Boxing News

Another night, another fight in Atlantic City, this time it was Main Events bringing Arturo Gatti home again to Boardwalk Hall to take on the unknown Thomas Damgaard for Mr. Excitement's first test in the welterweight division. While most were expecting a cakewalk, Damgaard gave a better than expected performance but in the end it was Gatti providing the sparks scoring an eleventh round stoppage.

Click for larger image © Mike McGuigan Saddo Boxing

Gatti was his usual action packed self, igniting the crowd with flurries of rights and lefts to the head and body of Damgaard. While Arturo was in command for most of the fight, Damgaard had his moments, particularly in the fourth round when he used his short left hook to perfection. The Dane showed he has a mahogany head and big heart as he would not back down from the hometown hero but his lack of punching power and stamina led to his demise. Gatti's speed turned out to be the killer as he would bait in Damgaard, then counter with a plethora of power punches which left Damgaard's face in a mutilated state after the bout. Gatti is now eyeing a match against Carlos Baldomir for the welterweight title.

Arturo Gatti improves to 40 - 7 (31)
Thomas Damgaard falls to 37 - 1 (27) More...

Click for larger image © Keith McMenamin Saddo Boxing

Last Friday at the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City was the “Night of Champions” in Atlantic City, NJ as Star Boxing, Guilty Boxing, Silverhawk Boxing and Xyience collaborated to give fight fans four title bouts live on Pay Per View. The card featured grizzled ring veteran Virgil Hill who took on the undefeated, #1 contender to the WBA Cruiserweight title, Valery

Brudov. Ol’ Virgil beat the odds again and earned his fifth career championship belt with a unanimous decision, becoming the oldest boxer since George Forman to win a world title. Stevie “Lil But Bad” Johnston also took home some shiny hardware by earning a unanimous twelve round decision victory over Steve Quinonez. Johnson is now the IBO/NABA Light Welter Champion. Also featured were hometown Jersey boys “Mighty” Mike Arnaoutis, Prince Badi Ajamu and Chuck Mussachio. More...

Once again it was fight night in Philly last Friday night as Promoter Veronca L. Michael returned to the Legendary Blue Horizon to host the yearly Children’s Holiday show to benefit kids in need. This show also benefited youngsters Max Alexander and Steve Upshur Chambers who saw their stock rise with decision victories. Also on the card were former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Imamu Mayfield and the kids from the Harrowgate Boxing Club while Emanuel Nwodo pleased the bloodthirsty crowd with a fourth round knockout. Missing from the action was top fifty heavyweight contender Eddie Chambers whose bout was canceled at the last minute due to a case of bronchitis.

In the main event, cruiserweight Emanuel Nwodo of Baltimore, MD beat up Brooklyn NY's John Douglas like he stole his Christmas present. I have to give Douglas credit; he did not run or hide and peeled himself off the mat every time he was floored. He even had the audacity to try to mix it up with Nwodo, a strategy that left him seconds away from being on his back at all times. More...

Yusef Mack dominates Christian Cruz to retain the USBA Super Middleweight and UBA Light Heavyweight Titles!

Last Thursday in Philadelphia, Shuler Promotions put on a show from that city's First District Plaza with the main attraction being undefeated, rising contender Yusef Mack. The local man was hoping to stay busy after a proposed bout with ex-WBC Middleweight Champion Robin Reid fell through. In a pre fight interview with SaddoBoxing, Mack remarked “they flew Cruz in from Cali to take my titles, but it’s not happening”. The Philadelphia fighter proved to be true to his word as he thoroughly outclassed Christian Cruz, scoring a sixth round technical knockout to retain the USBA Super Middleweight and UBA Light Heavyweight Titles. More...

Click for larger image © Sean McMenamin SaddoBoxing.com

Peltz Boxing Promotions and Joe Hand Promotions collaborated to put on a competitive card at the New Alahambra on the corner of Swanson and Ritner in South Philadelphia this past Friday for a taped recording to be played on Cable TV Giant Comcast's network CN 8. Tom Moran and Kassim Ouma were spotted in the crowd that watched Ireland's

Middleweight Champion Matthew Macklin beat his opponent into submission, Willie Gibbs climb another rung up the middleweight division ladder and local light middle sensation Harry Yorgey earn a hard fought decision against Douglas Esbenshade.

The headlining bout of the evening was a middleweight contest between Willie Gibbs of Philadelphia and Marcos Primera, a Venezuelan based out of Durham, North Carolina. Gibbs, nicknamed "The Gladiator", came to the New Alahambra with the intent of recapturing the contender status he held until his disappointing loss to Daniel Edouard back in August of last year. That road led him to tonight's match up against well traveled veteran Marcos Primera, who has stepped into the ring with the likes of Jermain Taylor and Kingsley Ikeke in the past. More...

Click for larger image © Sean McMenamin SaddoBoxing.com

There was a bit of last minute shuffling, but Promoter Joey Eye still managed to please the sizeable crowd in attendance at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, New Jersey. The main event between unbeaten prospect Chucky Cavallo and knockout artist Berry Butler had to be canceled due to an injury sustained to Cavallo’s right hand during a sparring session late in the week.

Picking up the slack was former US Olympian Terrance Cauthen, who put on a boxing clinic in his bout against Frans "Rambo" Hatindi. In other action, Jon Gaddis was very impressive in a bounce back victory, Doel Carrasquillo and Rami Ibraham opened the show with a tough six round battle and professional debutante Sean Bullock made quick work of his opponent, Andrew Gizzi. The crowd was also treated to some of the finest ring girls on the East Coast, provided by Rix Magazine. More...

It was the night of the knockout, as Golden Boy East, Peltz Boxing Promotions and HBO Latino collaborated to put on a good show in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Kassim Ouma punched his way towards a rematch for the Light Middleweight Title and Philly fighters Rock Allen, Demetrius Hopkins and Phillip McCants all put on impressive displays of their talent. Tonight proved that the Golden Boy East roster is one of the better stables of young talent in the business.

Click for larger image © Keith McMenamin

Click for larger image © Peter Terry

The Blue Horizon is billed as the number 1 boxing venue in the world and tonight’s action went some way to validating that statement. Promoter Vernoca L. Michael put on a show of blood, sweat and tears at the historical Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA. The action was steady throughout the night and the Philadelphia crowd kept the arena rocking as per usual.

The card featured Ecuadorian Middleweight Luis Hernandez, who stole the show by knocking out Joshua Onyango. Also putting on memorable displays were Berry Butler, up and comer Gee Cullmer and New York southpaw Jill Emery.

The night kicked off with a four round heavyweight match up featuring Brooklyn, New York native Newton Kidd lacing them up against newcomer Kevin Hood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Hood steps into the ring with an obvious weight disadvantage, which ultimately led to his demise. More...

Click for larger image © Mike McGuigan

It was good night at the fights put together by Joey Eye Boxing & N.I.T. Management at the Diablo Fight Club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The bill was full of up and comers, featuring such homegrown talent as Jose Medina and Joe Christy. Fight fans were also treated to the skills of Clarence Taylor and Carlos Vinas,

who both wasted no time winning over the tough crowd in attendance.

The night kicked off with international welterweight action pitting Lancaster, PA native Doel Caraquillo against Russian attacker Ivan Korotkovich. It was four rounds of pushing and counter punching by both men. Korotkovich mainly stayed on the attack, while Caraquillo showed off a nice left that was usually followed by hard overhand rights. Korotkovich was able to land with his off balance punches, but the fighters were a bit wild at times and both were most effective when working the body. Caraquillo used his strength to fend off the on coming Russian and consistently split his opponent’s gloves with his left.

Both fighters had the same style with the same speed and both displayed talent but would need different style opponents to be effective.

Official scorecards - judge Alan Rubenstein even 38 -38, judge Al Dorsey even 38-38 and judge Dewey LaRosa had Caraquillo up 39-37 - Majority draw that sees Caraquillo go to 2-2-1 (1) while Korotkovich debuts at 0-0-1 (0). More...

Tonight PJ Augustine's Five for Life Entertainment put on an action packed card at The Lagoon in Essington, Pennsylvania and SaddoBoxing.com was there. Headlining the bill was exciting welterweight prospect Julio Aquino along with middleweight power puncher Rasheem Brown, supported by a solid undercard.

First up was a light middleweight contest between Roberto Burgess and Rodney Green. Both fighters come out swinging and Burgess scored a quick knockout late in the first round with an overhand left. In the second, the pace died down with lots of holding and moving but no action. The third round saw Green show heart by working the body, although he took alot of counter punches and his eye begins to swell. In the fourth and final frame, Green threw haymakers to try and win the bout, but due to grossly swollen eyes he couldn’t avoid Burgess’s jab which led to the victory, a unanimous decision in favor of Burgess. This was an exciting fight and a great start to the show. Both fighters came out looking to score big but Burgess proved he was too much for Green to handle. Official scorcards 39-36, 38-37, 39-36. More...