Harold Lederman Presence Highlights Resorts Undercard

The undercard at Resorts Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, featured the lively presence of HBO commentator Harold Lederman, on the night before the Boardwalk Hall televised fight card featuring the Bernard Hopkins versus Chad Dawson Light Heavyweight Title rematch.

In a heavyweight mismatch, 21 year old cruiserweight Stivens Bujaj went to 8-0, (6), with a fifth round stoppage of faded heavyweight journeyman Livin Castillo. Bujaj, weighing 199, and Castillo, weighing 201, opened the card. It did not take long to see Bujaj scoring with power lefts. Castillo, losing eight of his past nine bouts, and who has not beaten a fighter with a winning record in over five years, appeared 14 pounds less than he did in his split decision loss to Jameel McCline in New Jersey less than a month ago. However, Castillo was still one pound over the cruiserweight limit. The weight loss appeared to dehydrate Castillo, who missed wildly without power and was unable to land any punches on the target.

Middleweight prospect Thomas ‘Cornflake’ LaManna won a unanimous six round decision over game Sean Rawley Wilson. LaManna appeared in top condition, but was boxing too much with his arms and not creating angles with which to box better and land more consistently. LaManna 8-0, (5), Millville, New Jersey, boxes with his arms too much and needs more work. Wilson, 5-10, (1), La Vista, Nebraska, gave away height and reach advantage, but came in good condition. His last six opponents (including a pending bout with 9-0 Travis Scott on June 16) have a combined record of 62-1. Wilson tagged LaManna with counter hooks which scored several times in every round, exposing a weakness in LaManna’s guard when he stood in front too much. Scoring was 60-54 on all three scorecards for LaManna.

Local Atlantic City welterweight Anthony Young went to 4-0, (2), with a hard fought four round unanimous decision over Fajardo, Puerto Rico’s Juan Jose Calderon, now 4-2, (4). Both fighters trading knockdowns in a toe-to-toe war.

Middleweight Wilkins Santiago pounded out a close unanimous decision over Trenton, New Jersey’s Alando McSwain. The game Santiago, now 5-0, (1), threw and landed more than McSwain, now 5-2, (1), in a good matchup. Scoring was 58-55, 58-55 and 57-56 for Santiago.

Paterson, New Jersey light middleweight David Roman Curiel scored a four round unanimous decision over Dominique Foster of Hilbert, Ohio. The bout was close for two rounds. In the third, Curiel landed overhand power shots to the head of Foster, who lost his legs, and hung on for dear life in the fourth to just reach the final bell.

Curiel goes to 3-0, (1), while Foster falls to 0-1-1.