15.05.04 – By Ron DiMichele: Fighting before a partisan crowd at a packed Rhode Island Convention Center, North American Boxing Organization Junior Middleweight Champion Peter Manfredo Jr. defeated NABO #1 contender Anthony Bonsante by unanimous decision to retain his title and keep his perfect record intact. Also on the card, 2004 national amateur heavyweight champion and U.S. Olympic Boxing Team alternate Matt Godfrey made a successful professional debut.
The Pride of Providence, Peter Manfredo Jr., 154, (21-0, 10 KO’s) used superior hand speed and punching accuracy to outgun Anthony ‘The Bullet’ Bonsante, 152, (24-4-3, 13 KO’s) of Shakopee, Minnesota over 12 rounds to capture a unanimous decision in this weeks ESPN2 Friday Night Fights main event. The 33-year old Bonsante fought with heart and aggression, but appeared to sag as the rounds progressed spending much of the fight grabbing and holding his 23-year old counterpart.
Whenever Bonsante pushed the action and seemed to finally be getting untracked, Manfredo Jr. would short-circuit Bonsante’s efforts with crisp left hooks and hard right hands to stop The Bullet in his tracks. Bonstante’s frustration boiled over in the 7th round when he lifted Manfredo Jr. up into the air and promptly had a point deducted by referee Charlie Dwyer. Bonsante caught a wicked left hook in the 10th and was also punished in the 12th as Manfredo Jr. sealed an already apparent victory.
“A very tough kid, very strong, “said a victorious Peter Manfredo Jr. of his opponent after the fight. “But I’m the champion and I told you. If it’s going to go 12 rounds I’m ready for it. I feel like I could go another 12.”
The judge’s scorecards read: 120-109, 118-109, and 120-107, all in favor of Peter Manfredo Jr.
Amateur standout Matt Godfrey, 201, (1-0) of Providence, RI showed room for improvement in winning his first professional bout by unanimous decision over Glen Morgan, 197, (1-2, 1 KO) of San Antonio, Texas . Godfrey was able to land some solid shots on his long, lanky opponent, but often looked sloppy throwing many of his punches without his feet planted beneath him. Morgan caught an off-balance Godfrey with 3 consecutive shots in the 3rd round of the 4-round contest and gave young Matt an early taste of the canvas. Godfrey appeared unhurt after the knockdown. The judge’s scorecards read: 39-37, 39-37, 38-37, all in favor of Matt Godfrey.
In other undercard action, light-heavyweight Joe ‘KO Kid’ Spina, 180, improved his record to 11-0 with 8 knockouts with a 4th round kayo of Salah Zabian, 180, of Berkshire, Massachusetts. Earlier in the 4th round, Spina seemed to shake Zabian with what appeared to be a low blow before unleashing a brutal right hand and putting Zabian down for a ten-count. With the loss, Zabian’s record falls to 5 and 4 with 4 knockouts. The stoppage came at 2:17 of the 4th round.
In a minor upset in the evening’s opening bout, Columbian Felix Lora, 138, (2-1-1) out-hustled previously undefeated amateur standout Josh Beeman, 141, (2-1) of Providence, RI to win the junior welterweight contest by split decision. Judges scorecards read: 39-38 and 40-36 Lora; and 39-38 Beeman.
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