Weekend Wrap: Algieri Decisions Arnaoutis

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On the ninth edition of Star Boxing’s Rockin’ Fights by Joe DeGuardia, local Long Island stars attracted fight fans to the Paramount in Huntington, NY. In the main event hometown hero Chris “The Pride of Huntington” Algieri (16-0 7KO’s) took on former title challenger “Might” Mike Arnaoutis (24-8-2 11KO’s) in a 10 round bout where Algieri was to prove he is more than a prospect, but a contender. The proud Greek Arnaoutis fighting out of Astoria, NY; tried his best to use his vast experience to outbox his foe but Algieri was not just game, he had a game plan and was able to use his range and pick the perfect shots all night. After having a rough couple of rounds adjusting, Algieri’s work rate really came in to play and he was able to step in with his own combination and step out of danger’s path turning and eventually cutting his opponent over the right eye in the eighth round after having busted his nose earlier in the fight. When it was all said and done the judges scored the fight 99-91 and 98-92 twice to award “The Pride of Huntington” his 17th victory.

In what was a very entertaining fight for fans in attendance, another Huntington fighter, Alan Gotay (5-0 3KO’s) faced Michael Doyle (1-2) of Prichard, AL in a six round lightweight contest. In front of supporters, Gotay was able to land the generally harder shots in a fast and furious fight against Doyle who did not just come in for a payday but tried his best to win. The visiting fighter had his moments landing decent shots on the inside but Gotay would spend the middle rounds landing a hard right hand that stunned his opponent from time to time as he barreled in with hooks and overhand rights. With the crowd very much in to the fight, the sixth round was memorable as the two men went for broke and traded bombs, Gotay was able to slip under much of the power shots aimed at him and he would finish the round exchanging hooks against the ropes in his favor. The judges scored the bout 60-54 and 58-56 twice bringing Alan Gotay’s record to 6-0.

The third bout of the night was between two men who have visited the venue before, Anthony “Showtime” Karperis (4-1 2KO’s) of nearby Hicksville, NY was victorious in his last fight at the Paramount while his opponent and local Queens Fighter Jonathan “Lil Big Man” Cuba (6-5-1 4KO’s) wasn’t as fortunate his last time out. The two junior welterweights started fast in the center of the ring looking to establish their own rhythms, Cuba seeking redemption was not trying to waste too much time and pressed the action with power shots as Karperis angled out and landed a good jab, overhand combination. The second round would follow suit until Karperis landed an overhand right, right uppercut snap combo that had Cuba momentarily stunned and it looked like it was “Showtime” for the local guy as “Lil Big Man” was bleeding from the nose and a cut over his right eye. Taking it downstairs with hooks and uppercuts, Cuba would fire hard shots over the next couple of rounds that slowed down the younger man’s work rate, and in the fateful 5th, a right hand started a series of hard unanswered punches that forced the referee to call a halt to the bout at 1:55 awarding Jonathan Cuba the TKO victory.

In his pro debut, super middleweight Vincenzo D’Angelo of Huntington, NY took on Paterson, NJ’s Michael Mitchell (1-1-1) in a four round fight. The southpaw, D’Angelo started with body shots as he picked off shots upstairs, Mitchell would try to land his overhand right but the feisty fighter would be met back with straight left hands that landed flush.  The two fighters would stay in close and fire hooks and uppercuts at each other with D’Angelo getting his punches in faster and more accurately, the fight was played out on the ropes at times with no man seeming to want to back down from each other. The judges would score the fight unanimously in the debutant’s favor with scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice sending the out of town fighter packing and possibly creating another ticket seller for the Paramount.

The first bout of the evening featured a pro debut with Haitian import Wendy Toussaint who has relocated to Huntington, NY against On’Rey Towns (0-1) of Wilson, NC in a middleweight bout. Toussaint was the aggressor in the fight pushing back Towns with a steady jab and one-two’s that had Towns on his backs foot for most of the fight. Keeping up a high work rate, Toussaint timed combinations upstairs against his shy foe who was content with just surviving the four round match. Without much danger encountered in the ring, Toussaint walked over his opponent and walked away with a unanimous decision win with a 40-36 shutout across the board in his first win.