Throwback Thursday - Henry Hascup Interview (November 6, 2015)

Check out my November 6, 2015 interview with New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame president and historian, Henry Hascup!

The Matt Ward History Experience Podcast - Episode #2 Notes

Henry Hascup and Boxing History - MWHE Episode #2 on SoundCloud

Henry Hascup and Boxing History - MWHE Episode #2 on iTunes 

MW

Luis Cortes Interview

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with boxing writer, Luis Cortes to discuss this summer's upcoming "big" fights. Luis gave his opinion on Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn (7/1), Adrien Broner vs. Mikey Garcia (7/29), Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor (8/26), and Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin (9/16).

Check out our Bonus Round interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Boxing Writer Luis Cortes on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Boxing Writer Luis Cortes on iTunes

You can check out Luis's boxing articles on the following websites:

The Sweet Science

Undisputed Champion Network

MW

King's Promotions Presents Premier Boxing Champions: Miguel Cruz vs. Alex Martin - Tuesday, June 27th (Bethlehem, PA)

The opening bout of the evening featured super flyweights, Dylan Price (3-0, 3 KOs) and Manuel Guerra (1-3-1). Price, the Philadelphia native, made quick work of his Mexican opponent with a right hand to the head in the first round of a scheduled four round contest. Price won his third straight fight by knockout at the 1:09 mark of the first round. 

37-year-old rookie, Rick Pyle (1-0) fought Devin McMaster (1-2) in a four round, junior middleweight bout. Pyle demonstrated solid defense throughout the contest, and McMaster’s punches appeared to the have no effect on his opponent. McMaster came out swinging in the fourth round, but was unable to secure the knockout. All three judges scored the contest 40-36 in favor of Pyle. 

The third bout of the evening featured a battle between two Allentown, Pennsylvania fighters, Jesus Perez (3-0, 1 KO) and Christian Molina (4-3, 3 KOs). Molina was the aggressor early in the first round, but was knocked down in the first round with a big right hand to the head. Perez landed several hard shots on Molina, who left himself open on several occasions after throwing several wild hooks. Molina survived the first round, and came out far more cautious in the second round. Molina fought valiantly throughout the final two rounds but was defeated by unanimous decision, losing on all three judges’ scorecards by a score of 49-37. 

Philadelphia fan-favorite, Avery Sparrow (7-1, 3 KOs) fought the previously undefeated Isaelin Florian (6-1, 3 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in a six round, featherweight contest. Sparrow, who is promoted by Hall of Fame promoter J. Russell Peltz, went for a big hook to the head when Florian tried to touch gloves after the opening bell. Sparrow missed, and the featherweight battle began. Florian was knocked down in the first round by a Sparrow multi-punch combination. Florian recovered to knock Sparrow down later in the round with a right hook, which caught the Philadelphian off-balance and sent him crashing into the ropes. In the second round, Sparrow connected on a right hook to Florian’s head that sent him to the canvas. The final knockdown of the contest came in the fourth round when Sparrow was knocked down by a left hook to the jaw. All three judges scored the bout 58-54 in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, Avery Sparrow. 

Local fighter, Ismael Serrano (4-2, 1 KO) stepped into the ring against veteran fighter, Jesus Lule (11-22-1, 2 KOs) in a four round, lightweight bout. Lule fought the bout of his career against the younger man. In the second round, he landed a vicious combo that pinned Serrano up against the ropes. The referee stopped the abuse at the 2:10 mark of the round. Lule stunned the Bethlehem crowd with the upset victory. 

The sixth bout featured Nicholas Hernandez (7-2, 1 KO) and Grayson Blake (6-5-1, 2 KOs) in a six round, junior middleweight bout. The two fighters fought a competitive bout filled with late-round fireworks. The fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds all ended with intense exchanges between the two fighters. Both fighters’ efforts were recognized by the judge’s scorecards. One judge scored the bout a draw, 57-57, while the other two judges scored the bout in favor of Hernandez (59-55 and 58-56). 

Anthony Mercado (10-3, 9 KOs) and Clarence Booth (15-3, 8 KOs) opened up the televised portion of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1. Mercado, an awkward Puerto Rican fighter, effectively used his right hand throughout the first three rounds of action. In the fourth round, Mercado was knocked down by a Booth right hand to the face. Mercado rose to his feet only to fall victim to an onslaught of punches, which left him defenseless against the ropes. The referee called an end to the action at the 1:30 mark of the fourth round. 

The main event featured a rematch between welterweights, Miguel Cruz (16-0, 11 KOs) of San Juan and Alex Martin (13-2, 5 KOs) of Chicago. Both men had previously met in Florida on January 13th of this year. Cruz walked away the winner of the previous match by a close, split decision. Cruz knocked down Martin with a short left to the jaw as the end of the first round neared. The third round was highlighted with a brutal exchange of punches between the fighters at the center of the ring. Martin was knocked down again in the fourth round by a right hook to the head. A low blow sent Cruz to the canvas in the fifth round. Cruz took his time to recover from the punch below the belt, but it appeared to take its toll on the fighter throughout the second half of the contest. The judges scored the ten round contest 96-92, all in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, Miguel Cruz. 

Following the conclusion of PBC's broadcast of Miguel Cruz vs. Alex Martin (6/27/2017), Marcus Browne, who was providing commentary for PBC, spoke briefly with me about the evening's main event and his July 15th bout with Sean Monaghan at Nassau Coliseum in New York.

Bonus Round - Boxer Marcus Browne Discusses the 6/27 PBC main event and his Bout with Sean Monaghan on SoundCloud 

Bonus Round - Boxer Marcus Browne Discusses the 6/27 PBC main event and his Bout with Sean Monaghan on iTunes 

MW

King's Promotions Presents Premier Boxing Champions: Miguel Cruz vs. Alex Martin Official Weigh-In

On June 26th, I attended the official weigh-in for King's Promotions Presents Premier Boxing Champions: Miguel Cruz vs. Alex Martin at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA. Prior to the weigh-in, I had the opportunity to interview Philadelphia fighter, Avery Sparrow (6-1-0, 3 KOs).

Sparrow will take on Isaelin Florian (6-0-0, 3 KOs) of the Dominican Republic, who is making his U.S. debut, in a six round, featherweight bout on June 27th.

You can listen to our interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Boxer Avery Sparrow Discusses his Upcoming Bout on June 27th on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Boxer Avery Sparrow Discusses his Upcoming Bout on June 27th on iTunes

Tickets for this great night of professional boxing be purchased via the following link: 

Sands Event Center 

MW

Introducing Dustin's Corner

We are proud to announce the addition of a new member of The Weigh-In Boxing Blog and Podcast staff... Dustin Johnson! Dustin is a Missouri based attorney and boxing enthusiast who will be contributing articles and media to the website starting this month.

Welcome to the team, Dustin! We look forward to the debut of Dustin's Corner!

MW

Jerome Conquest Interview

I recently met with Philadelphia lightweight boxer, Jerome Conquest (7-2-0, 1 KO) in South Philadelphia. Jerome and I discussed his June 24th fight against South Korea's Jae Ho Kim (6-3-0, 2 KOs) at the 2300 Arena, as well as the upcoming "mega fight" between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor on August 26th in Las Vegas.

You can listen to our interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Boxer Jerome Conquest Discusses his Upcoming 6/24 Bout and the "Mega Fight" between Mayweather and McGregor on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Boxer Jerome Conquest Discusses his Upcoming 6/24 Bout and the "Mega Fight" between Mayweather and McGregor on iTunes 

Jerome's upcoming bout will be featured on the undercard of the June 24th King's Promotions card featuring Kermit Cintron vs. Tyrone Brunson.

Tickets for this great card can be purchased via the following link:

2300 Arena Tickets

MW

The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast Episode #10 (Steve Weisfeld - Boxing Judge)

The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast Episode #10

The Weigh-In Episode #10 on SoundCloud

The Weigh-In Episode #10 on iTunes

The tenth episode of The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast features my interview with boxing judge and New Jersey Boxing Hall of Famer, Steve Weisfeld. Steve is a New Jersey based attorney and boxing judge. He can often be seen judging boxing matches throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. 

Steve has judged over a thousand professional bouts including Riddick Bowe vs. Andrew Golota I and II, Lennox Lewis vs. Michael Grant, Wladimir Klitschko vs. Sam Peter, Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward I, James Toney vs. Vassily Jirov, Bernard Hopkins vs. Kelly Pavlik, Chris Byrd vs. Evander Holyfield, Evander Holyfield vs. Hassim Rahman, Felix Trinidad vs. Ricardo Mayorga, Arturo Gatti vs. Ivan Robinson I, and Gennady Golovkin vs. Daniel Jacobs. 

For more information on Steve Weisfeld, please visit the following websites:

Steve Weisfeld's BoxRec Page

Steve Weisfeld's New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame Page

The American Association for the Improvement of Boxing (AAIB)

Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (This Website Contains Information on Steve's July 22, 2017 class at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut) 

The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast is brought to you by One Stone Recording and Mastering in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Check out One Stone Recording and Mastering for all of you mixing and mastering needs. Go to onestonerecording.com/theweighin and receive 10% off your first session!

One Stone Recording and Mastering

MW

Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski Interview

I recently met with former professional boxer and IBF Inter-Continental Middleweight champion, Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski at Checkmates Boxing Center and MMA Striking Skills in Toms River, New Jersey. Darren and I discussed a variety of topics including his toughest opponent as a professional and his thoughts on the upcoming bout between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor on August 26, 2017.

You can listen to our interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

Bonus Round - Former Boxer Darren Maciunski of Checkmates Boxing Center and MMA Striking Skills on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Former Boxer Darren Maciunski of Checkmates Boxing Center and MMA Striking Skills on iTunes 

You can also listen to our 2015 interview on The Matt Ward History Experience on both SoundCloud and iTunes:

The Matt Ward History Experience Episode #3 - Darren Maciunski and  Boxing History on SoundCloud 

The Matt Ward History Experience Episode #3 - Darren Maciunski and  Boxing History on iTunes 

Please follow Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski on Facebook at:

Darren "Checkmate" Maciunski's Facebook Page

MW

The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast Episode #9 (Lou Esa - Former Heavyweight Boxing Contender)

The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast Episode #9

The Weigh-In Episode #9 on SoundCloud

The Weigh-In Episode #9 on iTunes

The ninth episode of The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast features my interview with former professional boxer and trainer, Lou Esa. Lou is currently on the training staff of GH3 Boxing Gym in New Jersey.

As an amateur boxer, Esa compiled an impressive record of 7-1 with his only loss to future heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. Lou fought professionally from 1975 to 1981, and compiled a record of 19 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw. On October 22, 1977, Esa fought future WBA World Heavyweight champion, John Tate. 

For more information on Lou Esa, please visit the following websites:

Lou Esa's BoxRec Page

Lou Esa's New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame Page

GH3 Boxing Gym's Facebook Page

Twitter - @louesa52

The Weigh-In Boxing Podcast is brought to you by One Stone Recording and Mastering in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Check out One Stone Recording and Mastering for all of you mixing and mastering needs. Go to onestonerecording.com/theweighin and receive 10% off your first session!

One Stone Recording and Mastering

MW

Ivan Robinson Interview

I will interview former lightweight and welterweight boxing contender Ivan Robinson on Friday, June 16, 2017. The interview will be featured on an upcoming episode of our biweekly podcast The Weigh-In. Ivan currently trains amateur and professional boxers in Philadelphia. 

Ivan fought professionally from 1992 to 2008, and won the USBA and NABF Lightweight titles during his career. His August 22, 1998 victory over Arturo Gatti was voted Fight of the Year by Ring magazine. Ivan also fought boxing legends Oscar De La Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez during his career. 

For more information on Ivan Robinson, please visit the following websites:

Ivan Robinson's BoxRec Page

Philly's "Mighty" Ivan Robinson by Ken Hissner

Twitter - @ivanmighty2000

MW 

Philly Fight Night - Lundy vs. Evangelista - Friday, June 2nd (Philadelphia, PA)

Tonight's show at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia was promoted by Peltz Boxing in conjunction with BAM Boxing, CES Boxing, Joe Hand, and Raging Babe. The nine bout card featured 46 rounds of professional boxing. The guest of honor was Philadelphia boxing legend, former WBA Bantamweight Champion, and International Boxing Hall of Famer Joltin Jeff Chandler. 

The opening bout of the evening featured junior middleweights Ishmael Altman (0-0-1) and Tyree Crowder (0-0-1). Both North Carolina’s Altman and North Philadelphia’ Crowder made their professional debut in this contest. Altman, who had an advantage over his opponent in both height and reach, appeared to hurt Crowder in the first round with a series of left hands to the head, but could not capitalize on this for a knockdown. When the final bell rang after the four round fight, it was evident to many spectators, including the judges, that neither fighter had done enough to capture a majority of the rounds. All three judges scored the contest a draw, 38-38.

The second bout featured welterweights Jamaal Gregory (1-1-0, 1 KO) and Marcel Rivers (2-0-0, 1 KO). Rivers, a North Philadelphia native, landed a series of powerful shots in the second round. In the third round, he knocked Gregory down with an overhand right to the head. The Charlotte fighter was able to recover from this knock down and finish the round. Both fighters fought a hard fourth round to finish off the bout that ended in favor of Rivers. All three judges scored the bout 39-36.

Lightweights Marko Bailey (5-0-0, 3 KOs) of Durham, NC and Vinnie Denierio (1-2-0, 1 KO) of Geneva, NY stepped into the squared circle next for a four rounder. Denierio, a lengthy and somewhat awkward fighter, appeared to give Bailey problems in the first round. However, as the contest progressed Bailey adjusted to his style and began to land punches on his opponent. The fourth round was action packed with both fighters exchanging blows throughout the round. In the end, the bout went to Bailey via a majority decision. One judge scored the bout a draw, 38-38, with the other two judges scoring the contest 39-37.

Local featherweight fighter and fan favorite Crystian Peguero (2-0-0, 1 KO) took on New York’s Saquan Felton (0-2-0) in the fourth bout on the card. Early on in the fight, Peguero landed numerous hooks and upper cuts to his opponent, which continued into later rounds. Felton appeared to never be able to defend against Peguero’s speed, and the scorecards reflected that. After four rounds of boxing, all three judges scored contest in favor of the Philly native (39-37, 40-36, and 40-36).

The fifth contest of the evening was a much anticipated matchup between Rockledge, PA’s Scott Kelleher (5-1-0, 3 KOs) and Newark, NJ’s Dion Richardson (2-1-0, 2 KOs). The previously undefeated Kelleher, who weighed in at 139.3 pounds, stepped into the ring looking for his fifth career victory over Richardson (137.4 pounds). Kelleher was knocked down three times over the course of the first round. The first knockdown came after a Richardson barrage of punches that appeared to break Kelleher’s nose. Kelleher was able to recover from the knockdown as blood gushed out of his nostrils.  Kelleher, who was clearly dazed, was attacked yet again with a multi-punch combo that sent him to the canvas. He recovered from the second knockdown only to be TKO’d at the 2:19 mark of the first round of a scheduled four rounds by yet another vicious series of punches to the body and head.

Germantown’s Jaron Ennis (12-0-0, 10 KOs) faced veteran Nicaraguan fighter Wilfredo Acuna (17-21-0, 13 KOs) in a six round welterweight contest. Ennis got to work early by knocking his opponent down in the first round with a right hook to the bed. The hurt Nicaraguan got up only to be knocked out later in the round by an Ennis right hand to the body. The knockout came at the 1:23 mark of the first round.

Junior Middleweights Mark Daniels Jr. (3-1-0, 1 KO) of Wisconsin and North Philadelphia’s Isaiah Wise (5-1-0, 3 KOs) squared off in the seventh match of the evening. Wise controlled the tempo of the fight through all six rounds of action. He landed numerous shots, especially in the later rounds, which appeared to hurt his opponent. However, the Wisconsin native was able to absorb the blows and make it to the final bell. Wise walked away with a lopsided unanimous decision victory for his efforts in the bout. One judge scored the contest 60-54, with the other two scoring the bout 59-55.

The main event of the evening featured Hank Lundy (28-6-1, 14 KOs) and Ricardo Lara replacement, Daniel Evangelista (19-8-2, 15 KOs). This eight round lightweight contest was billed as the “Return of the Hammer”. Lundy did his part to not spoil his own homecoming to Philadelphia by landing numerous big hooks on his Mexican opponent. Evangelista proved his toughness by taking a number of powerful shots through five rounds of boxing. The end came at the 2:53 mark of the fifth round after Lundy connected on a brutal multi-punch combo. Evangelista was able to pull himself up off the canvas but he was clearly badly hurt. Referee Gary Rosato deemed him unable to continue and called an end to the action. As Lundy exited the ring, he was overheard yelling, “I didn’t want to knock him out. But, he hit me and that made me mad.”

The final bout of the evening featured cruiserweights Juan Reyna (6-7-1, 2 KOs) and Alvin Varmall Jr. (11-0-1, 9 KOs) in a six round contest. Varmall came out at the bell the far more aggressive fighter, and scored two knockdowns from multi-punch combos in the first round. The second knock down resulted in a TKO at the 2:02 mark of the first round.  

MW