Gary Russell Jr. Turning Heads
The boxing press is starting to take notice of Capital Heights, MD featherweight Gary Russell Jr. despite his scheduled opponent dropping out and Russell missing out on making his HBO debut. All reports from Vegas say the same thing; Russell dominated the action from bell to bell en route to a shutout win over Eric Estrada on all three cards.
After the fight, there was more press about Russell than I’ve seen following any of his fights. Expect him to start creeping into the rankings really soon.
Rosado Out of Jail, Scheduled to Fight in September
Gabriel Rosado was released Monday from an Atlantic City jail this week on reduced bail of $25,000. Rosado spent over a week in jail after an altercation with a police officer after knocking out Ayi Bruce on Friday, July 15. The Press of Atlantic City is reporting that there is surveillance video of the entire incident, so for once, it looks like we’ll actually know the truth about the incident in which both sides are telling much different stories.
Promoter J. Russell Peltz posted on Facebook Tuesday that Rosado will be headlining a card at the Asylum Arena on September 9th. Of course, that is subject to what transpires at his court date scheduled for August 22nd.
Ronald Cruz Returns on September 9th Card
Also on the September 9th Arena card will be welterweight Ronald Cruz, who remained undefeated on July 1st with a body shot knockout of the durable Doel Carasquillo.
Heavyweight Joe Hanks Stays Undefeated
New Jersey heavyweight Joe Hanks improved to 17-0 (11) with a ten-round shutout over pumped-up cruiserweight Alfredo Escalera Jr. I know very little of Hanks and would appreciate any reader input on the fighter. By just scanning his record, it’s fair to say to he has yet to be tested. At 6’4” he maintains a steady weight around 240, so he seems to take his conditioning and diet seriously, something that puts him ahead of most American heavies.
Hanks signed with Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing earlier this year and after fighting exclusively on the West Coast, is now fighting on the East Coast, so we should have a chance to see this prospect in action soon. Despite my lack of knowledge about Hanks, it’s fair to say that any heavyweight with his size that stays in shape and is backed by a respected promoter deserves to be on our radar.
East Coast Prospects in Action this Weekend
CES Sports will be hosting its “Heat Wave” card at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut, Friday night with undefeated Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach, 24-0 (12), squares off against the now very large Kevin McBride. McBride has tipped the scales in excess of 280 pounds in his recent contests. At 1-5 in his last six fights, McBride will get a paycheck; Wach will get a win.
17-Year Old Dusty Harrison in Mississippi for Second Pro Bout
After making his pro debut in June just three weeks after his 17th birthday, DC’s Dusty Harrison returns to Mississippi for bout number two against 1-4 Jamar Hampton. Harrison is being actively marketed as the “Youngest Fighter in America” by Prize Fight Promotions.
I have taken an interest in his story, as Harrison has skipped the open division of the amateurs, as well as the Olympic trial to turn pro, with his father as trainer and advisor. I am following his career by video and this week, the first episode of “The Dusty Harrison Project” was posted on Maxboxing’s YouTube channel.
Also on the card at the Fitz in Tunica will be DC heavyweight Maurice Byarm, 11-0-1 (8), coming off a draw against Homero Fonseca in June. If Team Byarm was hoping to find someone to be an easy win for Maurice, they found it in 8-21-2 (6) Anthony Moore, whose last victory came in 1999, in Idaho.
Gabriel Bracero will appear once again on a Broadway Boxing show hosted by Lou DiBella. This Saturday at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, Bracero will face 8-6 (4) Danie van Staden, originally from South Africa. Bracero, 16-0 (2), has been impressive recently but it’s hard to imagine DiBella will move him too fast, given the abundance of talent at the top of the junior welterweight division.
The Asylum Arena in South Philly is host to the return of junior middleweight Derek Ennis after a tough knockout loss at the hands of Giorbis Barthelemy in March, following ten straight wins by Ennis. Expect Ennis to get back in the win column as he faces Saul Duran.
Also on the South Philly card will be 10-0-1 (2) Philly featherweight prospect Coy Evans, who will face Jason Rorie of North Carolina.
