REFEREE MARK NELSON HAS BUSY NIGHT IN NY

Saint Paul’s Mark Nelson had another busy night of refereeing earlier tonight (3.2.24) on ESPN+, this time at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York.

Still to come for Nelson will be tonight’s IBF World Featherweight title fight between Luis Alberto Lopez and Reiya Abe.

Journalist Bob Newman of Fightnews.com reported that 2020 Tokyo Olympian Troy “The Transformer” Isley took on “The Contender” alum Marcos Hernandez in a scheduled 8 round middleweight clash which Nelson worked. Newman says that Isley pounded away on Hernandez, who proved tough as titanium.
“Referee Mark Nelson began to take a hard look around round 5, as Hernandez began to look a little worse for wear” said Newman. “Finally, in round 7, a wild overhand right dropped Hernandez hard, rolling on the floor. He beat the count, but referee Nelson had seen enough.” Time of the stoppage was 1:30 of the seventh. Isley moves to (12-0, 5 KOs), while Hernandez should call it a day at (16-7-2, 3 KO’s).

Nelson raised the hand of Nico Ali Walsh (now 10-1, 5 KO’s) after 6 rounds of middleweight action in a featured bout. Ali Walsh rebounded after his first loss as a professional to Minnesota’s Sona Akale in August of 2023.