Indio, CA--  The desert heat all around Riverside County was noticeable but the action was even hotter during the televised SHOWTIME card at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, near Palm Springs, California.   The main event started out as an old fashion junkyard scrap with plenty of clutching and missed roundhouses but Cornelius Bundrage knocked down Corey Spinks four times for the IBF win.

Cornelius Bundrage also known as "K-9" kept his IBF title after beating Corey Spinks in Indio, California, near Palm Springs.  The Kronk Gym fighter got prepped with a stable of capable sparring partners like Erick DeLeon, shown here. - Photo by Lars Hjelmroth, Rolco Sports Network

Bundrage (32-4, 19 KOs) proved that his victory over Spinks (39-7, 11 KOs) a year ago was not a fluke.  The Kronk fighter from Detroit stunned Spinks in the first round with a right-hand which set the tone.  It wasn’t all Bundrage as Spinks kept scoring with jabs and combinations.  In round four Bundrage took command after a clinch and connected with multiple uppercuts.  

Between the 6th and 7th rounds, Hall of Fame trainer Emmanuel Steward berated Bundrage to step up his brawl with the junior middleweight.  Another of his corner men, Sugar Hill added some encouraging advice.  The extra coaching worked as Bundrage, 39, knocked down Spinks three times in the seventh round for the TKO.  Referee Ray Corona ended the fight at 2:32 without a count.

Bundrage seemed to get a second wind coming out for the seventh round.  “Even though he (Spinks) was taking control, I could see his punches,” Bundrage said post fight.  “I slowed him down from all the knockdowns.  I knew it was a matter of time.  I had to quit looping the punches and throw them straight.  I had to start breathing.  I had to start listening to my corner.”

“When you get tired, you have to be smart.  You got to fight, even when you’re tired.  I actually did better when I was tired than when I was fresh, Bundrage added.” 

Bundrage expressed with enthusiasm and exclaimed for all to hear that he wants a fight against Canelo Alvarez.  “I want Canelo to glove up.  The dog is coming for you,” said the winner.  Bundrage retains the IBF title he took from Spinks last year in St. Louis.  Other winners on the Golden Boy promotion were Gary Russell Jr., Erislandy Lara and Antonio Orozco.

During the weeks before the fight, Steward and Keith Lee, another coach on the Kronk training team, turned up the temperature in the gym so Bundrage could get used to the desert heat while he sparred.  Bundrage also gave high praise to his sparring partners for helping him get ready.  Those included Darrell Van Horn, Leandre Blue White, Jacob Bonas and Erick DeLeon.