Bobby Rooney Scores KO at Schuetzen Park, New Jersey
By Ken Hissner at ringside, DoghouseBoxing (Feb 21, 2009)  
John Lynch’s Pound for Pound Promotions packed them in Thursday night at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen, New Jersey as Bayonne’s Bobby Rooney 9-2-1 (5) did not disappoint the home crowd. The “perfect” opponent was brought in from Lafayette, Indiana in “Jammin’” James Morrow 11-12-3 (5) who was stopped at 1:49 of the 2nd round when referee Lindsey Page had seen enough in this 8 round light heavyweight match.

It was Morrow’s third trip to the Garden state with the results all the same. He should either stay in Indiana or hang them up. It was Rooney’s 4th straight win and 3rd straight at this venture. The local celeb’s were out with the “Bayonne Bleeder” Chuck Wepner, Vinnie Maddalone, Jerson Ravelo, former champs Mark Medal and Al Cole along with HBO’s judge Harold Lederman to name a few. Morrow was rocked into the ropes at the bell ending the 1st round after being pushed around the ring while in a “peek-a-boo” style defense. A lead right hand dropped Morrow who was completely defenseless when he got to his feet.

The undercard was filled with area prospects except for local sensation Mike “The Artist Michael Angelo” Perez of Newark whose opponent failed his physical. In the fight of the night Jersey City’s Danny McDermott 7-1, (2) was in a war with North Bergen’s Ricardo Rosas 2-5-1 (1) who never stopped coming forward as McDermott used an effective jab with countering right hands in this spirited 6 round lightweight match. McDermott got the decision by scores of 58-56 by McKaie and 59-55 by Lederman and Hill.

Union City’s Jason “Monstruo” Escalara 5-0 (5) was not in easy with Joey Njaw 0-3 of Elizabeth who had Escalera backed into a corner until he was caught with a short right hand that spun him around into the corner as he wrapped his arm around the corner pad to stay up on his feet his arm was outside the ring as Escalara unloaded on him. The referee Page finally put a halt to it at 2:05 of the 1st round.

Passaic’s Victor “the Viper” Valenzuela 5-0 (1) was having his way along with some rabbit punches in clinches that went without warning from referee Steve Smoger. When his opponent Daniel Lorenzano 4-4-1 (2) of Miami complained Smoger warned him. Lorenzano made it interesting in the 5th round with an intentional head butt followed by some holding that cost him a point. In the 6th round a frustrated Valenzuela flipped Lorenzano to the canvas without as much as a warning from Smoger. By this time things had gotten out of hand. Valenzuela has potential but lacks a punch which might have lead to his frustration in hoping to get the stubborn Lorenzano out of there. Judges Julie Lederman, George Hill and John McKaie all had it 60-53 in this featherweight 6. This writer made the mistake of asking Lorenzano about the foul tactics and he demonstrated a couple of rabbit punches to the back of my head in his excitement of how the referee allowed his opponent to go unpunished. I’ll have to remind myself never to question a fighter about low blows.

Two fighters making their debut scored 1st round knockouts. The show opened with Sparta’s Chris Murphy 1-0 (1) stopping Kenny Meeks 1-5 (1) of Sharpsburg, North Carolina by dropping him with an uppercut into the ropes and down. Smoger stopped it at 1:27 of the 1st round of this middleweight 4.

Jersey City’s Patrick Farrell 1-0 (1) landed a vicious uppercut to the midsection of Phil Hanna 0-2 of the Bronx that drove his opponent into the ropes causing Hanna’s corner to jump up on the corner apron signaling a stoppage. Smoger failed to notice this while Farrell continued driving Hanna along the ropes before finally stopping it at 1:01 of the 1st round. Farrell came in at 195 to his opponents 180 and was obviously too strong.

In a competitive 4 round junior welterweight match southpaw Chris Green 1-0 of Asbury Park had his way through the first couple of rounds until Philly’s Ray Ellis 0-2 started going to the body of his opponent. All judges had it 40-36 in favor of Green.

The ever gracious publicist for Pound for Pound Promotions Joe Mastropaolo saw to it that all the writers treated well. Only problem is we were put next to the speakers of the loudest rap music this 64 year old ever heard. Between that and the rabbit punches I think I’ll schedule an MRI in the morning.

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Ken at: kenhissner@yahoo.com




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