With most of the boxing world focusing on televised, big money pay per view fights, we sometimes forget how today’s biggest stars reached their current status, they started as amateurs. Boxing promoter Felipe Gomez of New Legend Boxing teamed up with Old World Boxing and WON Promotions to wrap up a day of Irish festivities at The Resorts World Casino in Queens, NY with Irish Fight Night. Bringing together a 10 bout amateur boxing card featuring the best of New York City against the St. Johns Boxing Club of County Cork, Ireland, energy was high and supporters were eager to see the young men kick-off the action.
In the first bout of the evening, Cops N Kidz very own Richardson Miggins fought in a 132lbs Junior Olympics Senior bout against St. John’s Morris Falvey. As the smaller fighter Miggins used his speed, footwork, and reflexes to counter the lanky Irishman, backing a game Falvey up with check hooks and straight rights. With the Brooklyn fighter dominating most of the match Falvey started the last round aggressively but was matched by Miggins who continued to score until a standing 8 count was given to the man from across the pond as the hometown fighter won an easy unanimous decision.
The second fight of the night featured the very popular 2-time New York Golden Gloves winner Jayquan Hazel of Cops N Kidz facing off against the muscular Noel Murphy from Count Cork, Ireland. This 152lb open class bout started with the southpaw Hazel trying to time the shorter man but with Murphy landing his own overhand lefts to make it a close round. The next round seemed to be in favor of the visiting fighter as Murphy pushed Hazel back and was busier, possibly landing more blows but with Hazel staying on the outside trying to land one two combinations. The last round saw Hazel starting from the outside and landing a full arsenal of punches but the gutsy, stronger Murphy, came out swinging and never stopped until the bell ended. When the verdict was announced the crowd seemed to be displeased as Hazel’s accurate boxing was rewarded over the busier, come forward style of Noel Murphy.
As the card continued it was time to welcome the big boys as 201lb weight class fighters Leslie Jean of Starret City battled against “The Green Monster” Kevin O’Sullivan by way of Ireland. The boxer from St. John’s was rushed by his opponent but he stayed calm for most of the round looking to unleash on the southpaw with a straight right hand down the pipe. In between holding and rough house tactics, “The Green Monster” starts to land his right hand as Jean looks for hooks from both sides to end the second round. The end was entertaining as Jean landed a vicious overhand left that stunned and rocked back O’Sullivan who replied with his own power punches, time was stopped when the laces of Jean came untied but it was enough for the Brooklynite to win the round. After the tide changed in the last round, most were rooting for Jean to win but it was his opponent nicknamed “The Green Monster” who came up with the W as he was more consistent throughout.
The midway point was approaching and the crowd was going wild as 98lb Junior Olympic brawlers Juh Mish “Hurricane Hands” Tucker of Starret City went against another youngster; Justin “Little OD” O’Donnell from Cops N Kidz. The fight was contested over three, one minute rounds and the pace was furious as the kids went to war throwing bombs from the opening bell. With the fans holding up banners and cheering the children on, O’Donnell landed the cleaner shots from the inside by gaining just a bit more leverage. Fast and furious was the pace as the second round opened with the two fighters trading blows in the middle of the ring with Tucker seemingly gassed out, but the fans gave him energy. The last round was initiated with the smaller Tucker banging his gloves together and rushing to the middle of the ring, he looked to be outgunned but never stopped punching even when he was dropped from a short shot on the inside, with seconds left in the fight O’Donnell was dominant and raised his hands after the fight. As the audience applauded the proud young men, it was a slight upset as O’Donnell was not given the win as the judges felt “Hurricane Hands” pulled off the win.
In a very technical fight, “Pistol” Peter Dobson of Cops N Kidz battled against Irish visitor Vlado Beluski in a 155lb bout. Being a 2010 Golden Gloves champion; “Pistol” knew from the outset what he had to do as he aggressively stalked his taller opponent with a strong jab and solid hooks that drew blood from Beluski. The second round brought a surprise that was short lived as Beluski was able to back up Dobson with accurate jabs and straight rights, but it was not enough as it seemed to make Dobson fight harder scoring devastating hooks and overhand rights that forced the blue corner to throw in the towel, saving Beluski from unnecessary punishment.
In the final box-off between Irish and American fighters, Edgar Berlanga; a Silver gloves, PAL, and Metro champion training out of Cops N Kidz put his skills to the test in a 152lb bout against Daniel “Gaelic Warrior” O’Brien of St. Johns. Berlanga came out strong dominating the first stanza with his great head movement and crisp hooks that moved his opponent. The fight would continue the same way with Berlanga scoring a standing 8 count after landing a left uppercut causing blood to flow from his opponent’s nose. The next round started with O’Brien circling the ring and trying to stay on the outside but the local boy was able to get inside and land to the head and body that caused a knockdown and after an 8 count; a stoppage win for Edgar Berlanga.
With the card focusing now on local amateur boxers, Alfredo Vazquez of Glencove Boxing squared off against Universal Boxing Gym’s Connor “The Butcher” Filosa in a 141lb bout. The taller, lanky Filosa looked to establish his jab as the round began and then found success with a well hidden right uppercut every time Vazquez would try to get inside. Trying to keep a consistent work flow, “The Butcher” landed right hands down the pipe as Vazquez looked to be tired keeping pace with the taller man, mixing in jabs and uppercuts again, Filosa swept the second round. In the third and final round, Vazquez gained energy in-between rounds and used a series of hooks to get inside of the longer arms of Filosa; but it wouldn’t quite work out so well as “The Butcher” found a home for his check hooks and right uppercuts. The winner of the fight was Conor “The Butcher” Filosa and he looked to be very happy with a decision over the hard-nosed Long Island fighter.
The eighth fight on the card was another Universal Boxing Gym fighter; Brian Lopez, battling Shane Bulg of Westbury Boxing. The two men were even in height but at 132lbs; Bulg looked to be the larger, more muscular fighter. As the bell rang; Lopez used a jab to stop the aggressive Bulg from getting inside but the Westbury brawler had other plans as he used pressure and an uppercut-hook combo to score points. Getting hit by the stronger Bulg only seemed to wake up Lopez who responded with straight lefts and lead uppercuts from his own southpaw stance to finish the round. The next round would be a very competitive one as Lopez lands the shorter shots on the inside of Bulg’s guard backing him up to the ropes, but after a breather he would come back to end the second round with a flurry. With the fight being a tossup, Lopez charged in aggressively but Bulg was able to use angles to avoid danger and caught an off balance Lopez with a straight punch that scored a knockdown, Lopez seeming desperate; launched a leaping right hook as the men traded to end the fight. The winner by close decision was Shane Bulg who left with a victory.
As the crowd stood around for more action, Cops N Kidz Usman “King” Khan laced up to face “The Grand Master” Agron Bautista who was unattached to any particular gym. Khan being the taller fighter; tries to use his southpaw right jab to back up Bautista who circles and answers with a leaping straight right to score points leading up to one that pushes his man down for an eight count. The second round would see a brawl that favored “The Grand Master” as he was able to negate Khan’s longer reach and connect with solid jabs and rights that scored a knockdown, after the action resumes it’s all Bautista’s show as he pummeled his opponent from pillar to post until a right hand stunned “King” Khan causing the ref to wave off the fight.
With the final fight about to begin, the crowd would have not thought that it would also be the best of the night. Christian “Macho” Camacho; the youngest son of the late Hector Camacho Sr, looked to rebound from his loss at the opening round of the New York Golden Gloves by taking on Cops N Kidz Hamzah Alhmaidi. The crowd had their support behind Alhmaidi as cheers of “Hamzah, Hamzah” filled the room, but the young Camacho would not deter him off his plan as he comes out with a jab and strong straight right to the body of his opponent. Mixing in hooks and straight shots to the head and body, Camacho looks to dominate the first round but Alhmaidi comes back strong with his own right hands down the pipe. After losing the first round Alhmaidi regains focus and uses a series of jabs and check hooks to frustrate and move Camacho around the ring as he loses the ability to land with authority like he did in the first round. As the last round was brought in, it was “Macho Time” all over again as Camacho regained his composure and landed single right hands that backed up his man as he showboated like his late father did in the past. After landing about five single shots and using his fast feet to confuse Alhmaidi, Camacho launched an explosive straight right hand that put down and hurt his opponent, with Alhmaidi seemingly hurt and on wobbly legs, the referee waves off the bout. With the win, Christian “Macho” Camacho seems to have found his path and we look forward to see what he makes of it as well as the other promising amateurs on this fun night of fights.
