Boxing: Raul Martinez KOs Proa for NABF Super Fly Title!


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Boxing: Raul Martinez KOs Proa for NABF Super Fly Title!

By Ken Hissner at ringside for DoghouseBoxing (Nov 17, 2008) DoghouseBoxing.com (Photo © Mike McGuigan / phillykeith.com)

Philly fight fans were treated to 1:08 of pure fighting Friday night at the New Alhambra when San Antonio’s Raul Martinez, 24-0 (14) stopped Victor Proa, 25-1-2 (19) in the 1st round to win the vacant NABF super flyweight title. This was possibly Peltz Boxing and Joe Hand Promotions last Telefutura show in the city due to the cable companies exiting from the sport of boxing next month. Their weekly showings will be sorely missed.

Martinez, a former 2 time National champion at 112, had Proa up against the ropes but got rocked

with a counter right hand. He immediately came back with a left hook to the jaw of Proa having him out on his feet, followed by 2 right hands, causing referee Gary Rosato to call a halt to the contest quickly. Rosato, Pennsylvania’s top referee, left Proa’s corner with no doubt their fighter was hurt badly and no doubt about the stoppage.

Martinez’s manager, Lou Mesorana was thrilled with his fighter’s accomplishment. “In the amateurs Raul made a believer out of everybody,” said Mesorana. “Raul, adding the NABF title to his International Boxing Association title, leaves one more title to win. The world title, in any of the organizations, preferable the WBC,” added Mesorana.

The co-feature had 2 more non area fighters with another short ending as Alexis Camacho, 17-1 (16), of Austin, Texas, making short work of Edvan Barros, 9-6-1, (7), a Brazilian, fighting out of Boca Raton, Florida. A left upper cut to the solar plexis in the 2nd round dropped Barros, who upon rising was waved off by referee Blair Talmadge at 0:52. Barros complained about a quick stoppage, but stepped back instead of forward per the referee. Dock Nowicki, co-manager of Philly’s unbeaten Mike Jones, 15-0 (13), issued a challenge to Camacho’s manager, Mesorana, before the fight. Mesorana seemed more interested in his other fighter, Roberto Garcia, 24-2 (17), fighting Jones. Jones, by the way will be fighting December 5th in Reading, Pennsylvania on Telefutura.

The show opened with popular Kensington super middleweight Dennis Hasson, 5-0 (2), winning all 6 rounds over his tough opponent Ariel Espinal, 6-6-2 (2), a Dominican, fighting out of Brooklyn. Hasson rocked Espinal in the 2nd round and seemed to have him in trouble against the ropes but Espinal managed to escape an early stoppage. Espinal did give Hasson a tough round in the 5th, landing some overhand rights, but Hasson would counter with rights of his own, off a good jab. “I’m not Floyd, but I’m undefeated and that’s the way I want to keep it,” said a happy Hasson after the fight.

Philly’s unbeaten top prospect, Teon Kennedy, 11-0 (5), found himself chasing down Felipe Almanza, 12-15-2 (6), of Columbia, who 2 fights ago went the distance with former world champion, Eric Morel. When Kennedy managed to catch up to Almanza he made him pay, mostly to the body. It’s another step closer to a possible USBA title fight in the super bantamweight division for Kennedy who won all judge’s scorecards by 60-54 and 59-55 twice. This was a scheduled 8 round bout shortened to a 6. Kennedy, like Hasson, is trained by Wade and Randy Hinnant, who will be taking their heavyweight Chazz Witherspoon to Nashville Saturday, covered by HBO.

Another Philly favorite, Anthony “Flawless” Flores, 6-0 (4), out jabbed his smaller opponent Francisco Palacios, 4-7-4 (1), of Stamford, CT, easily in the 1st round, but fought Palacios fight in the 2nd and paid the price getting hit with overhand rights. His trainer, Vaughn Jackson, made the adjustment between rounds. Flores landed a short chopping right dropping Palacios like a rock. Referee Vic deWysocki had no other alternative but to stop it at 1:03 of the 3rd round as a shaky Palacios got to his feet. “Vaughn (Jackson) has had me working hard in the gym on that punch and it paid off tonight,” said a jubilant Flores. He entered the ring with flashy white sunglasses. Always the showman! Co-managers Nowicki and Jimmy Williams seemed quite pleased with the progress of their 20 year old Flores, who has the tools but needs to concentrate.

Newark’s teenage sensation Michael “Angleo, the Artist” Perez, 2-0 (2) won his 2nd fight in just over 2 weeks in stopping Tommy Garcia, 2-3 (1), of Hartord, in just 2:40 of the 1st round. The referee was deWysocki. A left hook to the jaw started Garcia’s downfall. Several power body shots followed, finishing with a straight right hand to the rib cage dropping Garcia. As he got to his feet, his corner wisely stopped it. This writer saw Perez in his debut and this amateur standout has a bright future as a super featherweight.

The fans went wild as North Philly’s Victor Vasquez, 8-2 (50, returned to the scene after a 6 month lay-off to destroy Mario Galan, 4-5 (3), of Hollywood, Florida at 1:23 of the 2nd round. Referee deWysocki counted out Galan on one knee after suffering his second knockdown. Lightweight Vasquez never looked better, giving away over 5 pounds.

The last fight of the night should have been shortened from a 6 to a 4 as a rare Peltz heavyweight match brought back to Philly Faruq Saleem, 38-0 (32), of Newark, against the much shorter Willie Perryman, 10-17 (7), of Clarksdale, MS. Perryman had Saleem in trouble against the ropes in the 5th round landing punch after punch, but let Saleem off the hook. Saleem, came back, dropping Perryman with a long right hand. Somehow he beat the count of referee Talmadge. The decision was a formality with the judges giving it to Saleem 59-54 twice and 58-55. The only good thing for this writer when Saleem fights is that former Olympic Gold medalist, world light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Michael Spinks shows up. He is in support of this Butch Lewis “prospect”, who is trained by Tommy Brooks. Whether Saleem will ever fight a caliber opponent is doubtful, but the name Marc “Oaktree” Brown, 14-1 (7), a local favorite from New Jersey, was brought up to his manager Lewis afterwards. Brown recently won the WBF All-Americas title stopping previously unbeaten prospect Tony Grano, in September.

Peltz Boxing, along with Golden Boy and King Promotions will feature Mike “MJ” Jones against Luciano Perez, a tough Mexican, now fighting out of Chicago. The 2004 Olympian Rock Allen and prospect Latif Mundy will also appear on this card.

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Ken at: kenhissner@yahoo.com