Friday Night Collision—Hunter Beats Vincente

The Mouthpiece
Friday Night Collision—Hunter Beats Vincente

By: George Hanson Jr., Esq.

Date: Friday, March 21, 2014
Venue: Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack, Chester, Pennsylvania
Promoters: Joey Eye Boxing Promotions & David Feldman
Ring Announcer: Larry Tornambe
Referees: Benjy Esteves Jr. & Hurley McCall
Matchmaker: Joey Eye
Coverage: www.gofightlive.com
Photos: www.christoneyphotography.com

Friday afternoon Mark Cipparone and the Rocco Fight Bunch—his stable of professional fighters, trainers and supporters— rolled into Chester, Pennsylvania strapped in their iron horses. Engines purring they turned right on Industrial Highway making the final left on Harrah’s Boulevard parking in the casino’s garage—ready for another night of action. Cipparone—the Chief Executive Officer of Rocco’s Collision Centers—has taken the boxing world by storm under his Club 1957 Management group. Since signing junior-lightweight Tevin “ The American Idol” Farmer in late 2012, Cipparone has added an impressive list of Philadelphia boxers—inclusive of the two featured on tonight’s card— featherweight contender Eric “Outlaw” Hunter and flyweight Miguel “No Fear” Cartagena. A marketing genius, Cipparone has taken branding to its rightful place synergistically meshing the sweet science and his primary business so much so that when I think about boxing the Rocco sign beams from the hard drive of my mind. It is sheer genius!

Tonight, Hunter (17 wins – 3 losses – 0 draws – 9 kos) faced tough and wily Yenifel Vincente (25 wins – 2 losses – 2 draws – 17 kos) Miami, Florida by way of the Dominican Republic in a scheduled ten-rounder for the vacant USBA featherweight title. For ten relentless action packed rounds they waged war at close quarters with Hunter fighting from the second round to the end from the southpaw stance. Vincente used every trick to disrupt and antagonize Hunter hoping to discombobulate his thinking, banking on the Philly pugilist committing an egregious foul warranting another disqualification. Hunter lost his last bout on September 13th against Mike Oliver in the same ring for the vacant NABA USA featherweight title when he was disqualified for hitting on the break in the opening round. I am confident that this fact resonated with Vincente who used his shoulder to bump Hunter under the chin when referee McCall was on the blind side.

There was a heated battle above with another skirmish for position being fought like a twisted tango as Vincente and Hunter used their legs for competitive advantage. Vincente repeatedly stepped on Hunter’s lead foot while punching. Hunter occasionally pushed him back and gained position by placing his jab leg on the outside of Vincente’s lead foot. It was a sight to behold and was equally intriguing as the action above the waist with the gloves fists. Hunter worked assiduously landing punches to Vincente’s midsection and ribcage. Some of the rounds were close with the eighth round being the most defining when Hunter blasted Vincente with an uppercut combination that forced the rugged Dominican to clutch for survival. He made it out of the round and finished the fight on his feet. Hunter captured the vacant title by scores of 99-91 and 97-93 twice and the first major title for Club 57 Management Group.
The fight originally scheduled to be contested at the cruiserweight limit but Pedro “The Bull” Martinez —returning from an 18-month layoff—couldn’t make weight. Anthony “Boom Boom” Ferrante (12 wins – 5 losses – 0 draws – 7 kos) was more than willing to accommodate his fellow Philly fighter by agreeing to swap punches at the heavyweight limit. Thus, Martinez (6 wins – 7 losses – 0 draws – 3 kos) tipped the scales at 229 lbs.—ten pounds heavier than Ferrante who had lost his bid for the vacant Pennsylvania cruiserweight title to Anthony “The Bull” Caputo in the same ring on January 31st.

It was an intriguing bout since Martinez had lost five of his last six fights dating back to 2010 and was riding a three fight-losing streak. On the other hand Ferrante had three losses and one no-contest in his four previous bouts with his last victory coming on August 12, 2011. But, many hardcore boxing fans believed that Ferrante, the bigger, stronger man would stop Martinez whose body appeared soft as drugstore cotton.

Martinez and trainer Ivan “Mighty” Robinson—the man who handed Arturo Gatti two consecutive losses back in 1998—had a game plan which was predicated on “taking away” Ferrante’s vaunted right hand by crowding him. No surprise that when the gong sounded for the scheduled six-rounder, Martinez rushed out and hopped right into Ferrante’s chest staying so close that there was more space separating two teenage lovers slow-dragging at the junior prom than what existed between the two combatants. He pressed the action and there were several clinches in the opening round. In the second round Martinez got his groove and whacked away at Ferrante’s body delivering numerous kidney and liver shots. By the third round Ferrante’s left eye was bleeding as he tried to keep the shorter fighter at bay. Martinez stayed low and kept the pressure on, wearing down Ferrante who seemed somewhat spent fighting off the ropes appearing to be hurt by a body shot in the fifth round. Martinez fought at the same pace and intensity for the entire bout leaving Ferrante on the defensive with several failed attempts to turn the tide with a thunderous right. The judges scored it 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56 all for Martinez.

In the opening bout, Jamaican junior middleweight Anthony “Shotta Box” Miller (1 win – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) now residing in Wilmington, Delaware faced Anthony Prescott (2 wins – 3 losses – 1 draw – 1 ko) of Cherry Hill, New Jersey. It was a highly entertaining encounter from start to finish with the southpaw Miller pressing the action facing much opposition from the supremely awkward Prescott who delivered punches from every conceivable angle. On his way to taking a close opening round, Miller walked right into a left hook that sent him to the canvas seconds before the bell. Miller was able to get to his feet at the count of three as the round concluded.

Still pressing from the southpaw stance jabbing occasionally, Miller lost a point in the second round for body slamming Prescott to the canvas while rising out of a clinch. Miller lost his composure and it cost him a point as he left referee Estevez little or no choice. They fought on even terms for the remainder of the bout with Prescott using his legs and a long jab while Miller came forward jabbing to the body never putting combinations together. Prescott captured a majority decision by scores of 39-35 twice with the third judge scoring it 37-37—a draw.

Flanked by his entourage inclusive of manager Mark Cipparone, Philadelphia flyweight Miguel “No Fear” Cartagena (11 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 4 kos) made his way to the ring reveling in his regalia and the pageantry of the ring-walk. Miguel Robles (12 wins – 3 losses – 2 draws – 5 kos) San Juan, Puerto, Rico seemed unaffected as he waited patiently for the introductions and the non-combatants to exit the ring. The bell rang and Cartagena worked behind the jab probing for openings, keeping his distance. Robles was able to connect with a wild overhand right that did little or no damage as Cartagena continued moving and trying to get a reading on his opponent. They fought on even terms in the opening stanza.

The second round took a turn for the worst during a clinch in which both boxers refused to untangle and desist from holding and hitting. Despite referee Estevez warning, they continued to whack away at each other with their free hands with the majority of punches landing behind the head. This forced “Biggie Smalls,” “Little But Bad” or “Fidel Sirb”— Greg Sirb—Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission—to hop onto the ring apron as the referee managed to separate the fighters giving them a stern warning while taking a point from both. It was safe to assume that Sirb— who is “affectionately” known by those three monikers—had nothing better to do or wanted to demonstrate his athletic prowess. Benjy Esteves Jr. is arguably one of the greatest referees in the annals of boxing. With him in the ring—order was going to be maintained.

The action resumed and Cartagena worked behind his jab while stalking Robles. During and exchange Cartagena uncorked a vicious left hook to Robles’ midsection which cause a delayed reaction before he sank to the canvas in pain. Listening to the referee’s count, Robles got to his feet by the count of six and was immediately attacked. Cartagena exploded with a wicked combination included a right uppercut and left hook that reintroduced Robles to the canvas sideways. Shaken and hurt, he rose before the referee tolled six. But, referee Estevez surmised that he wasn’t in any condition to continue and called a halt to the bout at 2:31 of the round saving Robles from serious punishment.

I missed the first encounter on January 22, 2011 when Haitian lightweight Osnel “Prince” Charles (9 wins – 8 losses – 1 draw – 1 ko) fighting out of Atlantic City won a majority six-round decision over Victor “The Fighting Barber” Vasquez (16 wins – 8 losses – 1 draw – 7 kos) of Philadelphia. So, tonight I was anxiously awaiting the rematch in the same ring—a scheduled eight-rounder— of two boxers who always thrill the fans laying it all on the line with every ounce of energy every time they entered the squared circle.

The opening round was close as Charles attacked from the onset relentless in his pursuit delivering to the head and body. Vasquez returned fired throwing a rapid one-two combination capped off with a left hook. Charles picked up the frenetic pace in the second stanza connecting midway with a body shot that hurt Vasquez sending him toppling midway out of the ring with his body landing right on my hands at the ringside press-row table. I wanted to assist him back into the ring but decided to follow the letter of the law and allowed Vasquez to take the count and while getting back to his feet and fully in the ring. He finished the round on good footing while boxing beautifully rocking Charles at the bell with a blistering right hand.

The action continued with many rounds being close as Charles pressed the action while Vasquez boxed from a distance using his jab and quick combination. Vasquez was able to hurt his adversary in the sixth round with a combination forcing him to clutch momentarily to clear his head. The final two rounds were exciting as the crowd reveled in the action. Charles captured a majority decision by scores of 77-74 twice with the third judge scoring it 78-74 for Vasquez.

America has always been enthralled with outlaws. There are legends written about Billy The Kid who murdered twenty-one people in cold blood before he met his demise and date with Lucifer— gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. And there was his Black counterpart—Cranford Goldsby nicknamed Cherokee Bill—who sent seven men to face the Grim Reaper and terrorized the Indian Territory with his gang for two years. But in the end, no legend will be more compelling than that of Eric “Outlaw” Hunter. I witnessed first-hand as he stopped all his opponents during his first year in the Philadelphia Golden Gloves as a 16-year-old. With Mark Cipparone at the helm, it is only a matter of time before this 2004 Olympic alternate wins a world title.

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

ghanson3@hotmail.com

 



Comments are closed.