Chester Eyelights! Green Edges Belasco & Flores Is Robbed!

Date: Friday, March 18, 2011
Venue: Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack, Chester, Pennsylvania
Promoters: Joey Eye & David Feldman
Ring Announcer: Larry Tornambe
Referees: Gary Rosato, Shawn Clark & James Condon
Matchmaker: Nick Tiberi
Coverage: www.gofightlive.com
Photos: www.christoneyphotography.com and Jared Toney

Joey Eye and David Feldman know boxing! Since he was selected by Sylvester Stallone to be one of the kids dashing up the Philadelphia Art Museum steps with Rocky during the filming of Rocky II in 1978, Eye has had an intimate relationship with the sweet science. He began boxing at the Kensington Ramblers Boxing Club in Philadelphia, fought as an amateur and professional before a knee injury sidelined his career. Never missing a beat—he transitioned into his passion of being a cutman and a promoter. Feldman, on the other hand, watched his father, Marty Feldman, guide the career of the human highlight reel and early 80s middleweight contender Frank “The Animal” Fletcher—NBC boxing telecast’s favorite son. Fletcher was a mainstay on the networks and in the Feldman household. With The Legendary Blue Horizon closing back in June 2010 and Harrah’s being merely a hop, skip and a jump from the Philadelphia airport it was only natural for boxing to become woven into the fabric of the casino. Thus, like rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, Eye and Feldman collaborated and produced several hits and “eyelights.”

The rounds were close with the faster Green using his alacrity to disrupt Belasco from ever timing or landing any serious power punches. The only notable round was in the fifth when Green landed a left hook and right hand on an off-balance Belasco whose glove touched the canvas and it was correctly recorded as a knockdown by Referee Rosato. Belasco came back and stole Round 6 with a good combination almost at the end of the round that forced the man from Vineland to hold until the bell. The remaining rounds were close with Green pressing the action and beating Belasco to the punch by a split second, ducking to evade return fire and using his herky-jerky rhythm to offset his opponent. At the end, it was Green who was a awarded a split-decision by scores of 76-75 twice, the dissenting judge had it 77-74 Belasco.

Maybe Philadelphia junior-lightweight Anthony Flores (9 wins – 2 losses – 1 draw – 6 kos) should have taped a $100 bill to the back of his jacket and walked out on 13th and Market in downtown Philadelphia during rush hour. He would have been robbed but at least he would be able to understand why he was fleeced of his Benjamin. To fight your heart out for eight rounds and have two blind mice masquerading as judges award the decision by scores of 59-55 to Georgi Kevlishvilli (11 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 3 kos) from Moscow, Russia is worse than getting mugged in broad daylight. The only concession is that one judge was awake and had the same score, 59-55, for Flores.

Tall for the division, the five-feet-ten-inch Flores from the onset kept the advancing Russian on the end of his jab. It was textbook boxing as Flores used lateral movement with Kevlishvilli trying to trap him in the corner while eating jabs followed by quick combinations. Displaying aggression without landing anything meaningful while getting hit only proves one thing—you can move forward while taking punches. Kevlishvilli shook Flores with a good shot in Round 3. However, his success was ephemeral as the Philadelphian regained control and kept him on the end of the jab for the remainder of the fight. I was so certain that Flores had won five of the six rounds that I went to the men’s room for a pit stop only to discover on my way back that Kevlishvilli had won. How many times do I have to mount my soapbox and make a compelling argument for mandatory eye examinations for judges? Flores won, but was robbed!

In one of the evening’s most entertaining bouts, lightweight Angel Ocasio (3 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Philadelphia needed all of his boxing acumen to win a unanimous four-round decision over iron-chinned George “Relentless” Santiago (1 win – 2 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Brooklyn, New York. Santiago lived up to his moniker and pressed the action from the opening bell as Ocasio was perpetual motion, moving while landing crisp combinations and counters. Santiago kept the pressure on answering every combination thrown by Ocasio. They stood in the center of the ring and traded vicious body shots in the second round. However, the smaller Santiago seemed to relish in the art of destruction as he just kept marching forward like someone had plugged him into an electric socket.

In the third round a well-timed left hook by Ocasio deposited Santiago on the canvas. However, the diminutive fighter hopped up like a jack-in-the box to his feet before Referee Condon could begin counting. Santiago continued to press the action for the remainder of the round as Ocasio boxed smartly. The final round was much of the same with Ocasio looking like a matador and his opponent firmly in his role as the charging bull. At the conclusion Ocasio won by scores of 40-35 and 39-36 twice.

A little weed never hurt anyone, just ask President Bill Clinton. Before he occupied 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he lit up cigarettes made of the medicinal stuff known to ward of glaucoma and give you the munchies. Too much weed is bad for your health, as was discovered by Philadelphia lightweight Luis Castro (3 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) who spent 12 minutes in the mighty puff of perpetual smoke that was fellow Philadelphian Ramone “Little Weed” Ellis (0 wins – 6 losses – 0 draws). Tonight, the once winless Ellis wasn’t a nickel or dime bag; he was the whole ounce as he came out smoking and intoxicated Castro with vicious hooks to his ribs and kidneys manhandling him from pillar to post.

There is an old adage, records don’t beat you, fighters do. Maybe the slick-boxing Castro looked at Ellis’ record and thought it would be an easy night, failing to realize that Ellis could easily have had four wins and two losses because he is always in close fights. Castro’s team probably would not have taken the fight had they known that Ellis, who rarely ever spars with anyone below the junior-middleweight limit, can box, is fearless and exceptionally strong. The bell rung and Ellis blew across the ring right in Castro’s face and commenced to digging shots to the body. The rounds were identical as Ellis brought his entire inventory and unloaded it on Castro, who looked like he wanted to get out of the ring but the ropes kept him enclosed. Ellis took a unanimous four-round decision by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice. How Castro was awarded a round by two judges is inexplicable.

It is safe to assume the Philadelphia light-heavyweight Fred Jenkins Jr. wanted to impress his father and trainer Fred Sr. in his professional debut. The younger Jenkins made short work of fellow debuting fighter Scott Brunner of Lebanon, Pennsylvania dropping him twice with left hooks in the second round forcing Referee Clark to call a halt at 2:21.

Slick-boxing southpaw Lonnie Jackson Jr. (1win – 0 losses – 0 draws – 0 kos) of Philadelphia had to settle for a majority draw against debuting William Morgan, from Philadelphia by way of Brooklyn, New York. Morgan negated his edge when he scored a knockdown in the fourth round, but lost a point for hitting Jackson when he was down. It cost Morgan the decision because two judges scored the fight even 37-37 while the third had Jackson winning 39-35.

Grinning like a cat that swallowed a goldfish, six-feet tall 230-pound heavyweight William Miranda (1 win – 2 losses – 0 draws – 0 kos) of Allentown, Pennsylvania outweighed by 51 pounds and giving up at least six inches in height administered a good old-fashion beat down to behemoth Jamie Campbell (3 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 2 kos) of Ridley Park, Pennsylvania. What made this fight even more interesting is that Campbell is a full-time police officer and many of his co-workers were in attendance. Miranda entered the ring with a snide grin on his face and it never wavered throughout the four-round contest. The taller Campbell tried using his jab in the opening round but the shorter, rotund fighter walked right through it and smashed him with a devastating overhand right. In the second and third stanza, Miranda cornered his opponent on the ropes and wailed away, smiling the entire time landing hooks to the head and body of the bewildered Campbell. Our eyes met between rounds and the smile and Miranda’s body language told me that we both were thinking, “Boxing is really a great sport. Where else do you get to beat up a cop and get paid for doing it?” I couldn’t help feeling that Miranda was striking a blow for me and every person who has ever been pulled over by the police for DWB (driving while black). Despite being stopped on an average of three times annually, I have never been ticketed for any infraction. Rodney King should have been a boxer!

Keeping his foot on the pedal, Miranda punished Campbell in the final round, landing to the head and body. It seemed as though it would only be a matter of time before Campbell would be asleep on the canvas. Somehow he survived as Miranda won a unanimous decision by scores of 40-36, 39-37and 38-37 and strolled back to the dressing room with his smile intact. I guess Miranda accomplished what rap group N.W.A was contemplating in the title of their seminal 1988 hit single paying “homage” to the good men and women of law enforcement on the Straight Outta Compton album.

In a rematch of their bout last year Liz Sherman (2 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Philadelphia again bested Karen Dulin (2 wins – 7 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Mystic, Connecticut in a closely fought four-round featherweight bout. Two judges had it 39-37 for Sherman while the third had the same score going the other way for Dulin.

In a scheduled four-round light-heavyweight bout Dennis Morris (1win – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin didn’t know what I could have told him—Taneal Goyco (3 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Philadelphia has deceptive power, don’t get too comfortable. The awkward Morris captured the opening round by throwing haymakers that landed. Never dissuaded and with trainer Marty Feldman in his corner, Goyco seemed comfortable working behind his jab and I gave him the second round. Morris took the third stanza by throwing wide punches from all angles, leaving himself open for an inevitable counter. Up on the scorecards and encouraged by his earlier success, in the final round Morris pressed Goyco to the ropes and this proved fatal. As he was coming in Goyco timed him perfectly with a vicious right hand that spun him around, slumping him over the ropes. There was no need to begin the ten-count as Morris was out cold with the ropes keeping him on his feet as it appeared that he would pitch forward into the ringside seats. Immediately the ringside doctor and others rushed into the ring to provide assistance. Fortunately, Morris regained consciousness after a minute and was able to walk out of the ring. Goyco won by knockout 36 seconds of the fourth round.

It was an exciting night of boxing as the capacity crowd relished in the boxing foreplay before a night of heavy action in the casino. Enjoying the evening at ringside were Philadelphia Eagles Tre Thomas and Hugh Douglas. As is the norm, many of the close-knit Philly boxing community were in attendance, including Buster “The Demon” Drayton, Kymmberli Stowe, Mike Picciotti, Tyrone “Butterfly” Crawley, Nate “Mr.” Miller, Bryan “Boogalo” Jones, and Marvin “Machine Gun” Garris. Joey Eye and David Feldman know boxing baby!

Continue to support the sweet science, and remember, always carry your mouthpiece!

ghanson3@hotmail.com

OTHER PICTURES BY JARED TONEY



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