Old Hangout, New Belt : Nix Can’t Stand Up to Attack by Nunn

RESEDA —  Michael Nunn proved he could go home again.

Nunn’s return to the Reseda Country Club, where the two-time former world champion ascended the middleweight ranks during the 1980s, was a ringing success as Nunn stopped Rudy Nix at 2:52 of the second round of their North American Boxing Federation light-heavyweight championship fight before a crowd of about 600 on Friday night.

The bout was Nunn’s seventh consecutive victory under the tutelage of trainer Joe Goossen, with whom Nunn, 33, reunited in 1995 after a five-year split.

It was also an endorsement to Nunn’s claim that he has developed into a more punishing fighter in recent years.

Early in his career, Nunn, undefeated in 12 fights at the Country Club from 1985 to 1988, often was criticized for trying to finesse opponents instead of developing an aggressive body attack.

After fighting a tentative first round, Nunn (50-3-1 with 32 knockouts) dropped Nix (17-3-1) with a flurry of shots to the body.

Nix went down a second time moments later in the same fashion and the fight was stopped.

“I definitely wanted to make a statement,” Nunn said. “In the first round, I was trying to find my range and Joe didn’t want me to get hurt.

“Everybody told me he was a tough guy. But I just started tagging him and he fell. I was surprised the referee stopped the fight.”

Nix claimed the second knockdown was the result of a shove.

“He caught me with a pretty good shot under the ribs the first time,” Nix said. “The second time he was leaning in on me.

“I’m disappointed. I was looking for a longer fight. I trained for 12 rounds.”

Nunn displayed a trace of a paunch but still demonstrated an ability to throw flashy combinations and move on his feet.

The beginning of the end for Nix came suddenly when Nunn absorbed a Nix flurry while on the ropes, then sprang into a counterattack of combinations.

“I figure I’m a lot more focused,” Nunn said. “My concentration is so much better than it was when I was 26, 27.”

Nunn said he plans to resume training soon. He’ll need to be in shape if promoter Dan Goossen is successful in matching Nunn against Roy Jones Jr., the International Boxing Federation light-heavyweight champion.

“Just give me a training camp with him for a few months and you won’t see that roll,” Joe Goossen said.

“We’re going to go up to Big Bear and we’re going to train and I’m going to feed him.”

Nunn last fought at Reseda in May of 1988, when he knocked out Ron Daniels in the second round. In his next fight, he stopped Frank Tate in the ninth round in Las Vegas to win the IBF middleweight title.

Nunn, also the former WBA super-middleweight champion, said he is ready to challenge for another title.

“A lot of people have written Michael Nunn off,” Nunn said. “I figure I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

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The Scorecard

Friday night’s boxing results at Reseda Country Club

* Michael Nunn (50-3, 32 KOs) knocked out Rudy Nix (17-3-1, 16 KOs) in the second round for the North American Boxing Federation light-heavyweight championship

* Wolfgramm (3-0, 2 KOs) won by unanimous decision over Orlando LaValle (1-1) (heavyweights)

* Adam Vargas (18-1, 16 KOs) knocked out Ernest Koffi (32-6, 30 KOs) in the fifth round (bantamweights)

* Carlos Martinez (3-0, 2 KOs) won by unanimous decision over Jose Aguilera (0-1) (welterweights)

* Lance Whitaker (5-0, 5 KOs) knocked out Marco Dixon (1-9-1), in the second round (heavyweights)

* Brandon Mitchem (5-0, 3 KOs) won by unanimous decision over Francisco Mendez (9-6, 6 KOs), (welterweights)

* Jermaine Fields (1-0) knocked out Rogelio Castaneda in the first round (lightweights)

* Ted Cofie (14-3-1, 11 KOs) won unanimous decision over A.J. Moore (cruiserweight)