Prospect Watch…
Some East Coast prospects saw action last weekend:
Heavyweight Maurice Byarm of Washington DC improved to 8-0 (6) with a third-round stoppage of veteran Ramon Hayes in Virginia Beach last Saturday. Byarm remains untested but possesses the size and footwork that could enable him to develop into a solid fighter. He is also still early in the learning process, having a very short amateur career. He is staying busy and will fight again next Friday in Baltimore.
18-year-old Bobby Bryant is one the most active young prospects east of the Mississippi. Bryant currently stands at 7-0 (6) after his first-round KO of Tim Reynolds on August 27 in Iowa City. The fight marked his third encounter since mid-July and has three more bouts scheduled before the New Year. He is slated to fight his first eight-rounder in December. While he has feasted on low-quality opposition to this point, he is one to keep an eye on.
Farah Ennis of Philadelphia scored his fifth straight knockout and his 16th straight fight as a pro with a third-round stoppage of Reggie Pena on the undercard Chazz Witherspoon vs. Livin Castillo. Pena was signed less that week before the fight and at 6-3, is hardly the opposition that Ennis needs at this point in his career.
In Dover, Delaware, Mike Tiberi recorded his eighth straight win and stands at 14-1 (7) after a first-round dismantling of Ray Cunningham. In his 15 fights, Tiberi has yet to face any credible opposition and suffered a loss to 2-1 Dwayne Shelton. Therefore, it’s tough to regard Tiberi as a legitimate prospect at this time.
On the same card in Delaware, Amir Mansour returned from a nine-year layoff to win his tenth pro bout without a loss. At 38 years old, it’s difficult to conceive much of a future for Mansour in the ring.
Zahir Raheem, the man who beat Erik Morales between Morales’ first two fights against Manny Pacquiao, was in action in Atlanta on August 27th with a second-round knockout win over Roberto Valenzuela. Since losing to Ali Funeka in a title elimination bout in 2008, Raheem sat out 2009, and has fought twice in 2010, both against the 37-year-old Valenzuela who now stands at an even 54-54-2 (44) in his 18 ½- year career.
Derrick Gainer earned a six-round split decision in Pittsburgh over Angel Hernandez after suffering a first-round knockdown. Gainer weighed 146 pounds, 20 pounds more than in his heyday, and had been away from the ring for three years. The last six-rounder in which he fought was in 1994.
Undefeated junior lightweight Adrien Broner of Cincinnati looks to chalk up win number 17 as Guillermo Sanchez travels to Cincy for a scheduled 10-round bout Saturday night at the Hamilton Fairgrounds. Broner has looked very good this year and should start turning heads in 2011 if he can continue to impress. In the wide-open 130-pound division, Broner could make some noise.
Last week, I failed to mention that Jimmy Lange had indeed won a decision over Mike McFail. It should come as no surprise since McFail has lost 32 of past 34 fights at this point. But Lange has now had two tune-up bouts with new trainer Jimmy Glenn and is scheduled to fight in Monroe, Michigan in two weeks against a yet-to-be-named opponent. He then returns to the friendly confines of the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA for a November 6th bout that his father/manager Johnny says will be a meaningful fight. I’ll keep you posted.
If there is a fight or fighter you feel deserves mention in the regional report, please contact Alec at maxboxingeast@gmail.com.
