Teon Kennedy plows Snow, Mussachio is bad to the bone at The New Alhambra

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photos by Mike "Teek" McGuigan

The good streak of fights continues at The New Alhambra as J. Russell Peltz puts on another winner which saw ascending featherweight Teon Kennedy take on one of his undefeated peers. The co-feature saw the Philly debut of Wildwood's undefeated Chuckie Mussachio who took on Delaware's Richie Stewart in a 8 rounder to see who would become the 1st ever BAM champion. On the under card, some were questioning if Simon "One Punch" Carr would show up to his fight against Larry Robinson. One Punch did in fact show to the fight many thought if it did go off would not go to the scorecards. Dennis Hasson and "Flawless" Anthony Flores both were making their third straight start at The New Alhambra and this time the competition was bumped up a bit. The pro debuting Luis "Smurf" Esquilin was asked to make his bones agaisnt the always tough Tommy Garcia of Connecticut. In the curtain closer, Martinus Clay got a rare opportunity to go in as a favorite when he took on Shawn Purdy of MI. Would Clay show everyone he hasn;t forgotten how to get the W? Scroll Down to find out what happened on the corner of Swanson & Ritner.


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Featherweight Division

Teon Kennedy....vs....Thomas Snow
North Philly..........Baltimore, MD
8-0, 5KO'S............10-0, 8KO'S


this night's main event was a head to head match-up pitting two fighters considered to be among the best prospects in the featherweight division. Teon Kennedy, a former national amateur champion from North Philly has become a regular at The New Alhambra since turning pro in january of 2006. This night would mark his first opportunity to be the headline attraction.

Thomas "KO" Snow of Baltimore is a bit old to be considered a true prospect, but at age 27 he has compiled a 10 - 0, 8ko record against limited competition after a successful run as an amateur.

On paper, this was an evenly matched, intriguing match-up. In the ring, it was a one sided mopping as Kennedy exploded early in the 2nd round to KO Snow with a sizzling 4 punch combo on the ropes which left him down and out for the 10 count.

With the win, Kennedy continues to move forward towards an opportunity at a regional title and is creating a nice buzz as a good finisher.

Winner, Teon Kennedy, 2nd round TKO 1:21.












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Light Heavyweight Division
B.A.M. Title Fight

Chuckie Mussachio....vs.....Richard Stewart
Wildwood, NJ................New Castle, DE
11-0, 5ko's.................14 - 5, 8ko's

For a while now, this fight was one that has been mentioned in passing by many fans and writers as something they would like to see or have been hearing whispers about happening sometime in the near future. After months of chatter and speculation, this one was finally inked and to top it off, Joey Eye & Vin LaManna's newly formed B.A.M belt would be up for grabs to find out just who is the baddest, meanest S.O.B. in the tri-state area. It was a nice contrast of styles, Mussachio the well schooled boxer against Stewart the hard nosed tough guy.

Mussachio, a former two time NCAA boxing champion in the 175 class, now makes his living primarily as a school teacher by day and bartender at night. His active professional career outside of the ring, combined with what some consider to be sub-par performances in his last 3 boxing matches led some to speculate that he may not be as motivated as he once was. Others point to this extensive amateur background as a big plus and now with a possible ranking with a major sanctioning body affiliate within his grasp, Mussachio will do what is needed so he can be in position to make some real money in this sport in the near future.

Stewart's journey on the other hand started out fighting on the streets of New Castle Delaware. After serving a 4 year prison term for gun charges, Stewart turned pro in 2004. He brings a rabid fan base to the arena who cheer loud when he wins and usually get into their own fights after the show if he loses. After winning only 2 of his last 6 before this night, the Stewart team knew it is getting very close to the now or never point where they can move on somewhere near the level of his younger brother Mike "No Joke" Stewart.

Though both parties at one point or another indicated that they thought this would be a fairly easy win when it was all said and done this turned out to be a fan friendly, two way action fight with very few breaks in the pace. In the early going, it looked like Mussachio was in for a cake walk as he circled and peppered the incoming Stewart with a very accurate jab as he switched from both sides of the plate.

Stewart, who has absolutely no-quit in him would take these jabs to get on the inside where he would put some hard punches together on Mussachio's rib cage.

It was almost curtains for Stewart in a frantic paced second round. Both fighters went balls out early leading to action that had the crowd on its feet. Mussachio got the upper hand late in the round and unloaded in the corner which sent Stewart to the canvas. Stewart managed to beat the count and was on unsteady legs as Mussachio went in to seal the deal but Stewart was able to land a huge desperation left hook which bought him time until the round ended. The crowd cheered loudly in appreciation.

After this point, the fight slowed from a wild gun fight and settled into more of a theme as Mussachio circled and worked behind his jab and Stewart focused mainly on the body.

Eventually the fight went to the cards and all three judges saw it in favor of Mussachio by scores of 78-73, 77-74 & 76 - 75. who improves to 12 - 0, 5ko's













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Super Middleweight Division

Dennis Hasson.....vs.....Robert Izzararri
Kensington, Philly.......Orlando, FL
2-0, 1KO.................2 - 4

When you hear a fighter is from Kensington, one would probably expect that he is a face first, all out brawler. Dennis Hasson is the exception to the rule and on this night he gave his best showing as a pro working behind jabs and picking the right spots to land a lot of overhand rights and left hooks on his opponent who refused to go away even though he was hurt on a few separate occasion. The fight eventually went to the scoredcards which all read 40 - 36 for "The Assassin" Dennis Hasson who improves to 3 - 0 and had the crowd talking after the fights.







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Lightweight Division

Anthony Flores....vs....Ramon Guevava
Philly..................Dominican Republic
2-0, 1ko................8-16, 6ko's

"Flawless" Anthony Flores makes it three wins in a row, this time against a pretty damn tough customer in Ramon Guevara who's mission in boxing is to test any and all prospects in the lightweight division.

After a steady opening round where Flores boxed circles around Guevara, the man from the Dominican decided to up the pressure in the 2nd. Guevara started coming in hard and though he never caught Flores clean, he was making statements. Flores turned it up a notch himself late in the round and scored a knockdown with a big flurry in the corner as time expired in the round.

Guevara beat the count and continued to throw bombs, some of which landed while most barely missed as Flores boxed and looked for spots to unload. In the final frame with Guevara having already shot his load, Flores showed that he had the btter stamina and scored another knockdown before the final bell sounded. It went to the cards which read 40 - 34 across the board.

Winner "Flawless Anthony Flores who improves to 3 - 0, 1ko.






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Junior Middleweight Division

Martinus Clay....vs....Shawn Purdy
North Carolina.........Detroit, MI
12- 18, 4ko's..........3-4, 3ko's

In boxing, even the opponents need opponents. Martinus Clay is the ultimate opponent, having faced off against a laundry list of world class prospects in the welterweight and jr. middleweight division. These fights usually happen on short notice in the other guys hometown and because of this, Clay hasn't gotten a W since June of '06 when he shocked the then 35 - 1 Matt Vanda in New York. Since then his best performances have been two draws against undefeated prospects Harry Yorgey and Tim Coleman.

This can be very deceiving because Clay is a talented fighter and on this night his load was lightened against the much less experienced Shawn Purdy of MI. In this fight it was all Clay all night. Left hooks to the body, straight rights up stairs, Clay was on point all night. He drew first blood in the 1st opening Purdy's nose and by the 3rd, the ringside doctor saw enough and ordered the fight be stopped.

It is a rare occasion when Clay is in position to get a win. There could be moe than meets the eye here. Could this have been a spot for Clay to gain some confidence for another fight of higher significance in the near future? Time will tell, stay tuned.

Until then, here's to Martinus Clay, one of the ultimate warriors of boxing.

Winner by 3rd round TKO, Martinus Clay









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Cruiserweight Division

Larry Robinson....vs....Simon Carr
South Philly............South Philly
9-3, 7ko's..............4-1, 3ko's

Leading up to this battle between two South Philly Cruiserweights, there was a lot of hoopla surrounding the fight. Some were saying Carr was going to back out of this fight at the last minute which sparked off a lot of debate.

Unfortunately, this one was more interesting outside of the ring than it was inside. Two big punchers carefully moved around the ring wary of the others power. While almost everyone who said this was would happen predicted that someone would be knocked out, the action never had many dramatic moments unlike many moments in the past for both fighters.

After six rounds of holding and inside fighting it went to the scorecards. Two judges saw it 60 - 54, 59 - 55 for Robinson with the final tally being even at 57 - 57.

Winner by majority decision: Larry Robinson








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Lightweight Division

Luis Esquillin....vs...Tommy Garcia
North Philly...........Connecticut
pro debut..............2-1, 1ko

In an interesting match-up which matched an outsider who has become a familiar familiar face against an unknown just getting his feet wet in the pro boxing game. Connecticut's Tommy Garcia hasn't been given any ducks since turning pro and has turned in some solid performances against local Philly talent. On this night, at least on paper it seemed that he could be in a little easier than usual.

As it turns out, his opponent, Luis "Smurf" Esquillin, is an 18 year old southpaw fresh out of Billy Briscoe's Oven which at minimum means the kid is tough.

After a slow 1st round where not a whole lot happened with either party, Esquillan picked things up midway through the second round working inside and landing straight left hands as Garcia circled and tried to use the ring to his advantage.

Garcia did his best work in the 3rd as he seemed to settle down, began to throw and land his jab and at times follow it up with the straight right. Smurf took a few good shots and fired back some straight lefts and right hooks in return.

A nice scrap broke out early in the 4th as Esquillan applied pressure and looked to unload in the corner but he did get a little careless and was quickly greeted by a hard Garcia counter right which slowed down the pace for the rest of the round. Esquillan seemed to do more down the stretch, popping in and out throwing mostly straight left hand and a few arching rights.

The fight went to the score card which were all in favor of Esquillan showing scores of 40 - 36 x2 & 39 - 37.

Even in a loss which wasn't his best showing, Garcia proved he is a durable fighter who isn't to be taken lightly. Esquillan on the other hand showed some flashes of a guy who could develop into a nice action fighter. If he keeps it up, before long he could be slippin' the mickey, throwing the Mexican and dropping the sleeper on pro's for a long time.

Winner by unanimous decision: Luis Esquillan who improves to 1 - 0








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If you have any questions, comments or suggestions you can email Philly Keith at keith@phillykeith.com

Go to www.phillykeith.com for up to the minute info on the Philly boxing scene

Michael Grant wins in comeback, Tim Witherspoon Jr gets a rare exhibition KO

It was a night to forget at The National Guard Armory as a horrible job of promoting by Southern Starr Promotions led to plenty of fight fall outs and a crowd that couldn't top the 150 people mark. While this night almost certainly will be the first and last time this promotional outfit will be seen in Philly, there were some contestants in the ring who showed they are worthy of being seen again.






In the Main Event, Michael Grant shook off over a year of ring rust to win a unanimous deicison over Demetrius King who had previously won 5 straight bouts. Grant looks hesitant early but as the fight went on seemed to become more comfortable. King was no slouch and at times would sit in the pocket to trade punches with his much bigger foe. In the end, King began to wear down and Grant's impressive physical condition came into play as he was the fresher man down the stretch. With the win, Grant looks for one last shot at the heavyweight gold. Word of a potential Michael Grant vs. Bruce Seldon fight is in the works.


Tim Witherspoon Jr scored what could possibly be the first ever exhibition bout KO as he starched his opponent early in the display. Spoon Jr was originally sceduled for a real fight but it was called off at the last minute due to his opponent being too light of all things.



Tanzee Daniels and Tiffany Woodward showed they are two ladies who can bring it on as they put on a hard fought 4 round fight that could have gone either way. Woodward seemed to be in control early landing some good rights and uppercuts as they stood toe to toe but Daniel chenged it up in the 3rd switching from brawler to boxer, slipping jabs and circling around the ring which caused Woodward to keep signaling to bring it on! The fight eventually went to the judges who gave a split decision to Tanzee Daniels.


Jose Guzman's experience was the deciding factor in his majority decision win over the pro debuting Jamar Sanders.



Gustavo Dailey overcame 2 cuts over his left eye to win a hard fought unanimous decision over Devon Ellis. Dailey who started his career off slow, has now won 2 in a row


Alexander Mancera came to Philly as a very late replacement and stole a win from Jameel Wilson in a 6 rounder that had it's moments.






If you have any questions, comments or concerns email me at keith@phillykeith.com

Go to www.phillykeith.com for up to the minute info on the Philly boxing scene

Tommie Big Poppa Speller Interview

Style, either you have it or you don't. Tommie "Big Poppa" Speller has it and it comes in a variety of forms. In the ring his style is that of a fighter who is looking to knock you out. When he is not in the ring, you can usually catch him ringside giving them a run for their money as the best dressed man in the house. But Tommie Speller's story goes deep than a hard right hand and a fresh pair of shoes. Like most who grew up in Philly, his road wasn't an easy one. After a lifetime of fighting in the streets Big Poppa brought his two handed attack to the professional boxing ring in October of 2006. His career started off strong scoring three knockouts in his first three pro fights. There was some controversy to follow and now a stretch of inactivity for Team Poppa. Some were starting to wonder "where is he at?" Big Poppa recently took the time to clear the air and go in depth on how he got started, what has been happening in his life and what he looks forward to next in the ring. Read closely because Big Pop drops a few bombs and a few names in this exclusive interview!


PK: Big Poppa, thanks for taking the time. Let’s get right into it. It has been a little while since we last saw you fight. What’s going on these days?

BP: Nothing too much, just taking a little time off but working on a few different styles and things. Doing what I got to do so Big Poppa can keep doing what he was doing which is knockin’ jokers out.

PK: How did you get started or what was it that got you interested in boxing?

BP: As a kid I used to fight for my sisters a lot. I did a lot of fighting in the neighborhood, coming home from school fighting every day. I just grew up fighting and I always thought I was good. As I got older I figured I wanted to fight for a living because I was always good with my hands. When I got older my grandfather put me in the gym and it was on from there.
Later on in life I got caught up in the street life selling drugs and messing around with guns and so forth. I ended up in the penitentiary and was incarcerated for 5 years, came home but went back for violating parole. I was training; my mind was already set for what I would do when I got out. When I did get out, I stuck to the game plan and started getting into the gym even more. I had a little amateur background but that didn’t play out too well because I have a professional fight style. A lot of the judges and referees told me as an amateur that I would be good as a pro. Sure enough when I turned pro and not trying to sound arrogant, I did my thing, the thing that makes me Big Poppa.

PK: Which brings me to your Pro debut, I was there that night and you scored an early knockout win, what was going through your mind?

BP: I basically thought this is my job, this is what I do. There was a good feeling about it because of the crowd but it was a lot different because I was in a professional atmosphere. I right away I knew this is the real deal, this ain’t practice. After the 1st round I settled down a little bit, Greg had a little talk with me, after that I blocked everything out of my mind and did what I had to do is knock him out.

PK: Let’s talk about the current fight game, the Philly fight game in particular. There have been a few talked about fights for you recently, some speculation out there but recently they haven’t seemed to go through. Is there anyone in particular out there who you have your eye on or you think has their eye on you for a potential fight?

BP: Hopefully I will step back in the ring around August, there are some things I am working on and I really want to do. Next time you see Big Poppa it’s gonna be even more of a threat. Right now I am having some trouble with opponents but there are still some good fighters around who will fight me and could make it a good fight. As far as me having my eyes on anybody, I had my eyes on Tony Ferrante, but me and Tony are good friends, the fight was supposed to happen but I can’t argue the fact he didn’t want that fight because of a friendship. If it ever had to happen I think me and Tony would be a good fight. Besides Tony, me and Black Gold, Jameel Wilson. I definitely want to fight Jameel I think he is a good fighter and it would be a good fight. Some people don’t think he hold any true weight anymore but you have to remember that at one time he was a top fighter out of Philadelphia and a state title holder. We are good friends and I am not saying this with arrogance. Do I think I can beat him? Yeah I think I can beat him, can he beat me? Of course, in this game it’s a 50/50 chance, anything can happen. I can’t talk bad about him. We trained and sparred against each other. It is something I really just want. We would give a crowd a good show and I think Jameel would be all for it. Jameel has a great style for me and I have a great style for him. We will see how it goes.

PK: It sounds like there is a lot of respect for him, you say some doubt Jameel’s status but I think he is far from washed up.

BP: I don’t believe he is washed up at all. I need a fight like this, I am working my way towards a state title fight, he has already been there and he knows what it takes.

PK: All of your fights have been on Power Productions cards. Is there an official deal in place or more of a fight by fight take it as it comes thing?

BP: Right now me and Greg Robinson are working on something. My original contract is expired I gave him what he wanted he gave me what I wanted. Me and Greg have a great level of respect for one another. He was my original trainer before I went over to Bozy’s.

I don’t plan on leaving Greg. There have been some other offers but I am the type of guy who tries to stay loyal. Greg has been loyal to me but in boxing you gotta go where the money is. I am quite sure Greg would respect that. Right now I am still apart of Power and still fight under Power, me and Tyric and us guys. I am not under contract at this point but we are in negotiations. You can never tell how things might end up.

Some guys will give you some money so they can have you as one of their fighters but I don’t feel that Greg would just put me out there over my head just to make money and not care weather I am winning or losing. I don’t feel that he would put me out there just to make fights and not care weather I am winning or losing.

PK: What is it like training at the Bozy’s Gym, in your words and through your eyes?

BP: It’s rough, it’s like a real dungeon, and the name speaks for itself. It is a private owned gym. Nothing fancy about the gym, we have the basics, ring, punching bags, speed bags and such, we got the music jumpin’, it’s a strict work environment. There is no one down at the dungeon who can’t fight. It makes you think about nothing but trying to be the best. A lot of top guys come through there that is why this gym is so reputable. Everyone knows that Bozy is a hell of a trainer. No one will doubt he is why Pooh and Demetrius and them are at the level they are at. They been there since they were small. It is what it is. It’s real hot in the summer, freezing cold in the winter, it is what it is. Some cold blooded dudes down there, man.

Now I am training with Demetrius Hopkins, Rasheem Brown, Farah, and all them. All those guys down there can fight. I am still have some work to do but the level of fight game in there, that is what is getting me through and I am doing real good over there.

My uncle Chauncey is also in my corner, I love him to death. He sees a lot of the things that I don’t see. He is in the gym after his day at work with the head trainers. When I am outside of the gym it’s still like we are still in the gym because my mind is on boxing. We talk about things go over things we need to work on, work on the pads and so forth and so on. Chauncey is a real blessing he is there day in and day out. He is a part of team Poppa and we want to take it all the way.

PK: What’s Big Poppa looking for in the long run?

BP: In the long run, no doubt with all seriousness I got to become champ of the world. My mom passed away. Now everything I do in boxing is in her remembrance. Now I want her to rest in peace and for her to know through all my troubles and struggles in life that I tried out to be successful. I gotta make that come true, every fight my son is with me, my wife is out there in the audience, and my grandfather, the first guy to ever put me in the gym is there in the front row watching his grandson fight. I want to see him enjoying that moment for me before anything has to happen to him. Me and my wife had our moments but we are back together and she is down with Team Poppa. She and my family period give me that drive. With the condition of my health she makes it worth my while waking up every morning. I give all my praise to God first and foremost.

PK: You touched on your health situation earlier, can you elaborate?

BP: Yeah we can talk about it a little bit, I was just diagnosed with stomach cancer. It is nothing major or life threatening. I am under the doctor’s care and they are still running tests and they tell me things look good. When I first found out the news, I had to step back on a fight because of my health. I didn’t want to do anything except be by myself or with my family. Now, I am mentally back in the game. Physically I am getting back in the game. I have a few appointments coming up and my wife is helping me but like I said it is nothing life threatening. I don’t want to speak too fast on nothing right now.

PK: Well I definitely wish the best for you and hope that everything turns out for the best with your health.

BP: I definitely appreciate that, Keith

PK: You are known for your skills in the ring but you are also known for your skills putting an outfit together. Where do you get the threads Big Pop?

BP: Awwwwwwww man, know what? I shop at so many stores, if I told you that, we’d have everyone in the industry wearing suits. I like to shop different place, one of my favorite spots is Boyd’s. Yeah I like to go to Boyd’s. Anywhere else I can’t tell you. If you ever want some Gators I’ll tell you to go down South Street. You let it be known that Big Poppa and his wife are ready to get remarried again!

PK: I think we covered a lot, is there anything you want to add before we close?

BP: Just to keep God first in your life. Other than that I just want everyone to know that Big Poppa will be back on the scene in a fast minute and they gonna have problems Keith, problems! I’m ready to take over the Super Middleweight division. Anybody who thinks they do it in that division, I say call me, get in touch with my promoter, get in touch with my team. I am ready for anybody out there, that’s just the attitude I got. They know Big Poppa so they know what they are in for!

PK: Thanks for your time Big Pop, look forward to seeing you soon.

BP: No Doubt, I appreciate it Keith! Alright homie!



If you have any questions, comments or suggestions you can email Philly Keith at keith@phillykeith.com

Go to www.phillykeith.com for up to the minute info on the Philly boxing scene

Mike Jones batters Venegas, Belasco and Vasquez go to war at The New Alhambra

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com

It was a rainy, soggy night on the street of Philly this Friday but promoter J. Russell Peltz still managed to pack them in and send them out as satisfied customers with this entertaining 8 fight card at The New Alhambra. On top of the bill for this evening was the local scenes hottest name, Mike "Machine Gun" Jones who returned home after receiving his first taste of main stream TV exposure a few months back in a win over Germaine Sanders of Chicago. On this night, Jones was to face another Chicagoian in the form of Gilbert Venegas, a known tough guy with a mahogany head and solid right hand to match. Though Venegas record won't blow you away, he is battle test against some of the worlds best fighters in the welterweight division. The co-feature had the Philadelphia return of "King" Gabriel Rosado, a hard hitting 22 year old who is looking to cement his name as one of the areas best and on this night he would have to do it against a familiar face in Mustapha Johnson in the rematch of their 2006 contest which ended in a majority decision win for Rosado. Two years later, they meet again under different circumstances. Rosado who has recently become a promotional free agent is the interest of a some organizations in need of an exciting fighter. Johnson on the other hand has rebounded from this loss to pull the rug from under local fighters who were on winning streaks. The under card was highlighted by a dream card special pitting the boxing barber Victor Vasquez against Delaware's Ryan Belasco in a 6 rounder. This one came as advertised and both men gave it their all. Larry Robinson was in for a tune up against William Bailey to prep up for his proposed fight with Simon "One Punch" Carr. This one got interesting really quick. The trifecta of Dennis Hasson, Anthony Flores and Pedro Martinez looked to follow up succesful pro debuts, but it wasn't mean to be for all three. Pottstown's Travis Thompson has been winning over fans with his recent performances and looked to make it 3 in a row against Connecticut's Tommy Garcia in a lightweight battle. There were quite a few really good fights and finally some good ring girls to boot which went along with an acknowledgment to Charles "The Hatchet" Brewer and Curtis Parker recently being inducted to the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame. Scroll down to get the ringside report.


WELTERWEIGHTS

MIKE JONES....vs......GILBERT VENEGAS
146 pounds....WEIGHT...147 pounds
Chicago, IL............North Philadelphia
10-5-3, 7 K0s..........13-0, 12 K0s

It was a fight designed to give rising prospect Mike "Machine Gun" Jones another good, stiff test against a fighter who has faced world class competition. Originally scheduled for early March, this one was postponed because of Venegas going AWOL during training. It probably would have been in his best interest to stay truant because for 8 rounds, Mike Jones battered and bruised the Chicago tough guy en route to a very impressive and one sided unanimous decision win.

After a slow opening round, Jones picked up the pace in the second, used his size and speed advantage, circling Venegas and painting him with quick fire jabs that found its mark. Working behind this jab for the majority of the contest, Jones was able to find openings for the straight right, some well place three and four punch combination and quite a few hard hooks to the body. There were no knockdowns in the fight but there were a few occasions where Venegas was stunned, particularly in the 8th when Jones landed an uppercut that almost sent his whole head into the 5th row. Miraculously (or maybe foolishly) Venegas was still standing but the song remained the same. It went the 8 round distance in what must have seemed to be an eternity for Venegas. To no ones surprise, all three judges scored it 80-72 in favor of Mike Jones.

Venegas, to his credit, took a good old fashioned licking but his will was never broken. After taking a variety of shots that would have left most men down and out, he kept coming forward and throwing right hand in an attempt to steal the win. While victory would elude him, he did show that he would prove a major test for any up and comer in the welterweight division who thinks they have what it takes to be a contender.

Though it was a decision win, this is the most complete performance to date of Mike Jones career. He fought smart, his punches were accurate and took some good punches very well. He used his size and speed like never before. The knockout machine is evolving into a true boxer. Up next is a possible August date on Telefutura against an opponent TBD.

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com











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JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS

RYAN BELASCO....vs....VICTOR VASQUEZ
137.5 pounds...WEIGHT...136 pounds
Wilmington, DE..........North Philadelphia
6-2-3, 1 K0.............7-1, 4 K0s

In a great piece of matchmaking, we had a fight between two men with many similarities. Both are familiar faces around this circuit and bring a crowd to the arena, both have never lost when fighting at The New Alhambra, both have spent small fortunes at the tattoo parlor and both like to get right at it and fight when the bell sounds. This one promised fireworks and they sure did deliver.

Belasco had the better in ring experience coming into this fight, taking on a decent mix of journeyman and prospects in his time as a pro. The knock on him was that he was notorious for fading out after a few hard rounds. Vasquez, who has a crowd friendly style, was getting his first crack at a fighter with a winning record.

After three rounds of good, hard exchanges, Vasquez has the misfortune of a swollen left eye that would eventually grow to the size of a walnut. Vasquez was at the disadvantage of fighting with one eye but continued to bring the fight right to his opponent. Belasco took it as well as he gave it and used this swelling as a target, repeatedly popping jabs and straight right to the face.

By the 5th round, the medical personnel became concerned, stopping the action to take a look. Vasquez made it to the bell but the ring doctor saw enough, order the fight be stopped before the 6th round began. At the time of the stoppage, Belasco was ahead 48-47, 48-47, 49-46.

On this night Ryan Belasco secured his best win as a pro. After the way this one ended, I am sure Victor Vasquez will want some revenge, let's hope that the eye heals fast and we are all treated to the rematch soon.

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com





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JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

MUSTAFAH JOHNSON....vs....GABRIEL ROSADO
156 pounds........WEIGHT....157.5 pounds
Indianapolis, IN...........North Philadelphia
5-3-1, 2 K0s...............8-2, 6 K0s

This was an interesting match up between another set of familiar faces on the Philly fight scene. "King" Gabriel Rosado, though only 22 years old has seen his share of controversy during his time as a pro. Now a promotional free agent, "Gaby" was returning home after settling some unfinished business avenging a prior loss when he knocked out Joshua Onyango in 2 rounds last month in New York.

He returned to Philly to face Mustapha Johnson who was also looking to avenge a prior loss received at the hands of Rosado almost two years ago. Since that fight, Johnson has improved drastically and has given some of the areas better middleweights a tough night and is more than capable of pulling out the win.

Rosado is best known for his knockout power but Johnson is the type of fighter who refuses to let you look your best against him. Alot of the rounds here were very similar. Rosado would start out circling, throwing some jabs and mixing in a few rights. Johnson would work his way inside,land a few in return them hold on. In every round, it seemed that Rosado would pick up the pace and fire off hard combinations.

Johnson to his credit has a pretty under rated chin. He took some solid rights and kept on fighting. Overall, Rosado was too strong and down the stretch was able to break out of clinches and put his heavy right hand to use. It went to the scorecards with the judges seeing it 59-55, 59-55, 60-54 in favor of Rosado.

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com









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CRUISERWEIGHTS

LARRY ROBINSON....vs....WILLIAM BAILEY
193.5 pounds.....WEIGHT...193.75 pounds
South Philly.............Chesapeake, VA
8-3, 6 K0s...............8-13-2, 5 K0s

This fight was signed as a tune-up for a Larry Robinson vs Simon Carr showdown in July, but Robinson was the one who almost got tuned up as William Bailey came out blazing in the first. About :20 into the round, Bailey landed a hard right and followed up with two more that put Robinson down. Robinson beat the count and was able to withstand and big barrage as Bailey looked to close the show.

Things didn't look much better to start the 2nd as Bailey tried to seal the deal but instead got caught with booming right hand that put him on his seat. Bailey beat the count but was still dazed and Robinson finished the job soon after with another hard right which left the referee no option but to call an end to the contest at 2:33 of the round.

After the fight, Simon "One Punch" Carr went on record to say he accepts the proposed fight against Robinson.

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com






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JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS

ANTHONY FLORES....vs....DARRELL MARTIN
130 pounds......WEIGHT...130 pounds
North Philly.............Baltimore, MD
1-0, 1 K0................2-2

"Flawless" Anthony Flores made it two in a row when took a unanimous decision win over a capable Darrell Martin in a match up of two accomplished amateur champions.

Early in the fight, Martin made the mistake of trying to out box Flores and was taken to school. Flores would move in, throw two and three punch combos and get out before the fire returned. He also threw some good, hard hooks to the body which took some wind out of Martin's sails.

Going into the third, Martin looked finished in the corner but he dug deep and had his best round of the fight. Instead of boxing, he came moved forward and landed some clean left hooks to the head. It probably wasn't enough to win the round but he did make it competitive. Martin had the jab working early in the 4th but Flores stepped on the gas and became more active, throwing hooks to the body and uppercuts on the chin as Martin looked to get a knockout late in the fight. It went to the score cards and all three judges saw it 40- 36 in favor of Flores

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com

 
 
 
 

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MIDDLEWEIGHTS

CHARLES KIRBY....vs....DENNIS HASSON
167 pounds......WEIGHT..166 pounds
North Philly............Kensington
1-3 .....................1-0

This one was short but pretty sweet, Dennis Hasson made a successful pro debut back in March but Charles Kirby showed right away that he wasn't going to lay down in this one. It didn't take long for these fighters to start throwing the leather. After a scuffle on the ropes, Kirby got Hasson's attention with a hard right that landed flush but Hasson returned the favor with a two piece combo that wobbled Kirby. After a few more big rights and lefts. Kirby was in serious trouble and holding on for dear life. Just as he was about to go, the bell sounded. Between rounds, referee Shawn Clark saw enough and stopped the bout which earned The Assassin Hasson his first win as a pro.

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com









__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ LIGHTWEIGHTS

TOMMY GARCIA....VS....TRAVIS THOMPSON
133 pounds....WEIGHT...131 pounds
Hartford, CT...........Pottstown, PA
1-1, 1 K0..............2-1, 2 K0s

Two fighters who compete in a growing lightweight division faced off against each other in hopes of putting their name in the mix. Travis Thompson has the look of a throwback fighter with his gritty, let's have a fight style. Tommy Garcia was back in town after splitting a series last year with Felix Arroyo. Garcia was taller and had a bigger build but Thompson is quicker and seemed to be the more active of the two. Both fighters tried to put their advantages to use, Thompson on many occasions tried to initiate the action but seemed to mistime a variety of jump jabs, hooks and overhand rights. When the fight went inside, Garcia was able to withstand the charge and landed a few hard hooks of his own which would at least temporarily stop any rally that Thompson would build. No knockdowns or serious trouble for either man and it went the four round distance. Two judges scored it 40 - 36 in favor of Garcia while a third judge saw it 38 - 38.

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com









Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com
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CRUISERWEIGHTS

AHMED SAMIR....vs....PEDRO MARTINEZ
195 pounds...........191.5 pounds/24 years/5'11"
NYC, NY...............North Philadelphia
1-0 ...................1-0, 1 K0

Ahmed Samir once again came in as the hand picked opponent for a promotionally carried ticket seller and once again he leaves a winner. It almost ended really early as Samir scored two knockdowns in the 1st round. Martinez was able to survive the early scare and in the 3rd, looked like he was going to return the favor. Samir showed a lot of grit by withstanding this attack and coming back to look strong in the 4th and final round. At times it looked more like a street fight than it did a boxing match but overall it was pretty entertaining. The fight went to the cards with the judges seeing it 38-36, 39-35, 39-35 in favor of Samir who was showered with boo's upon his exit.

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com



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Rasheem Brown, Tyric Robinson & Jose Hernandez win titles at The National Guard Armory!

photos by Zach Radel
It was title night at The National Guard Armory as Promoter Greg Robinson, matchmaker Ty McNeil and the Power Productions crew upped the anti with a five fight card, three having championship implications. On paper, it looked great and in the ring it was even better as every fight on the card proved something memorable. We had an big upset in the USBA featherweight title fight, a fight of the year candidate as two men looked to become the Tri-State Super Middleweight Champ, a fight off the Philly Keith Sports dream card which came as advertised for the regional USBA Jr. Welterweight title and an under card which gave an early KO of the year candidate and also displayed a rising prospects arsenal but also showed a grizzled journeyman's desire to finish a fight on his feet. It was one of the best constructed cards in recent memory and continued Power Production push into the upper echelon of Philly boxing Promotions giving fans what they want to see, good tough fights that are even money. The stands were packed and new announcer Chad Beene was on the microphone for this highly anticipated night of pro boxing in Northeast Philly.

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USBA Featherweight Title Fight!

Rashiem Jefferson...vs...Jose Hernandez
Philly..................Mexico
15-0, 6ko's.............10-6, 4ko's

The main event matched two polar opposites who were able to position themselves for a title fight in completely different manners. North Philly's Rasheim Jefferson is billed as "Rich and Famous", had a highly decorated amateur career and came equipt with a team that carefully guided his every step as a pro. Securing promotional deals and getting him the right fights at the right time against the right opponents in hopes of making making a push towards the divisions elite. In the other corner, it is safe to say that Jose Hernandez could have been accurately billed as "Broke and Unknown". His career path has taken the road of the unheralded journeyman. This fighter learned his craft fighting for scraps in the ancient Aztec land of Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico. Hernandez earned his stripes in the professional ranks fighting only the up and comers, the ones who had high hopes of one day reaching a championship level. Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost. This night was a familiar scene in his young career, traveling into his opponents hometown to take one a a fighter looking to become the divisions shining star. This time, the stakes were higher than any other fight either man had faced in their career, the USBA featherweight title was on the line and the winner was guaranteed a top 15 ranking in the world after this one.

Hernandez entered the ring first, with three men by his side, proudly holding their native Mexican flag. Coming in last was Jefferson who arrived with a deep entourage and heavy odds in his favor. It was obvious who the majority of the near sell out crowd was rooting for.

Once the opening bell sounded, a fight that was expected to be a boxing display broke down into a back alley punch fest. Hernandez, knowing his only shot of winning was to score a knockout, applied pressure from the get go. Jefferson, whose primary weapons are his pure boxing ability and ring generalship, decided to make this one a war. The fight was on from the early going and both men stood toe to toe exchanging combinations at close quarters, neither man allowing the other any time to breathe.

Hernandez, from his southpaw stance, would initiate the pressure, walking forward and get right into Jefferson's chest, firing off two, three and four punch combinations to his opponents body and head. Jefferson, showing he is not afraid of a good fight despite his background as the boxer / mover type, hung in the pocket, took Hernandez best shots and fire back in return. This was not the best move but the theme held true for the entire 12 rounds until the nd of the fight. While Jefferson showed he was game, Hernandez offense began to wear his opponent down as the fight drew longer. In the 6th, two straight lefts followed by a good push put Jefferson on the canvas for the 1st time as a pro. The Philly fighter beat the count, and continued to fire away but in return took more hard clean punches. There were more spots where both men went toe to toe but it was evident that there was no stopping Hernandez in this one. He seemed hungier, more determined to get the win. Though behind on the scorecards, Jefferson also showed the heart of a champ, taking some good, clean punches only to respond by throwing flurries of his own in the center of the ring.

As the fight reached the championship rounds, Hernandez looked to have the same energy from when the fight started while Jefferson looked to fade out. That didn;t stop Jefferson from giving it his all but Hernandez attack was just too much. Mid way through the 12th and final round, Jefferson, fighting out of desperation and throwing punches with everything he had, collapsed face first from exhaustion and was unable to beat the 10 count. Hernandez fell to his knees and wept tears of joy, realizing the moment he has worked so hard for has finally arrived. After all of the long journeys, lousy fight accommodations and crooked politics of the game, he has overcome the long odds and is now recognized by a known sanctioning body as a champion.

Even in loss, take nothing away from Rashiem Jefferson, he gave every last bit of energy he had in that ring. Hopefully, he will rebound and go on to fight another day.

Winner by 12th round knockout - Jose Hernandez who improves to 11 - 6, 5ko's

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Tri State Super Middleweight Title Fight!

Rasheem Brown.....vs.....Jameel Wilson
Philly...................Philly
18- 3, 16ko's............13 - 11- 3, 8ko's


This was an interesting fight in its own right. In one corner was Rasheem "The Untouchable" Brown a once highly regarded prospect who fell on hard times due to a management deal gone wrong. After sitting out the remainder of that suspect deal, Brown became a free agent and recently signed with the power duo of Moz Gonzalez and Eddie Woods and in turn becoming a featured attraction on recent Power Productions cards. In January, Brown came back to the ring after 2 years on the bench and quickly knocked out known tough guy Jose Medina in January of this year. On the stregnth of that win, he earned a crack at the newly created "Tri-State" Super Middleweight title. The Philly "Insiders" placed heavy odds on a Brown KO win and predicted that this would be the start of a run towards bigger and better things in the boxing world.

His opponent in this contest was Jameel Wilson, another Philly fighter who came out of the gate blazing early in his career, going 10 - 0 on the local circuit before taking his talents to another level only to fall on hard times fighting some of the best in the world in their home town. On paper, it shows that Wilson hasn't won a bout since 2004. What the ink doesn't reflect is that Wilson has been part of some of the most legendary Philly fights over the past decade. Most recently it was a debated draw against Delaware's Richard Stewart, In 2005 he went to war with the world ranked LuJuan Simon only to lose a majority decision. There are others but the bottom line is, if Jameel Wilson is on the card you want to be in the crowd if you are a fight fan.

This fight started looking like it would be an easy night for "Sheem". Through 3 rounds, he came in hard, attacked the body, threw powerful over hand rights upstairs, popped off a strong jab while Wilson stayed on the retreat, trying to fend off his attacker to no avail. Brown was much faster and it seemed, much stronger too. But Wilson, the ever crafty veteran was able to surivie the attack. He took some good shots but still had the sense to do something that not a whole lot of fighters do which is actually listen to his corner. When backed into the turnbuckle his corner would yell "get tight". Wilson would quickly cover up, absorb a few power shots with his gloves and elbows, then slip out of the dangerous position.

Going into the 4th, it looked like it was going to be a long night for Wilson, but towards the end of the round, he landed a big overhand right which rocked Brown. "The Untouchable" got touched and staggered back to the ropes. Wilson smelled the blood and wasted no time trying to seal the deal throwing big overhand rights, stepping back, giving himself space, placing lefts to the body follwed by more rights, referee Ron Aurit was in the two point stance ready to jump in to stop it. Though Brown was stunned, he dug deep and was able to fire back with a nig right hand that brushed Wilson off, giving himself some breathing room and eventually allowing him to esacpe the round.

After that, the war was on the the hammers were flying in the 5th. Unlike previous rounds, it was now Wilson in the role of attacker, coming forward as Brown circled but stopping to throw overhand rights with home run power. The action was back and forth, Brown would land heavy rights and lefts, Wilson would respond with an attack of his own. Rounds 6 - 9 played out this way, Brown going for the kill, Wilson working the body in an attempt to set up the finisher. Both were connecting, both remained standing, the crowd on its feet screaming.

Going into the 10th, many thought this one was up for grabs and both fighters came out with the same thoughts. Win this round and you win the fight. Brown gained the upper hand early landing some bombs on the steel chinned Wilson. Shaken but by no means done, Wilson returned the favor and both fighters went at it in a good tough round. It turned into a bit of a wrestling match in the final minute, Brown in a clinch bought himself much needed time with a trip move that both both fighters on the canvas, running the clock down to about :20 ticks. The action resumed but both fighters were standing when it went to the scorecards.

As previously mentioned, many thought it was close but the three people who really matter in a situation like this all saw it by a score of 99 - 91 in favor of Philly's #2 pound for pound fighter, Rasheem "the Untouchable" Brown. Wilson left the ring with a stoic look, replaying a scenario that has been the recent theme of his career, hard work with no reward.

Winner by unanimous decision - "The Untouchable" Rasheem Brown who improves to 19 - 3, 16ko's

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USBA Regional Jr. Welterweight Title Fight!

Tyric Robinson....vs....Lenny DeVictoria
Philly..................Philly
8-2, 3ko's..............11-10, 4ko's

Due to circumstances outside of the ring with fights falling out, matchmaker Ty McNeil pulled one off the Philly Keith dreamcard and signed a fight pitting two of the more action packed local fighters against each other.

Lenny "the Hitman" recently resurrecting a staggering career, winning his last two in action packed fashion, the first of which is regarded as the 2007 Philly fight of the year. Prior to these fights, Lenny spent a lot of time taking fights on short notice in other prospects hometowns, usually leaving with the short end of the stick. But times have changed, his team said they rededicated themselves to the sport and now found themselves in a primary position to earn bigger paydays and move their way up the world rankings.

His opponent, Tyric "Too Sweet" Robinson has come to be known as a fighter with a bit of a split ring personality. When faced with a legitimate challenge, he puts out a 110% effort and can steal a show. Late last year going against the toughest opponent of his career, Too Sweet went to war and came out on top in a thrilling slug fest over Utah's Chris Fernandez. But in his follow up performance, he dropped the ball and lost a rather lazy decision to the very non-descript Jason Jordan. After that fight, Too Sweet was quoted as saying "I'm tired of fighting these bums". It has always been my opinion that Too Sweet fights to the level of his competiton, and on this night he would need to bring his A game because he was in with a guy who has seen and done a lot in the game and with the title on the line, was ready to put it all out there. Prior to this fight, it was safe to say that it was a do or die situation in the young career of Too Sweet to ever be considered as a legitimate threat.

Many were predicting an all out war, but instead we were treated to a very good, technically sound boxing match. Too Sweet took the lead through three, jabbing, being the ring general and firing off well placed body shots in varieties of two, three and four punch combinations. Lenny, though behind was like an old Volts wagon in the winter. It took a little while to get warmed up, but once the engine started to sweat, it was ready to run all night.

Lenny began to cut into the lead in the 4th, and in the 5th, he began to make Too Sweet miss and at the end of the round landing a crackling overhand right which sent Robinson wobbling into a corner. Lenny, tasting the win, wasted no time following up with lefts and rights to the head. Referee Shawn Clarke was in position and had the hawk-eye on Too Sweet, itching to make a leap and call a halt to the bout. Fortunately for Robinson,the bell sounded to end the round as Lenny went back to his corner to a big greeting from his corner men.

The Hitman was like a wolf in the 6th, firing off power shots trying to recapture his advantage of the previous round. Towards the end of the round Too Sweet was able to rebound but it wasn't enough to capture this round.

It was dead even through 6, but in the latter rounds, Too Sweet was able to retake the lead, reestablishing his role as initiator moving, jabbing, ripping off combinations and when the opportunity was right, playing the role of bully foring the fight to the ropes.

By the 9th, Lenny was wearing the Crimson Mask courtesy of a right to the nose. Bloodied but not battered, he continued to make a fight out of it and both men went toe to toe. Too Sweet threw in volume, Lenny looked for the one big shot upstairs.

The 10th and final round was a very good one, Lenny, knowing he was behind on the cards looked for the knockout but Too Sweet wasn't having it. He would neutralize the Hitmans attack by forcing him to the ropes, working the body and not letting him breath.

It eventually went to the score cards with all three judges seeing it 98 - 92, 97-93 & 96 - 94, proclaiming Tyric "Too Sweet" Robinson as the new USBA regional Jr. Welterweight Champion. Welcome back to the top 10 pound for pound list Too Sweet! A hard fought win in a very steady contest, proving their worthy of dream card status.

Winner by unanimous decision - Tyric "Too Sweet" Robinson who improves to 9-2, 3ko's

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Light Heavyweight Division

Tony Ferrante....vs....Ray Ruiz
Philly.................Philly
2-0....................6-9, 4ko's

Philly Keith Sports has inched its way to the top by being the voice of the boxing people, giving anyone and everyone involved an place to air it all out. For months, Ray Ruiz was calling out for an opportunity to fight an young up and comer from Mayfair, making claims of one sided sparring sessions and how it would all carry over once to the big stage if ever given the chance. On this night "The 40 year old phenom" got what he asked for but paid a big price for his antics as a single Tony "Boom-Boom" Ferrante right hand straight down the pipe most likely ended his career as a paid professional.

After a solid first round, Boom-Boom landed the mentioned money shot early in the second, knocking Ruiz straight back to the canvas. Likely out before he even hit the mat, his head bounced like a basketball off the surface, creating a scary scene which kept him down for more than 5 minutes, in need of a stretcher ride out. In all seriousness, we hope the best for the man who is also known as "The Superstar" and have some work for him in the Philly Keith media stable if he ever wants to help generate fight hype. Hopefully he was not seriously injured.


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Jr. Welterweight Division

Ray Robinson...vs...Jason Jordan
Philly.............Ohio
7-0, 3ko's.........5-19

This fight was intended to be a showcase for a prospect who is regarded as having potential to really go places in his career. Jordan on the other hand, pays the rent by keeping his bags packed and traveling from town to town facing rising prospects and usually going home with an L. BUT, last time in Philly, Jordan pulled off a shocker, taking a unanimous decision from Tyric Robinson. Would lightening strike twice? Absolutely not. Robinson came out of the gate blazing, scoring three knockdowns in the 2st all courtesy of left hands to the head.

To Jordan's credit, he fights to live and instead of getting hit with a long medical suspension that comes with a knockout loss, he hung on to finish the bout on his feet and even managed to win the last round as Robinson grew more disinterested.

"The New" Ray Robinson showed he does have a good skill package but must learn to stay focused. Jordan, keeps his rep as a durable fighter who will give a guy rounds intact and will probably be fighting again in some small arena in parts unknown two or three weeks from now.

Winner - "The New" Ray Robinson who improves to 8 -0, 3ko's

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Abell gives Wheeler some payback, Gee Cullmer gets a majority decision over Mustapha Johnson at The Blue

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photo by Mike "Teek" McGuigan

There was a bit of an international flavor at The Legendary Blue Horizon on this evening as fighters from Ecuador, Peru, Sweden, Haiti and the U S of A laced them up to take part in a 9 bout fight card on North Broad Street. The Main Event turned into a bad blood match earlier in the week when Maurice Wheeler gave his foe a box of tampons and called him derogatory female names at the press conference. Abell responding but not only knocking him unconscious but also halfway out of the ring in a KO of the year candidate. Gee Cullmer made it 9 wins in a row after narrowly escaping the upset specialist Mustapha Johnson, winning a close majority decision that many felt could have gone either way. Mario Mina's pro debut was a war against Pedro Calla, "Showtime" Steve Chambers battered his foe and showed he should be in again with much better opposition and Gerald Smith shows he might be a guy to keep an eye on.

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Heavyweight Division

Joey Abell........vs........Maurice Wheeler
19-1, 18ko's................10-11-1, 1ko
Coon Rapids, MN.............Philly, PA

A few days before the fight, there was a press conference held at The Legendary Blue Horizon to meet the fighters and talk about the upcoming event. Maurice Wheeler & team thought it would be a good idea to try getting into Joey Abell's head, gain a psychological advantage over the man who had been leaving behind lots of carnage in the ring. So on they went with a stunt where Wheeler handed Abell a box of Tampax Tampons and went on to insult his opponent calling him just about every name in the book. Bad move. The 6"4' former defensive end kept his cool but did admit that he took it personally, vowing to get some payback once they stepped into the ring.

The beginning of this fight was pretty slow, then midway through the second round Abell kicked it into high gear, punishing Wheeler with thunderous left hands. The final left hand of the evening came at the end of the round and this one sent an unconscious Wheeler through the ropes, laying on the ring apron for a good 5 minutes. Abell raised his arms in victory and the crowd chanted "Joey, Joey, Joey". After the fight, Gerald "The Jedi" Nobels grabbed the house microphone and said he wants next. Abell replied with "you can get it too if you really want". Hook it up Elbaum!

Winner - Joey Abell who improves to 20 - 1, 19ko's

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Middleweight Division

Gee Cullmer....vs.....Mustapha Johnson
Philly, PA............Indianapolis, IN
13-1, 4ko's...........5-2-1, 2ko's

This was an interesting fight between two middleweights that we have become familiar with in recent times. Gee Cullmer has worked his way into co-feature status at The Legendary Blue Horizon by winning 8 in a row while Mustapha Johnson has done most of his work on the other side of town, going on a nice run of upsets over some of the middleweights who fight out of the New Alhambra.

It looked good on paper but in the ring it wasn't as exciting. Call it a clash of styles. To their credit, both fighters tried to work through it all and both threw a lot of punches. Gee usually found a home for his right hand upstairs, Johnson was at his best when throwing combo's inside. Most of the rounds were really close and in the end the scoring went 57 - 57 followed by 58 - 56 twice in favor of Gee Cullmer giving him the majority decision win.

Winner - Gee Cullmer who improves to 14 - 1, 3ko's

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Middleweight Division

Mario Mina.............vs.......Pedro Calla
Brooklyn, NY via Ecuador........Peru
pro debut...........pro debut


The battle of highly decorated amateurs making their pro debut stole the show early in the night as these two went toe to toe and blow for blow until Mina rocked Calla with an overhand right leaving him flat on his back. Calla might have gotten KO'd but he gave it his all, fighting with cuts over his head and blood on his face. Mina looks like he could make some real noise in the future, for now watch all of the promoters hide their young middleweights from him.

Winner - Mario Mina 1-0, 1ko

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Jr. Welterweight Division

Steve Chambers....vs....Jean Petit Homme
Phila, PA...............Haiti
15-1, 4ko's.............2 - 14, 2ko's


Steve Chambers is way too talented for a fight like this. STOP HOLDING SHOWTIME STEVE BACK!!!! How does his management put him in a fight like this AGAIN???? How Greg Sirb allows a 15 win fighter to take on a 2 win fighter is beyond me. The young man holds 2 wins over Lenny DeVictoria, he should be close to main event status at The Blue, not on mop up duty, wasting his time and career with guys like this. A big boo to whoever was responsible for finding this opponent.

With that all being said, Steve Chambers shook off a little rust then knocked this guy all over the ring. The remaining fans in the building approved and the ladies were screaming "Showtiiiiiime" In the end the final scorecards read 40 - 36 & 39- 37 twice all in favor of Showtime Steve.

Winner - "Showtime" Steve Chambers who improves to 16 - 1, 4ko's