Frank Bartolini on the 2018 Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend

Following last year’s inaugural Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame induction weekend, boxing promoters did not have to ponder too hard to ascertain a fight card would draw well during three days of enthusiasts descending onto the City by the Sea. Those in town all obliged Friday night when two shows on the boards sold out.

ACBHOF President Ray McCline once again delivered a first rate weekend staged in the Claridge Radisson Hotel, full of events for all to indulge in.

Preceding fisticuffs, ACBHOF hosted a formal wear meet and greet in one of the many lavish banquet halls within the Claridge. Attendees were able to mingle with inductees from the past two years. Plus large amount of former boxers who starred in AC headliners were on hand. Tales were told over toasts and drinks. Following everyone went into the theater for a pro boxing show promoted by Ms. Downing Promotions. Everyone that is but yours truly, I hopped a cab and headed over to the Showboat Hotel and Casino, where the LaManna family’s Rising Star Promotions was hosting a pair of NJ State Championship bouts. It was this author's intent to cover the New Jersey talent.

Rising Star Promotions has been trying to reintroduce the New Jersey State Boxing Titles but the New Jersey State Athletic Commission would not oblige. Commissioner Larry Hazzard finally relented and Rising Star hosted two NJ Championship Bouts.

First up, Dan Pasciolla of Bricktown NJ squared off against Quan Davis for the NJ Heavyweight Championship. Keeping active Pasciolla, 225.5, a veteran of five years was the prohibitive favorite. It was a bit of an upset when the smaller Davis, 261, out boxed Dan to earn a unanimous decision. Pasciolla slides to 9-4-3. After nearly a two year layoff Davis stays unbeaten at 5-0-2, 2 KOs.

Chris Thomas of Toms River NJ toed the line opposite Darryl Bunting of Asbury Park, NJ for the New Jersey Middleweight laurels. Bunting, 160, was never in the fight as Thomas, 159.75, dominated from the get go. Several times Bunting was buzzed during the first stanza and was felled by a Thomas left hook to his chin. After a Thomas barrage saw Bunting hit the deck in the second, it was not if but when. When it happened again in the third, Referee Harvey Dock would not let the carnage continue calling a halt to the matters at one minute six seconds. Bunting’s record dips below .500 at 3-4-2, 1 KO. Thomas passed his toughest test to date as he built a mark of 10-0, 7 KOs against tomato cans.

I did not stay for the Main Event that featured up and coming Philly future star welterweight Jaron Ennis who easily stopped set up Mike Arnaoutis in two rounds. A large turnout of close to twelve hundred fans cheered from the chairs.

I then took a cab back to the Radisson Claridge Hotel to witness 2017 New Jersey Boxer of the Year Derrick Webster of Glassboro NJ, earn a ten round unanimous ten round nod over tough, Nuevo Leon, Mexican journeyman Oscar Riojas in a super middleweight contest promoted by Miss Downing Promotions in front of six hundred and fifty attendees.

Derrick Webster - Photo BoxRec.com

Southpaw Webster is a reincarnation of the late Howard Davis, Jr. but less willing to mix things up… Unlike Davis who was always willing to enter the ring versus the toughest opposition, Webster, 168, faces pushovers.

It is always a pleasure to be in the company of Mark Breland or Marlon Starling. During Webster’s bout, I had the opportunity to sit between these two former World Welterweight Champions. Both men are gentlemen and you could never tell they were vehement adversaries during the nineteen eighties. Technical knowledge spew from each of them as they analyzed the proceedings.

Breland vs. Starling I - Photo BoxRec.com

After ten ho hum stanzas, Webster stayed on his toes and stuck out his jab keeping the on rushing Riojas, 168.5, at bay. Earning a ten round decision, Webster’s career stays on a treadmill with a 26-1, 14 KOs resume. Journeyman Riojas goes south of the border at 16-10, 6 KOs.

The next day prior to the fisticuffs, ACBHOF had its fan fest featuring former world champions Mark Breland, Vinny Paz, Riddick Bowe, Evander Holyfield, Michael Spinks, Bobby Czyz and many others. All afternoon these good men mingled and spoke to fans, all while signing autographs and posing for photos. Beloved Washington D.C. ring announcer “Discombobulating” Jones was the MC for the afternoon. Jones has been working the microphone in the DC area and Atlantic City for over thirty years.

At the end of the afternoon everyone dispersed only to congregate that night at Boardwalk Hall where Real Deal Promotions delivered a night of action headlined by Toka Kahn Clary of Providence Rhode Island, who won a hard fought ten rounder over Emmanuel Dominguez of Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Real Deal Promotions is still a fledgling company that puts forth former heavyweight ruler Evander Holyfield as a figurehead. Fans come out to these shows to get a glimpse of Tyson’s conqueror. Obliging most that approach him, the one-time stand offish Holyfield now grins, shakes hands and poses for photographs. Evander does not sign autographs. A majority of fans in the arena seemed to be more interested with Evander and the other boxing luminaries than the matches.

As for the main event, the talented but dull to watch Toka Kahn Clary, 125.5, maneuvered to a ten round decision by initiating most exchanges against Dominguez, 125, a game opponent albeit over matched.

Staying to script, Dominguez gave Kahn just enough of a fight so fans would not be bored. Kahn landed the heavier blows throughout, and as it was written, Dominguez would get through with some good touches here and there. Regardless, score cards needed not to be calculated as all of the one thousand fans in attendance knew the result. The USA Boxing News saw it the same as the two judges, who tallied it 98-92, a bit more generous one official scored it 97-93 all for Kahn, who is now 25-1, 17 KOs. Dominguez stays tough at 22-7, 14 KOs.

Still battling the bottle, former two division world champ Bobby Czyz got sauced up and had to be helped leaving the upright position at night’s end. Sadly this was to the bemusement of fans as a slumped over to one side. Czyz even had to be helped out of his seat.

Bobby Czyz - Photo BoxRec.com

About nine hundred folks filled the seats in the two thousand seat theater.

I spent the weekend in the Irish Pub on Saint James Street in the lodge in the hotel upstairs that has been operating since it opened its doors in 1905. Upon awakening, I prepared for the final day of festivities culminating with the induction ceremonies, emceed by New Jersey’s renowned boxing historian Henry Hascup. Notable inductees included Jersey Joe Walcott, Dan Duva, Bob Arum, and George Benton. Fighters enshrined were Bruce Seldon, Jeff Chandler, Bobby Czyz, Hector Camacho, Sr., Ray Mercer, Evander Holyfield, and Vinny Paz.

Paz was last to speak, and his tales are always a pleasure to hear. The Pazmanian Devil even allowed the audience to ask questions. One fan inquired about all the great fighters he faced, and asked, who was the best? Vinny immediately responded, “No doubt, Roberto Duran.” President Trump was rightfully place amongst the famed class, and ACBHOF President Ray McCline read a letter sent from the White House and personally signed by the President, which was fitting because the underlying feeling was the hope of “let’s make Atlantic City Boxing great again.”

-Frank Bartolini

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KEA Boxing Promotions Presents Boxing at the Birchwood Manor - Friday, May 4th (Whippany, NJ)

Professional boxing returned to the Birchwood Manor in Whippany, New Jersey on Friday, May 4th. A number of familiar faces to the state’s boxing scene were in the house for the KEA Boxing Promotions card, including former multi-division world champion, Bobby Czyz, and New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame president, Henry Hascup. Hascup also served as the emcee and ring announcer for the evening’s boxing extravaganza.

The main event featured a six round bout in the super middleweight division between Darren Goodall (5-0-1, 4 KOs) and Tahlik Taylor (3-10-1, 1 KO). Freeport, New York’s Taylor answered the opening bell by swinging for the fences. He connected on multiple punches that clearly caught Goodall off guard. Goodall, the fan favorite from New Milford, New Jersey, staggered Taylor with a left hook to the head later in the round. Taylor answered by knocking Goodall down with a straight right to his head. This punch caused blood to stream from the nose of the New Jersey native. Goodall applied pressure to Taylor in the second round by pinning him up against the ropes with a series of vicious punches. Taylor broke out of this trap with a big multi-punch combo of his own that redirected the action to the center of the ring. Goodall hammered Taylor with left and right hooks to the body in the third round. These punches appeared to drop Taylor, but the referee ruled that the knockdown was caused by a low blow, and gave the fighter adequate time to recover. Taylor’s body was again hammered with hooks in the fourth round, but the fighter fought back and landed a hard left hand to Goodall’s head that sent the fighter stumbling back into the ropes. By this point, both men were on shaky legs, and appeared badly hurt from previous exchanges. In the fifth round, Taylor connected with a left hand to Goodall’s face. Goodall, desperately hoping for a knockout, bullied Taylor with a series of left and right hooks to the head and body in the sixth round. Taylor demonstrated his toughness by staying on his feet and fighting until the final bell. The judges’ scored the blood bath 58-55 for Goodall, 57-56 for Taylor, and 56-56 a draw. To the displeasure of the crowd, the six round war ended in a split decision draw.

Philadelphia’s Ardrick Butler (7-5, 3 KOs) has not fought professionally in just under seven years. The ex-con fought Lafayette, Louisiana’s Marcus Beckford (5-8-3, 1 KO) in a welterweight contest, and had some expected ring rust. Beckford hurt Butler with a right hand to the body in the first round. In the second round, Beckford caught Butler with a straight left hand to the face. In the third round, Butler knocked down Beckford with a straight right hand to the head. In the fourth and final round, Beckford landed two nice left hands to Butler’s head. The judges’ scored the bout 38-37 for Butler and 38-37 for Beckford twice.

Jersey City’s Robert Terry (2-0), a 2017 runner-up in the National Golden Gloves Tournament, fought York, Pennsylvania’s James Robinson (5-10-4, 1 KO) in a bout that featured a crowd-pleasing first round. Both men answered the opening bell by exchanging big shots with one another. Terry caught Robinson with a nice right hook to the head during this round. Robinson came out in the second round appearing to be smoked by the first round’s heated exchange. He wrapped up the offensive-minded Terry multiple times to prevent any unnecessary damage during the round. Robinson’s strategy was punished by the referee who warned the fighter for holding, and later deducted points for holding in the third and fourth rounds of the middleweight contest. Robinson was beaten with big right hands to the body in the fourth round, that caused the fighter to cringe in pain. The judges scored the bout 39-35 and 40-34 twice for the winner by unanimous decision, Robert Terry.

Emmanuel Folly (11-0, 9 KOs) fought Pablo Cupul (9-25, 5 KOs) in a super bantamweight bout that was scheduled for four rounds. Folly landed a crushing left hand to the body of Cupul in the first round that caused the Mexican fighter to wince in pain. Cupul responded to this blow by landing multiple rabbit punches on Folly in the opening frame. In the second round, Folly hurt Cupul with a straight right to the head that knocked him into the ropes. Cupul fought back with several more rabbit punches that surprisingly went unnoticed by the official. Cupul’s night came to an end at the 1:53 mark of the fourth round, when Folly connected with a double left hook to Cupul’s head.

John Bauza (10-0, 5 KOs) of North Bergen, New Jersey faced Hugo Padilla (5-14, 2 KOs) in a six round, super lightweight contest. In the opening round, Bauza appeared to hurt Padilla with a left hand to the head. In the second round, Bauza caught Padilla with a right hook, counter punch that again hurt his opponent. Later in the round, Padilla was caught with a straight right hand to the head as he attempted to duck to avoid another shot. Padilla, a Mexican fighter, displayed his toughness through the first two rounds by staying on his feet, despite being hurt by Bauza multiple times. Padilla, seeking to gain the upper hand in the fight, began to fight dirty in the fourth round. He was warned by the referee multiple times in the fourth and fifth rounds for rabbit punches, but points were not deducted. Bauza controlled the tempo of the fifth and sixth rounds, and coasted to a unanimous decision victory on the judges’ scorecards, with all three officials scoring the bout 60-54.

Jersey City's Andrew Bentley (4-3, 1 KO) fought Cleveland's Arrel Love (1-1, 1 KO) in a four round, super featherweight match up. Love fought aggressively in the opening round, but the taller Bentley landed the harder punches. In the second round, Bentley dominated Love with an offensive onslaught. Love was knocked down with a right uppercut. He recovered from this knockdown only to be knocked out with a multi-punch combo that was highlighted with a brutal right hook to the head. Love was pinned up against the ropes and defenseless when the referee stopped the bout at 2:42 of the second round.

The opening bout of the evening featured welterweights, Steve Moore (1-3, 1 KO) and Laquan Lewis (2-10, 2 KOs) in a fight that was scheduled for four rounds. Towards the end of the first round, Moore landed a hard right hand to the head of Lewis that sent his mouth piece flying into the front row. In the second round, Moore continued to put the pressure on his opponent. Lewis responded by throwing several wild punches that appeared to have little to no effect on Moore. In the third round, Moore hurt Lewis with a right hook to the body. Moore, smelling blood in the water, hurt Lewis again with a straight left to the head. Lewis, overwhelmed by Moore's offensive surge, dropped his guard and was pushed into the ropes. Seconds later, Lewis was knocked out by a right hand to the head that sent him crashing to the canvas. The fight ended at the 2:41 mark of the third round.

MW

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