Salido-Lopez II In Puerto RicoWith his opponent all but guaranteeing a victory, vocal lightweight champion“Hammerin’” Hank Lundy has issued yet another reply in hopes of ending the banter between he and Dannie Williams before the two settle their feud in the ring later this month.
“This kid is a joke,” Lundy said in response to Williams’ promise that he’ll be “fighting for a knockout” Friday, March 30th, 2012when the two face one another for Lundy’s North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title in the main event of “All In,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports and broadcasted live on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” from the Foxwoods Resort Casino’s MGM Grand Theater in Mashantucket, Conn.
“You can’t scare me. You can’t derail me, because I fight for a living. I’m going to hurt this boy. There’s an old saying that goes, ‘Your arms are too short to box with God.’ I’m not god, but in the ring I’m the closest thing to it.”
Lundy, ranked No. 4 in the World Boxing Council (WBC), No. 12 in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 7 in the World Boxing Organization (WBO), is searching for his second consecutive title defense and first since knocking out former world champion David Diaz on ESPN2 in August.
“We are thrilled to have this main event fight on ESPN’s FNF series from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods and appreciate the work both promotional camps demonstrated to make this fight a reality,” said ESPN Director of Programming and AcquisitionsDoug Loughrey. “Our loyal fans are most familiar with both fighters, who had tremendous knockouts in 2011 on FNF, and hopefully the battle of words these two fighters have engaged in thus far will transfer to the ring for an action-filled and entertaining night on March 30th.”
New Haven, Conn., native Elvin Ayala (24-5-1, 11 KOs), ranked No. 16 in the WBC, will defend his WBC U.S. National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title against Hector Camacho Jr. (53-4-1, 28 KOs), the son of former four-time world championHector “Macho” Camacho Sr., in the 10-round co-feature.
The highly-anticipated title bout between Lundy (21-1-1, 11 KOs) and Williams (21-1, 17 KOs) could wind up as an early candidate for ESPN’s Fight of the Year. The war of words began in late December when Williams, ranked No. 1 in the NABF, vowed to “hurt” Lundy if the two were to face one another. Though Williams later claimed those words came from his promoter, Steve Smith of Rumble Time Promotions, Lundy issued a threat of his own – ironically on Valentine’s Day – promising a knockout victory.
“I’m going to take your heart, I’m going to crush it up, I’m going to break you down, and I’m going to knock you out,” Lundy said in February. “I put that on my kids. I’m going to hurt you. You’re going to feel what real pain is about.”
Williams fired back Monday, focusing primarily on his training camp in Youngstown, Ohio, with head trainer Jack Leow, and the thrill of fighting on national television, where he hopes to follow in the footsteps of fellow St. Louis veterans Deandre Latimore andDevon Alexander, both of whom won televised bouts in recent weeks.
The feud between he and Lundy has also gone viral with the two taunting one another through social networking.
“Lundy's talking so much [he] has made me loose,” Williams said Monday in a statement issued by Rumble Time Promotions. “You know the old saying, ‘The loudest person in the room is the weakest guy.’ His people have been saying I’ve never fought anybody. Well, we’ve fought one common opponent, Reggie Sanders. They went the distance [in 2006] and I nearly killed him. His head was dangling on the ropes. I hurt guys that I hit.”
“Of course, when you fight tomato cans they’re going to fall. Let’s be serious,” Lundy answered. “He keeps talking about his built-up record. He’s got all these knockouts, but who are those knockouts against? Let’s be real. When you get a real name on your resume, we’ll talk. I’ve been in the gym everyday for hours on end. I’ve been in there with guys bigger than me and I’m putting them to sleep. I can’t wait to show him what a real punch is.”
The Philadelphia native certainly has every reason to be confident. Since suffering the first and only loss of his career in 2010, he’s won his last three bouts, including a unanimous-decision win over former Venezuelan Olympian Patrick Lopez on ESPN2 in April to capture the then-vacant NABF title, and his subsequent knockout win over Diaz, one of FNF’s top finishes of the year.
“We’ve been doing two-a-days in training camp – two times a day with cardio and strength training,” Lundy said. “Our whole camp has featured two-a-days. I’m going to show the world I should be fighting for a world championship. The champs up there should be fighting me instead of ducking me.
“I’m going to make an example out of [Williams]. I’ll put it like this: The last guy they told me had a big right hand was Omri Lowther. What did I do? I took his right hand away,” added Lundy in reference to his unanimous-decision win over Lowther on ESPN in August of 2010. “He couldn’t touch me – and Lowther is a better fighter than Dannie Williams. I took that fight on four days’ notice. Let’s be serious.”The undercard features Philadelphia’s Frankie Trader (8-0, 2 KOs) facing Adrian Perez (7-4-1, 1 KO) of Sarasota, Fla., in a six-round super featherweight bout; and Shelton, Conn., super middleweight Nick Lavin (2-2, 2 KOs) battling Steven Chadwick (0-3) of Jacksonville, Fla. New London, Conn., featherweight Shelito Vincent (1-0) will face Karen Dulin (2-10, 1 KO) of Mystic, Conn., in a four-round rematch; and Josh Crespo (0-1-1) of New Haven will take on Alfredo Garcia (2-0) of Sarasota in a four-round super bantamweight bout. New Haven welterweight Christian Lao (3-1, 1 KO) will face Thomas Miller (2-0, 2 KOs) of Huntington, W.V., in a four-round bout.
Light heavyweight Joe Smith Jr. (7-1, 7 KOs) of Long Island, N.Y.; Providence, R.I., cruiserweight Donte Wiggins (1-0, 1 KO); and newcomer Abner Lloveras of Barcelona, Spain – the winner of the Spanish Olympic Boxing Tournament in 2010 who also has won 14 victories on his resume in professional mixed martial arts – will be featured in separate four-round bouts.
FARAH ENNIS TO TAKE ON DION SAVAGE ON MARCH 17TH AT BALLYS IN ATLANTIC CITY
Plus undefeated Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia; Vitaly Demyanenko, Mikael Zewski; Dennis Hasson & Bryan Acaba. As well as exciting Patrick Farrell and Jose Peralta Alejo & Joey Tiberi
On Saturday night March 17th an outstanding night of boxing returns to Ballys in Atlantic City when John Lynch’s Pound for Pound Promotions presents returns featuring once beaten Super Middleweight Farah Ennis taking on Dion Savage in a ten round bout.
Ennis of Philadelphia has long been considered one of the top prospects in the loaded Super Middleweight division as he sports an impressive record of 18-1 with twelve knockouts.
Ennis won his first seventeen bouts which included wins over prospects Scott Sigmon (1-0); Bobby Jordan (6-0-1) and forty eight fight veteran Demetrius Davis. Ennis captured the NABF Super Middleweight title with a seventh round stoppage over Victor Lares
After Ennis suffered his first lost to then undefeated Alexander Johnson, He came back in his last bout to stop Grover Young in five rounds on January 13th.
Savage of Flint, Michigan has a record of 11-2 with six knockouts. Like Ennis, Savage won his first ten fights which included a win over Philly’s Tommie Speller on the Floyd Mayweather – Shane Mosley undercard in Las Vegas. Savage has been stopped in two of his last three bouts to undefeated Marco Antonio Periban and world ranked Adonis Stevenson.
In the eight round co-feature, undefeated Welterweight Vitaliy Demyanenko taking on rugged Ayi Bruce.
Demyanenko of Kazakhstan has a record of 19-0 with twelve knockouts and has spent most of his career in his native land where he picked up several regional titles while fighting experienced foes. This will be his third appearance in the United States as he defeated recognizable names in former world title challenger Paul Delgado and Marteze Logan in his two previous starts. He is coming off a second round stoppage over Walter Sergio Gomez on May 22nd.
Bruce of Accra, Ghana and now residing in Albany, New York is a battle tested foe who should give Demyanenko a stern test.
Bruce has a record of 21-5 with thirteen knockouts. Bruce won his first fourteen bouts in Ghana before moving his career to the United States. Since coming over, Bruce has faced a murderous schedule which includes fights with Emanuel Taylor (7-0); Losing a close majority decision from Raymond Serrano (12-0); scoring decision wins over rugged Doel Carasquillo , contender Shamone Alvarez (21-2) and Hector Munoz (19-4-1) before losing bouts to top contender Gabriel Rosado (16-5) and Dennis Laurente (40-4-5). In his bout, Bruce scored second round stoppage over John Coffie on February 3rd.
In a six round Jr. Middleweight bout, exciting Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia will see action against Antonio Infrante.
Tapia of Passaic, New Jersey has built up a reputation on the east coast as a top prospect that has only been enhanced by his perfect mark of 12-0 with six knockouts. Tapia has signature wins over James Winchester (10-3) and his last bout when he demolished popular New Yorker Mike Ruiz (15-6) in two rounds as part of the Miguel Cotto – Antonio Margarito II card on December 3rd at Madison Square Garden.
Infante of Miami brings in a record of 6-2 with four knockouts.
Infante turned pro in 1998 with six straight wins before taking more than a decade off. He has returned to only drop fights to undefeated fighters Frank Gedeon and Eddie Gomez.
In a six round fight, exciting Jr. Welterweight Jose Peralta Alejo of Jersey City, NJ (7-1, 4 KO’s) will see action against an opponent to be named later
In a six round Jr. Middleweight bout, Canadian prospect, Mikael Zewski (12-0, 8 KO’s) will face an opponent to be named.
In a four round Lightweight bout, Andrew Bentley of Jersey City, NJ will make his pro debut against an opponent to be named.
In a four round Heavyweight bout, fan favorite Patrick Farrell (5-1-1, 3 KO’s) of Jersey City, NJ will return after more than a year and a half absence to take on an Kalven Jenkins (0-2) of Troy, NY
Dennis Hasson (12-0, 4 KO’s) of Philadelphia will return in a six round Light heavyweight bout.
Bryan Acaba (2-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, NY will see action in a four round Lightweight bout.
Rounding out the card will be popular Lightweight Joey Tiberi (7-1, 5 KO’s) of Newark, Delaware in a four round bout.
At the MMA legalization rally in front of Governor Andrew Cuomo's NYC Office. 633 Third Avenue.
Gleason’s own Keisher “Fire” McLeod-Wells (4-2, 1-KO) will be returning to the ring on March 7, 2012 against Patricia “Patty Boom Boom” Alcivar (5-0, 3-KOs) in a six-round bout on the Broadway Boxing Card.
Jerry Glick reporting: Zab Judah is a Brooklyn bred fighter. Born and raised there, but in fact, he has never fought in his home town as a pro. That will all change when he steps into the ring on Main Event’s talent rich show at the borough’s storied former airbase, Floyd Bennett Field; the home of the venue for this show, The Aviator. He will face unbeaten Vernon Paris, 26-0 (15 KOs), March 24th, on NBC Sports Network in an IBF junior-welterweight eliminator to determine who will fight the winner of the Amir Khan-Lamont Peterson rematch.
Also scheduled to fight will be heavyweights Tomasz Adamek, and Siarhei Liakhovich, as well as rugged super-middleweight Curtis Stevens and crafty middleweight Tarvis Simms.
Zab, 41-7 (28 KOs), talked to the media by phone on Tuesday and said that he is not looking back at the Khan fight. That he has regrouped and is ready to beat, the young, 24 year old, Paris. At 34 Judah is ten years older and, he says, wiser. He added that he still feels young. “I’m excited again,” said Zab with youthful enthusiasm. “I’m 22 years old again and I promise that I will give you guys the excitement that I gave you guys when I was 22 years old.”
Still trained by the great Pernell Whitaker, Judah said that training is going well, “It’s going great. We have a lot of young undefeated professionals that I’m sparring with. I’m preparing myself as though I was fighting one of the greatest fighters.”
Boxing in Brooklyn for the first time will be a great opportunity for Judah. After 48 pro fight, he will finally box in his home town. “It’s the first time that I will be fighting in Brooklyn as a professional,” said Judah. “It’s a great feeling. The last time I fought in Brooklyn, New York was the Golden Glove.”
He insisted that the punch that ended his fight with Khan was not a legal a body shot, as the referee ruled, but a low blow. “How would anybody know what me and my testicles are going through?” asked Zab. “People make an assumption. It kind of hurts your feelings. You say I got hit with a low blow and they say it was a body shot. A body shot? First of all did you see my body? It was as hard as a brick. Khan is not a knockout puncher. It was a borderline low blow that jammed the cup up into my testicles. It bothers me when people say (these things). People who know me know that I have a heart like a lion.”
Judah understands the opportunity that his fight with Paris is providing him with. “This is an eliminator fight to get me back to where I should be and to where I need to be right now.”
Judah has come back from disaster before. He has the ability to re-invent himself; “to pick himself up, dust himself off and start all over again,” to paraphrase the late reggae singer Peter Tosh. Judah refuses to look back at losses and wants to focus on this fight and the future. This ability may very well be what allows him to keep going when others might become discouraged. A pretty good quality in any endeavor; probably more remarkable in a boxer.
EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.
Jim is a long time journalist and author of "Raw Combat: The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts," which is a rare, often humorous, and intimate glimpse into the world of New York Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). It is a love letter to the sport and community he has covered since the beginning. For me, it was a walk through memory lane. Reading about longtime friends, gyms, and events past and present often brought a smile to my face or heaviness to my heart (RIP Paul Rosner and Gene Fabrikant). New York, where MMA competition is still illegal, is a time capsule. Jim Genia is a historian.
Although he didn’t start boxing until he was a Plebe in his Freshman Year at West Point, Captain Boyd “Rainmaker” Melson’s had a number of big fights.
