Local favorites headlined the card in Queens, NY last Saturday, with the likes of local ring veterans in the crowd. Junior Jones, Louis Collazo as well as Dimitry Salita were ringside as Frank Galarza and Vinny Maddalone headlined the card that was full of local fighters.
The night started in favor of the local fighters when Neuky Santelises of Washington Heights, NY won a unanimous decision over Micah Brach of Cincinnati OH. The win advanced the lightweight Santelises to a record of 2-0 with 1 KO.Â
Another local fighter won by knockout when Abdellah Smith scored a second round knockout over 47 year old Robert Garris of Mt. Vernon, NY who was making his professional debut after a 27 year hiatus from the ring. Garris, who was escorted to the ring by Dewey Bozella, who has a story similar to his. After the loss he kindly thanked officials for the opportunity and sunk into the background of the fight crowd.
Brooklyn’s own Heather Hardy pitched a phenomenal shut out over Ivana Coleman of Louisiana. Heather controlled the fight and made it hers, just as she did when we last covered her at Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan back in October of 2012. Also winners from Brooklyn, Angel Garcia, Frank Galarza and Juan Dominguez. Garcia and Galarza won by unanimous decision while Dominguez scored a third round TKO.
In the main event, Flushing, New York native Vinny Maddalone took on Byron Polley of St. Joseph, Missouri. Polley weighed in at 268 lbs, 37 pounds heavier than Maddalone’s solid 231 lbs. Once the bell rang it appeared as though the lighter Maddalone was the stronger fighter. He proved it when he put Polley down in the second round with a clean overhand right. Polley survived the round, but succumbed to heavy knockdown punches from the bloodied Maddalone as the referee stopped the fight in the third round.
