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As the summer winds down to an end, New York based promoter Lou DiBella wanted to end it on a “slamming” note. Matisyahu, the “Hasidic Reggae Sensation,” rocked the house in truly stellar fashion. This Broadway Boxing card that featured four of the hottest prospects in New York City right now, (Edgar Santana, |
Paulie Malignaggi, Sechew Powell, and Dmitriy Salita) was truly one to remember. As we kicked off international day at the Grand Ballroom in the Manhattan Center, we saw two featherweights engage in a lopsided bout. Ubaldo Olivencia of New York (5-9-2), was probably on his way to a loss against the unbeaten (9-0-1) native Philadelphia Rashiem Jefferson. When in the fourth round Olivencia spun out of a clinch and dropped to a knee. When he rose from the canvas his left shoulder was hanging from its socket. Truly a grotesque sight. Instead of advising the ringside physician, referee Danny Schiavone waved him forward to continue fighting. As the crowd screamed for the bout to be stopped, the Commission doctors leapt onto the ring apron and called the bout to a halt.
Check in for the rest of this ringside report exclusively from the Hammerstein Ballroom where SaddoBoxing’s Edwin Gonzalez and Katrina Walters were on hand.
After a nine month layoff as a result of hand surgery, Bensonhurst’s own Paulie Malignaggi looked as if he hadn’t missed a beat. In what was a boxing clinic, Malignaggi earned a unanimous decision over the very game Jeremy Yelton by scores of 80-72 twice, and 79-73. Many times during the bout Paulie was very reluctant to throw his right hand. Only time will tell if the surgery was a success. Nonetheless, his hand-speed was superb; he fought smart defensively and dictated the pace of the fight with his jab.
Another rising star in the neighborhood of 140-pounds is, Edgar Santana (15-2- 10KO’s) of Spanish Harlem. He made quick work of his Tennessee opponent Donnell Logan. Santana began the second round punishing Logan with a series of hard body shots, and late in the round he connected with an overhand right to the head area. It seemed that the left did most of the damage, leaving Logan just barely standing. As the bout continued, the ten-second marker sounded. As Santana pressed the attack Logan went down again and the bell rang. Logan’s corner did the referee’s job for him by stopping the fight as soon as he reached the stool. Donnell Logan now falls to 8-5-1.
Katrina Walters: Boxing was at its best Thursday night when Dmitriy Salita, Paul Malignaggi, and Sechew Powell came out and won their respected matches in top fashion. Edgar Santana also came out in top fashion, dominating his opponent, causing his opponent’s corner to call a halt to the fight. Sechew Powell came in very confident and in great form, out-pointing his opponent Santiago Samaniego until the stoppage came. He dropped his opponent in the second round. Although Powell clearly dominated the fight until that point, it seemed as if Samaniego was trying to muster up a little something to give to Powell, but the referee saw otherwise and called a halt to the bout (prematurely in my opinion) and with booing from the crowd in the third. Overall it was a great showing from Sechew Powell.
And in the main event, Dmitriy Salita stole the show. Entering the ring with one of the most unique musicians in the business, a Jewish orthodox reggae artist by the name of Matisyahu, Salita came out and handled his business, popping that Tremendous and accurate left jab all night. He attacked the body and the head throwing combinations as Shawn Gallegos retaliated with power shots of his own. But it was Salita that took control of the bout and dominated, dropping Gallegos in the sixth and the ninth rounds. The corner of Gallegos had seen enough and the bout was called to a halt in the ninth. Salita goes on to win the regional junior welterweight title.
Contact Edwin Gonzalez at prpapa427@aol.com
Contact Katrina Walters at boxingkatrina@aol.com
