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In the main event of a nine bout amateur and professional card by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing held at Paradise Theatre in the Bronx, NY, the perfect professional record of Super Middleweight Bryan ‘The Spartan’ Pappas of Yonkers, New York 12-0 (12) received its first minor blemish. His opponent journeyman Allen Medina of Denver, Colorado, now 8-19-1 (1), bloodied the nose of Pappas and fought to a six round draw.
In shape, with wild serious eyes that seemed to indicate serious intensity, Medina threw counter left and right hand leads to the head of Pappas, with some body shots. Pappas threw jabs and power shots in combinations, but kept his distance from his gutsy opponent.
Despite clearly outpunching Medina, Pappas was unable to win the decision outright because Medina succeeded in landing straight jabs which bloodied the nose of Pappas, forcing Pappas to breath from his mouth from the fourth round on. The bloody nose made Pappas appear to be in trouble and may have had an effect in the scoring by the three judges on the scorecards.
Result: Bryan Pappas Draw 6 Allen Medina
Scoring: 59-55 Pappas, 58-56 Medina, 57-57 Draw.
In a preliminary to the main event, unbeaten lightweight Danny Valle of the Bronx went through six rounds of hell to decision Angel Torres of Yonkers, a fighter with a deceiving 2-5-2 losing record.
Valle, now 5-0 (4), is the grandson of the late legendary boxing trainer Victor Valle. His father, Victor Valle Jr., worked the corner. The fight started with a rude bang! Torres decked Valle with an overhand left for a near knockout in what would have been a minor upset. Valle beat the count, and moments later, dropped Torres with an overhand left. From then on it was Valle landing power shots in center ring, and Torres trading power shots with Valle.
Neither of the fighters cut off the ring, and the bout went round and round\ in circles. The bout was far closer than the hometown scoring. Valle won as he enjoyed height and reach advantage, and kept Torres out of range most of the bout, but he couldn’t shake Torres relentless forward pressure.
Result: Danny Valle W4 Angel Torres
Scoring: 60-54 twice and 59-55
In another preliminary bout, welterweight Stephon ‘The Mandingo Warrior’ Owusu of the Bronx won a six round unanimous decision and ruined the comeback attempt of Angel Rios, also of the Bronx. Rios had been out of the ring for eight and a half years, and his last three decision losses were to fighters with a combined record of 36-0, Mike Anchondo, Nate Campbell and Carl Johanneson.
Owusu appeared in shape, and handed many head jabs which scored to win the bout. Rios did not appear in shape. Despite that, Rios picked up on the fact Owusu lacked the power to take him out, and pursued him all night, looking for the one ‘lucky punch’ to take him out. Rios landed some great counters, in particular when Owusu was on the ropes.
Rios took everything Owusu threw and it didn’t bother him. If Rios were in better shape, he might have won. Hard work simply beat experience in this bout.
Result: Stephon Owusu W6 Angel Rios
Scoring: 60-54 from all three judges
Professional Undercard Bouts
Juan Perez W4 Andrew Jones, Welterweights
Southpaw Perez took a knee in first but won the next three rounds to win by scores of 38-37 from all three judges.
Michael Ocasio KO1 Abdellah Smith, Light Heavyweights (1:57).
In a brief but action packed slugfest between two 1-0 fighters, Ocasio was bleeding badly from an upper forehead cut above the left eye, Smith was bleeding from the corner of the left eye. Ocasio, whose cut was the more serious of the two, needed an immediate knockout to win and got it! Smith had no defense, and Ocasio landed an overhand left which knocked Smith down for the count.
Amateur Undercard Bouts
Jamal Spence TKO2 Shaka Davidson, 165 Pound Open Bout
Mark Sinatra W3 Jonathan Jenkins, 191 Pound Open Bout
Bryan Cruz W3 Mike Cardenas, 138 Pound Novice Bout
Brandon Idrogo W3 Josue Vargas, 102 Pound Intermediate Bout
Idrogo is the number one ranked American amateur in the age 13 class at 102 pounds.
