2019 Philadelphia Boxing Round Up

By Frank Bartolini

The tremendous year of boxing in the “City of Brotherly Love” came to an end on Friday December 6^th at The 2300 Arena.  Washington DC native, junior welterweight, Mykel Fox had his hand raised after winning a ten round unanimous decision over John Arellano of Texas signaling the end of a fabulous year of pro prizefighting. Fittingly the area’s most prolific promoter Marshall Kauffman’s Kings Promotions delivered the action.

Kauffman once again was the most prolific promoter locally. In October, Kauffman in conjunction with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), brought world class talent to the area showcasing Robert Easter Jr.’s win over Adrian Granados, and top ranked junior middleweight Erickson Lubin in his hometown Reading, PA. Without Kauffman promoting close to a dozen shows in and around the Delaware River Valley, the area’s fight scene would hardly survive, yet alone thrive.

The excitement all started back in February when Michelle Rosado’s Raging Babe kicked the year off promoting her first event in Philly at the 2300 Arena. A solid fight card became mythological when flaming hot prospect, Christian Carto was poleaxed and laid out on the canvas by Mexican tumbler Victor Ruiz in round 2. Leaving the venue on a stretcher, Carto’s future was in doubt, meanwhile Rosado cemented her credentials as a promoter within the municipality.

“A night at the opera” - It appeared that Hard Hitting Promotions was going to a have a phenomenal year when close to 3,500 spectators packed into the newly refurbished Metropolitan Opera House (The Met) on North Broad Street. That night a couple of hometown undefeated participants of Puerto Rican extraction squared off in the main event for more than a victory. On the line for combatants Steven Ortiz and Jeremy Cuevas was neighbor and ethnic bragging rights. Ortiz won easily over eight rounds. Hard Hitting returned to “The Met” a few more times but nothing compared to the virgin experience in the opera house.

TOP RANK BOXING! Bob Arum is committed to bringing world renowned talent to Philadelphia. Checking the temperature of the water, Arum dipped his toe in last march when he promoted Oleksandr Gvozdyk’s successful WBC Light Heavyweight title defense against Doudou Ngumbu. Also seeing action that night, Philly native “the New” Ray Robinson drew with highly rank and touted Lithuanian Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Many of those ringside believed Robinson deserved the nod. Other spectators felt if Robinson turned it up just a notch he would have clearly been victorious. Egidijus went on to give a good account of himself in his next fight, before getting kayoed in nine rounds versus WBO Welterweight King Terence Crawford in December at Madison Square Garden.

The show must go on - A freak accident had Carl Frampton pulling out of his fight at the Liacouras Center in August, less than two weeks beforehand. No one would blame Top Rank for cutting their losses and canceling the festivities altogether. Instead, former junior lightweight champ Jason Sosa was bumped up to main event status and pitted against unheralded Haskell Lydell Rhodes. Sosa kayoed Rhodes in seven. With no time to promote the change in the main event, the show drew poorly.  A few months later, Sosa went on to unsuccessfully challenge WBC Super Featherweight Champion Miguel Berchelt, getting finished off in four rounds.

Now the coup de grace occurred when Top Rank chose to come back to the Liacouras Center to pit two undefeated knockout artists in a light heavyweight unification match between WBC King Oleksandr Gvozdyk and IBF Monarch Artur Beterbiev. This pairing would have sold out major arenas in Las Vegas, Manhattan or Chicago. By choosing Philadelphia, Top Rank made a statement that it plans on being a major part of this city’s professional pugilism. Beterbiev stopped Gvozdyk in the tenth. Quality over quantity is why Top Rank should be considered for The Briscoe Award Promoter of the Year.

Once again the British invaded Philadelphia. Contrary to the American Revolution, this time the City of Brotherly Love welcomed the red coats with open rams as Matchroom USA promoted Tevin Farmer’s homecoming at the Liacouras Center, in what turned out to be the best night of fights for 2019. Jono Carroll of Ireland put forth a spirited and gallant effort in trying to wrest the crown from IBF Super Featherweight king Farmer.  The undercard showcased two potential Briscoe Award Fights of the Year. Philly resident Gabriel Rosado’s late round come back against Polish Maciej Sulecki was epic. Rosado lost a ten round unanimous decision but showed he is still a threat in the middleweight division. Unbelievable, unless you were in the arena early to witness Hank Lundy vs. Avery Sparrow, you missed one of the best pairings of two rival Philly boxers in a long time. DAZN cameras had not started rolling when this fight was occurring. Close to 1,500 of Katie Taylor’s faithful fans flew into Philly from the Emerald Isle to see her easily defend her undisputed lightweight laurels.

I went down to DC metro area to see Philly fighters showcase impressive skills in May where the scraps took place on the abandoned campus of George Mason University. Classes ended the day prior to Julian Williams shocking upset of Jarred Hurd. Not only did Williams ruin Hurd’s homecoming, he walked away with his IBF and WBA Super Welterweights belts. West Philly had proud moments when Stephen Fulton put on a flawless performance on the undercard.

Happy New Year! Keep Punching!

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PELTZ BOXING: A LIFE-LONG LOVE STORY

J Russell Peltz Celebrates Half Century in Boxing

By Emily Pandelakis

PHILADELPHIA -- For 50 years, J Russell Peltz has lived and breathed boxing.  On October 4, he will celebrate his Golden Anniversary as a Philadelphia promoter with an eight-bout card titled “Blood, Sweat & 50 Years,” at the 2300 Arena.  Since Sept. 30, 1969, he’s been an institution in the city, providing a platform for hundreds, if not thousands of Philadelphia fighters to showcase their talent. He’s promoted over a thousand boxing events and over 40 world title bouts. For half a century, Peltz has ridden the roller coaster of small- and big-time boxing, with stops all over the world. 

Peltz’ love for boxing has outlived mentors, parents, a sister, a son and a marriage. It’s been the constant throughout the entirety of his adult life, and a refuge from guilt, sadness and loss.  It was the cane he used when he couldn’t stand, and the mountain from which he screamed his successes.  It has been an enduring passion and a safe, faceless pool where he could pour out an immense amount of love, out loud, and without guilt or fear of judgement. 

He has a savant-like ability to recall dates of fights, who was on every card, and what happened in every round.  He remembers detailed 40-year-old stories, fights, conversations and events like they happened yesterday.  

For his 14th birthday, his dad took him to his first fight and it was love at first bell. He knew he was going to be a part of the beautiful brutality of boxing. His mom refused to allow him to go to more fights; she didn’t want him to be part of “that element.”  He would lie and say he was out with friends or at parties, then go to the fights.  Eventually she relented, and his father took him to more fights.  He would abandon a burgeoning sports journalism career and promote his first event on Sept. 30, 1969. 

J Russell Peltz grew up in an upper middle-class family, moving from Philadelphia to the wealthy community of Bala Cynwyd on Philadelphia's Main Line when he entered third grade.  His father, Bernard Peltz, a plumber like his own dad, had expanded Peltz Plumbing to include heating and air-conditioning. By all measurements, his business was successful, catering to both residential repairs and large company and government installations. His father was beloved by his employees.

Peltz had a taste of the plumbing life over two summers in 1963 and '64 and was decidedly bad at it.  It was a disastrous endeavor for teenage Peltz, who was not mechanically inclined.  One error resulted in the destruction of several oil paintings belonging to a wealthy client, and a large bill for his father to foot. 

His father wasn’t much of a sports fan outside of boxing.  His father, Peltz’ grandfather, was an avid fan and worked for Western Union.  On fight nights, including during the Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney fight in 1926 in Philadelphia, he would be ringside, gathering updates and copy and communicating them to the wire services.  

As Peltz tells it, his father, like many parents of kids who came of age in the 50s and 60s, was not expressive with his emotions.  “He was just not the kind of person,” Peltz began, then paused.  “Any more than I am, that could show it. My mom was the emotional, loving one.”

What shines through when conversing with Peltz, is how much his parents loved each other.  In a time where men were not supposed to cry, Peltz’s father, who he described as a “man’s man,” took care of his wife while she was sick for years with emphysema. “They were passionately in love,” said Peltz.  “Things became rocky later, especially when my mother became sick, but he always loved her.

“She was so weak he would have to cut her meat and pre-chew it, so she would be strong enough to chew the rest of it,” remembers Peltz. “He would do those things and you could see that he loved her.” 

After his mother passed away in 1975, Peltz found a box among her belongings: “When my mom died, I found a box of newspaper clippings of stories about me, some of which I’d never seen before. I knew she loved me.”

His father gave him an office to work from, and twice lent him money when Peltz needed a boost to get through a show or a bad year. If Peltz hadn’t been weighed down with remorse, he might have seen these gestures and support of his son’s boxing promoter career, of which he outwardly didn’t approve, as his father’s way of saying I love you. 

A rift developed in the family when Peltz married his first wife, a non-Jewish girl, in 1969, against the wishes of his parents.  This disagreement would color the remainder of their years together. 

At 72 years old, Peltz looks back over those years and sees a selfish, immature version of himself, who didn’t treat his parents all that well. “I never had a mature relationship with my parents,” Peltz would say more than once. “I have terrible regrets about that.” His uncle had told him that his decision to marry his first wife was killing his mother, and Peltz believed him.   The guilt is palpable as he describes his mother’s final days.  

The bitterness he had felt at his parents’ reaction to his marriage and their nagging “get a real job” attitude toward his chosen profession put space in between them. After both had passed, pride and resentment quickly gave way to guilt and regret.  

In the end, it was his sister's home and then his parents’ home he’d go to when his first marriage fell apart.  Every day he’d stop in and say hello to his father, who had built him an office over his plumbing company.  His family’s foundation, which had been built on silent love and commitment, proved unyielding throughout the years.

It wasn’t long after his mother’s death that he met the woman who would become his current wife--a former classmate at Lower Merion High School.  Peltz knew from their first date that he would marry Linda Sablosky. All the nagging feelings of doubt he had going into his first marriage were nowhere to be found.  For someone who sees himself as unemotional and unexpressive, the enormity of his love and devotion to Linda from that first date until this day is evident.  In four hours of interviews, it was when he spoke about Linda that he sounded the most fulfilled and uplifted. 

“Family is everything to Linda,” said Peltz.  "She brought together estranged cousins and other family members and she became very close to my father, calling him every day.

“If my mom had met Linda,” he continued, weeping softly, “she would have had a reason to live.”  

Linda fit effortlessly into his boxing world.  She would often attend events, traveling with Peltz.  “Linda is the kind of person who can exist in any world, in any atmosphere, and everybody loves her." Peltz said.  "It helped me in boxing.  People say, ‘How bad can he be? She married him!’

“Linda is never idle.  She can fill up 24 hours a day.  She’s the Queen of the Dollar Store.  She can’t stand sitting around doing nothing.  If Linda has 400 things to do and I only want to do 200 of them, she says I’m boring.”

The two would have two sons, Matthew and Daniel.   Matthew, the oldest, was interested in music and girls.  He was a ‘Deadhead,’ the moniker bestowed upon Grateful Dead fans, and traveled with them for a summer.  He eventually moved to Israel and became a Rabbi.  He  married and had four children.  

Daniel was the athlete, participating in various sports, including a short amateur boxing career that Peltz hid from Daniel’s mother for a short period of time. 

Peltz did his best to never miss a game.  “He was always there for me,” said Daniel.  “He traveled a lot, but he always made time for my sporting events. He didn’t miss a milestone.” 

Peltz and his wife lost Matthew to a drug overdose in 2017. He was only 38.  The pain in Peltz’ voice when he talks about the years they tried to save their son is heart-wrenching. Countless trips to rehab, broken promises and relapses litter the last years of their time together. He loved Matthew as hard and as completely as any parent could have, but the thief that is drug addiction took Matthew away from his parents, his brother and his children. 

At his son’s funeral Peltz told the story of a bidding scandal that rocked the plumbing industry in Philadelphia when he was a kid. The story had hit the newspapers, and when he was able to get his hands on the article, he read every word, looking for his dad’s name among those involved, hoping and praying it wasn’t there.  His voice cracks again as he retells it.  “When I got to the bottom of the story, it listed all those companies involved in the fix… and his name wasn’t in there. I felt so proud.of him.

“So it’s just that I knew that Bernie Peltz provided a hard day's work for a fair day's wage. Thirty years later, I came home from work one day and Linda hands me the phone.  Your son wants to talk to you.  I said ‘What’s up Matt.’  He said ‘Dad, how come when the sports writers write about boxing promoters, they always write bad things like they cheat the fighters, they steal their money, they pay off the judges and the referees, they fix the rankings… but whenever they write about you,” he paused and sniffed heavily as tears fell, "they always write nice things.  He finished by saying 'that’s so cool.' I didn’t realize it at the time but as the years went by I realized that my son felt the same way about me that I felt about my dad.” 

Peltz carries the weight of his Linda’s pain in addition to his own at the loss of their son.  “All Linda ever wanted was to be a mother. To be there when the kids came home from school,” Peltz recalled.  “That’s what made losing Matthew so devastating for her.  She questioned her ability as a mother.

“If Matthew had had any other mother,” Peltz said, his voice cracking with emotion, “he wouldn’t have made it to even 20.”  

Peltz finds comfort in his grandchildren.  “Pop Pop is very affectionate with the kids,” said Daniel, who has two daughters. “He has six grandchildren -- he loves them and they adore him.” 

Over the years, Peltz has brought many boxers into his inner circle, many of them becoming family.  Osnel Charles, who fights on October 4, asked Peltz to be the co-best man in his wedding. He spoke at many hall-of-fame inductions, weddings and funerals over the past half century. 

He talks about one of his more recent charges, Jason Sosa, with affection.  One of the highest points in his long career was witnessing underdog Sosa stop Javier Fortuna to win a world title in 2016 in Beijing, China.  

“When that fight was over we walked back to the hotel,” he remembered.  “Linda went up to the room because she was tired.  I went into a bar in the hotel. One of these really modern neon lit bars. I sat at that empty bar and I felt so on top of the world.  People back in the states are just getting the news and here I am in Beijing having a beer by myself and I felt so good.  You know why?  Mostly because at the time of my career that it happened.  To win a world title like that, in a foreign land, coming from behind off the canvas, with no shot to win except by knockout...with Linda screaming and crying and she jumped up because she loves Jason. It was just like so great. Such a wonderful feeling. One of the highlights of my career. It’s not number one but it’s like 1A.”

Number one, he added, was when his first charge, Bennie Briscoe, knocked out Tony Mundine in Paris in 1974: “That will always be number one. It was an eliminator. We were underdogs. It was my first trip to Europe and it was the biggest fight you could have without it being for the title. It was just such a wonderful night.” 

His protege, Raging Babe Michelle Rosado, who is promoting “Love, Sweat & 50 Years,” is one of many who see Peltz as a father figure.  His seven-year mentorship of Rosado will culminate in his passing the torch to his hardworking mentee.   “Leaders build leaders.  Because he doesn’t have an ego, and wasn’t inclined to protect his secrets at all costs like so many of his peers, he was able to mentor BAM [Brittany Rogers] and I and teach us the ropes.  I’m honored that he trusts me to continue his legacy.”  Peltz is known to brag about Rosado to his colleagues in the business.  When he talks about her, his tone alternates between that of a proud father and professional respect and admiration.  They may fight and scream but will always eventually reconcile like family so often does.

Peltz is ready to slow down after his 50th anniversary celebration.  The changes to the sport have worn thin his desire to keep going. “It’s not the sport I fell in love with,” he says.  “It’s not like it used to be.  Guys just wanted to fight.  If guys were within 10 pounds we had a fight.”  

On October 4, he will wind down his matchmaking career with the kind of card that he’s become known for in Philadelphia over the last 50 years.  Tough, Philly versus Philly toss-up matches.  The kind of card that drew him to boxing and kept him there for half a century. 

These relationships, the ones that Peltz has with Linda, Daniel and his grandchildren, with Michelle, with Osnel Charles, Bennie Briscoe, Jason Sosa and countless other boxers--these relationships don’t happen by accident.  They’re built on respect and on love. Love that isn’t screamed out loud, but is felt by actions.  Love that is disguised as feeling proud, or as the weight of guilt and regret.  A love that’s equal to or perhaps even more than that of his love for boxing.  Boxing will always be the place where Peltz can love out loud, but his legacy will forever be the quiet way he loved those he touched over the past 50 years.

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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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South Philly’s Phinest

By Luis A. Cortes III

We are rapidly approaching the first boxing show of the year in the Philadelphia area on Friday night at the 2300 Arena, a show that is being billed by the promoter Raging Babe as “Philly Special.” Aside from the fan friendly matchups that have helped to make this event a sellout, this card will feature two fighters from South Philadelphia that seem to only have the sky as their limit regarding their possible success. Christian Carto (17-0)(11 KO’s) a native of South Philadelphia who is currently a bantamweight prospect from the Carto fighting clan will be in the main event of the card. While Sonny Conto, a former heavyweight amateur standout, who like Carto, also hails from South Philadelphia and is of Italian heritage, will make his professional debut. This is significant for the sport in the city, since there have been musings throughout the local boxing community recently regarding how and if boxing will ever regain prominence in the forefront of mainstream sports fans mindset. Boxing’s relationship with the city of Philadelphia has been covered and is familiar to most boxing fans not just in the city, but throughout the country. 

What makes this card with these two fighters important, is the fact that with their success, there is an opportunity for the resurgence local insiders yearn for. Over the course of the past few years, Carto has proven that while he continues his growth as a young prospect inside of the ring, he is already established himself as a draw at the box office. He continues to fight locally, filling up the smaller venues throughout the city and his fan base has proven they will travel with him to Atlantic City. It is the type of grass roots support and fan base that has eluded many current world champions. Several reasons have caused this problem in the sport which makes the fact that Carto has been able to foster this type of support while remaining a free agent from any promotional company interesting. Sonny Conto on the other hand signed a promotional deal with Top Rank Promotions before even fighting a single round as a professional.

Although there is a contrast to how both fighters are going to progress in their careers from a business standpoint. With the fan base Carto has already shown, the belief is that Conto will not be far off in terms of the type of excitement that he will bring to the area when he fights. 

“Heavyweights are always appealing. Sonny is athletic, strong, well trained, and has good amateur experience,” stated Carl Moretti (Vice President of Top Rank Promotions). “Our belief is that he can transfer all of that into the professional ranks. He has a solid team behind him.” 

While Top Rank is known throughout the sport for nurturing their young talent into future world champions, there are always a select few that transition into superstar attractions.  When it comes to moving heavyweight fighters there are those that may feel the need to move him from future prospect all the way to contender at a rapid rate. Also, since the business at the heavyweight level is much larger in terms of finances, others may protect the talent and try to build him as an undefeated attraction.  “It depends on how well he shows he can handle each test put in front of him. It truly is a case by case basis. Each fighter is different,” suggested Moretti.

Conto is expected to live up to his raw talent and transform that into being a seasoned professional before there will be any discussions about just how far he can take his abilities up the ranks. It doesn’t hurt that he is just twenty-two years old. At 6’5 and weighing around 215 pounds, Conto moves well and is agile. As he matures physically, time will move him towards his physical prime.  It’s no wonder why Top Rank is making an investment into his future.  It also doesn’t hurt that even before fighting a single second as a professional, he also shows promise of having a fan base in the city and beyond. “Of course, that goes into his signing, he has a base that can be built off of. We don’t want him just to be an east coast fighter, he can expand beyond that into much more,” reiterated Moretti.  

Meanwhile in the main event, Christian Carto, as mentioned earlier, is already a major prospect. In fact, he has reached the point in his career where it’s about time for him to turn the corner from prospect to contender.  On Friday night, he faces Victor Ruiz, 22-10 (15 KO’s), a tough and rugged veteran, who has faced some of the best in the world around the bantamweight division. This is the right type of fight for Carto in terms of his progression towards becoming a serious contender at bantamweight. In Ruiz he will face a fighter who knows what it means to be a professional prizefighter with the savviness to possibly show Carto things he may not have experienced just yet. 

Therefore, it helps that his union with respected trainer Billy Briscoe has progressed past the stage of understanding each other. It takes several fights for fighters and a new trainer to build a serious rapport with one another and have an unspoken synergy. This is the type of relationship that seems to have reached that point when you watch them train.  

As for Carto being already the type of attraction that Top Rank hopes Sonny Conto can become soon, Carto and his team, which is made up of his father and older brother, hold all the proverbial cards in terms of business with promoters. 

“Christian has the chance to make it to the big time on his own. I don’t think he has to align himself with any promoter because of his popularity and his ability. He can go it alone,” stated Hall-of-Fame promoter J. Russell Peltz during a recent media event promoting this card. “I really believe that no promoter is going to come to Philly and say I don’t want him on my show cause he isn’t signed to me. That’s not going to happen.” 

As the progression continues for Carto inside of the ring along with his popularity outside of the ring, many believe that at some point he is going to have to sign with a promoter to get the types of fights he is fighting towards. Since he is not far from the role of contender, the pressure may be turned on by promoters looking to align themselves with such a popular and talented fighter.  It is not like most promoters haven’t already tried to sign him to an exclusive deal. “They should stay independent and build their own franchise.  He can help bring Philly back to the way it used to be when boxing was big. I know it’s a lot to put on his shoulders, but I really believe he can do it,” claimed Peltz.

It was mentioned earlier that this card is being promoted by Raging Babe, which is run by Michelle Rosado. Rosado has been active on the local scene in Philadelphia, as well as in North Carolina and Arizona. After learning the trade and craft of promoting from J. Russell Peltz (her mentor), Rosado is putting on her first show in Philadelphia. “She has learned from the best to ever do it in Philly in Peltz,” stated Moretti.  He is familiar with Rosado since she along with Peltz have worked with Top Rank on shows that the promotional company has put on in Philadelphia. “She is great at marketing and its great to have the relationship to continue working with her. Obviously, she knows what she is doing since it is already a sellout, “remarked Moretti. 

So yes, while the show is already sold out and the 2300 Arena will be at capacity, fans can watch all the action, including Sonny Conto and Christian Carto, on the Fight Night Live page on Facebook.

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Gerardo Martinez Returns to the Ring on "Philly Special" Show

By Matt Ward

The fighting pride of Coatesville, Pennsylvania Gerardo Martinez (3-1, 1 KO) returns to the ring next Friday night on Raging Babe's "Philly Special" show at the 2300 Arena. He is scheduled to square off with Atlantic City veteran pugilist Osnel Charles (12-18-1, 2 KOs) in a four round, super lightweight bout.

Martinez's sole career blemish in his young career was a close split decision loss to Vinnie Denierio  last March, a loss that in this writer's opinion, should have ended in favor of Martinez. Charles, on the other hand, has fought professionally since 2009, and has been in the ring with many promising prospects from the greater Philadelphia area. This fact has not been overlooked by Martinez, who is confident that his solid training will pay off against the 34-year-old who will fight for the 32nd time as a professional.

Gerardo Martinez

Leading up to the training camp for this bout, Martinez was out of the gym for eight weeks due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. The 23-year-old lightweight bounced back from this setback and trained even harder to ensure that he was "110%" ready for his first career showdown with a veteran opponent. Trainer Jim Deoria, a former Pennsylvania Lightweight Champion, told TWI that Gerardo sparred 12 to 20 rounds a week during training camp, with several sparring partners in his Phoenixville Area PAL gym, Bethlehem, and Philadelphia. 

When asked about Charles, Deoria said, "I am very familiar with Osnel Charles. I fought him with Ryan Carson in Atlantic City back in 2009! Osnel is a very solid boxer and he has the experience factor, but we feel that Gerardo is ready to step up for the challenge."

Deoria will be joined in Gerardo's corner by Joe Rowan, a long-time boxing trainer at the Phoenixville Area PAL. 

Gerardo Martinez and Osnel Charles are just two of the many fighters who will appear on the February 8th Raging Babe "Philly Special" show. Michelle Rosado, CEO of Raging Babe, has put together a card full of popular local and undefeated pro fighters including, Christian Carto (17-0, 11 KOs), Marcel Rivers (6-0, 4 KOs), Darmani Rock (13-0, 8 KOs), and Alejandro Jimenez (4-0, 1 KO). Sonny Conto, a highly successful amateur fighter who recently signed with Top Rank, will also make his professional debut on the card.

When asked about fighting on Raging Babe's "Philly Special" show, Martinez said, "I’m excited to fight on this card. I have had all my fights in Philadelphia. The communication she (Michelle Rosado) has with fighters is great, and in any business that's important. Her (Rosado) promotional skills are great and I’m excited for Feb 8th."

Tickets for Raging Babe's "Philly Special" show can be purchased on the 2300 Arena website, and start at just $50. 

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Top Five Posts of 2017!

Here are the top five most viewed posts on The Weigh-In: Your Home for Combat Sports in 2017:

1. The Weigh-In Podcast #13 (Joe Hand, Jr. - President of Joe Hand Promotions, Inc.) by Matt Ward

2. Michelle Rosado and Marko Bailey Interview by Matt Ward

3. Pat Gordon of Notre Dame Men's Boxing Interview by Matt Ward 

4. Will the Real Boxing Fans Please Stand Up by Luis A. Cortes III

5. Branden Pizarro Interview by Luis A. Cortes III

We here at The Weigh-In: Your Home for Combat Sports are grateful for all of your support throughout 2017! Here's to a great 2018!

TWI Staff

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Michelle Rosado and Marko Bailey Interview

My latest Bonus Round interview is with promoter, Michelle Rosado, and lightweight boxing prospect, Marko Bailey. Michelle, Marko, and I discussed the upcoming Thursday Night Fights at the Armory show on October 19th in Durham, NC. The show is promoted by Michelle's company Raging Babe, and features Marko Bailey (5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Stevie Massey (4-1, 4 KOs) in the six round, main event. Bailey and Massey will fight for the vacant North Carolina Lightweight Title.

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

Bonus Round - Promoter Michelle Rosado and Boxer Marko Bailey Discuss the 10/19 Raging Babe Show on SoundCloud

Bonus Round - Promoter Michelle Rosado and Boxer Marko Bailey Discuss the 10/19 Raging Babe Show on iTunes

For more information on Michelle Rosado, Marko Bailey, and Raging Babe, check out the following links:

Raging Babe Official Website

Raging Babe Facebook Page

Raging Babe Instagram Page

Raging Babe Twitter - @RagingBabe

Marko Bailey's BoxRec Page

Marko Bailey's Facebook Page

Marko Bailey's Instagram

Marko Bailey's Twitter - @bullcity_bully

The October 19th Thursday Night Fights at the Armory card also features the following bouts:

Joseph Jackson (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. Monreco Goldston (5-0-1, 3 KOs), six rounds, junior middleweights

Donnie Marshall (5-0, 4 KOs) vs. Marcos Primera (20-35-3, 13 KOs), six rounds, middleweights

Blake Mansfield (4-1-1, 2 KOs) vs. Courtney McCleave (2-7, 1 KO), six rounds, super middleweights

Hasim Rahman Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Joe Coats (Debut), four rounds, heavyweights

Landry Kore (6-0, 2 KOs) vs. TBA, six rounds, super middleweights

Carlos Olmeda (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Vinnie Denierio (2-2, 1 KO), four rounds, junior lightweights

Darmani Rock (8-0, 5 KOs) vs. Juan Goode (8-6, 6 KOs), six rounds, heavyweights

Fanlong Meng (11-0, 7 KOs) vs. Quinton Rankin (12-4-2, 9 KOs), eight rounds, light heavyweights

Wellington Romero (12-0-1, 6 KOs) vs. Mike Fowler (6-10, 2 KOs), six rounds, welterweights

MW

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