Heavyweight Joey Cusumano stretched his winning streak to 13 on Friday at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI, stopping southpaw Bernardo “El Tarzan” Marquez, 8-4-1 (5) of Imperial Valley, CA, at 1:44 of the first round in a 6 round bout on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s CES Boxing promotion. Cusumano’s last three bouts have been at the Twin River Event Center and it was three in his last four fights. He was born in Palermo, Sicilia, Italy, on May 7th 1988 and celebrating his 29th birthday during fight week. His residence is in Richmond, VA.

The 6:04 Cusumano last weighed in at 236 and is 15-1 with 13 by knockout winning his last 13 fights of which the last 9 were by knockout. In his next to last bout he scored a first round stoppage over Pittsburgh’s Fred “Too Slick” Latham, Jr., 9-1-2, giving away some 40 pounds on February 23 of this year.

Cusumano turned professional on August 14, 2010 scoring a first round KO and in November scored another first round stoppage. He was inactive for 16 months before returning to action losing his only bout to Daniel Martz, 2-0, 6’7 1/2 266 pounds out of Clarksburg, WV, over 4 rounds in Elizabeth, PA.

Cusamano won his next 7 bouts ending in October 03, 2014. His then manager Philadelphia lawyer Andy Touchstone passed away just 18 months later at the age of 51 of a massive heart attack. This writer spoke to him 2 days before his death at a boxing event in Philadelphia. Cusumano would not have another bout for 2 years when he returned to action on October 22, 2016 in his tenth 4 round bout stopping Jason Pauley, 5-20, in the first round in Winchester, VA.

In the following June Cusumano had his first bout in Lincoln, RI, in his first 6 round bout stopping Dan “Bada Bing” Biddle, 9-6 of Hockessin, DE, in the second round.

In August Cusumano returned to action at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, CT, stopping Robert Dunton, 11-16-1, of Wilmington, DE, in the first round. Just 3 weeks later he returned to Lincoln, RI, stopping Matt McKinney, 5-2-2, in the second round of a scheduled 6. He returned to action in February stopping Fred Latham.

Joey was good enough to answer some questions.

KEN HISSNER: I’m glad after Andy’s death you decided to continue your career after a two year lay-off. Was it a difficult period of time in your life and career during this period on whether to return to boxing?

JOEY CUSUMANO: yes I lost my mentor- trainer Robert machine marney and Andy touchstone . I was lost without them

KEN HISSNER: You had two bouts in PA and two in NJ, before your last bout while Andy was still with us at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in CT. How did the Philly and Jersey crowd treat you?

JOEY CUSUMANO: great philly loved me and Jersey also

KEN HISSNER: Who is training you and where?

JOEY CUSUMANO: Marcus Luck boxing coach and Darrerk early conditioning coach

KEN HISSNER: How has it been fighting in the New England area?

JOEY CUSUMANO: I really love it they are great boxing fans and I wanna give them my all

KEN HISSNER: You haven’t had to go beyond 4 rounds in your 15 bouts. How has your conditioning been?

JOEY CUSUMANO: great we always train for the rounds but it never gets that far

KEN HISSNER: Do you have a new manager?

JOEY CUSUMANO: yes

KEN HISSNER: What are your goals for the rest of the year?

JOEY CUSUMANO: making my fans proud

KEN HISSNER: I want to thank you for taking the time from your schedule to answer these questions and may you be blessed in the future.

JOEY CUSUMANO: Anytime, Ken.