With shouts of "Soov"- short for Beltzhoover- from the crowd at Heinz Field., Rayco “War” Saunders raised his right arm into the air before the start of the 10^th and final round.

            Saunders refused to wait for the judges’ final scorecards to proclaim himself victorious, even if there was a moment of uncertainty when the final decision was announced.

            Saunders started strong and held on to beat James “Hurricane” Walton by majority decision to win the North American Boxing Council world cruiserweight championship belt Saturday night at Heinz Field.

            “That’s what I worked for,” said Saunders (11-3-1, 5 KOs). “I want to thanks the Rooneys. I’ve got to come to a Steelers game now.”

            There was a pause after judge Tony Tarentino scored it at 97-94 in favor of Saunders and judge Kachulis scored it even at 95-95, but Judge Paul Silverman proved it at 96-94 for Saunders.

            The Iron City Pro Boxing “Steel Heat” card was the first professional boxing show at Heinz Field and the first pro boxing fight held outdoors in Pittsburgh since Ezzard Charles and Jersey Joe Walcott fought at Forbes Field in 1951.

            The ring was set up in the South end zone courtyard below the Jumbotron scoreboard, and had a blue tarp instead of canvas.  The temperature was 3 degrees when the fight started at 10 p.m. and was chilly by its midway point.

            Saunders backed Walton (19-5-2, 10 KOs), of New Orleans, against the ropes in the first two rounds, working the body with an array of hooks and uppercuts while Walton counterpunched with the same.

            The fight opened up in the third, when Saunders landed a strong right-left-right combination in the center of the ring that left Walton momentarily stunned.  Saunders went on the attack and they traded blows until the belt.

            The blur tarp proved slippery in the fourth, when Saunders lost his footing after being hit by an early left jab and again after Walton landed a left hook to the head.

            The fighters' perspiration soon sprinkled the tarp, causing both to repeatedly slip over his course of the bout. As the fight wore on, the tarp had to be wiped down with towels between every round to prevent slippage.

            Saunders caught Walton with a straight right in the fifth, sending him against the ropes. As Walton leaned back, Saunders took turns landing rights to the body and throwing left hooks to the face.  But he dialed to land a barrage that would cause damage, as Walton weathered the assault, regrouped and circled to the center of the ring. 

            Saunders continued to land strong shots to Walton’s face, but each time Walton countered with a stinging left jab.  It was in the sixth that Saunders landed a hard left hook to Walton’s midsection, causing Walton to take a deep breath.

            “I knew I won the first six rounds big,” Saunders said.

            The hometown crowd came alive when Saunders drilled Walton with wide hard rights to the fact in the seventh, knocking him against the ropes. Saunders added a straight right, then several wild haymakers in an attempt to score a knockdown, but Walton once again withstood the flurry.

            “I was giving a good show until the seventh," Saunders said. “My legs started cramping.  The ring was wet, so I started slipping.  It was taking a lot for me to punch.

            “The belt’s heavy.  It’s got my legs shaking right now.”

                        In other bouts, “Dangerous” Jim Northey of Brookville (6-1, 5 KOs) scored his third career first-round knockout, dropping Michael Shanks of Kokomo, Ind.,  with a straight right at 1:12. …Heavyweight Rick Carter of Penn Hills won by TKO when he stopped Edgar Myers at 1:39 of the first. …Light heavy weight Scott Kelly of Homer City scored a unanimous decision over Scott Shipley of Penn Hills, who was making his pro debut. …Junior welterweight Jose Carabello of McKees Rocks won his pro debut, scoring a four-round unanimous decisions over Ron Cabili of Chicago.