Tag Archives: atlantic

Posted on 08/03/2017

By: Ken Hissner

Mis Downing Promotions and Square Ring Promotions will have a nine bout card at the Claridge Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, Saturday night! In a ten round boutunbeaten 2008 Olympic heavyweight Silver Medalist from China southpaw Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang, 16-0 (12), who has scored nine knockouts in his last ten fights. He is No. 13 in the WBO rankings. His opponent is Nick “2 Gunz” Guivas, 13-7-2 (9), out of Topeka, KS.

Headlining in an eight round bout is Glassboro, NJ, Super middleweight southpaw Derrick “TakeIt to the Bank” Webster, 23-1 (12), seeking a ranking in one of the four organizations taking on Lamar Harris, 9-13-4 (5), of St. Louis, MO, in an eight round bout.

In the co-feature 6 round bout returning to the ring after an eight year layoff and holder of the WBC Continental Americas, WBO NABO, World Boxing Foundation, CABOFE, IBC Inter-Continental and PA State titles is Camden, NJ, cruiserweight Prince BadiAjamu, 27-3-1 (15), who won eight of his last nine fights only losing to Roy Jones, Jr., taking on Edgar Perez, 7-21 (3), of Chicago, IL. Perez holds a win over Atlantic City’s Lavarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell, who was 13-0 at the time. “What better way to bring the attention to child abduction which is a big problem in this country than to be in the ring and get this message out there”. He would also like a rematch with Jones who as co-promoter will be in attendance.

Another match-up of two NJ middleweights is former Olympian Terrance “Heat” Cauthen, 36-8 (9), of Trenton, NJ, after a five year absence taking on Nick Valliere, 5-2 (2), of Forked River, NJ. Trenton’s cruiserweight Mike Hilton, 6-0 (6)trying to make it seven straight ko’s against Willis Lockett, 14-20-6 (5), of Takoma Park, MD, who holds a win over Wildwood, NJ, boxer Chuck “The Professor” Mussachio.Camden, NJ, unbeaten featherweight Vidal Rivera, 6-0 (4), is listed against tba. These three are over six rounds. In four round bouts Newark, NJ, super lightweight Dion Richadson, 3-1 (2), meets FelipNazario, 0-7, of the Bronx, NY. Shady Gamhour, 1-0 (1), of Pensacola, FL, meets Jesse Singletary, 0-2, of D.C. and Philly cruiserweight Lamont McLaughlin, 0-1, meets Tahlik Taylor, 1-7, of Freeport, NY.

There will be a press conference at 5pm Thursday at the Flagship Hotel, 60 North Main Avenue in Atlantic City. The first bout Saturday will be at 7pm.

Posted on 07/01/2017

“New” Ray Robinson Wins at Tropicana in Atlantic City Friday
By: Ken Hissner

Hard Hitting Promotions with Manny Rivera and Will Ruiz brought their Philadelphia promotion to Atlantic City’s Tropicana Hotel & Casino Friday night featuring Philadelphia’s “New” Ray Robinson and a cast of young talent who will be the future of Philadelphia boxing!

Welterweight southpaw “New” Ray Robinson, 24-2 (12), of Philadelphia, defeated by technical decision Columbian Breidis “Braidys” Prescott, 30-11 (22), of Miami, FL, into the seventh round.

In the first two rounds Prescott was the aggressor while Robinson showed pin point counter punching. In the third round it was Robinson backing up Prescott with a solid jab and hurting him with a right hook to the chin near the end of the round.

In the fourth round both rocked one another at the same time. Robinson was out punching Prescott. In the fifth and sixth rounds Robinson became much more aggressive in trying to take Prescott out. In what referee Harvey Dock ruled a clash of heads in the seventh round Prescott went down and didn’t make any effort to get up. The EMT’s had to remove Prescott from the ring. The judges went to the scorecards. Robinson hasn’t lost since 2010. His trainer “Bozy” Ennis seemed quite pleased as was his manager David McWater.

All 3 judges and this writer had it 70-63.

Luis “Popeye” Lebron, 9-0-1 (4), of San Juan, PR, defeated in a real battle Manuel “El Zombie” Botti, 22-1-1 (18), of DR, for the WBA Fedelatin featherweight title, over 10 rounds.

In the opening round it was all Botti. In the second round Lebron came back to control while both gave a good account of themselves. In the third round it went back and forth with Lebron pulling it out. In the fourth and fifth rounds both were rocked. Botti kept coming forward getting the better of the two inside.

In the sixth and seventh rounds they continue to take turns getting the better of the action. It turned into a war as uppercuts from both boxers were flying. Neither would give an inch in a real slugfest. In the eighth round Lebron landed three left hooks to the head of Botti. As Botti came back he was stunned by a Lebron left hook to the head.

In the ninth round it continued to be a savage fight. In the tenth and final round Lebron seemed to have pulled it out.

Judge Carter had it 98-92, Constatino 99-91 and Cheeks 100-90. This writer had it much much closer at 96-94.

Super lightweight Liberian Samuel “Tsunami” Teah, 11-1-1 (5), of Philadelphia, knocked out Dominican Ken Alvarez, 8-6-2 (3), of PR, at 1:48 of the third round.

In the first two rounds both boxers mixed it up well especially to the body. In the third round Teah landed a hard right to the head of Alvarez. Seconds later Teah landed a chopping right to the head of Alvarez and out he went.

Bantamweight Christian Carto, 10-0 (10), of Philadelphia, continued his knockout streak and now up to 10 as he stopped Juan Guzman, 22-8 (12), of DR, 2:30 of the first round.

In the first round Carto dropped Guzman twice to a knee while referee Lee never acknowledged them. In between those Carto scored a knockdown. The unofficial fourth knockdown referee Lee couldn’t miss as Guzman went down and referee Lee finally called a halt.

17 year old lightweight Branden Pizarro, 6-0 (3), of Philadelphia, in a brilliant performance stopped Angel Hernandez, 2-4 (1), of PR, at 0:26 of the sixth.

In the opening round Pizarro controlled with good body work but Hernandez got in several of his own but was completely outclassed. In the second round it was all Pizarro landing pin point punches breaking Hernandez down. In the third round though Hernandez got several good body shots in Pizarro completely controlled the round working both body and head with punches.

In the fourth round Pizarro showed his skills while on the ropes landing uppercuts. A pair of uppercuts by Pizarro hurt Hernandez backing him up several steps. In the fifth round Hernandez tried pushing Pizarro over the ropes getting a warning from referee Lee. Pizarro landed 3 left hooks to the body of Hernandez on several occasions. A left hook from Pizarro to the chin of Hernandez dropped him. He got up and held on as the bell sounded. In the sixth and final round a vicious body shot made Hernandez step back and drop to a knee taking the full count from referee Lee. It was a brilliant performance from Pizarro.

Bantamweight Ariel Lopez, 7-0 (5), of Pueblo, MEX, won a split decision over Charles Clark, 1-3-1 (1), of Dallas, TX, in a 6.

In the opening round after a minute of no punching Lopez landed a double right hook to the head of Clark. In the second round things started heating up with Lopez using his combinations and Clark landing a solid lead right to the head. In the third round Clark drove Lopez into a neutral corner landing well until a punch went south of the border. Lopez landed a 3-punch combination with Clark coming back with a solid left hook to the head of Lopez.

In the fourth round Lopez landed a solid double left hook to the body of Clark who countered with a solid left hook to the head of Lopez. In the fifth round a Clark left hook to the head rocked Lopez. Clark had a point taken away for a low blow after several previous warnings from referee Eddie Claudio. In the sixth and final round both looked tired.

Judge Barnes had it 58-55 and George Hill 57-56 for Lopez while Rubenstein 57-56 for Clark. This writer had it 58-55 Lopez.

Featherweight Jose “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, 8-0-1 (2), of New York City, in a hard fought fight won a split decision over Mexico’s Guadalupe “Lupe” Arroyo, 2-5 (0), of Huntington Beach, CA, in a 6.

In the first two rounds Arroyo came in low throwing wild punches as Gonzalez the southpaw picked him off with uppercuts. In the third and fourth rounds Gonzalez was warned several times for infractions. He hurt Arroyo several times with body shots. In the fifth round Arroyo did much better while Gonzalez continued to get away with pushing off without warning from referee Claudio. In the sixth and final round Arroyo landed a solid uppercut to the chin of Gonzalez knocking his head back. It got sloppy in the final round with both boxers tiring.

Judge Barnes had it 58-56, Rubenstein 59-55 for Gonzalez and Hill 58-56 for Arroyo. This writer had it 59-55 for Gonzalez.

Jeremy Cuevas, 4-0 (3), of Philly knocked out Jonathan Valarezo, 0-2 (0), of Ecuador at 2:08 of the first round.

In the first round both mixed it up well until an overhand left from Cuevas to the head of Valarez and down he went and out.

Welterweight Mark Dawson, 4-0-1 (3), of Philadelphia won over William Hill, 2-4 (0), of Detroit, MI, in a bloody 4.

In the opening round it was too much holding. In the second round Dawson landed a right hook causing a cut on the upper eye lid of Hill. Dawson was using a good uppercut when Hill came in low. In the third round the blood is covering the face of Hill on the left side. Dawson due to a head butt had a cut over his left eye. In the fourth the ring physician took a long look at Dawson who was obviously ahead before she allowed the fight to continue. In the final round Hill was chasing Dawson knowing he was behind and ran into a straight left to the chin from Dawson. Hill’s left eye was closed by the end of the round.

Judges Barnes, Hill and Rubenstein and this writer had it 40-36.

It was a good and competitive show for Hard Hitting’s first NJ event.

Posted on 06/21/2017

Boxing Insider Notebook: Canelo, Golovkin, Pacquiao, Shields, Atlantic City, Hernandez, and more..
Compiled By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of June 13th to June 20th covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Canelo vs. Golovkin Tickets on Sale June 22nd

Tickets for the Saturday, Sept. 16 showdown for supremacy between lineal and RING Magazine Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) and IBO/IBF/WBA/WBC Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs), for which fans have been clamoring, will go on sale Thursday, June 22 at 10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET. In what may be boxing’s best, most competitive fight in 2017, the mega-event will feature two of the most popular and powerful fighters in the storied middleweight division fighting for ultimate supremacy and glory.

Tickets for Canelo vs. Golovkin are priced at $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700, $500 and $300, not including applicable service charges and taxes. There will be a limit of 10 per person at the $5,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $800, $700 price levels and a limit of two (2) per person at the $500 and $300 price levels. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

Canelo vs. Golovkin is a 12-round fight for the middleweight championship of the world presented by Golden Boy Promotions and GGG Promotions and sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD, Hennessy, Never Stop, Never Settle, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Tsesnabank and Capital Holding. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®

Claressa Shields Dominates to Win WBC Silver Belt

In just her first eight-round fight, Claressa “T-Rex” Shields scored a spectacular unanimous decision victory last Friday, June 16, at the Masonic Temple in Detroit to win the WBC Silver Super Middleweight Title.

Shields (3-0, 1KO) dominated tough Sydney “Ginger the Ninja” LeBlanc (4-2-1), winning all eight rounds on all three judges’ scorecards en route to adding the WBC Silver belt to her NABF Middleweight Championship belt. LeBlanc was simply no match for the blazing fists of crowd favorite Shields, who has convincingly established herself as a world championship-class contender in women’s boxing after just three professional fights.

Shields’ bout was the main event of a jam-packed Detroit Brawl event which set a new gate record for promoter Dmitriy Salita’s popular Detroit-based series.

“Claressa is one of the best boxers in the world!” said Dmitriy Salita. “Regardless of gender, her skills and experience are that of the elite fighters in the world. She is improving with each fight and the sky is the limit. Claressa is ready for the top fighters in her division and we will work on making a big championship fight happen next.”

In the 10-round co-main event, transplanted Detroit cruiserweight Alexey Zubov moved to 15-1, 9 KOs with a surprisingly easy 10-round decision over Detroit’s highly regarded Demetrius Banks (9-1, 4 KOs).

From the opening bell, the superior work rate of Zubov told the story, as the confused Banks had no answers for the big Russian’s jab. All three judges scored the fight 99-91. There were no knockdowns.

“Two of the best cruiserweight prospects in the world met in Detroit,” continued Salita. “The winner is now a real contender, ready to fight the best in the world. Alexey is much improved since his time training with Sugar Hill at the Kronk Boxing Gym. The magic of Kronk is alive and came to life in Alexey’s performance. Great things on the horizon for him!”

Another of Salita’s growing stable of promising contenders, Detroit bantamweight Ja’Rico O’Quinn (7-0, 5KOs) had too many tools for the outgunned David Martino (2-3, 2 KOs) and won by dominant unanimous decision (60-54, all three judges). A talent to watch, O’Quinn basically walked the determined Martino into his lightning-fast shots for six rounds.

“Ja’Rico’s defense was superb in his fight. His opponent was rarely able to even touch him. He is going to be a force at 118 lbs. in the not-too-distant future.”

Another surging contender from the Salita stable, junior welterweight wrecking ball Bakhtiyar Eyubov (13-0, 11 KOs) needed just 1:41 of round one to chew up and spit out Mexico’s Cesar Soriano. Eyubov targeted the body of Soriano and took away his breath with thudding left hoods to the liver that ended things quickly. Eyubov is an animal.

“Bakhtiyar went up a weight class because no one will fight him. This fight showed why,” said Salita. “He is too strong for most fighters to stay in with for very long. He will be in a big fight in the near future. He’s ready.”

ESPN and ESPN Deportes to Exclusively Air Manny Pacquiao Fight Live from Brisbane, Australia

Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world champion and the only sitting Senator to capture a world championship belt, will add another first to his burgeoning list of Hall of Fame-caliber accomplishments with his live debut on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (also streaming live on the ESPN app) on Saturday, July 1 at 10:00 p.m. ET. The fight will be called ringside by ESPN commentators Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas. They will be joined by guest analyst Timothy Bradley, Jr., a former two-division world champion recently trained by Teddy Atlas who has met Pacquiao three times in the ring, winning their first match in a decision. ESPN Deportes will pair Jorge Eduardo Sanchez and Juan Manuel Marquez to call the main event in Spanish, with prefight commentary from Pablo Viruega, Leopoldo Gonzalez, Claudia Trejos and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Pacquiao, the Boxing Writers Association of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade, will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown against undefeated No. 1 contender and Brisbane’s favorite son Jeff “The Hornet” Horn at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. This will be the first time Pacquiao has not fought on pay-per-view since Sept. 10, 2005, when he stopped Hector Velazquez in the sixth round — 12 years and four weight divisions ago.

ESPN’s coverage of “The Battle of Brisbane” will begin on Friday, June 30th, and includes live coverage of the Pacquiao and Horn weigh-in at 7 p.m. ET within SportsCenter on ESPN and within Golpe a Golpe on ESPN Deportes. During the week of June 26, classic Pacquiao fights will also be available on demand and streaming via the ESPN app, on both ESPN and ESPN Deportes, including Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton (5/2/2009), Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez (11/12/11) and Pacquiao vs. Tim Bradley (4/12/14).

The July 1 telecast will also feature Irish Olympic hero Michael Conlan (2-0, 2 KOs), from Belfast, in a six-round featherweight bout against Jarrett “Juarez” Owen (5-4-3,2 Kos), of Brisbane, and International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight world champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas (24-1-1, 16 KOs), of Cavite City, Philippines, defending his title against top-rated contender Teiru Kinoshita (25-1-1, 8 KOs), of Kobe, Japan. The live telecast will open with an eight-round middleweight rumble between Shane Mosley, Jr. (10-1, 7 KOs), of Pomona, Calif. and son of former three-division world champion “Sugar”
Shane Mosley, and David Toussaint (10-0, 8 KOs), of Canberra, Australia.

Olympic Bronze Medalist Nico Hernandez Stops Jose Rodriguez in the Third Round

Wichita hero and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, Nico Hernandez, dominated Jose “Mexican Diablo” Rodriguez in last night’s “KO Night Boxing: Rapid Fire” main event, which aired on CBS Sports Network live from Hartman Arena in Park City, Kansas.

“KO Night Boxing: Rapid Fire” was a presentation of KO Night Boxing LLC. TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for Knockout Night Boxing.

The 21-year-old Hernandez (2-0, 2 KOs) came out fast, rapidly firing combinations that consistently landed to his opponent’s head and body. Hernandez was as electric in the ring as the sky outside, battering the over-matched Rodriguez, finally dropping him midway through the second round.

The extremely sharp Hernandez floored Rodriguez again in the third with a right-left combination but the tough Mexican rose again. The onslaught continued briefly as the Olympian pounded Rodriguez (2-1, 2 KOs), knocking him down for the third time and final time as referee Kevin Champion counted him out at 2:38.

“I came out with a victory, it can’t get better than that,” Hernandez said after the fight. “I put him down a few times. I was happy with my performance. I was trying to get out of her to celebrate with my family and friends.

“I didn’t expect him to keep coming, getting up and still coming forward. I’ll talk to my promoter and coaches and see what’s next.”

Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Inducts 24 Charter Class Members

Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) Inaugural Induction weekend held on May 26, 27 and 28th was a smorgasbord of boxing royalty, celebrity guests and legions of boxing fans. ACBHOF mission is to create visibility and awareness through annual inductions ceremonies; boxing champions, as well as the boxing community at-large will have their names enshrined into immortality by being inducted into the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame.

“Watching my vision come together with the assistance of Rodrick Green, the VP of Business Strategy, and Angela Crockett our Communications Director, along with the rest of my team and countless other supporters and fans across the country, who’ve embraced this endeavor has been overwhelmingly impressive.” – Ray McCline, Founder & President

The trio of events, which were sponsored by the Claridge – a Radisson Hotel, kicked-off May 26th with a pre-reception and welcome address in the VÜE Rooftop Bar. The 150 guests included: Red Carpet Host Whitney Ullman, Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian, Councilman Frank Gilliam, Dr. Nina Radcliff, Flo Anthony, Aaron Snowell, Lillo Brancato, Alan Goldberg, Ray Mercer, Mark Breland, Iran Barkley, Iceman John Scully, Tracy Patterson, Milton Luban, Chuck Zito, Grandy Twins, sponsors and stakeholders alike.

“The Claridge – a Radisson Hotel was proud to have hosted Atlantic City’s first Boxing Hall of Fame induction class. It’s events like this that make hospitality and history come to life in this city. From the Fight Fan Expo to the Gala it was a pleasure to see new faces and passion throughout a weekend of exceptional events. We look forward to hosting the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame events for years to come at The Claridge – a Radisson Hotel.”- Cem Erenler, V.P. of Hotel Operations & Business Development
On May 27, the festivities continued into the Fight Fan Experience, a festive boxing themed environment that included a Boxing Fantasy Camp, Pop-Up Barber Shop, Jack Johnson Exhibit Icons of Boxing, The Legacy Exists Joe Frazier Scholarship Fund, James O’Neal Sculptures, The Press of Atlantic City Exhibit, Food vendors and music by DJ Young Hitta.

The evening of May 27th concluded with an Honoree Gala in the Art Gallery celebrating “Women in Boxing.” Host for the evening, Nino Del Buono. Honorees included: Cathy Burke, Marian Muhammad, Joan Pierce, Renee Aiken and Althea “Vern” Saunders.

The culminating Induction celebration concluded Sunday, May 28th with a little over 500 guests. The master of ceremonies for the ceremony, President of NJ Boxing Hall of Fame, Henry Hascup. The star-studded Charter Class members included: Don King, Michael Spinks, Larry Hazzard, Steve Smoger, Mike Rossman, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Frank Gelb, Don Elbaum, J Russell Peltz, Dave Bontempo, Ken Condon, Robert Lee, Sr., Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson.

“I would like to sincerely congratulate Mr. Ray McCline, Roy Foreman, Rodrick Green, Angela Crockett and all of the wonderful people responsible for the great Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame weekend which took place on May 26th, 27th, and 28th. The event was an astounding success and it allowed many of us, who attended, the opportunity to relive some of the exciting moments of our past boxing history. The establishment of the ACBHOF will also ensure that the great legacy of Atlantic City Boxing, will be remembered and celebrated for many years to come!! Once again congratulations and I look forward with great anticipation to next year’s celebration. God Bless!!” – Commissioner Larry Hazzard, NJ State Athletic Control Board

Posthumous Inductees: Arturo Gatti (received by Sofia Bella Gatti); Leavander Johnson (received by his Son); Mathew Saad Muhammad (received by Mustafa Ameen); Lou Duva (received by Dino Duva); Jack Obermayer (received by his daughter Ellen Kaplan); Bert Sugar; Dennis Gomes (received by his daughter Danielle Gomes and Mrs. Gomes); Mike Hall, Sr. (received by his son Mike Hall, Jr.) and Dr, Frank Doggett (received by his daughter Yvonne “Missy” Doggett).

“It was such an incredible honor to be part of such a historic event. We had a blast at the HARD Kickoff party with Michael Spinks and Ray Mercer. It was so amazing to see all the young kids enjoying the Boxing experience. They are the new generation of Atlantic City Boxing. The Highlight of the weekend for us was the Gala, it was truly a memorable evening. Congratulations to Ray McCline and the inductees on a successful Inaugural Induction. The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame will be a staple destination for Boxing Fans in the years to come.” – Gregory V. Posella, President & Co-founder HARD Beverage
Former Miss America, Suzette Charles, Chicken Bone Beach Jazz Band and saxophonist Parris provided entertainment for the evening. Entertainment was coordinated by Kevin Crump.

Title Sponsors: Hard Lifestyle Beverages, Designer Wraps and Hammer Fiber Optics. The Atlantic City Police Athletic League is ACBHOF’s charitable arm. Keebler Media was the official ACBHOF videographer.
Other sponsors and supporters: City of Atlantic City; Triax 57; 2300 Arena; FantaSea Resorts; Adams Boxing; Rumble TV Network; Tina Davido Promotions; Abrams Boxing, Adams Boxing, Plush Vodka, Punzoné Organic Vodka, House of Genesis and WBC.

While the menus consisted of scrumptious passed hors d’oeuvres and signature drinks, the Honoree cake designed by Cake King of Queens and the unveiling of Commemorative Paintings by Nicolosi were stunning show stoppers.

Another extraordinary highlight from the weekend was when Arturo Gatti’s 11-year old daughter Sofia Bella Gatti accepted her father’s award alongside his longtime friends Chuck Zito and Mike Sciarra.

Posted on 06/16/2017

STANLEY SCOTT: Knock Him Out or Be Knocked Out Was His Game!
By: Ken Hissner

“He was one of the most exciting kids I had at the Tropicana. He would walk in and knock his opponent out or get knocked out. He was a fan favorite,” said Don Elbaum.

Cleveland light heavyweight Stanley Scott, 11-16 with 11 knockout wins and 13 knockout losses is whom Elbaum is talking about. He was 8-2 when the losses starting mounting up. In January of 1982 Elbaum brought Scott into Atlantic City for his New Jersey debut since Elbaum was matchmaking regularly at the Tropicana Casino. He got a good start going 3-2 in A.C.

In April of 1982 Scott scored his career biggest win by knocking out Salvatore San Felippo, 17-2, of Jersey City in the third round in A.C. putting him into retirement. Scott’s last career win was over Tony Mesoraca, 10-2, of Philadelphia putting him into retirement in November of 1982 at the Tropicana in his last bout there. Scott seemed to have a way of “putting opponents into retirement” like in his third fight when he knocked out Greg Lamour, 8-2, of Chesapeake, VA, who hadn’t been knocked out before.

In 1980 Scott was put in 3 consecutive fights with Len Hutchins, 26-3-1, Murray Sutherland, 19-5 and Jeff Lampkin, 6-0, the last two being world champions before retiring.

Leave it to Don Elbaum to find a boxer like Stanley Scott!

Posted on 06/09/2017

Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna Returns to the Claridge in AC Saturday!
By: Ken Hissner

Rising Star Promotions returns to the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ, Saturday night with a 9 bout boxing event. Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna will be in the main event with Anthony “Juice” Young from Atlantic City in the co-feature.

Welterweight Lamanna, 22-2 (9), faces Mexican southpaw Carlos Winston Velasquez, 24-28-2 (14), now out of Union City, NJ, over 8 rounds. “I am looking forward to a great fight on Saturday. I am not taking a 54 fight veteral like Velasquez lightly,” said Lamanna. In the co-feature there will also be Atlantic City’s welterweight Anthony “Juice” Young, 16-2 (6), against George “El terrible” Sosa, 15-8 (15), out of NJ, over 8 rounds.

There will be 7 other bouts featuring Atlantic City’s super middleweight Gabriel “GPHAM” Pham, 8-1 (4), heavyweight southpaw Dan Pasciolla, 9-2-2 (0), of Brick, NJ, super middleweight Chris “Sandman” Thomas, 6-0 (3), of Beachwood, NJ. From New York will be light heavyweight Frederick Julian, 4-0 (2), of NY, all in 6 round bouts and lightweight Tomas Romain, 2-1 (0), of Brooklyn in a 4.

From Philadelphia will be super featherweight Donald “No Love” Smith, 4-0 (3), and super welterweight Elijah Vines, 3-0 (3), in 4 round bout’s. First bout will be at 7pm.

Posted on 05/30/2017

Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Celebration a Big Success!
By: Ken Hissner

Ray McCline’s idea of creating the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame was a big success over the weekend. Especially on Sunday night with 24 inductee’s before a large crowd at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City!

Master of Ceremonies was the New Jersey Hall of Fames President Henry Hascup who did an excellent job. There were some excellent acceptances starting with legendary matchmaker Don Elbaum’s stories. He has worked in over a thousand shows over the years. “This is incredible. My mentor J Russell Peltz is here and the man I got started Don King!” He went onto say how Jimmy Carter was running for president at the time and how King called him Jimmy and Carter called King “President!” In King’s hometown of Cleveland Carter won big taking not only the black vote but the Jewish vote. King took credit for both! He brought in then Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) for an exhibition to help a children’s hospital.

Hascup first brought up Mike Hall, Jr. whose father Mike was being inducted. He trained world champion Virgil Hill amongst others. This writer saw him earlier and said “it’s good to see you are still alive” not knowing I was talking to the deceased’s son. Another Atlantic City native Bill Johnson came forth whose brother Leavander was the IBF lightweight champion winning in Italy and passed away shortly after a battle in NV losing his title but going out like a warrior! “My brother loved the sport and the people involved with it,” said Johnson. Hascup said “Leavander gave his life for the sport!”

Althea Saunders sang the national anthem. She is still an active boxer from Atlantic City. As expected Larry “The Easton Assasin” didn’t show and “Iron” Mike Tyson didn’t either but was seen via video accepting his induction from AZ. Inductee Ken Condon known for his PPV work talked about being in Barbados when he left his wife upstairs to go downstairs in the hotel to watch Spinks-Holmes II. It caused an obvious argument he said.
Michael Spinks drew the most attention afterwards signing autographs, getting pictures taken by many fans of his and being interviewed. Press members included AC Press writer David Weinberg, John DiSanto of Philly Boxing History, Bernard Fernandez formerly with the Philadelphia News, Joe

Sangrito formerly of Ring Magazine, Frank Bartolini of the Rinaldi Brothers newspaper, Marc Abrams and his beautiful wife, with Abrams doing an excellent job with the PR work for the event. Keebler Media was taping the event and this writer representing Boxing Insider.

Representing his father Lou Duva was Dino Duva still an active manager saying “today would have been my father’s 95th birthday.” Duva put on the first world title bout in Atlantic City with Joey Giardello fighting Dick Tiger. “My father always said never forget your roots,” said Duva.

Accepting for the absent Holmes was one of “Smoking” Joe Frazier’s daughters Weatta.

An emotional wife and daughter of the head physician in Atlantic City was none other than Dr. Frank Doggett. “He graduated from Howard Universities Medical School in 1948 and was chief surgeon for the Atlantic Police and Fireman. He referred to the boxers as his boxers. If he was here he would simply say thank you.”

Nicoli the artist was on hand showing a portrait of Don King which went up for bid with no takers. One of the VP’s of the board who did the electing was Rodnick Green VP Strategy & Business Development for the ACBHOF who proclaimed how another well-known inductee Steve “Double S” Smoger who was inducted into the IBHOF in 2016 helped the kids at the AC PAL! Smoger known to be one of the best speakers in the business talked about how Elbaum ran weekly shows at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino for five years and how he worked many of them as a referee. He has received many awards and is one of the best of all time.

Fan and press favorite writer Jack “KO” Obermayer who passed away approximately a year ago was well represented by Freddy Blumstein one of the best timekeepers in the business who said “my wife curses the day I met KO because I am away from home so much.” Eric Bottjer one of the best well known matchmakers in the business called Obermayer his best friend. Obermayer’s daughter and his partner Darlene, who flew in from Wyoming, saying “he was the love of my life!”

Roy Foreman another VP who managed his brother George and who lives in the area and is now promoting shows in Houston, TX, was well received by the audience saying “without the boxers we wouldn’t be here!”

Mustafa Ameen spoke in behalf of inductee Matthew Saad Muhammad how the nuns found him on the Philadelphia’s Ben Franklin Parkway at the age of 4 left there by his brother at his mother’s request due to having too many kids. Saad’s adopted brother Joe Johnson was in attendance. Ameen talked how Saad put up a 10k award if anyone would come forward telling him who would know anything about his identity. As it turned out someone did and told him his real name was Antonio Loach. They appeared on Good Morning America and Saad was not too fond of being called Antonio. Ameem talked of Saad’s religion of being a Muslim. When Saad passed away there was a funeral at a mosque and then at the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Saad told me personally during an interview “I’m no longer a Muslim.”

Elbaum spoke how he got King into the business as the first black promoter and took him to New York introducing him to Madison Square Garden’s promoter and matchmaker. King said “they are all white!” Elbaum told him “don’t say that again for we are all Americans adding Kings famous known phrase Only In America!” Elbaum went onto say how Tropicana gave him a two year contract, living quarters and agreed to run every Tuesday night.

Current NJ Commissioner of boxing Larry Hazzard, Sr. did an excellent job speaking of how he spent 13 years in the amateurs working as a referee and becoming one of the tops in the world and becoming commissioner. After leaving office the current governor of NJ Chris Christy brought Hazzard back for his old job.

Smoger talked about starting out as a timekeeper from 1978 to 1982 and starting to ref in 1984 and becoming the referee in a world title fight just two years later. He said how he worked shows for Peltz, King, Frank Gelb and Duva. He gave a large amount of credit to Deputy Commissioner Bob Lee who couldn’t make the event. “He treated me like gold,” said Smoger. He also gave a lot of credit and would expect the next induction to be the then commissioner and former heavyweight champion “Jersey” Joe Walcott. He went onto say except for referee Pat Russell he was the longest serving referee in the country.

Former world light heavyweight champion Mike “The Jewish Bomber” Rossman accepted his award and walked off the stage without saying a word. He had his Local 30 Roofers jacket on and the roofers bought 40 tickets.

Dave Bontempo another inductee spoke well and how ESPN recruited him from AC and how the game has changed since the Atlantic City Press had him cover boxing. He went onto say how boxers like Bennie Serrano became well known fighting at the Tropicana for Elbaum. He added it was 20 years ago today he met his wife Suzie and being married for 32 years.

Peltz, a well-known matchmaker and promoter as well as being one of the few promoters doing his own matchmaking spoke as well as anyone at the podium. He ran shows while attending Temple University at the age of 22 in 1969 and brought in “Bad” Bennie Briscoe on his first show. He said “we didn’t need any med’s in those days only a boxer with a heartbeat or without.” How in 1970 he brought in IBHOF trainer George Benton to headline a show and paid him 1k while the show itself cost $800 to run prior to this. Benton’s manager insisted Benton’s return but Benton was not to be found at the gym he trained so Peltz got another headliner. When Benton showed up with his old yellow suitcase weeks before the event Peltz told him he was replaced because he wasn’t ever in the gym. Benton called his manager Gramby who got Peltz on the phone and said “isn’t your word good enough?”

Peltz remembered that and once brought in Gramby’s prize attraction heavyweight Tex Cobb to headline. He was to get 20k but got a bigger offer of 500k from MSG and Peltz reminded him of “isn’t your word any good?” Cobb fought for Peltz. Peltz said Cobb once said “I didn’t lose to Larry Holmes, I just lost the first 15 rounds.”

Gelb talked about how over 500 shows were run in AC from 1982-85 and how “Russell stole half of my stories.” Gelb’s sons were also in attendance. He said “when the NFL went on strike NBC decided to put on boxing in its place and how inductee Arturo Gatti sold out the Boardwalk Hall six consecutive times. Gatti’s beautiful daughter Sophia was there who was 3 when her father passed away. She spoke well of her father and how blessed she was to have him for a father.

King gave credit to Arthur Goldberg as “his boss who called King the light of the boardwalk starting him off at Bally’s.”

Chuck Zito formerly a Hell’s Angel’s biker accepted for Gatti. “He fought here 23 times and got Fighter of the Year from Ring Magazine 5 times. Bill Johnson talked about his brother winning his first 23 (including a draw) fights. “My oldest son’s wanted to box and the youngest was Leavander.

Former world heavyweight champion Bruce “Atlantic City Express” Seldon and Qawi were two who learned to box at the PAL.

Former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi said “someone saw my work on the streets of Camden and fought with their fists, no guns.” Spinks who defeated him along with being the first present light heavyweight champion to win the heavyweight title from Holmes thanked his Lord and Savior. The Lord worked through me and gave him all the honor and glory.

Hazzard had played the part in the Ali movie of Zack Clayton. He thanked McCline and Foreman and gave thanks to his wife Patricia along with their family. “She married me and the sport of boxing,” said Hazzard. “We had 3 fights in one day by USA Boxing, CBS all at different places like the Tropicana and the Boardwalk. Hazzard went on to say “it was better to stop a fight a little early than too late.”

Lindsay Tucker of the IBF spoke in accepting Lee’s award who was President of the first IBF with Tucker saying “Bob couldn’t make it tonight but was elated.”

King would be the final speaker giving one of his shortest speeches. “I started in Atlantic City in 1972 thanks to Elbaum. We had 8 world title bouts in Atlantic City promoted for and about the people. I started at the top with Ali,” said King. He said how current President Donald Trump helped him and what a great job he is doing now as President.

Current mayor Don Guardian spoke to close the event.

Posted on 05/19/2017

A Weekend to Remember at Atlantic City’s Boxing Hall of Fame!
By:Ken Hissner

Coming to Atlantic City the weekend of May 26, 27 and 28 is a weekend to remember among boxing royality as the 2017 Atlantic City inductees will be inducted into their Hall of Fame. The Claridge a Radison hotel will be the place to go.

The inductees go on and on such as “Iron” Mike Tyson, *Arturo “Thunder” Gatti, *Leavander Johnson, Michael Spinks, *Matthew Saad Muhammad, Larry “the Easton Assassin” Holmes, Mike “the Jewish Bomber” Rossman, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, *Lou Duva, Mike Hall Sr. *Bill Johnson, Don King, Frank Gelb, Russell Peltz, Don Elbaum, Larry Hazzard Sr., Dr. Frank Doggett, Steve “Double SS” Smoger, Dave Bontempo, *Jack “KO” Obemayer, *Bert Sugar, *Bob Lee, Ken Condon and Dennis Gomes. *posthemous

The ACBHOF was established in 2014 and at the Vue the doors open at 5pm to 8pm on Friday May 26th. Also the same day presented will be “The Art of Music & Boxing” at the Celebrity Theatre doors open at 7pm and show starts at 8pm to 11pm.

On Saturday May 27th “Fight Fan Experience” at the Conference Center doors open at 9:00am and will run from 10am to 4pm. “2017 Honoree Gala” at the Art Gallery doors open at 7:00pm and event 7:15 to 11pm.

On Sunday May 28th “Inaugural Induction Ceremony” at Brighton Park from 9:00am to 1pm. Go to www.acbhof.com for information.

Posted on 04/23/2017

Keenan “The Killer” Smith Stopped Edgar Gabejan in A.C.!

At the Claridge Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, Saturday night promoters GH-3 and D&D Promotions put on a 6 bout card before a full house.

In the Main Event super lightweight southpaw Keenan “The Killer” Smith, 11-0 (5), of Philadelphia, scored a technical stoppage over overmatched Edgar “Koki” Gabejan, 27-34-7 (9), of Rizal, PH, at 1:46 of the seventh round.

In the opening round Smith put on the pressure landing 6 unanswered punches than pushing Gabejan down from behind the head. Smith followed up with a grazing left hand dropping Gabejan and given the 8-count by referee Ricky Gonzalez. In the second round Smith drove Gabejan into the ropes and was quickly tied up. It was all Smith in the round. In the third round an over anxious Smith wrestled Gabejan to the canvas. Smith continued to dominate over the shorter Gabejan who was being outgunned. In the fourth round Gabejan started throwing more punches than in the previous rounds. Smith drove Gabejan across the ring into a corner and jumped on him landing a flurry of punches.

In the fifth round a Smith double right hook to the chin of Gabejan dropped him for the 8-count given by referee Gonzalez. A solid right hook to the chin by Smith rocked Gabejan at the bell. In the sixth round Gabejan rushes in only to be hit with a straight left by Smith causing a bit of blood to come out of his nose. A right hook by Smith to the chin buckled the legs of Gabejan just prior to the bell. In the seventh round a short left hand to the chin of Gabejan dropped him for an 8-count given by referee Gonzalez. Shortly afterwards referee Gonzalez had seen enough and wisely stopped the mismatch.

“I hit him with hard shots. He was awkward. I knew I had him after the second round,” said Smith. His right hand was in ice. His brother and trainer coach Marty said “It’s a great step up fighting against a veteran who hadn’t been stopped since 2010.”

Heavyweight Tyrell “The King” Wright, 9-0-2 (6), of Jersey City, NJ, and Dan Pasciolla, 9-2-2 (0), of Brick, NJ, fought to a split decision draw over 6 rounds.

Wright did a lot of holding throughout the bout keeping referee Dave Francisosi busy breaking the fighters. Pasciolla took the opening round with Wright taking the second and third rounds. Pasciolla outworked Wright in the last 3 rounds and deserved the win.

Former boxer Bobby Rooney worked Wright’s corner while former cruiserweight world champion Al “Ice” Cole worked Pasciolla’s.

Judge Constatino scored it 58-56 for Wright. Judge Wallace 57-57 a draw and judge Stewart had it 58-56 for Pasciolla as did this writer.

Super lightweight southpaw PR John “El Torrito” Bauza, 6-0 (3), of Bergen, NJ, scored a sensational one-punch stoppage over PR Francis Gakpetor, 4-4-1 (3), of Accra, GH, at 0:17 of the first round of a scheduled 6.

Southpaw Bauza set up Gakpetor by holding his right hand out and landed a right hook to the head dropping Gakpetor with the only punch of the fight. Referee Dave Franciosi didn’t even have to count as he waved it off. “I lined him up with my right and hooked him to the head,” said Bauza.

Bauza is managed by Dino Duva.

Super lightweight southpaw Kenneth “Bossman” Sims, Jr., 11-0 (4), of Chicago, IL, scored a technical stoppage over game Israel Villela, 6-5 (2), of Cancun, MEX, at 1:30 of the third round.

In opening round Sims took it to the shorter Villela with a two fisted attack. He had Villela backing up throughout. In the second round Sims landed a hard right hook to the head of Villela who came back with a right uppercut to the mid-section of Sims. Sims landed a power shot right hook to head of Villela. Sims landed a 4-punch combination after opening up a small cut on right eyebrow of Villela. In the third round with Villela coming forward Sims countered well. Sims landed a flurry of punches and referee Gonzalez stepped in what seemed a premature stoppage.

Super flyweight prospect and former star amateur Dylan “The Real Deal” Price, 2-0 (2), of Sicklersville, NJ, used a vicious body attack scoring a technical stoppage over Christopher Nelson, 1-4 (0), of Louisville, KY, via PR, at 2:37 of the third round. Referee was Mary Glover. Price’s father Dave Price worked the corner.

In the opening bout bantamweight Manuel Rodriguez, 1-0 (0), of Newark, NJ, won a split decision over Jaxel Marrero, 1-8-2 (0), of PR, over 4 rounds.

In a hard fought first round it was give and take with Marrero having an edge. In the second and third rounds Rodriguez came back countering well against the aggressive Marrero. In the fourth and final round Rodriguez started out fast but Marrero took over the second half of the round.

Judge’s Mark Constatino and Paul Wallce had it 39-37 for Rodriguez while John Stewart had it 39-37 for Marrero. This writer had it 38-38. Raul “Chino” Rivas worked the winner’s corner. Mary Glover was the referee.

The ring announcer was Nino Del Buono.

Next at the Claridge on June 10th will be Rising Star Promotions featuring Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna, Anthony “Juice” Young, Gabriel Pham and Donald “No Love” Smith on the card.

Posted on 01/21/2017

Roman, Ellis and Sims Win at Bally’s in Atlantic City Friday!
By:Ken Hissner

GH3 and Kings Promotions and SHO BOX promoted nine competitive bouts at Bally’s in Atlantic City, NJ, Friday night!

In the main event super bantamweight Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez, 16-1-1 (8), of San Antonio, TX, suffered his first loss not coming out for the tenth round losing to Danny “Baby Face Assassin” Roman, 22-2-1 (8), of Golden Grove, CA, in a WBA eliminator bout.

In the first round there was little to choose from the fighters but Lopez seemed to have an edge. In the second round Lopez landed a hard right to the chin of Roman getting his attention. In the second round Lopez looked the sharper of the two. In the third round Roman dropped Lopez with a left hook to the chin. He went after Lopez and dropped him again with a pair of lefts and a right. Lopez had a bloody nose and staggered back to his corner at the end of the round after taking a beating on the ropes. In the fourth round Roman let Lopez back into the fight and he came back and seemed to edge out the round.

In the fifth and sixth rounds were close in a back and forth fight as Roman kept his cool while Lopez is showing the wear and tare with his nose bleeding again. In the eighth round Roman was landing power punches hurting Lopez who is bothered by his nose injury.

In the ninth round Roman continued with hard left hooks to the body and right uppercuts to the chin of Lopez who had a mouse under his left eye. The corner of Lopez stopped the fight at the end of the ninth.

Super middleweight Ronald “Flatline” Ellis, 14-0-1 (10), of Lynn, MASS, defeated Christopher “Ice Cold” Brooker, 11-3 (5), of Philly, by a close decision.

In the opening round Ellis came right out and nailed Brooker with a right to the chin. He followed up with another right to the chin of Brooker. Halfway through the round Brooker landed three straight short right hands to the head of Ellis. It was a big round for Ellis. In the second round Brooker had a better round but not good enough to outscore Ellis. In the third round Brooker turned the fight around pinning Ellis against the ropes landing heavy punches especially to the body and short rights inside to the chin of Ellis. In the fourth round Brooker continued to get the better of Ellis inside.

In the fifth round it continued an inside fight with Brooker keeping it a brawl to his advantage. Ellis is allowing his early start to play into the hands of Brooker’s inside fighting. In the sixth round Ellis landed a flurry of punches getting Brooker’s attention. Brooker has slowed down. In the seventh round it was another close one with Brooker having a slight edge. In the eighth and final round again it was close with Brooker continuing to keep it inside. Ellis had his moments.

Judges Barnes and Grant had it 79-73 with Hill and this writer at 77-75 except this writer had it for Brooker. Referee was David Fields. “I thought I won the fight keeping him on the ropes most of the fight,” said Brooker.

Super bantamweight southpaw Stephon “Showstopper” Young, 16-0-3 (6), of Chicago, IL, defeated Olimson Nazarov, 14-4 (8), UZB, over eight tough rounds of boxing.

In the first round southpaw Young boxed well outworking Nazarov. In the second round Nazarov opened up landing a lead overhand right to the head of Young and followed up with a combination. Young continued to use his jab. In the third round Young was landing with lead left hands to the head of Nazarov. Nazarov only fought in spurts but landed well when he did. In the fourth round Nazarov was landing three punch combinations to the head and body of Young having his best round.

In the fifth round Young used his hand speed while Nazarov was landing with combinations in a close round. In the sixth round the action was going back and forth with the last ten seconds the best part of the fight with both landing well. In the seventh round things slowed down a bit with Young outworking Nazarov. In the eighth and final round in was action packed with Young rocking Nazarov with a left uppercut to the chin. Nazarov always bounces back with combinations.

Judges George Hill and Eugene Grant had it 78-74 as did this writer while Debra Barnes had it 77-75 all for the winner. David Fields was the referee.

Welterweight southpaw Kenneth “Bossman” Sims, Jr., 11-0 (3), of St. Diego, CA, defeated southpaw Emmanuel “Renegade” Robles, 15-2-1 (5), of San Diego, CA, in a hard fought eight rounds of action.

In the first round of action Sims hurt Robles with a fight uppercut to the chin that had Robles hurt, but he came firing back. In the second round the action continued with both boxers getting control throughout the round. In the third round the inside fighting continued with Sims getting the best shots in on Robles. In the fourth round the action continued with Sims landing the better inside. This fight could have been taken in a phone booth.

In the fifth round Robles landed a solid left to the head of Sims. Shortly later it was Sims landing a sold lead right to the head of Robles. In the sixth round the action continued in a hard fight for both taking turns mostly punching to the head. In the seventh round the action slowed down in a close round. In the eighth and final round both fighters had their moments. Robles controlled the first half and Sims controlled the second half of the round.

Bantamweight southpaw Leroy “Lucious” Davila, 6-0 (4), of New Brunswick, NJ, impressed with a stoppage at 0:53 of the third round over southpaw Anthony “Tiger” Taylor, 4-1 (1), of Warren, OH.

In the first round Davila was dominating and dropped Taylor with a left to the chin with about 15 seconds left in the round. Taylor beat the count of referee Esteves as the bell sounded. In the second round a left and right combination drove Taylor into the corner of the ring. Davila has Taylor missing quite a few punches. In the third round a straight lead left to the chin by Davila dropped Taylor who bounced up instantly. A solid combination knocked Taylor’s head back with referee Esteves wisely stopping the fight. This a six shortened to a four. “I saw tapes of him knowing he will land a punch and back up so I was just taking my time knowing I would eventually get to him,” said Davila.

Judges Barnes and Grant had it 79-72 while Hill scored it 78-73. This writer had it 78-74. The scoring did not reflect on the closeness of the rounds. Referee was Esteves, Jr.

Super lightweight southpaw “Killer” Keenan Smith, 10-0 (4), of Philly, stopped Marquix “Hawk” Hawthorne, 4-6 (1), of Waco, TX, who didn’t come out for the sixth and final round.

In the first round it was all Smith outworking Hawthorne. In the second round a lead left by Smith to the head of Hawthorne froze Hawthorne. Smith didn’t seem to know how he hurt his opponent and was too slow to follow up. In the third round a lead left by Smith to the head had Hawthorne holding on. In the fourth and fifth rounds Smith dominated. Hawthorne’s corner stopped the fight before the sixth round.

Super welterweight Anthony “Juice” Young, 15-2 (6), of Atlantic City, NJ, came won a decision over James Robinson, 4-6-4 (1), of York, PA, to the displeasure of the fans. Young was saved by the bell in the last round.

In the first round Young drove Robinson into the ropes with a solid right hand to the chin. He dominated the round with Robinson clinching too much. In the second round Young landed well to the body forcing Robinson to hold. In the third round it was more of the same with Young forcing the action.

In the fourth round referee Esteves rightfully took away a point from Robinson for holding. It was a big round for Young. In the fifth round after losing his mouthpiece Robinson landed his best punch of the fight a left hook to the head of Young. Young rocked Robinson with a right to the head forcing him to clinch. In the sixth and final round Robinson hurt Young with a solid right hand to the head having Young out on his feet. Then Robinson followed up and dropped Young with another right hand at the bell. Referee Esteves looked like he was waving the fight off when the bell rang with Young barely beating the count.

Judges Barnes and Grant had it 58-55 with Hill 57-55 and this writer 58-54. Referee was Esteves, Jr.

Heavyweight Darmani “Rock Solid” Rock, 7-0 (5), of Philly, knocked out Solomon “Solo” Maye, 3-8-2 (3), of New Haven, CT, at 0:34 of the fifth round in a scheduled six rounder.

In the first round both boxers were feeling each other out. Rock landed some good jabs and controlled what little action there was. In second round Rock hit Maye the with a right to the head getting his attention. In the third round Rock continued to set Maye up with his jab but didn’t pull the trigger enough but enough to take the round. In the fourth round Rock switches to southpaw several times and continued to win with a jab and good right hand body shots hurting Maye on occasions. In the fifth round Rock landed a right hook and left hand knocking Maye out to the delight of the fans. Referee Fields immediately waved it off.

In the opening bout super bantamweight Malik “Action” Jackson, 2-0 (2), of DC, scored a pair of knockdowns stopping Christian Foster, 0-3 (0), of Alexanderia, VA., at 2:20 of the first round.

A pair of body shots dropped Foster twice before referee Benjy Esteves, Jr. called a halt.

All in all it was a good if not late of boxing at Bally’s in A.C.

Posted on 01/17/2017

Atlantic City and Trenton Shows in New Jersey Friday and Saturday!
By: Ken Hissner

New Jersey boxing is off to a fast start with two shows scheduled this week. Friday at Bally’s Event Center, in Atlantic City with 11 bouts scheduled over Sho Box. The main event features two topsuper bantamweights in Adam “Mantequillo” Lopez, 16-0-1 (8), of San Antonio, TX, against Daniel “Baby Face Assassin” Roman, 21-2-1 (7), of Garden Grove, CA.

The co-feature has Ronald Ellis, 13-0-1 (10), out of Lynn, MASS against Philly’s Christopher Brooker, 11-2 (5), in a cruiserweight bout. Two other Philly boxers on the card are Keenan Smith, 9-0 (3), returning after 14 months of inactivity. Also, top former amateur star super heavyweight Darmani “Tight” Rock, 6-0 (4) making his first fight near home.

Top New Jersey prospect Leroy “Lucious” Davila, 4-0 (2), of New Brunswick is againstAnthony Taylor, 4-0 (1), of Warren, OH. Stephon “Bossman” Young, 15-0-3 (6), of Chicago, IL, is against Elton Dharry, 20-5-1 (13), of Guyana living in Brooklyn, NY. FinallyKenneth “Showstopper” Sims, Jr., 10-0 (3), of St. Louis, MO, is against Emmanuel “Renegade”, 15-1-1 (5), of San Diego, CA.

In Trenton Saturday at the Sun National Bank Center, Rene Aiken of Boss Lady Promotions, and Honorable Mayor Eric Jackson returns for her second show at this facility“Bridge Wars” featuring her nephew the return of 3 division champion “Super” Zab Judah, 42-9 (29), headlines against Jorge Luis Munguia, 13-7 (5), of Hondoras. “I’m coming in at 143 and expect to go down to 140”. The co-feature has Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster, 21-1 (11), against Thomas Awimbono, 25-5-1 (21), of Accra, GH, for the vacant USBO super middleweight title. Trenton’s own cruiserweight Mike Hilton, 4-0 (4), returns back to this facility again. Camden’s Vidal Rivera, 4-0 (3), in the featherweight division meets James Early, 2-1 (0), of Seat Pleasant, MD. Also, on the undercard middleweight Jimmy Kelleher, 2-0 (2), of Scranton, PA, Philly’s Donald Smith, 3-0 (2), and Darin Holiday, of Philly making his debut against the grandson of “The Easton Assassin” Larry Holmes. In a female bout Carla Torres, 5-3 (0), of PR and Cleveland, OH, is featured. This will be a pro-am with boxers from NJ, NY and PA.

Posted on 09/28/2016

Larry Hazzard, Sr., “You Name It and He Did It in Boxing!
By: Ken Hissner

Some people serve as boxers, martial artists, referees, judges, commissioners, chairman of officials, school principals, International Boxing Hall of Famers, or even literary authors, and actors. We can go on and on. However, few have filled all of these positions; except Larry Hazzard, Sr.

Hazzard was a 3-time Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing Champion in the 60’s and also won an AAU title. After graduating from Central H.S. in Newark, NJ, Hazzard received a Bachelor’s degree in education and a Master’s degree in administration from Montclair State University. He held positions as a physical education teacher, girls track team coach, athletic director, vice principal and principal for various Newark public and charter schools.

Hazzard earned a black belt in Ju Jitsu and was a martial arts instructor for 12 years. In 1967, at the age of 23, he became an amateur boxing referee and in 1978 he advanced to the professional referee level, where he was the “third man in the ring” for many events and title bouts around the world for sanctioning organizations such as the IBF, WBC and WBA. It was a time when boxing was blossoming along with the Atlantic City casino industry. He sometimes worked shows twice a week and quickly became known as the top referee in the Garden State and one of the best in the world.

In December 1985, Governor Tom Kean appointed Hazzard as Commissioner of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. Hazzard quickly implemented his “no-nonsense” approach toward regulating boxing, and all other combative sports. During his tenure as commissioner, Hazzard initiated many new policies and procedures, which were adopted throughout the world as standard practices for the improvement of combative sports. He is most known for his strict regulation and innovations such as replacing the mouthpiece during competition, the use of rubber gloves for all referees, physicians and cornermen, and comprehensive medical testing requirements, including Brain CT scans, ophthalmology exams and communicable disease screenings for HIV, Hepatitis B and C. His accomplishments propelled New Jersey as leaders in the combative sports industry and as a result, Atlantic City became a major venue for some of the largest and greatest boxing events in modern day history. He is especially proud of his success in standardizing championship rules for both boxing and mixed martial arts, which have been adopted around the world as the Unified Rules of Conduct for Professional Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts Championships.
Hazzard has denied rumors that he was fired in November 2007 by former Attorney General Anne Milgrim. “I left because it was the right thing to do at the time”, said Hazzard. Milgrim, herself, has been quoted as saying, “Hazzard did nothing wrong… We’re just going in a different direction.”

After a short retirement as NJ’s commissioner in 2007, he travelled around the world as Chairman of Officials, Education, Development and Supervision for the IBF from 2008 to 2010. In 2012 he was hired by NBC Sports Network to serve as their television expert for scoring and rules interpretation.

The author of two publications entitled “A Conceptual Approach to Refereeing” and “The Ringleader: A Boxing Referee’s Guide to Greatness”, Hazzard’s diversity does not stop there. He also appeared in Hollywood’s movie “Ali” where he played the part of Ali’s mentor, Zack Clayton, as the referee for “The Rumble in the Jungle” pitting Ali regaining his title from then champion George Foreman. Other acting credits include film appearances in “Homeboys” and “Undefeated”, as well as a cameo appearance in the television series, “Oz”.

Hazzard was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in the Non-Participant category for his longtime contributions to the sport as both a referee and administrator. He admitted it was one of the few times in his life that he was nervous when he got the call. He has received numerous other awards and recognitions over the years, as well.

In 2014 Under Governor Chris Christie, Hazzard was reappointed to the NJ State Athletic Control Board to regain his thrown as commissioner, continuing on his history-making journey of protecting the health and safety of contestants and preserving the integrity of combative sports. With many casinos closing over the past few years, Atlantic City is no longer the leading venue for major boxing events as it had been in years past. In 2016, New Jersey has only hosted 8 boxing shows but Hazzard is working diligently to revive major boxing events around the state. “We had 9 boxing events cancelled for one reason or another over the past 3 months,” said Hazzard. “It’s going to take some time, but we’re confident that major boxing events will return to NJ soon. We have already begun to attract Showtime, ESPN Sports and PBC televised events; not to mention the excitement that MMA and Professional Kickboxing has been bringing to NJ as well. We anticipate another PBC event with Danny Garcia, before the end of the year”, he continued.

Hazzard will turn 72 in December and he could pass for someone in his 50’s. He has always kept himself physically fit and is a dapper dresser. At a press conference Hazzard, the Honorable Mayor Eric Jackson and Renee Aiken of Boss Lady Promotions highlighted their promotion on May 1st at the Sun National Bank Center, 81 Hamilton Avenue in Trenton. Featured in the main event is well known Paulsboro, NJ, heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon along with a 10 bout undercard that includes “Bridge Wars” with NJ vs NY amateurs opposing one another. It’s the 1st Annual Mayors Cup. It will certainly be a full night of boxing.

Posted on 07/05/2016

Boxing Insider Notebook: Pacquiao, Wilder, Arreola, Diaz, Vasquez, Rising Promotions, and more…
By: William Holmes

The following is the Boxing Insider notebook for the week of June 28th to July 5th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing that you might have missed.

Deontay Wilder and Chris Arreola Submit to VADA Testing

Heavyweight world champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and two-time title challenger Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola have both enrolled with the world-renowned Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (“VADA”) to conduct the anti-doping program leading up to their Saturday, July 16 showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

“Despite the short lead time to Wilder vs. Arreola, I am happy to report that VADA is in place as the anti-doping agency in accordance with the WBC Clean Boxing Program,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “VADA is a preeminent and reliable service and its relationship with the WBC evidences a commitment to a cleaner sport.”

This marks the second straight training camp in which Wilder has enrolled with VADA. VADA testing, in accordance with the WBC Clean Boxing Program, was in place for Wilder’s scheduled May 21 defense versus Alexander Povetkin, which was canceled following Povetkin’s positive test for Meldonium. In addition, Wilder has submitted paperwork to VADA and the WBC to participate in year-round anti-doping testing that is expected to commence later this summer.

Bob Arum Reserves Mandalay Bay for Manny Pacquiao

Nothing is official, and it appears to be an unlikely possibility since Pacquiao is now a Senator of the Philippines, but Bob Arum has caused a stir in reserving the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for October 15th just in case Pacquiao decides to come back and fight.

There are many possible opponents for Pacquiao if he decides to return and fight. Two leading candidates are Terence Crawford and Adrien Broner.

However, this is just pure speculation at this point. http://www.latimes.com/sports/boxing/la-sp-sn-boxing-pacquiao-arum-crawford-broner-thurman-20160629-snap-story.html

Undefeated Domonique Dolton to Face Levan Ghvamichava

Undefeated Domonique Dolton (17-0-1, 9 KOs) battles Georgia’s Levan Ghvamichava (16-2-1, 12 KOs) in the 10-round super welterweight main event of Premier Boxing Champions TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FS1 and BOXEO DE CAMPEONES on FOX Deportes Tuesday, July 12 from Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino in Nice, California.

Ghvamichava was originally scheduled to take on Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz, who is now facing undefeated welterweight Sammy Vasquez Jr. in PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes action Saturday, July 16 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Televised coverage on July 12 begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT and features undefeated prospect Malcolm McAllister (7-0, 7 KOs) battling Brazil’s Gilberto Pereira (7-2, 4 KOs) in eight-rounds of super middleweight action while undefeated prospects Thomas Hill (6-0, 1 KO) and Marcos Hernandez (7-0, 2 KOs) compete in an eight-round super welterweight fight.

A highly regarded fighter out of the late Emanuel Steward’s Kronk Gym, the Detroit-native Dolton battled to a draw in an exciting matchup against Oscar Molina on FS1 and FOX Deportes last September. The 26-year-old took home victories over Victor Fonseca and Juan Carlos Rojas in 2015 and owns wins over Donatas Bondorovas, Richard Gutierrez and Jonathan Batista in his eight-year career.

Ghvamichava will look to rebound from a defeat in his last bout after riding a five-fight win streak that had dated back to 2013. The 30-year-old took down previously unbeaten fighters Jonathan Garcia and Chris Singleton in 2014 and followed it up with triumphs over Cameron Kreal and Cosme Rivera in 2015. Originally from Poti, Georgia, Ghvamichava now trains out of Hayward, California.

Orozco and Diaz to Headline HBO Latino Boxing

As California battles through a sizzling heat wave, the Summer of 2016 will get even hotter on Saturday, July 30, as two of SoCal’s undefeated top rising stars return to the ring. Undefeated welterweight Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (24-0, 16 KOs) of San Diego is set to participate in 10-round main event while Golden Boy Promotions stable mate and undefeated NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (20-0, 11 KOs)of South El Monte, Calif. will be featured in the 10-round co-main event. Both fights will be televised on HBO Latino Boxing.

With Orozco ranked as number one by the WBC and in the top 10 by all major world sanctioning bodies and with Diaz crashing the WBC, IBF and WBO rankings, the stakes have never been higher as world-class boxing returns to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. Opponents for Orozco and Diaz will be announced shortly.

“Antonio Orozco and Joseph Diaz, Jr. are two fighters quickly rising to the top in Golden Boy’s stable of talent, with both poised to become world champions in the near-future,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “This card will be action-packed, making for an exiting summer event that fans should not miss on July 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and HBO Latino Boxing.”

Sammy Vasquez to Face Felix Diaz

Undefeated welterweight rising star Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez Jr. (21-0, 15 KOs) is set to battle former Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz (17-1, 8 KOs) in the 10-round co-main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, July 16 from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

Diaz replaces former world champion Luis Collazo, who was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a torn calf muscle.

“Sammy Vasquez Jr., a U.S. Army veteran and undefeated contender, against once-beaten former Olympic Gold medalist Felix Diaz is an excellent matchup between two rising stars in the welterweight division,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Following last week’s tremendous battle between Thurman and Porter, I am excited that PBC on FOX is showcasing the welterweight division once again on network television.”

Ruiz to Face Gormley in Heavyweight Showdown on July 16th

An intriguing heavyweight showdown will go down on Saturday, July 16, as WBO #5-, IBF #5-, and WBC #7-rated and current NABF heavyweight champion Andy “The Destroyer from Mexicali” Ruiz (27-0, 18 KOs) has agreed to face comebacking KO artist Joshua “Josh Dempsey” Gormley (22-4, 21 KOs) in his next ring appearance.

26-year-old Ruiz, from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, will face the determined and upset-minded 41-year-old Gormley, from Torrance in a non-title fight in the 10-round main event of Salita Promotions’ next “Detroit Brawl” installment at the Masonic Temple in Downtown Detroit.

Ruiz has made four successful defenses of his NABF Championship. Before that, he held the WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Championship and made an additional three successful defenses before relinquishing. In his last in-ring appearance, he stopped former world title challenger Ray Austin in the fourth round on May 14 in Studio City, California.

Gormley, who bills himself as a distant relative of former champ Jack Dempsey, reportedly trains with Dino Spencer and Luis “Chiro” Perez at the 5th St. Gym in Miami, Florida. He is on a three-fight KO streak since coming back from a 16-year layoff in late 2015. Despite having had no amateur boxing career, Dempsey fought his way to up-and-comer status in the late 90s and was a fan favorite. He also worked with former champion Lennox Lewis as a sparring partner. Gormley is a former California State Wrestling Champion and MMA fighter and the older brother of UFC fighter Chase Gormley.

Anthony “Juice” Young to Headline Next Rising Promotions Card

On Friday night, July 22nd, welterweight, Anthony “Juice” Young will headline a great night of boxing against Ariel Vasquez in a scheduled 8-round welterweight bout at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.
Welterweight Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will take part in a six-round co-feature bout against Eduardo Flores.

The card is promoted by Rising Promotions.

“We are excited to be running our fourth show in seven months at The Claridge,” said Debra LaManna of Rising Promotions.

“We are starting to build a reputation for putting on well matched and exciting cards at The Claridge and July 22nd will be no different.”

Young of Atlantic City has a record of 12-2 with five knockouts will be looking for his second consecutive victory.

The 28 year-old won his first ten bouts that was highlighted by a victory over Jose Javier Calderon (4-1).

This will be Young’s 6th (and 4th consecutive) fight in his hometown.

He is coming off a 6-round unanimous decision victory over Juan Rodriguez on April 29.

Vasquez of Managua, Nicaragua has a record of 12-14-2 with eight knockouts.

Vasquez, 29 years old turned professional in 2005 and fought his first 11 fights in his native Nicaragua. He twice fought Juan Antonio Rodriguez for the WBC Youth Featherweight title and held undefeated Eliezer Landas (10-0) to a draw in a bout for the WBA Fedecentro Super Bantamweight title.
He has faced six undefeated fighters including his last two. In his last outing, Vasquez lost a unanimous decision to Jose Felix Quezada (9-0) on May 17 in Carlton, Minnesota.

LaManna of Millville, New Jersey has a record of 20-1 with eight knockouts.

The 24 year-old LaManna turned professional in 2011 and won his first sixteen bouts that were highlighted by wins over Ashandi Gibbs & Jamaal Davis.

Since suffering his only loss to world ranked Middleweight Antoine Douglas on ShoBox: The New Generation, LaManna has won four straight which includes a 6-round unanimous decision over rugged Ayi Bruce on September 26th in Beach Haven, New Jersey. In his last bout, LaManna stopped Kendal Mena (20-3) in four rounds on March 19th at The Claridge in Atlantic City.

With a win, LaManna will be back in September in a high profile bout.

But he will have to get past Flores, who is a veteran of 47 professional fights (23-21-3, 15 KO’s).
Flores of Quito, Eciador is a battle tested fighter who has faced a bevy of champions and top contenders

Posted on 04/29/2016

PBC on Spike Results: Guzman and Anthony Dirrell Win by Stoppage, Andre Dirrell Cruises to a Decision
By: William Holmes

Atlantic City hasn’t held a major fight since Sergey Kovalev took on Bernard Hopkins back in November of 2014, but Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions put on a competitive card with some strong contenders and solid prospects to be broadcast on Spike TV.

Photo Credit: Brett Wiley

The opening bout of the broadcast was between Jonathan Guzman (20-0) and Daniel Rosas (20-2) in the super bantamweight division. Guzman had stopped every opponent he had faced going into tonight’s bout.

The opening round featured Rosas pressing forward and attacking the body. He was able to get his punches off first in the opening half of the first round, but Guzman started to get more accurate in the second half of the round.

Guzman appeared to be more settled down in the second round and was sharp with his counters and landed several good, clean, uppercuts. A left hook by Guzman at the end of the second round momentarily stunned Rosas.

Guzman had Rosas stunned twice in the third round with hard left hooks. He wasn’t able to knock Rosas down though, as he was swinging wildly and recklessly.

Rosas kept up the pressure in the fourth round and was effective with his work to the body and landed multiple strong lead left hooks.

Rosas kept on pressing the pace in the fifth round and Guzman looked like he was beginning to tire. Rosas was winning the round until the last thirty seconds, when a vicious left hook by Guzman sent Rosas stumbling backwards to the ropes, and he followed that up with a vicious left look that sent Rosas to the mat as the round came to an end.

Rosas was able to recover by the start of the sixth round, but Guzman battered him throughout the round and was able to take the best shots of Rosas well.

Guzman continued to batter Rosas in the seventh and eighth rounds and Rosas was able to offer little offense in return. Rosas scored another knockdown as the eighth round came to a close, and Rosas looked defeated as he walked back to his corner.

The referee checked in on Rosas before the start of the ninth round and waived off the bout.
Jonathan Guzman wins by TKO at 3:00 of the eighth round.

The next bout of the night was between Anthony Dirrell (28-1-1) and Caleb Truax (26-2-2) in the super middleweight division.

Truax, a native of Minnesota, walked into the ring with Prince playing in the background. Dirrell, despite being a native of Michigan, had a good number of fans in attendance.

Dirrell was sharp with his jab in the opening minute of the first round and focused his attacks to the body and head of Truax. Dirrell later landed a sharp straight right hand that buckled the knees of Truax, and then followed it up with a combination that sent Truax to the mat. Truax was able to beat the count, but took another hard combination that ended with a left hook that sent Truax to the mat for a second time.

The referee was quick to stop the bout after the second time. Anthony Dirrell wins by knockout at 1:49 of the first round.

The main event of the night was between Andre Dirrell (24-2) and Blake Caparello (22-1-1) in the super middleweight division.

Both Caparello and Dirrell came out in a southpaw stance for the opening round. Dirrell was sharp with his counter left hook early on and Caparello was short with his punches. Both boxers spent most of the opening round trying to feel each other out.

Caparello got backed into the corner at the start of the second round and covered up while Dirrell unloaded with a quick combination. Dirrell got a little reckless in the second round and allowed Caparello to score a flash knockdown near the end of the round with an overhand left.

Dirrell came out aggressive in the third round and pressed Caparello back towards the ropes while landing accurate shots. Caparello spent much of the round fighting with his back against the ropes and was able to land a few shots of his own, but Dirrell was landing the harder and cleaner punches.

The action slowed a bit in the fourth round, and Caparello held onto Dirrell whenever he pressed forward instead of fighting with his back against the ropes. Dirrell completed dominated Caparello in the fifth round and landed his power shots at a high percentage.

Caparello’s frustration was visible in the sixth and seventh rounds as he wasn’t able to threaten Dirrell, while Dirrell peppered Caparello with his jab and short body shots.

Caparello was able to surprise Dirrell with a clean straight left hand in the eighth round, but Dirrell went back to a steady rain of jabs to keep Caparello on his back foot and on the defensive.

Dirrell looked like he was closing to scoring a knockdown in the ninth round when he had Caparello backed into a corner and taking some heavy damage from blistering combinations, but that knockdown never came.

Caparello clearly needed a knockout in the final round to win the bout, but that knockout never came.

Andre Dirrell bounced back from a second round knockdown to win by decision with scores of 98-91 on all three scorecards.

Undercard Quick Results:

Anthony Young (12-2) defeated Juan Rodriguez (6-5-1) by decision with scores of 59-55, 59-54, and 58-55 in the welterweight division.

Chordale Booker (2-0) defeated Tolutomi Agunbiade (3-7) by KO at 2:26 of the first round in the super welterweight division.

Luther Smith (5-0) defeated Solomon Maye (1-6-1) by split decision with scores of 39-37, 39-37 for Luther Smith, and 40-37 for Solomon Maye in the heavyweight division.

Abraham Nova (1-0) defeated Weusi Johnson (1-1) by TKO at 2:56 of the first round in the super lightweight division.

Chris Thomas (2-0) defeated Jessie Singletary (0-2) by KO at 2:26 of the first round in the middleweight division.

Eddie Ramirez (13-0) defeated Osumanu Akaba (32-10-1) by TKO at 2:33 of the second round in the super lightweight division.

Titus Williams (5-0) defeated DeWayne Wisdom (6-29-1) in the super featherweight division by decision with scores of 60-52, 59-53, and 59-53.

Posted on 04/27/2016

PBC on Spike Preview: Dirrell Brothers Take on Truax and Caparello in Atlantic City
By: William Holmes

On Friday night Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions will broadcast a live boxing card from the Taj Mahal Casino and Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey live on Spike TV.

The Dirrell brothers, along with the Charlo brothers, are perhaps the most recognizable pair of American brothers in the sport of boxing today. However, neither of them holds a title and both came up empty handed in their last title bout.

They will both face decent opponents on Friday that should not be considered an easy fight. The following is a preview of both of the televised bouts on Spike TV.

Anthony Dirrell (28-1-1) vs. Caleb Truax (26-2-2); Super Middleweights

Anthony Dirrell is the younger of the Dirrell brothers and will be thirty one years old at the time of the fight. Many consider Anthony to be the more powerful puncher of the two, as he has twenty two knockouts on his resume. His opponent, Caleb Truax, is one year older than Dirrell and only has sixteen knockouts on his record.

Dirrell will have about a two and half height advantage over Truax, but they have the same reach. Dirrell also holds a significant edge in amateur success. Dirrell is a former national champion as an amateur and had over 190 amateur bouts. Truax had experienced some success as an amateur, but only got into boxing after entering a local tough man tournament.

Anthony Dirrell’s heart should never be called into question, as he had battled non-hodgkins lymphoma and went through chemotherapy before returning to the ring.

Dirrell has not been very active in the past two years, as he had fought once in 2014 and twice in 2015. He has gone 2-1-1 in his last four bouts. He has beaten the likes of Sakio Bika, Marco Antonio Rubio, and Anthony Hanshaw. He lost his world title to Badou Jack, in a close bout, and had a split draw to the always tough Sakio Bika.

Truax has gone 3-1 in his past four fights. He fought once in 2016, once in 2015, and twice in 2014. His biggest wins to date have come against Melvin Betancourt, Scott Sigmon, Derek Ennis, and Donovan George. He has lost to Jermain Taylor and Daniel Jacobs. His loss to Jacobs was by TKO.

Truax really don’t have the power to threaten Dirrell and his last loss was a knockout loss. Dirrell has the power to test Truax’s chin and it will be tested on Friday night. It will be a tough fight, but it should be a bout that Dirrell wins.

Andre Dirrell (24-2) vs. Blake Caparello (21-1-1); Super Middleweights

Andre Dirrell was originally scheduled to face Blake Caparello in October of 2015, but had to withdraw due to medical reasons.

Dirrell is the older of the two brothers, and is considered by many to be the better boxer of the two, but he doesn’t have the same number of knockouts as Anthony. Andre Dirrell has sixteen stoppage victories to his resume. That number still dwarfs the paltry six knockouts that Blake Caparello has on his record.

Dirrell will be giving up a slight ½ an inch height advantage to Caparello, and will have about a one inch reach advantage. Dirrell is a southpaw, but Caparello has been sparring with southpaw Derrick Webster in preparation for Friday’s bout.

Caparello is actually three years younger than his opponent and has experience fighting as a light heavyweight. He should be the naturally bigger man inside the ring.

Andre Dirrell clearly has the edge in amateur experience. He won the bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics, while Caparello has no notable international amateur accomplishments.

Dirrell’s two losses were to James DeGale for the IBF Super Middleweight Title and to Carl Froch by split decision. His wins have come against Derek Edwards, Nick Brinson, Arthur Abraham (by DQ), Derrick Findley, Anthony Hanshaw, and Curtis Stevens.

Caparello has only fought outside of the United States once, and when he did he lost by TKO to Sergey Kovalev. All of his other fights occurred in Australia, and his only notable victories have come against Evlir Muriqi and Alan Green.

Andre Dirrell appears to have the easier fight of the two brothers and he should be able to dispatch Caparello quite easily.