“Fistic Mayhem at the Barclays Center”

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Fistic Mayhem at the Barclays Center”

BoxingGlove Notes

Distinio Lois, Jr.

With the 2015 second half of the boxing season approaching just like the baseball season could we anticipate block-buster fights like we saw in the first half?

Let’s start off with the up and coming explosive fistic war at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y., which will feature a cadre of home grown-6-born & bred Brooklynites, on Saturday, August 1, 2015. Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, 33-6, 7 knockouts & former 2 time world champ vs. Danny “Swift” Garcia, 30-0, 17 k.o.’s, & 3 time former 140 pound world champ.

The semi-final which has the quality of a main event in itself, will feature Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs, 29-1, 26 k.o.’s & W.B.A. Middleweight Champ, vs. Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora, 28-3-2, 9 k.o.’s & former W.B.O. World Junior Middleweight Champion.

This exciting boxing card is being presented by Lou DiBella President of DiBella Entertainment and Al Haymon, President of Premier Boxing Champions.

They are also showcasing a preliminary fight card of exciting future world champs which should additionally delight the fans that night.

Heather “The Heat” Hardy, 11-0, 3 knockouts will defend her W.B.C. Intercontinental Super Bantamweight Crown against Hungarian Super Bantamweight Champion, Renata Domsodi, 12-6, 5 k.o’s. This fight is a re-match because Domsodi was stopped on cuts by a head butt on April 11, 2015 and was granted a second chance at Hardy’s crown, again at the Barclays Center. This is Hardy’s 4th fight at the Barclays Center.

Undefeated Prichard Colon, 14-0, 11 k.o.’s from Orocovis, Puerto Rico, will fight 8 rounds or less against Michael Finney, from Alabama with an impressive fight record of 12-3-1, 12 k.o.’s., and unbeaten sensational Polish heavyweight Adam “Baby Face” Kownacki, 10-0, 9 knockouts, from Brooklyn, N.Y. will challenge Houston, Texan, Maurenzo Smith, 12-9-3, 9 k.o.’s.

Another Brooklynite, Travis “Notorious” Peterkin undefeated southpaw, Cruiserweight , 15-0, 7 knockouts, will challenge Lenin Castillo, 12-0, 7 k.o.,’s, also undefeated, and born and raised in the Dominican Republic. Rafael Vazquez, 15-1, 12 k.o.’s, Brooklyn, N.Y. will fight tough Mexican veteran journeyman fighter, Mario Macias, 26-16, 13 knockouts, from Distrito Federal, Mexico.

Vazquez the oldest-37- of the fight card has had to overcome personal hardships. His Wife has Cancer and his young daughter is Autistic but he has continued fighting to help his family overcome the medical expenses. “Winning a world title would put me in a better position financially, to help my family”, stated a very determine, emotional, but focused Vazquez.It is obvious that his bigger fights are “outside of the ring at home”!

Undefeated 135 pounder, Omer “Super” Douglas, 14-0, 11 k.o.’s will challenge veteran Puerto Rican southpaw, Frank Santos de Alba, 16-1-2, 6 k.o.’s in 8 rounds or less. 2 Junior Lightweights, Titus Williams and Thomas Velasquez will be making their pro debut on this fight card.

This is only the preliminary fights so let’s look at and analyze the “2 main events”.

Champ Jacobs is making the second defense of his W.B.A. Crown against a crafty veteran Sergio Mora winner of the first reality boxing show “The Contender” series on N.B.C. T.V., many years ago.

Although Champ Jacobs stated confidently that, “I am ready for anything that Mora brings to the ring”, no doubt he will have his hands full trying to solve his crafty style since Mora for many years has been a “spoiler” who doesn’t really enter the ring to fight but to grab & hold, not attempting to throw any meaningful punches, but to go the distance regardless of who wins.

Mora’s only boxing success was when he surprisingly defeated the late Vernon Forrest and won the W.B.O. Junior Middleweight Title, June 7, 2008, and just a few months later, September 13, 2008, lost it back to Forrest. From then on his boxing career was somewhat of a “journeyman” winning and losing fights, until this fight now with Jacobs which he calls his comeback fight for redemption.

“I am ready to win this title and win back respect, and those who bet their ranch and made me a 9-1 underdog will be homeless Sunday morning”, stated Mora.

“Being a home town favorite like Brooklynite Danny Jacobs would put more pressure on him than on me, and that’s my advantage over him which will give me the victory making me a 2-time world champ,” stated a super confident Mora.

A smiling and relaxed Jacobs responded by saying, “I heard that Sergio is here to knock me out but, I am on a good knockout streak myself and I feel confident about this fight. If that is his intent and battle plan, then this fight will be very exciting in the center of the ring ‘phone booth’ style.”

The almost over-shadowed main event, Danny “Swift” Garcia vs. Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, is almost as puzzling as a Su Doku puzzle because based on their last fights you wonder which Garcia or Malignaggi will show up Saturday night, at the Barclays Center.

Malignaggi was knocked out by former I.B.F. 147 pound Champ Shawn Porter in 4 rounds, April 19, 2014, and Garcia did not look impressive although his did win against Lamont Peterson, a few months ago on April 11, 2015.

The most challenging test would have to be Garcia’s since he has now moved up to the 147 pound level and has to match experience and strength with Malignaggi an experienced welterweight. “I had a great training camp adjusting to my new weight level. I feel very strong because I don’t have to worry about losing weight and maintaining a strict diet like before”, Garcia declared.

Garcia further stated, “I’ve seen Paulie practically my whole career and I know that he is a fast, slick, crafty veteran who knows his way around the ring. I am not fooled by his loses. He lost to perhaps better opponents but he has always come back. So I am ready to win by decision or knockout”.

With a somber face Malignaggi stated very directly, “I’ve had a long 14 year career and because of Danny Garcia many of the doubters have indicated it will be my last fight this Saturday. That is not a fact because I will not let that happen.”

“I am Paulie Malignaggi who has survived many setbacks and has comeback, especially, winning a second world title-the W.B.A. 147 Pound crown-in Europe when no one else would go. I am not through yet, you can bet on that and Saturday you will see the best of Paulie Malignaggi”.

Very strong statements from a determined Malignaggi who has become a celebrity, appearing in “Blue Blood”; TV Cop Series, an ice cream flavor was named after him, “Magic Peanut Butter Paulie”, and is a Showtime Cable boxing analyst.

This “analyst”-me- feels that Malignaggi is coming back with a little too late facing a hungrier stronger, bigger fighter in Danny Garcia who wants to make a big statement in the welterweight ranks in hopes of continuing his undefeated streak to challenge for a world title. Garcia, by decision maybe a late round knockout somewhere, around the 10th round.

Danny Jacobs will successfully defend his W.B.A. Title and defeat Sergio Mora, but it will be more of a 12 round “mind game” decision than physical because of Mora’s spoiler tactics. He has not changed; Mora is still boxing’s most prolific “Spoiler”.

The press conference held at the world famous B.B. Kings House of Blues Restaurant in times square, Manhattan, N.Y. was perhaps enhanced by the surprise visit of world known actress and TV personality of the View, Rosie Perez.

Perez an avid boxing fan was anointed with title of the “First Lady of Boxing” by Hall of Fame Showtime Cable announcer Al Bernstein.

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