Sonny Conto Post-Fight Press Conference

By Luis A. Cortes III, Ringside

Check out audio from Sonny Conto's post-fight press conference. Conto defeated Jimmie Levins by first round TKO on Thursday night at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philadelphia. He improved his record to eight wins, seven by knockout, and zero defeats. 

The Weigh-In: Your Home for Combat Sports · Sonny Conto Post-Fight Press Conference

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Results from Live!

By Luis A. Cortes III, Ringside

Live! Casino Hotel and Casino hosted a sold-out crowd for their inaugural professional boxing event promoted by Joe Hand Promotions.  Top Rank Promotions heavyweight prospect Sonny Canto was the main attraction of the event that marked the 50th year of Joe Hand Promotions.  Hand, once a member of Cloverly Inc. that guided the career of Hall-of-Fame legend Joe Frazier, was honored before the main event.  

South Philadelphia native Sonny "The Branco" Conto (8-0)(7 KO's) who has spent time in training camps with Tyson Fury looked to impress his hometown crowd.  Conto started things out with a measured pace behind the jab but started to exchange with Joel Caudle (8-6-2)(5 KO's) who was a game opponent as he landed his own quick shots on the inside.  Caudle was able to do some good work and push the young prospect until Conto started to use his better skills by using his jab and solid movement.  Conto even switched to southpaw and answered the early test from the game Caudle when he landed a strong left hook combination that floored Caudle.

Caudle rose to his feet and tried to answer the count, but clearly hurt, the referee stopped the contest in the last ten seconds of the third round.            

  

Gerardo Martinez (5-2)(1 KO) and Christopher Burgos (3-4-1)(1 KO) wasted no time and got right to work as they willingly exchanged combinations to start what turned out to be an exciting first round.  The action continued through three rounds with both fighters landing power shots.  Burgos had a mouse form under his left eye while Martinez had to deal with a busted lip. Burgos continued to apply pressure on Martinez landing quality punches to the body and head.  Every time Martinez tried to counter Burgos responded clearly winning the trades.   

After six rounds it was clear that Burgos deserved the victory.  Fans in attendance showed their appreciation for the six rounds of hard work by applauding both fighters after the final bell.  58-56 and 59-55 were the scores all in favor of the winner Christopher Burgos.     

Daiyaan Butt (9-1)(4 KO's) and Seifullah Wise (4-2)(1 KO) both fighting out of Philadelphia started their six-round Jr. welterweight fight right away with Wise landing power shots that hurt Butt.  Fighting out of the southpaw stance, Wise was able to land right hooks while avoiding Butt's counters.  Wise was penalized for hitting behind the head at the end of the opening round.  

Butt began to warm up and landed body shots that started to change the momentum of the fight.  That was until referee Benji Esteves called a halt to the fight at the 53-second mark of round three.  Esteves had warned Wise constantly before finally stopping the fight.

Jeremiah Kendrick (1-0)(1 KO) won his professional debut with a first-round stoppage over the out-gunned Tyrone Lews (0-2). 

Bilal Quintyne (2-0) was able to win a four-round majority decision over Maurice Burke (1-1)   A hard straight right hand landed late in the fourth and final round that helped Quintyne win the close decision.  It was a back and forth contest and it was reflected that way on the judge's scorecards.  Quintyne won on two of the cards 39-37.  While the other judge scored the fight a draw at 38-38.

Light heavyweights started the nights' action with Tariq Green (1-0) winning a four-round decision over Tunde Fatiregun (1-1)(1 KO).   

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Philly Fighters Shine in Latest Installment of Xcite Fight Night

By Matt Ward, Ringside

Joe Hand Promotions in conjunction with Peltz Boxing Promotions and BAM Boxing Promotions returned to the Xcite Center at Parx Casino for the sixth installment of Xcite Fight Night. The full house of fight fans were treated to an entertaining night of boxing featuring a number of Philadelphia area boxers.

The main event featured an eight round bout in the lightweight division between Victor Padilla (8-0, 7 KOs) and Israel Suarez-Olmeda (4-8-3, 1 KO).  This fight failed to live up to expectations as Suarez-Olmeda did not survive the first round of the contest. Suarez-Olmeda, who fought Gervonta Davis in 2015, was knocked down by Padilla, a southpaw prospect from Camden, in the opening frame. Despite recovering from this early meeting with the canvas, Suarez-Olmeda looked like a scared and dazed man for his final seconds in the bout. Another hard left hand to the head by Padilla ended Suarez-Olmeda's night at the 2:46 mark of the first round. Referee Gary Rosato, seeing the writing on the wall, stepped in to prevent any further damage to the Puerto Rican southpaw who has now not won a fight since 2011. Padilla has now won two fights in a row by technical knockout.

Wise Came to Fight

In the junior middleweight division, Isaiah Wise (8-2-2, 5 KOs), Philadelphia, faced off against Enver Halili (10-3, 3 KOs), the Bronx, in a bout that was scheduled for six rounds. Both men looked to bounce back in their professional campaigns with a victory on Friday night, however, it was Wise who got the "W." Wise, who looked to be in excellent fighting shape, landed big left hands to Halili's head and body in the opening round. A hard Wise left hand to the head scored a knockdown against Halili during this frame. As the round neared its end, Wise landed hammering right hooks to Halili's head. Halili stumbled backwards, but managed to stay on his feet as the bell marking the end of the round rang. A brutal right hand from Wise at the 1:27 mark of the second round sealed the TKO victory for the 27-year-old Philadelphian. 

The Fight of the Night 

Those who witnessed the spectacle of fisticuffs that was Christopher Burgos (3-4-1, 1 KO) vs. Sheldon Deverteuil (2-1-2) last night should all agree that this was the fight of the night, and a clear front runner for "Philadelphia Fight of the Year." In this bout, two journeymen caliber fighters stepped into the ring to put on a show full of offensive fireworks for an appreciative crowd. As soon as the bell rang starting the six round lightweight contest, Burgos moved forward aggressively, effectively using the right hand to pound away at Deverteuil. Despite walking down and landing big shots on Deverteuil throughout the first and second rounds, Deverteuil refused to play the part of the victim in this all-North Philly classic. As Burgos landed punches, Deverteuil fired back on all cylinders in what became a slug fest from start to finish. 

At some points in the third round, it appeared that the fighters were going punch-for-punch. Deverteuil lost his mouthpiece twice during this round as his momentum appeared to slow down. In the fourth, Burgos was again Deverteuil's stalker. As Burgos landed shots on Deverteuil, he became the recipient of effective counterpunches from his opponent. 

The fifth round was highlighted by big right and left hands to the body by both fighters. The round ended with both men putting their heads together, in a telephone booth style exchange, to pound away at one another's heads and bodies. To the amazement of this writer, both men stayed on their feet! The sixth and final round opened with a continuation of the close combat that ended the fifth. The only pause to the action in this contest came in the final ten seconds of the bout when both men coasted to the final bell. Rightfully so, the crowd roared with approval as both men and their corners embraced following the ring war. All three judges scored the bout 59-55 for the winner by unanimous decision, Christopher Burgos.

Tyhler Emerges Winner of All-Williams Bout

In an all-Philly and all-Williams matchup, Tyhler Williams (4-0, 3 KOs) continued his winning ways as a professional by defeating the 45-year-old Demetris Williams (1-7) by TKO. In the opening round, Tyhler put his speed on display. Demetris, overwhelmed by a barrage of straight right and left hands, desperately tried to escape the onslaught by backpedaling into the ropes, but was unable to escape the non-stop pressure. The referee saw enough of the junior welterweight beat down at 1:48 of the first round. 

Son of a Philly Legend Wins Pro Debut

Charles Brewer, Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) and Kyl Fritz (0-1) both made their professional debuts last night in Bensalem. Brewer, the son of former middleweight world champion Charles Brewer, was escorted to the ring in front of a roaring crowd by his father-trainer. Fritz, of Phoenix, AZ, landed two nice straight right hands to the head of Brewer in the first round. Brewer, clearly having a case of the butterflies, fought very cautiously in the first round against his awkward stanced and taller opponent. Appearing more comfortable and adjusted to Fritz in the second round, Brewer pummeled his opponent into a neutral corner with multiple left and right hooks. Referee Shawn Clark saw enough of the beat down at 1:17 of the second round, and waived off the fight to the protest of Fritz, who at this point, appeared to still have some fight left in him. 

Taylor Sent to the Showers Early by Stevens 

In cruiserweight action, David Stevens (3-0, 2 KO) made quick work of Tahlik Taylor (3-13-1, 1 KO). Taylor was down early in the first round after being slammed by a Stevens' left hook to the head. Taylor recovered from the knockdown but was on very shaky legs. Stevens, smelling blood in the water, used the same punch he had success with seconds earlier to end the evening's work early at 1:02 of the opening frame. 

Atoev Cruises to Four Round Victory

The card opened up with a four round super featherweight bout between Shakhzod Atoev (1-0) and Juan Ibarra (0-3). Atoev answered the bell teeing off on Ibarra, who was visibly hurt from the shots. Atoev landed a hard right uppercut that snapped Ibarra's head back. Despite Atoev's low guard for most of the fight, Ibarra was unable to land any meaningful shots. As the second round progressed, Atoev pushed Ibarra into a neutral corner with hard straight right and left hands

In the third round, Atoev continued to control the pace of the fight, but was unable to land the big punch that would have honored the repeated requests of his corner to "finish him." Atoev landed several big left hands to the head and body of Ibarra in the fourth round. Ibarra responded by pushing Atoev into the ropes with shots that had little to no effect on his opponent. Atoev, confident he was ahead on cards, began to deliberately wind up on uppercuts as the fourth round neared its end. All three judges scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Atoev.  

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David Stevens Interview

By Luis A. Cortes III

During Friday night's Joe Hand's Xcite Fight Night 6 from the Xcite Center at Parx Casino, I had the opportunity to speak with Reading's David Stevens (3-0, 2 KOs) following his first round KO victory over Tahlik Taylor (3-13-1, 1 KO). Following a highly successful amateur career, Stevens looks to find similar success as a professional in the cruiserweight and light heavyweight divisions. 

You can stream our interview on both SoundCloud and iTunes.

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Joe Hand Promotions Returns to Parx Casino with Seven Fight Card

By Matt Ward

Joe Hand Promotions returns to the Parx Casino Xcite Center on Friday, July 31st for the sixth installment of their popular boxing series Xcite Fight Night. The seven fight card will be headlined by an eight round lightweight bout between Victor Padilla (7-0, 6 KOs) and Israel Suarez-Olmeda (4-7-3, 1 KO).  

Padilla, a rising prospect in the lightweight division from South Jersey, has won six of his seven fights as a professional by way of knockout. The 21-year-old southpaw last fought on December 5, 2019, a fifth round TKO victory over Fredric Bowen at Terminal 5 in New York. Suarez-Olmeda is winless in his last six bouts. 

Super welterweights Enver Halili (10-2, 3 KOs) will face off against Isaiah Wise (7-2-2, 4 KOs) in a six round contest. Both men look to bounce back in their professional campaigns with victories on Friday night. Halili has lost his last two fights, while Wise fought to a draw last October. Halili, who resides in the Bronx, was defeated by Raymond Serrano in 2017 and Jimmy Williams in 2018. Philadelphia's Wise and Roque Zapata drew in a six round fight at the 2300 Arena on October 4, 2019. 

A full cast of Philadelphia area fighters will also be in action on the card including, Christopher Burgos, Sheldon Deverteuil, Demetris Williams, Tyhler Williams, Shahkzod Atoev, and Charles Brewer, Jr.. 

Brewer is the son of former Philly great Charles "The Hatchet" Brewer, who held the IBF Super Middleweight Title between June 1997 and October 1998. The younger Brewer will make his professional debut in the light heavyweight division against another rookie fighter, North Carolina's Kyl Fritz. 

For more information and to purchase tickets to this great night of boxing, visit the Parx Casino Xcite Center official website.

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War at Parx - Peltz’s 50th - Ennis Returns

By Luis A. Cortes III

It’s true that when the unofficial end of summer takes place and Labor Day passes that the boxing schedule begins to turn up the heat for the fall.  This year has been no exception.  With so many ways for boxing fans to be plugged into the sport, and with so many different outlets distributing fight cards, it can be easy for fans to lose track or miss out on a specific fight, fighter, or all-around fight card that they were anticipating.  With that in mind, I thought I would take some time to give you a few quick reminders about a great fight that took place last Friday just outside of Philadelphia, along with some other key dates regarding boxing and the city of Brotherly Love.

War at Parx Casino (September 20th)

Joe Hand Promotions may best be known as the king of closed-circuit television on the east coast, especially in the Philadelphia area.  However, they do have a stable of fighters that they manage and have a ton of relationships that run deep into all areas of the sport.  As a result, fight fans in the Philadelphia area are treated to a handful of fight cards each year.  During the past two years, these shows have taken place at the Xcite Center located inside of Parx Casino.  Last Friday seemed to be an exciting local show that featured five fights.  There were some knockouts and a farewell to the always hard-working Jamaal Davis, a super middleweight from Philadelphia that never reached the likes of Madison Square Garden or the elite level, but always gave paying fans his best effort both in victory and defeat.  His loss in a six round fight marked the end of his career.

After four fights, the fourth being another quality victory by the recently signed to Lou Dibella Entertainment Jr. lightweight Joshafat Ortiz (7-0) (4 KO’s), Ortiz needed six rounds to out work and out box Anderw Bentley an awkward southpaw.  It was then time for the main event, featuring another local fighter signed to Lou Dibella, lightweight Stevie Ortiz.  What took place next after the bell sounded for round one was eight non-stop edge of your seat rounds of pure action.  Ortiz started out by taking a lead in the fight by out boxing his determined opponent Alejandro Salinas.  In the second round, Ortiz, thinking he had hurt Salinas, moved in for the kill but was greeted by a thunderous left hook from Salinas that floored Ortiz.  Clearly hurt, Ortiz was still shaking off the buzz from the knockdown in the prior round when he again started to establish control in the third, only to once again show his willingness to exchange power shots.         

When Ortiz landed on his back, being dropped this time by a right hand in the third round, it seemed like the fans were witnessing an upset win for Salinas.  Unlike the first knockdown where Ortiz was able to get up with a clear mind, this time he was clearly one more power shot away from being completely knocked out.  To his credit, Ortiz was aware of this fact and started to hold and move around the ring to avoid the nail in the coffin shot from Salinas.  Being down two rounds to one after three in an eight-round fight is not often hard to overcome, but with both of those rounds featuring knockdowns, Ortiz was down three points.

War back into the fight is what Ortiz needed to do and he did.  With his prospects of victory all but dead in the water, Ortiz changed the tide into him potentially regaining control of the action.  He did this by utilizing his boxing skills and a powerful overhand right that continued to connect from a distance to the side of Salinas’ head.  Over the next five rounds, fans got all types of continued drama in each round as both warriors struggled to assert themselves as the dominant fighter of each three-minute stanza.  They both got hurt or were stunned on numerous occasions.  There was no let-up in either fighter and both fighters swung for the fences as the ringside clapper went off to signify ten seconds remaining in the fight.  Fans rose to their feet and applauded both men for their effort, resourcefulness, determination, and mostly for the exciting entertainment they granted everyone lucky enough to witness their fight.  Ortiz would walk out of the ring the victor winning a majority decision with two judges scoring the fight 76-74 and the third having it even 75-75.  With the victory, Ortiz improves to 11-0 (3 KO’s), while the game Salinas dropped to 10-3 (9 KO’s).  This fight could easily be granted the honor of Philadelphia fight of the year for the almost completed 2019.

Peltz Promotions turns 50 

Next Friday night, October 4th, from the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia, the boxing community will be celebrating the golden anniversary of J. Russell Peltz’s involvement with the sport.  Peltz has been the king of boxing in Philadelphia and has a long and beautiful history with the sport, that at times in his life’s journey has played various roles.  It’s been his savior, a place of refuge, and his passion.  Along with whatever else he has needed it to be to survive.  Emily Pandelakis wrote a wonderful feature story that detailed all the ways that Peltz has impacted boxing history, as well as the ways boxing has impacted the history of Russell Peltz as a man.  Click here to read the piece, it was truly wonderfully done.

As for the actual night of action on October 4th, Michelle Rosado of Raging Babe has put together her second show at 2300 Arena to honor her mentor that will feature an eight-fight card.  Local fighters like Marcel “Celly” Rivers, Osnel Charles will be featured on the card, along with an appealing rematch between Isaiah Wise against Roque Zapata. Zapata gave Wise one of his losses.  The main event features a young prospect that has all the tools and natural ability to go far in the sport, as Victor Padilla fights for the second time this year after almost a two-year absence from the ring.  At the age of just twenty, time is still on his side.

Stay tuned for a feature article next week that will look at just how after 50 years in the sport, Russell Peltz feels about the business and the way things have changed since he first started promoting fights in 1969.  Tickets for the show are still available but are going fast.  Contact (215) 765-0922 to purchase your seats for this historic night.

Jaron Ennis returns 10/5 

One of the most talked about young contenders in the sport, Jaron “Boots” Ennis (23-0) (21 KO’s) returns to the ring on October 5th.  He will be featured as the co-feature of a Showtime Championship Boxing card.  In the main event, Claressa Shields will try to capture the WBO junior middleweight championship against Ivana Habazin.  This fight is a homecoming for Shields as it takes place in Flint, Michigan.  For Ennis, this is just his second fight in 2019, after being one of the most active prospects in the sport since turning professional in 2016.  His long lay-off was due to some issues from a managerial standpoint, but with all things cleared up, he continues to march forward to prove that he is indeed the future of the division and the sport.

Next week we will look at just what some of those issues were that kept him sidelined for the majority of 2019, why he feels that it hasn’t stopped his progression, and his answer to many critics who look at his record and feel that he has faced soft opposition to pad his record.  Stay tuned to The Weigh-In for continued coverage, along with a look at the unification welterweight fight between Erol Spence and Shawn Porter this Saturday night on Fox pay-per-view

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Howard and Conquest Win on Xcite Fight Night 3 Card

By Matt Ward, Ringside

On an explosive, multiple boxing card night in the greater Philadelphia area, professional prizefighting made its triumphant return to the Xcite Center at Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA.

The main event of Joe Hand Promotions Presents Xcite Fight Night III pitted veteran big men, cruiserweights Garrett Wilson (18-16-1, 9 KOs), South Philadelphia, against Brian Howard (14-2, 11 KOs), Philadelphia, in a fight scheduled for eight frames. Unfortunately for Wilson, this fight did not last anywhere near that...

Early in the opening round, Howard landed a big right hand to the side of Wilson's head that sent him crashing to the canvas. Wilson was able to raise from the mat by referee Eric Dali's count of six, but looked like a drunken man trying to keep his balance. Despite still being visibly hurt from the knockdown, the fight continued. The end came at 2:31 of the first round when Howard hit Wilson with a hard straight right hand to the head that caused him to collapse to the canvas. Wilson was counted out on his back. This KO victory was Howard's first win since being knocked out by Russian light heavyweight Umar Salamov last June.

The co-main event of the evening pitted Jerome Conquest (10-3, 1 KO), 135.2 lbs., against Vinnie Denierio (3-6, 1 KO), 135.2 lbs., in a six round contest for the vacant USBF North American Lightweight Title. This bout, which could be described as a battle between awkward fighters, was entertaining from the outset. Denierio, who has a three inch height advantage on Conquest, made "jerky" movements between punches to avoid Conquest's steady counterpunches for much of the first round. In the second round, Denierio threw hammering overhand lefts that pushed Conquest into the ropes and forced him to clinch his gangly opponent. Conquest answered this attack by landing several nice body shots that clearly slowed down Denierio's offense. Conquest continued to control the round by landing big left and right hooks to Denierio's head that visibly hurt the native of Elmira, NY. Denierio appeared to be in survival mode as the bell marking the end of the second rang.

Conquest answered the third round bell by connecting with a hammering right hook to his opponent's head, a shot that sent perspiration flying all over those seated ringside. Denierio tried to press the attack during this round, but Conquest repeatedly backed him up with effective hooks to the head and body. Denierio, clearly frustrated with his opponent, landed the first of many rabbit punches to Conquest's head during this round. In the fourth frame, Conquest popped Denierio with a hard right hand to the jaw. Denierio responded to Conquest's quality punches by landing more rabbit punches out of the clinch. As the round neared its end, Denierio appeared to push more than punch, as he tried to bully his shorter opponent.

In rounds five and six, a clearly frustrated Vinnie Denierio began to lead with his head, and continued to fight dirty. Denierio worked Conquest's body towards the end of the fifth with left and right uppercuts that put the Philadelphian on his heels against the ropes. In the sixth, Denierio, realizing he was behind on the cards, threw rabbit punches at Conquest during multiple wrap ups. Surprisingly, referee Shawn Clark turned a blind eye to these illegal punches. Late in the round, Denierio looking to be gifted a knockdown, connected with a low blow on Conquest, and pushed the fighter down to the ground in the corner. Conquest bounced up from the canvas and the fight continued until the final bell. The judges scored the bout 60-54 and 59-55, twice, for the winner by unanimous decision, Jerome "The Conqueror" Conquest.

Northeast Philadelphia's Tyhler Williams (1-0, 1 KO) in his professional debut scored a second round knockout on fellow Philadelphian Nyrome Lynch (0-4). Williams, a successful amateur fighter, spent much of the first round chasing Lynch around the ring. Lynch, who looked like he was running laps instead of boxing, refused to allow the highly touted rookie junior welterweight land a meaningful punch in the opening frame. In the second round, Lynch's strategy in the first made him look like a brilliant ring tactician, as Williams put his power on display. Williams answered the second round bell firing big body shots that ended Lynch's running for the evening. Williams went on to trap the incapacitated fighter, and land multi-punch combos at will to his head and body. A devastating right upper cut to the head ended Lynch's night at the 1:45 mark of the second. By this point, referee Eric Dali had seen enough of the massacre that unfolded in the second, and waived off the fight.

Omar Kabary Salem (8-0, 4 KOs), Brooklyn, made quick work of Jacob Fox (3-8, 2 KOs), Bismarck, in a super middleweight contest. After connecting to the head and body of his opponent with a big multi-punch combo, Salem sent Fox crashing to the canvas with repeated left hands to the head. Fox valiantly picked himself up from the mat only to be crushed into the ropes with a barrage of punches that left his opponent defenseless and dazed. Referee Shawn Clark saw enough of the one-sided fight at 2:27 of the first round, when he stepped in and stopped the Salem offensive onslaught.

In an all Philadelphia area junior welterweight showdown, Daiyann Butt (3-0, 1 KO) fought Tyree Arnold (DEBUT) in a four round bout. Butt, who stepped into the ring with a clear height and reach advantage, effectively connected with several big right hands to the head. Early in the second round, Arnold let his hands go, and landed a multi-punch combo that forced Butt to wrap him up in order to halt the attack. Butt responded by landing hard left hands to Arnold’s body. As the second round neared its end, Butt unloaded on Arnold with a punishing multi-punch combo to the head and body. Surprisingly, Arnold stayed on his feet, but was clearly damaged as he stumbled back to his corner after the round.

Butt aggressively worked his opponent’s body in the third round, by landing left and right shots to Arnold’s abdomen throughout the round. This body work slowed the wheels of the speedy Arnold, and made him an easy target for Butt in the fourth and final round. Arnold desperately went head hunting in the fourth, but was unable to find his mark. Butt went on to punish Arnold’s body as the fourth progressed, and at one point rocked Arnold with a well-placed left hook to the head. Butt went on to score the knockout with a series of big right hands that forced referee Eric Dali to stop the fight at 2:22 of the fourth round.

Sammy Berman (2-0, 1 KO), who fights out of the Manayunk Boxing Club, defeated North Philadelphia’s Corey Weekley (0-2) by unanimous decision in a four round, middleweight matchup. Although only 22-years-old, Berman has not fought professionally since 2014. Berman answered the opening bell by pushing his opponent into the ropes with a hard left hand to the body. Weekley was clearly banged up in the second round after Berman stuck a left hand into his jaw, and proceeded to rock him with multiple shots to the body and head. Weekley looked like he was in trouble later in the round, when Berman trapped him in the neutral corner with a series of hard shots. Fortunately for Weekley, he was able to box his way out of this trap and stop Berman from walking him down.

In the third round, Berman kept moving forward on his inexperienced opponent who was unable to mount any type of meaningful offense. In the fourth round, Weekley, who appeared exhausted and beat up, spit out his mouthpiece twice, which resulted in the deduction of a point by referee Shawn Clark. A hard Berman left hand to the head later sent Weekley’s mouthpiece flying for the third time in the round. Berman and Weekley wrestled for the final ten seconds of the contest as Shawn Clark tried to pull the men apart with no success. The judges scored the bout 39-37 and 40-36, twice, for Berman.

In an all New York junior middleweight bout, Ismael Villareal (5-0, 2 KOs) defeated Lashawn Alcocks (1-5) by third round technical knockout. Villareal unloaded three big right hands on Alcocks in the first frame, but struggled to establish follow up shots. In the second round, Villareal bullied Alcocks with big multi-punch combos, highlighted by heavy straight right hands and hooks to the head and body. Alcocks demonstrated toughness in the second round by absorbing damage, staying on his feet, and battling back before the bell marking the end of the second rang. A vicious Villareal right hand to the head sent Alcocks crashing to the canvas in the third round. This knockdown occurred after referee Eric Dali called a pause to the action, and warned Villareal for rabbit punches in the round. Despite recovering from the knockdown, Arnold was crushed under a series of left hooks to the body that forced Eric Dali to stop the action at 2:36 of the third round.

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Philly Dynamite

By Frank Bartolini

Lighting the fuse to what will be a dynamite schedule of fights in Philly over the next couple of months, Michele Rosado’s Raging Babe Promotions sold out the 2300 Arena early in February. This was Raging Babe's first promotion in Philadelphia. Working tirelessly in the weeks prior, Rosado was able to deliver a good undercard regardless of the Sonny Conto pro debut debacle and the travesty of hometown heavyweight Darmani Rock’s conditioning. The Main Event made it a night to remember when “Can't Miss” prospect Christian Carto was starched by faded Mexican has been Victor Ruiz. Via social media, Rosado stated she had a paid attendance of 1,433 patrons. That figure tallies to approximately $100,000 in gate receipts. A respectable take for the nubile promoter in The City of Brotherly Love.

After refurbishing The Metropolitan Opera and rechristening it as “The Met,” the new owners are committed to a active entertainment schedule. Hard Hitting Promotions host the first professional prize fights at the venue in many years. Featured in the main event, Steve Ortiz squares off against Jeremy Cuevas in a all Philly showdown. These two undefeated battlers will be contesting for the Pennsylvania Lightweight Championship over eight rounds. Most certainly, this heated matchup will combust. Another fight worth mentioning is Samuel Teah of Philly pitted against Tre’sean Wiggins. Pennsylvania Super Lightweight belt will be on the line when Teah and Wiggins trade blows in a scheduled eight. Also, very talented undefeated welterweight Mailk Hawkins of Baltimore, Maryland is slated for eight rounds verses Gledwin Ortiz. The Met is located on North Broad Street and the doors open at 5:30 pm on Saturday night February 23rd.

On Friday, March 1st, two different venues just miles apart will hold a evening of professional pugilism. In South Philly at the 2300 Arena, Marshall Kauffman’s Kings Promotions will deliver a nine bout night of fights. Pennsylvania State Super Welterweight laurels are on the line when two seasoned veterans and Philly natives Tyrone Brunson and Jamaal Davis brawl. This donnybrook will be produce mayhem. The first fight starts at 7 pm.

Just outside of the city limits, Joe Hand Promotions' Xcite Fight Night III takes place at the Parx Casino in Bensalem PA. BAM Promotions is working with Hand, and J. Russell Peltz is doing the matchmaking. Two of Philadelphia’s most beloved boxers Garrett Wilson and Jerome Conquest will combat in separate affairs. Heavyweight Wilson takes on Brian Howard over eight heats. Jerome is set to eight sessions against Vinnie Denierio in the lightweight division.

It is a “Smokin” three weeks of action the city... Consider this with Raging Babes receipts already recorded, and there is no doubt these other three events will be held in front of crowds of over one thousand fanatics. That adds up to close to a half a million dollars in gate receipts. No other municipality in America can put up those digits, and it proves Philadelphia is the ultimate club fight scene in the country.

To be continued... Next up, global promoters Matchroom and Top Rank bring world championship boxing into town from one end to another.

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2019 Philadelphia Boxing Schedule Starts with a “Philly Special”

By Luis A. Cortes III

Already a month into the New Year, most likely by now, most fans of the sweet science in the Philadelphia area would have had at least one local show they could have attended. Despite the slow start to the local pugilistic schedule, starting on February 8th fight fans will have seven shows to get excited about. The shows that will take place in the months of February and March have just about everything a fight fan could ask for.  

Local promoters, who are always active in the area, will be joined by two of the major promotional outfits. This means that before the summer months hit, sports fans just getting over the disappointing end to the Eagles Super Bowl defense that await the start of the Sixers play-off run, will have something to be excited about. Along with the hopeful addition of a mega star to the Phillies starting lineup this summer, there will be plenty of fist fights to enjoy before heading “down the shore” starting Memorial Day.

Below is a look at all seven shows. (NOTE: As each show gets closer be sure to stay tuned for continued coverage of each event.  Coverage will include fighter interviews, featured articles, and more.) 

February 8: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA (Raging Babe)

Christian Carto (17-0)(11) vs. Victor Ruiz (22-10)(15)

Marcel Rivers (6-0)(4) vs. Derrick Whitley Jr. (4-0-1)

Heavyweight prospects: Darmani Rock (13-0)(8) & Sonny Conto (DEBUT)

The show that kicks-off the year is being dubbed the “Philly Special” by its promoter Michelle Rosado, the head of Raging Babe. Rosado has been a main stay on the local boxing scene for years now as the understudy of Hall-of-Fame promoter Russell Peltz. This time, it is Rosado that is the promoter in charge of the event. While this is her first show in Philadelphia, she is no stranger to putting on successful shows in North Carolina and Arizona.  From the looks of the lineup of fights scheduled, “Philly Special” looks to be no different from her other successes of providing fans with entertainment.

Bantamweight prospect and South Philadelphia native Christian Carto begins to make the transition from highly touted prospect into serious contender. This fight against the veteran and always game Victor Ruiz is the perfect match up to begin that transition. Carto continues to forge a bond with his new trainer the respected Billy Briscoe, whom Carto has been with already for a couple fights. It tends to take a few training camps and in fight situations for a fighter and trainer to click, so against Ruiz we will look to see if this relationship is indeed on course to make the bright future for Carto a reality. Ruiz can fight and always likes to be in a fight, don’t let his ten-loss record fool you. He is no easy fight for any prospect or contender and has been in with some of the best in the world, even if that was three pounds south of bantamweight at super flyweight.

Also, on the card will be the heavyweight prospects both fighting out of Philadelphia, Darmani Rock and Sonny Conto.  While they will both be fighting in separate bouts, Rock, like Carto, is looking to turn the corner from prospect to contender, while Conto will be taking part in his first professional fight.  Conto, like the headliner Carto, hails from south Philly and when you couple his amateur success along with his optional draw power at the box office, it’s clear why Top Rank signed him to their stable.

February 23: The Met, Philadelphia, PA (Hard Hitting Promotions)

Jeremy Cuevas (11-0)(8) vs. Steve Ortiz (9-0)(3)

Samuel Teah (15-2-1)(7) vs. Tre’Sean Wiggins (10-4-1)(6)

Featuring: Brenden Pizzaro (13-1)(6) & Malik Hawkins (13-0)(9)

In the tradition of Philadelphia vs. Philadelphia fights, The Met Opera House will host its first boxing event for the first time since 1954. Of course, the Met recently reopened after $56 million was spent on restoring the venue which opened over a hundred years ago. This card, presented by local powerhouse Hard Hitting Promotions, looks to be the first in a series of cards to be held at this historic venue.  Along with help from Live Nation, Hard Hitting may have found the right partner to help take their young stable into new markets.

Cuevas taking on Ortiz tops the bill in a battle between two lightweight prospects that regardless of the outcome of this fight are poised to eventually become contenders. Kudos to each fighter for not waiting to fight each other and deciding to take on the challenge the other presents at this point in their young careers. These are the types of fights that once made Philadelphia a great fight town and helped to propel each fighter’s career. From a stylistic standpoint, Cuevas and Ortiz should not disappoint. Both fighters have boxing skills but have the internal makeup of a warrior and don’t shy away from a firefight.  With the PA state lightweight title on the line and bragging rights in the city at stake, this should be a fun one, while it lasts. 

Hard Hitting’s stable will also be featured on this card. Super lightweights Teah and Wiggins will battle for the PA Super Lightweight Title, and lightweight prospect Brenden Pizzaro continues to try and improve his winning streak since his lone defeat. This time, Pizzaro will be in a better match-up as the fights begin to increase in difficulty. Baltimore native Malik Hawkins returns for the first time in close to a year. Since his victory over former prospect and fringe contender Ray Serrano, Hawkins has been on the shelf, but he looks to return with a statement victory. 

March 1: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, PA (Kings Promotions)

Tyrone Brunson (27-7-2)(24) vs. Jamaal Davis (18-13-1)(7)

Tyrone Crawley (7-1-1)(1) vs. Victor Vazquez (10-5)(4) 

Do not, I repeat, do not let the records of the fighters mentioned above on this card give you pause. If there is one thing that the always enjoyable Kings Promotions knows how to do, it’s match up their fighters in exciting fights regardless of records. These two fights that headline this show are no different.  Brunson is coming off his appearance on the Contender and is looking to make one last push towards title contention. With the type of power he packs in his punches he will always have a chance to win fights, and against Davis he looks to start his path towards bigger fights at 154, which he hopes lands him in championship opportunities. Vazquez was last seen in a brawl with Anthony Mercado late last year. He has a fun style to watch and always presses the action, which should blend well with Crawley, the constant moving boxer.       

March 1: Parx Casino, Bensalem, PA (Joe Hand Promotions)

Garrett Wilson (18-15-1)(9) vs. Brian Howard (13-2)(10)

Isiah Wise (7-2-1)(4) vs. Monreco Goldston (5-1-1)(3)

Return of Jerome Conquest (9-3)(1)

Two fights in the Philadelphia area on the same night can be a tough thing, especially when fight fans must be split on which show to purchase tickets for. This night will be no different, but at times that is one of the setbacks when booking dates in advance. Promoters are forced to take dates from certain venues they have relationships with, regardless of what other promoters may be planning. With that said, Joe Hand Promotions will return to the Xcite Center at Parx Casino on Street Road in Bensalem.  Parx is located right outside of the Northeast city limits and is a great venue to watch fights. 

As for the fights, Wilson and Howard should produce excitement while the fight lasts. Both fighters enjoy a good fight and taking a backward step is not something they either plan on doing. If you’re looking for fighters that like to exchange punches (sometimes to their detriment), this fight is one you shouldn’t miss.

Isiah Wise is always looking for a good scrap in his own right. He has improved on utilizing his jab to setup power punches more and has improved on moving his head. This is of course until he gets hit and decides to return power shots, which is always fun for the fans watching. Add the fact that he always brings a good crowd out and its always a fun night out to watch one of his fights. For the fan that enjoys a slick boxer that likes making his opponents miss and counter, Jerome Conquest makes his long-awaited return to the ring after suffering some foot and leg injuries that kept him on the shelf for a large part of last year. Conquest looks to be more active this year as he defends his WBF lightweight strap.   

March 15: Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, PA (Matchroom USA, DAZN)

Tevin Farmer (28-4-1)(6) vs. Jono Carroll (16-0)(3) (IBF Jr. Lightweight Championship)

Katie Taylor (12-0)(5) vs. Rose Volante (14-0)(8) (WBA/IBF/WBO Female Lightweight Championship)

Gabriel Rosado (24-11-1)(14) vs. Maciej Sulecki (27-1)(11)

Hank Lundy (29-7-1)(14) vs. Avery Sparrow (9-1)(3)

This is a huge fight card that will be coming to Philadelphia’s Temple campus. Since Matchroom Boxing USA has burst onto the scene last year with their streaming partners DAZN, they have provided consistent content, while continuing to bolster their stable of world class fighters. This St. Patrick’s Day weekend show just from the look of it, along with the kick-off press conference this week, proved that this should be nothing but a successful night of entertainment for fight fans. 

Since joining Matchroom USA, Farmer has become the most active fighter in recent memory. This will be his third title defense since winning the championship back in August. Most current champions wouldn’t have had their first defense at this point. To Farmers credit, he is not waiting around to fight the bigger names in his division; instead he is properly focused on his own career and is fighting top level contenders to stay sharp as he awaits the bigger names. Carroll, as he showed at the presser, is game for this challenge and since he hails from Ireland, looks to fulfill his dream. 

Katie Taylor looks to unify the lightweight division in her fight with Brazil native Rose Volante. Taylor like Farmer continues to be an active champion and a victory to unify the division gets her one step closer to undisputed status at lightweight. Also, with bigger names out there like Amanda Serrano (Taylor beat Amanda Serrano’s sister Cindy) and Heather Hardy, a victory for Taylor will continue her march towards the top of the pound-for-pound list.     

Philadelphia fighters will be the theme for the rest of this card. Lundy vs. Sparrow is a classic fight between the seasoned veteran, Lundy, and the upstart looking to make a name for himself, Sparrow.  Both fighters love to talk and believe that their opponent is a step towards bigger and better things in the future. Gabriel Rosado, Philly’s real life Rocky, as always, is fighting a tough fighter in Sulecki.  Sulecki’s only loss came against current IBF Middleweight Champion Daniel Jacobs. This will be a great fight full of action. A victory for either man puts them a stone’s throw away from the champions in the middleweight division, which are for the most part fighters in the DAZN atmosphere and shouldn’t be hard fights to make.  

March 29: Sugar House Casino, Philadelphia, PA (Kings Promotions)

Anvar Yunusov (6-0)(3) vs. TBA

Anthony Mercado (12-4)(10) vs. Andres Navarro (11-7-1)(7)

Featuring Brendan Robinson (11-2)(8) & Erik Spring (11-2-2)(1) in separate fights

Okay so like it was mentioned earlier, Kings Promotions will deliver yet another solid local show in Philadelphia, this time it will take place from the ballroom at Sugar House Casino. Yunusov is a former three-time Olympian from Tajikistan that has proved so far that making the transition into the paid ranks has not been an issue for him. He is a southpaw that has a powerful straight left and fights in a similar style to another former decorated Olympian also in the lightweight divisions. At the age of 31, Yunusov will need to make a quick move from prospect to contender.     

 

Mercado, Robinson, and Spring are all fighters that bring out good fan support for their fights. Mercado holds a recent victory over Victor Vazquez in a fight that was a pure war, while Robinson is coming back from a war himself, in the fight of the year for Philadelphia, although he was on the losing end of things. Spring is a solid boxer that likes to frustrate his opponents with his jab and movement.  

March 30: TBD, Philadelphia, PA (Top Rank, ESPN)

Oleksandr Gvozdyk (16-0)(13) vs. TBA (WBC and Lineal Light Heavyweight Championship)

While the site has yet to be officially determined or announced by Top Rank, sources have told TWI that this card will land at the 2300 Arena. “The Nail” Gvozdyk will be the headliner of this card in his first defense of the WBC and Lineal Light Heavyweight Championship that he won by knocking out Adonis Stevenson last December. This will most likely be a mandatory defense with the rest of the card featuring most of the local Top Rank talent signed to their stable. Allentown natives the Adorno brothers, super middleweight contender Jesse Hart could return, along with the Sonny Conto.      

 For questions or comments feel free to contact me on Twitter @LC3Boxing or on my E-mail: Luisacortes83@gmail.com

*Tickets are available for all these shows (except the Top Rank 3/30 Show).  They can be purchased on the website of all the venues that will be hosting the shows.   

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