds, Banks learned the truth and, with that in hand, along with a championship belt and a No. 9 ranking by the WBC, the Ecorse native may get his wish this year.

Michigan Female Fight of the Year goes to Jeannine Garside vs. Brooke Dierdorf on Sept. 21. Garside floored Dierdorf in the first round and twice in the sixth in this all- out war that ended with Garside winning on a sixth-round TKO.

Michigan Fighter of the Year in the male category belongs to Vernon Paris. With a record of 17-0 (12 KOs) with nine of those wins and six of those KOs taking place in 2007, Paris earned this honor through his results and his activity. At age 19, Paris easily has three times as many professional fights as other boxers his age. Now its time for the young gunslinger to ride into town to try his hand. The Jr. welter and welterweight divisions that Paris competes in have plenty on hand to call out. Pick them wisely.

Michigan Female Fighter of the Year, once again, goes to Mary Jo Sanders. At 25-0 (8 KOs), Sanders added the IBA middleweight title to her resume last January when she defeated Gina Nichols at The Palace. In March, Sanders defended her title in the main event shown live on ESPN2 from Cobo Hall. She finished the year stopping rugged Veronica Rucker in four rounds on Nov. 29. Sanders has pursued a showdown with Laila Ali for several years to no avail. Following her last bout, manager Jimmy Mallo announced that, “Laila Ali will not dictate the future of Mary Jo. Mary Jo is the future and we are moving on with or without Ali.”

Comeback Fighter is Damon McCeary; Last of the Last is Bronco McKart; and Prospect of the Year is Brandon Little. On the world-wide level, Kelly Pavlik-Jermaine Taylor is Fight of the Year; Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the best Pound-for-Pound Fighter; and last but not least, the biggest boxing scandal of the year award goes to Oscar De La Hoya.