Courtesy of fightpickexperts.com

Courtesy of fightpicksexperts.com

Sources have informed 15rounds.com that unbeaten contender James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland of Austin, TX will face Nobuhiro Ishida April 9 as part of a pay per view card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. Kirkland, 27-0 (24 KO’s), will fight for the third time since leaving prison. Ishida, of Osaka, Japan, owns a respectable 22-6-2 ledger with 7 wins by way of knockout. This is his first bout since losing to Rigoberto Alvarez last October in Mexico.

Marc Abrams contributed to this report

Courtesy of fightpickexperts.com

Courtesy of fightpickexperts.com

Interview with Javier Fortuna

Courtesy of fightpickexperts.com

Ismayl Sillakh gave boxing enthusiasts reason to believe that he’s an elite rising star following an impressive beatdown of highly regarded Yordanis Despaigne in the main event of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights from the Jostens Center in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

Sillakh violently decked Despaigne with a huge right hand shortly before the bell to end the second and was mostly in control from that point forward. The California based Ukrainian displayed excellent punching power, good ring smarts, precise timing and solid footwork, making it difficult for Despaigne to develop a rhythm.

Bloodied, bruised and battered over both eyes midway through the contest, Despaigne had a few moments of success however he was unable to surmount a consistent attack. Perhaps looking to end the show early, Sillakh finished the bout by landing hard shots in the final two rounds, but the knockout never came.

Scores were 98-91 twice and 99-90. 15rounds also scored the bout 99-90.

Sillakh improves to 15-0 with 12 KO’s and is clearly a fighter to keep an eye on. Despaigne, of Coral Gables, FL by way of Cuba, slips to 8-1 (4 KO’s).

In a bout between two fighters that appeared many weight classes apart, junior welterweight contender Ray “The Emperor” Narh shutout former featherweight titlist Freddie Norwood over ten one-sided rounds. The tall and lanky Narh dominated the bout from start to finish and was the only fighter that landed meaningful punches. Outgunned, out of shape, over the hill, and looking to survive, Norwood reverted to dirty tactics and lost two points in the ninth for hitting behind the head.

Scores were 100-88 twice and 99-89.

Narh, of Pittsburgh, PA via the fighting city of Accra, Ghana, improves to 25-1 (21 KO’s). Norwood, a St. Louis, MO native who defeated future great Juan Manuel Marquez in 1999, falls to 43-4 (23 KO’s) and would be wise to call it quits.

Many fighters throughout boxing history have earned redemption.

From Muhammad Ali to Sugar Ray Leonard, Manny Pacquiao, Roy Jones Jr. and most recently Sergio Martinez, each scored a scintillating victory to silence their harshest critics while defeating an opponent that previously frustrated them. The difference between the aforementioned stars and unbeaten light heavyweight Ronson Frank? Frank was facing Philadelphia’s Tony Ferrante for the first time.

The two were scheduled to square off September 24 until Ferrante missed weight by more than four pounds, prompting Frank to cancel the bout. Many were outranged by Frank’s decision not to fight on, but the Rosedale, NY based Guyanese stood by his decision and vowed to make the overconfident Ferrante pay for his unprofessionalism.

And that’s exactly what he did last night at the Armory in Yonkers, NY.

Frank scored his most impressive victory to date and had the last laugh after mercifully stopping Ferrante in the third of their eight round contest. Frank, a lanky southpaw with solid boxing skills, was in control from the opening bell, ripping hard shots to both the body and head of his once beaten counterpart. Ferrante was unable to surmount a consistent offensive attack and unsuccessfully attempted to pressure Frank.

After badly outboxing Ferrante in the second, Frank unloaded a vicious multi-punch combo capped off by a right hook to the head which knocked Ferrante out cold and brought the crowd to its feet.

Ferrante remained motionless for a few minutes before making it back to his feet.

Time of stoppage was 1:58.

“We are ready to take that next step up,” Promoter Brian O’Shea said of Frank following the victory. “Ronson is sharp and ready for anybody out there. We want to fight that 10-0 Russian kid (WBA Light Heavyweight titlist Beibut Shumenov)!”

Editor’s Note: Shumenov is from Kazakhstan and has a record of 11-0.

Frank is now 16-0 with 8 wins by kayo following one of the best knockouts this writer has ever seen. Ferrante slides to 9-2.

Allen 2 Sharpe for Orta

In the co-feature, Boxing360 promoted super middleweight Lennox “2 Sharpe” Allen stopped rugged Jesse Orta of Dallas, TX inside of two rounds. Like his close friend Frank, Allen is a New York transplant hailing from Guyana, but in this bout there was no story line.

Allen dominated the opening round with excellent hand speed and decked Orta with a perfectly placed check hook at the bell. Orta went down hard and Allen jumped on the top rope to celebrate what appeared to be a knockout. Much to his surprise, Orta made it back to his feet and the celebration was postponed; albeit not much longer.

Allen jumped on Orta as the bell sounded for the second round, teeing off with vicious combinations to force a stoppage 37 seconds in.

Allen is now 14-0-1 with 9 wins by kayo. Orta, whose only prior knockout defeat came to Danny Jacobs in December, falls to 7-15-2 (4 KO’s).

Collado outpoints Irizarry in a thriller!

Chronically inactive featherweight Jhovany Collado overcame a 5 ½ year hiatus to defeat heavily favored “Crazy” Eddie Irizarry by split decision.

In a six round slugfest between two New Yorkers, Collado dropped Irizarry hard in the second round with a left hook and managed to slightly outwork his gutsy foe in a back and fourth bout.

Scores were 57-56 Collado twice and 57-56 Irizarry. 15rounds also ruled the bout in favor of Collado by a tally of 57-56.
Queen’s Collado improves to 2-7-2 (1 KO). Irizarry of the Bronx drops to 7-3 (2 KO’s).

McDowell batters James

Former New York Golden Gloves Champion Chazz “Magnificent” McDowell dominated debuting Ian “Iron Skin” James in a four round lightweight contest.

From the moment the bout started, it was evident that McDowell was the far more polished fighter. The Yonkers resident ripped James with a number of impressive combinations and hurt him on multiple occasions, impressing the vocal crowd on hand. Towards the end of the bout, McDowell was clearly gunning for a knockout and threw some wild shots, but James was game and finished the bout on his feet.

Scores were 40-36 twice and 39-37 for McDowell.

“I saw him hurt in the first round so I was thinking he may go down,” McDowell said of James. “I thought an overhand right and a crazy left hand would have (dropped him), but he didn’t fall so I had to use my boxing skills. It was a bit frustrating (that I couldn’t get him out of there) because I wanted to get rid of him.”

McDowell, who informed us that he’ll return in March as part of the Sergio Martinez-Sergiy Dzinziruk undercard at the Foxwoods Casino, is now 4-0 with 1 KO. James of Brooklyn is 0-1.

Bronx Natives Battle to a Draw

Bronx based light heavyweights Owen “Pointblank” Rodway and Tafari Lawton fought to an entertaining four round draw. The two seemed quite familiar with one another, perhaps due to past sparring sessions, and both had their moments of success in a bout that correctly ended in a draw.

Scores were 39-37 Lawton and 38-38.

Rodway is now 1-0-1 (1 KO). Lawton’s record stands at 1-1-1.

In other action, debuting super middleweight “Notorious” Travis Peterkin of Brooklyn, NY stopped Allentown PA’s Edgar Sanjuro in the opening round when the latter was unable to continue, citing he couldn’t breather after taking a number of hard shots to the nose.

Time of stoppage was 2:05. Peterkin, who looked to have solid skills, is 1-0 with 1 KO. Sanjuro, inactive for more than eight years since his last fight, slips to 2-2.

In the first bout of the evening, Brooklyn light heavyweight Hamid “The Dream” Abdul-Mateen, 1-1, outpointed Washington, DC’s Dameon Marshall, 1-3, over four rounds. Abdul-Mateen was the naturally bigger fighter and hurt Marshall on multiple occasions of a one sided affair.

All three judges scored the contest 40-36.

Last night’s card marked the sixth time O’Shea Brothers Boxing hosted a show at the Yonkers Armory since May 2009.

And who said local boxing was dead?

Fight of the Year: Amir Khan UD12 Marcos Maidana
For the last year and a half, boxing scribes were accusing “glass chinned” Amir Khan of ducking dynamite fisted Marcos Maidana. Khan, the WBA Junior Welterweight titleholder, had been viciously stopped a few years back in less than a minute by unknown Breidis Prescott. Naturally, Khan and his handlers took their time before risking a fight with the dangerous Maidana.

The wait turned out to be well worth it.

Last month, Khan and Maidana produced a twelve round thriller packed with non-stop action. Khan appeared close to scoring a knockdown in the opening round after a monstrous body shot, but Maidana battled back valiantly, showing tremendous heart and grit. Both fighters were hurt during this twelve round warfare and Maidana came close to turning the tides down the stretch. Khan managed to whether the storm and finished strong in the twelfth round of a bout that had the boxing world buzzing.

Fighter of the Year: Sergio Martinez
Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez went from being a junior middleweight known mostly for holding one of the many available championship belts to the sport’s newest superstar in 2010. In a matter of twelve months – less than that technically – Martinez won the middleweight title by slicing up Kelly Pavlik and scored one of the best knockouts in recent memory, dramatically stopping a top five pound for pound in Paul Williams. Maravilla’s 2010 was a treat for boxing fans to say the least!

Prospect of the Year: Saul Alvarez:
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is being billed as the next great fighter in a country that has produced hundreds of boxing greats and rightfully so.

He’s already 36-0 as a professional, beat two former world champions, multiple contenders and is only getting better. In 2010, Alvarez defeated Brian Camechis, Jose Cotto, Luciano Cuello, Carlos Baldomir (viciously knocking out the iron chinned Argentinean) and Lovemore N’dou.

Although he is not legally allowed to drink in the United States, Alvarez has many people sipping the kool-aid after defeating 5 solid opponents with a combined record of 169-27-9 record this pat year. Alvarez is definitely on the fast track to becoming a future pound for pound superstar.

Trainer of the Year: Gabriel Sarmiento
Trainer of the Year could once again go to Freddie Roach, but since it’s so close, Gabriel Sarmiento gets it for a change of pace.

Sarmiento had a marvelous year, guiding the Fighter of the Year, Sergio Martinez to two marquee victories, and in doing so, capturing and retaining the WBC and Ring Magazine middleweight championships.

Days before his fighter’s Nov. 20 rematch with Paul Williams, Sarmiento couldn’t sleep, he had noticed flaws in William’s game. He called Martinez and two days before the fight their entire game plan was scrapped, a new one implemented.

Martinez will move to his right and throw a looping overhand left. Williams won’t see it coming.

That was the plan. That was what happened.

Three times in the bout, the third being the KO, Martinez moves his body to the right, while a looping left hand trails. About 20 seconds before the final left hand lands on Williams chin, Martinez lands the exact same punch. Only difference was Williams saw the first one and took it well.

He didn’t see the Knockout Punch of the Year, though. For his guidance of Martinez, Sarmiento earns Trainer of the Year.

Sarmiento also works with Lucas Matthysse, who almost upset Zab Judah in November. He is also the primary trainer of up and coming Dominican prospect, Javier Fortuna, who scored a scary one-punch KO a-la Martinez only one week after the Martinez-Williams rematch.

Story — Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather unable to agree on terms:
When two sides have to split up $60-80 million dollars 50/50, there shouldn’t be much to bicker over. Boxers can only fight on for a certain number of years so why not go for the most money, especially if it’s a fight the entire world is salivating over?

Here’s the shortest possible explanation; Olympic style drug testing and arrogance.

Between Pacquiao’s refusal to take the strictest possible drug tests and Mayweather’s attitude along with his out of the ring issues, the biggest fight of 2010 never happened. Mayweather is currently facing a number of criminal charges and could end up in jail while Pacquiao is fighting on in bouts few care to see him in.

If the two never manage to meet in the ring regardless of circumstances, drug tests or jail time, it will severely hurt the great sport of boxing.

Fight we want to see in 201 besides Pacquiao-Mayweather: (Tie)—Andre Ward- Lucian Bute & Juan Manuel Lopez-Yuriorkis Gamboa
Since it doesn’t look like we’ll witness a match up between the two best fighters in the world (see above), it’d sure be great to see bouts between undefeated world champions that are in their prime and at the top of their weight class.

Andre Ward, the WBA Super Middleweight champion, is likely gong to win the coveted Super Six Tournament. He was a 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist and is quickly moving his way onto pound for pound lists. He has few if any flaws and is yet to miss a beat. Bute, like Ward, has a super middleweight title (IBF) and never suffered a loss as a pro. Bute has good skills, massive drawing power in his adopted home country of Canada and US fans have quickly taken an interest in his career.

In addition to being one of the most notable fights possible, the Ward-Bute winner would become a megastar.
A Gamboa-Lopez fight has been discussed during the last year or so and understandably so. Both fighters have solid punching power, dynamic skills, excellent toughness, are relatively young and the backing of premium cable networks. Much like in a potential Ward-Bute fight, the winner in this bout would definitely become a big time star.

Upset of the Year: Jason Litzau SD10 Celestino Caballero
Celestino Caballero fought his way off of many top ten pound-for-pound lists when he dropped a split decision to Jason Litzau.

In the weeks leading up to his fight with Litzau, the lanky Panamanian was seemingly consumed with making YouTube videos taunting JuanMa Lopez. He called him a “chicken” and told him that he has “no heart.” His lack of focus showed during the fight — as he seemed even more awkward as usual (if that’s possible) and didn’t seemed prepared for someone close to his height. The fight on the whole reflects poorly on both Caballero and his trainer, Jeff Mayweather.

Litzau was coming off a nice string of victories, included one against Rocky Juarez, and he was able to keep his momentum rolling when he scored a split decision victory of Caballero. Scores were 96-94, Caballero and 96-94, 97-93 Litzau.

All things considered, this was not a fight Caballero should have lost. As Larry Merchant pointed out in the HBO broadcast, Caballero was a 13-1 favorite.

Fighter Most Likely to Have a Breakout Year in 2011: David Lemieux
Canadian power puncher David Lemieux is quickly becoming a name in boxing. He’s stopped 24 of his 25 opponents, is already a draw in his home country and has a style made for television. Much like Alvarez, the 22 year old Lemieux is taking steps in the right direction, having defeated respected opponents in Walid Smichet, Elvin Ayala and Hector Camacho Jr. With another solid victory or two, Lemieux should become a fighter on every fan’s radar.

Kyle Kinder contributed to this article

The last 365 days of New Jersey boxing have been entertaining to say the least. We witnessed both fights that made Sergio Martinez into the sport’s newest superstar and one of the best knockouts in recent memory. Prospects such as Michael Angelo Perez, Glen Tapia, Jorge Diaz, Denis Douglin, Carlos Zambrano, Jorge Diaz and all remain unbeaten. There was also a number of shocking upsets.

15rounds’ New Jersey staff writers and a number of other ringside regulars such as Kurt Wolfheimer of Fightnews.com, Eugene Sirota, John Wall, Sean Connolly and Dylon Silversey of Gardenstatefightscene.com, Brickcityboxing.com’s Danny Seratelli, Mike Coppinger of Seconds Out and Boxing Insiders’ Scoop Malinowski, recently voted on a number of awards for 2010. All of the mentioned fights either took place in the Garden State or featured a New Jersey fighter.

Fighter of the Year: Tomasz Adamek (Secaucus):

With all due respect to every other fighter in the state, Adamek was an easy choice; easy enough that every writer polled selected him without second thought.

Adamek, a wildly popular Pole who is the biggest thing in New Jersey boxing since the late Arturo Gatti, won all four of his bouts in 2010. His victories included an impressive decision against top flight heavyweight Cris Arreola, former contender Michael Grant and 2004 US Olympian Jason Estrada. In his most recent bout, Adamek battered Vinny Maddalone before the latter’s corner threw in the towel fight during the fifth round.

His next bout is scheduled for April in Poland and it appears that he’ll be taking on hard hitting former titlist Samuel Peter. From there, expect to see him battle one of the Klitschkos or David Haye.

Prospect of the Year: Denis “Da Momma’s Boy” Douglin (Morganville)

Douglin, a 2008 National Golden Gloves Champion who is trained by his mother, had plenty of people chatting about him from the get go due to his chief second. But as they say, action speaks louder than words. During the last 12 months, Douglin was a perfect 6-0 with 5 dominant wins by kayo. In his lone decision win, he lost a single round on one of the three judges’ scorecards.

In addition to only losing one round the entire year, He moved down from middleweight to junior middleweight in March and has looked his best yet since dropping a few pounds. Not bad for a Momma’s Boy.

Honorable Mention: Glen Tapia (Passaic, 2 votes), Carlos Zambrano (North Bergen, 1 vote), Juan Rodriguez (Union City, 1 vote), Alex Perez (Newark, 1 vote), Jorge Diaz (New Brunswick, 1 vote), Lavarn Harvell (Atlantic City, 1 vote)

Editors Note: Some writers selected multiple fighters for the same award

Fight of the Year: Brian Miller SD8 Danny McDermott (Jersey City)

For eight rounds, Danny “Little Mac” McDermott and New York’s Brian Miller went at it as if there were no tomorrow, trading monstrous shots in close quarters. Both fighters kept the crowd on their feet by connecting with a number of punches in a phenomenal action bout, but the Jersey fighter came up just a bit short in this one.

Miller’s conditioning and consistency helped him pull out a close split decision in a bout that we are all dying to see again.

Honorable Mention: Jorge Diaz UD Emmanuel Lucero, Patrick Majewski (Atlantic City) TKO8 Eddie Caminero, Sergio Martinez KO2 Paul Williams

Upset of the Year: Ayi Bruce MD10 Shamone Alvarez (Atlantic City)/ Kaizer Mabuza TKO6 Kendall Holt (Paterson)

There were a few nice upsets pulled off by local fighters (more on that below) however, two of the Garden State’s top rated boxers were shockingly defeated in fights most expected them to win with ease.

In the case of Alvarez, who was one point away from earning a draw during a 2009 title eliminator, he was outfought by a man that he supposed to outfight. A victory against Bruce, a tough but beatable New York based Ghanaian, could have powered him to another meaningful fight in his boxing-crazed hometown.

Holt was surprisingly halted by virtually known South African Kaizer Mabuza. From early on in the fight, Holt didn’t appear to be himself and reportedly struggled to make the 140 lb limit following a long layoff. Mabuza took advantage of this, forcing Holt’s corner to throw in the towel immediately following round six. A victory would have lifted the former world champion to another title shot against then IBF champion Devon Alexander.

Ironically, both men were upset at Bally’s in Atlantic City.

Honorable Mention: Carlos Tamara (North Bergen) TKO12 Brian Viloria, Carlos Vinan (Newark) TKO8 Anthony Mezaache, Vincent Arroyo KO8 Jeremy Bryan (Paterson)

Story of the Year: Sergio Martinez KO2 Paul Williams (November 20)

With all due respect to late baseball star Bobby Thompson, who hit one of the most famous homeruns in baseball history, Sergio Martinez connected with the shot heard round the boxing world in Atlantic City last month.

Martinez, a slick middleweight, was making the first defense of his world title which he won in AC back in April against Kelly Pavlik. Opposing him was Paul “The Punisher” Williams, the same fighter who defeated him via controversial split decision in NJ’s best fight of 09’. This time, there were no judges needed.

Following an action packed first round between the sport’s top two southpaws not named Manny Pacquiao, Martinez connected with a perfectly placed left hook that sent Williams to the canvas flat on his face. The fans and media were both in awe with what they had just witnessed as was Sergio Martinez, who jumped for joy after Referee Earl Morton counted Williams out.

Every major media source to announce their 2010 awards thus far have selected it for Knockout of the Year. Martinez’ picturesque punch was even featured on Sports Center.

Honorable Mention: Adamek’s popularity at the Prudential Center, Glen Tapia serving as Manny Pacquiao’s main sparring partner leading up to the Antonio Margarito fight, Pawel Wolak twice getting avoided by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

The fight between two New Jerseyans we’d like to see:

There were a total of six fights selected one time each:
Tomasz Adamek (Secaucus) vs Chazz Witherspoon (Paulsboro)
Jorge Diaz (New Brunswick) vs Carlos Zambrano (North Bergen)
Pawel Wolak (Wallington) vs Patrick Majewski (Atlantic City)
Denis Douglin (Morganville) vs Lavarn Harvell (Atlantic City)
Chazz Witherspoon (Paulsboro) vs Maurice Harris (East Orange)
Chazz Witherspoon (Paulsboro) vs Bruce Seldon (Atlantic City)

What we’d like to see in 2011: A fight at the New Meadowlands Stadium

Sure the Giants’ and Jets’ new home doesn’t have the mass appeal of Cowboy Stadium, but it’s a renowned building that cost a number with many zeros on the end to construct. Promoter Bob Arum flirted with the idea of hosting the Pacquiao-Margarito fight there, although it ultimately ended up at the aforementioned Cowboy Stadium.

With the New Yankee Stadium’s notoriety not attracting as many fans as expected to their first ever fight, Miguel Cotto vs Yuri Foreman, and Madison Square Garden scheduled to close down summer due for renovations, why wouldn’t a promoter want to host a fight at Meadowlands Stadium?

East Rutherford is located just minutes outside of New York City, the stadium is available, New Jersey’s evening weather is perfect for a summer sporting event and Cotto will likely take on Margarito in a rematch this summer. Hopefully, Arum considers this great venue, which seats more than 80,000 and would provide an outstanding but yet affordable evening for boxing fans.

Honorable Mention: More world championship fights in Atlantic City, The continuation of Main Events’ “Brick City Fight Series” at the Prudential Center, More New Jersey State Title bouts, the NJ State Athletic Commission assisting local promoters more on club shows

Former world title challenger and crowd favorite Dmitry “Star of David” Salita brutalized game veteran James Wayka en route to a third round stoppage Thursday evening before a packed house at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, NY.

Led into the ring by reggae sensation Matisyahu’s hit single “King Without A Crown”, Salita overcame a minor cut above his left eye to score two knockdowns in the second round following vicious body shots. The Brooklyn, NY based Ukrainian sliced open Wayka’s eye moments into round three before finishing him off.

Shortly thereafter, Salita scored a third knockdown with a hulatious left hook to his counterpart’s body. Wayka, who came all the way from Shawano, WI on short notice, made it back to his feet before hitting the canvas for a fourth time, forcing Referee David Fields to halt the contest at 1:53.

Salita, 32-1-1 (17 KO’s), claimed the New York State Welterweight crown, making him a king with a crown for what it’s worth. Wayka, who has fought excellent opposition and defeated former champion Frank Toledo, falls to 16-10-1 with 8 wins by kayo.

In the co-feature, exciting Bronx based light heavyweight Joel “El Ray” Castillo notched his second consecutive win following a 3 year hiatus, stopping fellow Empire State pugilist Angel “Latin Stallion” Gonzalez of Yonkers inside of two rounds. Castillo made it known that he was going to bring the heat from the opening bell and quickly found success.

Castillo landed a number of crisp shots in the first three minutes of the bout and relentlessly teed off on Gonzalez after hurting in the very next round until the bout was stopped at 1:46.

Castillo, an exciting prospect who sticks out like a sore thumb due to his overzealous ring entrance which includes a gaudy ring jacket and shiny crown atop his head, improves to 7-0 with 4 KO’s. Gonzalez slips to 2-3 (2 KO’s.

In perhaps the most unique ending to a fight in the history of Western Civilization, debuting lightweight Scott “Bang Bang” Burrell of Brooklyn by way of the UK scored a vicious second knockout over fellow newcomer Jonathan Caban of the Bronx. After a solid opening round for the Brooklynite, Burrell and Caban simultaneously connected with good punches, causing both men to hit the canvas ala Cornelius Bundrage-Sechew Powell.

Unlike the Bundrage-Powell fight, Burrell quickly popped up while Caban lay motionless on the canvas. Time of stoppage was 2:20.

Brooklyn based junior lightweight Rafael “Dinamita” Vazquez moved to 3-0 (2 KO’s) by stopping Paterson, NJ’s Hector Rivera, 2-7 (1). Vazquez scored a knockdown in the first round and managed to get out of some trouble in the second before decking his opponent again in the third with as perfect of a left hook that a fighter can throw. The game Rivera made it back to his feet in bad shape and his night was cut short moments later after a follow up barrage convinced Steve Smoger to call an end to the bout at 1:52.

Popular junior middleweight Frank Galarza of Brooklyn outworked Bronx based Felix Rangel over four rounds. Galarza had the superior offensive ability, but Rangel was tougher than advertised and fought well in the final round.

Scores were 39-37 twice, matching our scorecard, and 40-36.

Galarza improves to 2-0 with 1 KO. Rangel remains winless at 0-5-2.

George Santiago vs. John Passantino

In a fight where somebody’s “O” had to go, Brooklyn’s George Santiago stopped Selden, New York’s John Passantino to score his first win as a professional prizefighter.

The first thirty seconds of the bout were perhaps Passantino’s best, as he came out aggressively, landing three solid left hooks early.

Later in the first round, Santiago, who began to impose his will on his counterpart, caught Passantino with a straight right hand that left him momentarily dazed.

The second round was all Santiago, whose relentless aggression forced Passantino to try to fight with his back against the ropes for the entire three minutes. The key word being ‘try’. Santiago had his way against Passantino, battering him with a nice mix of head and body shots.

Finally, in the third round, after being battered, while being pinned against the ropes, referee Benjy Esteves stopped the bout at the 1:20 mark in round two.

With the win, Santiago erases his “O” and improves to 1-2, 1 KO, while Passantino drops to 0-2. —-Kyle Kinder

Jose Peralta vs. Henry Northan

In a bout that was entertaining while it lasted, Brooklyn’s Jose Peralta was able to stop Philly’s Henry Northan to win his professional debut.

Immediately after the bell sounded to signal the start of the fight both fighter’s were trading big punches, out to land a big KO punch. It would eventually come, but not in round one.

During the exchanges in the inaugural round, Peralta got the better of Northan. While they both found their targets on occasion, Northan’s punches were wider and wilder than Peralta’s and therefore the Brooklynite’s punches were doing more damage in the opening round.

In the second round, Northan finally landed the big overhand right, hurting Peralta who immediately went into survival mode. With a cut lip and blood dribbling slowly out of his mouth, Peralta took the next minute off, trying to avoid Northan, while regaining his legs.

Late in round two, with Peralta back at full strength, he landed a left hook to the body-straight right on the button combination that send Northan crashing to the canvas where he was counted out by referee Steve Smoger. The stoppage came at the very end of round two, the three minute mark exact.

With the win, Peralta starts his career off 1-0, 1 KO, while Northan falls to 0-3.–Kyle Kinder

Jon Bolden vs. Richard Mason

Jon Bolden overcame a first round knockdown to stop Richard Mason in round two and improve his record to 2-1, 1 KO.

Less than ten seconds into the first round, Bolden found himself with his back on the canvas after being hit with a sweeping right body shot. Fortunately for Bolden, the knockdown probably occurred due to more of a lack of balance, than the effectiveness of Mason’s punch.

Being that the bout was scheduled for four, Bolden knew he had no more room for error. He immediately kicked it into another gear, working effectively behind a crisp jab, he began peppering Mason with bullet-like straight rights and crackling body shots.

In the second half of round one, Bolden made a to earn his point back after being floored.

But I still scored it 10-8, Mason.

It didn’t matter anyway, however. In the second round, Bolden continued to dominate Mason the way he did for the last minute and a half of the first round, and finally caught Mason with a huge straight right that sent him to a knee. Referee Earl Brown began the ten count before realizing that Mason was in no shape to continue. He called a halt to the bout at the 1:31 mark in round two.–Kyle Kinder

Jonathan Cuba vs. Artie Bembury

In a bout that looked to be going the distance, Queens New York’s Jonathan Cuba scored a scary fourth round KO over the Bronx’s — and Reggie Cleveland All-Stars candidate — Artie Bembury.

The bout didn’t get heated until the second round, when Cuba started to press the action, continuously walking forward, challenging Bembury to try and ward him off. He had to be questioning this strategy when Bembury scored with a big left hook while his back were against the ropes, opening up a cut over Cuba’s right eye.

He stuck to his game plan, however, and it paid off. In round three, Cuba battered Bembury while he was against the ropes. During this time, Bembury didn’t throw a single punch for over forty seconds.

The fourth and final round saw the knockout of the night, when Cuba landing an electric right hand, that resulting in Bembury doing his best Paul William’s impression — using his face to break his fall. It was scary and unfortunate for Bembury. Thankfully he was able to collect himself after a few minutes and walk out of the ring under his own power.

The KO came at the 1:54 mark of round four.

Cuba improves to 5-2, 4 KOs, while Bembury falls to 2-4.–Kyle Kinder

interview-with-randall-bailey

Top-10 contender Pawel “Raging Bull” Wolak will be In Harm’s Way on Saturday, December 4, when he challenges undefeated WBC Silver middleweight champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. in a 12-round title fight. Wolak replaces the injured Alfonso Gomez, Chávez’s original opponent, who withdrew today after an MRI detected a ligament tear in his left elbow.

Wolak (27-1, 17 KOs), from Mount Arlington, NJ, enters this fight riding a two-year, six-bout winning streak, with three of those victories coming by knockout. The combined record of the last three opponents he defeated — James Moore, Ishmail Arvin and Carlos Nascimento – had a combined record of 56-4-4 when he fought them, which translates into an impressive 88% winning percentage. His last fight, a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Moore (17-2), was fought on the historic Yuri Foreman-Miguel Cotto undercard at Yankee Stadium on June 5. He is currently world-rated No. 7 by the WBA.

“Everything worked out well”, said Wolak, who almost fought Chavez previously before the bout fell apart. “I had another fight December 16 so I will be in good enough shape to fight him. We are just finalizing some things (in training) and I don’t have to lose any (extra weight).”

A former New York State middleweight champion, Wolak, 29, is known as aggressive, high-pressure style fighter who always makes for exciting fights. Trained by Aroz Gist, Wolak, an East Coast fixture, will be making his West Coast debut when he rumbles with Chávez Jr.

“He is tough but hopefully my pressure will overwhelm him.” “I plan to dig deep every round and hopefully I will come out on top. I must thank my promoter Top Rank for this great opportunity and I will be ready.”

CLICK TO ORDER ON DEMAND
Emerging prospect Farah “Quiet Storm” Ennis picked up the vacant NABF Super Middleweight title after impressively stopping lionhearted Victor Lares Friday evening at Harrah’s Resort and Casino in Atlantic City.

From the opening bell, Ennis peppered his opponent with just about every punch he threw. Ennis had success to both the body and head, consistently tagging his Corpus Christi, TX based counterpart as if he were a novice sparring partner. The Philadelphia, PA based prospect managed to steer clear of a number of Lares’ slow and wild hooks, regularly making him pay for it. Lares, who displayed tremendous heart, was decked once in round four and twice in the sixth before Referee Eddie Cotton stopped the contest following a fourth knockdown in the seventh stanza.

Time of stoppage was 2:35.

“My whole game plan was to work his body because he had a hard head,” Ennis said of his gritty opponent as he spit out blood in the hallway of the arena. “Whoever wants (to try and take my title) can come after it!”

Ennis is now 17-0 with 11 KO’s. Lares falls to 16-6 with 4 KO’s and won the hearts of many with his toughness.

In the co-feature, heavyweight hopeful and St. Josephs University graduate Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon forced game but overmatched Alexis Mejia’s to retire following one sided four rounds. Witherspoon connected at will with hard jabs and right hands, causing Mejia’s’ left eye to close. The Paulsboro, NJ native almost had Mejia’s out in the fourth, but a number of clinches towards the end of the round helped the latter stay on his feet for the time being. Mejia’s corner wisely threw in the towel before the fifth.

Witherspoon improves to 28-2 with 20 KO’s. Mejia, who has been stopped in four of his last five starts, heads home to Paterson, Nj at 11-6 (5 KO’s).

Light heavyweight Lavarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell of Atlantic City stopped late replacement, Khalil Farah at the end of the first round. Harvell beat Farah, from pillar to post in the first three minutes of the fight and scored a knockdown before Referee Samuel Viruet pulled the plug.

Harvell ups his professional ledger to 7-0 (3 KO’s). Farah, a Philadelphia native who likely took the fight to help balance out the funds while he attends Temple University, is 6-7 with 1 KO.

Philadelphia’s Keenan Smith improved to 3-0 and scored his first knockout after stopping debuting Anthony Royal of Newport News, VA. At the weigh-in, Smith and Royal exchanged some heated words, so this fight was hotly anticipated; only one man lived up to the pre fight hype. Smith dominated the battle of long and lean lightweights, breaking Royal’s will with a two fisted attack en route to knocking him out after consecutive right hands 1:20 into the fourth.

Good looking super middleweight prospect Joel De La Paz of Atlantic City scored a unanimous decision over Virgil Hill trained “Trouble” Troy Maxwell. De La Paz connected almost at will and busted open the face of Maxwell, who displayed the heart of a lion in a losing effort. Scores were 40-36 on all three cards.

De La Paz is 6-0 with 4 KO’s. Maxwell, of Galloway, is 2-2.

Ishmael Garcia of Millville, NJ outboxed Corey Preston over four rounds en route to scoring a shut out decision in a junior middleweight contest. Garcia is 2-0. Preston of Cincinnati, OH remains winless at 0-2.

Junior lightweight Joey Tiberi demolished Tonio Parker in one minute and 54 seconds. Tiberi, a member of Delaware’s most famous boxing family, scored two knockdowns. The Newark native improves 2-0 with both of his victories coming via first round KO. Parker of Wilson, NC is 0-2.

The card was promoted by Spartan Fight Promotions.

For more New Jersey boxing news, go to gardenstatefightscene.com

Artie Pelullo has been a recognizable face in boxing circles for many years. The Philadelphia based promoter handles fighters from all four corners of the globe and has run cards in various locations. From Las Vegas to Australia, Mexico, Canada and Brazil, Pelullo’s traveled just about everywhere imaginable.

Last night in Atlantic City, Pelullo was ringside for the Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez middleweight title bout at Boardwalk Hall. He also appeared at the post fight press conference, not to take advantage of a rare opportunity to enjoy the night of fights as a fan, but with one goal in mind; a unification bout.

Pelullo, the American Promoter of WBO Middleweight champion Dmitry Pirog, notified 15rounds that he is going to do everything in his power to push for a showdown between his fighter and Sergio Martinez.

“Pirog would absolutely love to fight a great fighter like Martinez,” stated Pelullo. “The only way fighters become names is if HBO gives them an opportunity. It has happened with (so many different guys) who were willing to take chances (against tough opponents). Pirog is willing to take a chance and he texted me saying that they were watching the fight in Russia (and that he wants to fight) Martinez.”

Pelullo then pulled out his cell phone and opened up a text message he sent to HBO’s Senior Vice President of Sports Programming Kerry Davis that said “Pirog vs. Martinez?”

“This would be unification and a great fight for both the sport and the fans. Each guy is a fan friendly fighter,” said Pelullo. who promoted premium cable bouts featuring Acelino Freitas, Ricky Hatton and Diego Corrales amongst others. “I think that (Pirog’s) sensational win over Danny Jacobs puts an interesting spin on (a potential Martinez fight). I think HBO will put up enough money to make the fight happen.”

While Pelullo is already on the Pirog vs. Martinez campaign, Davis said that HBO hasn’t begun to think about a possible match up between the two.

“I think it’s premature to talk about Martinez’ next move when I haven’t spoke to (Martinez’ Promoter Lou) Dibella, (Advisor Sampson) Lewkowicz or Sergio. We are going to hold off (on talking about it) for the time being. Artie came up to me and asked me about the fight and I think Pirog is a good fighter.”

Davis also cited that Martinez’ emergence and age, 35, could cause him to steer away from a bout with Pirog.

“Martinez is looking for the biggest fights possible. Right now, Pirog is not known in the United States. (Pirog) is an option, but I don’t believe that will be Martinez’ first option and I will have to discuss (with Martinez’ team) what (else is out there) before I start talking opponents.”

Martinez, who scored a jaw dropping and one punch knockout of Williams in the second round to retain his titles, is aiming for a showdown with Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao. Pirog’s other options were not mentioned by Pelullo.

Zab Judah has experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows in a career filled with unpredictability.

Blessed with elite talent from the get-go, Judah’s speed, power, boxing ability and defense helped him win titles in two weight classes. The Brooklyn, NY bred southpaw was making his way up the pound for pound list after knocking out Cory Spinks to become the undisputed welterweight champion, but well documented miscues have at times overshadowed his success.

Judah has twice been suspended and fined after mental breakdowns caused him to spark riots in his bouts against Kostya Tszyu and Floyd Mayweather. He also suffered an embarrassing setback in what was supposed to be a hometown showcase against 16 to 1 underdog Carlos Baldomir in an uninspiring performance. In addition, the former three time New York Golden Gloves champion was involved in scuffles outside of the squared circle; but that was then and this is now.

A self defined born-again Christian, Judah is presently based out of Las Vegas, NV where he resides with his fiancé and son Zab Jr. Surprisingly, the 33 year old seems to have hit the jackpot in the same city where many have thrown away their life savings in a manner of hours.

Gone are Judah’s gold teeth, overzealous attitude and lavish lifestyle. Replacing them is a mature approach to his future in boxing and the realization of his mistakes. Accompanying his fresh outlook was the decision to move down to 140 pounds, where he’ll attempt to become the king of boxing’s hottest division.

I had the opportunity to catch up with Judah, 37-6- (27 KO’s), who takes on unbeaten power puncher Lucas Matthysse (27-0, 25 KO’s) tonight at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ in the main event of an HBO double header.

Matt Yanofsky: Tonight you are going to face an unbeaten opponent who is a huge puncher, but is a bit untested. What are you expecting?

Zab Judah: First I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me this opportunity. Matthysse is a great fighter he has an unbeaten record of 27 wins with 25 knockouts. It’s not easy to knock somebody out, so he (is a threat). I have seen him he has good speed and he is looking to make an impression in America so I am sure he is going to try and do what he has to do.

MY: This is going to be your second fight at the Prudential Center, which is one of the hottest new venues in boxing, and you had a decent crowd last time around against Jose Armando Santa Cruz in July. What do you like about the Prudential Center and do you hope to keep fighting there?

ZJ: Yeah definitely! The Prudential Center has been great to us. Super Judah Promotions and Main Events have a great plan in place. There is no reason we can’t make this into the new Madison Square Garden!

MY: There are a lot of great fighters at 140 pounds such as Devon Alexander, who you called out in March, Timothy Bradley, Marcos Maidana and Amir Khan amongst others. Who would you like to fight if you are victorious and why?

ZJ: Right now my eyes are set on Matthysse. After the fight we will figure everything out but.

MY: A lot of fighters don’t move down in weight, especially as they get older. How were you able to effectively cut weight after fighting at 147 for so many years?

ZJ: (Mentions Jesus Christ’s great influence on his life) anything is possible. I think Zab Judah’s career is still blossoming and this is a lesson that nobody can say (I can’t do something) except God.

MY: Being that Matthysse is a straight forward fighter, are you planning to box and move or are you going to look to get him out of there?

ZJ: I am moving at God’s speed! I’m going to go in there and do (what Zab Judah does). I will see what he has and (determine the pace from there).

MY: What can the fans expect from you?

ZB: Explosiveness, lightning (speed) and dynamite boxing. It’s going to be a great event!

MY: Zab, thanks for the interview. What do you have to say in closing to your fans worldwide?

ZB: I love you all, (stay focused on what is in front of you and) keep God first in your life.

Matt Yanofsky goes 1 on 1 with unbeaten Glen Tapia. Tapia, who is 8-0 with 5 KO’s, recently served as a sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao and is fresh off a grueling six round decision victory last weekend in Atlantic City.

Twenty seven year old Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero is already something many great fighters never will be; a champion outside of the ring. Unlike numerous boxers who have failed to serve as a positive role model, Guerrero, a three time titleholder, isn’t just fighting for money, he’s fighting for a cause.

Guerrero’s wife Casey was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2007 and has been undergoing treatment to help her overcome the dangerous disease that affects more than 250,000 Americans. The Gilroy, CA native is actively involved with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and is an integral part of a fundraising project to help combat the illness.

I had the chance to catch up with Guerrero, who battles fellow California Vicente Escobedo Saturday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ as part of an HBO doubleheader.

Matt Yanofsky: This Saturday you will be taking on 2000 Olympian Vicente Escobedo. Many would agree that a poor performance by him will spell his days as a noteworthy fighter. Do you think that perhaps he will be tougher than you anticipate?

Robert Guerrero: I don’t know what the critics think of him, all I know is I’m preparing for a tough fight. Escobedo is an Olympian and you don’t get there by being an average fighter. He does a lot of good things in the ring and I expect him to be the best he’s ever been in any fight. He has a new trainer and he’s confident. He’s ready to go as am I.

MY: Escobedo definitely wasn’t the people’s choice for this fight, especially considering he was clearly out pointed in his last fight against Michael Katsidis and doesn’t really have a marquee win. Who else did they offer and why do you think those fights weren’t made?

RG: That question is for my management team. My job is to get in the ring and fight the person they put in front of me. I don’t look at an opponent, that’s my manager’s job. I never turn down a fight. Vicente is ranked #2 by the WBO so he’s a worthy opponent in my opinion.

MY: Your wife Casey has battled Leukemia during the last few years and I know her condition has been up and down. Has her condition made it harder for you to focus on training?

RG: It was very difficult juggling my career, her battle and taking care of the kids. Now that she is doing better, I can focus more on my boxing career and training. She’s doing great right now.

MY: You have been jumping around in weight a bit during the last few years. Are you planning to stay at 135 or also fight at 140?

RG: My goal is to win a championship at 135 then move up to 140. If a big fight presents itself at 140 then I’ll take it.

MY: Some critics would argue that you haven’t battled the top fighters at 126-135 and your best win is against an over the hill Joel Casamayor. Although you have had some decent showcases, what do you think the reason is that you haven’t fought an elite opponent that is in their prime, especially considering who Golden Boy has in their stable?

RG: Everything happens for a reason. I’ve had to go through some trials and tribulations in and out of the ring. I’m a big believer in Jesus Christ and I know God has a plan from me to do something special in boxing. I’m happy with Golden Boy, they treat my team and I very well. I’m just going to keep on trucking and do my best to keep winning. The big fight will be there as long as I continue to win.

MY: There has been some recent press about your documentary. What can you tell us about it?

RG: The documentary can be seen at www.theghostdocumentary.com. The film is being directed by Andrew Johnston who also films for the NY Jets. He’s a great talent and he’s telling my story about my comeback from vacating my title earlier this year. It’s coming along great.

MY: What is your game plan come Saturday night?

RG: I’m going to come with everything. I’m leaving everything in the ring on fight night.

MY: Who is on your radar if you are victorious?

RG: My only focus is Escobedo. But I have to say it would be an honor to fight the great Mexican champion, Juan Manuel Marquez if he can get past Katsidis.

MY: Thanks for your time and best of luck Saturday. Our prayers are with you’re family for Casey to regain full health. What do you have to say in closing to your fans all around the world and the readers of 15rounds.com?

RG: I want to thank all the fans of boxing, not just my fans. Like the late Chuck Bodak used to say, if it wasn’t for the fans there would be no boxing. Also, tune in this Saturday for a great night of boxing. Escobedo and I are going to war.

North Bergen’s Mariusz Wach came quite a long way on his journey to the Garden State; from Krakow, Poland to be exact. The 6’7 260 lb heavyweight sports a perfect 22-0 record with 10 KO’s and was a crowd favorite in his native country, where he racked up 15 victories. This still wasn’t enough to satisfy him.

Wach, whose surname is pronounced vahk, entered the United States in September 2010 with his sights set on becoming the first Polish heavyweight champion. Dubbed as the “Polish Giant”, Wach is working tirelessly at becoming a more complete fighter under the watchful eye of Paterson’s Aroz “Terrific” Gist at Global Boxing Gym. I had the opportunity to catch up with the soft spoken big man, who fights this Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ vs Kevin Burnett.

Matt Yanofsky: On Saturday you will be taking a fight against an experienced opponent in Kevin Burnett. What do you know about him?

Mariusz Wach: I know the basics about him such as his height and weight. I also know he has fought some good opponents.

MY: Have you seen any tapes?

MW: Yes I saw his fight with (Odlanier) Solis.

MY: You have had most of your fights in Poland however there is a large Polish community in North Jersey. Are you going to feel like you’re at home at the Prudential Center even though its more than 3,000 miles from Poland?

MW: Yes, I expect a lot of people to come to the fight because Polish people love boxing and sports in general.

MY: You’ve been boxing since 2005 and are closing in on becoming a contender. Do you think that a fight against a former world champion or contender type opponent will come in the near future?
MW: The most important thing right now is the fight against Burnett. After that, I will see what is next.

MY: Since moving to New Jersey from Poland you’ve been training at Global Boxing. A lot of guys come in and out of this gym to workout. Compare the training here to how it was in Poland.

MW: There are a lot of different boxers here so I have to train hard to prove how good I am. In Poland there were only a few different fighters to train with so (the training) wasn’t as hard. In Poland when you lose four fights it’s like the end of the road, but in the US, if you lose four fights against great opponent it’s not that big of a deal.

MY: Describe your style and why fans should look forward to seeing you fight.

MW: I would say I have a style a bit like Klitschko. The jab is a very important part of my fighting.

MY: I’m sure that you are well aware that Tomasz Adamek is widely regarded as the best Polish heavyweight. Adamek fought Andrew Golota in Poland and it was a huge fight. If the two fought in Newark, it would have been big as well. Can you see yourself fighting Adamek or do you two have a friendship that would prevent that?

MW: If they made me an offer to fight Adamek, I would take it! This is business and this is boxing. I think Tomasz is going to fight (one of the) Klitschko’s soon, so why would he fight me?

MY: What can fans expect from you against Kevin Burnett?

MW: I am very confident about this fight and am going to give the fans a good show. I hope all my fans are there to watch the fight.

For more New Jersey boxing news, go to gardenstatefightscene.com

Unbeaten middleweight Patrick Majewski of Atlantic City informed 15rounds that he will be take on Eddie Caminero as the co-feature to the heavyweight match up between former two division world champion Tomasz Adamek and Vinny Maddalone December 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark.

One of the most exciting up and coming fighters in New Jersey, Majewski, 14-0 (9 KO’s), is fresh off a 7th round stoppage of Joseph Gomez as part of an October 16 pay per view card in Florida. Majewski, who is of Polish descent, will be fighting at the Pru Center for the third time.

Caminero, 7-3 (3 KO’s), has won two straights against opponents with a combined 14-1 record. The Lowell, MA native most recently stopped unbeaten Joe Smith Jr. in August.

For more New Jersey boxing news, go to Gardenstatefightscene.com

Paterson, NJ’s Ossie Duran has every reason to believe he is one of the hungriest fighters in the sport. Dubbed as “The Ghanaian Gladiator”, Duran’s spent much of his career fighting in his opponents’ backyards and has yielded mixed results. At 24-8-2 (9 KO’s), he’s dropped close decisions against favored and well regarded fighters in James Kirkland, David Lopez and Fernando Guerrero. He also holds victories over former contenders Jaime Moore and Jonathan Reid.

On November 12, he will enter the squared circle against fellow tough luck contender Matt Vanda at nearby Schuetzen Park in a role he’s far from accustomed to; as a hometown favorite. 15rounds exclusively spoke with Duran about his journey as a fighter and future outlook.

Matt Yanofsky: This will be one of the first fights for you in quite some time where you won’t have to fight in your opponent’s hometown. How does that feel?

Ossie Duran: It feels good! I am training hard to put on a good show for my fans in New Jersey.

MY: Matt Vanda is pretty similar to you career and record wise. Both of you have some losses with a number of them coming to good fighters. Do you expect this to be a tough fight?

OD: Yeah I have seen some of his (fights on tape) and I don’t underrate any fighter. This is going to be a good fight.

MY: What do you see leading you to victory?

OD: I am going to use my jab and good defense. I am going to keep on doing what I have in training camp. I am training hard for a good performance.

MY: As mentioned, this fight will take place in your hometown, but you are a New Jersey transplant since you didn’t grow up in the area. A lot of fans and media don’t know much about you yet. What kind of crowd are you expecting to bring for your first fight near Paterson?

OD: Since I have been in New Jersey, I have gone around to a lot of different gyms, so I think people have seen (what I can do in the ring). I also have a lot of friends who come to my fights and travel to see me, so I expect a lot of people to be there cheering for me.

MY: What can fans who haven’t previously seen you expect come November 12?

OD: A different Ossie Duran! I have been in the state for a few years now and see how (they fight over here) so I have transformed my style. I am becoming a powerful puncher so fans will like what they see.

MY: Vanda is a tough fighter but is generally viewed as a stepping stone opponent. Although you’ve fallen short in the past, the boxing world knows that you can hang with a top notch fighter. If you are victorious, who is on your radar?

OD: Right now I am focused on Matt Vanda and to take him out. This is all that is on my mind right now worrying about how to take him out.

MY: I know you have trained all over the world including in Africa, England and Rhode Island amongst other places. You mentioned that there are differences in New Jersey boxing. What made you realize it is different and how have you adapted?

OD: When I was in Rhode Island, I wasn’t comfortable because I (basically worked out with the same fighters) in the same place. Here I go to different gyms and spar with different people, so it’s like a competition. I have sparred a lot of good fighters so that has made me pick it up.

MY: There is a lot of good competition in the New Jersey area between 154 and 168 lbs. Who are some of the better fighters that you have worked with?

OD: There are a lot of guys. I’ve worked with Danny Jacobs, Yuri Foreman, Omar Sheika, Jerson Ravelo and a lot of other guys such as Momma’s Boy (Denis Douglin) and all these young guys too.

MY: What is your outlook for 2010 and beyond?

OD: I want to get a piece of the cake (make significant money) and become a world champion! Right now I am hungry and everybody is going to see that on the 12th.

For more New Jersey boxing news, go to Gardenstatefightscene.com