NEWARK, NJ — Earlier today, fighter’s participating on the Thursday night’s card — headlined by Tomasz Adamek vs. Vinny Maddalone — weighed in at the Prudential Center. Below are the weights.

12 Rounds — IBF International/NABO Heavyweight Championship

Tomasz Adamek (42-1, 27 KOs) — 216.5 lbs.

vs.

Vinny Maddalone (33-6, 24 KOs) — 230 lbs.

8 Rounds — Middleweights

Patrick Majewski (13-0, 8 KOs) — 160 lbs.

vs.

Eddie Caminero (7-3, 7 KOs) — 158.5 lbs.

8 Rounds — Welterweights

Sadam Ali (10-0, 6 KOs) — 147 lbs.

vs.

Manuel Guzman (7-9-2, 3 KOs) — 145 lbs.

8 Rounds — Junior Middleweights

Gabriel Rosado (14-5, 8 KOs) — 155 lbs.

vs.

Jose Medina (12-8, 5 KOs) — 156 lbs.

6 Rounds — Super Middleweights

Tarvis Simms (25-1-1, 11 KOs) — 167 lbs.

vs.

Willis Lockett (12-10-5, 5 KOs) — 167 lbs.

4 Rounds — Junior Lightweights

Angel Concepcion (3-0) — 177 lbs.

vs.

Lekan Byfield (Pro Debut) — 166.5 lbs.

4 Rounds — Heavyweights

Bryant Jennings (4-0, 2 KOs) — 223 lbs.

vs.

Randy Smith (Pro Debut) — 256.5 lbs.

——

The “Brick City Boxing Series” card will take place December 9th at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, and is promoted by Main Events and Ziggy Promotions in association with Star Boxing. Doors open at 6pm.

To keep up to date visit the Main Events Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Totowa-… and www.mainevents.com and www.starboxing.com

Tickets priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com

The fight is being distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 8PM EST / 5PM PST on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network in the United States and Viewer’s Choice and Bell TV in Canada. for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.Tickets priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com

Tomorrow night, Newark New Jersey’s Prudential Center will once again transform into “Little Poland” as thousands of Polish fight fans will flock to 165 Mulberry Street to watch Tomasz Adamek square off against New York’s Vinny Maddalone.

But before the legions of Polish fans witness Adamek do battle with Maddalone, they’ll have the opportunity to cheer on another Polish-born, New Jersey-based boxer.

Welterweight prospect Patrick Majewski will look to add another win to his already perfect record when he faces off against Lawrence, Massachusetts’ Eddie “Thunder” Caminero in a bout scheduled for eight rounds.

Majewski (14-0, 9 KO) was born in Radom, Poland, but now resides in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where six of his fourteen professional bouts have taken place.

In his last bout in October, the Polish-transplant defeated New Mexico’s Joseph Gomez (17-3-1, 8 KO) by seventh round stoppage in Kissimmee, Florida.

Majewski first hurt Gomez with a devastating left hook in the fourth round. Three rounds later, Majewski hurt his counterpart again and didn’t let him off the hook. Referee Frank Gentile stepped in and saved Gomez from absorbing further punishment, stopping the bout at the 1:50 mark of round seven.

But even after an impressive performance against tough opposition, Majewski and his team knew there was plenty of room for improvement.

“I made many mistakes my last fight,” Majewski said. “So my trainers — we tried to work on the leg movement, more head movement, and of course, more speed.”

Majewski will have a chance to showcase his sharpened skills against Caminero in front of an expected crowd of over ten thousand fans.

Caminero (7-3, 7 KO), who practices his trade under the watchful eye of “Irish” Micky Ward, has proven he is a rugged competitor who can out-will and out-punch his opponents.

In his last two bouts, Caminero scored upset victories over two seperate opponents, who prior to the bouts, sported a combined record of 14-1.

Caminero’s most recent fight took place in August in Brooklyn, New York against crowd favorite, and previously unbeaten fighter, Joe Smith, Jr.

The Massachussets native served as nothing more than a moving heavy bag for Smith in the opening round, as Caminero found himself with his back against the ropes, standing on unsteady legs.

Caminero was able to gather himself and survive the round, however, and by the third round, he began a relentless campaign against Smith’s body, which visibly took its toll on the taller Smith.

With blood dribbling out his mouth and the fourth round about to come to a close, Smith signaled to his corner he could no longer continue. Earlier in the round, Smith suffered a broken jaw courtesy of the heavy-handed Caminero, who notched his second straight victory.

Majewski is well aware of Caminero’s stubbornness inside the ropes, but is confident that his preparation leading up to this fight will result in a victory tomorrow night.

“I know that he’s tough, but I’m tough too,” said Majewski. “I’ve been training hard for this fight and I’m going to bring my work into the ring.”

Tomorrow night will mark the third time Majewski will fight at the Prudential Center and the second time he will fight on the undercard of an Adamek-headlined event. He knows there will be thousands of fans decked out in Poland’s colors of red and white who will be cheering his name. He also knows he cannot let the crowd become a distraction against a heavy-handed opponent like Caminero.

“It is a big feeling [to fight in front of the Polish fans], I’m really excited to fight over there,” Majewski said. “But during the fight you really have to focus on your opponent — don’t really worry about the crowd or the fans.”

Majewski, who turns 31 later this month, knows that one loss may result in a significant setback to his career and doesn’t plan on letting Caminero play spoiler.

With regards to his approach towards his fight tomorrow night, Majewski said, “Focus on your opponent then worry about the fans. Then after the fight we can celebrate together.”

Thoughts on select fights from last week

Javier Fortuna vs. Victor Valenzuela

Last Wednesday at BB King’s in New York City, two unbeaten prospects crossed paths in a bout that was scheduled for eight rounds.

Passaic, New Jersey’s Victor “Viper” Valenzuela squared off against the Dominican Republic’s Javier Fortuna, who was making his American debut.

Before the fight, Valenzuela sported an 8-0 record, with only one of those wins coming by knockout, while Fortuna entered the bout 12-0 with 9 knockouts.

For that reason, I was confused as to why Valenzuela was willing to fight fire with fire from the opening bell. Fortuna and Valenzuela forewent any use of a jab and began trading wild power punches — an exchange that would clearly favor the heavier-handed Fortuna.

Ultimately, a minute into the first round, Fortuna KO’d Valenzuela in a Sergio Martinez-esque fashion. Valenzuela scarily collapsed and just like that Valenzuela’s “O” had to go. His record and confidence both took a hit as he fell to 8-1, 1 KO, while Fortuna shined in his American debut, improving to 13-0, 10 KOs.

Crazy part about the KO is the fact that Martinez’s trainer, Gabriel Sarmiento, is also Fortuna’s trainer. Further, like Martinez, he was discovered and brought to the United States by advisor Sampson Lewkowicz and is also signed to DiBella Entertainment.

—

Alex Perez vs. Doel Carrasquillo

That same night, I was also impressed by Newark, New Jersey’s Alex Perez, who
successfully navigated past tough journeyman Doel Carrasquillo in an eight round welterweight bout.

The fight marked the unbeaten Perez’s first bout since inking a deal with DiBella Entertainment.

Unlike Fortuna, Perez (13-0, 7 KO) didn’t blow his opponent out of the water. Rather, Perez was forced to outbox a veteran brawler for eight rounds — and did so with relative ease.

“I was pleased with everything that he did,” said Perez’s trainer and manager, Jose Rosario. “He finally showed me the things I wanted to see — and that was being smart and outboxing guys like the guy we fought today.”

Working behind a stiff right jab, Perez successfully kept the always-moving-forward Carasquillo at range, setting him up for combinations and devastating left hands.

By the second round, Carrasquillo’s face was already puffy, turning red in the process. Each time Perez hurt his Carrasquillo, the determined journeyman would talk taunt Perez and shrug it off as if he was unharmed (which was a lie, of course).

Perez’s only slip-up in this bout came in the fifth round when he tripped over Carrasquillo’s feet and got caught with a right hand that ultimately put him on the canvass.

“I slipped over his leg and they ruled it a knockdown,” said Perez. “It is what it is.”

Following a brief and unsuccessful appeal to referee Arthur Mercante Jr., Perez got right back up and immediately picked up where he left off, snapping his jab and throwing meaningful combinations.

Credit Carrasquillo (14-17-1, 12 KO) for his persistence as he brought non-stop pressure for twenty-four minutes. He was stubborn in his aggressiveness, constantly walking forward, getting peppered by stiff jabs and straight lefts along the way.

“I want to stiffen my jab up even more,” Perez said. “It will be key when I fight more guys like him who keep coming and keep coming.”

Carrasquillo’s pressure would make most boxer’s uncomfortable, but Perez seemed to embrace this type of fight early on — a credit to his trainer and his preparation.

“I saw Carrasquillo fight a couple times and I knew he was tough and was better than his record shows,” Rosario said. “He always fought tough fights and we knew he was dangerous so we prepared mentally and physically for him.”

Except for the flash knockdown, Perez controlled this fight from start to finish, a tribute to the 28 year-old’s maturity and versatility. Now that Perez has found a home under the DiBella Entertainment banner, there should be more regularity in his fight schedule, which is a plus for tri-state area fight fans.

There is a long list of things motivating Bernard Hopkins for his December 18 title bout with Jean Pascal but etched at the top is making history.

“You can’t make history all the time,” Hopkins said. “You can have a winning record, a winning season, but to actually make history — a baseball player hitting 500 home runs or something like that — these things don’t happen all the time.”

“I get a chance to be the oldest boxer on record in boxing history to win a title,” Hopkins continued. “And history making hasn’t ran out for Bernard Hopkins.”

A win in Quebec City against Pascal would result in Hopkins laying claim to both the WBC and Ring Magazine light heavyweight titles. It would also erase George Foreman’s name from the history books next to “Oldest Fighter To Win a Major Championship” and replace it with the Executioner’s.

“I’ll walk through fire with gasoline shoes on to get that,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins (51-5-1, 31 KO), who turns 46 on January 15, is convinced he has seen it all inside the ropes, and doesn’t believe Pascal (26-1, 16 KO) stands out as a superior talent.

“I’ve watched this guy’s [Pascal’s] defense,” Hopkins said. “I’ve watched how he swings with his head down. I’ve watched how he throws wild punches.”

Hopkins continued, “Then I looked at the fighters who have fought me the same way over the years — the Antwun Echols — the guys who threw punches to knock you out. Those punches don’t hit Bernard Hopkins.”

Hopkins, although seventeen years his counterpart’s senior, is convinced he has taken the necessary steps to ensure that he’ll be able to go toe-to-toe with Pascal over the potential thirty six minutes in the ring.

“I’m here because I am the most health conscious, clean-living person. No wine, no champagne; no anniversary, no birthday parties, no New Year’s — no sips,” Hopkins said of his strict zero-alcohol policy. “When you have that mentality, it buys you more time.”

If The Executioner was the least bit unsure he could beat Pascal, he wouldn’t be in the ring, his place in boxing history means too much to him.

“[I’ll fight] as long as it doesn’t take away from my legacy, as long as it doesn’t embarrass my legacy,” Hopkins said.

In less than three weeks, in a bout televised live on Showtime, Hopkins will have the opportunity to continue decorating his already Hall of Fame enshrined resume.

But for an aging prizefighter, one slip up can spell the end of a career — even for fighter as celebrated as Hopkins.

It is for that reason, Hopkins has allowed making history to be his carrot on a stick.

A win for Hopkins reserves another place in the all-important history books for Philadelphia’s finest, while a loss for the man they call ‘B-Hop’ could mean his career is history.

“I know it’s win and go further or lose and go home,” Hopkins said. “It’s the playoffs, baby.”

Thoughts on select fights this past weekend:

Carl Froch vs. Arthur Abraham

I’m having trouble coming to grips that the same guy who showed unbelievable courage and heart by fighting eight-plus rounds with a broken jaw against Edison Miranda took such few risks against Carl Froch.

I also don’t understand how there’s no ‘Plan B’ to Abraham’s strategy. In March, Andre Dirrell provided the blueprint on how to beat Abraham — on Saturday, Froch perfected it. The result: ‘2’ in the loss column for King Arthur.

While he seems to have retained his power moving up in weight — KO’ing Jermain Taylor — and flooring Dirrell twice in Detroit (neither of which counted, one was generously ruled a slip, the other was illegal and left Dirrell out cold) — the problem is that Abraham’s power punches land few and far between.

At super middleweight, he’s just too small in stature to effectively implement his strategy. The taller opponents have been able to keep Abraham on the outside with relative ease. Further, it’s a nice luxury for a boxer to know that when you fire punches Abraham’s way, there will be none coming back at you. For whatever reason, Abraham is either incapable or unwilling to counterpunch.

Although contractually obligated, I do admire how Abraham already stated that he will stay in the Super Six and do battle with Andre Ward in the semi-finals.

While Ward has been more of a brawler than a boxer of late, previous fights and his amateur pedigree leave no doubt that he can box when he has to/wants to. I’d imagine Ward will do his best to adopt the Dirrell-Froch strategy, despite only sporting a one inch reach advantage over the Armenian-born German.

Lastly, I felt really bad for the blonde girl who had to sit behind Nikolai Valuev in Helsinki. Paid top-dollar for a sixth row seat and got planted right behind the 7’2” Russian. Ouch.

Celestino Caballero vs. Jason Litzau

Classic case of underestimation — and struggling with weight apparently. But more importantly, two weeks ago Celestino Caballero uploaded a forty-six second Youtube video in which the lanky Panamanian called out JuanMa Lopez. Caballero called Lopez a “big chicken” with “no heart” & “no cojones” — whatever they are. He was apparently looking forward to a clash with top-notch featherweights and junior lightweights, while overlooking Litzau.

Also, previous to that, he posted a video directed at Litzau telling him the he was going to “break his face” and “kick his ass.”

Whoops.

Andre Berto vs. Freddy Hernandez

According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Andre Berto made $915,000 for his two minute and seven second fight with Freddy Hernandez. That’s approaching the money Sergio Martinez received for his rematch against Paul Williams. Think about it…

Sometime around what would have been the two minute mark of the second stanza, trainer Gabriel Sarmiento placed a crown on Sergio Martinez’s head, not only anointing him undisputed king of the middleweight division, but also — for my money — Fighter of the Year.

With one jaw shattering left cross, Paul Williams collapsed poetically to the canvas; blood dribbled from his mouth, his eyes cluelessly fixated on the blue mat on which he lie.

The electrifying left hand — which will likely result in Martinez winning Knockout of the Year — arrived milliseconds before “The Punisher’s” own left cross. Martinez took advantage of his counterpart’s right hand resting at his side, exposing his face to danger — exposing his chin to the Argentinian’s left hand.

Although Martinez entered and exited the ropes the champion on Saturday night, he surely wasn’t treated like one before hand. In order to make a rematch with Williams a reality, Martinez was forced to make numerous concessions to Team Williams.

For starters, Martinez, who retained his WBC and Ring Magazine middleweight titles, had to accept a catch-weight of 157 lbs., three pounds shy of the middleweight limit.

He was forced to occupy the blue corner, which was used by underdogs all night long, while Williams staked his claim to the red corner.

“Maravilla’s” name was the first one read by ring announcer Michael Buffer, which betrayed the tradition of having the challenger’s name precede that of the champion’s.

Further, Martinez’s payday of just over one million dollars was significantly less than what “The Punisher” received.

The mind games that were played and the concessions Team Maravilla were forced to make had zero effect on Martinez’s performance, however. The slick Argentinian executed his game plan flawlessly — a game plan that was jotted down on hotel parchment by Sarmiento only two days prior.

“Two days ago, I changed the program completely,” Sarmiento said, speaking through translator and Martinez advisor, Sampson Lewkowicz. “I found a big error from Paul Williams in the middle of the night and I couldn’t sleep the whole night. The next morning I changed the strategy, totally.”

“He always puts his body in front of his legs,” Sarmiento explained. “If he doesn’t put his right hand in the front, he cannot throw the left.”

After the fight, in Martinez’s locker room, Lewkowicz held up Sarmiento’s genius, which was etched into a tiny notebook. The contents consisted of a strategy that was designed to stop Williams inside two rounds. Remarkably, Martinez followed Sarmiento’s roadmap to a knockout to a tee.

Famed boxing scribe, Thomas Hauser, who was present in Martinez’s locker room before the fight, assured the rest of the media that the notebook had not been tampered with.

With the help of Sarmiento’s critical eye, Martinez knew just when to unload the thunderous left that sent Williams toppling face-first to the canvas.

Couple his obliteration of Williams with his convincing unanimous decision against Kelly Pavlik seven months earlier and you have the most deserving candidate of Fighter of the Year.

Further, with Martinez’s success comes well-deserved recognition of Gaby Sarmiento, who has made a solid case for Trainer of the Year, as well.

Yesterday, HBO announced that Martinez-Williams II was the second most watched non Pay-Per-View boxing broadcast this year, second only to the Miguel Cotto-Yuri Foreman bout in Yankee Stadium. Further, Martinez punched his way onto television screens everywhere when ESPN replayed the knockout on SportsCenter.

The next time Martinez steps into the ring, he will not be disrespected. With one swing of his left hand, Martinez left no doubts that he is the best middleweight boxer on the planet. “Maravilla” is the undisputed king of the middleweight division.

After all, there is a reason he wears the crown.

You can reach Kyle Kinder at Twitter.com/KyleKinder

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

Part 2

Part 3

On Saturday night at Caesar’s Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez (46-2-2, 25 KOs) scored an electrifying second round KO over Paul “The Punisher” Williams (39-2, 27 KOs).

The knockout, which is undoubtedly the frontrunner for “Knockout of the Year” came at the 1:10 mark of round two and courtesy of a Martinez straight left.

In December of 2009, Williams was awarded a majority decision victory over Martinez — a close fight in which Judge Pierre Benoist turned in an inexplicable score of 119-110 in favor of Williams.

Seeking his revenge, Martinez made it clear he did not want his fate decided by three judges again. Rather, this time “Maravilla” took matters into his own hands, catching and dropping Williams with a blistering straight left that he would never get up from.

After picking up where they left off last December, the first round featured both fighter’s sharing their own bit of success. “Maravilla” made it a point to mix in a few body punches, but both fighters were clearly willing to stand in the pocket and trade with one another like they did eleven months ago.

The second round, or round fourteen, seemed to continue the trend of vicious exchanges when suddenly Martinez caught Williams with an unforgiving left that landed flush. The 6’1” Williams fell crumbled slowly and majestically to the canvass where he would lay motionless for the better part of two minutes and not return to his feet for about five.

Upon seeing his opponent collapse before his eyes, Martinez ran with excitement onto the turnbuckles and raised his arms in front of the Boardwalk Hall crowd, not even waiting to see if Williams would beat the ten count.

With the one punch knockout, Martinez asserted himself as frontrunner for not only “Knockout of the Year,” but also “Fighter of the Year” — also sporting an impressive victory of Kelly Pavlik earlier in 2010.

Further, Martinez’s trainer, Gabriel Sarmiento, cemented his case as “Trainer of the Year,” an award in which he has already been nominated for. Only after the fight had come to a conclusion was it revealed that Sarmiento laid out a plan two days ago that had Martinez work Williams’ body in the inaugural round, before fainting — and faking a right — only to surprise Williams with a left that would knock him out in round two.

Like something out of a movie, that is exactly what happened as “Maravilla” executed his trainer’s plans to perfection, scoring an unbelievable knockout victory over Williams and asserting himself an “HBO A-side fighter” in the process.

With the win, Martinez retained his Ring Magazine middleweight title, as well as his WBC middleweight title.

Steve Upsher Chambers vs. Bayan Jargal — 8 Rounds, Welterweights

Philadelphia’s Steve Upsher Chambers (23-1-1, 6 KOs) squeaked out a split decision victory over the previously unbeaten Bayan Jargal (15-1-3, 10 KOs).

In the first two rounds, both fighter’s found their fare share of success, neither proving to be an elusive target.

In the first minute of round three, the two fighters were involved in a barbaric exchange with Upsher Chambers getting the better of Jargal. Upsher Chambers rocked Jargal multiple times in round three, but Jargal was unwilling to backdown, always having an answer for anything Upsher Chambers threw his way.

By round four, it was clear that Jargal was the effective aggressor, steadily moving forward while forcing Upsher Chambers to fight with his back against the ropes — which is where Upsher Chambers fought most of the fight.

In round six, with Upsher Chambers still against the ropes, Jargal unleashed a flurry of punches on Upsher Chambers, and tired himself in the process. Upsher Chambers came off of the ropes and landed a few punches of his own, drawing some “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd.

When the final bell sounded to conclude the eight round, the fight went to the scorecards. Judge Joe Pasquale scored the bout 77-75 in favor of Jargal. Judges John McKay and Judge Ron Mcnair saw the bout 77-75 and 78-78, respectively, for the winner, Upsher Chambers.

Zsolt Erdei vs. Samson Onyango — 8 Rounds, Light Heavyweight

In front of a couple hundred loud Hungarian fans, Hungary’s Zsolt Erdei (32-0, 17 KOs) coasted to a unimous decision victory over Kenya’s Samson Onyango (20-7, 13 KOs).

Erdei methodically controlled the pace of the first three rounds, throwing a steady streams of jabs and letting straight rights fly. Onyango found success when he went to Erdei’s body, but had trouble finding Erdei’s face.

In round four, Erdei continued pressuring his Kenyan counterpart. Left hooks began to land with more regularity, and Erdei’s best punch of the round was a straight right that stumbled Onyango.

Rounds five, six, and seven mirrored those of the earlier rounds, with Erdei using a consistent flow of left hooks and straight rights to get the better of his opponent.

Round eight opening up with an impressive five-punch combination from Erdei that seemed to surprise Onyango. With the Hungarian fans chanting “Knockout! Knockout!” Erdei gave it his best shot to stop his opponent, letting his hands fly.

Erdei was unable to get the knockout, but did score a unanimous decision victory over Onyango. Judge Ron Mcnair saw the bout in Erdei’s favor, 79-73, while judges John McKay and Joe Pasquale agreed that Erdei won the bout 80-72.

Tony Thompson vs. Paul Marinaccio — 10 Rounds, Heavyweight

In a heavyweight battle, schedule for ten rounds, Tony Thompson (35-2, 23 KOs) scored a 4th round TKO victory over Buffalo, New York’s Paul Marinaccio (24-6-3, 11 KOs).

In the first round, Thompson asserted himself as the aggressor, continually coming forward, working behind an effective jab.

In the second round, Thompson landed a crushing straight left that snapped Marinaccio’s head back and and put his back against the ropes — where he remained for the rest of the fight. Thompson continued to pour on, landing a solid right hook, followed by a straight left. Thompson found his opponent with regularity in the second round, while Marinaccio seemed reluctant to let his hands go.

In the third round, Thompson continued his effective aggression, immediately backing his opponent into a corner, where he then began to pummel Marinaccio. Thompson continued to score at will to Marinaccio’s head, but rarely did any work to his opponent’s body.

In the fourth round, Thompson conintued his dominance, pressing the action and forcing Marinaccio to fight with his back against the ropes. Marinaccio couldn’t ward off the aggressive Thompson, who ultimately pinned Marinaccio into a corner, where he landed three straight vicious right hooks to the right side of Marinaccio’s face before the referee jumped in between the two and stopped the fight. He called a halt to the bout at the 2:02 mark of the fourth round.

Fernando Guerrero vs. Saul Duran — 8 Rounds, Middleweight

Undefeated Dominican phenom Fernando Guerrero (20-0, 16 KOs) kept his record perfect with a fourth round TKO over the tough Mexican, Saul Duran (36-17-3, 29 KOs).

The first round belonged to Guerrero, who imposed his will on his Mexican counterpart. Guerrero teed off on Duran, landing straight lefts at will. The Dominican showed off an impressive arsenal in the inaugural round, landing a healthy mix of jabs, body punches, straight lefts, and uppercuts — all inflicting damage to Duran.

In the second round, Guerrero picked up right where he left off, landing bullet-like lefts through Duran’s defense. The heavy-handed Dominican continued to land at an alarming success rate and ultimately dropped Duran in the second round courtesy of a straight left.

In the third round, the resilient Duran — in classic Mexican fashion — kept coming forward and engaging Guerrero. Duran kept Guerrero on the ropes for the majority of round three, but it was Guerrero who got the best of the exchanges.

In round four, Guerrero finished off his opponent in style, landing a left-right-left combination to Duran’s unprotected face, sending him to the canvas for the second — and last time. Referee Ricardo Vera called a halt to the bout at the 1:06 mark of round four.

Luis Del Valle vs. Noe Lopez Jr. — 8 Rounds, Featherweight

In a bout scheduled for eight rounds at the featherweight division, Newburgh, New York’s Luis Del Valle (11-0, 9 KOs) scored a fourth round TKO victory over Mexico’s Noe Lopez Jr. (6-7, 4 KOs).

Del Valle asserted his will in the opening round, constantly coming forward and getting the better of his opponent. The second round featured a savage exchange between the two fighters, with Del Valle landing a huge straight right, but Lopez immediately returning the favor by delivering a vicious uppercut followed by a straight left.

At the end of the second round, just as the bell sounded, Del Valle stunned Lopez with an ill-intentioned straight right, forcing his legs to wobble until he collapsed to the canvas. The referee, however, disallowed the knockdown.

In the fourth round, after being hit with a crackling body shot, Lopez dropped to a knee. After beating the referee’s ten count, Lopez found himself on unsteady legs — and was dropped by two left hooks, one to the body, one to the head. It is at that point that the referee saw it fit to call a halt to the bout awarding Del Valle the TKO victory.

Willie Nelson vs. Quinton Whitaker — 8 Rounds, Welterweight

Cleveland, Ohio’s Willie Nelson took his talents to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he improved his already undefeated record to 16-0-1 (10 KOs) with a first round TKO over San Antonio’s Quinton Whitaker (7-9, 5 KOs).

Midway through the first round, Nelson dropped Whitaker with a devastating straight right that he never recovered from. Whitaker beat the referee’s ten count, but was greeted seconds later two blistering left hooks, one to the body and one to the head that forced Whitaker to the canvass once more. Too tough for his own good, Whitaker once again beat the ten count, but was immediately greeted by a flurry of punches courtesy of Nelson, which ultimately led to the third knockdown of the first round.

The referee called a halt to the bout at the 2:22 mark in the first round.

With each tick of the biological clock, Manny Pacquiao’s boxing career draws one second closer to an end.

In recent years, Freddie Roach always seems to think Pacquiao’s next fight might be his last.

Manny’s mother, Dionisia, said before Saturday night’s fight, that she expected it to be her son’s final bout.

Whenever Pacquiao does call it quits, I imagine it will be abrupt. I imagine him going out on top.

Fortunately for the sport, Pacman says he’s got “two to three” more fight’s left in his dynamite fists.

After disfiguring notorious Mexican, Antonio Margarito, Pacquiao told the media that he still has business to tend to within the ropes.

Roach added to that sentiment, telling AOL’s Fanhouse, that for the rest of Pacquiao’s career, he will not fight below 147 lbs.

With that said, we could seemingly rule out a Pacquiao-Marquez trilogy — seeing how much trouble Marquez had moving up in weight when he faced Floyd Mayweather.

The elusive fight with Mayweather still remains an option for 2011, but Money May apparently would rather tussle with his girlfriend, security guards, or Johnny Law instead of getting in the ring with the Filipino Congressman.

If any of the standouts at junior welterweight moved up to challenge Pacquiao, he’d win with ease. Although, Gary Shaw insists once Tim Bradley downs Devon Alexander in January (which by no means is a foregone conclusion), he’ll be ready to take on Pacquiao. I think otherwise.

Two possible fights for Pacquiao to take next would be a bout against the winner of the rematch between Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams, which takes place this Saturday in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Both men would be present Pacquiao with an overwhelming size disadvantage. Further, they both possess lightning quick hands and thunderous power.

Perhaps it is a fight with Paul Williams that would finally be the fight where Pacquiao bites off more than he can chew. But in order for this fantasy to have a chance at becoming reality, Williams will need to successfully navigate past the crafty Argentinian on Saturday night.

Williams has insisted for the past two and a half years that he can make 147 lbs. whenever he needs to, but hasn’t weighed in for a fight less than 153 lbs. since November of 2008.

If the opportunity presents itself, the man who many consider the number three pound-for-pound boxer in the world, would have to put his money where his mouth is and come down in weight for a shot to knock off boxing’s best.

But unfortunately — besides a fight with Mayweather — the most money probably lies in a Sugar Shane Mosley vs. Pacquiao bout — a fight in which Pacman would surely disassemble the heavy-handed veteran.

The most important thing for fight fans, however, is that we recognize that no good thing lasts forever.

When Pacquiao relinquishes his post as boxing’s best, the torch he carried will not be passed down; there is no heir apparent.

It is for that reason that we should look past the fact that Pacquiao-Mayweather may never come to fruition. Whether you think Pacman’s relentless volume punching would overwhelm the defensive-minded Mayweather, or that Money May’s counterpunching would carry the day, let’s just enjoy what’s left of Pacquiao’s career before it’s over.

Let’s be grateful for the buzz Pacquiao creates around our sport every time he fights. And let’s marvel at the fact that a 5’6” man from Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines has steamrolled his way to a record setting eight divisional titles.

Savor the moment while it lasts; I highly doubt there will ever be another eight division champion. And one thing is for sure: there will never be another Manny Pacquiao.

Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT CARD
NORTH BERGEN, NJ — In a ten round middleweight bout, Ossie “The Ghanaian Gladiator” Duran (25-8-2, 9 KO) easily outpointed tough veteran, Matt “The Predator” Vanda (43-11, 25 KO). Working behind an electric jab, Duran was awarded a unanimous decisions by the scores of 99-91 and 100-90 twice.

From the opening bell Duran established an effective jab, consistently tagging Vanda at will. With his snapping jab, Duran was able to keep the usually combative Vanda at bay, never letting him fight on the inside.

After breezing through two rounds, Duran found himself trading with Vanda early in round three. “The Predator” came out aggressive, trying to turn the tide, but it was not meant to be. Every time Vanda enjoyed a bit of success, Duran would fire right back even the score.

By round four, Duran was peppering Vanda with a variety of punches. Besides throwing his unavoidable jab, “The Ghanaian Gladiator” was beginning to frequently land ill-intentioned body blows. Vanda’s suspect defense did little to stop the determined Duran as he began punching through or around “The Predator’s” gloves and to an exposed body.

In round seven, Vanda showed a sense of urgency by firing left hooks and straight rights Duran’s way. He tried to overwhelm Duran with power punches and backed the “Ghanaian Gladiator” up against the ropes, where he pounded away at a well-defended Duran.

Although this was Vanda’s most successful round, “The Predator” ran out of gas in the final minute, not throwing many punches and allowing the persistent Duran to steal the round.

Duran warded off a few more Vanda attacks before the final bell, but never found himself in any danger.

Juan “JZ” Zegarra vs. Bryan “The Brick” Abraham — 4 Rounds, Jr. Welterweight

In a bout that was explosive while it lasted, Juan “JZ” Zegarra stopped Bryan “The Brick” Abraham within two rounds to improve his already impressive record to 6-0, with 6 KOs.

The fight’s opening punch was a straight left hand courtesy of Zegarra that landed flush on the face of Abraham (2-4-2, 2 KO). To his credit, Abraham fired right back, connecting with wide but heavy punches. Zegarra seemingly respected Abraham’s power, but was willing to continue trading with him for the rest of the round.

Zegarra, a North Bergen import, via Lima, Peru, landed a huge straight left that rocked Abraham, sending him off balance. Abraham, although never falling to canvass, used his gloves to help keep him on his feet, resulting in a knockdown.

In the second round, Zegarra continued to trade with Abraham, seemingly willing to eat a punch or two in order to land his own shots. The Peruvian was clearly getting the better of the exchanges when his persistence paid off when he stunned Abraham with a huge left, sending him back into the ropes where Zegarra followed up and finished the job. Referee Eddie Cotten saw enough and called a halt to the bout at the 1:46 mark in round two.

Todd Erickson vs. Joe Dunn — 4 Rounds, Super Middleweights

In an impressive performance, Dover, New Jersey’s Todd Erickson (2-4-1, 1 KO) scored a unanimous decision victory of Philadelphia’s Joe Dunn.

Erickson used his height and reach advantage to keep Dunn from ever landing anything significant. The taller Erickson worked behind an effective jab in the early goings and gained more confidence as the bout progressed, as he rattled off more combinations in the last two rounds.

Dunn spent the first three rounds an arms length away from Erickson. In the final round, showing a little more urgency, Dunn attempted to get on the inside and fire off some punches, but he ended up paying a price for his efforts.

Erickson cruised to a unanimous decision victory with all three judges scoring it 40-36 for the fan-favorite.

Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez vs. Salim “The Dream” Al Quaadir — 4 Rounds, Jr. Middleweight

Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez made quick of Salim “The Dream” Al Quaadir to improve his record to 5-0, 3 KOs. Rodriguez dropped Al Quaadir (1-3) twice in the first round, with the second one concluding the fight.

Al Quaadir, who was fighting for the first time in twelve years, must have wished he never returned, as he spent the 2:57 of the first round on the receiving end of “The Beast’s” vicious punches.

Midway through the inaugural round, Al Quaadir took a knee after Rodriguez rattled off a steady stream of punches while Al Quaadir was backed into a corner.

The second knockdown, which Al Quaadir never recovered from, came courtesy of a thudding right to the body. The fight was stopped at the 2:57 mark of the first round.

Deano “Bad Newz” Burrell vs. John Passantino — 4 Rounds, Lightweight

In his highly anticipated professional debut, Deano “Bad Newz” Burrell (1-0, 1 KO) did not disappoint the tens of fans who traveled from London to North Bergen to watch him fight. For the four minutes and forty-four seconds Burrell was in the ring, he was dishing out punishment to Selden, New York’s John Passantino (0-2).

Burrell, a southpaw, battered his smaller opponent in the opening round, dropping him with a huge overhand left at the end of the round.

In the second round, Burrell picked up right were he left off, punishing his opponent with crackling body shots, ultimately forcing Passantino the drop to one knee. After beating the referee’s count, the spent Passantino backed into the ropes, where he became prey for a predator. Burrell pummeled Passantino until the referee stopped the bout at the 1:44 mark of round two.

Donald “Stone Face” Bernard vs. Rogilio Sanchez — 4 Rounds, Jr. Middleweight

In the night’s opening bout, Paterson, New Jersey’s Donald Bernard (2-0) was awarded a split decision victory over Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Rogilio Sanchez.

Sanchez forced the action the entire fight, always coming forward and pressuring Bernard. In a fight that was anything but a defensive clinic, both fighter’s had their fare share of success, but also put their chins to the test.

In the end, Bernard was awarded the split decision victory.

Judges Tony Perez and Pierre Benoist scored the bout 39-37 in favor of Bernard, while judge Alan Rubenstein scored it 39-37 in favor of Sanchez.

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT
10 Rounds, Light Middleweight
Ossie Duran — 159 lbs.
vs.
Matt Vanda — 160 lbs.

6 Rounds, Light Welterweight
Juan Zegarra — 140 lbs.
vs.
Bryan Abraham — 141.5 lbs.

4 Rounds, Featherweight
Deano Burrell — 135.5 lbs.
vs.
John Passantino — 134 lbs.

4 Rounds, Welterweight
Juan Rodriguez — 148.5 lbs.
vs.
Salim Al Quaadir — 146 lbs.

4 Rounds, Light Welterweight
Donald Bernard — 150 lbs.
vs.
Rogelio Sanchez — 150 lbs.

4 Rounds, Light Heavyweight
Todd Erickson — 168.5 lbs.
vs.
Joe Dunn — 161 lbs.

On Friday night November 12th, Paterson New Jersey’s “Ghanian Gladiator” Ossie Duran, 24-8-2, 9 KO’s will take on Matt “The Predator” Vanda, 43-11, 23 KO’s who fights out of Saint Paul, Minnesota. This 10-round junior middleweight bout will set the tone for a card featuring fighters who take great pride in the fact that they do not turn down fights and they come to fight 100% every time out. “Rumble in the Park” will take place at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New Jersey.

The night of boxing will feature Newark, New Jersey’s Jr. middleweight prospect and 2000 Olympian Jersen “Superjerz” Ravelo, 20-5, 12 KOs, and “The Brick City Spoiler,” world ranked lightweight, Carlos Vinan, 10-8-4, 2 KOs. Exciting, well-known prospects will both make their pro debut, Deano “Bad Newz” Burrell and Scotty “Spade Ace” Burrell. Local favorite, KEA Boxing’s Juan Rodgriguez, 4-0, 2 KOs will also be fighting in addition to three other bouts. The girls of www.Roundcardmodels.com will also be featured.

Tickets for “Rumble in the Park” are priced at $100 and $45 and can be purchased by calling 201-774-1646. Doors open at 6:30 pm, first bout is at 7:30 pm.

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT
When sixty-five people make a Trans-Atlantic trip with the sole purpose of watching two fighters each make their professional debut, the fighters must have something special to offer the boxing world.

On Friday night, at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New Jersey, identical twins Scotty “Spade Ace” Burrell and Deano “Bad Newz” Burrell will each forego their amateur status and start fighting for pay.

In a sport full of compelling stories, the Burrell twins’ tale can be found atop the list.

Born in Queens, New York, the brothers — who are of Jamaican descent — moved to London, England when they were just two years old. Twenty years later, after storming through the English amateur scene, they have returned to New York to pursue their fistic careers here in the States.

Once back in the city where they were born, the twins found themselves training in Brooklyn’s famous Gleason’s Gym under the tutelage of the great Hector Roca.

“Hector is a legendary trainer,” Deano said. “He’s helped us with the way we think, making sure we stay calm, different defenses, footwork, all around, he has tweaked a little bit of everything.”

Scotty chimed in, “He didn’t try to change our style, but he [corrects] the mistakes that we make.”

With Roca by their side, the two will embark on their professional journeys when they fight in two separate four round bouts at the featherweight division. Scotty Burrell is slated to square off with Sidell Blocker, while Deano will duke it out with Noel Escobera.

Though the sixty-five passionate fans traveling across the pond from England to North Bergen know just what to expect from the highly touted twins, most in attendance will be seeing the Burrell brothers for the first time.

What they should expect is a healthy mix of speed, power, and ring generalship.

“Both of us are boxer-punchers,” Scotty said. “We’re quick. We can move when we need to move and we can fight when we need to fight.”

Adding to that, Deano said, “We’re elusive. We’re poised. We hit and don’t get hit.”

When speaking with the Burrell twins, it is easy to see why they have garnered such a following overseas. Besides being well-spoken and personable, it is clear that they take great pride in their craft, understanding that hard-work and dedication outside of the ring will ultimately dictate one’s performance inside it.

“On Friday we’re going to give one-hundred percent,” Deano said. “We’re going to put on a good show and we’re going to win.”

“We’re both confident and in good shape,” Scotty proclaimed. “It’s going to be an entertaining night and hopefully we’ll get two knockouts.”

If that’s the case, for the sixty-five people making the journey from London to North Bergen, they can consider this trip money well-spent.

—

On Friday night November 12th, Paterson New Jersey’s “Ghanian Gladiator” Ossie Duran, 24-8-2, 9 KO’s will take on Matt “The Predator” Vanda, 43-11, 23 KO’s who fights out of Saint Paul, Minnesota. This 10-round junior middleweight bout will set the tone for a card featuring fighters who take great pride in the fact that they do not turn down fights and they come to fight 100% every time out. “Rumble in the Park” will take place at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New Jersey.

The night of boxing will feature Newark, New Jersey’s Jr. middleweight prospect and 2000 Olympian Jersen “Superjerz” Ravelo, 20-5, 12 KOs, and “The Brick City Spoiler,” world ranked lightweight, Carlos Vinan, 10-8-4, 2 KOs. Exciting, well-known prospects will both make their pro debut, Deano “Bad Newz” Burrell and Scotty “Spade Ace” Burrell. Local favorite, KEA Boxing’s Juan Rodgriguez, 4-0, 2 KOs will also be fighting in addition to three other bouts. The girls of www.Roundcardmodels.com will also be featured.

Tickets for “Rumble in the Park” are priced at $100 and $45 and can be purchased by calling 201-774-1646. Doors open at 6:30 pm, first bout is at 7:30 pm.

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT

CLICK TO ORDER THE FIGHT

For Zab Judah, Saturday night was supposed to showcase to the world that he had regained championship form; it was supposed to be a night that stamped Judah as a legitimate contender in boxing’s deepest division. But as his fight with Lucas Matthysse entered its latter stages, it was clear that “Super” Judah was going to have to grind this one out — not only for a win, but for his relevancy in the sport.

The Brooklyn native didn’t look as sharp as in his two past fights with Ubaldo Hernandez and Jose Armando Santa Cruz, fights that led many to believe there was a new, old Zab Judah on the boxing scene. Although racking up 10 point rounds early, mostly behind effective jab-work, Judah failed to find the same rhythm that he found in his recent bouts.

He had a hard time uncovering and creating openings that would allow him to throw the power punches many at ringside thought would end the fight in the mid to late rounds. In fact, Judah ended up throwing just 138 power punches to his counterpart’s 418.

For much of the fight, Zab kept his left-arm coiled and tucked at his side, waiting patiently for the right time to throw his signature left uppercut. Those times were few and far between, as “Super” Judah was left with no other choice but to continue scoring with snapping jabs.

Perhaps he was thrown off by the fact that Matthysse was actually boxing him, as opposed to looking for the fistic home run. Although Judah’s Argentinian counterpart threw plenty of ill-intentioned straight rights at him, many believed that would be the only thing Matthysse was going to do, throw punches in bunches and try to stop Zab. That wasn’t the case, however, as Matthyse moved around the ring, content with landing crackling body punches to Judah’s midsection whenever the opportunity presented itself.

If Judah was a bit surprised by Matthysse’s strategy, credit Gabriel Sarmiento for that. Sarmiento, who serves as the primary trainer of Sergio Martinez, was in Matthysse’s corner for the fight. While Luis “Cuty” Barrera holds the title as Matthysse’s head trainer, it was Sarmiento barking out the orders when the Argentinian returned to the stool during the one minute intermissions. He encouraged more movement and boxing, and assured his fighter that the body punches were going to pay off.

Matthysse’s plan from the get-go was to wear down Judah with a steady stream of body punches — he said so himself in the pre-fight press conference. On Saturday, Matthysse executed his strategy to the best of his ability and it was clear that Judah was fading during the later rounds.

The heavy-handed Argentinian stuck to his commitment to wail away at Judah’s body, a commitment that seemed to have paid off in round ten when Matthysse hurt Judah with a straight right then followed up with one more, dropping Judah.

Down to one-knee, Judah rose to his feet to beat the ten count, and within a matter of seconds, landed a few of his own power punches to momentarily stop Matthysse in his tracks.

Judah ate a few more straight rights, and absorbed some more punishment to the body before the final bell sounded, but all of Matthysse’s efforts in the second half of the fight were not enough to capture the victory in Newark. One judge saw the bout in the Argentine’s favor, scoring it 114-113 for Matthysse while two judges agreed on the score 114-113 for Judah, awarding the Brooklyn-bred fighter the split decision victory.

After the fight, Judah admitted that being on the receiving end of Matthysse’s punches was no walk in the park.

“He is the strongest fighter I’ve ever fought,” Judah said during the post-fight press conference. “The dude was punching like he had cinder blocks in his gloves.”

While Judah insisted that he was pleased with his performance and the successful training camp that enabled him to battle the full thirty-six minutes with Matthysse, he did acknowledge that this fight was not his best.

“Everybody boos and says whatever because they are so used to seeing me dominate guys for so long,” Judah said at the post fight press conference. “Can I have a bad day one time? I’m only human.”

The Judah hype train may have left the station prematurely. A performance like Saturday night’s against any of the A-List 140 pounders would undoubtedly have resulted in a loss for “Super” Judah. Amir Khan, Devon Alexander, Marcos Maidana, and Timothy Bradley all would have bested Zab on this night.

But while this performance didn’t turn any heads, it doesn’t mean his next one won’t. With another IBF title eliminator likely on the horizon versus Kaizer Mabuza, Judah will once again have the opportunity to convince the boxing world that he is back in championship form.

Whether his next fight is against Mabuza or not; whether it is Newark, New York, or South Africa, one thing is for certain: the 2010 version of Zab Judah will be fully prepared to fight. The days of two-week training camps are long gone. This version of Judah is more mature and humble; more focused and more determined. The new, old Zab will give it one hundred and ten percent.

And at the end of the day, that’s all we can ask of boxers, right?

Photo By Claudia Bocanegra

In the final bout of a long night of boxing at Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center, Zab “Super” Judah (40-6, 27 KO) was awarded a split decision victory over the previously unbeaten Lucas Matthysse (27-1, 25 KO) in front of a crowd of 4,172 people.

The main event was slow to start, as the first five rounds failed to provide fireworks, and thus, failed to excite the crowd — who, at times, ‘booed’ the fighters in the ring. The best punches of the bouts first few rounds were landed by Zab — a crisp right hook in round 1, a sharp left uppercut perfectly placed on Matthysse’s chin in round 3, and another vicious right hook in round 5.

From round 6 on, however, Matthysse looked like a different fighter. He started to press the action more and more and walk down Judah and cut off the ring. It was evident that Matthysse was trying to score big with a straight right, and finally, in round 10, he connected and Judah went crashing to the canvas. Matthysse, smelling blood in the water, tried to follow up, but Judah fired back and warded off any further attack.

Matthysse second-half comeback was not enough to overcome his slow start, however, as he lost a split decision. The judge who scored the bout in favor of the Argentinian saw it 114-113. While the two who scored the bout for Judah saw the fight 115-112 and 114-113.

The win marks Judah’s fourth in a row and second straight since returning to 140 lbs. Next up for Judah will likely be Kaizer Mabuza in another IBF junior welterweight eliminator

Robert Guerrero vs. Vincente Escobedo

In an entertaining and hard-fought ten round battle, Robert Guerrero (28-1, 18 KO) earned a unanimous decision victory over fellow Californian, Vincente Escobedo (22-3, 14 KO).

In the opening round, Guerrero got the better of Escobedo, with a sensational right hook serving as the opening rounds most devastating punch. It was a clash of heads however, not any punches, that caused a huge gash to open up on the side of Escobedo’s head. As the round progressed, Escobedo’s entire left side of his face was painted red.

Escobedo’s cutman did a nice job between rounds to slow the cut and reduce the blood flow from a pour to a slow leak. Both fighters continued to feel one another in the second round, with Guerrero getting the better of Escobedo. In the third round, Guerrero turned up the heat, as he dropped Escobedo with a dazzling combination of a right hook followed by a straight left.

To Escobedo’s credit and in round four found a lot of success when he threw punches in bunches. At times, Escobedo landed his punches flush on Guerrero’s face, but “The Ghost” was never in danger.

In the sixth round, Guerrero sent Escobedo crashing to the canvas once again, courtesy of a left uppercut.

While Escobedo battled, there was no way he could overcome the two knockdowns.

All three judges scored the bout in favor of Guerrero: 100-88, 98-90, and 96-93.

Bastie Samir vs. Damion Reed — 4 Rounds

In the night’s opening bout, Bastie Samir (6-0, 6 KOs) made quick work of Reidsville, North Carolina’s Damion Reed (2-4, 1 KO). Samir, who fights out of Las Vegas by way of Accra, Ghana, bombarded his defenseless opponent with a barrage of vicious left hooks. The former Ghanaian Olympian sent Reed to one knee four different times in the opening round before the referee called a halt to the bout. The time of the stoppage was 2:47 into round 1.

Mikael Zewski vs. Ardrick Butler — Welterweights — 4Rounds

In a four round bout at the welterweight division, undefeated prospect Mikael Zewski (5-0, 3 KOs) defeated Philadelphia’s Ardrick Butler (5-3, 2 KOs). The Canadian prospect, Zewski, showed off an impressive skillet over the twelve minutes spent in the ring. Zewski pounded away at Butler throughout the fight, hammering Butler’s body, and mixing in aggressive left hooks that often found a home. In the final round, Zewski kicked it into another gear, throwing a fifteen second flurry of viscious power punches, which Butler, to his credit, withstood. The resilient Butler had his own share of success sprinkled throughout the bout, but Zewski always had an answer. All three judges scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Zewski.

Mike Perez vs. Hevinson Herrera — Lightweights — 6 Rounds

Undefeated prospect Mike Perez put on an electrifying performance in front of his hometown fans. Perez (10-0-1, 5 KO’s), born and raised in Newark, shocked his opponent, Hevinson Herrera (14-7-1, 12 KO’s) when he hurt him with a straight right less than a minute into the inaugural round. Perez wisely followed up backing the injured Herrera up against the ropes before finishing him off with a three punch combination — left hook, right to the body, left hook — that sent Herrera hard to the canvas. Herrera beat the ten count, but was visibly hurt and standing on wobbly legs. Referee Randy Nuemann stopped the bout 1:02 into the opening round.

Tyrone Luckey vs. Alex Montes — Junior Lightweights — 4 Rounds

In a fight that had the Prudential Center crowd on their feet at times, Middletown, New Jersey’s Tyrone Luckey improved his record to 2-0 with a third round stoppage over Alex Montes (1-2) of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The fight started with a bang when Montes introduced Luckey to the canvas about fifteen seconds into the fight. The fighter’s continued to exchange power punches with each other throughout the first round, standing in the pocket, and wailing away. The second round saw Luckey find Montes’ chin with regularity, as he dropped Montes twice in round two, both with violent left hooks. Round three saw more fireworks, with Montes on the receiving end of most exchanges. Once again, Luckey rocked Montes, who went down for the third time in the fight. When Montes got to his feet, he was standing on unstable legs and that’s when Luckey pounded away at his injured opponent until the referee called a halt to the bout at the 2:55 mark of the round 3.

Mike Brooks vs. Kywayne Hill — Junior Lightweights — 4 Rounds

Long Island, New York’s Mike “Lefty” Brooks easily outpointed Philadelphia’s Kywayne Hill to improve his record to 3-0, 1 KO. Brooks used his superior hand speed to continuously score against Hill 1-6, 1 KO, who offered up an uninspiring effort. At times, Hill looked like he could inflict some damage on Brooks, scoring sporadically with uppercuts and straight rights. He could never string together combinations, however, and seemed content at times to cover up and let Brooks throw freely — which he did. In the end, all three judges scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Brooks.

Angel Concepcion vs. Maurice Amaro — Light Heavyweights — 4 Rounds

In a four round light heavyweight bout, Newark’s Angel Concepcion improved his record to 3-0 with a unanimous decision over Philadelphia’s Maurice Amaro, who fell to 1-3. The opening round was Concepcion’s finest, landing punches at will through Hill’s suspect defense. Concepcion pummeled HIll with left hooks that wrapped around Hill’s defense and couple them with straight rights that split Hill’s gloves. TO his credit, Hill withstood everything Concepcion threw at him, and on occasion landed some power punches of his own. Concepcion, who was never once in danger throughout the fight, imposed his will on Hill, landing punches with regularity. In the end all three judges scored the bout 40-36 in favor of Newark’s Concepcion.

Adrien Broner vs. Ilido Julio — Junior Lightweights — 8 Rounds

Undefeated prospect Adrian Broner scored a first round TKO victory over veteran journeyman Ilido Julio to improve his record to 18-0, 15 KOs. Broner, showed not only superior boxing skills, but also superior dance moves, as he came into the ring dancing, danced a little more mid-fight, and finished the show with a backflip. Broner hammered his out of shape Colombian opponent from the opening bell. Midway through the round, Broner landed a violent left hook/straight right combination that sent Julio crashing to the floor. During the 10-count, Broner walked over to where the HBO announcing trio of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman, and Roy Jones Jr., are seated and told Roy Jones Jr. that he’s the next world champion. When the fight resumed, Broner rushed over the wobbly Julio and unleashed a continuous flow of punches until the referee stepped in and stopped the fight. The time of the stoppage was 1:34 in the first round.

Sadam Ali vs. Gary Bergeron — Welterweights — 8 Rounds 2:18

Fan favorite and former US Olympian, Brooklyn’s Sadam Ali (10-0, 6 KOs) overpowered New Orleans’ Gary Bergeron (12-7, 7 KOs) to get the TKO victory at the 2:18 mark of round 2. Ali looked as sharp as ever, creating angles with impressive footwork and landing punches at will. Bergeron seemed content to cover up his face and absorb a barrage of body punches throughout the fight. Ali hammered away at Bergeron, who was unable to create any offense whatsoever during his five-plus minutes in the ring. Towards the end of the opening round, Ali dropped Bergeron with a left hook, left uppercut combination. After beating the 10-count, Bergeron was pinned against the ropes, covering up and not firing back as Ali unleashed vicious combinations on him. The fight could have easily been stopped at the end of round 1, but Bergeron was saved by bell.

The second round was all Ali, as he once again controlled the fight. Towards the end of round 2, Ali dropped Bergeron again, this time by a right uppercut. After beating the count, Ali put pressure on, eventually rocking Bergeron again with a left hook that put the New Orleans native on unsteady legs. A straight right and one more left hook prompted the referee to call a halt to the bout at the 2:18 mark of round 2.

NABO Jr. Welterweight Title/IBF Eliminator — 12 Rounds

Zab Judah (39-6, 27 KO) — 139 lbs.

vs.

Lucas Matthysse (27-0, 25 KO) — 140 lbs.

Vacant WBO Intercontinental Lightweight Title — 10 Rounds

Robert Guerrero (27-1-1, 18 KO) — 133 lbs.

vs.

Vincente Escobedo (22-2, 14 KO) — 134 lbs.

Welterweights — 8 Rounds

Sadam Ali (8-0, 5 KO) — 145.5 lbs.

vs.

Gary Bergeron (12-6, 7 KO) — 143 lbs.

Heavyweights — 8 Rounds

Mariusz Wach (22-0, 10 KO) — 263 lbs.

vs.

TBA

Light Heavyweights — 4 Rounds

Angel Concepcion (2-0) — 179 lbs.

vs.

Maurice Amaro (1-2) — 173 lbs.

Junior Welterweights — 4 Rounds

Mike Brooks (2-0, 1 KO) — 140.5 lbs.

vs.

Kywayne Hill (1-5, 1 KO) — 139 lbs.

Junior Lightweights — 4 Rounds

Tyrone Luckey (1-0, 1 KO) — 130 lbs.

vs.

Alex Montes (1-1) — 126 lbs.

Lightweights — 6 Rounds

Mike Perez (9-0, 4 KO) — 136 lbs.

vs.

Hevinson Herrera (14-6-1, 12 KO) — 135 lbs.

Junior Lightweights — 8 Rounds

Adrien Broner (17-0, 14 KO) — 134.5 lbs.

vs.

Ilido Julio (40-19-1, 35 KO) — 136.5 lbs.

Welterweights — 4 Rounds

Mikael Zewski (4-0, 3 KO) — 151 lbs.

vs.

Ardrick Butler (5-2, 2 KO)

Junior Middleweight — 4 Rounds

Bastie Samir (5-0, 5 KO) — 162 lbs.

vs.

Damion Reed (2-3, 1 KO) — 163 lbs.

Judah vs. Matthysse, a twelve round NABO junior welterweight championship bout, is part of an exciting night of boxing at Newark’s Prudential Center on Saturday, November 6. The show is presented by Main Events, Super Judah Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 6:00pm, first bout to follow immediately. The HBO Boxing After Dark telecast begins at 11:15pm ET / PT.

Tickets are still available: Priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com.