By: William Holmes

Sampson Boxing and Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing promoted an event on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights from the Resorts Casino & Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. The crowd began to file in early at 6:30 PM and they awaited the start of the first fight that was scheduled to start at 7:00 PM, but the card got off to a late start and the first fight didn’t begin until close to 8:00 PM.

Edgardo Torres (2-1) and Scott Burrell (6-1) opened up tonight’s card in the lightweight division.

Burrell looked a little sloppy at first, but his accuracy improved as the night went on. His straight right hand was his best punch, but he was warned for a low blow in the fourth round. He stunned Torres in the fifth round, and scored a knockdown in the sixth round after landing a vicious overhand right. At the end of the night the judges scored it 60-53, 60-53, and 60-54.

The next bout of the night was between local favorite Thomas LaManna (10-0) and Joshua Snyder (9-8-1) in the middleweight division.

LaManna usually brings a large and vocal crowd into Atlantic City, and tonight was no different. Snyder was perhaps LaManna’s toughest test of his career, and he tried to walk LaManna down, but LaManna was too quick for Snyder and was able to pop shot his opponent with accurate jabs and crosses from the outside. LaManna scored an early knockdown in the first round with a lead left hook, and another knockdown in the fourth round with a hard straight right hand. LaManna survived a tough test early on his career and won the bout with scores of 58-54, 58-54, and 57-55.

After a brief 15 minute delay the first televised bout of the night began as Victor Bisbal (21-1) and Magomed Abdusalamov (16-0) went toe-to-toe in the heavyweight division.

Mago came out in a southpaw stance and had a vocal crowd here to support him. Bisbal,however, was willing to trade with the hard hitting Abdusalamov and was very effective in the first two rounds. Abdusalamov was hit more often than what he’s accustomed to, but was able to stay on his feet and fire back.

A left uppercut by Abdusalamov hurt Bisbal in the third round and turned the fight back in “Mago’s” favor. Both fighters went toe-to- toe in the fourth round, and two uppercuts followed by a straight right hand by Abdusalamov wobbled Bisbal in the fifth round. He followed that up with a vicious straight left hand that finally sent Bisbal to the mat.

Bisbal was able to beat the count but his eyes were still glassy and the referee waved off the fight. Magomed Abdusalamov remained undefeated with a TKO at 1:12 of round five.

Samuel Rogers (12-0) and Ivan Ziglar (7-2-1) fought next in a swing bout in the junior middleweight division.

Rogers controlled the pace and distance of the fight his incredibly long reach and his accurate jab. A clash of heads occurred in second round and opened up a cut on the forehead of Ziglar. Ziglar pressed forward and tried to work the body of Rogers, but for the most part he was unable to do so. Samuel Rogers won the decision victory in this lackluster affair with scores of 59-55, 60-54, and 58-56.

The main event of the night was between Victor Cayo(31-3) and Emmanuel Taylor (16-0) in the junior welterweight division.

Taylor started off the fight with a tight and high guard as he attempted to walk Cayo down. Cayo had trouble landing anything in the early rounds, as most of his punches were bouncing off the arms and elbows of Taylor. Taylor was warned for low blows in the second round, but Cayo continued to produce an incredible work rate and relentlessly attacked the body of Taylor.

The body work of Cayo began to pay off in the middle rounds as Taylor’s defense was beginning to open up. Cayo scored a knockdown in the fifth round with a clean check right hook and the packed crowd began to chant Cayo’s name.

Taylor was able to dig deep and come back in round eight and exploded with a combination that rocked and dropped Cayo. Cayo was able to beat the count, but Taylor landed another crisp right hand to a wobbly Cayo and the referee stopped the fight.

Emmanuel Taylor remained undefeated with a TKO stoppage at 1:11 of round eight.

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