Show:700596

PROMO

Weights from North Bergen, NJ[1]
FightNews October 25th, 2014
Juan Rodriguez 147 vs. Greg Jackson 148
Yusaf Mack 176 vs. Cory Cummings 175
Tyrell Wright 225 vs. Jon Bolden 221
Alex Serna 146 vs. Marlon Brown 148
Connie Viruet 153 vs. Bertha Aracil 150
Elvin Sanchez 194 vs. Brad Austin 186
Andrew Bentley 130.4 vs. Micah Branch 128
Venue: Schuetzen Park Promoter: KEA Boxing

REPORT

Rodriquez jr squeaks out split decision; fight shortened due to melee in crowd
By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside; FightNews[2]
Welterweight prospect Juan “the Beast” Rodriguez Jr (12-1, 5KOs) bounced back from the 
first loss of his career in crazy fashion, scoring a closesplit decision victory over 
Greg Jackson (3-1-1, 1KO) on Saturday night at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New 
Jersey that was shortened due to a melee that erupted in the crowd as the fourth round 
was about to begin. In the co-feature of the seven bout card, light heavyweight veteran 
Corey “Black Ice” Cummings (18-7-1, 13KOs) spoiled the comeback of former USBA light 
heavyweight title holder Yusaf Mack (31-8-2, 17KOs) by steamrolling his way to a hard 
fought six round unanimous victory.

Local fan favorite Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez of nearby Union City New Jersey looked to
bounce back from his loss to USBA Welterweight champion Sammy Vasquez on Saturday night
when he faced Greg Jackson in the six round main event of the evening. Jackson (3-0-1 
entered the ring with only four professional fights but was coming out of the fighting
city of Philadelphian and looked in tip top shape as he entered the ring.
It was a difficult challenge for Juan Rodriguez as he had to give up several inches in
height and reach to win in front of his raucous local fans. Right from the opening bell
Greg Jackson looked to use the reach advantage by jabbing and moving. Rodriguez was
tentative but began to target the body in mid-round. Jackson’s reach though allowed him
to keep the fight at distance and make the round almost too close to call. Jackson
tried to stall the advances of “The welterweight nicknamed “The Beast” by switching in
and out of the southpaw stance and trying to catch Rodriguez lunging in. two uppercuts
did land but Roriguez trapped the lanky Jackson against the ropes and unloaded a good
left hook underneath. Jackson spun off the ropesbut was caught with two more left hooks.
Jackson got on the bicycle the rest of the round.
Jackson continued to try to time Rodriguez in the third round. It was frustrating
Rodriguez but he continued to remain calm, though fighting tentatively. By mid round
though Rodriguez was walking through the counters and mixing a few lite hooks and jabs
to both the body and head of Jackson. Jackson’s power wained a bit as he pawed with the
jabs in the fourth round Rodriguez eventually was able to get inside with a four punch
combination, but Cummings was controlling the outside by timing him coming in with lead
rights. Late in the round, Rodriguez found his mark with a two heavy hook to the face
of Cummings as he slid along the ropes with his hands in the air.
A melee erupted in the crowd just a round five was about to begin. Chairs were thrown,
chandeliers broken in the fight that took about twenty minutes and quell down. A woman
[appeared to be injured and was taken out on a stretcher.] The EMT’s took the injured
person to the hospital. The fight could not be continued as because there weren’t any
available ambulances, so the fight was forced to go to the scorecards. One judge saw
the bout 40-36 in favor of Greg Jackson, but was overruled by the other two officials
who had it 39-37 in favor of Juan Rodriguez Jr., giving him the razor thin four round
unanimous decision victory.

The co-feature of the evening, featured the comeback of light heavyweight Yusaf “Mack
Attack” Mack as he squared off against Corey “Black Ice” Cummings (17-7-1, 13KOs),
Newark, New Jersey. Cummings came out strong and immediately muscled Mack to the ropes.
Surprisingly, Mack got caught while exchanging and dropped to his knees from two left
hooks. Mack rose to his feet and Cummings attacked like a bull, but Mack put him to
the canvas with a right hand. Referee Sammy Viruet incorrectly called it a slip and
wiped off the gloves. The shorter Cummings was glued to Mack’s chest and continued to
bang away. In the final thirty seconds, Mack turned it around with a huge right hand
that forced Cummings to fall into the ropes. It should have been scored another
knockdown, but veteran referee Sammy Viruet missed the call again by not calling
anything. Cummings looked out of gas in the second round as Mack with his back to the
ropes banged two good body shots. Mack did not continue the attack, as he was also
running on empty. Cummings turned him around and did some good work off his own. Mack
would not get off the ropes, as he chose to fight the bowling ball-like Cummings fight.
Mack eventually slipped away, but was again caught with a big shot and was taking a
beating against the ropes as the round came to a close. Mack sent Cummings into the
ropes with a good right hand again in the third round. Cummings looked like he knew
he could pull the upset and seemed energized as he continued to bang away on the inside.
Mack slipped out and stood up Cummings with a left on the button. It would not stop
Cummings, who just kept pressing forward. Mack finally began to gain his rhythm in the
closing minute with sharp single shots.
It was battle of wills in the fourth, with Cummings pushing Mack to the ropes, but he
would not quit and banged his opponent to slide off the ropes. Mack looked to be
turning the tide by stepping out of range while landing single shots. Cummings would
not let up though and again did his work whenever Mack laid on the ropes. Cummings was
on him like a wet suit, banging away as the fifth round began. Mack tried to regain
his composure and box, but Cummings kept his head pressed against his chest.
The former USBA champ finally found his mark with a big right as both traded. Mack hurt
him again with a right hook. Cummings recovered quickly and got back inside, where he
could stay away from Mack’s power until the bell sounded to end the round.
Mack tried desperately to land the big shot in the sixth and final round. He found his
mark with a big right hand up top, but Cummings was steel chinned and came back with a
left off he own. Mack swung away with a few more good shots, but just couldn’t hurt
Cummings as the final bell sounded to end the fight. The score were tallied and all three
judges saw it in favor of Corey Cummings by scores of 59-54, 58-56 and 57-56 respectively.

Journeyman heavyweight John Bolden (6-9-1, 5KOs) of New York, New York and undefeated
Tyrell “Juice” Wright 6-0, 4KOs of Union City, New Jersey fought a back and forth battle,
but when the dust settled it was called a draw.
Tyrell Wright used sharp jabs to squeeze out a defensive opening round. Bolden mixed up
single shots up top and underneath to make it close. Both fighters exchanged big right
hands in the middle of the ring in the opening minute of the second. Bolden appeared to
be more comfortable as he pushed Wright back with a four punch combination up top.
The fight heated up early in the third as both fighters traded on the inside. Bolden was
the busier fighter. Wright was sharper and found the face of Bolden with a good right
hand on the way out of a break. The fight continued on the inside. This time a Wright
left upper cut caught Bolden on the chin. He complained that it was on the break. Wright
found him again with another left on the button seconds later to take the round.
Both fighters exchanged big left hooks in the third round, but it was Bolden’s that did
the most damage as Wright fell backwards to the canvas. Wright recovered quickly and each
fighter pounded away while on the inside. Bolden looked tired as the round finished out.
Bolden was jabbing in the fourth round, but his punches had lost their steam. Wright
appeared to be winning the battles on the inside in the fifth round. In the final minute,
Wright dug deep hooks underneath and continued to work whenever Bolden clinched. Wright
looked in control in the sixth and final round and he led the exchanges. Referee Sammy
Viruet took a point from Bolden for excessive holding. Neither could land a telling blow
down the stretch. All three judges saw it 56-56 even for the draw.

In a battle of undefeated welterweights, Marlon “Baby Face” Brown 2-0, 2K0s of Brooklyn
outworked cross state rival Alex “Popeye” Serna of Queens New York (1-1, 1KO) over four
rounds to capture a tough but convincing four round unanimous decision victory.
Brown came out strong, swinging for the hills with right hands just after the opening
bell sounded. Serna pushed the wild swinging Brown to the ground. Brown got sloppy and
his hooks were wide, which allowed Serna to land two solid rights up top. Brown regained
his composure and banged two hard hooks to the body in the center of the ring as the
round came to a close. The fight got sloppy in the second round as each fighter clinched
and grappled constantly. Serna was thrown to the ground during a combination. Referee
David Franciosi incorrectly ruled it a knockdown but Brown was in control though as the
round came to a close. Brown went back to boxing on the outside early in the third round.
Serna looked to make it a roughhouse fight, but it only resulted in several more clinches.
Brown was the cleaner puncher when the fighters were separated. In the closing minute
Brown unleashed a nice four punch combination up top. Brown continued to pop Serna in the
fourth and final round with good left jabs and combinations from distance. Serna’s wild
lunges resulted in both falling to the floor while wrestling. Brown would not give in and
kept his cool and stepped in an out of the pocket with single shots until the final bell.
All three judges score it the same way 40-35 in favor of the “The Baby Faced Assassin
Marlon Brown for the unanimous decision victory.

Local super featherweight Andrew “Sweet Pea” Bentley of Jersey City New Jersey evened his
record and 2-2, 1KO with a dominant four round unanimous decision victory over Cincinnati,
Ohio’s Micah Brand (2-11-1). Bentley controlled the fight throughout with his superior
hand speed, Branch was a survivor though and never went down throughout. All three judges
gave every round to Andrew Bentley by scores of 40-36 across the board for the one sided
four round unanimous decision victory.

In a battle of undefeated female junior middleweights Bertha Aracil (1-0, 1KO) of Yonkers
New York pummeled local fan favorite Connie Viruet throughout on her way to a dominant
second TKO stoppage. Aracil boxed well in the opening round, as she mixed in good bodywork
from the southpaw stance. Aracil’s superior footwork allowed her to easily avoid any
return shots as she puffed up Viruet’s face with heavy combinations. Aracil continued to
land big single shot to the head and body. Viruet though not hurt, was taking a beating
and Referee Dave Franciosi had seen enough and waived it off at forty four seconds of the
second round. Aracil ups her record to 2-0, 2KOs, while Connie Viruet falls to 1-1,1KO.

Elvin Sanchez 7-3-1, 5KOs squeaked out a four round majority decision over Brad Austin
(10-14, 7KOs) in a four round war. Austin tried to end things early in the opening round
by swinging for the fences with three good right hooks that just missed. Sanchez tried to
weather the storm but Austin pushed him into the corner and wailed away. Sanchez pivoted
out of the corner, but another Austin right hand had him stepping in potholes. He was
able to clinch and regain his senses but Austin was finding his mark regularly.
Austin came out jabbing and diving in with the occasional left hand in the second round.
Sanchez ca;med down and mixed in jabs to the head and the body Austin. Surprisingly, a
left jab made Austin do a backwards roll in the ring. Austin rose to his feet and
peppered Sanchez while on the retreat as he survived the round. Each fighter took turns
trying to control the ring in a back forth third round. Sanchez went on the attack in
the fourth round, and spun Austin’s head around with a right hand. Sanchez got caught
with a hard right also moments later. He continued to press forward though and Austin
went in survival mode. Sanchez caught Austin against the ropes and banged two large left
hooks off his face late. The crowd rose to their feet in appreciation of the actions of
both fighters as the fight went to the cards. One judge saw it even, but he was overruled
by the other two officials who had it 39-36 in favor of Elvin Sanchez for the four round
majority decision victory.
There was special count to remember one of the truly good guys of boxing, Andrew Touchstone
who passed recently. Touchstone managed rising Joe Cusumano and was an avid fight fan as
well as a sponsor for many of KEA Boxing shows. Boxing on the east coast will truly miss
Andrew Touchstone.