Next Wednesday, on August 14, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s SMS Promotions return to B.B. King Blues Club and Grill with an exciting eight-bout card. The event will be the latest installment of NYC’s popular Broadway Boxing series.
Already announced fighting on the card are New York natives Tor Hamer (20-2, 13KO’s) and Boyd Melson (11-1-1, 4KO’s), both seeing action in separate eight-round bouts. The heavyweight Hamer will face off against hard-hitting Kertson Manswell (23-7, 17KO’s), while Melson will fight a rematch against Brooklyn’s Jason Thompson (5-6-3, 4KO’s). Melson and Thompson fought to an entertaining six-round draw last year.
SMS-promoted former amateur standout Donte Strayhorn (2-1) is set to see action against Justin Robins (1-2) in a four-round junior welterweight matchup. SMS stable-mate Luis Olivares (4-0, 3KO’s) was also set to see action on the card, but unfortunately was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury during training.
Also appearing on the card in separate six-round bouts will be super middleweight Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (16-0-1, 10KO’s) and hard-hitting lightweight Amos “2 Smooth” Cowart (7-0, 5KO’s). Allen returns to the ring for the first time in a little over a year when he takes on heavy-hitting Michael Gbenga (13-8, 13KO’s) in a six-round super middleweight contest. The promising up-and-coming Cowart ,who recently signed with DBE, will square off against former NY Golden Gloves Champion Chazz McDowell (6-3, 1KO).
Also seeing action on the card will be undefeated prospects Patrick Day (4-0, 2KO’s) and Neuky Santelises (5-0, 4KO’s), both of whom are moving up into their first six-round matchups. The Brooklynite Santelises carries dynamite in both hands and is coming off back-to-back devastating first-round knockouts. Santelises will look to make it three in a row when he takes on Bronx’s upset-minded Joey Arroyo (3-3-1) in their six-round junior lightweight showdown.
The bout on August 14 will already be the fifth of this year for the DBE promoted Day, who is a former #1 amateur in the U.S. and a national champion. Day successfully made his debut in January, also at B.B. King Blues Club, with a devastating one-punch first-round knockout of Zachariah Kelley and has looked impressive in each outing since. He is scheduled to take on an opponent TBA in a six-round junior middleweight matchup.
Rounding out the card will be New York fan-favorite and four-time NY Golden Gloves champion Sonya Lamonakis (7-1-2, 1KO) taking on five-time NY Golden Gloves champion Tanzee Daniels (4-2-1, 1KO) in six-round female heavyweight showdown. Lamonakis and Daniels are no strangers to one another inside the ring, having fought three times in the amateurs and twice already in the pro ranks. Lamonakis, a New York City school teacher, earned both victories as a pro, while Daniels holds the 2-1 edge from the amateurs. Daniels is hoping to even the score, while Lamonakis is looking to close out this ‘best-of-seven series’.
The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and SMS Promotions and sponsored by SMS Audio, Manfredi Auto Group, Newlio.com, and Everlast. SNY will broadcast the event tape-delayed.
Tickets for the event are priced at $125, $100 and $75. The $55 general admission seats are already completely sold out. Tables are also available for purchase for this event, with VIP Tables going for $1,000 per table (5 seats at $200 per seat), Ringside Tables for $500 (5 seats at $100), and $375 tables (5 seats at $75). Tickets are available for purchase by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577.
