In Praise of Matt Vanda

A couple of thoughts to preface this column:  First of all, this blog has never had a lot to say about Matt Vanda before, other than to cover his fights.  That’s about to change.  Secondly, I don’t usually like to write about a fighter without getting some comments from the subject first.  But today I’m going to dispense with that practice because, frankly, there’s nothing for Vanda to add to this article.  I’m going to do his bragging for him.

For the last few years Vanda (41-9 with 23 knockouts) has been the beating heart of Minnesota boxing.  Win or lose – and he has lost sometimes to local rivals – The Predator remains the most recognizable and charismatic character on the Minnesota fight scene.

Though Vanda first fought as a welterweight and in his second bout dropped down to junior welter, he has made most of his noise at middleweight and junior middle.

He has fought many of the leading lights of these divisions, with uneven results.  Significant wins against Jonathan Corn, Sam Garr, and Tocker Pudwill didn’t reap the desired publicity because some (many) onlookers thought that the wins were tainted – Corn by an early stoppage and Garr and Pudwill by bogus split decisions.  On the other hand, losses to Anthony Bonsante, Kenny Kost, Andy Kolle, Sebastien Demers, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, and John Duddy didn’t hurt him as much as they might have, either because he showed himself to be a tough gamer or because he performed unexpectedly well.  And wins against Troy Lowry, Yory Boy Campas, and most recently super middleweight Teddy Muller showed that despite shortcomings, Vanda has both heart and talent.

Minnesota boxing fans watch and wait to see someone else pick up the standard for Minnesota boxing.  We watch for someone else – anyone else – to put together the trifecta of exciting fights, frequent fights, and televised fights that Vanda has managed to bring us, and it doesn’t happen.  Tony Bonsante came closest, but his fights just weren’t as dramatic as Vanda’s.

Now Vanda headlines what is perhaps the most successful boxing event in Minnesota since…Vanda -vs- Bonsante back in January of 2007.  Twenty-two hundred tickets were sold out two weeks ahead of Vanda’s scheduled super middleweight bout with Phil “The Drill” Williams (11-1 with 10 knockouts) on November 13th.  Not only that, but this event will be televised on Fox Sports North, and that’s almost unheard-of.

Say what you want about Vanda’s career trajectory, the sometimes friendly hometown scoring from which he has benefitted, and his uncouth public persona.  If you know nothing else about the man, remember this: Matt Vanda has carried the image of Minnesota boxing on his back for years with little help.  Whatever develops in the future, you can thank Matt Vanda for keeping the spark of local pride alive.

A New Middleweight Champ, a Retirement, and More from Hinckley

Chatter from Grand Casino:

Andy Kolle is the new Minnesota middleweight champion.  In a result that will boost his career considerably, Kolle disposed of accomplished veteran Anthony Bonsante in three rounds.  It was an exciting back-and-forth affair as long as it lasted, but the way it ended leaves no doubt who’s the boss.  After the fight Kolle made a point of mentioning that he wants to move down from middleweight (160#) to junior middleweight (154#).  This makes my fantasy matchup of Kolle -vs- Harry Joe Yorgey even more tantalizing.

Anthony Bonsante has announced his retirement.  In the wake of his spectacular 3rd-round TKO loss to Andy Kolle, I am told that Bonsante has announced that he will retire.  Matchmaker Cory Rapacz tells me that Bonsante made the promise to his children, then announced it publicly.

Referee Mark Nelson will be working a world title fight in Japan on April 11.  This is probably the Nobuo Nashiro-Konosuke Tomiyama super flyweight bout in Osaka, but the Fistic Mystic isn’t going to pretend to know for sure.  I’ll post more after I hear from Nelson in the next day or two.

Johnny Johnson and the Rice Street Gym have come up smelling like roses.  Cerresso Fort and Brad Patraw both won in Hinckley and remained undefeated (both now 5-0), and Rice Street amateurs kicked butt in  regional Golden Gloves competition.

Antwan Robertson will probably ask for a rematch with Brad Patraw.  Robertson’s coach and manager, John Hoffman, says that Robertson has adequate offense and defense, but lacks confidence in his offense.  This is borne out by his performance in Hinckley, where I only observed one three-punch combination from Robertson in a six round fight.

Cerresso Fort looked like a million bucks in Hinckley.  His defeat of Joshua Rodriguez left no doubt.  He took good punches without wilting, he dished out devastating punches, he showed good mobility, he was in tremendous condition, and he really helped his career with this pasting of Rodriguez.

Seconds Out Promotions will promote on a show at Grand Casino Hinckley on June 5.  Big plans for an exciting card are in the works, but few details are available now.  Plan to hear lots about this one later.

Live Report: Bonsante-Kolle and Patraw Robertson

7:17pm – I’m sitting ringside with Willshaun Boxley, and he’s filling me in on how the world works.

7:34pm – The lights go dim and the crowd begins to murmur.

First bout of the evening:

Patrick Cape (now 5-4 with 3 kayos) defeats Daniel Schlienz (now 7-16 with 4 kayos) by KO in round 3 of 4 scheduled.

Schlienz enters the ring first, accompanied by AC/DC.  Cape follows to the strains of Tom Petty’s Won’t Back Down.

Round 1

 The bout begins with both men demonstrating their elusivity.  No punches landed in the first thirty seconds.  Cape bounces a right off of Schlienz with no effect.  Much feinting and ineffectual jabbing.  An overhand right lands for Cape, now a soft left hook to the midsection of Schlienz.  Another right.   Now Schlienz walks into a right, and he begins bleeding from the nose.  However, the expected aggression is generally lacking from both men.  Schlienz back Cape near to a neutral a corner, but Cape punches his way out.  Blood continues to flow from the nose of Schlienz, and another right hook lands for Cape.  Cape is showing a tendency to duck and punch at the same time.  Cape lands a right hook to the temple of Schlienz, and now a powerful right to the jaw.  This round ends with Schlienz failing to land a single meaningful punch.

Round 2

Schlienz comes out with intent, walking Cape down.    Cape is poking out jabs.  Schlienz lands his first hook of the fight, and the crowd says ‘Ooh.’  Schlienz back Cape into a corner, where Cape throws a power shot that buckles Schlienz’s knees, but the two tie up and Schlienz regroups.  More pawing, and Cape catches Schlienz coming in.  Cape lands a big right.  A good right hook lands to Schlienz’s midsection, and he returns the favor to Cape.  Cape lands a right hook to the ear of Schlienz, and now Schlienz is wide-eyed as he continues to stalk.  Cape seems too quick for Schlienz, punishing him as Schlienz tries to come forward.  Cape’s jab is coming on, Schlienz is becoming more tentative.  Now Schlienz lands a right hook to Cape’s jaw.  Cape is smiling as he surveys Schlienz’s bloody face.  An exchange of soft hooks ends this round.

Round 3

This third opens with much ducking and juking but few punches.  Schlienz throws the first punch of the around about fifteen seconds in.  Now Cape backs himself into a corner, then lands a right hook to Schlienz’ head.  A right lands to the body of Schlienz, then a right lands to the body of Cape and a few seconds later a right to the jaw of Cape.  Cape backs way back into a neutral corner and gets hit with a power shot, but he smiles and tries to pretend he didn’t feel it.  Now Cape backs into Schlienz’s corner and lands a good right.  Schlienz face is covered in blood.  Schlienz lands a hook to the body of Cape and hurts him, but Cape still looks like the stronger man.  Now a good right hook lands on Cape’s jaw.  Cape backs into a corner again, but this time comes out with both guns blazing, lands a series of power shots on Schlienz, and Schlienz goes down hard, the back of his head slapping the canvas hard.  Referee Gary Miezwa counts six, then stops the fight as Schlienz is clearly unable to sit up on his own.

Note: there seemed to be a bit of a rush to get Schlienz back on his feet before he was ready, and he wobbled back to his corner before plopping down on his stool.  Schlienz seems okay as he leaves the ring, but hopefully he’ll receive some medical care and a reasonable suspension before he’s allowed in a ring again.

————————-

Second bout of the evening:

Gary Eyer (now 5-0-1 with 4 kayos) defeats Scott Robinson (now 3-9-1 with 2 kayos) by TKO in round 1 of 5 scheduled.

Scott Robinson enters the ring first, serenaded by some hippety hop music.  I’m not a fan (of the music).  Gary Eyer follows him in wearing his customary tie-dye outfit, serenaded by Culture Club’s ‘Do You Really Want to Hurt Me’ – this is Eyer’s signature ring-entrance tune.

Round 1

Robinson rushes out to the center of the ring to engage, but Eyer lands the first punch.  Robinson deserves some credit for his aggressiveness, as he lands three left jabs in quick succession while coming forward.  Eyer bounces a monstrous right off of Robinson, but Robinson comes back with two good left hooks.  Now Eyer rings Robinson’s bell with a huge right hook to the temple, and another power shot lands as Robinson rushes backwards across the ring.  Both men still seem very confident, and neither respects the other’s power, but Eyer puts Robinson to the mat with several hooks and overhand punches.  Robinson rises and after a mandatory eight count he lands a glancing left hook to the temple of Eyer – Robinson seems genuinely unhurt, despite what we just saw.  Now Robinson lands a one-two, followed by a left hook to the body.  Eyer’s right finds Robinson’s ribs, and Robinson seems hurt but does not go down.  Eyer misses with a right and takes a Robinson punch to the face for his trouble.  Eyer follows up with a series of strong shots that put Robinson down on his his knees, his head and upper body protruding through the ropes.  Referee Mark Nelson is decisive in stopping the fight immediately, but Robinson, who seems very lucid, is incensed.  Fight over.

Third bout of the evening:

Cerresso Fort (now 5-0 with 5 kayos) defeats Joshua Rodriguez (now 4-7 with 3 kayos) in round 4 of 6 scheduled.

Rodriguez enters the ring to some non-descript pop music.  Fort is accompanied by a live rap performance by a black guy in Harry Caray glasses.

Round 1

The round begins with Fort, visibly larger than Rodriguez, landing multiple right hands, but taking a forehead to the temple when he gets too free and easy coming in.  Fort is confident to a fault, lunging and jumping forward as he throws.  Things slow down a bit, and now both men are conservative in their movements.  Fort lands a nice power shot, but Rodriguez is unmoved.  Mark Nelson sends Rodriguez to a neutral corner and asks Fort’s corner to cut some loose tape from a mitt.  Now Fort comes back out with a vengenace, landing repeated power shots to the head of Rodriguez, who looks aggravated but unhurt.  Fort’s left jab is now landing with regularity.  The two now begin circling, and Rodriguez catches Fort with a flurry as Fort attempts to come forward.  Fort responds with tremendous aggression, landing a series of power shots that snap Rodriguez’s head back repeatedly.  A lengthy lull at the close of the round ends with Fort landing a vicious right hook at the bell.

Round 2

Fort’s greater reach is clear, and he uses it – but not to full advantage, as Rodriguez occasionally catches him with a lead or a counter.  The two men trade in the center of the ring, Fort landing the last and hardest shot.  Fort bounces on his toes and switches up his feet a couple of times, then hits Rodriguez with a strong hook.  The two trade again, and again Fort comes out on top.  Rodriguez’s posture is changing; he’s beginning to hunker down even as he comes forward.  Fort lands a strong left hook, punching through his target, then does it again a few seconds later.  the two are moving more slowly now, and referee Nelson isn’t running so much to keep good angles.  In the last few seconds before the bell Fort lands two one-twos, and the round comes to an end.

Round 3

The pattern that’s emerging is that Rodriguez can land a lead here and there, but Fort makes him pay every time.  Fort pumps the jab a few times and it serves to emphasize how infrequently he’s been throwing it.  Now Rodriguez lands a strong left hook, but it’s a single punch.  Fort throws a  hard straight right that puts Rodriguez up against the ropes and draws blood from his nose.  Rodriguez continues to buy his offense at a heavy price, as Fort smears his blood around with lefts and rights.  Fort covers up and allows Rodriguez to bounce a couple of power shots off his forearms, and and emerges after twenty seconds of relative inactivity to land about five good power shots that clearly hurt Rodriguez.  A huge left jab to the face draws an audible grunt from Rodriguez.  With five seconds to go Rodriguez opens up and for the first time in a while lands a few punches without eating any counters from Fort.

Round 4

The combatants land simultaneous short rights, then commence to circling.  Fort connects with another good left hook, Rodriguez a good shot of his own, and Fort a good right that would knock out a horse.  Rodriguez backs into the ropes and takes a tremendous beating, Fort landing a series of six to eight power shots flush and undefended.  Mark Nelson stops the fight just before Rodriguez takes a knee, and Rodriguez, knowing that the stoppage is good, spits his mouthpiece out with pronounced disappointment.

INTERMISSION

Fifth bout of the evening:

Brad Patraw (now 5-0 with 3 kayos) defeats Antwan Robertson (now 4-1 with 3 kayos) by unanimous decision after 6 rounds

The orchestral theme to Superman heralds Antwan Robertson’s ring entrance, and Robertson enters the ring in full Superman regalia, including a red cape.  Wow - Antwan’s made a trip to the costume shop!  Now Brad Patraw bounces out of the locker room with a full mohawk.  In black stencil on the back of Patraw’s trunks is the word Kryptonite.  Looking good, guys.  The mood in this room is electric.

Round 1

The two men rush out to the center of the ring and touch gloves, and Patraw immediately goes on the offensive, roughing Roberton up and forcing a clinch.  Now the two begin to circle and feint.  Robertson charges forward but in doing so forgets to throw a punch, then backs off and lands a jab.  we have a clinch, some wrestling, and an angry warning from referee Gary Miezwa.  Robertson seems not fully prepared to deal with Patraw’s aggressiveness.  Now Patraw drops his right hand and swings it like a pendulum, daring Robertson to clock him.  It may be a little early for that, Brad.  The two are jabbing, ducking, and showboating.  Patraw lands a hateful right hook to the body of Robertson and Robertson follows ten seconds later with a straight right that throws Patraw off balance.  Patraw corners Robertson and lands a single right to the body.  As the round draws to a close Patraw chases Robertson down and lands a few more single punches, including one to the chin.

Round 2

Patraw hurries out and immediately lands a single right jab, and Robertson is on the retreat again.  Robertson is trying to out-quick and out-clinch Patraw, and lands a major right hook to the head.  Patraw responds with vigor.  Robertson does it again, landing another single right hook.  Patraw throws two punches to the back of Robertson’s head and is warned.  Now Robertson is smiling, and it looks more like glee than show.  Patraw lands another punch to the back of Roberton’s head, unseen by the referee.  Patraw corners Robertson and lands a good right hook, but that’s it for offense.  Robertson lands a straight right, again a single punch.  Robertson is boxing, Patraw is rushing in with aggression.  Miezwa puts a pause to the action so Patraw’s shoelace can be retied, and everyone in the crowd is shouting insructions to both fighters.  Patraw chases Robertson down throwing jabs that don’t land, then puts a right hook into Robertson’s ribs just before the round ends.

Round 3

The pace is beginning to slow in this one.  Patraw lands a wide left and a wide right, then lands a stinging right to Roberton’s ribs.  Robertson fights back in anger, landing two fierce hooks, then taunts Patraw.  Patraw is incensed, but tones things down and throws several jabs to the body.  A winging left hook lands for Patraw, then a jab to the face.  Robertson is doing a good job of protecting his body, and the two clinch again, ending in a wrestling match and an intervention by Miezwa.  Robertson has his right hand at his waist, Patraw drops his left.  Single punches are landing, and Robertson puts his head down and bulls forward.  Patraw puts Robertson in a headlock, angering the crowd.  Now Patraw batters Robertson into a corner, allows him to escape, chases him down again, and lands a couple of vicious hooks in the opposite corner of the ring.  Bell, and the round is over.

Round 4

Robertson lands a right and then throws his first three-punch combination of the fight.  Patraw is content to follow for a time, then corners Robertson and hurts him there.  Robertson escapes and runs, but is caught and hurt again.  Robertson appears distressed.  Patraw’s speed and technique are overcoming Robertson’s athleticism and taunting.  This round is going decisively in Patraw’s favor, and he begins to taunt Robertson by hanging his face out to be hit.  Robertson is unable to pull the trigger.  Exiting a clinch without the referee’s direction Robertson lands a good right to Patraw’s head, and the two circle and stare for the remainder of the round.

Round 5

Patraw lands a left hook.  Robertson is warned to keep his punches up, I did not see the cause for this warning.  Patraw is stalking, Robertson is retreating.  Patraw’s face is now expressionless as he is focused on his goal.  Miezwa pauses the fight again so that Patraw’s shoelace can be retied…again.  Do they offer a course in shoe-tying in the St Paul public schools?  Patraw lands a  strong hook to Robertson’s head.  Robertson is very athletic but seems to lack direction in the ring.  Robertson lands a huge right hook which causes Patraw to grin.  You know what a grinning fighter means – it means that hurt.  Patraw continues to press the action, and Robertson flinches at a feint for the first time as the round draws near its end.  Patraw lands two combinations that make Robertson grin, and the bell sounds.

Round 6

The early action in round six is nonstop and exciting.  Robertson obviously knows that he needs an knockout to win, and he is going for broke.  About midway throught the round there’s a lull in the action, and then Patraw fires back with three hooks that land.  Robertson has decided to retreat, but the ropes stop him and he’s caught again.  Robertson tries to spin out of a clinch and Patraw manages to halt his right hook before it lands to the back of Antwan’s head.  Patraw has Robertson hurt now, and with blood in the water he’s going for the kill.  Robertson is getting backed up and hurt, and he has no answer for Patraw.  Now a wicked Patraw left hook lands at the ten seconds warning, and Patraw charges forward, does a high-stepping dance, and lands a couple more power shots at the final bell.

Fifth and final bout of the evening:

Main Event: Andy Kolle (now 18-2 with 13 kayos) defeated Anthony Bonsante (now 32-11-3 with 18 kayos) by TKO in round 3 of 10 scheduled, to take away Bonsante’s Minnesota middleweight championship.

After two well-performed anthems (tribal and national), the entrances are delayed by an apparent altercation in the crowd.  What was that I said about a charged atmosphere?  Kolle’s signature ring-entrance music begins and the crowd erupts.  Kolle enters the ring in a shiny black plastic ensemble, shirt and shorts.  He brings an entourage with him, and they play to the crowd for a good two minutes as the music blares.  Now Bonsante’s contingent screams for their man as he approaches the ring to Sammy Kershaw’s I Got It Honest.  Something you don’t see every day: each man has his own  announcer – Greg Lowe for Kolle, Dan Cole for Bonsante.

Round 1

And they’re off.  Kolle starts pumping the right jab early, Bonsante takes a moment to get going.  First punch to land is a left jab from Kolle to Bonsante’s midsection.  The crowd begins to chant for Kolle, and Kolle lands a stiff left jab to Bonsante’s gut.  Bonsante charges in for the first time tonight but is unable to get inside.  Another try results in Kolle’s right elbow contacting Bonsnate’s nose, but no evident damage is done.  Kolle continues to jab and Bonsante is moving backward.  Now Bonsante lands a right hook and chases Kolle into a corner but departs without getting inside.  The two trade jabs from the outside, but neither is landing effectively.  Now Bonsante lands his first earnest punches of the night, a couple of angry right hooks, and the two clash and trade.  Bonsante is unable to stay inside for long, and the round ends with Kolle splashing another jab into Bonsante’s face.

Round 2

Bonsante lands a left jab to Kolle’s face, then gets inside and lands wide hooks to both sides of Kolle’s ribcage.  A clinch devolves into a Bonsante headlock, but the two part ways.  The two trade briefly, and Bonsante gets the better of it.  Bonsante is having some success with hooks to the body, but he leaves himself open and Kolle lands a strong left to his face.  Bonsante gets inside again and surprises Kolle with a left hook to the face.  Now Kolle is closing the distance, and that’s to Bonsante’s advantage.  Another left lands to Kolle’s head, and he responds with a three punch combination that misses completely.  Another three-punch combo also misses for Kolle.  Kolle is having trouble landing the jab, Bonsnate gets inside then stands up, briefly lifting Kolle off his feet.  Bonsante is tagged with a combination of three hard hooks to the face as the round ends, and he walks back to his corner looking annoyed.

Round 3

Early on it’s all Bonsante, but then the two begin to trade and Kolle lands several good hooks that hurt Bonsante.  The two circle and trade, then Kolle lands a hook that stuns Bonsante and a straight left that puts him out cold.  Referee Mark Nelson begins to count as Bonsante lies prone on his stomache with his butt in the air, and Bonsante suddenly comes to and rises to his feet.  After the mandatory eight-count Bonsante is unable to continue, and the fight is waved off!  Nelson stops the bout at 1:37 of the third round, and Minnesota has a new middleweight champion! 

Conclusion:  Bonsante grabs the microphone and graciously announces that Kolle is a good kid and hit him with a good left.  Bonsante says that he had a good run as state middleweight champ and that if he had to lose his title to anyone, he’s glad it was Kolle.  For his part, Kolle dedicates his win to the people of Fargo-Moorhead and asks that folks volunteer in the ongoing flood fight.

The crowd here tonight was great, and no matter who you supported, you should be glad for the great turnout, exciting atmostphere, and compelling bouts.

Note: Referee Mark Nelson explains his decision to stop the fight: “I almost told Bonsante to walk toward me, but then instead I decided to ask him a question.  I asked him if he was ready to continue and he said ‘No.’  I asked him again, are you ready to continue?  And he said ‘No” again.  Bonsante is an old pro and I’ve worked his fights before, and he knows what I expect of him.  I could have waved it off but I wanted to give him every opportunity to continue, and he wasn’t ready to go.  So I stopped it.

Andy Kolle Talks to the Fistic Mystic

Andy Kolle graciously answers a few questions about his upcoming bout with Anthony Bonsante.

Fistic Mystic: How’s your training camp going?

Andy Kolle: Training has been great!  I went to camp back in early January, so I wanted to make sure everything was perfect for this fight.  I know Tony is a tough guy and he is coming to take my head off!  I know this is going to be a war so I am prepared to physically and mentally to deal with whatever the Bullet brings to the table!

FM: In preparing for Anthony Bonsante, have you been sparring with anyone particular?

AK: I have been doing a lot of sparring for this fight.  I didn’t have the luxury of bringing in a former world champ to help me prepare.  However, I was fortunate enough to have the type of sparring partners that would work with me and forget about themselves and their own personal styles and try to mimic Bonsante’s style.

FM: Have you been working more on conditioning or strategy?

AK: I’m in the gym 5 days a week whether I have a fight or not, so conditioning is never an issue for me.  I keep myself close to fight ready at all times so when it’s time to go to camp I don’t have to play catchup.  That way when we officially start camp all our focus is on the person we are fighting.  In this case, I’ve had my eye on Bonsante ever since he won that title, so it was fun to actually get to train specifically for him.  At the same time I’ve been fighting long enough to know that having a strategy isn’t always the best idea, especially when you fight a tough rugged vet like Bonsante.  You have to be able to be fluid and adapt to whatever he brings to the fight.

FM: How did this fight come about – who put it together, and when did you learn about it?

AK: I think the Kenny Kost fight was the original fight offered, but Chuck wanted to go right for the man on top. So he put the idea in their head to shoot for Bonsante and that is what happened as far as I know…Between my team and Cory Rapacz they put got the ball rolling and that’s really all I know. For all I know there could have been a lot more involved, but all that doesn’t matter much to me.  They put the contract in front of me and that’s all I needed.

FM: Assuming you win, what do you think you will have accomplished for your boxing career?

AK: Assuming?  I will be taking that title home with me on Sunday when I leave the casino.  As far as my career, I think it’s far from over.  I just want others to look at my career, no matter what way it goes from here on out, and say that kid had balls – he would fight anybody, and man he was fun to watch!

Bonsante -vs- Kolle – Analysis

Anthony Bonsante works out with John Hoffman, photo by Jesse Kelley, used with permission

Because he has been willing to fight much larger men and hot young prospects, Anthony Bonsante is a boxer whose record includes ten losses. That’s a lot of losses for a fighter of his reputation. Close inspection of Bonsante’s record reveals that of the nine men to whom Bonsante has lost, only one was not (or did not later become) a prospect. The combined record of these nine men, to date, is 229-60. Toss out the shock loss to Danny Thomas ten years ago and that combined record becomes 213-24. On the flip side, Bonsante has earned some significant wins against the likes of Billy Mastrangelo, JJ Corn, Tony Ayala Jr, Brent Cooper, Troy Lowry, and Matt Vanda – combined career records to date: 183-50.

Bonsante has reached the point in his career where he fights guys he knows he can beat in order to set up fights that will pay him well. This fight is a departure from that routine, for despite any propaganda, Bonsante knows that the winner of this match is not a foregone conclusion. In a recent interview with Jesse Kelley of Minnesotaboxing.com, Bonsante revealed as much when he said, “Me and Kolle are going to beat the hell out of each other. When all is said and done, the winner…will stand in the middle of the ring to show the fans who the best middleweight in Minnesota is.”

Andy Kolle

Andy Kolle has shown his ambition recently by taking very tough matches with Matt Vanda and Jonathan Reid, which he won, and with world welterweight champion Paul Williams, which he lost in disappointing fashion.  The fight with Bonsante is a natural next step for a young man hoping to advance his career.  It brings a decent payday, it exposes him to the homestate fans, and it gives him a chance to unseat the current king of middleweights in Minnesota.  Make no mistake, Kolle would like to co-opt not only Bonsante’s place in Minnesota boxing, but also Bonsante’s fans when the #1 Daddy chooses to call it a career.

This Saturday night in Hinckley, expect to see Bonsante work hard with rough tactics to get inside.  Bonsante isn’t a huge puncher, but he has a wicked uppercut and can snap off a very good hook once in a while.  Against the younger and taller man it would be wise for Bonsante to work the body mercilessly.  Kolle, for his part, will try to emphasize his length and his strength, jabbing from the outside to set up power combinations.  The key to this fight, as with all matchups between tall and short men, is whether Kolle can keep Bonsante at arms length and close the distance only when he chooses to, or if Bonsante can get inside, what effect his uppercuts and power shots have on Kolle’s body and chin.

Upcoming Boxing Event: March 28 at Grand Casino Hinckley

The atmosphere on Saturday night is guaranteed to be charged.  There will be loyalists from various boxing camps, hardcore boxing fans hoping for a great show, and casual fans hoping for a scary knockout.  There will be all the vulgar rituals that inevitably attend our beautiful sport: drinking, betting, shouting, swearing, and arguing.  Cameras will be flashing, reporters taking notes, bloggers trying ineffectually to conserve laptop battery power, and perhaps even a few representatives of the mainstream press trying to understand the strange and unfamiliar spectacle that confronts them.

But most critically, there should be you.

I hope you’ve bought your tickets.  I’m not predicting a sellout, but I have been told that sales are “ahead of all other past Hinckley shows.”  And why not?  The featured bout is a matchup of the most accomplished middleweight in Minnesota in the last ten years with one of the highest-profile young fighters to emerge from our state in any division in the last five years.  The co-feature will  showcase two talented small men putting their undefeated status on the line.  And the undercard consists of four well-matched bouts.

What to watch for:  Defending Minnesota middleweight champ Anthony Bonsante defends his belt against worthy challenger Andy Kolle.  The winner will raise his profile and the loser will question the direction of his career.  Super flyweight Antwan Robertson and featherweight Brad Patraw compromise and meet at 120# as they fight for the first time as pros – remember that Patraw gave Robertson two of the three losses of his amateur career.  Ceresso Fort of Rice Street takes on rough and reckless Iowan Joshua Rodriguez.  Gary Eyer makes the trip from Duluth to face old veteran Scott Robinson of Wisconsin.  Brawler Tyler Gould returns to welterweight to fight division fixture Danny Schlienz.  And newcomer Kasey Kluge makes his professional debut against winless Brandon Skinner of Nebraska.

• Anthony Bonsante (32-10 with 18 kayos) -vs- Andy Kolle (17-2 with 12 kayos), for the Minnesota state middleweight title, scheduled for 10 rounds
• Brad Patraw (4-0 with 3 kayos) -vs- Antwan Robertson (4-0 with 3 kayos), super bantamweights, scheduled for 6 rounds
• Ceresso Fort (4-0 with 4 kayos) -vs- Joshua Rodriguez (4-6 with 3 kayos), light heavyweights, scheduled for 6 rounds
• Gary Eyer (4-0-1 with 3 kayos) -vs- Scott Robinson (3-8-1 with 2 kayos), lightweights, scheduled for 5 rounds
• Kasey Kluge (0-0) -vs- Brandon Skinner (0-2), featherweights, scheduled for 4 rounds
• Tyler Gould (5-3 with 5 kayos) -vs- Daniel Schlienz (7-15-1 with 4 kayos), scheduled for 4 rounds

Minnesota Boxing Roundup: Upcoming Boxing Events for Winter-Spring 2009

Minnesota may not have instantly become the center of the boxing universe, but it’s heartening to see the scene suddenly so much busier than usual.

With two shows by Seconds Out in January we got off to a nice start in 2009.  Another show in February inaugurated what is expected to be a series of fight cards at Epic Nightclub in Minneapolis.  Tony Grygelko says that he has invested in a cage for MMA bouts and a return to Epic for an MMA-only event is planned for March.

Now several more shows are coming up – two of them promoted by Justin Seurer of MSC – as well as a couple of big road trips for Minnesota fighters.  Here’s a brief overview:

Road Trippers and Local Events:

• Zach Walters (23-3) of Horton’s Gym in Duluth faces former two-time super middleweight world champion Byron Mitchell in Buffalo NY of all places, a fight which should give the winner a big career boost, whomever that may be.  Walters stays in his usual weight class (light heavyweight) while Mitchell moves up for only the third time.  Here’s hoping the Jungle Boy can take advantage of his length and athleticism to gain a huge win.
• Eastsider Matt Vanda (39-8) travels to the real center of the boxing universe on Saturday February 21 to face John Duddy (25-0) at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Duddy rose to prominence as the hottest of hot prospects for a couple of very good years before hitting a serious speed bump when Walid Smichet (Wally Who?) took him the distance in what turned out to be a non-unanimous ten-round decision win for Duddy.  Since then Duddy’s reputation has suffered and his momentum has waned.  The choice of Vanda, however much we might like him in Minnesota, bespeaks not a ton of confidence from Duddy’s handlers.  It should be remembered by even the most casual of local fight fans that Duddy defeated Anthony Bonsante back in 2007, just two months after Bonsante had handily defeated Vanda.
• March 21 is the targeted date for a Seconds Out show at the St Paul Armory.  This one is expected to include Willshaun Boxley and possibly Joey Abell, as well as Harley Kilfian, Jon Schmidt, and Dion Savage.  Abell has elsewhere disclosed that he will fight in March, but it isn’t certain whether it will be in Sweden, Philadelphia, or St Paul.
• One week later, on March 28, Minnesota sees its biggest in-state matchup in a couple of years when Anthony Bonsante and Andy Kolle mix it up for the state middleweight title.  This card, promoted by Justin Seurer, has been skilfully filled out by matchmaker Cory Rapacz with a ton of attractive young talent who probably aren’t demanding big money for their participation.  Foremost among the remaining matchups is a battle between Antwan Robertson and Brad Patraw, and all the remaining bouts should be interesting in their own ways.
• Caleb Truax hopes to appear in St Louis on the same night, on the undercard of Cory Spinks-Deandre Latimore.  According to Truax, if Grygelko is unable to get him on that Don King-Lou DeBella promoted show, he would expect to be inserted into the March 21 event mentioned above.
• A mixed boxing/MMA event featuring Raphael Butler is tentatively scheduled for April 4 in Rochester, but no details are yet available.  More information should become available soon, and the Fistic Mystic will try to keep you abreast of developments.
• Target Center hosts an event scheduled for April 18, the card for which has not been filled out yet.  But we know that Jason Litzau is expected to headline, with big brother Allen Litzau facing undefeated prospect Wilton Hilario in what has been described as the co-main event.  Matt Vanda has been tentatively scheduled to appear in this show, depending on the outcome of his February 21 fight with John Duddy (mentioned above).  The name of Shelby Pudwill has been dropped as a potential opponent, but obviously nothing is yet finalized.

Minnesota Boxing Dreams Really Do Come True

For a while in 2008 it looked like the Minnesota boxing scene had gone stale.

Sure, we had Minnesota fighters getting cracks at prospects, Matt Vanda had two spirited contests with JCC2, and we even had Jason Litzau go eight rounds (or 7.85 rounds) with world featherweight titlist Robert Guerrero with a belt on the line.  But the intra-Minnesota wars weren’t happening, and everybody seemed to feel the void.

Matchups that people were talking about in Minnesota were getting not made in spades; matches like Zach Walters -vs- Phil Williams, Anthony Bonsante -vs- Andy Kolle or Kenny Kost, Allen Litzau -vs- Wilton Hilario, Joey Abell -vs- Raphael Butler, or seemingly any two fighters at or under 130#.

Now early in 2009 it looks like the opposite dynamic is at work.  Three bouts of particular note deserve the attention of Minnesota fight fans:

Brad Patraw -vs- Antwan Robertson: A source of exasperation for Minnesotans has been the apparent unwillingness of Minnesota’s small men to meet in the ring.  There are just too many good young fighters at or below 130# who could be matched if they were willing.  In addition to Patraw and Robertson, who are both 4-0, we also have Willshaun Boxley at 4-0, Wilton Hilario at 10-0, Allen Litzau at 13-3, Jeremy McLaurin at 2-0, and Gary Eyer at 4-0 .  Each name could potentially be matched with at least two others from the list, but none have been.  Now Patraw and Robertson are set to disrupt the frustrating trend with their meeting scheduled for March 28 at Grand Casino Hinckley.  Neither has made a big splash on the pro scene, but both are undefeated, so whoever wins will have enhanced their resume considerably.  And whoever loses can say his only loss was to an undefeated prospect!

Anthony Bonsante -vs- Andy Kolle: This fight, also on March 28 at Grand Casino Hinckley, will be Bonsante’s first defense of the Minnesota middleweight title since winning it against Matt Vanda 25 months ago.  It comes against a very deserving opponent.  The younger boxer from Fergus Falls by way of Duluth has a record of 17-2 with the two losses coming to contender Andre Ward and world champion Paul Williams, while his two best wins came against Matt Vanda and Jonathan Reid, a couple of 30+ win veterans.  Bonsante, for his part, brings a long and varied history to the ring with him, including wins against such accomplished fighters as Tony Ayala Jr, Troy Lowry, and the aforementioned Vanda.  Ringsiders can expect to see a competitive affair featuring skilled combatants, a special treat for the dedicated local fight fan.

Allen Litzau -vs- Wilton Hilario: This fight pits 13-3 Litzau against 10-0 Hilario in a super featherweight bout, and this one has it all: history (as an amateur Hilario fought from COD gym in Minneapolis, Litzau from Glancey’s Gym in St Paul), nationalism (Dominican Republic -vs- USA), race (Latino -vs- White), civic competition (Minneapolis -vs- St Paul), and bad blood (see http://www.minnesotaboxing.com/Interviews/Hilario/2_5_07.html for more on that).  A couple of skilled young men in tremendous shape fighting for in-state bragging rights can only be good for the local game - the only thing better would have been for this fight to happen sooner.

These fights are either signed or nearly so.   What else is brewing, I couldn’t say – there’s more than one good promoter operating in Minnesota, and the good ones are good at keeping secrets.  But for the local fight fan there is hope for the future, and we can be thankful for that.

Bonsante – Kolle: What Does It Mean?

With today’s announcement of an Anthony Bonsante-Andy Kolle matchup planned for March 27, it’s time to consider the bout’s ramifications for the Minnesota boxing scene.

It has been asserted here and generally affirmed elsewhere that the most loaded division in Minnesota boxing is middleweight.  And it’s generally agreed that the top fighters in this division are Tony Bonsante, Andy Kolle, Matt Vanda, and Kenny Kost.

With his win against Vanda back in 2007 Bonsante earned recognition as the middleweight champion of Minnesota.  Vanda, for his part, has fought the other three men in this group and lost to them all, though he remains eager for rematches with all of them.  And of the other three men (those who are not named Vanda), none of them have fought each other.  So the hierarchy of Minnesota middleweights currently looks something like this: (1)Bonsante, (2-tied)Kolle and Kost, and (4)Vanda.  This is the backdrop against which Bonsante defends his state middleweight title versus Kolle.

What will this fight mean to the fighters involved?

If Kolle wins, it probably signals the beginning of the end of Bonsante’s significance on the Minnesota boxing scene, and it buys Kolle some hard-earned credibility.  This is important because, despite what some of his fans believe, Kolle’s biggest wins happened in obscurity (untelevised bouts against Vanda and Jonathan Reid) while his two TV fights resulted in losses – a referee stoppage and a TKO.  That isn’t to say that Kolle isn’t a good fighter, because he really is.  But circumstances are what they are, and Kolle is a man in need of a good win to improve his image and bolster his resume.

Unlike Kolle, Bonsante isn’t trying to accumulate credibility as a pro boxer – he has a whole career of big accomplishments and limelight moments behind him.  But he does need to revalidate his credentials; as an athlete ages, that’s something he constantly has to do.  If Bonsante wins, it reinforces the status quo.  It means that the 38-year old man is still the best middleweight in Minnesota, and it puts Bonsante in a good position to get at least one more big payday before hanging up the gloves.

What does this fight mean to the fighters who are not involved?

Kost tried last year to get a match with Bonsante, but he received the big-brother brushoff.  Bonsante said at the time that Kost lacked the resumé and the ranking to challenge him.  Nevertheless, the public cry for Kost to get a fight with Bonsante has grown.  Recently the cry has been for Kost and Kolle to meet.  Whoever wins, we can rest assured that Kost will remain in the wings, waiting for his opportunity.

Vanda is a different story.  He has international name recognition that our other local fighters can only envy, and he has travelled more to fight more high profile opponents than anyone else in the division.  So while he has taken the public position that he wants to avenge his local losses, Vanda needs not feel compelled to pursue the rematches.

What does this fight mean to Minnesota boxing fans?

Ultimately, this fight means something more important to the Minnesota boxing scene.  It’s a moment of electrifying excitement that has the potential to remind casual fans and the sporting public at large that there’s no game more exciting than boxing.  And it should make for a heck of a fun evening at ringside.  Tell a friend!

Happy New Year, Please?

Some of our Minnesota fighters gained ground this year, others saw their stock fall – some considerably.  This was a tough year for Minnesota fight fans, but there were some bright spots.  Here’s my take on who’s been moving up, who’s been going down, and who needs to make a move.

Risers:

• Caleb Truax has passed some milestones this year.  He ticked off five more wins to run his record to 9-0, he fought out of state twice (California in June, South Dakota in November), he beat two fighters who were coming off wins (Thomas Rittenbaugh and Bobby Kliewer), and he spent two weeks working out with contender Enrique Ornelas at Big Bear, CA.  There is not another fighter in Minnesota whose stock has risen as much as Truax’s in 2008.
• Willshaun Boxley has only fought three times since turning pro in 2007, but he has tried oh-so-hard to make more fights.  Those in the know acknowledge that Boxley has been willing to fight all the best young pros in Minnesota this year but the fights have just not developed.  Boxley’s inactivity is not his fault.  In January Boxley traveled to Chicago to face 28-fight veteran Barbaro Zepeda, and in February he kayoed Nick Arellano at the Myth in Maplewood.   Although Boxley’s upcoming fight with 12-7 Torrence Daniels will take place in 2009, the groundwork was laid in 2008.  This is enough progress to make Willshaun Boxley one of the top risers in Minnesota in a year when not much rising took place.
• Jon Schmidt isn’t one of the big names in Minnesota boxing, and he only fought twice in 2008.  But Schmidt engaged Tim Taggart in an exciting battle on Taggart’s home turf this year and came out the victor, then came out on the winning end against Silas Ortley at Grand Casino Hinckley.  These bouts saw Schmidt improve his record to 6-1, and that puts the Iron Man in a good place.
• RJ Laase made the most of his opportunities in 2008, winning all three of his fights including an exciting four rounder against the always competitive Mike Davis and a 3rd-round TKO against tough Tyler Gould.  The win against Davis looks even better in light of Davis’s 2nd-round TKO of Gould in December.  If Laase continues to win in 2009, there’s no telling what Chuck Horton might have in store for him.  Whatever you might think about Horton and his gym, there’s no denying the professional strides that both Andy Kolle and Zach Walters have made under his management.

Fallers:

• Anthony Bonsante’s August 1 loss to Adonis Stephenson and the inexplicable and embarrassing circumstances surrounding it didn’t just damage his career.  It further tarnished the already cruddy reputation of Minnesota boxers.  Bonsante is a talented and smart old fighter who could still resurrect his career if he faces and defeats Andy Kolle or Kenny Kost soon.  A rematch with Matt Vanda could also be a nice main event.  Help us out here, Mister Bonsante.  Minnesota fans need a sugar daddy.
• Zach Walters had some good moments in aught-eight.  His wins against faded veterans Carl Daniels and Aaron Norwood looked like nice steppingstones, and Shawn Hammack was supposed to be a nice looking and useful win.  When Walters suddenly went lame and got TKO’d in the final round of a bout he had been dominating, it was a big setback.  The cancellation of his October meeting with Cory Phelps further stalled his career.  Walters is a gifted  fighter with many advantages who should yet make a dent in the light heavyweight division, but the dawn of 2009 finds him no closer to a title shot than he was a year ago.
• Andy Kolle, who once told me that he would like to fight five or six times a year, has now fought just twice in the thirteen months since his decision win against Matt Vanda – one obscure win in Superior WI and one very well publicized 1st-round loss to welterweight titlist Paul Williams.  One good win would help Kolle to regain his stature as one of the top middleweights in the Upper Midwest, but 2008 has not been kind to Kaos.
• Joey Abell is just as good a fighter as he was last April, when his record was a glossy 20-1.  Now three consecutive losses have sullied his reputation and set back his career.  First came a shocking kayo loss to unsung Andrew Greeley, then a disappointing split decision defeat at the hands (and bullet-shaped forehead) of former cruiserweight titlist Al Cole, and finally – worst of all - an exasperating DQ loss to the woefully overmatched Jason Nicholson.  Now in the quest for a guaranteed win, Abell’s team has matched him with 5-24 Orion Sistrunk of Philadelphia.  Apparently Jimmy Poopwater was not available.  Seriously, Abell is big and strong and smart and athletic.  He doesn’t need to scrape the bottom of the barrel looking for guaranteed wins.  I respect you and I want to be your friend, Joey.  But I also think you should be fighting (and defeating) guys like Gerald Nobles at this point in your career, not a never-was like Sistrunk.
• Raphael Butler has continued to be Minnesota’s busiest prizefighter in 2008, fighting nine times.  Unfortunately, Butler lost four times this year – twice to respected heavyweights Eddie Chambers and Malik Scott, but also twice to unsung Texan Homero Fonseca.  Butler finds himself in a different position than he was in a year ago, and so do his fans.  A bout between Butler and Joey Abell would once have been considered a local superfight, but now it’s looking less and less alluring.  Someone had better make this fight while we’re still interested!

Sideways:

• Phil Williams – The thinking here is that Williams’ wins against Butch Hajicek (a useful measuring stick) and Marcus Upshaw (Minnesota’s knockout of the year) did much to elevate Williams’ status among Minnesota fight fans.  The loss to Marcus Oliveria knocked him back down a couple of pegs.  But Williams might be right when he says that losing to Oliveria was a blessing in disguise.  Williams acknowledges that he has concentrated too much on knockouts so far in his career, and volunteers that he needs to spend more time on his footwork and body positioning.  A broken right hand suffered early in his TKO win against Jason Dietrich has put Williams’ boxing career on hold for a while.  Time will tell whether Williams takes advantage of this opportunity to cultivate the less glamorous skills that any successful fighter must rely on.
• Matt Vanda headlined a pay-per-view event in Las Vegas this 2008, but it’s hard to say whether his stock has risen or fallen since this time last year.  Vanda brought his crowd-pleasing style to Canada to face Sebastien Demers in an IBF-sanctioned title fight last February, and in losing, pleased the crowd.  He also fought Julio Cesar Chavez twice, one of those bouts generating some controversy and the other being the aforementioned PPV headliner – but he lost both fights.  Vanda did manage two victories this year, but they came against Bruce Rumbolz and Desi Ford.  What does such a year get you?  If you play your cards right, it gets you some very good paydays and a lot of pats on the back.  But it does not make you a rising star.

Make a move, already!

• Kenny Kost, inactive since his April 26 loss to Hector Camacho Jr, works in the construction industry.  So it’s understandable that his summer and fall would be booked solid.  But it’s January.  A fight with Kolle, Bonsante, or Vanda should be makeable.  Caleb Truax has mentioned Kolle’s name more than once.  Even if no out-of-state fighters are kicking Kosts tires, he shouldn’t be lacking for prospects.
• Antwan Robertson – wait a minute, Antwan Robertson?  He’s a small man, record is 4-0,  only turned pro in 2007…so why is Robertson not listed as a “Riser” like Willshaun Boxley?  Simple: Robertson only fought once in 2008, and that wasn’t even in his weight class.  And it was in Canada.  Ugh.  This is no swipe at Lil Superman or his coach/manager, John Hoffman.  The Fistic Mystic understands that it’s hard for small men to find fights.  The good news is that the rumor mill suggests that Robertson may fight in Wisconsin on Valentine’s Day, and John Hoffman has been talking about putting on a show in Fargo this May.  Here’s hoping that Robertson finds some willing opponents in 2009.

Non-Factors:

• Troy Lowry only fought once all year and that was a loss.  At age 38 it appears that Lowry’s career is in cold storage.   It’s a shame for the local scene, because Lowry make an interesting opponent for either Andy Kolle or Kenny Kost, and with a win against either man he could angle for one more big payday.