Derek Ennis Highlights a Night of Knockouts at The Blue!

The Philly fight faithful snubbed their nose at certified blizzard to witness a classic night at The Legendary Blue on Friday. In the main event Derek "Pooh" Ennis sharpened up to the tune of a 5th round TKO over game journeyman Edwin Vasquez. Pooh pounded his head to no avail, but once he began to hit the body, the rock crumbled as Vasquez took two knees at the end, knowing it would take a miracle from Jesus to get a W. In other action, it took Joey DaWejko longer to put on his socks than it did to dispatch his opponent, scoring a KO :47 intp the 1st round of his homecoming fight. Ronald Cruz made a big statement when he bombed out Martinus Clay midway through the 3rd round of their scheduled 6 rounder. Eric "Outlaw" Hunter and Andres Gustafson both scored some nice early KO wins. Jackie Davis again pumps out the fight of the night in a 4 round rumble that had the crowd on their feet throughout. Clement Bethea and Henry Northam fought like they were competing for a spot in Maximus Roman empire. Complete write up with photos here http://phillykeith.com/bluehorizon2-5-10

Boxing Returns to The Blue Horizon Feb 5th, 2010!

The Legendary Blue Horizon opens their doors for the first time in 2010 on February 5th as Ms. Veronca Michael and her tag team partner Don Elbaum bring a seven fight card to North Broad street. On top of the bill is USBA 154lb champ Derek Ennis (19-2-1, 12ko's) of Gernamtown taking on Puerto Rico's Edwin Vasquez (22-14-2, 8ko's) in an 8 round non-title bout. This will serve as a precursor to Ennis first title defense which is expected to come in April in Atlantic City. In addition to the main event, people are buzzing about the home coming of Northeast Philly's Joey DaWejko - the former top rated US amateur heavyweight who turned pro in September. He is scheduled for four rounds.

Also expect to see Eric "Outlaw" Hunter & Ronald Cruz compete in separate bouts - both have yet to find a suitable opponents. Jackie Davis looks to go 4-0 when she takes on the pro debuting Tanya Martinez. Tim Johnson is back in action for a 4 rounder.

There are rumors of a co-feature where grizzled vets Israel "Pito" Cardona and  Martinus Clay will fight an  8 rounder at Middleweight! Could be true, could be a load of BS, we will see....More info to come soon...

Derek Ennis Tunes up for takeoff!

photo by Tony Gargano www.pixgargano.com

On January 15, 2010, USBA Jr. Middleweight champion, Derek "Pooh" Ennis (19-2-1, 12ko's) of Germantown will sharpen up before the first mandatory defense of his title when he takes on fading vet Edwin Vasquez (22-14-2, 8ko's) at the Arena for a scheduled 8 rounder. Ennis is said to have changed his training ways and appears to again be in tip top shape. This is a retry of a scheduled 2007 match where Ennis failed to make weight, sparking off a debate on his dedication to the sport. All of that seems to be put to bed now, as he weighed a career low 151 lbs in his last match, when he turned in the Philly 2009 Fight of the Year in a 12 round win over Eromosele Albert at The Blue Horizon. With Ennis on point and Vasquez being a loser of his last 5, don't bet on this going the distance.  Ennis is tentatively scheduled to defend his USBA belt in April in Atlantic City. Win that, and you are ranked in the top 5 of the IBF Pooh!

The undercard will feature undefeated North East Philly prospect Tony "Boom Boom" Ferrante (8-0, 4ko's) taking on Andre Hemphill (8-13-2, 5ko's) in a 6 rounder. Ferrante seems to be on a quest to clean out the local Light Heavyweights around town. Hemphill has lost four of his last five but is known to be a spoiler when fighting in this area, most recently blasting out Richard Stewart in 3 rounds. We will see if he can pull the rug out this time around... The Boxing Barber Victor Vasquez (10-3, 5ko's) and Gustavo Dailey (4-7, 1ko) square off for a potential 6 round riot. Also scheduled for action are Coy Evans and  Big Poppa Speller 

Derek Ennis is the USBA Champ! Victor Vasquez turns in his best performance yet!

Talk about it and see what they are saying on the forum http://phillykeith.com/fightforum/index.php?topic=931.0

October 16, 2009 in Philadelphia. Before we talk about today, take a walk with me for a minute as I take a flash back to Philadelphia, circa 1999. Looking back, it was a year of change for this great city with many tall tasks and lots of uncertainty ahead. One of the all time Philly greats, Ed Rendell, was stepping down from his big office at room 215 in City Hall wrapping up one of the most successful runs in the history of the country as mayor of a big city. The people chose a 19 year veteran of City Council, John Street to lead the charge into the new millennium. The big building across from the street from the clothespin hasn't been the same since. It was also a new day in Eagles country as 1999 marked the beginning of the Andy Reid- Donovan McNabb era whose goal was to give a fresh breath of life into a franchise that hit the bottom of the barrel. Say what you want about Big Red and his adopted son’s reign but five NFC Championship games later, the Birds as a well-respected and very lucrative franchise. The Phillies were still light years away from becoming World F. Champions but Overbrook’s Will Smith just putting down the mic to hit Hollywood for a career that saw him become one of the highest grossing actors of all-time.

Flying below the radar was Greg Robinson, a young ex-boxer with ambitions to stay in the game he loved. With family roots that ran deep into the heart of Philly boxing, he gave birth to his Power Productions promotional outfit in late 1999. In the one sport that is truly here today, gone tomorrow, Robinson has survived and even thrived in this landscape where only the strong, smart and crazy survive. Ten years later, Power Productions has become a Philly boxing club show main stay, producing some of the best action fights this town has seen in the 21^st century. For that I tip my cap to the man. Like Greg said at the press conference, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that make this a very tough business at times, but this is the sport we choose. For that we continue on doing what we love.

To celebrate 10 years behind the scenes, Robinson and Power Productions returned to the place where it all started – The Legendary Blue Horizon on North Broad Street with a seven fight card featuring some of the young and hungry fighters that help make this city the number one fight town on earth.

On top of the bill was a young Philly fighter currently taking the proper steps in a quest to become recognized as World F. Champion. One who has many tools but also few questions, which regularly lead to, heated discussions about if he can truly compete and succeed at the top level of boxing. The fighter is Derek "Pooh" Ennis, a 28 year old Junior Middleweight from the Germantown section of Philly. Ennis, a six year pro, also comes from a family with deep roots in the Philly boxing scene. Ennis father and trainer Bozy was competed as a pro during this city’s golden era of the 70’s. Derek’s brother Farah is an undefeated rising Super Middleweight who is worth keeping an eye on.

Ennis has been well regarded for some time now but his career has been on the roller coaster at times. His skills and undeniable as he is one of the most well rounded boxers living in this town. He has put on masterful performances against good competition but also has lost to opponents he should have easily handled. He has missed out on opportunities due to freak occurrences such as opponents getting in car accidents before the fight and has also shot himself in the toe by not making weight for significant fights. For a while, it seemed like he was getting by on talent alone without putting in the work of a true professional. But potential is an amazing thing and through out it all his management team of Moz Gonzalez, Eddie Woods and Mike Fingerman have stuck by his side, continuing to push for a break to come along. Finally, after all the highs and lows, Ennis was to the opportunity of a lifetime on this card. In this evening’s main event, Pooh signed to fight a 12 round bout against two time Olympian from Nigeria Eromosele Albert for the vacant USBA title. Though the USBA is not a world-recognized crown, but it will get your foot in the door as the titleholder automatically receives a top 15 rating in the world and with a successful defense, become a mandatory challenger to the world champ. Albert has faced world-class competition and has name value as he turned in many good performances on the ESPN Friday Night Fights Series over the past few years. In a nutshell, it was do or die for Pooh who has been itching for a chance to take on the big names and big money.

The co-feature also had significance, this time it was in true Power Productions fashion. This bout pitted the promoters nephew, Tyric “Too Sweet” Robinson against the boxing barber from North Philly Victor Vasquez for a scheduled 8 rounder. Robinson at one time ranked as high as number five on my Philly local top 10 pound for pound fighter list but since then has lost two in a row and was searching to get back the glory of when he was turning in fight of the year candidates. Vasquez is the Arturo Gatti of our local scene. Win or lose, he is always in the fight of the night. Caution goes to the wind and defense goes out the window leading to two way action brawls. Robinson was the natural Junior Welterweight but Vasquez brings the heat, it was the fight that could possibly steal the show. These two matches plus the return of Tommie “Big Poppa Speller and more. Scroll down to see how it all went down at The Blue on Greg Robinsons 10^th anniversary card!

Overall the show was a winner as the main event turned out to be one of the years most competitve two way fights. Derek "Pooh" Ennis boxed and countered the extremely aggressive Eromosele Albert over 12 rounds to win a close but clear unanimous decision to become the 154 lb USBA champion. It was a see-saw battle that had a lot of tight rounds with Albert winning most of the rounds early with his pressure and brute strength but Ennis was able to turn the tide mid way through as he consistently fought his way out of trouble with multiple flurries in the middle of the ring and swift movement when pressed into a corner. Take nothing away from Albert, he was in Ennis face all night and fought desperately to win, he just didn't have enough down the stretch as Ennis came in tip top shape (151.5 lbs) and had plenty of gas left in the championship rounds. It went to the scorecards which read 116 - 112 & 115 - 113 x 2 for Ennis who stamps his ticket into the top 15 of the IBF ratings. I also had it scored 115 - 113 for Ennis

In the co-feature "The Boxing Barber" Victor Vasquez put together the most complete performance of his young career scoring two hard knockdowns en route to a unanimous decision win over Tyric "Too Sweet" Robinson in their 6 round Jr. Welterweight bout. As always the case with Vasquez, it was high intensity from the start, but this time it wasn't balls to the wall. He showed patience, poise and actually slipped a few punches! Robinson, to his credit got off the floor and continued to fight hard after going down early in the 2nd and late in the 6th from big right hands. Very good fight as is usually the case when two Philly guys meet in the ring.

Super Middleweights Mario Mina and Tommie "Big Poppa" Speller were put together in an impromptu matchup after both had opponents fall out at the last second. Poppa vowed "to send his ass back to Ecuador" at the weigh in. Mina fought like it was personal in the 1st, hammering Poppa early who was more than willing to stand and trade. The 2nd round was close then out of nowhere Speller almost delivered on his pre fioght promise early in the 3rd round after a good body took all of the steam out of Mina. Speller followed up with a hard right that jellied Mina's legs. If Speller had more gas it might have been curtains. But this was not the case and Mina was able to survive the round. The fight slowed a bit in the final round as both seemed to tire in their first fight in over a year. It went to the card which somehow read 40 - 36 for Mina. Maybe I need new contacts, but I saw it a draw.

South Philly Heavyweight John Mercurio did it Passyunk Ave. style as he mauled, tossed and battered James North for a little over :90 seconds before finishing the job with a huge right that flattened his out gunned opponent. Nice turn out in the crowd for the big heavyweight as there were a good number of black Team Mercurio T-Shirts scattered across the arena. Expect to see him again soon.

Super Middleweight Derek Webster wasted little time dispatching a severely overmatched guy from West Virigina. At 6'4", Webster could become a problem for fighters at this weight.

Super Featherweight Coy Evans turned in a very solid 4 round performance winning a unanimous decision over grizzled veteran Carlos Diaz. Evans showed good speed and surprising ring generalship against a 31 fight vet. He doesn't knock down walls but his pop is not to be under estimated either. Good, fan friendly fight as both were willing to sit in the pocket and exchange shots at time. In other spots Evans would box and create openings on his slower foe.

In women's action Rachal Clark was clearly the better fighter in her 4 rounder. out of her southpaw stance, she landed a lot of straight lefts upstairs. After 2 rounds, her opponent made the right choice not to answer the bell.

Go to www.phillykeith.com for the latest on the Philly Boxing Scene.

Email me keith@phillykeith.com

Power Productions 10th Anniversary Press Conference

Talk about it and see what they are saying on the forum http://phillykeith.com/fightforum/index.php?topic=931.0

On October 14, 2009 Greg Robinson held a press conference at The Fox & Hound in Center City Philly to introduce he fighters on his upcoming 10th anniversary card. He plans to celebrate in style on October 16th at The Legendary Blue Horizon with Philly Jr. Middleweight Derek "Pooh" Ennis on top of the bill. After weeks of shuffling and searching for opponents, Eromosele Albert (22-3, 10ko's) has been selected and approved by the IBF as this match will be over 12 rounds for the USBA Jr. Middleweight title.

Ennis has looked strong in his last few bouts, most recently on ESPN with a W over John Mackey. People have been calling for Pooh and his team to make a move, and here it is. Albert is a two time Olympian from Nigeria and overall solid competitor in his own right with some good showings on ESPN. Very solid match-up that should produce a lot of two way action.

On the undercard, look for an all out Philly rumble between the Boxing Barber Victor Vasquez and Tyric "Too Sweet" Robinson. Excellent matchmaking and should be a delight for the crowd. Vasquez hasn't fought since March so you know he is itching for a fight. Robinson has lost two in a row and it itching for a win, especially on his uncles 10th anniversary card where I am sure the whole family will be in the house. Grab a beer and enjoy!

The night will also mark the return of Tommie "Big Poppa" Speller

Watch the video to hear from Promoter Greg Robinson, Derek Ennis, Coy Evans,
Tyric Robinson & more.

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

Derek Ennis gets a shot at the USBA Title on Power Productions 10th Anniversary Card!

Talk about it on the forum here http://phillykeith.com/fightforum/index.php?topic=931.0

Tip your hat to promoter Greg Robinson as it is now 10 years in the promoting business for the head of Power Productions. He plans to celebrate in style on October 16th at The Legendary Blue Horizon with Philly Jr. Middleweight Derek "Pooh" Ennis on top of the bill fighting for the 154 lb USBA title against Ireland's James Moore in a 12 rounder that should be a rumble. Ennis has looked strong in his last few bouts, most recently on ESPN with a W over John Mackey. People have been calling for Pooh and his team to make a move, and here it is. Moore is a known fighter, especially in NYC where he moves a lot of tickets. Moore recently lost to Yuri Foreman on Showtime in a fight that vaulted Foreman into a world title shot. Two opposite styles that will force the other to fight. Should be a very good one.

More details on the card to come soon....

 

 

Salem, NJ show 8/14/09 has been canceled!

Talk about it on the forum http://phillykeith.com/fightforum/index.php?topic=867.0

The Dungeon Warriors / Bionic Bull Promotions card written about earlier this week featuring Hank Lundy and Derek Ennis has been canceled for 8/14/09. The official reason was "faulty bond paperwork". The weigh-in did go as planned the day before. Either way, I am told that a make up date will be announced. Check the forum for more info

Hank Lundy to fight in Salem, NJ tonight!

The link will bring you to a recent Lundy interview and also let you comment on this fight.http://phillykeith.com/fightforum/index.php?topic=867.0

South Philly Lightweight "Hammerin" Hank Lundy (14-0-1, 8ko's) returns to the ring tonight for a 6 round tune up against journeyman Gary Bergeron (10-4-1, 6ko's) of Louisiana in Salem NJ on 9/14/09. After Lundy cleans up this business, he says that a USBA title shot is coming his way in September. He has called out everyone who has a name and has done well on TV, let's see who comes up next because a big fight should be around the corner for this rising prospect.

Derek Ennis and Victor Vasquez will not participate in this card as was indicated earlier.

The card will be brought to you by Dungeon Warriors & Bionic Bull Promotions

Ennis & Ferrante decision wins highlight the ESPN card at The Arena!

Talk about it on the forum here http://phillykeith.com/fightforum/index.php?topic=840.msg6106#new

Shalyte Promotions inaugural card at The Arena was a winner as they collaborated with Jimmy Burchfield and ESPN to provide a mostly competitive 9 bout card that was seen across the nation. On the local side, Jr. Middleweight Derek "Pooh" Ennis made the TV portion of the show and delivered some post 4th of July fireworks, scoring two hard knockdowns during a competitive fight against Alabama tough journeyman John Mackey en route to a 6 round unanimous decision win. After a steady start from both men, Pooh almost sealed the deal in the 2nd round when he put Mackey on the canvas with a combination upstairs. Mackey did rise and actually fought hard enough to win some of the middle rounds. It was a good fight down the stretch and Ennis was the one looking to close the show as he put Mackey down hard late in the 6th with a head shot. Mackey got up again and weathered a late flurry to end the fight on his feet. Good showing for Ennis on national TV as he makes his case to secure a more meaningful fight in the near future.

Mayfair Light Heavy Tony "Boom Boom" Ferrante found himself in the fight of his young career and dug deep down the stretch to pull out an 8 round majority decision win over the upset minded Billy Bailey of California. The fight had a steady theme, Ferrante headhunted and landed some good right hands upstairs or some well timed uppercuts while Bailey played the role of buzz saw, firing and landing hard hooks to the body. The momentum see-sawed from rounds 1 - 6. There were times where Bailey looked hurt, there were times where Ferrante's tank seemed to have nothing but dust particles left. Throughout it all both kept on fighting. Ferrante gained a second wind when it matter most as he clearly took the final two rounds and was on the verge of a KO late in the 8th. Probably the best local fight in Philly so far this year.

In the TV co-feature, Light Heavy contender Chris Henry overcame a Shawn George SCUD missile attack in the early going, and after being force fed overhand right after right without budging, he turned the tide, gave his opponent a taste of his own medicine and eventually KO'd George late in the 5th round in one hell of a fight.

Olivia Fonseca scored a 3rd round KO with a body shot in her scheduled 4 rounds. Olivia, known for her wild brawls, actually sat back and boxed this time around and looked good doing it.

Jackie Davis pulled herself off the canvas in round 1 to win a clear cut unanimous decision in her 4 rounder. Rounds 2 - 4 were non stop Davis as she fought like it was now or never. Great show of heart from the Ivan Robinson trained boxer.

Angel Ocassio had some good moments in his pro debut. Good movement, good hand speed, seems to have some pop and brought a decent crowd with him. Did seem a little hesitant at times though offensively. Overall a solid start to his career.

Derek Webster beat up a guy who should never be allowed to lace up the gloves ever again. This one was mercifully stopped midway through the 1st.

In the TV main event, Sioux Falls native Shaun Hawk should have stayed on the reservation as he and Connecticut's Matt Godfrey combined to put on a 10 round stinker that Godfrey won by unanimous decision to retain the NABF Cruiserweight title. Ran Nakash has nothing to fear if this is his competition at the next level...

Full write up with photos to come soon.

Big changes for July 10th, ESPN now coming to The Arena!

Talk about it on the forum herehttp://phillykeith.com/fightforum/index.php?topic=840.msg6106#new

In a strange, sudden, yet welcome turn of events, ESPN2 Friday Night Fights will come to The Arena Philly on July 10th piggyback style as two big name promoters (Burchfield & DiBella) with a locked TV date held the contracts to two important fights but were suddenly without a place to call home. After considering options in remote places like West Virginia, they decided come to the best fight town on earth and partnered up with a virtually unknown outfit called Shalite Promotions who have never had their name hanging from the banner before. The newcomers are off to a good start and this is one of those situations where everyone wins.

Now, the fans can see 11 fights with the TV portion being the highly regarded Matt Godfrey who will take on the undefeated Shawn Hawk for the NABF Cruiserweight championship in the new 12 round main event. The co-feature will be a Light Heavyweight match between surging Shaun George and Chris Henry in a scheduled ten round affair. Though none of these guys have any local connections, both main event and co-feature are evenly matched with high stakes.

The fight this page cares about is the one between North East Philly undefeated Lt. Heavyweight Tony "Boom Boom" Ferrante (7-0, 4ko's) challenging California's Billy Bailey (8-3, 3ko's) for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight title on July 10th. ESPN should make this the swing bout because it is a good fight, especially compared to the crap they been putting on lately. Ferrante has the hometown following and climbed the ladder in these parts, slowly but surly improving his game. After some early career decision wins, Boom Boom has knocked out his last 3 opponents. On the other hand Bailey was thought to be easy pickings when he first came to this town earlier this year as the last second B side replacement in a fight with this minor title at a stake. Like a Fishtown burglar, he took the hardware in less than 5 minutes and got out of dodge fast, leaving many to believe he would never been seen or heard from again in this area. Now he is back to the scene of the crime, will this be a fatal mistake or will be able to escape with Ferrante's most prized possession, his 0!

Local Jr. Middleweight Derek Ennis (17-2-1, 12ko's) has also been added to the card. No opponent has been named and the list of possibilities don't seem to post much of a threat. It's time for Pooh and his team to make a move and knock off a known name instead of shutting out another journeyman!

In a six round Super Featherweight affair, Coy Evans (4-0-1) of Philadelphia will take Darrell Martin (4-9-1, 1ko) of Baltimore.

Jackie Davis, 1-0 (1ko), a protege of "Mighty" Ivan Robinson will take on Rachel Clark (2-1, 2 KO’s) of Colombia, South Carolina in a four round ladies only Welterweight bout.

The very Popular Olivia Fonseca (2-2-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia returns after a ten month hiatus when she takes on the capable Lisa Bolin (2-2, 2 KO’s) of South Carolina in a four round Welterweight bout.

Middleweight Derrick Webster (1-0) of Glassboro, New Jersey looks to follow up on a good debut when he takes on Roger Locklear (1-2) of South Carolina in a four round bout.

In a battle of pro debuting Heavyweight, Kareem Harrison of Philadelphia takes on Winston Thorpe of North Carolina.

Also making his pro debut will be Angel Ocassio in a four round Lightweight bout.

Derek Ennis loses belt at the scales, Kamarah Pasley wins by KO in Atlantic City

The proposed USBA regional Jr. Middleweight title fight between Derek Ennis and Ishmael Arvin was canceled when Ennis came in 4 lbs overweight.

By Rick Scharmberg at ringside

Kamarah Pasley and Chuck Berry stepped up to create an all-Philadelphia Cruiserweight main event after the original main event fell through last night at the Boardwalk Hall’s Adrian Phillips Ballroom last night in Atlantic City, NJ. Pasley rose to the occasion by winning his fourth straight fight, stopping Berry with a vicious left uppercut at 1:38 of the sixth and final round. The seven bout card produced a full night of boxing that featured some crowd-pleasing knockouts, and showcased the talent of two outstanding young Atlantic City prospects.

No one complained when promoter Diane Fischer, of Dee Lee Promotions, announced to the crowd - which included former world champions, Ramon “Yory Boy” Campas, Virgil Hill, and Bruce Seldon - that the main event between Derek Ennis and Ishmail Arvin collapsed, after Ennis could not come close to making weight for their scheduled 154-pound USBA junior middleweight title bout. The show must go on, and in the end, it was matchmaker Sonny Mistretta’s savvy that saved the show, because the card was solid enough to stand on its own.

Kamarah Pasley (4-3, 2 KOs) was once an overly cautious southpaw who used his well conditioned legs to move a bit too much, and didn’t fire his potent straight left hand nearly enough. As a result, Pasley dropped his first three pro fights. Then he made some changes. Pasley still has movement, but now it is aggressive, and he still has that potent left, but now he uses an active right jab to set it up. The result was his fourth straight win.

The first round was a feeling-out round, with Berry (4-10, 2 KOs) looking to land his clubbing right, and Pasley probing to find an opening for his left. The second round was close, as well. Berry landed some right hands that were partially blocked, while Pasley jabbed and tested his straight left to the body. Kamarah countered a Berry right with a nice left to the head at the bell.

In round three, two solid lefts from Pasley ripped open a gash over Berry’s left eye. The blood was noticeable on Pasley’s white trunks, as it ran down Berry’s face and onto his chest. Berry came out desperate in the fourth, and landed several overhand rights to the head. Pasley calmly worked around the bombs, and found the solution: his left uppercut. The doctor inspected Berry’s cut as Chuck pleaded for “one more round”. Classy cut man Joey Eye was able to patch things up between rounds.

Berry came out in round five with his main weapon, the overhand right, and Pasley promptly countered with a straight left to Berry’s left eye. Pasley punctuated the round with another big left uppercut. Midway through round six, Pasley unloaded another huge left uppercut that staggered Berry, and a follow-up straight left brought referee Lindsey Paige in to close the show at the 1:38 mark.

Soto blanks Richardson

Former amateur star Eugene Soto took a four round unanimous decision over Vernon Richardson in a four round middleweight bout in which both fighters made their pro debuts. Soto is a local product, and entered the ring to huge applause.

Soto’s fistic background was evident immediately, as he allowed Richardson to come forward, while peppering him with an assortment of combinations. Soto decided to practice defense in round two, and deftly slipped everything that came his way, even with his back to the ropes.

Soto (1-0) began loading up in round three, and tried to take Richardson out. Richardson (0-1) is a tough customer, and withstood the hard left hooks and right from Soto. Richardson clipped Soto on the chin with a nice left hook in the opening sequence of round four. Soto was momentarily stunned, but either Richardson didn’t notice it, or didn’t have anything left t follow up with. The moment passed, and Soto was soon on the attack again until the final bell.

The scores were all 40-36 in favor of Eugene Soto.

Harvell decisions Todd

Lavarn Harvell (3-0) is another local prospect with promise. He showed maturity beyond his record in taking a four round unanimous decision over a very tough Michael Todd (0-1) in a four round light heavyweight bout.

What impressed most about Harvell was his dedication to hammering the body, and the fluidity with which he moves his hands. He worked both hands to Todd’s body in every round. By all rights, Todd should have been out of there, but he never stopped trying. Todd landed some decent punches in every round, and might be a good prospect in his own right if he is moved properly.

The scores were all 40-36 in favor of Lavarn Harvell.

Torres defeats Blocker

Eliud Torres won a technical decision over the debuting Siddel Blocker in a four round lightweight bout, after a clash of heads early in the fourth round cut both men. Torres was cut on his forehead, and when the bleeding could not be stopped, the bout was halted 36-seconds into the final round. Under New Jersey boxing commission rules, if more than half the scheduled rounds were completed, the bout goes to the scorecards.

In this case, the first three rounds were scored, and Torres clearly won every round. All three judges ruled 30-27 in his favor.

Torres improves to 2-0-1, while Blocker starts out 0-1.

Hall KOs Porter

Marcus “The Beast” Hall scored a brutal one-punch knockout over debuting William Porter at 2:46 of the second round of a four round welterweight bout.

Hall (2-0, 1 KO), a southpaw, delivered a straight left hand to a retreating Porter, dropping him near his own corner for referee Lindsey Paige’s full count. As a precaution, Williams was removed from the ring stabilized and on a stretcher.

Word came back later that Porter was OK.

Green stops Valdez

Bryne Green scored an impressive first round stoppage over Edward Valdez in a four round junior lightweight bout.

Green (5-1, 3 KOs) countered the wild opening rushes of Valdez (3-7, 2 KOs) with two pinpoint right hands, followed by a left hook that dropped Valdez in his tracks. He was up unsteadily at referee Alan Huggen’s count of “nine”, but a hard right hand follow-up from Green prompted Huggens to make a timely stoppage at 1:39 of the opening round.

Resnick outworks Lewis

In the opening bout of the night, Jayme Resnick took a majority decision over Luquan Lewis in a four round lightweight bout.

The opening round seemed to be the swing round, with Lewis winning the early part, and Resnick the latter. Resnick took the next two rounds with some nice right hands and a bit more activity, while Lewis clearly won the fourth round.

The final scores were 39-37 (twice) for Resnick, and even at 38-38.

Resnick improves to 1-1, while Lewis slips to 0-1, with 1 no contest.

_______________________________________________________________________

Dee Lee’s next promotion will come on May 9 at the Trump Taj Mahal, and will feature an interesting bout between Hector “Macho” Camacho Sr. and Luis Ramon “Yory Boy” Campas! More information on this show will be available soon.

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

Derek Ennis to defend USBA regional title against Ishmael Arvin in Atlantic city on April 11!

Photo by Anthony Gargano / www.pixgargano.com

Philly Jr. Middleweight Derek Ennis returns to the ring to defend his regional USBA title on April 11th at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City against Maryland's Ishmael Arvin in the 10 round Dee Lee Promotions main event. Ennis, currently ranked #13 by the USBA, has won 5 in a row and has a chance to make a major jump in the rankings with a win. His opponent Arvin may sound familiar to many as he is the fighter who holds a controversial win over Anthony Thompson who happens to be Ennis stable mate at the Muhammad Ali Gym in Germantown. It is a good piece of matchmaking by fight game veteran Sonny Mistretta who pits two of the division young and hungry against one another. Rest assured both will come in looking to make a statement as the winner will be in the mix for an even bigger fight in the near future against good competition in a deep but unsettled Junior Middleweight division.

The Ennis camp likes their chances in this match as manager Moz Gonzales recently told us "this is going to be a good fight. It is a chance for Derek to jump up in the rankings so we are feeling strong and are ready" He also added "Harry Yorgey and Eddie Chambers did their thing last week, now it is our turn and we are going to put on a show and bring a big win back home to Philly!"

For those who haven't seen Ennis live, many feel he is one of the most polished boxers residing in this area. After suffering two surprising early career losses, he has made adjustments to his game without losing his flair to get into a good fight. If he is successful on this night, it won't be long before you see Ennis show up on a TV near you soon.




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

Derek Ennis post fight interview

Derek "Pooh" Ennis talks to Kurt Wolfheimer of Fight News immediately after his unanimous decision win over Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor.




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

Derek Ennis decisions Bono, Belasco KO's DeVictoria @ The New Alhambra

photos by: Tony Gargano / www.pixgargano.com
For the first time in 2009, it was fight night in Philly. After almost 6 weeks of inactivity in this town, it was finally time to watch the pros throw down. The venue was the fabled fight hall on the corner of Swanson & Ritner, the one and only New Alhambra. But this particular event had a mysterious air about it for weeks. On a typical fight night here, fans would come to see a card by the Fairmount Hall of Fame boxing promoter, J. Russell Peltz. This time around, I knew that I wouldn't be greeted by a smiley lady with the cool hat or a witty comment contradicting a statement made on this site. That was a given. On this night, it was Greg Robinson and his newly formed Xtreme Productions running the show. That's cool, he is a known promoter in these parts, but people were asking, why him? why here? why now? Those were the burning questions asked by those who cough up their hard earned cash to pay the steep ticket fees. Something was up but nobody was talking. Omerta...Philly boxing style... Gotta love it.

After a long wait in the frigid wind, I finally made it to the box office window. I made my acquaintance with two new pleasant ladies handing out the media bracelets. So far, so good and was sent inside. After a being on the wrong end of a ridiculous security search that would have snagged a jailhouse balloon runner red handed, I was eventually granted full access and free to roam my longtime favorite venue. Immediately I noticed the naked walls. The life sized banners displaying images of yesteryears Philly boxing fight icons were nowhere to be seen. Instead of Bennie Briscoe and Joey Giardello, all that remained were a few flags carrying on the legacies of former ECW icons like Terry Funk and "Flyboy" Rocco Rock. Once I found my seat in press row, word around the ring was that the gym is the back was just about empty. Then it all came together in one fell swoop. It was announced that Xtreme Production (formerly known as Power Productions) is moving in for good. No more Oaks, no more Armory, this is home and they plan on being here to stay...exclusively. The plot thickens and the saga continues so stay tuned. It is bound to get deeper.

Overall it was a solid kick off to a new year as promoter Greg Robinson and matchmaker Ty McNeil collaborated for a 5 fight card in their new home.

Click Here to Comment

Main Event
Jr. Middleweight Division
(non-title bout)

Derek "Pooh" Ennis...vs...Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor
Philadelphia, PA..............Wilmington, DE
16-2, 12ko's........................12-19, 6ko's

The housewarming party was highlighted by PA State & USBA regional Jr. middleweight title holder Derek Ennis (17-2, 12ko's) who continued his resurrection towards national Jr. Middleweight status with a clear cut 8 round unanimous decision over late replacement journeyman Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor (12-20, 6ko's) in the main event. Before the fight some were saying that if Bono didn't give a good showing, it was a strong possibility that State Athletic Director Greg Sirb might pull his boxing card. Ennis won every round from the 3rd on but Bono lives to fight another day as he kept it competitive through out as he kept his promise to fight for the memory of his trainer who was tragically murdered just last week .The determination was there and he was an aggressive initiator, it wasn't enough to handle the speed and slickness of Ennis who consistently used Bono's awkwardness against him, setting up traps along the ropes, counterpunching effectively and using the ring to his advantage. Bono did have his moments and occasionally landed some good punches, in particular the 6th when he got Ennis attention with a hard right hook. Overall, Ennis skill set was too tall a task to overcome. The fight eventually went the distance and the scorecards read 79 - 73 & 78 - 74 x 2. Look for Ennis to step it up significantly soon.













Click Here to Comment

Co-Feature
Jr. Welterweight Division

Lenny DeVictoria...vs...Ryan Belasco
Philadelphia, PA............Wilmington, DE
11-12-1, 3KO's...............8-2-3, 3KO's

The co-feature was thought it be a nice piece of competitive match making. Instead it turned out to be the last hurrah of a proven Philly ring warrior as Delaware's Ryan Belasco (9-2-3, 3ko's) saw little resistance in his fight against Lenny DeVictoria (11-13-1, 3ko's), ending things midway through the second round with a few body shots followed by a single right hand which surprisingly kept his opponent on a knee for the full 10 count. Some say it was a very good right hand, some say it was a long list of ring wars catching up. Soon after the bout, it was announced that this was to be the last time Lenny will lace up the gloves as his team noticed a steady decline in performance over the past few fights. One chapter of Lenny's life closes and another opens as he plans on getting his CDL license for a new career in the trucking industry. Congrats and thanks for Lenny for making the right move and giving us so many good fights. Also, Congrats to Belasco on a very good win. Speculation of an 8 - 10 round Belasco - Tyric Robinson fight were swarming soon after. That could arguabley be a state title fight.....

photos by: Tony Gargano / www.pixgargano.com






Click Here to Comment

Welterweight Division

Lou Rodriguez...vs...Ray Ellis
Philadelphia, PA......Philadelphia, PA
PRO DEBUT............PRO DEBUT

Philly Rumbler Lou Rodriguez (1-0) grinded out a majority decision win in his pro debut against a fellow debuter Ray Ellis (0-1) in a very entertaining 4 round welterweight contest. Rodriguez sported an ankle bracelet, a fast set of hands a pretty good chin. Ellis, an aspiring chef and student at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, showed a big heart and applied a lot of pressure as these two went at it for all four rounds. Rodriguez was in control early, winning the first two rounds with a nice blend of combinations to the head and abilty to avoid trouble as Ellis pressed forward. The tide changed in the 3rd as Ellis consistent pressure allowed him to storm back in the fight, having a big round as he found a way to break through Rodriguez defense and land some good punches of his own upstairs. It was anyones fight down the stretch and both fought for the win in a 4th round that saw good moments for both fighters as Ellis fought through a leaking mouth and Rodriguez overcoming early fight jitters. It went to the cards which read 39 - 37 x2 for Rodriguez with the final judge saying it was even at 38-38. Let's see both of these guys again against different foes!

photos by: Tony Gargano / www.pixgargano.com








Click Here to Comment

Welterweight Division

Ronald Cruz..........vs.........Joel Rios
Phoenixville,PA................Philly via Puerto Rico
pro debut..........................1-4

Jimmy DeOria's latest charge Ronald Cruz (1-0) showed some spark in his 4 rounder against a tough Joel Rios (1-5) in a 4 round welterweight battle. Cruz looked very sharp when he fought on the outside, putting strings of combos together. Rios did leave some marks too, especially when they fought in the inside. Activity was the difference here as Cruz was the one who threw most and overall was the sharper of the two. If any young fighter is looking for a test early in their career, give Rios a call, he showed he can last under heavy fire and keep on coming. But, at 32 years old, his team feels it may be in his best interest to leave this sport to the young guys. On the other hand, Cruz, if he calms down a bit a lets the fight start coming to him, he could be a guy to watch out for in the future.

photos by: Tony Gargano / www.pixgargano.com








Click Here to Comment

Cruiserweight Division

Kamarah Pasley....vs...Cullen Rogers
Philadelphia, PA...........Akron, Ohio
0-3.................................9-22-2, 5ko's

In Cruiserweight action, Kamarah Pasley (1-3, 1ko) got that elusive first win with a second round knockout over Cullen Rogers (9-23-2, 5ko's) . Pasley was able to land good leather and dig deep hooks into the horribly awkward Rogers all night. Pasley dropped Rogers with a left early in round 2, then continued the assault when his opponent got up. Rogers didn't go back down but offered nothing in return leaving referee Shawn Clark no option but to stop it. Congrats to Pasley, a guy who never gave up on his dream of getting that W! Keep your eyes open because word is that Pasley is signed up to fight again on January 31st against Pedro Martinez at South Philly high school! Can he make it 2 in a row? We will see!

photos by: Tony Gargano / www.pixgargano.com







Click Here to Comment

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

Xtreme Productions New Alhambra preview with videos

Power Productions kicks off the 2009 Philly fight year on January 16th at The New Alhambra in South Philly. The undercard is still unsettled but the main event and co-feature are etched in stone. I have all four contestants giving their side of the story. In the main event, PA State Jr. Middleweight champ Derek "Pooh" Ennis (16-2, 12ko's) is scheduled to take on local veteran tough guy Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor (12-19, 6ko's) of Delaware for a scheduled 8 rounder. Things looked shaky at the start of the week as Bono's longtime trainer, Derrick Hoey, was tragically shot and killed over the weekend which could understandably call for Bono to reconsider taking this fight. But Bono told me personally that he plans to fight on despite the personal tragedy. It is official so the breakdown goes like this. In 2008 Ennis rebounded from a bad end in '07, where he was unexpectedly KO'd, to the tune of a 4-0 record and putting himself back in striking distance of a significant televised fight on the national level. Ennis last outing was icing on the cake as it was his most complete performance as a pro, boxing a 10 round masterpiece over the 20 win vet Troy Browning to claim the state title and a portion of the USBA title. It was a big step forward. While few will doubt his offensive skills, some still wonder if he has the beard to make it to the big time. His last loss came in this very building in the summer of '07 in a fight he was highly favored to win. If he can avoid the big punch, he has the skills to make a nice run in this sport. His opponent Bono on the other hand has lost 8 of his last 10 fights since winning a portion of the WBC title early in 2007. With that being said, Bono's bar room tough guy record only tells a part of the story. He will give you an honest effort and usually makes his opponent fight hard for the duration. Let's not get it twisted, Ennis is a HUGE favorite here, but this is Philly boxing and strange things always seem to happen. But hey, I only speak from the ring apron, click below to hear it from the guys who will be in there getting it on!

Derek Ennis

Sonny Bono



In a nice piece of matchmaking, the co-feature is said to have Delaware's Ryan Belasco (8-2-3, 2ko's) taking on Philly's Lenny DeVictoria (11-12-1, 3ko's) in a 6 rounder. Both fighters, at times, have been outstanding in the ring. There have also been a few occasions where both fighters have come in unprepared and laid a couple of duds. DeVictoria's record is a misleading as he has taken on some of the best young, undefeated prospects this sport has to offer. Most memorably, he knocked off the then highly regardless Elad Shmouel in Philly's 2007 fight of the year. Most recently, he fought to a draw against the rather ordinary Ricardo Media. Belasco on the other hand is cut from the cloth of his fellow Delaware fighters. Tough, has good fundamentals, and is willing to fight but no special skill that jumps out at you. Early in his career, problems of running out of gas attributed to draws and losses in fights he very well could have won. It looks like he has found a cure as he has gone deep into fights lately and looked fresh near the end, particularly against the boxing barber Victor Vasquez in one of the best of 2008. Both men had ample time to prepare for this fight so there should be no excuses. This is definitely an interesting contest, as these are two of the top guys locally fighting at 140 lbs. Expect some sparks to fly in this one as both men are usually happy to trade leather with an opponent.

Listen to both fighters tell it themselves

Lenny DeVictoria



Ryan Belasco

In Other Action...

Junior Welterweight Tyric "Too Sweet" Robinson (9-3, 3ko's) returns to the ring looking to erase memories of his latest outing against Jason Cintron which ended in a one sided loss. No opponent has been announced. Once Too Sweet ranked in the top 5 of the Philly Keith pound for pound list. Lets hope the real Too Sweet shows up for this one instead of the guy we saw last time.

Philly lightweight Ronald Cruz will make his pro debut against Joel Rios (1-4, 1ko) of Puerto Rico.

Heavyweights Kamarah Pasley (0-3)and John Carlisle (0-1) , both of Philly, will battle it out as both seek their first wins as a pro.

Lou Rodriguez of The Philly Rumblers Boxing Club is scheduled to make his awaited pro debut after a false start back in October when his opponent fell out last minute. He will take on Ray Ellis who is also making his pro debut.

A light welterweight scrap between two fighters with their only win coming by way of the dirt nap face off as Allentown's Eluid Torres (1-0-1, 1ko) takes on the challenge of Pleasantville, NJ's Omar Brito (1-0, 1ko) over 4 rounds of promising action.

Cleveland lightweight Miguel Gonzalez (1-0, 1ko) is not on the card due to being unable to find an opponent.

For tickets call 267-687-7560 or 267-809-0057

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

Yusef Mack & Derek Ennis win PA State titles at The Armory

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com


Joey Eye Promotions came to the National Guard Armory this past weekend and once again the Philly fight scene legend delivered a night full off knockdowns and drag-outs. In the Main Event, the world rated Light Heavyweight Yusef Mack returned home to take on another Philly fighter in Omar Pittman who was looking to score an upset. The PA State and NABA Light Heavyweight titles were on the line as well as a possible top ranking in the WBA. In the co-feature, Derek Ennis looked to put his name back a top the list of young Philly junior middleweights and his assignment was no slouch as he took on the 41 year old day time trash man Troy Browning in a 10 round State title fight. The under card was patch worked together but it did produce two entertaining heavyweight fights when Anthony Gatt took on Jonathan Felton and also when Lamont Barnes took on Tyaab Beale in 4 rounders. Jules Blackwell looked to get a bounce back win and Joel De La Paz returned from North Jersey to once again lace them up in our town.


Mack attacks Pittman!

The nights main event featured two local fighters with separate skill sets but one common attribute, they both could fight. Yusef Mack (26-2, 16ko's) was a one time anointed prodigy of the worlds 168 lb division, only to see his shot at the big time go up in smoke due to losses against world rated opponents. This is a new ear for Mack as he moved up a division in order not to kill his body to make weight. So far so good at 175 lbs for Mack as he most recently won the NABA title in an ESPN carried fight against Daniel Judah in Brooklyn. Coming into this fight ranked #9 by the WBA, an impressive win is sure to position Mack for another run towards the more meaningful gold.

Pittman (14-5, 8ko's) on the other hand has only faced a world rated opponent once which was in his last fight which came in Montreal against Jean Pashall. Pittman didn't win the fight but did expose Pashall as more of a pretender than an actual contender, rocking his opponent and almost putting him away in the later rounds. With a win here, Pittman still probably wouldn't be considered "world class" but would have a lot of power at the bargaining table when it came to negotiating future fights.

Inside of the ring, Mack played the role of boxer and Pittman looked to slug. In this case, the boxer eluded the puncher's bombs but was able to return fire with pinpoint accuracy. Though Mack was clearly winning every round, Pittman kept on coming, throwing heavy rights in hopes of landing that one shot knockout punch. The drama unfolded late in the 6th round when Mack cleanly connected with an overhand right which sent Pittman staggering into the corner. Mack wasted no time in following up with a bevy of punches which put Pittman down hard. Pittman did beat the 10 count but was visibly wozy which left the referee no choice but to stop it with a second remaining in the round.

Winner - 2:59 in the 6th round Yusef Mack

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com









Ennis shuts down Browning!

The co-feature was also an interested match-up which featured two fighters from our area, both of whom desperately needed to make a big statement after recent slip-up's in the ring.

Germantown's Derek "Pooh" Ennis (16-2, 12ko's) is considered to be one of the most well rounded fighters in our area. He was born into the sport and has continued to learn and improve well into his adult life. When he fights, you are almost assured it will be entertaining regardless of if he wins or loses. After suffering a surprise loss last year at the unknown Alphonso Williams, Ennis returned to reel off three straight knockout victories, albeit against low level of fighters. On this night he would take on an experienced veteran with a good record, the type of fighter who he has yet to face as a pro.

Troy Browning (20-3, 8ko's) on the other hand unexpectedly made a name for himself a year ago when he won a decision over the then highly regarded Babyface Garcia live on ESPN. Feeling he was not getting the respect he deserved, the Browning team followed up by taking on two more well regarded prospects in Delvin Rodriguez and Pawel Wolak, losing 10 round unanimous decisions in both fights but showing he could hang in there with younger, fast fighters.

In the ring, Derek Ennis played the matador and Browning played the bull with Pooh leaving the 41 year old phenom swinging at air for more of the night. Browning kept on coming and Ennis kept of boxing. He would bait Browning in, slip away and fire off two, three and four punch combo's almost at will.

Browning was most effective when he went after the body. A strategy he didn't use nearly enough. Neither man was ever in serious trouble or truly hurt but it was still a very solid 10 rounds worth of boxing from Ennis, who on this night, showed he is worthy of making the jump into the next level and capable of winning there too. The fight went to the cards which read 100 - 90 x2 & 98- 92 all in favor of Derek Pooh "Ennis".

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com










Gatt outbombs Felton in a sloppy slugfest!

West Chester's Anthony Gatt (7-1, 4ko's) was sent to the canvas in the 2nd round, courtesy of a Jonathan Felton (5-12, 5ko's) left hook but pulled himself off the deck to win a 4 round unanimous decision over the Carolina based fighter. This one wasn;t pretty but it sure was entertaining as these two fired away and looked to basically knock the other guys head off.

Felton hung in their early but ran out of gas mid way through. Unfortunately for him, Gatt came with a full tank and did his best work in rounds 3 and 4 with hard body shots and right hooks to the head.

It went to the cards which read 39 - 37 & 38-37 x 2 for Gatt

Photos by Zach Radel / www.zarphotography.com







Blackwell blows through Dennis!

Phoenixville's Jules "The Ghost" Blackwell (8-1-2, 3ko's) was given a duck in his return to the ring and handled his business very quickly as he battered Javier Dennis (1-2) around the ring until referee Gary Rosato mercifully stopped it at the 2:33 mark of round 1.

If anyone earned an easy fight it is Jules who went on a run earlier this year taking on tough fight after tough fight. It will be interesting to see how he bounces back after suffering his first career loss. Tonight was a good start.



Beale stops Barnes in 2!


Heavyweight Tyaab Beale (1-1, 1ko) scored two knockdowns en route to a 2nd round stoppage over Lamont Barnes (0-1)to earn his first win as a pro. These two big guys traded some heavy shots early and often. A quick 3 punch combo from Beale put Barnes down late in the second. Barnes seemed stunned at first but possibly able to continue although the referee didn't seem to agree and called a halt to the battle.


De La Paz blows out Hord!

Joel De La Paz (2-0, 1ko) needed only :35 to dispose of Indiana's Ryan Hord (0-3, 3ko losses), nailing him with a left hook that put Hord down well past the needed 10 count. No disrespect to De La Paz but Hord should never be allowed to fight again, he might get seriously hurt in there.

De La Paz improves to 2-0 after this starching.



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