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

Yusef Mack wins the NABF Light Heavyweight title from Chris Henry by split decision in Maryland!

Photo by Mike Greenhill / www.fightnews.com

Live on ESPN Friday Night Fights (Feb 6, 2009), West Philly’s Yusef Mack stamped his ticket into the upper echelon on the worlds Light Heavyweight boxers with a 12 round split decision win over Houston’s Chris Henry, a fighter ranked in the top 10 of nearly every major sanctioning body. Mack dominated the early going ,in particular the 6th round where he bombarded Henry with many consecutive hard overhand rights which would have put most men out for the count. To Henry’s credit, he absorbed the punishment and stormed back down the stretch as Mack began to tire, arguable sweeping round 7 – 11. With the fight hanging in the balance, Mack gained a second win and once again began to land some heavy lumber on Henry, which sealed the victory in this exciting, two way action fight. It went to the scorecards with two judges seeing it 116 – 112 & 115- 113 for Mack, while the villainous Malik Waleed continued his streak of burning Philly fighters somehow saw it 116 – 112 for Henry. With the win Mack is in prime position to land a title fight in the 175 lb division with his eyes on Romania’s Adrian Diaconau.

In the co-feature, “King” Gabriel Rosado showed a lot of heart fighting in enemy territory and put on a competitive & entertaining 8 round Jr. middleweight fight against the still undefeated Fernando Guerrero but came up a bit short on the scorecards when it was all said and done. It was a close fight through 5 rounds which included Rosado scoring a knockdown in the 3rd with a short right hand on the inside. Guerrero upped the pressure down the stretch and the Maryland southpaw’s activity and cleaner punching secured the win. With that said, give Rosado his props for walking into the lions den and being booed by a sellout crowd of over 4,000 all who came to see the hometown hero Guerrero and not folding under the pressure. Keep your head up Gaby!

Off TV, Philly Light Heavyweight Farah Ennis (9-0, 4 KOs) continued his rise as he outpointed Chris Archer (10-6, 6 KOs) over four by scores of 40-36 on all cards.

Yusef Mack & Gabriel Rosado headline Friday Night Fights in Maryland 2/6/09

It’s a big night for Philly fighters on February 6th as quite a few young hopefuls travel to Maryland for tough fights on national TV. It starts off with West Philly’s Yusef Mack (26-2-2, 18ko’s) taking on Chris Henry (23-1, 18ko’s) of Texas with Mack’s NABA & Henry’s NABF Light Heavyweight title on the line in the main event on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. Mack is once again in the world ratings and once again finds himself on the doorstep of a major fight against a top contender. With a win, he is in, no question about it. In the past he hasn’t been able to get over the hump but with making weight no longer an issue, his supporters believe this will be his time to shine. The haters say he is going to choke. Mack has looked very good so far at 175 lbs but Henry will be his toughest challenge to date in this division. Henry recently fought WBC champ Adrian Diaconu in the champs home country of Romania and left short handed losing a close decision. Like Mack, with a win, he is striking distance of another title fight.

It doesn’t end there because there have been hot rumors of North Philly Middleweight “King” Gabriel Rosado filling the void in the co-feature to take on big time Maryland ticket seller Fernando Guerrero (12-0, 11ko’s) for a scheduled 10 rounder. Rosado, fresh off a stretch as Bernard Hopkins and Shane Mosley’s chef sparring partner, looks to once again play the role of spoiler and pull the rug from under a home town hero in that fighters back yard. Guerrero put his name on the map in August on Shobox when he mopped the ring with the then unbeaten and untested Tyrone Watson. Rosado will provide a much tougher test and has a legitimate shot to come home victorious.

It has also been mentioned that Farah Ennis & Coy Evans will fight in separate bouts on this card as well. Get the full ESPN write up & scouting report here http://phillykeith.com/MackRosadoESPN.htm

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

2008 Philly Fighters of the Year

Mike Jones

Once again, Mike Jones gave crowds their moneys worth as he continued his rise from local prospect to world rated contender. This year, Jones got soem real exposure as he headlined cards on major networks such as Telefutura and ESPN’s Friday night fights, coming out on top every time. Late in the summer Jones added his first piece of hardware to the collection when he KO’d Brazil’s Juliano Ramos to become the NABF Welterweight champion. To end the year, Jones scored a crushing KO on national TV when a nasty left hook made Luciano Perez do a 180 into the ropes then on his ass. Watch out for Jones in 2009 as he is getting very close to landing a significant fight, most likely against on of his undefeated peers in a loaded welterweight division.

“King” Gabriel Rosado

After sitting out of the ring for almost a full year, “King” Gabriel Rosado returned with a vengance in the middle part of 2008. His first order of business was to redeem himself by making quick work of Joshua Onyango, a fighter who decisioned Rosado a year earlier. After a pit stop at The New Alhambra a few weeks later, Rosado went back out on the road, this time going to Brooklyn as a huge underdog to fight NYC resident James Moore on ESPN’s Wednesday Night Fights. This night turned out to be Rosado’s coming out party as he dropped, and eventually went on to beat the previously undefeated, ticket selling Irishman. Rosado finished 2008 as the chief sparring partner for Bernard Hopkins as B-Hop prepared for, and eventually demolished, Kelly Pavlik. It will be interesting to see how 2009 shapes up for Rosado.

Teon Kennedy

Teon Kennedy followed up on a good first year with a solid progress in year two. Fighting four times in 2008, Kennedy started off the year by stepping up the competition and cruising through a decision win against Castulo Gonzalez. It was in fight two where Kennedy made his loudest statement when he blew out the previously undefeated Thomas Snow of Baltimore in less than two rounds. He capped off the year easily decisioning two more journeyman which put him within striking distance of a USBA title shot in the Super Bantamweight division.

Lucian Gonzalez

Seriously, where did this guy come from in 2008? Though technically he didn’t perform in Philly, what Lucian Gonzalez did in the outskirts of the city is definitely worth mentioning. Entering the year equipt only with a one way ticket to journeyman-ville, Gonzalez reeled off 5 straight wins and a questionable draw against Jules Blackwell in a fight many thought he won. His shining moment came in October as he accepted a fight on about 8 hours notice against Ireland’s featherweight champion and convincingly beat him. Lucian capped the year with a solid win over durable vet Robert De Luz and now many people are hoping to see Gonzalez fight Teon Kennedy for the state title.

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