Calgary, AB – It was freezing outside but there was no shortage of fire inside Calgary’s Chinese Cultural Centre last night in Alberta, Canada where Teofista Boxing staged a double-header featuring some of Canada’s fastest rising talent.
In the main event, Steve ‘The Dragon’ Claggett (11-0-1, 6 KOs) battered previously unbeaten Mexican Jose Julio Mendoza (7-1, 3 KOs) to capture prestigious WBC light welterweight Youth Intercontinental Title. Claggett started out very quickly and boxed well as he took the fight to Mendoza with his pressuring style. The Calgary native scored two knockdowns in Round 2, one from a right cross and the other from a left hook. A gallant Mendoza beat the count but was sent down again in the third by a debilitating left to the liver. The Mexican showed a lot of courage in getting to his feet but the referee waived the bout off at the 2:54 mark of Round 3.
In the co-main event big punching Canadian middleweight and super middleweight champion Adam ‘A-Bomb’ Trupish (8-0, 5 KOs) scored a spectacular second round knockout of Montana’s Matt Palmer (2-3) that electrified the local crowd. Trupish looked poised and polished as he picked his shots early, scoring two knockdowns in each of the opening two rounds. As time was running out in the second, Trupish connected with a blistering uppercut that lifted Palmer off his feet. It was another exciting KO win for the former Canadian Olympian who now looks poised to fight for the NABA junior welterweight title in March.
On the undercard, heavyweight Ken ‘One Tough Indian’ Frank (4-1-1, 2 KOs) rebounded from his late 2010 loss to Tye Fields with a clear and concise seven round unanimous decision victory over Edmonton’s Sheldon ‘Prime Time’ Hinton. The big men exchanged knockdowns early in the bout but it was Frank’s busier work rate that carried the way on route to a points victory by scores of 68-64 (x2) and 67-65.
Red Deer, Alberta’s Jarred ‘J-Rod’ KilKenny (3-0, 2 KOs) made quick work of Winnipeg’s Chad Thrun (0-3) in preliminary action, dropping him several times in the opening stanza with right hooks to the body on route to a first round TKO win.
In the opening bout of the evening, former Alberta amateur standout Brad Soanes was impressive in winning his pro debut when he stopped a rugged Max Gagne at the bell to end Round 1 with a well placed body shot.
The pro bouts were sanctioned by the Calgary Combative Sports Commission and the event took place at the lovely Chinese Cultural Centre in downtown Calgary.
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