Kaseem Wilson inks a big fight for July 11th in Newark, Jones vs Mosley rescheduled for Aug 8th

Rewind back to October 18, 2006…. On the corner of 25th & Brown in the Fairmount section of the city, it was announced that Hall of Fame promoter J. Russell Peltz made a move to replenish his aging stock of fighters. On this day he agreed to promotional deals with five area boxers, all but one had less than fifteen pro fights under their belt. Each fighter inked that day were serviceable but it was crystal clear that the crown jewels of this batch were a shifty 20 year old southpaw named Kaseem Wilson who was a former state amateur champion and a lanky 23 year old welterweight Mike Jones who was not a great amateur but captivated fans imaginations early in his pro career due to his exciting knockout power. Both young men’s record stood somewhere around 5-0 at the time. Out of the two, most boxing insiders dubbed Wilson as the one who would be the better pro. Three years later, there is one one loss between the two but both careers are football fields apart.

Anyone who knows anything about the recent state of Philly boxing knows that Jones (17-0, 15ko’s) has become the clear cut #1 active prospect in this city with his foot on the door step of being a certified contender in a deep Welterweight division.

Wilson sports a very good record himself at 12 -1 but that one loss was the result of an awful outing in 2007 “step-up” fight which led Wilson going on a year hiatus, in turn causing many to jump off the bandwagon. The man who goes by the ring name of “The Nightmare” quietly returned to the ring in December of ’08 and has reeled off three consecutive wins, most recently an uncharacteristic one round starching of 21 win veteran Louis Lejia of Texas. The wins are adding up but the stink of his loss is still lingering in some peoples noses. But like the wise boxing man once said, “a fighter can learn more from one bad loss than they can from 10 easy wins”.

On July 11th, Kaseem Wilson puts that statement to the test and show what he is all about when he challenges the highly regarded Henry Crawford (21-0, 11ko’s) in Crawford’s backyard of Newark, NJ. It’s a must win for both Welterweights as Crawford is fighting for a world rating while Wilson has an opportunity to show that he is for real. Russell Peltz went on the record to say “This is a spot for Kaseem to step up to the plate and make some noise. He knows I’m his biggest critic but that’s only because I want him to fight up to his potential. When he and Mike Jones turned pro in 2005, gym guys told me Kaseem was the better prospect. Things did not turn out that way but Kaseem is still young. He was getting by early on talent without putting in the time and his out-of-the-gym lifestyle left a lot to be desired. His performance against Russell Jordan was a disappointment–not that he lost but the way he lost. He’s says he’s changed. Crawford is not the biggest puncher in the world and I don’t really care that the fight is in Newark, NJ. Good fighters don’t let those things bother them. When the house lights go down and the ring lights go up and the ref says “seconds out” it will be simply Kaseem Wilson against Henry Crawford in that space. Wilson has the talent to win the win–now let’s see if he has the grit and the drive and the mental strength to get the job done.” It’s definitely an interesting fight, stay tuned for more info on this one.

As for Jones, his continuously postponed match-up against Larry Mosley (15-3-2, 6ko’s) of LA has found a new date, August 8th at Bally’s casino in Atlantic City. This marks the third try to get this rumble on as Mosley has to pull out once due to a back injury and Jones had to pull in the latest try with a bicep injury. If it does go off as planned, Jones will look to improve his rank in three major sanctioning bodies and win over a new audience. This will mark Jones second defense of the NABA Welterweight title that he won in Philly back in November of 08. In his first defense, Jones blitzkrieg’d Columbia’s Dario Esalas who lasted a mere 2 rounds at The Blue Horizon. Larry Mosley is well rounded fighter with a resume of good competition over this years but hasn’t never been able to get over the hump as a pro. More info to come on this as well. For tickets to either event call 215-765-0922

Rogers Mtagwa outwings Ricardo Medina @ The Blue!

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photo by Tony Gargano / www.pixgargano.com

With swine flu, rain & The Kentucky Derby all in the air, the boxing fans of Philadelphia stayed true to their roots and came out in solid numbers for a sweaty night on North Broad Street as Peltz Boxing returned for Act III at Legendary Blue Horizon on May 1, 2009. This date has a bit of significance to it, not only because of the action in the ring but it also marks the half way point of a surprise partnership with the landmarks proprietors. After relinquishing my spot in press row for a night of talking to ticket paying fans, many are happy that consistent competitive match making has returned to the city’s most recognizable venue and they also seem to be impressed with the personalized service they get when making arrangements to come to the fights. After a wildly successful return to the building in February and a solid follow up with the Golden Gloves finals a month later, promoter J. Russell Peltz put together a card that I would like to call a “midterm” for the participants that are currently signed to fight exclusively under this promotional banner. I say that meaning all of the “house” fighters were clear but favorites but each “opponent” had their own special purpose to test the level of progress in the invested boxer. Inside of the ring, the night started off strong with solid action through the main event but faded down the stretch as the final run of bouts failed to produce many fireworks before the curtain closed for the evening.

Gabriel Rosado steps in to fight Kassim Ouma in Newark April 24th!

“King” Gabriel Rosado once again steps up to the plate for another big fight, this time signing on to battle former Jr. Middleweight champion Kassim Ouma in a 10 round co-feature in Newark NJ April 24th. If there is ever a such thing as a cross roads fight for a 22 year old, this is it. Rosado has spent the last year traveling the East Coast taking on some of the best in the business. He recently won a tune up by knockout and now will put himself right back into the thick of the 154 lb division.

Ouma, whose documentary Kassim the Dream is gaining rave reviews at film fests across the country as it details his life from a child solider in Uganda to boxing champion in the USA, also finds himself in a must win situation. A one time shining star of the business now finds himself on the outside looking in as younger, hungrier fights have moved ahead. Recent losses on the big stage have bumped his value back a bit but he is climbing the ladder again, most recently with a knockout win over Martinus Clay in Philly. The winner should receive another opportunity to fight under the big lights of a major network.

The card is highlighted by Ireland’s John Duddy who will take on Billy Lyell in a 10 round Jr. Middleweight bout. For those who haven’t been to Newark for a fight card, let me tell you this, they produce a rockin’ fight crowd! If you are feeling up for a road trip this could be one to check out. for tickets call 937-200-7050 (Main Events)

Watch the trailer of Kassim the Dream

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions you can email Philly Keith at keith@phillykeith.com

Go to www.phillykeith.com for up to the minute info on the Philly boxing scene

Mike Jones destroys Dario Esalas in 2, Teon Kennedy gets off the deck to win at The Blue!

Photo by Chris Sembrot / www.chrissembrot.com
On March 6, 2009 Peltz Boxing Promotions returned to the Legendary Blue Horizon with a bang, putting on a card that didn’t have one stiff on the line up which resulted in good fights from A- Z. After an 8 year absence, the Philly fight fans were excited about the return and came out in high volumes to see an evenly matched 7 fight card highlighted by the towns hottest prospect Mike Jones who is rated in all major sanctioning body rankings. Jones was originally set to take on former amateur standout Larry Mosley of LA but at the last minute Mosley called out with a back injury so in comes Dario Eslas, a well traveled veteran with knockout power and a light bulb chin. The over under on this one was 3 rounds.

The co-feature was an interesting one as another highly touted, undefeated Peltz boxing prospect Teon Kennedy took on the world rated Andre Wilson on Missouri in an 8 round Super Bantamweight showdown. This one got interesting as Wilson showed he is no fluffed up mid westerner but Kennedy showed the heart of a fighter as he had to deal with a lot of elements he hasn’t come across before inthe ring. There was a lot on the line for both as Wilson was hungry for better pay days and respect as he wanted to shed the “opponent” label. Kennedy was one win shy of qualifying for his teams goal of getting a crack at the USBA title.

Mike Jones and Jason Cintron score KO of the Year candidates, Rock Allen pitches a shutout in Reading

December 5 2008 was a hot night for those who are interested in the progress of Philly fighters as Peltz Boxing Promotions went head to head with the Legendary Blue Horizon for the last opportunity of the year to showcase local talent. On this night, it wasn’t The New Alhambra as instead promoter J. Russell Peltz upped the anti and collaborated with Golden Boy Promotions, King Promotions and Telefutura for a card which will be one of the final episode of the soon to be defunct Solo Boxeo series. The end result was a very good 7 fight card which saw two vicious knockouts, an Olympian continue his rise through the ranks and others who are clawing their way towards recognition as fighters with a bright future.

The evening’s main event featured the one who many regard as Philly’s #1 pound for pound prospect Mike Jones (16-0, 14 ko’s) taking on Chicago’s experienced veteran Luciano Perez (16-9, 14ko’s) for a scheduled 10 rounder. Jones, who is becoming a good crowd draw on the local scene, has recently gained some world wide recognition being ranked the #12 welterweight in the WBA. This came on the heels of his last win, a thumping TKO over Brazil’s Juliano Ramos, which was for the then vacant NABA Welterweight title.

His opponent Luciano Perez is no stranger to stiff competition. In his 5 years as a pro, Perez has faced the likes of Carlos Baldomir (former undisputed welterweight champ), Jesus Soto Karass, Alfonso Gomez (The Contender) and Juan Manuel Buendia, all of whom carry a world rating with a major sanctioning body.

On this night, it was found our hours before show time that Perez was well over the contractually agreed upon weight limit of 147 pounds, weighing in at a whopping 154. With the entire telecast hanging in the balance, Jones and his team agreed to fight on despite the unprofessional actions of Perez. Perez was fined for his actions but the cost almost turned out to be a lot deeper than originally expected…

From the opening bell Jones found himself in a firefight with Perez, who came out punching for a quick victory. Jones, who coming in to the fight was rumored to have a “left hand that was f$#ked”, abandoned his traditional method of using the ring, working jabbing and throwing hard body combinations for a street brawlers style of hard over the top rights.

Perez, even after eating a big right seconds into the bout, was more than willing to oblige and this one broke down to a wild, give and take fight through two rounds which saw both fighters get buzzed a bit early. A nasty gash opened on Perez hairline late in the 2nd and within seconds was gushing blood, yet still continued to fight as both men exchanged heavy leather.

At start of the 3rd round, Perez came out bombing for the knockout. But when the going got really tough, MJ got going and dropped the incoming Perez with a 3 punch combo the finished with a hard right to the face. Perez had the audacity to continue but soon after got caught with one of the best left hooks in recent memory, which cork screwed Perez into the ropes, down to the canvas and out of commission. Perez somehow beat the count again but referee Gary Rosado saw he was in no shape to continue and immediately called an end to things. Five minutes after the fight, Perez left ringside still on shaky legs.

After the fight, Jones told me “I saw in his eyes he was a desperate fighter because of that bad cut” he added “He wanted the get the knockout and I didn’t want to have a no contest on my record if they stopped it early because of the bleeding, so I knew I had to get him out of there and that’s what I did”. An upgrade to his #12 WBA welterweight world ranking is in line for sure after this win.

In the co-feature, 2004 Olympian and current Jr. Welterweight prospect Rock Allen (14-0, 7ko’s) returned to the ring for only the 2nd time this year but showed no signs of rust as he banged out a win against tough Mexican fighter Humberto Tapia over 8 tough, yet convincing rounds.

Allen’s approach early in the fight was to attack the body and Tapia knew only one direction which was forward. This led to quite a few very good two way exchanges in the middle of the ring.

Though Allen was scoring more with his three and four punch combos, Tapia landed a few hard rights upstairs in the early going which Allen seemed to handle with no problem.
After 4 rounds, Allen seemed to realize that the ring was his friend, opting to move around, box and use different angles which caused a lot of Tapia to misses and openings for more clean punches landing for Allen.

Round 5 through 8 had a similar theme, Allen showing off his superior hand speed allowing him to land at a high rate and Tapia still willing to fight through a swollen face, looking to score one big punch at a time.

The fight lasted the distance but there was no doubt as all three of the judges score cards read 80 – 72 in favor of Allen.

After the fight Rock seemed pleased with his performance but also stated that ” I knew he was tough coming in so I wasn’t surprised he could take a good punch” he also added “My dad told me, hit the body and the head will fall. I just wish I had 2 more rounds to work with. I could feel him wearing down near the end and with a little more time I would have knocked him out. I may not have the power of a Mike Jones but I know how to break a fighter down”.

In the swing bout, Reading’s undefeated Jr. Welterweight Jason Cintron (brother of former IBF champ Kermit Cintron) continues to impress, this time with a 2nd round stone cold starching over Puerto Rico’s Pascali Adorno courtesy of a perfectly placed right hook to the jaw bone. Cintron was in command for the opening bell showing a nice blend of skill, patience and power. He dropped Adorno late in the 1st with a hard left hand and sealed the deal in the opening seconds of round 2. Look for more of Cintron after the new year as he burst out of no where over the last 2 months, first beating the USBA regional champ Tyric Robinson in a non title bout a few weeks back and then following it up with this big KO and improving his record to 10-0 with 3ko’s.

In featherweight action, Reading’s Lucian Gonzalez continues his escape from journeyman-ville, winning his 7th straight fight after starting his career 2 – 4. His assignment on this night was Robert DeLuz of Michigan, who has become a familiar face in our town providing solid, yet unspectacular tests to the young and hungry Philly fighters who dare to strive for prospect status at the 125 lb mark. In DeLuz previous fights against Philly hopefuls Eric “Outlaw” Hunter and Teon Kennedy (both former highly decorated amateurs) the pace was slow and the two-way action was sparse. On this night, Gonzalez was somehow able to bring the fight out of DeLuz, which led to an entertaining 6 round contest that went the distance. DeLuz played the role of attacker while Gonzalez took the job of counter puncher. The two sat in the pocket and exchanged some good leather. Gonzalez ability to put more combinations together and use the ring led to a clean sweep on the scorecards although all rounds were competitive. With the win, Gonzalez shows he has definitely arrived; a promoter could have a gem of a fight on their hands if they match him with either Kennedy or Hunter. I am sure boxing commish Greg Sirb would have no problem putting the State Title on the line!

Rounding out the card, Jr. Middleweight Kaseem Wilson (10-1, 4ko’s) shook off 15 months of ring rust in his return bout against Marvin Rivera. The fight started slow but Wilson warmed up down the stretch scoring a late knockdown en route to a unanimous decision win. Good comeback for Wilson as he showed stamina through the entire 6 rounds against a fighter that is no slouch.

In the only dud fight of the night, featherweight Paul Fernandez lost in a mild upset against Puerto Rico’s Esteban Rodriguez.

In the curtain closer, Cruiserweight Julio Caesar Matthews stayed undefeated by knocking out hard hitting journeyman William Bailey in the 3rd.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions you can email Philly Keith at keith@phillykeith.com

Go to www.phillykeith.com for up to the minute info on the Philly boxing scene