ELKHART — After more than 100 phone calls to set up an opponent and passes by 21 fighters, including one at the last minute, “Gentleman” James Shorter got to step into the ring for his third professional boxing match.

The Elkhartan did not disappoint the partisan crowd Saturday night at Elkhart Sports Center, beating Jamal “Knock-Out” Woods, of Forrest City, Ark., with 2:21 to go in the second of a scheduled four rounds between heavyweights.

“I had to feel him out a little bit,” said Shorter of the first round against the unfamiliar opponent. “He wouldn’t go down. It took awhile to break him down.”

Shorter said he listened to trainer Larry Young about being patient and got to his foe early in the second round, beating him to improve to 3-0 with three knockouts while Woods fell to 2-3-1 with two KOs.

Shorter was scheduled to fight Juan Goode (4-0, 4 KOs) of Michigan, but he dropped out and Woods was found for the show.

“We were trying to promote this thing real big,” said Shorter. “We did what we had to do. That’s why we train everyday. We went out there and took care of business.”

Elkhartan Sam “Black Ice” Gipson earned a six-round unanimous decision against Noblesville’s Hugo Guarneros in the other pro fight of the eight-bout “Saturday Night Eruption” card put on by Lava Productions and St. James Boxing Club.

Gipson said he fed off the emotions of the spectators gathered at Elkhart Sports Center.

“If it wasn’t for the fans, it wouldn’t be any fun,” said Gipson, a welterweight/catchweight who improved to 3-5-2 with two knockouts. “I could hear everybody rooting and hollering for me. It gave me energy I didn’t even know I had.”

Gipson and Guarneros stood toe-to-toe and traded blows for much of the 18 minutes of boxing.

“I’m not going to run from anybody,” said Gipson. “He tried to pressure me. I showed I can pressure him as well.”

There were six amateur fights — all scheduled for three rounds — on the undercard.

Eugina Mebane (Bad Boys of Indianapolis) beat Lina Obradovic (St. James) by decision in a clash of 135-pounders.

Anthony Sandoval (Combat Boxing of Sturgis, Mich.) topped 123-pound foe Emilio Salazar (St. James) when the referee stopped the bout in the first round.

In a matchup of 160 pounders, Rodrigo Reyes (Combat Boxing) bested Sean Grines (Maple City of LaPorte) when the referee stopped the fight in the first round.

Merced “Junior” Serrato (St. James) won a decision against 140-pound opponent Troy Wallace (Combat Boxing).

Ryan Drzewiecki (East Side of LaPorte) topped 105-pound foe Manny Viles (St. James) by second-round referee stoppage.

In a 140-pound bout between to St. James fighters, Andrew Rodgers earned a decision against Andy Campbell.