Minnesota Boxing Scene: In Overdrive

These are heady days for the Minnesota fight scene.  Join me as I survey the the Minnesota boxing fan’s calendar…

• November 4 at Camp Lejuene, NC Jason Litzau faces Johnnie “The LumberJack” Edwards (15-4 with 8 kayos) at 130# in a bout to be televised on ESPN2.  Following his seemingly effortless demolition of Verquan Kimbrough (then 21-1-2)  in August, a win here would appear to set Litzau up nicely for something bigger in the near future.
• Willshaun Boxley takes on another big challenge November 6 when he meets Salvador Sanchez (16-3 with 8 kayos) in a six-rounder in Las Vegas.  Boxley has shown a ton of ambition in the past year, jumping up from the usual early-career patsies to face men with records of 12-7 (Boxley won by unanimous decision), 10-1 (Boxley lost by majority decision), and 10-1 (Boxley lost by unanimous decision).  Sanchez is a pretty good young fighter, but he may have bitten off more than he knows with Boxley.
• November 13th at Grand Casino Hinckley we find a stacked card – by Minnesota standards anyway – presented by promoter Midwest Sports Council.  Phil Williams and Matt Vanda headline, supported by Wilton Hilario -vs- Leon Bobo, unbeaten prospect Cerresso Fort, Javontae Starks’ pro debut, and more.  Four bouts from this event will be televised on Fox Sports North immediately after the conclusion of the Minnesota Wild hockey game.
• November 20th in St Paul we’ll see Caleb Truax fight the faded former WBC world title holder Carl “The Squirrel” Daniels (50-18 with 32 kayos) for some IBA Intercontinental hardware.  Daniels has lost seven straight and fourteen out of fifteen, but this fight will force him to train harder than he’s done in a long time – Daniels hasn’t fought below 170# in nearly two years.  A supporting bout gives this event a higher profile: young Welshman James Todd (2-1-1) meets Mohammed Kayongo (14-2 with 10 kayos) for an IBA welterweight title.  Todd’s supporters are talking about making the trip to St Paul to lend their support, and we all know that British boxing fans travel well.  (There has also been a rumor floating that Todd’s countryman Kerry Hope will face Robert Kamya on this card, but I haven’t confirmed that one with promoter Tony Grygelko of Seconds Out Promotions.)
• The heavyweight bout that Minnesota has waited too long for headlines a December 4th event at Target Center in Minneapolis.  Joey Abell (25-4 with 24 kayos) meets his pal and fellow Minnesotan Raphael Butler (35-8 with 28 kayos) with the vacant Minnesota heavyweight title on the line.  Zach Walters faces Larry Sharpe, who is the man who beat the man (Bruce Rumbolz) who beat the man (Shawn Hammack) who beat Walters back in August of 2008.  Travis “Freight Train” Walker, Ronnie Peterson, Gary Eyer, and Dave Peterson also support this card.
• No specifics are available at this writing, but Showtime will be in town on December 18 to televise a boxing event at Grand Casino Hinckley.  Expect some locals to get a boost from this show.

Ringside Report: Willshaun Boxley -vs- Eric Hunter

Eric “Outlaw” Hunter outpoints

Wilshaun Boxley in South Philly!

Ringside report by Ken Hissner

Philly’s Eric “Outlaw” Hunter, 11-1 (5), returned to the ring after a year’s absence to face a tough comeback fighter in Minnesota’s Wilshaun Boxley, 5-2 (3), from Coon Rapids.   It was a new venue for Donna Cohen’s Bionic Bull Promotions at 23^rd and Snyder in South Philly. 

For Hunter who was a well decorated amateur who had an eye problem taken care of during his absence it was a welcoming home fight for his boisterous fans.   Boxley himself was a top amateur that had fought the main event fighter Hank Lundy as an amateur.  “He can fight,” said Lundy at a press conference. 

Hunter started out fast and by the end of the round Boxley seemed to overcome Hunter’s start earlier in the round.   Hunter had a very big round in the 2^nd to even the score.  In the 3^rd round Hunter switches to southpaw and doesn’t miss a beat which seemed to confuse Boxley.  The 4^th round was more of the same.  Boxley couldn’t seem to handle the hand speed of Hunter though he was in the fight. 

Near the end of the 5^th round a left hook from Carter stunned Boxley.  He was able to weather the storm and get through the round.  In the 6^th round Boxley suffered a cut on the outside of the right eye brow but valiantly fought on trying his best for a knockout.   The judge’s scores were 60-54 (2x) and 60-53 due to a 10-8 round on one’s scorecard.   This writer had it 59-55 Hunter. 

For Boxley it was a disappointment after winning his first 5 fight until running into DC’s Thomas Snow.  Snow had been coming off an 11 month absence after being in a war with Philly’s Teon Kennedy who stopped him.   The Boxley-Snow fight ended up in a majority loss for Boxley and then in his last out he was stopped by “the rain” in an outdoor show.   Boxley would be a good addition to some of the area’s other featherweights like Lucian Gonzalez and Ghana’s via Baltimore’s Lante Addy who fought a draw with Kennedy in Atlantic City on the 19^th of this month.  For Hunter he would like a rematch of his one loss to Carlos Vinan.   The smaller weight boxers are full of action and deserve some credit. 

—————

Weights from Philadelphia (courtesy of Marc Abrams)

Hank Lundy 138 – Justo Sanchez 137.5*

(UBC Jr. Welterweight title)

Patrick Johnson 208 – Dan Grafton 211

Demetrius Davis 164 – Dhafir Smith **

Eric Hunter 125 – Wilshaun Boxley 125

Lakeysha Williams 125.5 – Belinda Laracuente 130***

Pedro Martinez 199 – Kevin Hood ****

Rachel Clark 143.5 – Natalie Brown 144.5

 

* Lundy 145 – Sanchez 140 on 2nd day weigh in

** Smith will weigh in tonight

*** Laracuente was 3 lbs over but an agreement was made to keep the fight on

**** Hood was not present at the morning weigh-in

Willshaun Boxley Scheduled to fight Eric Hunter in Philly

Here’s what the Fistic Mystic knows: According to www.boxrec.com, Willshaun Boxley (5-1 with 3 kayos) is scheduled to face high-profile prospect Eric Hunter (10-1 with 4 kayos) in a 6-round featherweight bout in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 26.  Boxrec reveals that the show is promoted by the Bionic Bull himself, Brian Cohen.  Boxley’s friend and publicist Brett Mauren Jr confirms that the two are fighting.

Boxley must not be superstitious – the last time he fought a 10-1 opponent he lost an uninspired majority decision to Thomas Snow in June.

Despite the gaudy record, Hunter is vulnerable.  Though he has good wins on his record (having bagged UDs against 19-11 Pasqual Rouse, 9-1 Tyrell Samuel, and 7-0 Jules Blackwell), he also has a loss against Carlos Vinan, who was 6-3 at the time and only 1-5-3 since.  And Hunter isn’t punchless, but he’s no powerhouse.  More importantly, Hunter hasn’t fought in over 13 months.  As we’ve recently seen with Floyd Mayweather Junior, that may or may not have some bearing on the outcome.  Since Eric Hunter is no Money Mayweather, my money is on it means something.

Willshaun Boxley Signs to Fight Chris Avalos on Showtime Sept 18

Willshaun Boxley has signed to face 11-0 (9 kayos) Chris Avalos on Friday, September 18 in Chumash, CA.  “The contract is signed and sent back already,” says Boxley.  “This fight is perfect all around.”

The fight with the 19 year old Avalos is contracted for a weight of 118# +1.  Boxley, whose highest fighting weight was 132# against  Barbaro Zepeda in February 2008, has a head-start on getting to weight, having trained diligently for a bout with William Hernandez that was first rained out after one round on August 8, and then canceled by a promoter after having been rescheduled for August 29.

Boxley well knows that after a lackluster performance in a loss to 11-1 Thomas Snow last June, and an indecisive 1-round match with Hernandez in August, a win would put his career back on track in short order.  “I’ve seen a tape.  He’s a great fighter.  He’s 11-0, 9 by ko, [but] who do you know that can knock Boxley out?  I will kayo him in five!”

The show is scheduled for September 18 at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California, and is promoted by Gary Shaw of Gary Shaw Productions.  Boxley expects to be accompanied to California by trainer Ron Lyke, cut man Jim Maurine, promoter Tony Grygelko, and by several fans, including one he identifies as a sponsor.  His date of departure has not been set yet.

Boxing Results: August 8 at Wyatt Earp’s in Ramsey, Minnesota

Three of the night’s four fights came off without a hitch, but the outdoor venue came back to haunt organizers when rainstorms passing through Anoka county stopped the main event after just one round.

• Willshaun Boxley (5-1 with 3 kayos) -vs- William Hernandez (2-0 with no kayos) was declared a No Contest after 1 round of six scheduled, due to heavy rain.
• Robert Kamya (now 17-10 with 4 kayos) defeated Joshua Rodriguez (now 4-10 with 3 kayos) by split decision after six rounds.
• Marvin Rodriguez (now 2-2 with 1 kayo) defeated Ryan Stock (now 0-2) by TKO after 1 round of 4 scheduled.
• Dan Copp (now 1-1 with no kayos) defeated Derek Adams (now 0-1) by unanimous decision after four rounds.

Upcoming Boxing Event: August 8 at Wyatt Earp’s in Ramsey, Minnesota

What to watch for: Willshaun Boxley looks to put the ugly Thomas Snow affair behind him with a good win against a decent opponent – William Hernandez took a split decision win from Hassan Wasswa just last week.  Robert Kamya, who  once held a regional WBC belt, takes on Joshua Rodriguez of Davenport Iowa, a tough guy on a 1-8 slide.  Marvin Rodriguez will try to treat his fans to a second career win against Dan Kopp, and MMA regulars Ryan Stock and Derek Abrams both vie for boxing win number 1.

• Willshaun Boxley (5-1 with 3 kayos) -vs- William Hernandez (2-0 with no kayos), featherweights, scheduled for 6 rounds
• Robert Kamya (16-10 with 4 kayos) -vs- Joshua Rodriguez (4-9 with 3 kayos), middleweights, scheduled for 6 rounds
• Marvin Rodriguez (1-2 with no kayos) -vs- Dan Copp (0-1), middleweights, scheduled for 4 rounds
• Ryan Stock (0-1) -vs- Derek Abrams (debut), middleweights, scheduled for 4 rounds

The Fistic Mystic says: Wyatt Earp’s is a bar/restaurant and an elaborate adjoining softball complex.  Formerly known as Diamonds, Wyatt Earp’s is located on the south side of Highway 10 in Ramsey, just to the east of Armstrong Boulevard.  Cross your fingers for a fun and profitable show, because this could be a beautiful facility for professional boxing events.

Minnesota Boxing Scene: Summer/Fall 2009

The Fistic Mystic surveys the Minnesota boxing landscape at the beginning of August, 2009.

• August 8 at Wyatt Earp’s in Ramsey (just west of Anoka on the south side of Highway 10) we have a completely unexpected show from Seconds Out Promotions.  According to the poster, the event will feature Mohammed Kayongo and Caleb Traux, with Willshaun Boxley and others appearing on the undercard.
• August 14 promoter MSC presents a boxing show at The Myth in Maplewood.  This one features Matt Vanda in a tune-up fight against veteran Jose Spearman, with Cerresso Fort and Brad Patraw on the undercard.  Incidentally, the younger Hilario brother (Jose) makes his professional debut on this card.
• A day later, on August 15, Jason Litzau of St Paul appears in a supporting bout at the Roy Jones Jr-Jeff Lacy event in Biloxi, MS.  Attempting to reassert himself on the national stage, Litzau will be facing 21-1-2 Verquan Kimbrough in a lightweight bout.  This fight is be no mere formality; there are no easy fights against 21-1 opponents.
• September 26 brings us the next boxing show at Target Center in Minneapolis.  This event is to be anchored by the first round of fights in a local super middleweight tournament: Phil Williams and Matt Vanda are matched in one bout, while Jungle Boy Zach Walters is expected to be paired with an opponent yet to be named in the second.  Also scheduled to appear on this card: Cerresso Fort, Antwan Robertson, and the professional debut of Derek Winston.
• A little farther down the line, on November 21, is another event at Target Center.  According to mnboxingleague.com, this event will host the championship round of the super middleweight tournament.  I’ve also heard it whispered that the Jason Litzau -vs- Wilton Hilario match, torpedoed this summer by a rib injury suffered by Hilario, could be rescheduled to this date.

It’s also worth mentioning, though no details are yet available, that the long wished-for heavyweight matchup of Joey Abell (25-4) -vs- Raphael Butler (34-8) reportedly has been or soon will be signed.  Neither the date nor the location has yet been announced.  More details will be published here when they become known to me.

Upcoming Boxing Event: July 25 at the Saint Paul Armory

What to watch for: Caleb Truax fights an opponent with an impressively lopsided record for the first time in Anthony Perez of Indiana.  Last time in the ring Perez lost a majority decision to James McGirt Jr in six rounds.  Caviat: Perez has only fought three times in the last five years, all three fights ending in loss.  What would have been the highest-profile bout of the night has been reduced to an exhibition, as Mohammed Kayongo takes on Jamar “Young Prince” Patterson of New York.  Patterson’s management situation has been complicated in the past, but after fighting just once in nearly three years, he appears poised to restart his prizefighting career.  Jeremy McLaurin continues to accumulate wins and experience, his victim this time will be debutant Tyson Staples.  Willshaun Boxley looks to rebound from his surprising loss to Thomas Snow earlier this summer, his designated victim is Josh Holiday.  If you haven’t seen Ismail Muwendo fight yet, don’t miss this chance.  The young sharpshooter is worth the price of admission by himself.  And Charles Meier squares off against Nathan Willkes of Indiana, whose awful record conceals the fact that he has won in two of his last three contests, both wins coming by knockout.

Caleb Truax (12-0 with 8 kayos) -vs- Anthony Perez (25-6 with 14 kayos), middleweights, scheduled for eight rounds

Mohammed Kayongo (14-2 with 10 kayos) -vs- Jamar Patterson (8-0 with 4 kayos), welterweights, exhibition match, scheduled for eight rounds

Jeremy McLaurin (4-0 with 3 kayos) -vs- Tyson Staples (debut), lightweights, scheduled for four rounds

Willshaun Boxley (5-1 with 3 kayos) -vs- Josh Holiday (debut), featherweights, scheduled for four rounds

Ismail Muwendo (3-0 with 2 kayos) -vs- Brandon Buckey (debut), featherweights, scheduled for four rounds

Charles Meier (2-1 with 1 kayo) -vs- Nathan Willkes (2-17 with 2 kayos), middleweights, scheduled for four rounds

Public Workouts at Roberts Off Ten, July 11

Due to an inability to secure a ring doctor to work the July 11 fights at Roberts Off Ten in Mounds View, promoter Tony Grygelko has announced that the event is being changed from a professional boxing card with two fights and an exhibition, to a series of  six public sparring sessions featuring the following boxers:

• Willshuan Boxley –vs- Ismail Muwendo
• Jeremy McLaurin –vs- Ronnie Peterson
• Jon Schmidt –vs- Charles Meier
• Caleb Truax –vs- Mohammed Kayongo
• Joey Abell –vs- Jim Maurine
• Tony Grygelko –vs- Michael Faulk

Of his own matchup with new pro Michael Faulk, Grygelko says, “Mike’s one of only two guys that beat me twice in my boxing career…I just want to prove to the world that he can’t really handle the pressure and power that a fighter like myself brings!”  Grygelko compiled a record of 5-2 (3 kayos) as a pro fighter, his last fight a first-round knockout loss at the hands of undefeated prospect Henry Crawford in November 2005.

The Fistic Mystic says: This should be an interesting spectacle. If I were going to be in town I wouldn’t miss it!

Risk/Reward and Other Thoughts from “Cornered”

The title of tonight’s boxing event at Grand Casino Hinckley was “Cornered,” but the underlying theme seemed to be Risk and Reward.  Several fighters were taking big big risks and hoping for great results – not all got what they were looking for.

Willshaun Boxley took on a 10-1 opponent from the East Coast, and it did not pay the dividends he was hoping for.  Boxley is an extremely talented boxer with exceptional power and an engaging personality.  He can still go far in boxing, but he’s going to have to dust himself off and start over.  Boxley lost an important fight for a bad reason: inactivity.  I thought that Willshaun was going to get the decision because his opponent was on the retreat for at least half of their bout.  But he just didn’t generate enough offense  to secure the win.

Caleb Truax fought a tentative and uncertain bout but still got the win against his most pedigreed opponent.  Durrell Richards claims a 46-4 amateur record and carried an 11-2 pro record into his match with Truax.  Combine Truax’s performance with Richards’ penchant for technical boxing, and you get a real snoozer.   But a win is a win, and though some will say this fight proves that Truax isn’t ready for Andy Kolle, all it really proves is that Truax can beat Durrell Richards.  Tack another win on Truax’s record and he’s still an undefeated prospect.

Phil Williams is obviously the big winner here.  He put on a hair-raising display against a nationally-known opponent with lots of power.  He took the punches he had to in order to deliver his best shots, and he got the big win.  Not only that, but he got an enthusiastic endorsement from his vanquished foe.  And not only that, but he got some great highlight footage to put in his portfolio.  Williams saw his stock rise dramatically tonight, and as a result he might not have been bluffing when he said that he isn’t interested in Jungle Boy Zach Walters any more.

Marcus Oliveria, though he isn’t a hometown guy, deserves an honorable mention here.  He fought the highest-profile opponent of his career in Otis Griffin, and he won in definitive fashion.  He threw an uppercut that landed flush and was astonishingly effective against a tough and well-traveled pro.  Oliveria’s stock rises for another reason, too – his win against Phil Williams last August will get him a lot more mileage tomorrow than it did yesterday.

Congratulations to Michael Faulk on his first professional win.  Probably the first of many.  I wanted to talk to my friend Sean Hickman about his young charge afterwards, but I couldn’t find him. Personal to Sean:  Your man has respectable power and a good chin. But could you ask him please to not let future opponents hit him so easily?

I apologize to boxing fans who were following my round-by-round account of the fights.  I was using a computer with a diminished battery that didn’t last like it should have.  It must have been a comical (or exasperating) sight for those around me, as I kept darting for the power outlets after every fight (and during a couple of them as well).  In addition I suffered some connectivity challenges that I haven’t had in previous visits to Grand Casino Hinckley.  At one point I lost my connection completely and had to log back into the Grand Casino wireless system while a fight continued without me.  Consequently two rounds worth of description disappeared into oblivion, never to be seen again.  Hopefully this is a one-time thing.

I also want to apologize to Antwun Echols for the low-rent behavior of some local boxing fans.  A few taunted him from the safety of the expensive seats, some even shouting foolishness like “Nigger keep your hands down.”  Echols showed a lot more class than some of the fans at this event.  I didn’t turn around to look when it happened, but I wonder whether the clown who splashed his drink on my back was one of these jerkwads.