Stephan Shaw vs. Robert Simms - August 27, 2021 (OFF)

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

International Boxing Hall of Famer Lou DiBella will present “Broadway Boxing: Take Me Out to the Brawl Game”, an evening of world class boxing on Thursday, August 26, at The Diamond, home of the Richmond (VA) Flying Squirrels Minor League baseball team and Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The event will be live broadcast globally on FITE.TV (8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT).

Headlining the event in a 10-round heavyweight clash, top undefeated heavyweight prospect Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (14-0, 10 KOs), of St. Louis, MO, will face Robert Simms (11-3, 3 KOs), of Saginaw, MI, with the vacant IBF USBA Heavyweight Title at stake. One of the most talked about young heavyweights in boxing, the 6’4” Shaw returns to action following a dominant win last December on NBC Sports Network. The 28-year-old Shaw comes from a family of fighters and is a former US National amateur champion. The dangerous Simms has defeated two touted prospects in his last three fights and his losses have only come by way of split or majority decision.

Local Virginian fan favorite Jerry “Slugger” Forrest (26-4-1, 20 KOs), of Newport News, VA, takes on Jersey City, New Jersey’s Joe Jones (12-4, 9 KOs), for the vacant IBF North American Heavyweight Championship, scheduled for 10 rounds. The heavy-handed southpaw earned his nickname “Slugger” from his grandmother after he survived complications from his birth. Forrest, whose father is a master chief petty officer in the US Navy aboard the USS Nimitz, was employed as a nuclear electrician for 10 years, working on submarines and aircraft carriers at the outset of his boxing career. He is coming off of a dramatic brawl on February 27, 2021, in which he overcame three knockdowns to earn a hotly contested draw against China’s unbeaten 6’6” Zhilei Zhang. Born in Lynchburg, VA, Jones is looking to keep up the momentum from his recent win on July 24, 2021.

Fighting in an eight-round heavyweight tilt, southpaw Mike Balogun (17-0, 13 KOs), of Upper Marlboro, MD, will battle Nick Davis (6-2, 4 KOs), of Atlanta, GA. The athletic Balogun is a former college football standout who started for the Oklahoma Sooners before playing in the NFL for three years. The former San Francisco 49ers linebacker has won his last three starts by knockout.

In a six-round matchup of junior lightweight prospects, Joshafat Ortiz (7-0, 4 KOs), of Reading, PA, squares off against Stevie “The Answer” Massey (13-1, 9 KOs), of Charlotte, NC. The 25-year-old Ortiz will be making his first start of 2021, while Massey hits the ring looking build off of his recent victory in May against Carlos Marrero. Ortiz was born in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, but moved to the US at age four. He was first introduced to boxing as a child, as his father, uncle and brother were all amateur fighters. Ortiz compiled an amateur record of 42-7, and was a three-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion.

Opening the FITE.TV broadcast in a six-round women’s super bantamweight bout, Amanda Galle (4-0), of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, is matched against Dalia “La Pantera” Gomez (3-2, 1 KO), of Oxnard, CA. Galle, a three-time Canadian National champion and four-time Ringside National champion as an amateur, captured the Canadian women's super bantamweight title following a dominant victory against Shelly Barnett in January of 2020.

Rounding out the card in separate four-round bouts will be two up-and-coming prospects from Baltimore, MD, in super middleweight Tyrell Boyd (2-0, 2 KOs) and heavyweight pro debuter Malik Titus, as well as cruiserweight newcomer Calvin Mends (2-0, 2 KOs), of Leesburg, VA.

[candyslim]

I knew nothing about Simms but his record isn't too bad. He's lost three times but only by decision and none of those decisions were unanimous.

The three that beat him were Craig Lewis who is well known, a former prospect of sorts, now settling into more of a journeyman role.

Alex Zubov is probably flattered by his 14 and 1 record, and the other is George Arias (the younger one) who is still a prospect of sorts but doesn't look like he is going to get much further.

I'd say he's an acceptable opponent for Shaw and may even give him a decent argument. I've gone for Shaw by decision.

[margaret thatcher]

i'd never heard of simms, maybe im a newb

[funso banjo baby]

Where does the 'world class' tag apply?

[candyslim]

The press release guy has a world-class imagination and a world-class talent for the dissemination of bullshit

[margaret thatcher]

Take Me Out to the Brawl Game

[Ruthless-RKO]

The press release guy has a world-class imagination and a world-class talent for the dissemination of bullshit

That’s all press releases now days..

[candyslim]

Ain't that the truth?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Ain't that the truth?

It's a shame as well, FITE seem to be taking over.

Broadcasters cant be bothered paying for anything, so promoters are just selling to fite, which means fans have to PAY..

You shouldn't have to pay to watch prospects.

Younger prospects should be on free tv if anything.

Too much money and greed involved now.

[candyslim]

Sad but true..

[SportsRatings]

and the other is George Arias (the younger one) who is still a prospect of sorts but doesn't look like he is going to get much further.

Do you know what's going on with him? He's been inactive a while, I thought he had a chance to at least *see* if he could go farther.

I guess he did fight in February so maybe he just took the pandemic off but it seems like he lost some momentum after fighting 3 times in 2019.

[candyslim]

I've no more idea than you have I'm afraid. Seems he has been talked about as a prospect for ages but the talk has rather dried up now and he still hasn't faced anyone with a pulse.

I am sceptical of any heavy who is as short as he is. You have to be a rare talent to overcome the height and reach handicap or turn it to your advantage.
It can be done of course but he shows no sign of being Takam's level never mind Tua's or Povetkin's.

[Ruthless-RKO]

https://boxrec.com/en/event/836834

He's fighting Nick Davis.