There is a first time for everything! The youngest female boxing promoter in the nation, Bucks County native Brittany Rogers will promote her second boxing event this weekend. It features a 10-round contest for the vacant Pennsylvania Welterweight Title between Terrance The Heat Cauthen and The New Ray Robinson on Saturday, May 12, at the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC), 120 Pheasant Run, Newtown, PA 18940..
First of six bouts begins at 7:30 pm.
This card brings pro boxing back to a town that doesn’t often host fights, but and the Philadelphia fighters are ready to put on a show! The undercard is loaded with exciting athletes. Best of the bunch could be the six-rounder between lightweights Kareem Cooley (2-1,1K0) and Tevin Farmer (4-3-1, 1K0).
It matches Cooley’s skill against Farmer’s hustle. Cooley, the taller of the two, is taking a big step up against Farmer. Farmer’s most impressive win over Tim Witherspoon, Jr., was a result of Farmer’s heart and hustle. Farmer does not rest for a second once he is inside the ropes and Cooley won’t let him regardless.
Also on the undercard is a six-round bout between DeCarlo Perez (6-2-1, 2K0s), of Atlantic City, NJ, in with Lenwood Dozier (7-4-1, 3K0s), of Glen Burnie, MD. Dozier is coming off a tough loss to Jose Peralta Alejo, of Jersey City, NJ; Perez is coming off a loss to Rafael Montalvo, of St. Clair, PA. It’s a must-win situation for each man.
Hasan Young, of Philadelphia, makes his pro debut against Cassius Clay, (0-2), in a junior welterweight fight. Clay, a New Jersey native, lives in Las Vegas, NV, and is traveling back to make his East Coast debut. Young is a natural; he makes counter-punching look easy.
Philadelphia cruiserweights Amir Shabazz (1-0) and Ken Rosser (0-2) go at it in a four-rounder. This marks Shabazz’ first fight after a 16-month lay-off due to injury. Rosser is your typical Philadelphia fighter; he took this fight on short notice. Rosser has heart, something you can’t teach. Oscar Pagan, of Camden, NJ, and Ben Lovett, of Philadelphia, will make their debuts in a junior middleweight bout.
The Cauthen-Robinson main events marks his second fight close to his Trenton, NJ, backyard. He once trained members of the NAC. This also will mark Robinson’s first bout at the NAC and his first time fighting for a title!
Falowo continues rapid climb
In some ways, Thomas Falowo was more enamored with the unique souvenir he took home back in March than he was with his victory.
“I got my first black eye as a pro,” Falowo said of his hard-earned, unanimous-decision win over Troy Artis on March 22nd. “It’s good to get that experience out of the way. If all of your fights are one-sided, you get a false sense of security.”
The road to the top has grown increasingly more difficult for Falowo (6-0, 4 KOs) in his last two fights. The undefeated Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight began his career with four consecutive knockouts – three within the first four rounds – but has now gone the distance in each of his last two wins.
Falowo is expecting yet another challenge Thursday, May 24th, 2012 when he faces 29-year-old La Vista, Neb., native Sean Rawley Wilson (5-10, 1 KO) in a six-round bout on the undercard of “Up For Grabs,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.
Though the record doesn’t show it, Wilson is a worthy adversary; the combined record of his last five opponents is 53-1, and he went the distance in each of those fights, with the lone exception being a fifth-round knockout loss to unbeaten Jermall Charlo in March. Falowo will be Wilson’s fourth consecutive undefeated opponent, capping a stretch of four bouts in just three months.
Wilson is also an accomplished professional in mixed martial arts, where he’s fought a staggering 47 bouts in just over a decade, totaling 30 wins with nine knockouts.
“I’m not really sure what to expect,” Falowo said, “but I know he’ll come forward and fight me. He’s tough – anybody who steps inside that ring or cage has to be tough.”
These are the challenges Falowo wants, and needs. His hectic work schedule – he’s a pharmacy technician for CVS – leaves him with little spare time outside of the gym, but his hours have changed in recent months, giving him even more time to focus on his boxing career, which is quickly soaring to new heights.
Under the direction of head trainer Peter Manfredo Sr., Falowo fought his first six-round bout at Twin River in March, beating Artis unanimously, 59-55, 59-55, 58-56. His previous win was a four-round unanimous decision against underrated veteran Borngod Washington, which, at the time, was the toughest fight of Falowo’s career. Each victory has doubled as a learned experience.
“You discover something new each time,” Falowo said. “It’s a little different when you’re actually mixing it up with your opponent. You learn a lot about yourself endurance-wise.
“The experience was definitely a positive. [Artis] was strong, and it felt good to get hit with a couple of shots. I felt like it bettered me. I actually felt better in the six-rounder than I did in some of my earlier fights. I broke through my initial tiredness and got my second wind.”
After this next fight, which will be Falowo’s second six-rounder, he and Burchfield will contemplate Falowo’s next step. Having begun his amateur career around the same time fellow Rhode Islanders Jason Estrada and Matt Godfrey turned pro, Falowo has learned a lot about the maturation procession both in and outside the ring, so he’s plotting each move carefully.
“I’m still feeling things out as far as rounds go,” Falowo said. “We’ll see what happens. Maybe we’ll take it up to eight soon. I’m kind of mapping everything out and just going by how I feel.
“My endurance has gotten a lot better through training,” he continued. “I added an extra couple of rounds on the heavy bag, and instead of doing my normal four or five rounds sparring, I’m making sure I get six in a row no matter what. Before, I might do four straight, and then get two here or one there. Now I get six, and then maybe come back for two more. It helps mentally. It makes a big difference.”
The eight-round main event of “Up For Grabs” features Vladine Biosse (12-1-1, 6 KOs), dubbed “Mr. Providence” due to his strong following in Rhode Island’s capital city, defending his New England Super Middleweight Title against Providence’s Joey “K.O. Kid” Spina (26-2-2, 18 KOs). Unbeaten Burlington, Vt., super middleweight Kevin Cobbs (3-0, 1 KO) will face veteran Borngod Washington (3-10, 1 KO) of Queens, N.Y., in a four-round bout while female bantamweight Shelito Vincent (2-0) of Providence will battle newcomer Carmen Cruz of Fort Myers, Fla., in a four-round bout.
CES will also introduce another one of its most recent signings on May 24th when undefeated Medford, Oreg., heavyweight “Irish” Mike Wilson (5-0, 3 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time in 18 months in a four-round bout.
Super lightweight Zack Ramsey, a former national amateur champion from Springfield, Mass., will make his long-awaited debut against Providence’s Alan Beeman (0-1), while fan-favorite Richard “Bobo The Bull” Starnino (9-7-2, 2 KOs) of Providence will now face Harwich, Mass., native Paul Gonsalves (3-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round light heavyweight bout.
“Up For Grabs” also features the return of former reality television star Richard Gingras (11-2, 7 KOs) of “The Contender,” who, after signing a promotional agreement with Classic Entertainment & Sports, will battle Terrance Smith Jr. (7-13-2, 4 KOs) of Oklahoma City in the six-round cruiserweight special attraction.
Woonsocket, R.I., middleweight Joe Gardner (8-4, 1 KO) will face Julio Garcia (4-3, 3 KOs) of Rincon, Puerto Rico in a four-round bout, while light heavyweight Alex Amparo (3-0, 2 KOs) of Providence and welterweight Diego Pereira (6-0-1, 2 KOs) of Pawtucket will be featured in separate four- and six-round bouts, respectively.
Tickets for “Up For Grabs” are $35.00, $50.00, $75.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Up For Grabs.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)
THOMAS “CORNFLAKE” LAMANNA LOOKS TOWARDS SUMMER FIGHT AS HE REMAINED UNDFEATED AFTER DEFEATING LAST MINUTE REPLACEMENT
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (May 11, 2012)—On April 27th at Resorts in Atlantic City, Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna remained perfect as he scored a six round unanimous decision over last minute replacement Sean Wilson in a Middleweight bout.
With the win, LaManna (8-0, 5 KO’s) is looking to come back in July at his more natural Jr. Middleweight weight class.
LaManna had to move up in weight just twenty-four hours before the fight as his bout with Keauntry Henson was scrapped due to Henson having an unforeseen personal issue.
Like LaManna, Wilson had his fight fallout the day before and he was left without an opponent and despite the six pound weight disparity, Wilson & LaManna were matched up.
LaManna drank some fluids before he jumped on the scale to weigh 158 lbs to Wilson’s 160 lbs.
LaManna boxed his way to unanimous decision victory to move his record to 8-0 with five knockouts.
“That stuff is just part of the business”, said LaManna
“I knew I worked hard and was able to fight . Fighting a bigger guy didn’t phase me at all. Even though I trained to fight a southpaw and Wilson was Orthodox, I was confident in the work I put in and my skills to get the victory”
The twenty-year old native of Millville, NJ also credits his one week stint at The Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas for his success in the fight.
“I learned a lot that week when I was at the Mayweather Boxing
Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will be back in the ring in July.
“I am looking forward to a fight in the summer and my team has been talking about some exciting opportunities for that fight”