Undefeated super middleweight Antuwyan Aikens headlines boxing's return to Atlantic City

Atlantic City - Boxing returns to Atlantic City Friday when the Claridge hosts a 10-bout card headlined by
undefeated super bantamweight Juan "Baby Tito" Dominguez, and unbeaten super middleweight Antuwyan Aikens.

Dominguez will take on Mario Antonio Macias  in the eight-round main event while Aikens makes his return after a 13-month layoff to take on Edgar Perez in a six-round bout.

Aikens (9-0, 1 KO), an Atlantic City native, will be making his seventh appearance in his hometown.

"I had a good camp," he said.  "We weren't getting the right deals so we took the time off.  We reevaluated our career and wanted to see what direction we wanted to go in. We hope that this fight with King's Promotions will bring us better fights."

The veteran Perez has already squared off against 10 undefeated fighters and holds a win over previously undefeated Atlantic City-based light heavyweight Lavarn Harvell.

"I know that Perez is a brawler," Aikens said.  "I know he beat Harvell.  So for that I know it is a challenge and I look forward to that but I plan on giving him a boxing lesson."

Other fights scheduled are:

-Bryant Perella (11-0, 7 KOs) of Lehigh Acres, FL vs.  German Perez (11-1-3, 3 KOs) of Tijuana, MX in an eight-round welterweight bout.

-John Magda (9-0, 6 KOs) of Rutherford, NJ vs. Miguel Angel Manguia (31-32-1, 25 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight bout.

-Gervonta Davis (10-0, 9 KOs) of Baltimore, MD vs. Alberta Mora (5-3, 1 KO) of Mexico City in an eight-round featherweight affair.

-Middleweight Caleb Hunter Plant (6-0, 5 KOs) of Ashland City, TN will fight an opponent to be named.

-Jamontay Clark (5-0, 3 KOs) of Cincinnati, OH vs. Jonathan Garcia (4-13, 1 KO) of Aguada, PR in a six-round welterweight clash.

-Jr. Welterweight Keenan Smith (6-0, 2 KOs of Philadelphia) vs. Luis Rodriguez (3-3, 2 KOs) of Carolina, PR in a six-rounder.

- Kareem Martin (4-0-1, 3 KOs) of Washington, D.C. vs. Marques Jackson (3-15, 2 KOs) of Atlanta, GA in a four-round welterweight battle.

-Pro debuting light heavyweight Carlos Gongora of Brooklyn, NY vs. Efigenio Perez (0-4) of Puerto Rico in a four-round affair.

Witherpsoon brings boxing back to Pennsauken

Pennsauken, NJ (The Phanatic Magazine) - Chazz Witherpsoon's  Silver Spoon Promotions is bringing boxing back to South Jersey on April 18 at the GPG Event Center in Pennsauken, New Jersey.  

Witherpsoon (32-3, 24 KO's), a veteran heavyweight who calls Paulsboro home, will be in the main event against an opponent to be named. The St. Joseph's University grad won his first 23 bouts before suffering his first defeat to future two-time world title challenger Chris Arreola.


Since then Witherspoon participated in the 2008 Ring Magazine Heavyweight Fight of the Year, an eighth-round stoppage over Adam Richards (21-1) and dropped a fight to future two-time world title challenger Tony Thompson.

In has last bout, Witherspoon stopped Cory Phelps in two rounds at the GPC Event on Jan. 24.

Appearing on the undercard in four-round bouts will be:

Vidal Rivera (1-0, 1 KO) of Camden, NJ takes on Tyron Stewart (0-1) in a super bantamweight clash. 

Obafemi Bakari (2-0) of Staten Island, NY will fight pro debuting Andrew Osborne in a jr. middleweight fight.

Matthew Gonzalez (2-0) of Vineland,NJ will take on Joseph McDonald (0-1) of Concord, NC in a jr. middleweight fight.

Courtney Blocker (4-0, 4 KO's) of Pensacola, FL will take on an opponent to be named in a jr. welterweight bout.

Paris Chisholm of Baltimore will be making his pro debut in a welterweight bout.

Erick Kitt (5-0, 2 KO's) of Pensacola, FL will see action in a jr. middleweight bout.

Malik Hawkins (2-0, 2 KO's)  of Baltimore, MD will take part in a jr. welterweight bout.

Andrew Pureifoy of Philadelphia will fight in a cruiserweight fight.

Antoine Aikens (9-0, 1 KO) of Atlantic City, NJ will take part in a super middleweight bout.

Rocco Salimbene of Pennsauken, NJ will make his pro debut in a lightweight fight

Chazz Witherspoon to battle Cory Phelps in Pennsauken

Pennsauken, NJ - The new GPG Event Center (Formerly the Woodbine Inn) in Pennsauken will host its inaugural boxing event on Saturday night, January 24 when heavyweight contender Chazz Witherspoon will take on Cory Phelps in a bout scheduled for 10-rounds.

The show is promoted by Witherspoon's Silver Spoon Promotions.

Witherspoon (31-3, 23 KO's) of nearby Paulsboro, New Jersey established himself as one of the top American heavyweights as the St. Joseph's University graduate won his first twenty-three bouts with wins over the likes of Michael Alexander (11-0), Talmadge Griffis (24-6-3), Jonathan Haggler (18-1) before suffering his first defeat to future two-time world title challenger Chris Arreola via controversial disqualification.

Witherspoon went on to win three win a row which was highlighted by an entertaining eighth round stoppage over Adam Richards (21-1). That fight was voted Ring Magazine's 2008 Heavyweight Fight of the Year. Witherspoon then dropped a fight to future two-time world title challenger Tony Thompson.

Witherspoon went on to score four-consecutive knockouts which included a devastating third-round destruction over Tyson Cobb (14-2).

Witherspoon then took on undefeated prospect Seth Mitchell on April 28, 2012 in a bout where Witherspoon had Mitchell badly hurt in several occasions before Mitchell came away with the victory.

In Witherspoon's last bout, he score an exciting eighth-round stoppage over Tyabb Beale on July 12 in West Deptford, New Jersey.

Phelps of Catlettsburg, KY has a record of 16-7-1 with 8-knockouts.

The 30-year old is a 10-year pro and captured the ABA Cruiserweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over Jason Williams (9-2) in 2014 and has a draw with former world title challenger Bobby Gunn (18-3).

In four round bouts:

Nick Valliere (3-0, 2 KO's) of Forked River, NJ will fight pro debuting Francisco Cruz of Philadelphia in a Welterweight bout.

Erik Spring (4-0, 1 KO) of Reading, PA will see action in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Clarence Joseph (4-0, 2 KO's)  of Oklahoma will make his pro debut in a Super Middleweight fight.

Malik Hawkins (1-0, 1 KO) of Baltimore will take part in a Welterweight bout against Josue Rivera (2-6, 2 KO's) of Philadelphia, PA

Courtney Blocker (3-0, 3 KO's) of Pensacola, FL will fight in a Jr. Welterweight bout against Domonic Goode (0-3) of Bridgeton, NJ

Matthew Gonzalez (1-0) of Vineland, NJ will fight  Emmanuel Lipscomb of Philadelphia in a Middleweight bout.

Paul Koon (2-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia will fight Schyuler Marshall (1-5) of South Carolina in a Heavyweight out.

Vidal Rivera of Camden, NJ will make his pro debut in a Super Bantamweight bout

Reading heavyweight Kauffman is on the mend

Reading, PA - On the eve of one of the biggest heavyweight title fights to take place in the United States in years, contender Travis Kauffman (28-1, 20 KO's) is close to being ready for action following knee surgery and the former amateur standout is ready for a big run at the elite Heavyweights in the world.

"I can not wait to get back in the ring," said Kauffman

Kauffman, who has won nine straight bouts and has been off for a year as he injured his knee in the spring and had the surgery.

"I see that there is a lot of action now here in the states," Kauffman said.  "There is Deontay Wilder who is fighting for the title on Saturday and there has been a lot of rumblings about Bryant Jennings challenging Wladimir Klitschko in April.  When I get back it will be my time and I am looking to fight the best out there." 

Kovalev is too much for Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins - Photo courtesy of Mike Gladysz/Main Events

By John McMullen
jmcmullen@phanaticmag.com

ATLANTIC CITY (The Phanatic Magazine) - Krushers evidently don't care what's in their path, be it terrestrial or other worldly.

That was the lesson to take home on Saturday in Atlantic City as the unbeaten Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) stayed that way, outlasting the 49-year-old Bernard "The Alien" Hopkins (55-7-2) by unanimous decision en route to unifying the light-heavyweight title in front of a near-sellout crowd at Boardwalk Hall.

Kovalev, the WBO kingpin coming in, earned Hopkins' IBF and WBA belts as the seemingly ageless one finally succumbed to "Father Time" just two months shy of his 50th birthday.

"I'm very happy," Kovalev said after the win. "This victory was for my (newborn) son Aleksandr."

The Russian masher set the tone early, scoring with a hard right to the top of Hopkins' head in the first round, a blow that sent the veteran to the canvas and foreshadowed a quick night.

Hopkins had other ideas, though, and regrouped to show the skills that have made him one of the greatest defensive fighters of all-time.

Kovalev wobbled Hopkins again in the eighth round but when the bell rang it was official, the nearly half-century old pugilist had taken the Krusher farther than anyone else.

Hopkins once billed himself as "The Executioner" but that nickname really hadn't fit in over 10 years when a then-39-year-old B-Hop scored his last knockout against Oscar De La Hoya in September of 2004.

However, as the gift of power left Hopkins, the Philadelphia native simply relied on other strengths, namely his experience, guile and gamesmanship, to frustrate opponents. And "The Executioner" morphed into "The Alien" by winning 10 fights over the ensuing decade with triumphs over name fighters like Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright, Kelly Pavlik, Roy Jones, Jr. and Jean Pascal.

The oldest champion in the history of the sport was just cheating the crippling effects of aging, however, he never really solved them. And unless B-Hop walked away on top (not his style), a younger, stronger fighter who didn't fall prey to Hopkins' defensive-oriented, often antagonistic
style of fighting was going to make him look like a 50-year-old man.

Enter Kovalev, the rising Russian star who is 18 years younger than Hopkins and knocks everybody out as evidenced by the fact 23 of his previous 26 pro fights have ended with his opponents glassy eyed.

While Hopkins has been taking 12 rounds to bedevil his foes, Kovalev hadn't gone more than seven rounds since October of 2010 and has never been forced to fight more than eight in his professional career.

Until tonight.

Round 9 was the magic number for Hopkins and a firm indication he was going to shock the world yet again except for the fact he wasn't.

Kovalev dominated the fight, cutting off the ring and stalking a weaker prey, pitching a shutout by winning all three scorecards, 120-107, 120-107 and 120-106.

Hopkins did actually daze Kovalev a bit in the 12th round but the Russian responded with another stinging right which hurt Hopkins. Instead of going down, however, Hopkins stuck out his tongue, a poor decision that antagonized Kovalev.

Hopkins got the worst beating of his life in the waning moments of the fight but stayed up and hung on, a proud warrior refusing to tap out.

The numbers were scary. Kovalev landed 38 punches in the final frame, the most by a Hopkins opponent in the 41 bouts Compubox has tracked. Overall, the Russian landed 166 punches to 65 for Hopkins. The power punches were even more lopsided with Kovalev having a 121 to 40 advantage.

The fight should have been stopped but wasn't. Hopefully Hopkins doesn't pay for that down the line.

Kovalev, meanwhile, earned the respect of a legend and showed he was no one-trick pony.

Hopkins proved something too, though. A 31-year-old B-Hop would have cleaned this Krusher's clock.

"I give him a lot of respect," said Hopkins. "We both would fight anyone and that's how we ended up here tonight. That's what brought us together. That's what the people want to see, one title, one belt, one champion."

JERSEY SHORE

Both Hopkins and Kovalev had a history of big fights in Atlantic City before Saturday night. This was B-Hop's 20th fight in the seaside resort and his sixth at Boardwalk Hall.

"Atlantic City is a second home to me," said Hopkins. "Some of my most memorable victories and greatest accomplishments of my career have taken place there including my fights against Antonio Tarver and Kelly Pavlik."

Kovalev, meanwhile, fought his only two previous American title defenses in Atlantic City, both of which were knockouts with the most recent coming against Blake Caparello at the now-shuttered Revel Casino back in August.

"I am happy to be back in Atlantic City," said Kovalev.  "This is my third time fighting there, but this is the most special because this time I am facing the legendary Bernard Hopkins."

OLYMPIAN ALI TAKES A STEP UP IN CLASS

Emerging welterweight talent Sadam Ali, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, took a major step in his career by knocking out veteran slugger Carlos Abregu in the co-feature of the night.

The unbeaten Ali (21-0, 13 KOs), a Brooklyn native, is regarded as one of the top young stars in the division and sent a message against Abregu (36-2), a proven fighter with 29 career knockouts and a seven-fight winning streak coming in since suffering the lone previous loss of his career to Timothy
Bradley in 2010.

"This is the big fight I've been asking for," Ali said. "Abregu is a seasoned veteran. He hits hard and he comes to fight."

Ali did respect Abregu's power early and was hesitant to engage, drawing jeers from a crowd desperate for action. The boos continued through the third round with the Corona ring girls serving as the only respite for the disinterested gathering.

A barely audible Ali chant picked up in Round 4 with the hopes of inspiring the fan favorite but it was quickly abandoned as each fighter seemed content to keep their distance.

Ali finally connected with a straight right hand that sent Abregu to the canvas in the sixth, the first round that wasn't serenaded with boos when it ended.

Ali gained confidence from there and realized he had a significant quickness advantage but he seemed content to run out the clock and play the counter game.

A desperate Abregu finally pushed the action in Round 9 and had Ali reeling and sitting on the ropes until Ali awakened and responded forcefully, knocking Abregu silly with a devastating right again later in the round. Abregu tried to regain his bearings from there but couldn't as things were waived off at 1:59 of the round.


UNDERCARD UNDERWHELMS

In the biggest mismatch of the night -- on paper and in the ring -- veteran cruiserweight Nadjib Mohammedi (36-3, 22 KOs), the WBA Continental and French champion at 175 pounds who is ranked number one in the world by the IBF, fourth by the WBA and eighth by the WBO, stopped Kansas City southpaw
Demetrius Walker (7-8-1) at 2:16 of the fist round.

Walker knew he was outclassed and looked like he was in this for a pay day, drawing boos when he collapsed a second time after some pedestrian blows from Mohammedi.

In the lone heavyweight bout of the night, up-and-coming Ukrainian contender Vyacheslav Glazkov (19-0-1, 12 KOs), a 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist who is currently ranked number two in the world by the IBF and number eight by the WBC, topped Miami's Darnell Wilson (25-18-3), a former world title
challenger at cruiserweight, in a lackluster affair.

The powerful Wilson had destroyed careers before, most notably ending the 36-0 run of David Rodriguez last December with a sixth-round knockout, and he was able to stun Glazkov with a hard right in the sixth round. The younger Glazkov was far better conditioned, however, enabling him to consistently pepper
Wilson to the point that the referee called things off after the seventh round. Glazkov was winning all three scorecards by lopsided margins (70-63, 70-61 and 70-63) at the time things were halted.

The undercard finished with former kickboxing world champion Vyacheslav Shabranskyy's first 10-round fight. Shabranskyy (11-0, 9 KOs) hardly needed any extra time, however, as he overwhelmed the heavy-handed Emil Gonzalez (11-9-1) in a light-heavyweight affair.

A native of Zhytomyr, Ukraine who now makes his home in Los Angeles, Shabranskyy systematically picked apart Gonzalez before things were called off after the second round.

PHILLY'S HUNTER WINS, BARRERA STAYS UNBEATEN

Philadelphia featherweight Eric Hunter (19-3, 10 KOs) scored his second straight impressive performance by stopping Los Angeles' Daniel Ramirez (11-2) by TKO at 1:23 of the sixth round. The 28-year-old Hunter, who once spoiled the perfect record of Jerry Belmontes, was coming off a 10-round decision win
over Yenifel Vicente in March that earned him the vacant USBA title at 126 pounds.

Cuban light heavyweight Sullivan Barrera (14-0, 9 KOs) continued to make up for a late start in boxing, moving a step closer to title contention by dismissing of Florida's Rowland Bryant (18-4) by TKO after the 35-year-old Bryant failed to answer the bell for Round 5. Already ranked in the top 15 by the WBA, Barrera has now won four times in 2014, including knockouts of Lee Campbell, Eric Watkins and now Bryant.

Russian super middleweight Andrey Sirotkin (5-0, 1 KO) kept his record unblemished by dominating journeyman Michael Mitchell (3-5-2), who fights out of Paterson, New Jersey, in a six-round unanimous decision. Sirotkin cruised on all three scorecards, 60-53, 59-54 and 59-54.

Lightweight prospect Ryan Martin (9-0, 5 KOs) remained unbeaten by upending Isaac Gonzalez (17-4) by TKO at 1:38 of the second round in the opening bout of the night.

ALL HAIL HOPKINS

A loss shouldn't diminish Hopkins' brilliance or his legendary staying power.

The superstar was born on Jan. 15, 1965 and if you take a look at some of the other notable athletes born that year, B-Hop's amazing run starts to come into focus.

Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was born a little less than nine months after Hopkins and last fought professionally in 2003 when he stopped Vitali Klitschko.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Rod Woodson was born about two months after Hopkins and hung up his cleats for good in 2003 after a 16-year career. Meanwhile, another HOFer, former Eagles and Vikings star Cris Carter, was born in November of '65 and called it quits in 2002 after 15 star-studded seasons.

Over in baseball, 3,000-hit star Craig Biggio was born in December of '65 and played his last season in 2007.

"The Admiral" David Robinson and Scottie Pippen were the two biggest basketball stars who started their journey the same year as Hopkins and Robinson retired in 2003 while Scottie lasted until 2008.

Finally, one of the greatest hockey players of all-time, Mario Lemieux, was born in '65 and stopped skating by 2006.

Undercard announced for Hopkins-Kovalev

ATLANTIC CITY - History will be made on Saturday, Nov. 8 when the ageless Bernard Hopkins attempts to unify the light heavyweight world title against Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Before the HBO "World Championship Boxing" telecast, an array of top contenders and prospects from around the globe will enter the ring to showcase their skills on the world stage.

Pugilists from the Ukraine, Puerto Rico, France, Nicaragua, Cuba, Russia and the United States will be featured.

Fighting out of Gardanne, Bouches-du-Rhone, France, 29-year-old Nadjib Mohammedi (35-3, 21 KOs) turned professional in 2005 and is eager to step through the ropes for his second consecutive fight on U.S. shores. The WBA Continental and French champion at 175 pounds, Mohammedi is ranked number one in the world by the IBF, fourth by the WBA and eighth by the WBO, giving him every reason to watch the November 8 main event intently should he get by Kansas City southpaw Demetrius Walker (7-7-1, 4 KOs) in their 10-round matchup.

Another top contender attempting to make his case for a world title shot, Ukrainian heavyweight Vyacheslav "Czar" Glazkov (18-0-1, 11 KOs) is a 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist in search of world championship gold in the coming year. Currently ranked number two in the world by the IBF and number eight by the WBC, the 30-year-old owns wins over Tomasz Adamek, Derric Rossy and Tor Hamer, and on November 8, he will face off with Miami's Darnell "Ding-A-Ling-Man" Wilson (25-17-3, 21 KOs). A former world title challenger at cruiserweight, Wilson brought his power with him to the heavyweight division, where he most recently ended the 36-0 run of David Rodriguez last December with a sixth-round knockout win.

A native of Zhytomyr, Ukraine who now makes his home in Los Angeles, unbeaten light heavyweight Vyacheslav "Lion Heart" Shabranskyy (10-0, 8 KOs) is a former world champion in kickboxing who is now climbing up the 175-pound division in boxing after a lengthy amateur career. The 27-year-old power puncher will be tested in his first 10-round bout by San Juan, Puerto Rico's Emil Gonzalez (11-8-1, 8 KOs), an equally heavy-handed foe who has ended his last five wins in two rounds or less.

Southpaw slugger William "Chirizo" Gonzalez (27-5, 23 KOs) returns to the ring next month to take on Philadelphia's Eric "The Outlaw" Hunter (18-3, 9 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout. Managua, Nicaragua's Gonzalez has won six of his last eight bouts, most recently knocking out Cornelius Lock in seven rounds for the vacant NABA title. The 28-year-old Hunter, who spoiled the perfect record of Jerry Belmontes in their 2012 bout, is coming off a 10-round decision win over Yenifel Vicente in March that earned him the vacant USBA title at 126 pounds.

Owner of amateur wins over the likes of former world champions Chad Dawson and Beibut Shumenov, 32-year-old Cuba native Sullivan Barrera (13-0, 8 KOs) is looking to make up for lost time after a late start in pro boxing, and he will look to move a step closer to title contention in his eight-round light heavyweight bout against Altamonte Springs, Florida's Rowland Bryant (18-3, 12 KOs). Already ranked in the top 15 by the WBA, Barrera has won three times so far in 2014, including knockouts of Lee Campbell and Eric Watkins. The 35-year-old Bryant has picked up two victories in 2014 thus far, stopping William Santiago and decisioning Rayco Saunders.

Also in action in a six-round super middleweight bout will be unbeaten Zubovo, Russia native Andrey Sirotkin (4-0, 1 KO) and Paterson, New Jersey's Michael Mitchell (3-4-2, 1 KO).

The opening bout of the evening will feature Chattanooga, Tennessee's Ryan Martin (8-0, 4 KOs) taking on Tucson, Arizona's Isaac Gonzalez (17-3,12 KOs) in a lightweight bout scheduled for four rounds.

Hopkins and Kovalev set for November

PHILADELPHIA - Bernard Hopkins may have finally bitten off a little more than he can chew.

The ageless Philly native will take on the dominant Sergey Kovalev in a light heavyweight unification title fight in November, Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events announced today.

Hopkins, incredibly just two months short of his 50th birthday, is seeking to add the WBO Light Heavyweight Championship to his collection of IBF and WBA belts. Kovalev, who burst on the scene just a year ago, has never lost a fight and has won 23 of his 25 victories by knockout.

"Everything I do at this point in my career affects my legacy," Hopkins (55-6-2, 32 KOs) said. "I've set and broken many records, but becoming the oldest undisputed light heavyweight world champion is the goal and Kovalev stands in the way of that goal. He's another young, hungry fighter and just like the ones that came before him, he will leave the ring beltless."

"I respect Bernard Hopkins for taking this fight," countered the 31-year-old Kovalev (25-0-1, 23 KOs). "When I came to America, it was dream to fight the best and now I am fighting, I have my chance. He says he is alien. He punch, I punch, then we see who is gonna go to Mars."

In April, Hopkins defeated Beibut Shumenov to win the WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, breaking his own record as the oldest fighter in history to win a world title, which he set in May of 2011 after defeating Jean Pascal at age 46.

Kovalev comes off of the third defense of his WBO Light Heavyweight Title on HBO, defeating Blake Caparello by TKO on Saturday night at the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

Hopkins vs. Kovalev is set to take place in the first half of November and will be held on the East Coast at a venue still to be determined.

"Golden Boy Promotions has been crystal clear that we will make the best fights for our fans no matter who else is promoting it, where it takes place or what network broadcasts it; this is Exhibit 'A' of our keeping that commitment," said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. "At 49 years of age, Bernard continues to electrify crowds with lightening quickness and impregnable defense; Sergey hits with thunderous force and is an early-round knockout threat every time he steps in the ring. With those two forces coming together, fans are in for a real treat."

"Throughout boxing's history, great champions have always been motivated by fighting the best," added Main Events' CEO, Kathy Duva. "Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya are both living legends who never back down from a challenge.

"Sergey Kovalev made it clear that all he wants to do is test his skills against the finest in the world. Main Events has always been able to deliver the biggest fights for its fighters and their fans. Since George Foreman defeated Joe Frazier in 1973, HBO has been synonymous with boxing at its highest level. It shouldn't be any surprise that when you combine those elements, you get the most anticipated fight of the year."

Kennedy & Steve Cunningham
Photo Courtesy of:
The Cunningham Family

Philadelphia (July 21, 2014)-- America was introduced to Kennedy Cunningham when her father first fought on NBC back in December of 2012 when he faced Tomasz Adamek in that epic battle, we learned that she suffered from a severed heart condition called HLHS.

 

In April when Steve fought Amir Mansour on NBC Sports, the family had just received heart breaking news when they we told that Kennedy was not a candidate for heart transplant as they had hoped.

 

She had her first open heart surgery at 2 days old and the second six months later. She was hospitalized for the first year of her life and suffered many set backs along the way, including a stroke, many blood infections and also required a trach and vent for several years when she was younger. The doctors that cared for her back then all say that she is a miracle, they saw everything she went through and never thought she would live to be 8 years old! Now, almost 9 years later she continues to show us how tough she is!

Most children with HLHS undergo a third repair which can allow them to live into adulthood, however it was determined that Kennedy was not a candidate due to the anatomy of her heart and the extent of its defects (small pulmonary arteries and tricuspid valve regurgitation). It was then that we were advised that she would have to have a heart transplant. She went through the entire transplant evaluation in our hometown of Philadelphia at the Children's Hospital there and in March our world was shattered when we were told by the Heart Failure team at CHOP that Kennedy was not a candidate for transplant or any other surgery. We were told, "no matter what, Kennedy is going to die far to soon". They told Steve and his wife Livvy that the best they could do was give her medicine to help her heart function but that there would come a time when her heart would give out and there would be nothing they could do.

"I was so completely heart broken the day her doctor sat me down and gave me the news," said Livvy.  "My world collapsed.  I cried for 3 days straight while I tried to wrap my head around the news and tried to figure out how to live without the hope of a beautiful future for our beautiful daughter, tried to picture our lives without her.  I just couldn't, it was impossible"

The Cunninghams are a faithful, fighting family and decided 'they were not going to give up on their daughter and just watch her fade away. They chose to seek a second opinion. The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh agreed to evaluate her and on June 25th, 2014, Kennedy was accepted into their program and listed for a heart transplant! Receiving a heart transplant is giving her a fighting chance to live the full, energy filled life that every child deserves.

"I'll never forget the day I got the call from my wife with the news, I broke down like never before, I lost it.  I was in the middle of my training camp for a must win fight.  People close to me told me I should pull out of the fight, that it was too much for me.  But I knew that I had to fight for Kennedy, she has been through so many battles in her life and has never once given up and I was not going to let her see her father quit.  I turned my sadness and fear into determination and on fight night, I had to dig deep but it was that determination that got me up off the canvas twice to win.  We will never give up on Kennedy and are so blessed and excited that The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh has agreed to take her on and list her", said Steve Cunningham

Now that Kennedy is listed in Pittsburgh, The Cunninghams' have to travel there 1-2 times per month for appointments and  have to be ready at any time to jump on the road when they get "the call" that she has her new heart waiting for her. Once that call comes in, they will have 4 hours to get her to Pittsburgh and right now, they live 4.5 hours away. Additionally, They will have to remain in the Pittsburgh area for at least 6 months post-op so housing must also be arranged.

After Steve's thrilling win on April 4, fans and the boxing community reached out to Steve and Livvy asking how they could help.

The Cunningham's have set up a fund where donations will help this  family cover the out of pocket expenses that come along with this amazing opportunity. Traveling to and from Pittsburgh as well as securing and maintaining a "home away from home" while Kennedy awaits her new heart and recovers from surgery.


TO DONATE TO THE KENNEDY CUNNINGHAM TRANSPLANT FUNDRAISER, PLEASE CLICK ON heartbyfaith.com

Witherspoon wins in West Deptford

Witherspoon & Beale - Photo Credit / Thomas LaManna

West Deptford, New Jersey - If you are going to stick your toe back in the water, why not put both feet in?

Chazz Witherspoon did exactly that on Saturday in West Deptford, returning to the ring for the first time in over two years to top fellow heavyweight Tyyab Beale by TKO at 1:59 in the final round of a scheduled  eight-round bout.

Witherspoon wasn't just fighting, though. He also threw on his promotional hat for the first time, putting on the six-bout card at the Riverwinds Community Center in front of a few hundred fans.

It was far cry from the glitz and glamor of Atlantic City where Witherspoon once battled with top heavyweight contenders like Tony Thompson and Seth Mitchell.

Witherspoon (31-3, 23 KOs) was hardly dominant but he was the better-conditioned fighter and that proved to be the difference as Beale (9-5-1) was gasping for air by the end of Round 4.

In the final round a hard right withered Beale and sent him reeling toward the ropes before the referee waived things off when it was clear the Newark-born fighter stopped defending himself.

“I've had two years to rest up and ’I'm ready to get back into the heavyweight picture,” said Witherspoon, who is operating under the Silver Spoon promotional banner.

The semifinal of the night didn't work out as well for the Witherspoon clan as welterweight Tim Witherspoon, Jr. (10-5-1), the son of the former two-time world heavyweight champ Tim Sr., a cousin of Chazz, was outhustled by  prospect Jeff Lentz (4-0, 1 KO), who earned a six-round unanimous decision,
winning all three scorecards 59-55.

The undercard was highlighted by a draw between evenly-matched welterweight Kevin Womack (4-5-2) and Cherry Hill native Anthony Prescott (3-3-2).

In other action, 18-year-old junior middleweight Nick Valliere (1-0, 1 KO) had a successful professional debut, dispatching journeyman Jamil Gadsden by TKO at 2:39 of the fourth round.

Also lengthy middleweight Matthew Gonzales (1-0) also had a successful pro debut, earning a split-decision win over fireplug Raphael Machado (0-2), who resembled former UFC star Tito Ortiz.

In the opener, junior middleweight Malik Jackson (1-3-3) upset the previously unbeaten Luis Cream (3-1), the grandson of “Jersey” Joe Walcott who was ending a 2 1/2-year layoff. Jackson took a unanimous four-round decision and pitched a virtual shutout by winning all three scorecards 40-36.

Heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon returns to the ring in West Deptford

Chilemba set to retrun to Atlantic City

Atlantic City, NJ:  Isaac Chilemba (22-2-2, 9 KOs), the 27-year-old, light-heavyweight contender from Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa will return to Atlantic City to face Cory Cummings (17-6-1, 13 KOs) as the non-televised co-feature of the August 2 fight between fellow Main Events' stable mate Sergey  Kovalev (24-0-1, 22 KOs) and Blake Caparello (19-0-1, 6 KOs).  

Grachev and Chilemba Photo Credits:  Rich Graessle/Main Events

Chilemba is coming off a gritty ten-round unanimous decision victory over Denis Grachev on March 15, 2010 at Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA. This was his second straight victory. Previously Isaac defeated Michael Gbenga in eight rounds at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY on November 16, 2013. When asked about this upcoming fight with Cummings, "Golden Boy" replied, "I want to thank Main Events for this opportunity. I also want to thank my team and all my fans. Come August 2 I will be fully charged and ready to claim victory. I take all my opponents seriously as each one takes me a step closer to realizing my dream of the world title, so Cory Cummings should not for one minute think that I am coming unprepared!"

According to Isaac's trainer, former welterweight and light welterweight world champion Buddy McGirt, "Isaac is going to be ready for Cummings. We are going to be in great shape and prepare for anything that Cummings may throw at us. A good performance will move Isaac to the next level and he will accept nothing less." Jodi Solomon, Chilemba's manager, added, "Isaac's winning on August 2 will be a testament to his work ethic, determination to succeed and the incredible training he receives from Buddy McGirt, who is one of the best trainers in the game."

Cory "Black Ice" Cummings Photo Courtesy of: Ron Rose

Isaac will face no small challenge in Cory "Black Ice' Cummings. Despite coming off of two straight defeats, Cummings has a dangerous knockout-to-win ratio of 76% (13 of 17). In his last fight, he faced Azea Augustama who was 16-1 heading into their match-up on June 7, 2013 in Miami, FL. Azea won a very close decision with all three judges scoring the bout 76-75. Many boxing fans believed Cummings won the bout, especially after he knocked Azea down in the first round. 

 
When asked about his upcoming fight on August 2nd with Chilemba, Cory took a line from Mike Tyson and said only, "Everyone has a plan until they get hit." His manager, Ron Rose, added, "Tell Isaac Chilemba to beware because there's an ice storm that is going to hit Atlantic City on Aug 2nd, a 'Black Ice' storm, and there is nowhere for him to hide."

Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said, "This fight will not be televised in the United States, so we have a really nice light heavyweight double header exclusively for the fans in attendance at Revel on August 2nd. Issac Chilemba is a piece of our plan for the division and I'm excited to see what he can do against a big puncher like Cummings."

Witherspoon returns to action in West Deptford

West Deptford, New Jersey -  Heavyweight contender Chazz Witherspoon will returns to the ring after a two-year absence when he takes part in an eight-round bout at the Riverwinds Community Center in West Deptford, New Jersey on Saturday, July 12.

Witherspoon (30-3, 22 KOs) of nearby Paulsboro established himself as one of the top American heavyweights by winning his first 23 bouts, including triumphs over solid fighters like Michael Alexander,  Talmadge Griffis and Jonathan Haggler.

The St. Joseph's product's first defeat came at the hands of two-time world title challenger Chris Arreola via a controversial disqualification and he also struggled against another two-time world title challenger in veteran Tony Thompson.

Witherspoon did, however, top  Adam Richards in a bout voted Ring Magazine's 2008 Heavyweight Fight of the Year.

He is trying to get back to winning form after a third-round stoppage defeat to then-undefeated prospect Seth Mitchell on April 28, 2012 in a bout where Witherspoon had Mitchell badly hurt in several occasions.

"I feel good and rejuvenated after the layoff," said Witherspoon. "I haven't been out this long because I wanted to.  I had several fights fall through, so I decided to start my own company and do my own shows and I can't wait until July 12 to put on a great event not far from where I live."

Witherspoon's opponent will be named shortly.

Stevens returns to action at Liacouras Center

Stevens in the Ring Against Majewski Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Philadelphia, PA: Curtis "Showtime" Stevens took a relaxing vacation after his first round knockout of Patrick "The Machine" Majewski on January 24 at Resorts in Atlantic City, NJ and now he is faster, stronger, rested and ready to take on Tureano Johnson Friday, April 4 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA. Stevens, who vowed to stay busy this year, spent two weeks in Mexico and Jamaica following his fight at Resorts. However, even while he was having fun in the sun, he stayed in constant contact with Main Events' Matchmaker Jolene Mizzone, "While I was away Jolene kept in contact with me. She asked me if I wanted to fight and I told her I was off for two years so now I want to get right back into it. I wasn't playing around."

Stevens Against Findley Photo Credits:  Rich Graessle/Main Events

Stevens, 29, just moved to a new place on the water in Queens and has been running stairs and on the beach as part of his new conditioning regime. He said, "I feel good. I have been training very hard. We wanted to make my legs stronger so I can get lower and weave his shots." However, Curtis does not think Tureano Johnson is going to be a problem for him. When asked about Johnson he said, "This guy likes to fight. He slaps a lot. He's got looping shots. But don't leave your seat when the TV lights come on because you might miss it. Don't blink. Have your popcorn and your soda ready beforehand because I am about to put on a spectacular showcase come April 4."

Showtime vs. Ayala Photo Credits:  Rich Graessle/Main Events

When asked about fighting in Philadelphia, the Brooklyn native said, "Philly is the boxing capital so I am really excited to be fighting there. They like to fight in Philly and I love that. I have a lot of fans in Philly. I grew up with Karl 'Dynamite' Dargan, we were in the amateurs together, so I know all of his family. A lot of my fans from New York and Brooklyn are going to come out there and make the drive to show their support but I have fans in Philly too."

This will be Showtime's fifth Fight Night appearance and he is undefeated on the program (first round KO of Patrick Majewski on Jan. 24, first round KO of Saul Roman on August 3, 2013, eighth round UD over Derrick Findley on April 20, 2013 and first round KO of Elvin Ayala on January 19, 2013). When asked about fighting on Fight Night, Stevens replied, "I love NBC Sports. I love NBC because the world gets to see me. I am grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to perform for the whole world. Me and Cunningham were on Fight Night together when he fought Tyson Fury and I beat Derrick Findley so I am glad we get to share the spotlight again on Fight Night April 4."

Curtis Knocks Out Roman Photo Credits:  Rich Graessle/Main Events

Main Events' CEO Kathy Duva said, "I love Curtis' attitude. There are few things better for a promoter than a fighter who will fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. Curtis has the heart of a champion, even if he doesn't have that belt just yet."  

Jolene Mizzone, Main Events' matchmaker said, "Fighting an up-and-coming undefeated opponent is always dangerous for a fighter so Curtis needs to be on point in order for him to get closer to a world title fight."

Hunter to fight for NABA US featherweight title at Harrahs Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia native Eric “Outlaw” Hunter will will take on an opponent to be named for the vacant NABA United States Featherweight title when boxing returns to Harrahs Philadelphia on Sept. 13.

Hunter has a record of 17-2 with nine knockouts and has won two straight bouts.

The 2004 Olympic alternate had a stellar amateur career and turned pro in 2005, winning his first five professional bouts.  After suffering his first professional loss, Hunter won ten straight which included wins over Tyrell Samuel (9-1); Jules Blackwell (7-0-2); Wilshaun Boxley (5-1); Leon Bobo (18-5-1) and Andre Wilson (11-4-1) before losing via eighth round disqualification to undefeated Cuban star Luis Franco on a bout that was televised on SHO BOX.

Since that defeat, Hunter has a win over Jason Rorie and in his last bout he scored a ten round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Jerry Belmontes (17-0) on December 8 in a bout that was nationally televised by NBC Sports Network.

In the eight round co-feature, Julio DeJesus (8-3-3, 4 KO’s) of Chester, PA takes on Hassan Young (3-1-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

In a four round Welterweight bout, Anthony Prescott (1-2-1, 1 KO) of Cherry Hill, NJ battles debuting Carlos Moore of Virginia.

Richard Irizarry of Philadelphia makes his pro debut against Joshua Arocho (3-7-3, 2 KO’s) of Vineland, NJ in a four round Featherweight bout.

Undefeated Lightweight Tyrone Crawley Jr. (4-0) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named.

In a four round Lightweight bout, Josue Rivera (1-2, 1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on pro debuting Jesus Barbosa of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia's Kennedy gets ready to take on Collado

PHILADELPHIA — Former world title challenger Teon “The Technician” Kennedy will take on Joselito Collado in a ten round Jr. Lightweight bout in the main event of an eight-bout card from Ballys Atlantic City on Saturday.

Kennedy of Philadelphia has a record of 18-2-2 with 7 knockouts will take on the Queens, New York native Collado (13-2, 3 KO’s)

Teon Kennedy back in action in Atlantic City

PHILADELPHIA, PA - On Saturday night, former world title challenger Teon “The Technician” Kennedy returns to the ring when he takes on upset minded Joselito Collado in a ten round Super Featherweight bout that will originate from Ballys Atlantic City.

Kennedy of Philadelphia has a record of 18-2-2 with seven knockouts and will be looking for his second consecutive win after falling short in his bid to win the WBA Super Bantamweight title against Guillermo Rigindeaux.

The 27 year-old Kennedy went 17-0-1 in his first 18 bouts with wins over undefeated Thomas Snow, Andre Wilson (11-1-1), Francisco Rodriguez (14-2-to capture the USBA Super Bantamweight title) and Jorge Diaz (15-0).

Kennedy is coming off a ten round unanimous decision over Carlos Vinan on June 1st.

Collado of Queens, New York 13-2 with three and knockouts and he won his first 12 bouts.

He has wins over Jules Blackwell and Rafael Lora and is coming off a eight round unanimous decision to then undefeated Jerry Belmontes (16-0) on September 8th.

In the eight round co-feature, rising Jr. Middleweight prospect DeCarlo Perez will squaring off with once-beaten Jamar Freeman.

The twenty-two year old Perez has a record of 10-2-1 with four knockouts.

The Atlantic City native has won four in a row as he has greatly stepped up the competition with wins over Shamone Alvarez (21-5); Dante Moore (8-0-2) and his bout when he stopped the granite chinned Julius Kennedy in five round on April 19th in Chester, PA.

This will be Perez’s sixth bout in Atlantic City.

Freeman of Wilson, NC has a record of 9-1-2 with five knockouts and is looking ti get back in the win column after tenth round stoppage defeated to highly regarded Samuel Rogers that took place on December 16th, 2011 in a bout that was contested for the WBCFecarbox Jr. Middleweight championship.

Freeman has two wins over tough Omar Sims.

The eight bout card features some of the top prospects in the area:

Jose Javier Calderon (4-2, 4 KO’s) of Puerto Rico fights Rafael Montalvo (2-4, 2 KO’s) of Puerto Rico in a six round Welterweight bout.  Montalvo has a knockout win over DeCarlo Perez.

Undefeated Ismael Garcia (5-0, 2 KO’s) of Vineland, NJ takes on an opponent to be named in a six round Jr. Middleweight bout.

In a four round Welterweight bout featuring pro debuter’s, Nathaniel Rivas of Berlin, NJ takes on Julio Rivera of Springfield, MA.

Undefeated Super Featherweight prospect Anthony Burgin (4-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia battles Jose Del Valle (1-2-2) of Corozal, Puerto Rico in a four round bout.

The big boys will get it on as undefeated Heavyweight Mark Rideout (3-0) of Philadelphia fights Jon Bolden (6-6, 5 KO’s) of New York in a four round bout.

Undefeated Cruiserweight Dan Valykeo (2-0) of Neptune, NJ boxes Brian Donahue (2-4-1) of Philadelphia in a bout scheduled for four rounds.

Kennedy returns to AC

Atlantic City - Former super bantamweight world-title challenger Teon Kennedy, of Philadelphia, now campaigning as a junior lightweight, makes his second start in three months when he boxes Joselito Collado, of Jamaica, Queens, NY, in the scheduled 10-round main event on Saturday evening, Aug. 24, in the Grand Ballroom at Bally’s Atlantic City.

     The Kennedy-Collado contest tops a seven-fight card which will be streamed live on the internet by www.gofightlive.tv.  First fight is 7.30 p.m.

       Kennedy (left), 26, ended a one-year layoff June 1 at Bally’s when he scored a unanimous 10-round decision over Carlos Vinan, of Newark, NJ.

     The Vinan fight was Kennedy’s first since June 9, 2012, when he was stopped in five rounds by Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux for the latter’s WBA super bantamweight world title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.

     Kennedy had been struggling with the 122-pound super bantamweight limit for months and decided to skip the featherweight division (126 pounds) and fight as a junior lightweight (130).

A pro since 2007, Kennedy has a 18-7-2 record with seven knockouts.
Kennedy won the vacant USBA super bantamweight title in 2009 when he stopped Francisco Rodriguez, of Chicago, in 10 rounds at the legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia.  He added the vacant NABA 122-pound belt in 2010, knocking out Alex Becerra, of Mexico, also in 10 rounds, at Bally’s Atlantic City.
His biggest win came in 2011 when he scored a pair of knockdowns and a 12-round decision over previously unbeaten Jorge Diaz, of New Brunswick, NJ, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
 

Collado (right), 30, is originally from the Dominican Republic, where he turned pro late in 2006.  He was idle in 2007, then moved his base of operations to New York in 2008 and has compiled an overall record of 13-2, 3 K0s.
The only men to beat Collado, by decision, were Casey Ramos, of Austin, TX, who was 14-0 at the time, and Jerry Belmontes, of Corpus Christi, TX, who was 16-0.  Collado had Ramos down in the third round of their fight in 2011.
Collado has beaten Rafael Lora, of Irvington, NJ, and Andres Ledesma, of Miami, FL.

     Junior middleweight prospect DeCarlo Perez, of Atlantic City, NJ, goes against Jamar Freeman, of Wilson, NC, in the scheduled eight-round semifinal.
 

      Perez, 22, is 10-2-1, 4 K0s.  He has been improving rapidly, winning his last four over Lenwood Dozier, of Glen Burnie, MD; Shamone Alvarez, of Atlantic City; Dante Moore, of Cleveland, OH; Julius Kennedy, of Windsor Mill, MD.
 

     Freeman, 28, is 9-1-2, 5 K0s.  He has lost only once, a questionable 10^th-round knockout loss to unbeaten Samuel Rogers, of the Virgin Islands.

Matthysse stuns Peterson in A.C,

By John McMullen

ATLANTIC CITY (The Phanatic Magazine) - The heavy-hitting WBC interim super lightweight champion Lucas Matthysse stunned IBF junior welterweight kingpin Lamont Peterson in the catch-weight main event of SHOWTIME Championship Boxing at Boardwalk Hall.

Matthysse (34-2, 32 KOs) flashed his prodigious power late in Round 2 when a left hook grazed Peterson's head and sent the Washington D.C. native to the canvas.

Peterson (31-2-1) survived the round and came out firing in the third, returning the favor by sending an off balance Matthysse sprawling. That was fool's gold for Peterson, however, as another left hook from the Argentine caught Peterson flush. This time there was no recovery. Matthysse raised his arms thinking he had won but to Peterson's credit he got to his feet. The legs weren't there, though, and a right-left combo ended Peterson's night.

The semifinal saw IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander dismiss his fourth-rated contender, United Kingdom star Lee Purdy. Originally scheduled as an Alexander  title defense, Purdy, who got the fight as an injury replacement for Kell Brooks, lost his shot at the crown before the bell even rang, weighing in above the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.

Alexander (25-1, 14 KOs), who has already won world titles in two divisions despite being only 25 years old, was far too quick for the overmatched Purdy (20-4-1) and peppered him with ease throughout but he didn't look like he was actually hurting the Brit. That said, Purdy's legs betrayed him and he couldn't answer the bell for Round 7.

In a battle between unbeaten junior middleweights, Las Vegas' Shawn Porter stayed that way, dominating Toronto's Phil Lo Greco en route to a 10-round unanimous decision. The scorecards read 99-89 and two 100-88 compilations, indicating the dominance of Porter, who happens to be nicknamed "Showtime,"
the television home of tonight's card.

Young middleweight Anthony Ogogo (2-0, 1 KO) made his U.S. debut count by pitching a shutout against Puerto Rican journeyman Edgar Perez (5-5) in a six-round bout. The 24-year-old Ogogo, who took home a Bronze Medal in the 2012 London Olympics, was the far busier fighter throwing 435 punches to just 186
for Perez. He also connected on far more, 36 percent to a dismal 17 for Perez.

Washington, D.C. light heavyweight prospect Thomas Williams (14-0, 10 KOs) remained unbeaten by easily outpointing veteran Otis Griffin (24-13) in an eight-round affair. The 25-year-old Williams improved to 3-0 in 2013 by earning all three scorecards (80-72, 79-73 and 79-73) over Griffin, the winner of the reality program "The Next Great Champ" and a former USBA Light Heavyweight Champion.

Neither fighter overwhelmed, though, Williams landed just 111 of his 379 punches and Griffin was far worse, hitting the more inexperience fighter just 58 total times and connecting on just two jabs in the entire fight.

Lamont Peterson's brother, Anthony Peterson (32-1, 20 KOs), dominated Dominic Salcido (18-5) for two rounds before the bout was stopped, purportedly due to Salcido's broken nose. After the bout, however, Salcido said he could have continued although his nose was clearly swelling. Either way Salcido was
clearly no match for Peterson, who owns wins over Javier Jauregui, Daniel Attah, and Luis Arceo, with his only loss a controversial disqualification against Brandon Rios.

In an eight round bantamweight fight Puerto Rico's Cesar Seda (25-1, 17 KO's) took an easy unanimous decision over Mexico's Miguel Tamayo (13-6-2) even winning one scorecard by a dominating 80-70 score, winning Rounds 6 and 8 by 10-8 margins despite scoring no knockdowns.

The undercard opened with a pair of lightweights earning TKOs. New York's Jamel Herring (3-0, 2 KOs), a 2012 U.S. Olympian, topped San Juan's Victor Galindo (1-2) while Toledo's Robert Easter, Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) stopped Eduardo Guillen of Texas.

Unbeaten bantamweight Rau'Shee Warren (4-0, 2 KOs) kept the TKO parade going by dismissing Chicago's Angel Carvajal.

In a swing bout before the SHOWTIME portion of the crowd, bantamweight Haroon
Khan (2-0, 1 KO), the younger brother of former Unified super lightweight
champion Amir Khan,  needed just 57 seconds to top Vicente Medellin, who has
never won is his pro career falling to 0-6.

Card shaping up for April 19 fight night at Harrahs Philadelphia

CHESTER, PA - A Pennsylvania State Light Heavyweight title bout between champion Dhafir Smith and Anthony Caputo-Smith headlines the next night of boxing at Harrahs Philadelphiaset for April 19.

Smith, an Upper Darby native, often tackles tough competition and has a deceiving record of 26-23-7 with four knockouts. He won the Pennsylvania state title with a ten round unanimous decision over Tony Ferrante on May 4, 2012 and in his last bout, Smith dropped a ten round unanimous decision to Umberto Savigne (9-1) on November 30, 2012.

Caputo-Smith of Kennett Square has a record of 13-1 with ten knockouts and has developed into a fan favorite in the Delaware Valley area. He turned pro in 2009 and the 27-year-old won his first thirteen bouts before being stopped by Kevin Engel on August 31, 2012.

In a six round co-Feature, Victor Vasquez (16-7-1, 7 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on Chazz McDowell (6-3, 1 KO) of New York in a lightweight contest.


Other bouts include junior middleweights DeCarlo Perez (9-2-1, 3 KOs) taking on Julius Kennedy (7-4-1, 3 KOs) and Chester junior welterweight bout, Julio DeJesus (7-3-3, 4 KOs)  battling Ariel Duran (7-3-1, 4 KOs) of New York.

Undefeated Javontae Starks (6-0, 5 KOs) of Minneapolis takes on an opponent to be named in a six round junior middleweight affair and welterweight Anthony Prescott (1-1-1, 1 KO) of Cherry Hill squares off with Terrell Boggs (0-5) of Philadelphia.

Others bouts scheduled include Althea Saunders (3-0-1) of Atlantic City, NJ taking on an opponent to be named in a four round junior welterweight bout;  Tyrone Crawley Jr. (3-0) of Philadelphia meeting Korey Sloane (2-6-2) of Philadelphia in a four round welterweight bout;  Arthur Parker (1-8-1, 1 KO) of Lancaster against the debuting Drew Aguillar of Philadelphia in a four round super bantamweight tilt and
Alex Barbosa (4-1-1, 1 KO) of Philly boxing Jose Del Vale (0-1-2) in a four round super bantamweight bout.

Rounding out the card will be the much anticipated pro debut of amateur standout Damon Allen taking on fellow debuting lightweight Joseph Ahaamid of Philadelphia

Local promoter signs top welterweight prospect

PHILADELPHIA - Welterweight Cornelius Whitlock has signed a promotional contract with the Philadelphia-based Banner Promotions.

Whitlock will make his debut under his new management team on March 29 as part of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights undercard at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

“I am happy to sign with Banner Promotions”, said Whitlock. “This is the first time someone has been behind me in my career so this is pretty big.”

Whitlock of Landover, Maryland has a record of 1-0-1 with his victory coming by knockout of former amateur standout Shakur Jackson in the third round on January 31 in Staten Island, New York.

“We are very excited about this signing”, said Banner Promotions CEO Arthur Pelullo. “We got to see Cornelius in person and we came away very impressed after he stopped Jackson and we know he has talent to become a terrific fighter.”

The 29-year-old Whitlock turned pro on December 19, 2012 with a draw with Mikkel Lespierre in Lespierre’s hometown of New York. Whitlock, who competed in over 30 amateur fights and won Golden Gloves titles, has a slick and elusive style with quick hands and footwork and he displayed his explosive power in the win over Jackson.

He is trained by Malcolm Lowery who sees big things for his pupil.

“He is a great kid, fights hard and is a gym rat”, said Lowery. “He has a lot of tools as he is a very slick boxer-puncher with great punching power in both hands.”