CES Boxing: Grano Avenges Loss To Brown

Fan favorite Tony “TNT” Grano gained revenge for his only loss as a pro, winning a unanimous 10-round decision last night against Mark “Oak Tree” Brown in the main event on the “Brace For Impact” card, promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc., (CES), in a sold-out Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Grano (17-1-1, 13 KOs) was cruising along through a rough fight until early in the final round, when lightning nearly struck again as Brown (15-3, 7 KOs), who knocked out Tony in the 8th round of their first fight, dropped Grano with an overhand right early in the 10th round. Grano, however, kept his composure and remained out of trouble to win on the judges’ scorecards (98-91, 97-92, 97-92).

“I didn’t want to overextend myself and rush in,” Grano commented. “This (revenge) was sweet. He’s a tough guy. He comes to fight. I give him credit for giving me a rematch.”

In the third round of the co-feature, super bantamweight Mike “Machine Gun” Oliver (23-2, 8 KOs) unloaded a right uppercut that dropped former 2-time world champion Kermin Guardia (37-12) for the 10-count in the third round.

“I did everything I had to do, everything that (head coach John) Scully told me,” Oliver explained after the fight. “I was relaxed and focused, instead of getting crazy in the ring. I felt real good. I cracked him to the body. It was a good shot and then he went down. I’m building everything back up (after suffering his only two losses, two years ago).”

Living legend and Hall of Fame trainer, Angelo Dundee, was inducted into the CES Ring of Honor during a special ceremony that included promoter Jimmy Burchfield and 5-time world champion Vinny Paz, who is a charter member of this exclusive club.

2008 U.S. Olympian Sadam “World Kid” Ali (6-0, 3 KOs) turned in an impressive performance, highlighted by the Knockout of the Night, in the third round against Jose “Hands of Steel” Duran.

Ali hurt Duran early in the third with a left hook to the temple area and a finished him off with a right, followed by a vicious left hook that sent Duran to the mat for the 10 count, and his mouthpiece flying into his corner. “In the amateurs I used a lot of speed,” Ali said after the fight. My power has kicked in on by itself. In the pros you have to have power.”

Undefeated, power-punching Puerto Rican middleweight David Bauza (4-0) went the distance for the first time, out-pointing Erix Quintros in a 4-round bout for a majority decision that saw Quintros staggered a few times but never down.

Super middleweights Manuel Antonio Lopes (5-0-2) and Greg McCoy (0-1-1) fought to an entertaining 4-round majority draw.

New York light heavyweight Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith, Jr. (3-0, 3 KOs) registered his third straight knockout victory, stopping Carlos Adams only 43-seconds into the opening round.

New Haven super lightweight Edwin Soto (3-0) kept his unbeaten record intact, out-classing veteran Joey Ortega by way of a second-round technical knockout.

CES moves over to Twin River (Lincoln, RI) next Friday night (Mar. 19), featuring unbeaten junior welterweight Danny O’Connor, in “ShamRock’d.”