Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing Light Heavyweight Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr. lived up to his nickname as he stopped Cory ” Black Ice” Cummings in two thrilling rounds to capture the vacant IBA Continental Americas Light Heavyweight title before a standing room only crowd last night at The Paramount in Huntington, NY.
There was no feeling out process in this one as both fighters came charging out in round 1 throwing bombs. The action was frenzied as both guys landed big shots standing toe to toe. Smith’s punches seemed to be having a greater effect as he backed Cummings to the ropes and staggered him with a big right hand near the end of the round.
Cummings to his credit never stopped trying to answer Smith punch for punch. The bell for round 2 sounded and again both fighters went right at it much to the delight of the crowd who by now were all on their feet. A picture perfect left hook by Smith midway through the round put Cummings flat on his face but miraculously he made it his feet before the count of 10. Cummings was in bad shape as Smith swarmed him looking for the knockout.
Somehow Cummings stayed on his feet and continued trading with Smith as the crowd was going absolutely crazy. Smith continued the assault on ever so game Cummings and finally put together a flurry of hard punches causing Referee Sammy Viruet to call a halt to the action at 2:10 of round 2.
With the victory Smith improves to 18-1 14KO’s while Cummings drops to 18-9-1 13KO’s. Smith, hailing from nearby Mastic, NY, certainly made a statement to all Light Heavyweights with this victory over the tough Baltimore, MD native Cory Cummings.
Anthony “Showtime” Karperis and Bayan “The Mongolian Mongoose” Jargal went to war over 8 rounds in a Lightweight matchup. Karperis scored a majority decision win over tough luck loser Jargal by scores of 79-73, 78-74, and 76-76. Karperis started fast utilizing his speed and movement over the first three rounds.
Jargal pressed forward at all times and started to have success finding Karperis having a big 4th round. The two way action continued to the final bell with both sides feeling they did enough to win but in the end it was Karperis who received the nod. Karperis, Hicksville, NY improves to 10-1 3KO’s as Jargal, Arlington, VA, drops to 17-7-3 11KO’s.
Constantin Bejenaru, 9-0 3KO’s, Brooklyn, NY made short work of Dave Valykeo, 4-5, Neptune, NJ, stopping him at 1:02 of round 2 in a scheduled 6 round Cruiserweight bout.
Huntington native Johnny Hernandez, 4-0 1KO won a hard fought decision over Philadelphia’s Derrick Bivins, 1-3-2 by scores of 39-37 twice and 40-36 in a Featherweight contest.
Dave Meloni, 3-1 1KO, Westbury, NY and Michael Gargouri, 0-5-1, Quebec, CN put on a crowd pleasing brawl over 4 rounds in the Jr. Lightweight division. Meloni escaped with a majority decision win by scores of 39-37 twice and 38-38.
The opening bout saw Newark, NJ’s Ian Smith, 4-0 3KO defeat Marlon Farr, 4-9 in a 4 round Super Middleweight fight by scores of 40-36 on all three cards.
Hogan Outworks Brunson on CBS Sports Network Night of Boxing
Australia via Kildare, Ireland’s WBA #12- and IBF #11-rated “Hurricane” Dennis Hogan (21-0-1, 7 KOs) cruised to an entertaining and workmanlike 10-round decision over Philadelphia’s Tyrone “Young Gun” Brunson (22-5-1, 21 KOs) tonight, in the main event of “Championship Boxing on CBS Sports Network” at the Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minnesota.
Fighting in front of an appreciative sold-out crowd, Hogan outworked the careful Brunson in the majority of rounds to win by scores of 96-94, 98-92 and 97-93 and in the process, picked up the World Boxing Association’s NABA-US Super Welterweight Championship.
Hogan closed the show well and seemed to hurt Brunson with a series of clubbing shots. But Brunson was able to survive the onslaught.
Brunson, who seems to have morphed into a counter puncher since his days as the King of the KO 1 earlier in his career, had a good round eight and seemed to hurt Hogan with a right. He kept it interesting throughout by catching Hogan coming in with right hands.
Presented by Greg Cohen Promotions in association with Adam Wilcock’s Fight Card Promotions and produced by David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions “Championship Boxing on CBS Sports Network” was the debut CBS-televised effort from the promotional team.
Several thudding knockouts punctuated the rest of the night’s action.
In the night’s co-main event, lightweight slugger Ismael Barroso made quick work of Memphis, Tennessee veteran Ira Terry, knocking him out inside of a round.
The southpaw Barroso, of El Tigre, Venezuela, moved his record to 18-0-2, 17 KOs by flattening Terry (now 26-14, 16 KOs) with a devastating left hand. Barroso’s reputation seems to grow with every frightening performance. Terry tried moving to his left and being elusive, but it only took one shot from Barroso’s cement fists. Referee Mark Nelson began a count when Terry went down, but quickly waved it off at 2:49.
In the televised opener, Saint Paul, Minnesota, middleweight prospect Rob “Bravo” Brant (15-0, 9 KOs)made surprisingly easy work of Miami via Colombia’s Dionisio Miranda (22-11-2, 19 KOs), dropping him for the full count at 2:40 of round two.
Brant showed superior quickness while landing his rangy shots form outside. A right hand started the trouble for the normally durable Miranda. The follow-up volley forced Miranda down and he elected, probably wisely, not to rise. The crowd-favorite Brant remains undefeated and now has a KO win over a quality mid-level opponent on his resume.
In what turned out to be a televised swing bout, American heavyweight prospect Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller, of Brooklyn, New York, moved his impressive record to 12-0-1, 10 KOs by knocking out Nairobi, Kenya’s Raymond “King Kong” Ochieng (26-19-3, 21 KOs) at 1:40 of the very first round.
Miller placed his heavy, accurate shots inside the wild swings of the game Ochieng and caught him with a strong combination against the ropes. Ochieng went down and referee Gary Miezwa waved it off without counting, probably prematurely.
Nevertheless, the charismatic Miller looked like a solid prospect taking out a useful veteran in Ochieng, who had gone 10 rounds with Alexander Petkovic in his last fight and handed 36-1 David Rodriguez a TKO 1 loss last July.
San Antonio, Texas, super bantamweight Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (11-0, 6 KOs) furthered his reputation as an up-and-coming prospect by levelling Saint Paul, Minnesota’s Philip Adyaka (4-5, 2 KOs) with a monstrous left hook at 58 seconds of round two. 24-year-old Lopez was too big and too powerful for the smaller Adyaka. Lopez impressed, showing off his world-class weaponry while banging to the head and body, especially with the left hook. Adyaka bravely tried to rise, but stumbled back into the ropes and the fight was waved off.
In a six-round heavyweight match-up, fan favorite Joey “Minnesota Ice” Abell (30-8, 29 KOs) of nearby Coon Rapids, Minnesota, started his comeback by stopping journeyman Travis “Iron Man” Fulton (22-39-1, 21 KOs) of Cedar Falls, Iowa in three rounds. Out of the ring for more than a year, the southpaw Abell finally shook off the rust and got through with a volley of punches against the ropes, which badly stunned Fulton. The came at 34 seconds with Fulton dazed but still standing. I’m starting over. I want to get a couple wins and hopefully get a big fight here,” said Abell, post-fight. Unfortunately, Abell slipped awkwardly in the first round and reportedly suffered a serious ankle injury.
In a four-round, all-Minneapolis super heavyweight showdown to open the night, 316-lb Van “The Man” Goodman, now 4-5-2, 4 KOs, picked up a good win over 299-lb Brett Murphy, now 1-1, 1 KO via TKO 2. Murphy was down in round one and twice more in round two. A tidy left uppercut was the finishing shot. The time of the stoppage was 1:38.
Tony Harrison & Tevin Farmer Shine on Friday Night Fights
Undefeated junior middleweight Tony Harrison rolled to his 21st straight victory in tonight’s ESPN Friday Night Fights main event, presented by DiBella Entertainment in association with New Legend Boxing, at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Harrison (21-0, 18 KOs), fighting out of Detroit, dropped Pablo Munguia (20-7, 11 KOs) at the end of the second round with a powerful punch. Munguia was examined between rounds by the ring doctor. Referee Arthur Mercante needed only 11 seconds into the next round to determine that the Mexican was unable to be competitive, awarding Harrison a victory by technical knockout.
“I’m looking for whoever Al Haymon puts me in with,” 24-year-old Harrison remarked. “I’m from Detroit. I’ve never said ‘no’ to an opponent I was offered, which says a lot about me. We have a lot of heart in Detroit. I’m ready for a big fight. I got him with a step-back overhand right. I wish they had let it go a little longer. I wanted to finish him, but the bell went off.”
Connecticut fan favorite, Mexican-born Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs), upset previously undefeated Massachusetts featherweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (22-1, 6 KOs) by way of an eight-round split decision in an entertaining co-feature event for New England bragging rights. The aggressive-fighting Aquino kept coming forward throughout the fight, as Kielczweski effectively counter-punched. Neither fighter was remotely hurt in the action-packed clash of gifted boxers.
Aquino defeated Kielczweski the one time they fought in the amateurs. “Because of his record,” Aquino commented, “this was the biggest win of my career. It was extra special winning my first ESPN fight, too. I think my aggressiveness was the difference. He was moving around and I had to keep putting pressure on him to make it my fight, not his fight. I hope this fight will give me opportunities and I’ll take the best.”
“It was definitely a tough fight,” Kielczweski noted. “Making weight definitely took a lot out of me. I think I boxed well, landed the harder shots and blocked most of his. I guess the judges likes his aggression, but I thought I won the fight.”
In the opening televised bout, Philadelphia junior lightweight Tevin “American Idol” Farmer (19-4-1, 4 KOs) won his 11th straight fight, winning a unanimous eight-round decision over previously unbeaten Angel “El Gato” Luna (10-1-1, 6 KOs), of Brooklyn, in a very competitive fight.
“I feel great,” Farmer said after the fight. “That’s exactly what I wanted to show. I wanted to show a lot of different dimensions. TV wants guys who can punch and box, the total package, and I showed that tonight. I feel that I’m ready for a top 10 contender and showed tonight that I belong among the best.”
Ghanaian southpaw Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen (19-0-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of New York City, overcame a flash knockdown at the end of round six to knock out a game Paul Gonsalves (7-7-1, 3 KOs) in the following round. Allen connected with a straight left hand punch that landed flush on the Cape Cod light heavyweight’s chin.
Unbeaten middleweight Alantez “SlyAza” Fox (15-0-1, 5 KOs), fighting out of Maryland, outclassed Dominican invader Franklin Gonzalez (16-14, 10 KOs) on his way to a second-round technical knockout, trapping his opponent against the ropes and unloaded a barrage of unanswered punches until referee Harvey Dock halted the action.
Exciting Houston welterweight Regis “Rougarou” Prograis ran his record to 14-0 (12 KOs), stopping Abraham “Swift” Alvarez (19-8-1, 9 KOs) at the 1:28 mark of the opening round. The promising southpaw prospect put his Mexican opponent down with a viscous, straight left to the body.
Former U. of New Haven basketball star Cassius Chaney (1-0, 1 KO) had a successful professional debut, pounding Perry Filkins (0-2) until referee Danny Sciavone stopped the fight 41 seconds into the second round.
Unbeaten Florida lightweight Amos “2 Smooth” Cowart used a body attack to stop previously unbeaten Anthony Burgin (8-1, 1 KO), of Philadelphia, in the fifth round.
COMPLETE RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Cassius Chaney (1-0, 1 KO), Philadelphia, PA
WTKO2 (0:31)
Perry Filkins (0-2), Hooksett, NH
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Lennox Allen (19-0-1, 11 KOs), New York, NY
WTKO7 (1:45)
Paul Gonsalves (7-7-1, 3 KOs). Harwich, MA
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Alantez Fox (15-0-1, 5 KOs) Forestville, MD
WTKO2 (2:39)
Franklin Gonzalez (16-14, 10 KOs), Santo Domingo, D.R.
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Tony Harrison (21-0, 18 KOs), Detroit, MI
WTKO3 (0:11)
Pablo Munguia (20-7, 11 KOs), Distrito Federal, Mexico
WELTERWEIGHTS
Regis Prograis (14-0, 12 KOs), Houston, TX
WYKO1 (1:28)
Abraham Alvarez (19-8-1, 9 KOs), Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Amos Cowart (11-0-1, 9 KOs), Groveland, FL
WKO5 (1:28)
Anthony Burgin (8-1, 1 KO), Philadelphia, PA
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS
Tevin Farmer (19-4-1, 4 KOs), Philadelphia, PA
WDEC8 (87-82, 87-82, 79-73)
Angel Luna (10-1-1, 6 KOs), Brooklyn, NY
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs), Meriden, CT
WDEC8 (78-74, 78-74, 74-78)
Ryan Kielczweski (22-1, 6 KOs), Quincy, MA
