Frank's Take on Smith vs. Hart

By Frank Bartolini

When a professional athlete looks at the horizon sometimes he can see the end of the road. How he reacts could sometimes define his career. Long Island blue collar hero Joe Smith Jr drove through that road and continues to roll on after trouncing Jesse Hart of Philadelphia, PA over ten rounds. A loss by Smith would have regulated him to an “opponent,” a status no boxer craves. Inside the ring at the Mark G Etess Arena in Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino bouncing on his toes was Smith before the opening bell. Across the way, Jesse Hart of Philadelphia, PA must have seen Smith’s determined stare.

Both approached the center of the squared circle as referee Harvey Dock blah, blah, blah gave rules of engagement before the ritualistic tapping of the gloves between the parties, before returning to their corners. Once the ding to commensurate the action sounded, Smith methodical walked right at Hart, 175 lbs, swinging wildly. He went on to never stop swinging haymakers over the course of the next thirty minutes. Dancing on his toes, Hart’s efforts to create space were fruitless.

Both camps had brought many followers to the “City by the Sea”. A nearly sold out arena roared with their approval for every punch thrown.

Taking no aim firing his bombs, Smith, 174.6 lbs., unloaded his cannon in the general vicinity of Hart. Giving away too much strength, Hart could not fend off Smith. Moving straight forward, Smith had Hart backing up and fighting on his heels all night. Back peddling, Hart clinched when Smith drew near. This tactic did not prevent Smith from hurting Hart to the body in round two. Matters had gotten worse during the session when he was staggered by Smith chopping blows to the head.

During the first four rounds, all Hart could do was clinch and run to avoid a thrashing. During those first twelve minutes, Smith repeatedly buzzed Hart, scoring power punches to the top of the head.

Obvious to all by round five, this was a fight and boxing was not about to change the outcome. Hart began to better his position and stood his ground scoring solidly for the first time. Lacking the pop to fend off his foe, Hart still resorted to grabbing and holding.

Then the inevitable happened in round seven when Hart uncorked an overhand right that hit Hart on the chin. After absorbing the shot, Hart hit the deck. Getting to his feet Hart was still hurting when the session ended.

Smith never relented down the stretch. Both combatants were in tip top shape, slugging it out until the end. A headbutt in round nine spewed blood from Hart’s left eye.

No one doubted that Smith won except for inept Judge James Kinney, who scored it 95-94 for Hart, depriving Smith of the unanimous decision he earned. Joe Pasquale scored it 98-91 and Eugene Grant scored it 97-92 for Smith.

Hart’s record falls to 26-3 (21 ko’s). A win or two down the road and he will be back on track. Smith had more to lose going into the match. A loss would have sent Smith back to his day job as a union laborer with a fading dream of pugilistic glory. Instead of being a one hit wonder or the lottery winner who defeated a faded Bernard Hopkins, Smith is now 25-3 (20 Ko’s) and a world ranked light heavyweight.

                           

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Smith Dominates Hart; Nelson Remains Undefeated

By Matt Ward, Ringside

Top Rank Boxing returned to Atlantic City this evening with a night full of fisticuffs action, headlined by an entertaining fight between Philly’s Jesse Hart (24-4, 20 KOs) and Long Island’s Joe Smith Jr. (27-2, 21 KOs) for the NABO Light Heavyweight Title. The eight fight card was featured before a near capacity filled Etess Arena at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The card was televised on ESPN and streamed on the ESPN+ App.

Tonight’s action was the second straight night of boxing in a city that appears to be in the early stages of a boxing renaissance. Last night, Claressa Shields (10-0, 2 KOs) captured her third world title in a different weight class with a victory over Ivana Habazin (20-4, 7 KOs) at the Ocean Resort Casino.

Jesse Hart stepped into the ring looking to not only get back into world title contention, but to avenge fellow Philadelphian Bernard Hopkins' 2016 loss to Joe Smith Jr. Hart was coming off a unanimous decision victory over Sullivan Barrera, while Smith last fought and was defeated by Dmitry Bivol last March.

Both men entered the ring to the roars of their fans. Smith, a blue collar hero to Long Island boxing fans, immediately set his aggressive tone for the fight in the opening frame, a style that Hart, the son of Philly boxing legend Cyclone Hart, would have difficulty adjusting to throughout the ten round bout. Smith struck Hart's head with a hard left hand, and then opened up on his opponent to the delight of the Smith faithful, who chanted "Joe Smith." Hart wrapped up Smith to halt this offensive onslaught. In the second round, Smith stalked Hart around the ring, initially having difficulty cutting off the ring against his opponent. Smith adjusted to this challenge by clobbering Hart with hooks to the head. Smith later hurt Hart with a big right hand to his head.

In the third round, Hart came out swinging, landing a powerful combo highlighted with a big uppercut. Despite this offensive flash, Hart continued to have issues with Smith's aggressive, "in your face" style. Hart responded with good body work. In round four, both men fought hard in the blue corner, as Smith kept coming forward on Hart. Smith landed a series of big hooks to the head and body that put Hart on wobbly legs. Hart answered with a straight right to Smith's jaw that snapped his head back.

During the fifth round, Smith appeared to slow his fighting tempo down. This would change in the final 30 seconds of the round, when Smith hit Hart with a right hook to the head. Hart, in survival mode, wrapped Smith up. In the sixth round, Hart attempted to push the overly aggressive Smith back with hard jabs. Smith responded by putting his head down and abusing Hart's body with a variety of punches. Smith landed a hard right uppercut to Hart's jaw as the round neared its end.

Smith hammered Hart with big overhand rights during the seventh round. As the round neared its end, Smith knocked Hart down with a big right hand. Smith, smelling blood in the water, pressed the attack but was unable to finish off the tough Philly fighter. The eighth round showcased more of the same action, as Smith continued to walk down Hart around the ring.

In the ninth round, Smith punished Hart with a barrage of punches that lifted his opponent up on his toes. An accidental headbutt during the round provided Hart with a brief break in the action. In the tenth round, it should have been of no surprise to those in attendance that the two men did not touch gloves at the beginning of the round. A Smith right hook to the head sprayed sweat off of the head of Hart before the conclusion of action.

In what appeared to be a clear cut victory for Joe Smith, Jr. on national television, a poor scorecard by veteran boxing judge James Kinney provided the sport with yet another public black eye, and unnecessary negative attention to the scoring system. Two of the officials scored the bout 97-92 and 98-91 respectively for Smith, with Kinney scoring the bout 95-94 for Hart. This writer has a lot of strong opinions regarding the perceived recent surge in the poor quality of judging, especially in nationally televised fights. That being stated, these opinions will be reserved for another time and forum. It should be noted that New Jersey Athletic Commissioner Larry Hazzard Sr. needs to perform a thorough and fair review of this judges' scorecard before allowing him to judge another professional bout.

Nelson Remains Undefeated

The fun began when Steven Nelson (16-0, 12 KOs) walked to the ring in a "The Grinch" mask and matching green furry shorts for his ten round bout for the NABO Super Middleweight Title match against Cem Kilic (14-1, 9 KOs). Both men entered the ring not only looking to preserve their undefeated streaks, but continue a knockout streak that was at two for both fighters. The opening round was highly competitive, as both men, appearing to be evenly matched, exchanged big shots. In the second round, Nelson landed a series of effective body shots, followed by a series of big punches that Kilic had no answer for.

In the third round, Nelson picked apart Kilic with laser precision jabs. In the fourth round, Nelson punished his opponent with a left hook to the head. Later in the round, a Nelson left uppercut snapped Kilic's head back as the round ended.

Nelson tee'd off on Kilic with multiple straight right hands to the head in the fifth round. Nelson proceeded to bully Kilic with solid inside fighting throughout the sixth round.

Kilic hit Nelson with a nice left hand to the head in the seventh round. After a good start in the round, Kilic slowed down as the round progressed. In the eighth round, Kilic, realizing he was behind on the cards, fought well landing a straight left hand that snapped Nelson's head back. Despite a valiant effort, Kilic's corner had seen enough of the damage their fighter was taking over the course of the contest and threw in the towel at the 1:44 mark of the eighth round.

Magic Hands Adorno Sweeps Ibarra

Jeremy Adorno (4-0, 1 KO) secured the lone victory for the Adorno clan this evening with a unanimous decision victory over Fernando Ibarra (2-3). The two super bantamweight warriors put their speed on display in the opening round. In the second round, Adorno landed a big left hook to Ibarra's head that sent him crashing to the canvas. Ibarra pulled himself up from the canvas, dazed, but survived a barrage of punches from his opponent as time expired in the round.

Adorno put his speed on display in the third round, peppering Ibarra with a variety of shots to the head and body. Ibarra could not get anything going offensively because Adorno danced away from all pressure aimed in his direction. At one point, Adorno yelled at the ESPN commentators, "you like that?"

In the fourth and final round, Ibarra connected with an effective multi-punch combo that pushed Adorno into a neutral corner. Adorno looking to end Ibarra's offensive rally, wrapped him up. Adorno again went to his effective left hook in this round, connecting to the head and body. Adorno, confident he was ahead on the cards, cruised through the second half of the round. All three judges scored the bout 40-35 in favor of the undefeated Jeremy Adorno.

The Bronco Runs Over Head

Sonny Conto (6-0, 5 KOs) cruised by Curtis Head (5-5, 3 KOs) in a heavyweight contest that was scheduled for four rounds. Conto, the Philadelphia fan favorite, dropped Head to one knee with a left-right hand combo. Seconds later, Conto dropped Head again with a left hook that barely grazed his head. After pulling himself up to his feet for the third time in the round, Conto connected with a right hand to the body that again sent Head to his knee. By this point of the fight, referee David Franciosi had seen enough and called an end to the action at the 2:08 mark of the opening frame. Conto has now won five of his six professional fights by knockout.

Times Runs Out on Barbosa in Loss to Sandman

Chris "Sandman" Thomas (14-1-1, 9 KOs), Toms River, New Jersey, made quick work of Samir dos Santos Barbosa (37-17-3, 26 KOs), a veteran of 56 professional fights, in the first round of a fight scheduled for six rounds in the super middleweight division. Thomas crushed Barbosa with a big right hand to the face, that he followed up with a big multi-punch combo that sent his opponent stumbling back into the neutral corner. Despite appearing to still have some fight left in him, referee Sparkle Lee stepped in and stopped the fight at the 47 second mark of the opening frame. As the final decision was announced, the crowd expressed their dissatisfaction with the premature stoppage by booing loudly.

Adorno and Garcia Battle to Split Decision Draw

The elder Adorno was the first one of the Allentown, Pennsylvania-based brothers to walk to the ring this evening. He, like his younger brother Jeremy, entered the ring to the roar of an approving fan base. In the opening round, Joseph Adorno (14-0-1, 12 KOs) rocked Hector Garcia (14-7-4, 8 KOs) with big shots to the head and body, highlighted by big hooks to the body that made Garcia wince under the pressure. The two fighters had an excellent exchange midway through the round. Garcia absorbed a big left hook to the head and waived on Adorno for more.

Adorno fought more cautiously in the third round. Garcia tried to press the attack during this round, but Adorno responded with outstanding defense. In the fourth round, Adorno shook Garcia's head with two big left hands. In close combat, Garcia threw hard uppercuts, most of which were absorbed by Adorno's gloves.

In the fifth round, Garcia chased Adorno around the ring, desperately trying to land an effective shot through the guard with little to no success. In the sixth round, Garcia banged at Adorno's body with multi-hand uppercuts and hooks, shots that Adorno responded to with a big smile.

During the seventh round, Garcia broke down Adorno's guard with big hooks and uppercuts to the head and body. Adorno returned to his corner with blood streaming from his nose. By the eighth and final round, it was no evident to anyone watching that Garcia had come to fight. The round began with a big exchange of shots as both men let their hands go. Adorno popped Garcia's head back with a hard right hook. Adorno was on shaky legs as both fighters went shot-for-shot as time expired. The fight ended in a split decision draw with the judges scoring the contest 77-75 for Adorno, 77-75 for Garcia, and 76-76 a draw.

Bunch Wins No. Six by TKO

Trenton’s Shinard Bunch (6-1, 4 KOs) halted Dennis Okoth’s (4-3-1, 2 KOs) two fight winning streak with a unanimous decision victory over the Kenyan. The first round of the welterweight contest was a limited action affair, as both men felt each other out. With little success, the fighters tried to pick up the speed of the action in the opening seconds of the second frame.

To the displeasure of those in attendance, the third round was another slow round for the men. The fourth showed promise as Okoth answered the bell swinging wildly at Bunch, looking for a quick knockout. Unfortunately, that was the extent of the action in the round.

Okoth moved forward aggressively in the fifth round, but Bunch answered by wrapping him up. Halfway through the round, there was a good exchange between the two fighters near the center of the ring. In the final ten seconds of the round, Okoth slipped into Bunch, almost knocking him out of the ring into the timekeeper’s table. In the sixth round, after a brief exchange, Okoth walked to his corner and hung on the ropes. Referee David Franciosi looked bewildered at the exhausted fighter, and waived off the fight as the trainer, towel in hand, jumped up onto the canvas to attend to his fighter. The action, or lack thereof, was halted at the 2:40 mark of the sixth and final round.

Zayas Beats a Champion

In the opening bout of the evening, Xander Zayas (3-0, 2 KOs) defeated Corey Champion (1-2, 1 KO) by unanimous decision in a four round welterweight bout. Zayas, a high school senior, controlled the bout through all four rounds. In the first round, Zayas landed multiple right hands to Champion’s head, as Champion looked intimidated by his taller opponent. Champion answered the second round bell looking like a beat up man. Zayas stalked him around the ring and worked his opponent’s body to slow down his efforts to avoid him. As the round neared its end, Champion’s nose gushed blood.

In the third round, Zayas pinned Champion up against the ropes with a multi-punch combo. Champion squirmed out from under the pressure, but was visibly shaken from the onslaught. This round went on to be a shooting gallery for Zayas as he landed shots at will, all while smiling from ear to ear. The right hand was especially effective for Zayas during this round. At rounds end, Champion walked back to his corner with a crimson lower face. In the opening seconds of the fourth round, Champion ate a hard right hand to the face. Champion was on shaky legs throughout the round, and held on for dear life as the final bell rang. The judges scored the contest 40-36 twice and 40-35 all in favor of Zayas.

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Hart & Conto Provide Philly Flavor in Sin City

By Luis A. Cortes III

Saturday night in Las Vegas is no doubt another chance for the glamour division of the sport to bask in the spotlight of the sporting world as Tyson Fury (27-0-1) (19 KO’s) defends his lineal championship against German Tom Schwarz (24-0) (16 KO’s).  After the shocking results at Madison Square Garden that saw Andy Ruiz win portions of the heavyweight crown by knocking out the unbeaten Anthony Joshua, Saturday is a great chance for Fury to solidify his claim as the “baddest” man on the planet (a moniker which comes with being the best heavyweight in the world). 

While Fury fights for the first time since his draw against the other champion thought of as one of the best, Deontay Wilder, and begins his partnership with promotional juggernaut Top Rank, the undercard features a co-main event that easily is worthy of its own main event status when Philadelphia native Jesse Hart (25-2) (21 KO’s) battles Sullivan Barrera (22-2) (14 KO’s) in a ten round light heavyweight contest.  Also, on the undercard is heavyweight and Top Rank prospect South Philadelphia’s future real life “Rocky” Sonny Conto (2-0) (2 KO’s).

Since his last fight, a second go around defeat at the hands of former WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez, Hart has continued to reinforce that it is only a matter of time before he is known as a world champion.  His quest for the super middleweight crown was well documented by this writer prior to his first clash with Ramirez in the fall of 2017.  After the close defeat, Hart regrouped with the knowledge that he was one point away from fulfilling his dream.  Three knockout victories and a year later saw Hart back in the ring with Ramirez.  It seemed entering the final rounds that Hart would clear the Ramirez hurdle, but he was hurt by an injured Ramirez and the result wound up being the same. 

With the two Ramirez fights being the only blemishes on his record, and Ramirez stating his desire to move up and join the talent loaded light heavyweight division, it was thought by many that Hart was poised to stick around the 168-pound super middleweight division and not only finally win the vacated championship by Ramirez, but in doing so would set himself up for big pay dates against some of the other talented champions and challengers in the division.

It was a bit of a shock when he told The Weigh-In directly that he was planning a move up to join the rest of the talent at 175-pounds in the light heavyweight division.  He stated that he was planning on fighting a big name in his debut and had targeted former world champion, Sergey Kovalev conqueror Eleider Alvarez.  “That division is so full of talent and now I’m going to add my name to the mix,” stated Hart.  Kudos to Hart for making the decision to not play it easy and defeat a lesser challenge to earn the championship he craves, and for chasing both greener pastures and tougher terrain at light heavyweight.

Enter Sullivan Barrera (22-2) (14 KO’s), himself a former title challenger, who like Hart only has two losses. These defeats came at the hands of future Hall of Famer Andre Ward and the current WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.  At 37 years old, Barrera has been less active than the 29-year-old Hart and struggled a bit during his last fight back in November against the durable Sean Monaghan.  Barrera seemed a bit off during the early portions of the fight, maybe it was due to disinterest because just eight months earlier he was stopped in twelve grueling rounds in his championship bid against Bivol.  Whatever it was, Barrera handled himself like the true professional and wound up battering Monaghan in route to the decision victory.

With Alvarez dropping out of the proposed fight with Hart, Barrera was the name that filled in and allowed Hart to remain as the co-feature on this big night in Vegas.  Hart is never shy to speak his mind and has traded barbs with Barrera over social media. Recently, he informed the media on his thoughts regarding this fight in career terms and Barrera.  “The 175-pound division is wide open and I’m finally ready to win that world title.  Sullivan Barrera is in my way, so I am going to smash him,” stated Hart.  Barrera is indeed a seasoned veteran, but at the age of 37, the idea that a fighter can get “old” overnight is always close by.  “After Saturday night we’re going to put him (Barrera) into retirement, you’re not going to hear from him again,” said Hart. 

Barrera puts all of that to the side and thinks its just Hart trying to avoid dealing with nerves he may be facing since he is moving up in weight. “Jesse Hart knows he’s never fought anyone like me, he is scared.  He is coming up from 168, but the punching power at 175 is not the same.  I am a different level than what he’s used to.  It’s going to be a long night for him,” remarked Barrera.

ESPN analysts, former world champions, and future Hall of Famers Timothy Bradley and Andre Ward also had interesting takes on this fight.  “I think it’s a good move for Jesse.  I thought that at 168 pounds he may have been zapping some of his strength to make the weight.  He is a big strong guy, so 175 may just be the better fit for him,” stated Bradley.  “This is going to be a good fight and is a good way to lead into the Fury fight.  Barrera is a seasoned fighter that is technically sound,” replied Ward.  Both agreed that the winner of the fight aligns himself for bigger fights and bigger purses against the rest of the division that is rich with talent.  With the champions (Kovalev, Bivol, Beterbiev, and Gvozdyk), seemingly on a collusion course to unify their titles.  If Hart can get by Barrera (who is ranked #7 in the division) he will stake his claim for a shot at one of those champions in the future.

Also, on this loaded undercard is the aforementioned heavyweight prospect Sonny Conto.  With just two fights as a professional, Conto is indeed at the prospect stage of his career.  He has the amateur pedigree that included being crowned a National Golden Gloves champion.  His stock was high enough that Top Rank signed him right away.  With both of his wins coming at home in Philadelphia in front of an adoring crowd (and Conto already has a nice size fan base at home to build off), it made sense for Top Rank to have him continue his nurturing process by taking part in a big fight week in Sin City featuring a current heavyweight champion. 

Conto was flown out to Vegas where he spent time training and sparring with Fury as well as Joseph Parker, the only man to beat Andy Ruiz.  As Conto progresses inside of the ring, it will be a bit of time before we see the 23-year-old in a meaningful fight.  Especially a fight that begins the test to see just how far he truly can go. 

Full of talent, Conto continues to progress that talent and build the foundation to handle big fight weeks and fight nights when his name will be the one in the lights.  “Sparring with a champion is great work for a young fighter.  You don’t want to be just a sparring partner though,” stated Ward.  Bradley also agreed with Ward, “Terrance Crawford spent time with me in camp before anyone knew his name.  I think for him it was just as good outside of the ring as it was in terms of the work that we gave each other.  He got to see how I handled myself as a champion and the way I dealt with my family.”  So just what does Conto think about his time sparring Fury, “It was awesome, a great experience, and priceless.”

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Iron Boy 49 Preview

By Steve Ward

Pugilistic mayhem returns this Saturday evening to the historic Celebrity Theater in Phoenix, AZ as Iron Boy Promotions presents Iron Boy 49!

The Celebrity Theater should be packed to the rafters as fight fans are drawn to this venue because of the intimate setting that offers an impeccable view from any seat, not to mention if you’re fortunate enough to be down at ringside, there is a distinct possibility that a well-placed left hook could land a fighter’s mouthpiece in your lap. Iron Boy Promotions, known for offering fight cards packed with a healthy array of up and coming prospects, local fan favorites, and grizzled veterans, is ready to deliver again this weekend.

The main event will feature Fidel Hernandez (19-5-1, 10 KOs) as he does battle with Ulises Jimenez (23-23-1, 15 KOs). The 41-year old Hernandez should find himself with a significant level of fanfare being a resident of Phoenix. This fight will mark “OG’s” 2019 debut after a very busy 2018 saw him enter the squared circle four times with a grab bag of decisions as he finished the year 2-1-1, all decided by the judges. Fidel last stepped in the ring just four months ago as he fought Andrew Hernandez (a man eight years his junior who’s gone toe-to-toe with stout talent such as Caleb Plant and Jesse Hart) to a 10 round majority draw. Hernandez’s opponent, Ulises Jimenez, should pose an interesting challenge. On the surface, one may say, “This guy has a .500 record, he’s won 23 fights, with 15 by KO, but also lost 23 fights and ironically has been KO’d 15 times as well, and he’s won only two of his last ten fights.”

This is a compelling argument for a casual fight fan to discount Jimenez in this bout. A more critical evaluation of “El Cerillo,” however, will show that he’s engaged in combat with top tier fighters such as Roberto Garcia and Samuel Vargas, and there’s something to be said about the fortitude of a 35-year-old who’s entering his 48^th professional fight.

The co-feature will pit Francisco De Vaca (19-0-0, 6 Kos), who recently signed with Top Rank, against Ernesto Guerrero (30-25-0, 20 KOs). The 24-year old De Vaca, also known as Panchito El Centenario, is an exciting young prospect from Phoenix making his first appearance of 2019 after a flawless 2018. De Vaca’s last fight emanated from the Gila River Arena back in August on the undercard of the Ray Beltran vs. Jose Pedraza ESPN clash (one I was lucky enough to have a ringside seat for) as he earned an impressive unanimous decision victory over Jesus Serrano.

De Vaca’s opponent, Ernesto Guerrero, brings a wealth of experience beyond his years as he enters his 56^th bout at only 30 years of age. Guerrero virtually lived in the ring last year as he fought an astonishing six times breaking even with a 3-3 record. Guerrero’s most recent appearance saw him drop a unanimous decision to Javier Padilla back in December. One other interesting note about this fight is it’s actually a rematch. These two men squared off in July 2014 when De Vaca was only 19, a fight De Vaca took on the cards unanimously.

If you find yourself in the Phoenix area this Saturday, you will be doing yourself a disservice if you miss this card. Tickets are still available for what should be an exciting evening of boxing at www.celebritytheatre.ticketforce.com and start at just $30!

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Makings of a Modern Classic as Hart Seeks Redemption Deep in the Heart of Texas?

By Luis A. Cortes III 

September 22, 2017 was supposed to be the evening when Philadelphia native and super middleweight contender Jesse “Hard work or Hollywood” Hart was going to fulfill his destiny and win the WBO portion of the world championship. It was the lifelong goal of the power punching contender, whose father Eugene “Cyclone” Hart was one of the key staples in middleweight boxing during the golden age of middleweights in Philadelphia during the 1970’s. Cyclone never reached the world championship level, despite becoming a legend in the city having gone to war with many of the greats of his time. 

So, it was only natural that one of his sons would take the reins from the legendary father in what had become the family business. Many of the trials and tribulations that would go along with the long journey through childhood, a decorated amateur boxing career, and his rise through the professional ranks were documented in articles about Hart over the past two years.       

Jesse Hart: The spotlight has arrived

When will the spotlight catch up to Jesse Hart?

Across from Jesse Hart (25-1) (21) that night last year in Tucson, Arizona was the current WBO champion of the world Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (38-0) (25), who himself was aiming to prove that he was indeed the best super middleweight champion in comparison to the other champions in the loaded division. What wound up taking place was one of the most underrated fights of the year. It was a back and forth battle that saw constant action, with both fighters asking crucial questions from each other.  

Going into that fight, Hart was viewed as a power puncher, although many viewed him as a natural talent that had lacked the credible opposition to solidify that he was unequivocally the best contender in the division. As the action started, Hart boxed and moved away from Ramirez, a southpaw that loves to apply constant pressure on his opponents. It didn’t take long into the second round, before Ramirez landed a left uppercut to the chin of Hart, whom he caught bending over. A clearly hurt Hart was knocked to the canvas (his chin and ability to take a heavy punch had many picking Ramirez prior to the fight) and although he gamely rose to his feet, he was clearly dazed. 

Two things usually result from this type of situation occurring to a first-time contender. They are either overwhelmed by the combination of ensuing pressure from the champion, along with the severity of the moment, and wind up folding due to the pressures of the moment. Or their natural talent and crafted abilities take over and they rise to the occasion and discover that yes in fact, they do belong at this elite level of competition. It would be the latter in this instance that pushed the fight forward.  
  
Half way through the back and forth fight the questions about both Hart and Ramirez were answered. As both warriors asked and answered these questions, the fans were the beneficiaries of witnessing just how the pitched battle would eventually play out. With the fight reaching the championship rounds, Hart hurt Ramirez with a powerful right uppercut half way through the round. When Ramirez took a step back (something that is not in his DNA as a fighter), Hart failed to capitalize on the moment. He did however continue to box and move, and wound up landing another powerful punch, this time a looping right hand that also stunned the champion. Ramirez rallied in the twelfth and final round as the bell sounded to end the fight. It was clear to all that the outcome would be close. All three judges scored the fight in favor of Ramirez, with two judges scoring it 115-112 (7 rounds to 5) and the third judge scoring it 114-113 (6 rounds a piece, with the extra point to Ramirez due to the second-round knockdown).  

Clearly disappointed, Hart recognized that he would be on the short end of the close decision as the scores were being read by the ring announcer. To his credit, Hart stated that he would return and instantly started to beat the proverbial drum for a rematch.  

Fast forward 15 months and the boxing world will look to Corpus Christi and to the rematch that many hardcore fight fans have been waiting for. While most of the sport is focusing on the events that will take place the next night in New York City, and the showcase of boxing's biggest draw south of the heavyweight division. It’s this super middleweight rematch that has all the makings for a classic fight that this writer would not be shocked, if like its predecessor, turned into a fight of the year candidate. Just looking at what was learned in the first fight about both the champion and the challenger and the type of fight that took place, this rematch, unlike most second fights, should deliver in the action department. 

You see during the first fight, when both fighters successfully quieted all the doubters that questioned their legitimacy, they also learned things about each other in terms of the types of intangibles that can’t be taught or crafted during the hours of training in the gym. Heart, determination, and the willingness to continue to fight through the heat of battle were things that both fighters showed. Although they both showed this courage, it was the unfamiliarity and bits of caution from both men during the heated up-close exchanges that seemed to prevent their first fight from possibly being an instant modern classic.  

Entering the rematch, Jesse Hart has been a man on a mission, with one goal on his mind, seeking revenge for his lone professional loss. Prior to the first fight, it was all about winning the world championship for both himself and his family (primarily his father), and Ramirez happened to be the man standing in his way. Now you get the sense that this fight is about exacting a bit of revenge and righting a wrong, since Hart believes that he lost their first fight more than Ramirez won it, with the extra bit of incentive being that world championship.

Hart has won three fights in a row since their first encounter, while Ramirez has stayed somewhat active winning two fights. Ramirez has stayed relatively quiet about Hart, only a few times mentioning that he beat Hart once and he will do it again. While Hart has been vocal after each of his three knockout victories (all on ESPN) taking the opportunity to call out Ramirez for his chance at redemption. Hart has done so after each victory with such intensity, that you get the feeling Ramirez has become an obsession.   
  
Add into the mix that the biggest draw in the sport, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, will have his name in lights on the marquee at Madison Square Garden the next night as he competes for another version of a super middleweight championship. For his part in the division, Alvarez has mentioned that he will now fluctuate between middleweight and super middleweight to make the biggest fights for the fans. Winning this fight and having control of the WBO portion of the world championship in this division could mean the opportunity for a career high pay day down the road.  

These ingredients added together, especially the fact that both fighters are familiar with each other and their demeanor that we learned from their first fight should have them continue to push each other to both their mental and physical limits. This means that we just may be in for the instant modern classic that last September was on the cusp of becoming.  Hart vs. Ramirez 2 can be seen on ESPN+ this Friday night at 10 PM, with the undercard starting at 6:30.

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Top Rank Boxing Featuring Bryant Jennings vs. Alexander Dimitrenko Recap

Top Rank boxing returned to New Jersey's entertainment capital last night, as a heavyweight bout between Bryant Jennings and Alexander Dimitrenko headlined an eight bout card at the Ocean Resort Casino.

The Main Event 

Bryant Jennings (24-2, 14 KOs) defeated Alexander Dimitrenko (41-4, 26 KOs) by way of ninth round technical knockout. The two men squared off for the IBF International and NABO Heavyweight Titles. In the early rounds, Jennings appeared to have problems adjusting to Dimitrenko's 6'7 frame.

In the opening round, Dimitrenko was the far more active fighter. In the second and third rounds, Dimitrenko punished Jennings with big right hands to the body. Jennings responded to one of these shots in the third round by shoving Dimitrenko into the red corner. Jennings backed his opponent up in the third with his jab, landing several shots to Dimitrenko's head.

In the fourth round, Jennings was knocked down with a big Dimitrenko right hand to the head. The fifth round was competitive, and saw both men land big shots that each fighter responded to with clinches.

As the seventh round approached its end, the two fighters exchanged good shots in the center of the ring. Jennings and Dimitrenko were back at it in the eighth round, as they traded big shots in the opening seconds of the round. Later in the round, Jennings knocked Dimitrenko down with a big left hand to the head. Dimitrenko recovered from this knockdown only to be sent to the canvas again during the round with what appeared to be more of a wrestling move than a punch. The veteran Russian heavyweight survived the round despite Jennings throwing everything at Dimitrenko besides the kitchen sink.

In the ninth round, Jennings finished off Dimitrenko with a right uppercut to the jaw. To the crowd's delight, which included boxing royalty Bernard Hopkins and Lennox Lewis, the referee stopped the bout at the 1:56 mark of the ninth round. Jennings has now won five straight fights.

The Co-Main Event 

The co-main event of the card featured super middleweights, Jesse Hart (25-1, 21 KOs) and Mike Gavronski (24-3-1, 15 KOs). Hart, who defended his NABF Title, landed two big right hands to Gavronski's head in the opening frame. These shots appeared to hurt the fighter, who was later forced to clinch Hart, holding on for dear life, as the Philadelphian continued to hammer him with multi-punch combos as the round neared its end.

In the second round, Hart clubbed Gavronski with straight left hands and left hooks, forcing Gavronski to enter survival mode. In the final ten seconds of this round, Hart unleashed a barrage of punches that connected with his opponent's head and body.

Gavronski was knocked down in the third round with a right hand off of a jab. Gavronski pulled himself up from the canvas only to be finished off moments later with a brutal combo, highlighted by a hard right hand to the head. The referee stopped the fight at the 52 second mark of the third round. In the post fight interviews, Hart told ESPN that he wants a rematch with Gilberto Ramirez, the fighter who dealt Hart his one and only career loss.

Shakur Stevenson Victorious 

2016 Olympic Silver Medalist, Shakur Stevenson (8-0, 4 KOs) defeated Carlos Ruiz (16-5-2, 6 KOs) by unanimous decision in an eight round, featherweight contest. Stevenson fought cautiously in the opening stanza. In the second round, the Newark native caught Ruiz with a left hand that got his opponent's attention. Ruiz showed his toughness and solid chin by taking a big left hand to the head. Stevenson snapped the head of Ruiz back with a big left hand in the final 30 seconds of the round.

In the fourth round, Stevenson nailed Ruiz with a left to the head, the sound of which echoed through the arena. Stevenson controlled the tempo of the fifth through seventh rounds, doing enough to win the rounds.

In the eighth and final round, Ruiz, who realized he was behind on the cards, decided to put his foot on the gas offensively in the final minute of the round. This offensive spark proved to be too little, too late as Stevenson won on all three judges' scorecards by a score of 80-72.

Carto Wins #16 

Local fan favorite, Christian Carto (16-0, 11 KOs) entered the ring for his sixteenth professional bout to the roar of the crowd. Philadelphia's Carto fought Mexico's Javier Gallo (25-16-1, 13 KOs) in an eight round, bantamweight bout. Carto, who had the clear height and speed advantage, controlled the early rounds of the contest.

In the fourth round, Carto punished Gallo with a series of big punches, but the veteran kept fighting back. Carto connected with a big right to Gallo's head in the fifth round. Gallo's face showed the damage from the battle through five rounds. Both men exchanged big shots with one another in the sixth round. Carto controlled the final two rounds by landing bigger shots and being far more active than his opponent. The judges scored the bout 80-71, 80-72, and 79-73 for the winner by unanimous decision, Christian Carto.

LaManna Defeats Strode 

Thomas LaManna (26-2-1, 9 KOs) defeated Matthew Strode (25-6, 9 KOs) by unanimous decision in an eight round, super welterweight contest. In the first round, Strode landed a series of low blows on the Pride of Millville, New Jersey. Strode was the far more aggressive fighter in the first round as he attempted to lure LaManna into a brawl. LaManna came alive in the second round with a big multi-punch combo that was highlighted with a right hand to the head.

Strode pinned LaManna up against the ropes in the opening seconds of the third round, but LaManna, utilizing his speed, took control of the round. In the fourth round, LaManna snapped Strode's head back with a big right hand. LaManna broke down Strode in the fifth round, when the South Carolina native threw his hands up in disgust towards what he perceived as repeated low blows by LaManna. LaManna took advantage of his opponent's loss of focus by landing several shots to Strode's head that caused the fighter to stumble back to his corner as the round ended.

Strode continued to complain to the referee through the sixth and seventh rounds as LaManna cruised towards victory. In the eighth round, Strode was deducted a point for rabbit punches. During this round, Strode's corner, realizing their fighter was behind on the cards, yelled for him to "dig deep." Strode failed to do so as he lost on all three judges' scorecards by a score of 79-71.

Adorno Makes Quick Work of Mauras

By the end of his bout on Saturday night, Agustine Mauras (6-5-3, 3 KOs) looked like he didn't know what hit him. In the six round bout in the lightweight division, Allentown, Pennsylvania prospect, Joseph Adorno (9-0, 9 KOs) destroyed his opponent via a first round technical knockout. Mauras was sent crashing to the canvas after Adorno viciously beat his opponent with a series of big shots to the head and body. Mauras recovered from the knockdown only to be beaten up against the ropes with a barrage of punches. The referee saw enough of the massacre at the 1:39 mark of the opening round.

The Opening Bout 

Toronto's Oleksandr Teslenko (14-0, 11 KOs) defeated Avery Gibson (9-9-4, 3 KOs) in a six round, heavyweight contest. Gibson was down in the first round from a Teslenko multi-punch combo. The judges scored the bout 58-55, 59-54, and 60-53 for Teslenko.

The Bout No One Should Have Missed

To describe the lightweight bout between Jason Sosa (21-3-4, 15 KOs) and Reynaldo Blanco (14-5, 8 KOs) as a "battle" would be an understatement. In the walkout bout, both fighters left everything in the ring after eight rounds of action. The high quality of this bout can also be accredited to the Hall of Fame matchmaking of J. Russell Peltz.

Sosa went on the attack as soon as the opening bell rang. He connected with an overhand right that stunned Blanco, and opened the door for the Camden native to hunt for a knockout in the opening frame. To Blanco's credit, the tough fighter stayed on his feet and survived the round. Blanco, who was shaken up in the first round, got his second wind in the second round. The two men fought aggressively all the way up to the bell marking the end of the third round, forcing the referee to pull the two warriors apart.

In the fourth round, Sosa unloaded a multi-punch combo on Blanco in the blue corner, forcing the Puerto Rican to clinch Sosa to stay on his feet. Blanco was later deducted a point in this round. As the round neared its end, Blanco unloaded on Sosa with big uppercuts. Sosa, shaken up from the shots, battled back valiantly as the round ended. The two men went on to have a competitive and entertaining fifth round, in which both men beat the crap out of one another. By the sixth round, Blanco's face showed the damage of five violent rounds.

A Blanco low blow in the seventh round temporarily stopped the action. Sosa recovered from the low blow and went on the attack, pushing Blanco into the ropes with a series of big shots. In the final round, Sosa knocked Blanco down with a right hand to the head. Blanco recovered from the knockdown, but found himself swarmed by Sosa, who by this point of the brawl, was looking to end his evening a little early. Sosa secured a second knockdown in the round just as the final bell rang, but Blanco again recovered from the knockdown. The judges scored the bout 78-70, 77-72, and 79-69 in favor of Sosa.

MW

Fighter Stats provided by BoxStat.co

Top Rank/ESPN Boxing featuring Jessie Magdaleno vs. Isaac Dogboe - Saturday, April 28th (Philadelphia, PA)

Bob Arum's Top Rank Boxing returned to Philadelphia on Saturday night. The nine bout card featured three fights that aired in prime time on ESPN. Top Rank teamed with Philadelphia-based promotion, Peltz Boxing Promotions, to bring an action-packed night of boxing, which featured several talented local fighters, to the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University.

The main event featured a contest between Isaac Dogboe (19-0, 13 KOs) and Jessie Magdaleno (25-1, 18 KOs) for Magdaleno's World Boxing Organisation World Super Bantamweight Title. In the first round, Magdaleno knocked Dogboe down with a multi-punch combo, highlighted by a left hook to the head. Dogboe appeared to be shaken up after the knock down, but managed to survive the round. During the second round, both gladiators exchanged big shots. In the fourth round, Dogboe hurt Magdaleno with a right hand to the head, but the defending champion stayed on his feet. Magdaleno landed a big right hook on Dogboe's head as the round ended. Magdaleno was knocked down in the fifth round from a Dogboe right hand to the head. It looked like the end was near for Magdaleno, however, the world champ battled back. Dogboe, hoping to score the knockout, threw everything but the kitchen sink at Magdaleno, and appeared to come close to punching himself out before the round ended. To add insult to injury, Magdaleno taunted Dogboe as he connected on hard punch after hard punch. Dogboe pushed Magdaleno into the ropes with a barrage of punches in the sixth round. Magdaleno appeared hurt, but survived the round. Magdaleno survived another Dogboe offensive assault in the seventh round. In the tenth round, Dogboe, clearly frustrated by not scoring a second knock down in the bout up to this point, swung for the fences and connected on a number of hard punches to Magdaleno's head and body. Magdaleno was knocked down in the eleventh round by a Dogboe right hand to the head. Magdaleno, badly hurt, pulled himself up to his feet, only to be knocked out by a Dogboe left hand to the head at 1:38 of the eleventh round.

Philadelphia's Jesse Hart (24-1, 20 KOs), the son of local legend Cyclone Hart, fought Maryland's Demond Nicholson (18-3-1, 17 KOs) for the vacant NABF Super Middleweight Title. In the opening round, Hart pinned Nicholson against the ropes with a multi-punch combo. Nicholson managed to squirm out of the trap, and avoid any additional damage. Nicholson responded to this onslaught by hitting Hart with a right hand to the head that hurt the fighter as the bell signalling the end of the first round rang. In the second round, Hart landed a nice right uppercut, followed by a right hook to Nicholson's head. In the third round, Hart knocked Nicholson down with a left-right hand combo. Upon further review, it appeared that the referee ruled a slip a knockdown. Nicholson was later staggered by a Hart left hand to the head. The fighter was knocked down again during this round by a Hart right hand to the head. In the fourth round, a Hart hard right to the head forced Nicholson to desperately wrap up his opponent. Hart hammered Nicholson with right hooks to the head in the sixth round. Despite appearing to be overwhelmed by Hart during this round, Nicholson attempted to rally at the end of the round, as he connected with left hands to Hart's head as the men were engaged in close combat. A Hart right hand to Nicholson's head in the seventh was the beginning of the end for the fighter. The hurt fighter appeared to be knocked down, but referee Shawn Clark did not call a knockdown, unbeknownst to Nicholson, who actually dropped his guard and turned his back to Hart. Hart, smelling blood in the water, went on the attack with a series of punches. The contest ended after Hart connected on a left hook to the head of Nicholson. Nicholson fell to the canvas and was counted out at 2:26 of the seventh round.

The first televised bout of the evening featured an all Philly heavyweight contest between Joey Dawejko (19-5-4, 11 KOs) and Bryant Jennings (23-2, 13 KOs) for the Pennsylvania Heavyweight Title. For the most part, the fighting was up close and personal through the first four rounds. In the second round, Jennings hit Dawejko with a jab that snapped his head back. The two men exchanged blows in the center of the ring in the third round. During this exchange, Dawejko connected with a big left uppercut that caught Jennings in the jaw. In the fourth round, Jennings appeared to hurt Dawejko with a big right hand to the head. The first five rounds were anything but clean, as both fighters were warned numerous times for low blows. In the fifth round, the two men viciously exchanged punches, causing both exhausted men to hang onto one another. Towards the end of this round, Jennings snapped Dawejko's head back with a straight right hand. Dawejko was hurt in the sixth round by a Jennings' left hook to the head. Jennings controlled the tempo of the eighth and ninth rounds, forcing Dawejko's corner to have to "light a fire under their fighter's ass." Dawejko answered the bell in the tenth round throwing hard punches to Jennings' head and body. Jennings responded with a straight left hand to Dawejko's head that caused the big man to fall forward into Jennings, pushing him into the ropes. Dawejko was unable to regain his composure, and spit out his mouthpiece. After recovering his mouthpiece, Dawejko attempted one last assault on Jennings' before the match ended, but this attack did not have the results that the fighter so desperately needed to capture the state title. Jennings won on all three judges' scorecards by a score of 98-92.

Olympic Silver Medalist, Shakur Stevenson (6-0, 3 KOs), a product of Newark, New Jersey, squared off against Georgia's Patrick Riley (12-1, 6 KOs). This eight round, featherweight bout served as a step up fight for the talented young fighter, Stevenson. In the first round, Stevenson staggered Riley with a right hand to the jaw. In the second round, Stevenson put on an offensive clinic that ultimately broke down his opponent. Stevenson knocked Riley down with a right hook to the jaw. Riley pulled himself up from the canvas, but was pulverized with a Stevenson multi-punch combo that forced the referee to stop the massacre at the 1:35 mark of the second round.

Olympic Gold Medalist, Robson Conceicao (7-0, 4 KOs) fought Alex Rynn Torres (6-2, 3 KOs) in a six round, super featherweight bout. Conceicao, a Brazilian native, put his speed on display in the first and second rounds. He worked his opponent's body effectively throughout the second round. In the third round, Conceicao landed several big hooks to Torres' upper body. Despite being outclassed by Conceicao, Torres fought valiantly through the six round contest. All three judges scored the bout 60-54 in favor of Conceicao.

South Philadelphia fan favorite, Christian Carto (15-0, 11 KOs) faced Puerto Rico's Edwin Rodriguez (8-5-1, 4 KOs) in an eight round, bantamweight bout. Carto effectively used his jab in the opening frame, and ended the round by landing the first of many multi-punch combos on his opponent. Carto wore down Rodriguez in the second round by landing a series of big shots. At the end of the round, Carto landed a big straight right hand to the face of Rodriguez. Carto answered all Rodriguez punches in the third round with multi-punch combos of his own. Midway through the fourth round, Carto landed a big left-right hand combo to the head and body of Rodriguez. In the fifth round, Carto went on the attack again, as he pushed his opponent into the ropes with left and right hooks to the head and body. Rodriguez, a fighter who has never been knocked out, demonstrated his toughness by staying on his feet during the fifth round. Rodriguez went on the offensive in the sixth round. Both fighters had a nice exchange at the end of the sixth. The final two rounds were fairly close with both men landing effective punches. The judges scored the bout 77-75 twice, and 78-74 all in favor of the winner by unanimous decision, Christian Carto.

Lightweights, Kent Cruz (14-0-1, 9 KOs) and Mohamed Rodriguez (11-4-1, 4 KOs) fought in an eight round bout. In the first round, both fighters felt one another out. Unfortunately this action-less round would set the tempo for a majority of the fight. Cruz landed a big multi-punch combo on Rodriguez to end the second round. Both fighters landed a series of big hooks in the fourth round. Cruz landed a right hook to the jaw of Rodriguez in the fifth, but was unable to gain momentum following the clean blow on his opponent. The judges scored the bout 78-74 for Cruz, 77-75 for Rodriguez, and 76-76 a draw. The contest ended in a split decision draw.

Philly fan favorite, Joseph Adorno (7-0, 7 KOs) made quick work of Mexico's Jorge Padron (3-2, 3 KOs) in a fight that was scheduled for six rounds in the super featherweight division. Adorno landed a right hook to the lower ribs of Padron, that sent him down to the canvas. It didn't take Padron long to decide that he had had enough of Adorno. The referee counted him out, and called an end to the bout at 1:11 of the opening round. Adorno has now won all seven of his professional fights by way of knockout.

In the opening bout of the card, Philadelphia's Marcel Rivers (5-0, 4 KOs) fought Ronald Logan (0-3) of New York in a four round, welterweight contest. Rivers controlled the first round of action by effectively landing good left and right hooks. Rivers was the aggressor in the second round. He landed a series of straight left and right hands to the head and body that chased his opponent into the red corner. Logan appeared to slip while avoiding his opponent's offensive onslaught. Despite slipping, Logan was unable to rise from the canvas. The referee stopped the fight at the :49 mark of the second round.

MW

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