In the main event of a Peltz and BAM Boxing show at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia Friday night the fans were treated to a great bout between De Carlo Perez and Dashon Johnson. Peltz and Brittany Rogers (BAM) did the matchmaking.
Super middleweight Decarlo “3 Mendo Perez, 15-5-1 (5), of Atlantic City, NJ, lost a mild upset to returning warrior Dashon Johnson, 21-19-3 (6), of E. Scondido, CA, over 8 rounds. Johnson was returning to Philadelphia where after losing all 7 rounds to Jesse “Hard Work” Hart he knocked down the unbeaten Philadelphia boxer with 15 seconds to go in the fight. It seemed he picked up where he left off dropping Perez in the first round with a flurry of punches.
In the second round Perez showed good recuperative powers as he came back taking over. It seemed Johnson may have temporarily punched himself out in the first round. Perez would easily take rounds 2 and 3 and in the fourth round landed some 18 punches without return. Just before the bell it was Johnson rocking Perez.
In the fifth round Johnson landed 7 punches without return having Perez against the ropes. Perez had a bloody mouth from that point on. This writer had it 47-47 at the end of the round. In the sixth round Johnson landed a vicious right uppercut to the chin of Perez. He ended the round with a hard overhand right to the head of Perez at the bell.
In the seventh round Perez came back boxing well up until the bell when Johnson rocked Perez. In the eighth and final round still having it even Johnson landed a right to the head of Perez dropping him for a second time in the fight. Perez weathered the storm and tried to come back but it was too little too late.
The judges had scores of 78-72, 77-73 and 76-74 which this writer agreed with. The 2 knockdown rounds seemed to be the difference. Gary Rosato was the referee. On the way out of the ring to the dressing room Johnson and Hart had words. Hart is just coming off a hand injury operation. “I want 4 more fights and then the title. I’m No. 1 and Ramirez is the champ,” said Hart. It was believed promoter J Russell Peltz was going to rematch the two until Hart’s operation. Perez filled in and held his own in 6 of the 8 rounds. The fans enjoyed this one.
In the semi-windup super middleweight Jaba “King” Khositashvili, 12-3 (1), of the country of Georgia now living in Northeast Philadelphia landed everything but a jab in pounding out a six round decision over Henry Beckford, 3-5 (1) a tall southpaw from Roosevelt, NY. All 3 judges had it 60-54 as did this writer. The winner is very exciting.
Khositashvili opened up firing on all pistons finally scoring a knockdown in the fourth round. This put Beckford on his bike the rest of the way. Khositashvili showed a lot of frustration in the next 2 rounds being unable to cut the ring off. He even asked referee Rosato to get Beckford to stop running but he was in the survival mode. Khositashvili competed in the 2011 World Amateur Championships held in Baku losing in the second round of Section 1 while Jesse Hart lost in the third round of Section 2. Khsitashvili is managed by Bill Bell.
Lightweight Steven Ortiz, 4-0 (0), of Philadelphia, defeated Haitian Osnel “Prince” Charles, 10-15-1 (1), of Atlantic City, NJ, over 4 rounds. Charles came out firing but Ortiz seemed in control by the end of the round. In the second round Charles suffered a cut on his forehead from an accidental butt ruled referee Dave Franciosi.
Two judges had it 40-36 as did this write while the other had it 39-37.
Lightweight southpaw Jerome Conquest, 6-1 (1), of Philadelphia, won a hard fought 4 round decision to Korey Sloane, 2-10-2 (0), of Philadelphia. “He was very awkward,” said Conquest. He is trained by the Hinnant brothers with Danny Davis doing the cut work.
Super welterweight Isaiah Wise, 2-0 (2), of Philadelphia, overwhelmed Jamil Gadsden, 0-8, of Vineland, NJ, stopping his opponent at 1:37 of the first round. Referee Franciosi wisely stopped the one sided bout.
Super welterweight LeShawn “Sugar” Rodriguez, 3-0 (2), Coram, NY, knocked out Phillip Legrand, 1-2 (1), Atlanta, GA, at 2:34 of the fourth and final round. Referee Rosato waved it off immediately. Legrand had flipped Rodriguez to the canvas in the first round.
Heavyweight Cassius Chaney, 7-0 (4), of New London, CT, now out of West Philadelphia easily won all 4 rounds over defensive minded Ramon Lopez, 4-13 (2), Holland, MI, who was in to survive until 10 seconds to go in the bout landing a flurry of punches. All wondered where had he been all night? Chaney is 6:06 and had a very effective jab and is signed with Kathy Duva’s Main Events. Chaney was icing his right hand afterwards.
Flyweight Chayanne Rivera, 1-0 (0), of the Bronx, NY, scored a knockdown in the fourth and final round defeating Gene “Prince” Gonzales, 0-2 (0), Harlington, TX. All 3 judges had it 40-35.
Welterweight Olympic alternate Jaron “Boots” Ennis, 2-0 (2), out of the Germantown section of Philadelphia, had no opponent when it was discovered Alfred Hall of Detroit was on suspension. It was a shame because Ennis is the best looking Philadelphia prospect since 1984 Gold medal Olympian Meldrick Taylor. He is supposed to fight June 11th in VA.