The good news for Johnny "The Bulldog" Suarez is that he's presently back home in Burbank, California, reaping the rewards of a hefty payday, earned from a hard night's work on the latest Black Gloves Promotions card.  The bad news is, Mr. Suarez's (5-2-2, 3 KO's) recent past was shared with Charles "The Future" Hatley, and he was stopped for the first time in his career.  Brutally.  Hatley (6-0, 6 KO's), a 2008 United States Olympic alternate, was finally extended past the 2nd round, but kept his perfect knockout ratio intact when the referee mercifully stopped the contest in the 4th.

Hatley stylishly strolls to the ring.

Hatley explodes a right on Suarez.

Suarez starts to fall.

Whenever Hatley fights, there's a tangible buzz in the venue, reminiscent of the feeling one gets when a legendary concert performer is about to take the stage.  If you have yet to watch Hatley (North Texas Boxing's top rated pound for pound fighter) in person, you're truly depriving yourself of a fistic treasure.  The "Massacre at Cedar Canyon Dude Ranch", October 17th, was no exception. 

As he hit the mitts in preparation for his bout, Hatley wondered aloud about Suarez's nickname.  "The 'Bulldog', huh?  Well I'm about to do that 'Bulldog' like Michael Vick did his dogs!” said Hatley, minutes before entering the ring.  Members of team Hatley broke out in laughter.  Wearing tuxedo styled attire (ala Roy Jones Jr.), sporting a newly shaven dome and surrounded by his homies, Hatley danced his way to the ring as if it were a nightclub dance floor.  Suarez was unfazed and the picture of quiet self-confidence.

Like most Hatley fights, it doesn't take long for him to acquaint himself and Suarez was hurt with a right and rocked with a left jab very early.  Less than a minute into the bout and already Suarez was red around the nose.  A huge right buckled Suarez again, but all the while he kept Hatley honest with counter left hooks as Hatley attempted to go for the kill.  In the 2nd, Hatley smartly came out in the southpaw stance, nullifying Suarez's counter left hooks.  From that position, he landed left crosses, left hooks to the body and right hooks up top, all of which compromised Suarez's legs, but failed to deposit the determined warrior on the canvas.

By round 3, the "Bulldog" was tamed with swelling under his left eye and severe bruising on the right side of his torso, courtesy of work put in by the artist formerly known as the "Bodysnatcher".  Since they were successful, Hatley continued to unload left crosses to the head and body, but then an orthodox right hand snapped Suarez's head back violently.  Hatley seemed to be taking a round off in the 4th, which gave Suarez a false sense of security.  He closed the distance, looked to make a dogfight out of it and trapped Hatley along the ropes when a monstrous left hook knocked every bit of perspiration from his head.  Suarez was in retreat mode the rest of the way, looking to hold as Hatley prepared for target practice.  An unending flurry of hand grenades exploded off of Suarez, then an overhand right-left hook to the body finally dropped him to his knees.  The referee probably should've stopped it earlier in the round, but he officially waved it off as Suarez was on the canvas.

Down goes Suarez.

Ref stops the massacre.

Hatley celebrates.

Up next for the "Future" is a stay-busy bout on the undercard of Taronze Washington's WBC Continental America's title fight against Austin Trout (a black-tie event that won't be open to the public).

[Editor’s Note: See more of Arbrook’s boxing photos and other work at Serious Focus Photography; www.seriousfocus.com , for further inquiries, contact Arbrook Haynes, arbrook@seriousfocus.com , 972-670-1700.]