NORTH BERGEN, NJ (Thursday, August 27th, 2009) – Pound 4 Pound Promotions continued it’s tradition of exciting, crowd-pleasing boxing events Thursday night with a six-bout show at North Bergen, NJ’s Schuetzen Park.
The original main event, featuring former world title challenger Mike Arnaoutis against Troy Browning was scrapped when Browning withdrew due to illness. Last minute replacement Ilido Julio was deemed ineligible due to a weight discrepancy. Seeking the spotlight left by the hole in the card, the remaining bouts stepped up to impress and made the company’s ninth event one of it’s most memorable.
“We were very disappointed that the Arnaoutis fight got canceled but I was really happy with the crowd,” said John Lynch, president of Pound 4 Pound Promotions. “We had a great walk-up crowd which means boxing is really alive in Hudson County.”
In the eight-round main event, crowd favorite Bobby Rooney Jr. (11-2-1, 6 KO) of Bayonne, NJ turned in his most impressive effort to date against his steepest test, dominating Toris Brewer (14-4, 6 KO) of North Charleston, SC with a shutout decision, 80-71 on all three judges’ scorecards. Rooney dedicated the fight to his older brother Sean, who had tragically passed away last month.
Rooney, 174.5 pounds, worked behind his jab setting up combinations to the head and body of Brewer, 173. Rooney wobbled his opponent briefly towards the end of round one, suggesting that this night would be an early one. Brewer showed resolve and battled back but never managed to muster the same spirit as Rooney.
Rooney scored the only knockdown of the fight with a left hook to the body in the sixth round. Brewer survived but took a tough pounding down the stretch.
“I landed some hooks to the body that I thought would finish him but he kept coming,” said Rooney. “I’m ready for ten round fights now.”
Head trainer Mike Skowronski remarked, “It was the best I’d ever seen him look in the pros or amateurs.
Murphy, Torres Draw in Four Round Street Fight
Most, if not all, of the near capacity crowd remained on their feet for the duration of the four-round street fight between Chris Murphy (3-0-1, 3 KO) of Sparta, NJ and Abraham Torres (1-3-2) of Jersey City, NJ. In the end the bout was declared a majority draw with Murphy, 155 pounds, and Torres, 157.5, taking turns pounding each other with power punches. There wasn’t a single moment of lull in the 12 minutes of fighting. One judge had it 39-37 for Torres while the other two had it 38-38 even.
“He came to fight but that’s what the fans come to see,” said Murphy. “We have to do it again, how about six rounds of that?”
Escalera Goes Distance For First Time
In a battle of unbeaten super-middleweights, Jason “Monstruo” Escalera (7-0, 6 KO) of Union City, NJ was extended the distance for the first time in his career with a convincing unanimous decision win over Morristown, NJ’s Andre Espeut (2-1, 1 KO). Escalera, 167.5, hunted for the knockout every step of the way while Espeut, 168.5, fought an awkward, survival fight trying to reach the final bell.
He achieved that goal only to hear two judges score the fight 40-36 and another 39-37 for Escalera, a nephew of former featherweight champion Alfredo Escalera.
Farrell Blows Away Schnakenberg
Patrick “Paddy” Farrell (4-0, 3 KO) of Jersey City, NJ continued his ring education with a dominant thumping of Dustin Schnakenberg (2-2, 2 KO) of Independence, MO. Farrell, 197.5, was the aggressor as Schnakenberg, 201.5, tried to create space to breathe. Farrell finally caught up with him in round two with three knockdowns, the final one nearly sending Schnakenberg through the ropes. The time was 2:18.
Green Back on Track with Decision Win
In a six-round lightweight contest, Chris “Smooth Operator” Green (3-1, 1 KO) of Asbury Park, NJ made an impressive bounce back from his only career loss with a workmanlike decision over tough Luquan Lewis (0-4-1) of Wyandanch, NY. Green, 132.5, used his superior boxing skill to dominate Lewis, 130, and scored the only knockdown of the fight in the third on a southpaw left cross. All three judges scored the fight 60-53 for Green, a 2005 PAL National amateur champion.
Martinez Impressive in Debut, Wins in First
Highly-regarded amateur star Steve Martinez of Bronx, NY made his professional debut a successful – and brief – affair as he expended just 2:15 of the first round to do away with Keith Collins (2-3, 1 KO), 151, of St. Joseph, MO. A myriad of blows rained down from the rangy former three-time NY Golden Gloves champion that led to the referee’s intervention.
“I felt strong,” said Martinez, 152, who was 84-10 in the amateurs. “I was nervous but once that bell rang I did what I had to do.”
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With a string of standing-room only shows behind them, Pound 4 Pound Promotions is looking to expand in the new decade. “We want to get bigger and we have plans on getting bigger,” says John Lynch. “I’m a Hudson County guy and most of our fighters are Hudson County guys. The problem is that there isn’t really a large enough venue in the area to handle the kind of crowds that we’re getting. It’s a good dilemma to have but we’ll deal with it.”
The entire card will be available for free viewing at www.GoFightLive.tv beginning Friday.