Author Archives: Charles Jay

Posted on 06/26/2023

“Hear me on this: Kurt Scoby is going to be a major star and a world champion … AND he punches holes through walls.”

— Promoter Lou DiBella

There was a time when boxing may not have been a part of Kurt Scoby‘s ultimate plan. Perhaps if it was up to him, he’d be rushing for over a thousand yards in the NFL right now.

But that was not to be. So he’ll have to settle for being a potential world champion in the world of professional boxing.

He’s doing just fine, with a record of 11-0 and nine KOs, but he’s got an obstacle coming up, as he will face off against former world title challenger Hank Lundy on the June 29 card being presented by Boxing Insider Promotions.

It wouldn’t be all that unusual for us to tell you that this is a fighter who’s had a tough upbringing. But Scoby’s might have been tougher than most. Hailing from Duarte, CA, Scoby had a home life filled with abuse, and later went into foster care, where he found himself in fourteen different home situations. Along the way, he became one heck of an athlete.

Scoby was at once a football player and a boxer. At Monrovia High School in the greater Los Angeles area, he was a premier running back, rushing for a monstrous 13.5 yards per carry and scoring 35 touchdowns as a senior. In one game he actually had 287 yards on only twelve carries.

Of course, this was going to bring interest from major college programs, and Scoby accepted a scholarship offer from Fresno State. But he redshirted there, and then transferred to Azusa Pacific (famously the alma mater of Christian Okoye), where he rushed for 2704 yards in three years, averaging over six yards an attempt.

For football, Scoby was listed between 180 and 190 pounds, and may have been even heavier than that. He had to do a lot of weight manipulation to accommodate both football and boxing. The truth is, he says he found a real home in the boxing gym – in this case, the Duarte Boxing Club – and he won a California Golden Gloves title as part of a career that had about 150 bouts.

During the 2020 pandemic, he came east in search of a trainer and some experience in the Big Apple. He got a plan ticket for $11 from Los Angeles to New York, and admits “It was crazy doing what I did.” He wound up at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, under the tutelage of Don Saxby, who he says has been a father figure for him.

His professional career got underway in September 2020 with a first-round stoppage of Pablo Luna. Admittedly, most of his opponents have been lesser lights, and he dispatched them accordingly. So the criticism was that he was relatively untested.

That was supposed to change on February 17 of this year, as he was matched with John Mannu, an undefeated Australian southpaw nicknamed “The Beast” who had vanquished unbeaten foes in each of his two prior bouts.

This fight, a feature on ShoBox from Topeka, KS, turned out to be a showcase for Scoby, who overwhelmed his opponent with a second-round stoppage, scoring four knockdowns.

He had arrived…… almost.

And as his journey continues, he’s got a notable team surrounding him. That includes not only Saxby, but co-managers Daniel Gonzalez and Brandon Stump; Leon Taylor, a former pro light heavyweight and gym legend, who once dropped Michael Spinks in sparring, and Vlacheslav Papka, a fitness specialist with a lot of technology behind him, who helps keep Scoby fine-tuned.

Yeah, maybe Scoby CAN punch through walls. But this is a step-by-step process, and the next step is against a wily veteran who has been in the ring with some of the best in the business.

Maybe this guy can cross the goal line after all.

Tickets for the June 29 show are priced at $95, $125, $200 and $325 and are available through TicketWeb. For information about tables, contact [email protected]. Doors open at 6:30 PM, with first bell slated for 7:30 PM.

Established in 1997 as a premier boxing news and information destination, Boxing Insider has, over the course of the last ten months, transitioned into the promotional business. This will be Boxing Insider’s fifth professional boxing promotion.

Sony Hall is located at 235 W 46th St. in Manhattan, at the bottom of the Paramount Hotel, directly across from the Imperial Theater.

This event will stream free of charge on BoxingInsider.com.

Posted on 06/26/2023

For Hank Lundy, it has indeed been a long and adventurous road in the sport of professional boxing. The question is whether that road will come to an end sometime soon.

Lundy comes into Sony Hall in Manhattan on June 29 for the main event on the card that is being staged by Larry Goldberg and Boxing Insider Promotions. For many observers, it is going to be the toughest career test for unbeaten junior welterweight Kurt Scoby. But at the same time, it is a “last stand” for Lundy, who has seen and done it all but has lost five in a row and is literally trying to salvage his career at age 39.

Let’s talk about how he got to this place.

Like Scoby, Lundy has a background in football. He was good enough in high school that he received a partial scholarship offer from Kutztown University, which has sent seven players to the NFL, including wide receiver Andre Reed. But he didn’t go.

Instead, boxing beckoned, and Lundy took off on a career that saw him win 65 of 70 fights, with a runner-up finish in the 2005 National Golden Gloves. He also boxed in the 2007 Pan-Am Games, so he’s got a robust resume in the simon pure ranks.

His pro debut was in July 2006, taking out Steve Thomas in one round.

Even though he is from Philadelphia, Lundy has a reputation of taking his act on the road, often into the backyard of his opponent. In many ways, he is the consummate Philadelphia fighter.

One of those treks took him to Western New York to tackle undefeated Darnell Giles, fighting before hometown fans. He was held to a draw, his only blemish in his first nineteen fights as a pro.

In April 2010, Lundy completed a dominant performance against Tyrese Hendrix, who came in with an undefeated record and left with perhaps one round to his credit as Lundy beat him for the NABO lightweight title.

John Molina Jr. finally took Lundy’s measure with a decision win in July 2010, and while that was a downer, Lundy bounced back and was able to win the NABF crown over Patrick Lopez the following April. Then he entered the lion’s den against Olympian and former world champ David Diaz in Chicago. Lundy came back from a knockdown to stop Diaz in the sixth round.

It wasn’t until July 2012 that Lundy suffered another loss. This time it was somewhat costly, as he took a #1 WBC rating coming into the festivities. But Ray Beltran surprised him with a narrow decision victory. This one sent Lundy into the 140-pound division. He wasn’t greeted well, as Viktor Postol took a 12-round decision from him in a fight that took place in the Ukraine. But typical of Lundy’s resilient mental makeup, he returned and bested Nigeria’s Ajose Olusegan on a surprisingly easy decision.

No stranger to disappointment, Lundy lost other fights, including a split decision to Thomas Dulorme and a technical decision to Mauricio Herrera (fight stopped on accidental head butts). But he was always able to bounce back with something.

And unquestionably, the career highlight for Lundy was his opportunity to reach the mountaintop. And for him, it was a fight for the WBO world junior welterweight championship held by Terence Crawford, which took place in February 2016.

Lundy really played it up. He engineered a confrontation with Crawford at the press conference and the weigh-in. But in the end, while Lundy was tougher than expected against a lot of opponents, he wasn’t able to match skills with Crawford, considered by many to be the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. As a result, he was stopped in the fifth round.

The recent years have not been kind; granted, he has been facing very capable fighters, but he has lost his last five bouts. Most recently (April 15), he was stopped in one round by Ernesto Mercado in an attempt to win the NABA junior welterweight title.

He insists he has some more left in those fists, in that mind and in that heart. What also might be a concern for Kurt Scoby is that Lundy has 290 rounds of professional boxing under his belt. So if he could be handicapped by lack of experience against anybody, he’s found the guy.

Tickets for the June 29 show are priced at $95, $125, $200 and $325 and are available through TicketWeb. For information about tables, contact [email protected]. Doors open at 6:30 PM, with first bell slated for 7:30 PM.

Established in 1997 as a premier boxing news and information destination, Boxing Insider has, over the course of the last ten months, transitioned into the promotional business. This will be Boxing Insider’s fifth professional boxing promotion.

Sony Hall is located at 235 W 46th St. in Manhattan, at the bottom of the Paramount Hotel, directly across from the Imperial Theater.

This event will stream free of charge on BoxingInsider.com.

Posted on 02/23/2023

Details on the competitors in the four-round junior welterweight bout between Michael Hughes and Nelson Morales, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out live at this link:
https://youtube.com/live/q-FUAhBaf6Y

MICHAEL HUGHES

Age — 33
Record — 3-1, 1 KO
Height — 5’11”
Weight — 140.2 pounds
Originally from — New York, NY
Fights out of — New York, NY

• Michael Hughes comes into Thursday night’s right with an interesting story, to say the least. First of all, he grew up just blocks away from tonight’s venue, as he hails from Hell’s Kitchen. And by his own admission, he did a lot of street fighting.
• He says that he used to experience a lot of anxiety as people were watching him fight, but some of that got cured when he took up Tae Kwon Do, and later, of course, boxing. He has dabbled in mixed martial arts, and got a late start in boxing – not stepping into the ring until the age of 19.
• Won a novice championship in the New York Golden Gloves in 2012. And he turned pro at the age of 30, taking a four-round decision over Rodolfo Ramirez.
• Suffered a setback against William Marcell Davis with a second-round TKO loss. But he had gained from 146-3/4 to 154 pounds for that bout. It’s not where he feels most comfortable.
• His last bout, which took place in March of last year, resulted in a six-round decision win over Danny Murray, and for that one he was all the way down to 139. That weight reduction happened over a period of just eight months.
• Hughes is the head coach at the Church Street Gym, which has two locations in Manhattan. He trains serious fighters, but also works with members of the public. His philosophy involves a lot of “positive reinforcement.’
• Credits boxing with providing a tremendous transformation in his life, and it’s something he likes top pass on to students.
• Graduated from St. John’s University in Queens with a degree in English in 2011.
• He’s tall for this division, and ideally he wants to use the left jab to control the tempo of fights. With an opponent like Nelson Morales, who doesn’t have a knockout win, it may reduce the danger for Hughes if he fails to maintain a distance.

NELSON MORALES

Age — 30
Record — 3-3, 0 KO’s
Height — 5’10”
Weight — 141.8 pounds
Originally from — San Pedro, Dominican Republic
Fights out of — Scranton, PA

• Morales says he has had over 30 amateur bouts, and got started in the sport in the Dominican Republic.
• Currently lives in Scranton, and is a police officer in a town nearby.
• Made his pro debut in September 2019 with a four-round majority decision over Kynndale Prather.
• For his third pro fight, went all the way to Deadwood, South Dakota, and the trip went for naught, as he was a decision loser to Giovanni Marquez.
• Has lost his last two bouts on decision to undefeated fighters – Raynel Mederos (on a Don King card in Miami) and Antonio Perez. The Perez fight was just twelve days ago.
• He’s been busy – this is already his third fight this calendar year.
• Has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride with weight. His debut came at 149 pounds, and at that particular time expressed that he’d eventually like to get down to lightweight., Well, he hasn’t done that, but was in the junior welterweight neighborhood. But then for his last fight he was 147-1/4 and now, in this short period, he’s back down. So that is something he’s had in common with Michael Hughes. He’s also tall for this division, like Hughes. Will this fight be contested completely on the outside?

Posted on 02/23/2023

Details on the competitors in the weight-round lightweight bout between Tsendbaatar Erdenebat and Giovanni Gutierrez, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out live at this link:
https://youtube.com/live/q-FUAhBaf6Y

TSENDBAATAR ERDENEBAT

Age — 26
Record — 4-0, 2 KO’s
Height — 5’4″
Weight — 134.4 pounds
Originally from — Tsetserlag, Mongolia
Fights out of — Los Angeles, CA

• Tsendbaatar Erdenebat gets set for his first professional bout in the United States as he faces Giovanni Gutierrez.
• This southpaw is a native of Tsetserlag, Mongolia, and is now training out of Los Angeles.
• He had a considerable amateur career, to say the least. Among other accmplishments, he won the 2015 President’s Cup (bantamweight) and the 2018 Asian Games.
• Went to the semifinals of the AIBA World Championships in 2019, but after a quick start, he slowed down against opponent Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov of Uzbekhistan and lost a decision.
• Went to the bantamweight quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he lost a decision to curent junior lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson. Truth be told, he could not match up with Shakur’a speed, and seemed always a step behind.
• Also lost in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.
• Has been a contestant in the World Series of Boxing, a hybrid of sports between amateur and pro boxing.
• Turned pro in September 2018 with a six-round decision win over Joseph Omana, who was a veteran of 18 pro fights.
• Last fight was February 22 of last year (a year and a day ago), stopping Rauf Aghayev in two rounds.
• This is not his heaviest weight. For the Omana fight (the debut), he was 136.
• Generally he’s a quick starter. He’s aggressive, and you might expect some right hooks to the body, especially if Gonzalez stands still. Sometimes, however, the defense has been found lacking.

GIOVANNI GONZALEZ

Age — 28
Record — 11-3-1, 6 KO’s
Height — 5’4″
Weight — 134.8 pounds
Originally from — Tipitapa, Nicaragua
Fights out of — Tipitapa, Nicaragua

• Gonzalez is a native of Tipitapa, Nicaragua, where he still lives. He’s 28 years old.
• Nicknamed “Baby Face”
• Made his pro debut in February 2018 with a third-round TKO of Imer Hernandez. Won his first nine bouts as a pro.
• In one of those bouts, he captured the WBA Fedecaribe 122-pound title with a fourth-round TKO over William Encarnacion, who was 18-0 at the time.
• In December 2019, he hit the deck in Round 1 and suffered a ten-round decision defeat to Mike Plania in a bout that was contested for the IBF North American Super Bantam (122-pound) championship.
• Also fought for the WBA Fedelatin title at 122 (December 2020) and was stopped in four rounds by Luis Reynaldo Nunez.
• Did not last long in his last outing, which took place on May 21. He was halted in one round by Ashton Sylve (pronounced SILV), a good-looking 6-0 lightweight prospect. He went in at his highest record weight – 133 pounds. He came in at 134.8 at Wednesday’s weigh-in.

Posted on 02/23/2023

Details on the competitors in the weight-round light heavyweight bout between Fred Julan and Decarlo Perez, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out live at this link:
https://youtube.com/live/q-FUAhBaf6Y

FRED JULAN

Age — 34
Record — 12-2, 10 KO’s
Height — 5’10”
Weight — 174.6 pounds
Originally from — Paris, France
Fights out of — Brooklyn,. NY

• Fights as a southpaw
• Originally hails from Paris. Moved to the United States in 2012 to further his boxing career. Settled in Brooklyn.
• Captured two New York Golden Gloves championships.
• Made his pro debut in July 2016 with a four-round decision win over Damian Lewis (not to be confused with the former star of “Billions”).
• The only other bout of his that went the full distance among his first twn was a split four-round decision over Lenny Dardar (October 2016).
• He has lost his last two bouts, both by decision – first over six rounds to Khainell Wheeler, and then, after a year’s hiatus, an eight-rounder to Joe Ward (MSG, last December 10). And by the way, that’s the only time he’s actually gone a full eight rounds.
• Serves as the CEO of his own company, which he calls “Boxing Culture.” According to the website, he created it “as a way to educate other boxers about the boxing business and to help them improve their skills both inside and outside the ring.”
• Has fought a total of 62 rounds as a professional.

DECARLO PEREZ

Age — 31
Record — 19-7-1, 6 KO’s
Height — 5’10”
Weight — 174 pounds
Originally from — Atlantic City
Fights out of — Egg Harbor, NJ

• Nicknamed “3mendo”
• Perez, who had a troubled chilhood, was brought up by his grandparents. His grandfather originally got him interested in boxing. And he went on to have an extensive amateur career, going 85-15, although he was not necessarily very decorated.
• Turned pro with a four-round decision over Hector Collado in July 2010.
• Perez was no stranger to Philadelphia gyms or Philadelphia rings. He had impressive wins in the City of Brotherly Love against Tyrone Brunson and Jessie Nicklow. He also decisioned Dante Moore, who was previously undefeated.
• Perez made a major breakthrough with a decisive ten-round decision over 23-0 Juan Ubakldo Cabrera in August 2015. That gave him nine wins over a ten-fight period and ultimately led him into a January 2016 bout with Rob Brant.
• The fight with Brant was for the NABA middleweight title. And it was no party for Perez, who had to reduce to 160 pounds for it. In the fourth round, Perez got caught with a right hand that knocked him out and almost sent him completely through the ropes. Brant went on to win the WBA title. Perez went on to lose to Dashon Johnson, a spoiler with a 19-19-4 record.
• In September 2018, Perez won an eight-round decision over Antowyan Aikens in a brutal bout where both men hit the deck. Perez won the New Jersey 168-pound title, but he did not fight again for three years.
• Returned from his hiatus with a TKO-3 over Lauro Alcantar. Then, on March 26, he won a majority decision over Rance Ward.
• He fought on Boxing Insider’s “Holiday Fight Night” on December 21. Engaged in a spirited scrap with crowd favorite Nadim Salloum. In the opinion of many, he did enough to get the verdict. But he wound up losing the eight-round majority decision.
• Has fought 150 rounds in his career. That’s a lot more than Fred Julen’s 62.
• Has worked as a pharmacy tech for Atlantic Care Regional Medical Center. And he is a corrections officer.

Posted on 02/23/2023

Details on the competitors in the six-round junior welterweight bout between Terell Bostic and Clay Burns, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out live at this link:
https://youtube.com/live/q-FUAhBaf6Y

TERELL BOSTIC

Age —
Record — 7-1, 1 KO
Height — 5’8″
Weight — 137.6 pounds
Originally from — Wyandanch, NY
Fights out of — Wyandanch, NY

• Hails from Wyandanch, located in Suffolk County on Long Island.
• Nicknamed “The Problem Child.” Did he beat Jake Paul to the punch on that one?
• Had about 35 amateur bouts.
• Began his pro career in June 2015 with a second-round TKO over Masaki Aida.
• In November 2018, he fought like hell against undefeated (6-0) Omar Bordoy in Huntington, but came out on the short end of a six-round split decision loss. Got caught coming in and was knocked down in the third round.
• As you can see from the record, he doesn’t come to the table with a lot of power. His pro debut was the only win inside the distance he’s had.
• Two of his wins have come by split decision, and another has come by a majority decision.
• Last time out (November 20), he won by unanimous nod over six rounds against Danny Murray.
• This one is his first bout at Sony Hall, and first bout in NYC.
• Generally Bostic is a stand-up boxer who likes to get on the move from time to time, and his game plan involves neutralizing his opponents with a jab, something he will have to do against the incoming Clay Burns.

CLAY BURNS

Age — 35
Record — 10-16-2, 4 KO’s
Height — 5’6″
Weight — 135.2 pounds
Originally from — Alexandria, LA
Fights out of — Fort Worth, TX

• Clay “3rd Degree” Burns has demonstrated that he’s never been one to back down from a fight, simply by virtue of the fact that he has fought everyone put in front of him.
• Burns has engaged in MMA bouts, as well as bare knuckle fights. So he’ll gladly take his action any way it comes.
• He started his pro career with a four-round draw against Rennard Oliver in April 2015. He followed that up with three KO victories.
• Early on in his career, he fought a 6-0 Devin Haney and was beaten over six rounds on all three cards. Just five months later (November 2016), he got the same result against Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao of Brazil, who was making his pro debut. Neither guy could take him out.
• As for his best pro win, it was probably a six-round decision over Yovani Rodarte (who was 10-1-1 at the time) in April 2019.
• In his 16 pro losses, has been taken out inside the distance only once, and that was against the very formidable Jose Valenzuela, in a fight where he hit the deck three times in round four.
• Burns is coming off three straight losses, all to undefeated fighters. Last bout was January 20, a six-round decision to James Bernadin.
• A native of Alexandria, Louisiana, he is now listed out of Fort Worth, TX.
• Is a veteran of 144 pro rounds, which means he has a considerable experience advantage over Terell Bostic.
• Burns is not a guy who will shy away from the action. But he’s got an awkward style and will crowd his man. He can also handle a significant amount of punishment better than most. He will come out and switch around from southpaw to the orthodox stance, and you can tell that such an approach kept a guy like Haney a little off-balance.

Posted on 02/23/2023

Details on the competitors in the eight-round main event lightweight bout between Heather “The Heat” Hardy and Taynna Cardoso, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out live at this link:
https://youtube.com/live/q-FUAhBaf6Y

HEATHER “THE HEAT” HARDY

Age — 41
Record — 23-2, 4 KO’s
Height — 5’5″
Weight — 134 pounds
Originally from — Brooklyn, NY
Fights out of — Brooklyn, NY

• Unlike a lot of the fighters we encounter, Hardy’s boxing journey got started very late. At age 28, with a daughter, going through a divorce, without child support, and working as many as six jobs at once, she decided to walk into a martial arts gym in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo and began boxing. A few weeks later, she had her first amateur fight. Perhaps there was apprehension, but in her words, “for the first time in my life, I felt like something was all mine.” After that she shifted over to Gleason’s Gym, and that is where she really learned his craft.
• Tonight she dedicates her fight to the memory of Hector Roca, a legendary fight figure in New York who served as her trainer, and who just recently passed away.
• Within a year’s time, Heather Hardy was dominating the amateur ranks locally in New York, and ascended to the #1 ranking nationwide, winning the 2011 U.S. Women’s Championship at Colorado Springs.
• Still, there was that struggle to pay the bills. Her various jobs included delivering books to high schools and answering the phone at Gleason’s, in addition to teaching exercise classes on a freelance basis. Everybody told her that there was no money to be made in women’s boxing, and for the most part, they were right. But she wanted to do it anyway.
• As she recounts it, promoter Lou DiBella told her that if she could sell $10,000 worth of tickets, she could earn a place on one of his shows. At first she didn’t know how she was going to do it, but she did it anyway – above and beyond all expectations – selling $13,000 worth of tickets. That pro debut was a four-round decision win over Mikayla Nebel. From there, it was just a matter of working her way up. But she could sell tickets, and that was not insignificant.
• Went ten rounds for the first time in October 2014 when she scored a decision over Crystal Hoy for the WBC International super bantamweight (122-pound) championship. The scoring was odd; one judge had her winning by a shutout (100-90), while another had her winning by nine points and a third scored it a draw.
• In August 2015, stopped Renata Domsodi in six rounds in what was a rematch of an earlier no-contest (which was due to accidental head butt).
• Reached a major benchmark in her career a year later, when she won a ten-round decision over Shelly Vincent to win the WBC International featherweight title. The action-packed clash was shown on NBC Sports Network.
• The rematch with Vincent, taking place in October 2018, was held at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, this time with the WBO world featherweight championship at stake. And Hardy reached another milestone in her career when her hand was raised as the ten-round decision winner and new world champion.
• In September 2019 it was back to the Hulu Theater as Hardy put her title on the line in a unification bout against the great Amanda Serrano, who had a 36-1-1 record and held the WBC version of the championship. She lost a ten-round decision by scores of 98-91, 98-91 and 98-92. It was her first loss as a professional.
• The pandemic came and wreaked havoc on the boxing game. So Hardy was out of the ring for 20 months before traveling to Murfreesboro, TN to take on Jessica Camara. Heather scored a knockdown in the first round, but Camara was able to weather any storms and came out on the winning end of an eight-round decision. So now Hardy was on a two-fight losing streak before she scored a six-round decision over Calista Silgado. She got off to a slow start, but came on over the second half of the fight to capture the decision.
• She’s age 41, but this is by no means a “seniors’ tour.” She has every intention of putting herself in a position to challenge for a world title again as she mounts “one last run” and maybe even more.
• This will be Hardy’s twelfth fight in the borough of Manhattan. She has fought 13 times in Brooklyn, once in Queens and once in Tennessee (this total includes her no-contest).
• Hardy has also had a career in mixed martial arts, fighting for Bellator. This started in 2017, and she compiled a 2-2 record.
• She remains active in a number of different pursuits, and that includes training other women from all walks of life, with tremendous results.
• Hardy was the subject of a rather remarkable documentary entitled “Hardy,” which focuses on her career and explores the battle women have had to be accepted as professionals in the ring. It was directed by Natasha Verma, who at the time was an 18-year-old film maker working on her Masters at Columbia University.
• She is also a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, majoring in Forensic Psychology.

TAYNNA CARDOSO

Age — 34
Record — 5-1, 1 KO
Height — 5’3″
Weight — 133.6 pounds
Originally from — Belem, Para, Brazil
Fights out of — Jundiaí, Sao Paulo, Brazil

• At 34, Cardoso has been relatively inactive in her career. Six fights in a little more than five years.
• She is not without credentials. As an amateur, Cardoso made it to the quarterfinals of the AIBA World Championships.
• Chantelle Cameron, currently the undefeated, undisputed junior welterweight champion, had said that when she fought Cardoso in 2015, that was the toughest amateur bout of her career.
• Made her pro debut in December 2017 with a four-round decision over Caroline Foro Antunes.
• Only one win inside the distance, that being a first-round stoppage of Jully Jeniffer Costa Silva in June 2019.
• In November of last year, got into the ring with Beatriz Ferreira, fighting three-minute rounds. It was her first fight outside of Brazil. Cardoso went down twice and lost a 40-34 decision on all four cards. Cardoso could not match the level of “class” that Ferreira displayed.
• In that bout, Ferreira was making her pro debut. But she wasn’t just any first-timer; not by a longshot. Ferreira, who is also from Brazil, had won the PanAmerican Championship as an amateur, and was a silver medalist in the Olympics.
• Short and compact, and well-schooled in the fundamentals, don’t be surprised if she comes with a lot of right hand, left hook combinations. She does seem to like throwing the left a lot.

Posted on 12/21/2022

Details on the competitors in the eight-round middleweight bout between Alejandro Silva and Issah Samir, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Wednesday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out at the Boxing Insider YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/boxinginsider

8 Rounds — Middleweights

ALEJANDRO SILVA

Record — 19-0-1, 14 KO’s
Height — 5’10”
Weight — 156.4
Age — 29
Originally from —  Misiones, Argentina
Fights out of — Buenos Aires, Argentina

* Silva s currently ranked 28th in the world by the World Boxing Council (WBC) as a super welterweight (154 pounds).

* Made his professional debut in April 2016 with a second round TKO over Brian David Aranda.

* Sustained a draw in his third pro fight against Gonzalo Andres Chaparo. That is, thus far, the only blemish on his record.

* In February 2020, he won the Argentinian championship at 154 pounds with a 10 round decision over Emiliano Exequiel Pucheta. He defended that belt four times.

* Experienced a little adversity in November 2020 when he hit the deck in the fifth round against Javier Maciel, but he came back to complete a 10-round decision victory.

* Was involved in a rather bizarre incident in February 2021 when he faced Gabriel Omar Diaz. Silva had been holding Diaz, and had him in what amounted to a one-armed front headlock. But then Diaz bit Silva on the arm, hard enough to have Silva writhing in pain, and after a review, the referee disqualified Diaz.

* Scored a very good win in June of last year when he took care of business against southpaw Diego Ramirez, who came into the bout with a record of 23 – 4–1, winning a 10 round decision.

* Silva’s last flight was on September 2, scoring a fourth round stoppage of Jesus Pina Najera.

* Doesn’t mind playing the role of the aggressor, and knows how to cut off the ring. You can classify him as fundamentally sound.

ISSAH SAMIR

Record — 19-1, 16 KO’s
Height — 5’9″
Weight — 156
Age — 33
Originally from —  Accra, Ghana
Fights out of — Las Vegas

* Samir grew up in Accra, Ghana, and he became familiar with the sport because his father did some boxing. He became highly decorated in his country, and won a silver medal at the 2007 All- Africa Games.

* He beat Bruno Julie of Mauritius to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. In the bantamweight division, he lost his opening round bout on points to Hector Manzanilla of Venezuela. Oddly, Julie, who also made it to the Olympics, won a bronze medal.

* Issah is the brother of Bastir Samir, who represented Ghana as a light heavyweight in the 2008 Olympics. Interestingly, Bastir had jumped from welterweight all the way up to light heavyweight in the space of a year in order to find a opening to qualify. And he is now 20 –0–1 as a professional.

* Issah turned pro in July 2011 with a second round TKO of Abdul Majid. In another odd twist, even though he had qualified just a few years before as a bantamweight for the Olympics, Samir made this pro debut at 155 pounds.

* He knocked out each of his first eight opponents. And to continue his quick climb up the ladder, he won the IBF World Youth title at 154 pounds in May 2013 with a third round TKO of Robizoni Omsarashvili.

* Won the 154 pound title in his native Ghana with a 12-round decision over Ishmael Tetteh (September 2012).

* All of his fights had taken place in Ghana until the last one, in December 2020, as he was stopped in three rounds from by Aidos Yerbossynuly, who was undefeated at the time. After being floored in the third, Samir paced around the ring but did not appear as if he wanted to continue.

* That fight took place in Kazakhstan, and there were three different “belts“ on the line: the WBA international super middleweight, the WBC Asian Boxing Council super middleweight and the WBO global super middleweight.…… For what it’s worth. Samir has not fought since. .

*This will be the first fight for him in the United States, although he lives in trains in Las Vegas.

* Samir is a pretty good standup boxer. Hold his hands high. Jabs a lot, and has a sneaky left hook.

* Refers to himself as a “cool and gentle guy,“ unless he is inside the ring, that is.

Posted on 12/21/2022

Details on the competitors in the eight-round super middleweight bout between Nadim Salloum and Decarlo Perez, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Wednesday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out at the Boxing Insider YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/boxinginsider

8 Rounds — Super Middleweights

NADIM SALLOUM

Record — 9-1, 3 KO’s (*claims 11-1)
Height — 6’1″
Weight — 170.2
Age — 29
Originally from — Jounieh, Lebanon
Fights out of — Brooklyn

* Salloum was born and raised in Lebanon, and might be the first professional boxer with that distinction, considering that Mahmoud Charr, who has held the WBA “regular” heavyweight championship, was more or less raised in Germany.

* Currently Salloum lives in Brooklyn, and came to the United States almost solely to pursue his career as a professional boxer. Along the way he sold what he owned and bet it all on himself. His family was originally against this quest, but now they’re firmly in his corner

* Salloum claims a couple of additional bouts in Mexico, which would bring his record to 11-1. Officially, as it stands now, his pro debut took place in Tijuana in November 2017, a first-round knockout of Dario Cervantes. He wasn’t as fortunate in his second bout, as he lost a majority decision to at Afunwa King.

* Since that defeat, he has reeled off seven straight wins. He was extended by Roger Robidoux at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens on March 24th, but came out of it with a six round decision win.

* His last bout was a sixth-round TKO over previously undefeated Jorge Leandro Capozucco at Sony Hall on October 13.

* Salloum is managed by Adam Glenn, son of the legendary trainer (and bar owner) Jimmy Glenn.

* He is known by the nickname The Unpredictable”. And to think of it, he is indeed quite unorthodox in his style.

* One of Salloum’s ambitions is to set up a gym in his native Lebanon someday and help develop the talent that he absolutely insists is there.

DECARLO PEREZ

Record — 19-6-1, 6 KO’s
Height — 5’10”
Weight — 169.4
Age — 31
Originally from — Atlantic City
Fights out of — Egg Harbor, NJ

* Nicknamed “3mendo”

* Perez, who had a troubled chilhood, was brought up by his grandparents. His grandfather originally got him interested in boxing. And he went on to have an extensive amateur career, going 85-15, although he was not necessarily very decorated.

* Turned pro with a four-round decision over Hector Collado in July 2010.

* Perez was no stranger to Philadelphia gyms or Philadelphia rings. He had impressive wins in the City of Brotherly Love against Tyrone Brunson and Jessie Nicklow. He also decisioned Dante Moore, who was previously undefeated.

* Perez made a major breakthrough with a decisive ten-round decision over 23-0 Juan Ubakldo Cabrera in August 2015. That gave him nine wins over a ten-fight period and ultimately led him into a January 2016 bout with Rob Brant.

* The fight with Brant was for the NABA middleweight title. And it was no party for Perez, who had to reduce to 160 pounds for it. In the fourth round, Perez got caught with a right hand that knocked him out and almost sent him completely through the ropes. Brant went on to win the WBA title. Perez went on to lose to Dashon Johnson, a spoiler with a 19-19-4 record.

* In September 2018, Perez won an eight-round decision over Antowyan Aikens in a brutal bout where both men hit the deck. Perez won the New Jersey 168-pound title, but he did not fight again for three years.

* Returned from his hiatus with a TKO-3 over Lauro Alcantar. In his last bout, on March 26, he won a majority decision over Rance Ward.

* Has fought 142 rounds in his career. That’s almost 100 more than Nadim Salloum (46).

* Worked as a pharmacy tech for Atlantic Care Regional Medical Center.

Posted on 12/21/2022

Details on the competitors in the eight-round super flyweight bout between Andy Dominguez and Marvin Solano, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Wednesday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out at the Boxing Insider YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/boxinginsider

8 Rounds — Super Flyweights

ANDY DOMINGUEZ

Age — 24
Record — 8-0, 6 KO’s
Height — 5’3″
Weight — 113.8
Age — 24
Originally from — Mexico City
Fights out of — Las Vegas

* Dominguez originally hails from the Mexico City area, but he’s not a city boy, describing himself as a farm kid. He moved to the Bronx at age ten, and says he was picked on by classmates to the extent that it landed him in a number of skirmishes. So his mom took him to a gym at the age of 13, and he’s been active in the sport ever since.

* He had 59 amateur bouts, and captured three New York Golden Gloves championships.

* His professional debut took place in August of 2020, with a four-round decision over Jonathan Correa Alamo. The only other opponent to go the distance with him was Ivan Vasquez last November.

* On March 26th, he knocked out Jeronil Borres with a body shot in the first round. In his next fight, on May 14th, he stopped Edwin Reyes in the fourth round to win the WBA Fedecentro flyweight title, which was vacant at the time.

* Currently, Dominguez is ranked 13th in the world as a flyweight by the World Boxing Association.

* He works behind a very good jab, and is known to be a good finisher.

* In his last bout, he finished it quickly, with a sensational one-punch knockout over Ricardo Caraballo in the Sony Hall ring on October 13.

* Still maintains his Bronx ties, but he trains in Las Vegas.

* He has expressed that one of the reasons he’d like to become a world champion is to “have a platform to help and Inspire other people.”


MARVIN SOLANO

Record — 24-7, 6 KO’s
Height — 5’7-1/2″
Weight — 114
Age — 32
Originally from — Managua, Nicaragua
Fights out of — Managua, Nicaragua

* Was a member of the Nicaraguan national team as an amateur.

* Turned pro in November 2012 with a four-round decision over Edwin Lara.

* Comes into this fight with an enormous advantage in experience over Andy Dominguez. Solano has boxed 178 rounds in his career and has been into the eighth round nine times. Dominguez has 18 total rounds under his belt and has never gone beyond four rounds.

* Solano won his first 13 pro fights, before moving up in level of competition.

* In December 2018, had an opportunity against Jeyvier Cintron, a two-time Olympian from Puerto Rico, but was disqualified in eight rounds.

* Won the WBC Continental Americas super bantamweight (115-pound) championship with a ten-round decision over Dewayne Beamon (11/16/19).

* In March 2021, Solano fought Juan Carlos Camacho (who was 11-1) on NBC Sports Network and lost a split decision over eight rounds. He was able to keep his distance and score from the outside for much of the fight. He went down three times from low blows, but it was the fourth one – which happened in the eighth round – that he felt was another low blow but was called a knockdown instead and may have made the difference on the scorecards in favor of the hometown boxer (Camacho is from Puerto Rico).

* In his last bout, Solano moved up in weight to challenge for the WBC Continental Americas bantamweight crown, but was stopped in three rounds by Ramon Cardenas. That was on August 14 of last year, and he hasn’t been in the ring since.

* Solano is tall for his weight, and is sometimes able to effectively use that to his advantage. He’s basically a stand up boxer who has to make use of his jab to control things with Dominguez.

Posted on 12/21/2022

Details on the competitors in the eight-round flyeight bout between Sulem Urbina and Indeya Smith, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Wednesday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out at the Boxing Insider YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/boxinginsider

8 Rounds — Super Flyweights

SULEM URBINA

Record — 13-2-1, 2 KO’s
Height — 5’2″
Weight — 114.8
Age — 32
Originally from — Sonora, Mexico
Fights out of — Phoenix, AZ

* Current world rankings in the flyweight division: #10 WBA, #10 IBF, #11 WBC

* Turned pro in July 2016 with a four-round split decision over Eloisa Martinez Zarraga

* Won her first 12 official results (there was a no-contest as well)

* Fought current flyweight champion Marlen Esparza a number of times in the amateurs. She also fought her as a pro, losing an eight-round decision in October 2020.

* Got herself a WBA flyweight title shot in July of 2021, losing a ten-round majority decision to Naoko Fujioka.

* Last bout was on August 6, a six-round split decision win over Jhosop Vizcaino

* Has fought 87 rounds as a professional.

* Is very active and popular on social media. Does some bikini modeling.

INDEYA SMITH

Record — 5-6-2, 1 KO
Height — 5’0″
Weight —  113.4
Age — 26
Originally from — New Orleans
Fights out of — Dallas

* As an amateur, Smith reached the semifinals of the U.S. nationals in 2015 and 2017.

* Made her pro debut in February of 2020 with a first-round TKO of Leanna Martinez

* Lost twice to Maryguenn Vellinga in amateur tournaments, and also fought Vellinga three times as a pro. Out of that “trilogy,” she’s had one loss and two draws. The latest meeting was a four-round draw on September 21.

* Was the first professional opponent of local favorite Christina Cruz, losing a four-round majority decision at Madison Square Garden on August 3 of 2021.

* On February 11, she moved up to 117 pounds, losing a six-round split decision to Fatima Dudieva. She had never fought above 112 pounds before.

* In her last outing, on November 22, she had a three-bout winning streak broken, losing an eight-round decision to Mikiah Kreps, in a fight that took place just a few doors down, at the Edison Hotel.

Posted on 12/21/2022

Details on the competitors in the eight-round middleweight bout between Anthony Sims Jr. and Antonio Todd, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Wednesday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out at the Boxing Insider YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/boxinginsider

8 Rounds — Middleweights

ANTHONY SIMS JR.

Record —  22-1, 20 KO’s
Height — 6’1″
Weight — 158.4
Age — 27
Originally from — Plainfield, IN
Fights out of — Los Angeles, CA

* Nicknamed “The Magician”

* Currently ranked #26 in the world as a super middleweight by the World Boxing Council (WBC)

* Sims was born in Plainfield, Indiana and grew up around the Indianapolis area. His father died when he was six, and that, according to him, put him into a lengthy period of psychological stress. He had difficulty in peer groups, and some of the abuse he suffered as a kid led him into the boxing gym.

* Sims is a cousin of Floyd Mayweather Jr. And there was a point where he trained under the supervision of Roger Mayweather and also Floyd Mayweather Sr.

* Sims asserts an amateur record of 188-13. He went to the semifinals of the U.S. Championships in 2012 and lost to Marcus Browne. He also medaled at the Olympic Trials.

* Fought in the 2012 Youth World Championships and was disqualified when he body-slammed his opponent.

* Actually did not sign with the Mayweathers as a pro because he considered it a “weak” deal.

* Made his pro debut in April 2014 with a four-round decision over James Lee Guy.

* He had only one other win by decision, which came over ten rounds at the Forum in Los Angeles against Vaughn Alexander (4/26/19).

* Sims registered nine first-round KO’s in his first twelve bouts, including a string of eight in a row.

* His only loss came on January 30 of 2020, a ten-round split decision to Roamer Alexis Angulo in Miami. Sims moved around a lot, but did not generate enough offense.

* Eight months after the Angulo loss, Sims went to Dubai and beat Hernan David Perez (8/13/21) for the WBA Intercontinental super middleweight (168-pound) title.

* Sims had found promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing through ex-welterweight champ Kell Brook. He signed a deal with Hearn, but eventually, that agreement came to an end. Sims has also, in the past, been in the promotional stable of Don King.

* In his last fight, he scored a third-round TKO of Manny Woods. That was last December 18, so that means he has been idle for a little over e year.

* Sims is extremely athletic, and moves very lightly on his feet. His best punch is probably a left hook.

* Has done a lot of work with youth, and would like to use success in boxing as a platform to work with even more youngsters.

ANTONIO TODD

Record — 14-6, 8 KO’s
Height — 6’0″
Weight — 159.2
Age — 28
Originally from — Atlanta
Fights out of — Atlanta

* Won his first five fights as a professional.

* Each of his first nine pro fights have taken place in the Atlanta area.

* Fought someone named “Arsenio Hall,” perhaps for comic relief, in South Carolina in December 2020, winning a four-round decision.

* Back in May, he fought unbeaten Connor Coyle for the NABA middleweight title. Todd was able to keep Coyle at bay early, but was not busy enough. However, he came on in the second half of the fight. Ultimately, he lost a ten-round split decision that was the subject of some dispute.

* Todd’s best pro win came on January 22, a ten-round majority decision over Hugo Centeno Jr., who came in with a 28-3-1 record.

* Last fight was a sixth-round TKO of Larry Smith (13-51-2). That took place on December 2.

* Paws a bit with the jab. But he’s calm, cool and patient. And he’s got some tricks in his bag (shoulder rolls, etc.). He’s difficult for anyone who is “green.”

Posted on 10/13/2022

Boxing Insider: New Beginnings

Details on the competitors in the eight-round junior welterweight bout between Petros Ananyan and Paulo Cesar Galdino, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out on PPV at Bxngtv.com:
https://bxngtv.com/newbeginnings101322/

PETROS ANANYAN (16-3-2, 7 KO’s) is interested in climbing into the world title picture as he locks horns with Paulo Cesar Galdino.

• Ananyan is a native of Armenia who has lived in a number of different places, including Russia, Brooklyn and Los Angeles. He began boxing at the age of eleven, and compiled a reported amateur record of 220-60. He won the 2007 Moscow Championships and was a bronze medalist in the prestigious Cup of Russia tournament. Most notably, he captured second place at the 2014 AIBA (Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur) Championships. The AIBA is an international governing body for international boxing.
• He spent time in the Russian Army as well, and is a college graduate, with a degree in Physical Education & Sport.
• Turned pro in June 2015 with a fourth-round TKO of Valere Essomba Ngono and was unbeaten in his first 15 fights, with a couple of draws among those bouts. In only his fourth pro fight, Ananyan went ten rounds with Vaghinak Tamrazyan to win the Russian welterweight championship.
• In October 2017, Ananyan won the IBF International junior welterweight crown with a sixth-round technical decision over Luca Giacon, who came in with a record of 30-1. He then was beaten for the title on a ten-round decision to Steve Claggett nine months later, losing the verdict by one point on all three cards.
• In his first fight in the United States, in December 2019, Ananyan lost an eight-round majority decision to Kareem Martin.
• However, he rebounded with his biggest career moment in February 2020, when he floored Subriel Matias en route to a ten-round decision win. Matias was ranked second by the IBF and third by the WBC, and the victory propelled Ananyan to IBF (#14) and WBC (#15) world rankings.
• Another career highlight was a ten-round decision at the Barclays Center over Daniel Gonzalez as he won the WBA Continental Americas title at 140 pounds.
• Ananyan’s last fight was on January 22, the long-awaited rematch with Matias, who got his revenge via ninth-round TKO. The spectacular Matias, who scored his 18th KO in 18 wins, said that “I wanted to send him to the hospital.” That’s exactly what happened as a result of the brutal encounter.
• Throws a hard jab whenever possible, and pushes the issue with aggressiveness………. Has been eight or more rounds on ten different occasions…….. Turns 34 years of age in five days.
• Works with leading Russian manager Edward Goumachian, as well as legendary trainer Freddie Roach, who’ll be in the corner tonight.
• Weight: 142 Pounds
  ‘

PAULO CESAR GALDINO (12-5, 8 KO’s) is hopeful of following up a recent upset victory with another one, this time over Petros Ananyan.

• It certainly isn’t a case of “bright lights, big city” for Galdino. He comes from a city that’s even bigger then New York – Sao Paulo, Brazil, which is the fourth-largest city in the world.
• Galdino, a southpaw, did not get off to an auspicious start in the pro ranks, losing his debut to Gabriel Bonfim in February 2016.
• His losses have come against opponents with a combined record of 35-1-1. One of those was against Jackson Hurtado, who took him out in 2:45 of the first round in a big for the Brazilian title at 140 pounds (November 2017). He wound up winning that belt with a fifth-round stoppage of Osvaldo de Melo Costa in March 2019.
• In August 2019, knocked out Felipe Lares in one round for the South American super lightweight (140) title.
• Lost in a bid for the WBC Latino title at 140 pounds when he was stopped in eight by Juan Angel Gabriel Rosa, a fellow southpaw who doled out a lot of punishment.
• Went after the IBF Latino welterweight crown against Mirko Geografo last June but lost a ten-round decision. That is the only time he has gone more than eight rounds, which is what this bout is scheduled for.
• Had his first fight in the U.S. on May 7, and scored an eight-round split decision win over New Yorker Daniel Gonzalez in what has to be looked upon as an upset. Gonzalez had previously lost a majority decision to Ananyan.
• He is currently ranked the #1 welterweight in Brazil by record-keeping site Boxrec.
• Likes to move in and out when possible, and has an effective right hook. But he can be hit and often makes the mistake of moving straight back.
• After the win over Gonzalez, reporters asked him what he wanted to do next. He said he wanted to go to Times Square. Well, he’s made it.
• Weight: 140 Pounds
  

Posted on 10/13/2022

Boxing Insider: New Beginnings

Details on the competitors in the six-round flyweight bout between Andy Dominguez and Ricardo Caraballo, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out on PPV at Bxngtv.com:
https://bxngtv.com/newbeginnings101322/

ANDY DOMINGUEZ (7-0, 5 KO’s) looks very much like a star on the rise, and he’ll seek to continue his ascension as he defends his WBA Fedecentro flyweight title on Thursday night.

• Dominguez originally hails from the Mexico City area, but he’s not a city boy, describing himself as a farm kid. He moved to the Bronx at age ten, and says he was picked on by classmates to the extent that it landed him in a number of skirmishes. So his mom took him to a gym at the age of 13, and he’s been active in the sport ever since.
• He had 59 amateur bouts, and captured three New York Golden Gloves championships.
• His professional debut took place in August of 2020, with a four-round decision over Jonathan Correa Alamo. The only other opponent to go the distance with him was Ivan Vasquez last November.
• On March 26th, he knocked out Jeronil Borres with a body shot in the first round. In his next fight, on May 14th, he stopped Edwin Reyes in the fourth round to win the WBA Fedecentro flyweight title, which was vacant at the time.
• Currently, Dominguez is ranked 14th in the world as a flyweight by the World Boxing Association.
• He works behind a very good jab, and is known to be a good finisher.
• Still maintains his Bronx ties, but he trains in Las Vegas.
• He has expressed that one of the reasons he’d like to become a world champion is to “have a platform to help and Inspire other people.”
• Weight: 110 Pounds

RICARDO CARABALLO (7-1, 2 KO’s) hopes that he can start fighting more often, and a win over Andy Dominguez on Thursday night could trigger that.

• Caraballo is a native of Philadelphia who later moved to Riverview, Florida, which is in the Tampa Bay area.
• He has a very solid amateur background. Caraballo went to the quarterfinals of the 2006 National Silver Gloves, and then went to the semifinals the next year. He reached the championship round of the 2012 National Golden Gloves and lost to Leroy Davila.
• Caraballo, however, actually lost his pro debut on a four-round decision to Angel Carvajal. It would be a year-and-a-half before he fought again, and then five more years before his third fight. A hand injury derailed him along the way, as that’s always troublesome for a professional fighter.
• He has gone undefeated since that loss, although there is also a no contest against undefeated Harold Lopez Sanchez in Atlantic City. Caraballo got cut on an accidental head butt, which caused the referee to stop the action. Because it did not go the required four rounds, the no-contest had to be ruled.
• Last time out, he scored a four-round decision over Austin Rivas on February 5th.
• Caraballo has been the six round distance once, as he registered a decision over Edwin Reyes in Atlanta. Reyes was the fighter Dominguez defeated to win the WBA Fedecentro title.
• Caraballo has been as heavy is 118-1/2 pounds, but mostly he’s come in under 112.
• Weight: 109.2 Pounds

R

Posted on 10/13/2022

Boxing Insider: New Beginnings

Details on the competitors in the six-round main event lightweight bout between Heather “The Heat” Hardy and Calista Silgado, taking place at Sony Hall in New York City on Thursday night.

If you can’t be there, check it out on PPV at Bxngtv.com:
https://bxngtv.com/newbeginnings101322/

HEATHER “THE HEAT” HARDY (22-2, 4 KO’s) figures she still may have a couple of chapters left to write as she cements her legacy in women’s boxing.

• Unlike a lot of the fighters we encounter, Hardy’s boxing journey got started very late. At age 28, with a daughter, going through a divorce, without child support, and working as many as six jobs at once, she decided to walk into a martial arts gym in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo and began boxing. A few weeks later, she had her first amateur fight. Perhaps there was apprehension, but in her words, “for the first time in my life, I felt like something was all mine.” After that she shifted over to Gleason’s Gym, and that is where she really learned his craft.
• Within a year’s time, Heather Hardy was dominating the amateur ranks locally in New York, and ascended to the #1 ranking nationwide, winning the 2011 U.S. Women’s Championship at Colorado Springs.
• Still, there was that struggle to pay the bills. Her various jobs included delivering books to high schools and answering the phone at Gleason’s, in addition to teaching exercise classes on a freelance basis. Everybody told her that there was no money to be made in women’s boxing, and for the most part, they were right. But she wanted to do it anyway.
• As she recounts it, promoter Lou DiBella told her that if she could sell $10,000 worth of tickets, she could earn a place on one of his shows. At first she didn’t know how she was going to do it, but she did it anyway – above and beyond all expectations – selling $13,000 worth of tickets. That pro debut was a four-round decision win over Mikayla Nebel. From there, it was just a matter of working her way up. But she could sell tickets, and that was not insignificant.
• Went ten rounds for the first time in October 2014 when she scored a decision over Crystal Hoy for the WBC International super bantamweight (122-pound) championship. The scoring was odd; one judge had her winning by a shutout (100-90), while another had her winning by nine points and a third scored it a draw.
• In August 2015, stopped Renata Domsodi in six rounds in what was a rematch of an earlier no-contest (which was due to accidental head butt).
• Reached a major benchmark in her career a year later, when she won a ten-round decision over Shelly Vincent to win the WBC International featherweight title. The action-packed clash was shown on NBC Sports Network.
• The rematch with Vincent, taking place in October 2018, was held at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, this time with the WBO world featherweight championship at stake. And Hardy reached another milestone in her career when her hand was raised as the ten-round decision winner and new world champion.
• In September 2019 it was back to the Hulu Theater as Hardy put her title on the line in a unification bout against the great Amanda Serrano, who had a 36-1-1 record and held the WBC version of the championship. She lost a ten-round decision by scores of 98-91, 98-91 and 98-92. It was her first loss as a professional.
• The pandemic came and wreaked havoc on the boxing game. So Hardy was out of the ring for 20 months before traveling to Murfreesboro, TN to take on Jessica Camara. Heather scored a knockdown in the first round, but Camara was able to weather any storms and came out on the winning end of an eight-round decision. So now Hardy is on a two-fight losing streak, with no victories since 2018.
• She’s age 40, but this is by no means a “seniors’ tour.” She has every intention of putting herself in a position to challenge for a world title again as she mounts “one last run” and maybe even more.
• This will be Hardy’s eleventh fight in the borough of Manhattan. She has fought 13 times in Brooklyn, once in Queens and once in Tennessee (this total includes her no-contest).
• Hardy has also had a career in mixed martial arts, fighting for Bellator. This started in 2017, and she compiled a 2-2 record.
• She remains active in a number of different pursuits, and that includes training other women from all walks of life, with tremendous results.
• Hardy was the subject of a rather remarkable documentary entitled “Hardy,” which focuses on her career and explores the battle women have had to be accepted as professionals in the ring. It was directed by Natasha Verma, who at the time was an 18-year-old film maker working on her Masters at Columbia University.
• She is also a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, majoring in Forensic Psychology.
• Weight: 132.8 Pounds
  
  

CALISTA SILGADO (20-15-3, 15 KO’s) is one of the more experienced and well-traveled competitors in women’s boxing, and could present a challenge for Heather Hardy.

• When the bell rings on Thursday night, it will be Silgado’s 200th round of professional boxing. And 61 of those rounds have been in world championship bouts – well, 71, if you look at the WBC “Silver” title as a world championship. And if you do, that makes NINE different times she has challenged for a world title. So far, she hasn’t been able to come away with any hardware.
• A native of Colombia, she turned pro in November 2011 with a first-round TKO of Maria Zavala. She won her first five bouts and had a 9-1-1 record after her first eleven.
• A world title shot came her way in April 2013, when she was stopped in five by Alejandra Marina Oliveras for the WBO featherweight crown. There have been plenty of title opportunities since; Silgado has fought championship contests at 118, 122, 126 and 130 pounds. In six of these bouts she’s gone the distance.
• “Calli” has fought the newly-famous Amanda Serrano for the WBO’s featherweight title in July 2016. But she was stopped in the first round. In December of that same year, she fought Amanda’s sister, Cindy Serrano, for the same title after Amanda vacated it. This time, Silgado went the ten-round distance.
• Four of Silgado’s last five fights have been in the United States. This will be her fourth fight in New York City. in her last bout – on September 16 – she lost a six-round decision to world-class Melissa St. Vil in Brooklyn.
• She’s been beaten inside the distance three times, all of those in world title fights.
• Endurance should be no problem in this scheduled six-rounder; Silgado has been to the tenth round on six separate occasions.
• Weight: 130.8 Pounds