Latino’s Headline at Philly’s Arena Friday Night!

Latino’s Headline at Philly’s Arena Friday Night!

Ken Hissner (April 30, 2010) Doghouse Boxing

Andre Kut’s KEA Boxing returns to the Arena in South Philly Friday night. The New Jersey promoter is returning with his second show in two months with four more scheduled in 2010. “I plan to build fighters on my shows. I have four fighters from my last show appearing on this one,” said Kut.

North Philly’s popular Victor Vasquez, 11-4 (6), will tangle with South Philly’s Paul Fernandez, 5-2-1 (3), in the main event of this 6 round lightweight (132) match. Philly has a reputation of gym wars and these two have met in the gym in the past. Vasquez had a three bout winning streak broken on the last show in losing a disputed decision to Carlos Vinan in February. Vasquez is a barber by trade when he isn’t cutting up his opponents. He has a big fan base and dropped to 130 in his last bout from his normal 137. Except for his debut in upstate Reading all of Vasquez’s fights were in Philly.

Fernandez has won three of his last four fights and will be going over the 130 limit for the first time. The rumors are Fernandez asked for this fight which only adds fuel to the fire though both fighters seemed quite low key at a press conference Monday night at North 222 on South Street. This writer made a bold prediction “the Latino will win!” Seems Vazquez is Puerto Rican and Fernandez Dominican.

The nine bout card is still strong enough even though middleweight contender Lajuan Simon was to headline up until last Friday. A suitable opponent was not found causing him to drop off the card. In the other six round bout at welterweight will feature North Philly’s Ardrick Butler 4-1 (1), who has won four straight will be in his first six rounder. His opponent Norman Allen, 6-3 (3), of Laurel, MD, is coming off a majority loss to Cincinnati’s William “Action” Jackson in Ohio. This will be no easy task for Butler.

KEA has two former amateur champions on the card in Juan “The Beast” Rodriguez, 2-0 (1), from Union City, NJ, and North Philly’s Angel Ocasio, 2-0 (0), in separate bouts. Welterweight Rodriguez takes on Mike Denby, 2-4-3 (2), out of Felton, DE, who is coming off a majority loss to another unbeaten fighter in February. Ocasio is matched with Justin Johnson, 1-1-1 (0), of Clairton, PA, who is coming off a January win over a previously unbeaten boxer. Both of Ocasio’s wins were at the Arena and big things are expected out of him. The fight is a catch weight around light welterweight.

The rest of the card will have ticket sellers in Ridley Park Police Officer Jamie Campbell, 2-1 (1), up against Darrick Allen, 2-5 (2), who has won two of his last three and just scored a 1st round knockout over his last opponent who was 8-0, in January. They are heavyweights. Philly’s Khalil Farah, 5-4 (1), originally from Jordan and winner in two of his last three bouts will do battle with John Colvin, 3-8 (3), coming off a knockout win in his last bout in February. These are super middleweights. Unbeaten boxers Anthony Smith, 3-0 (2), Gabriel Pham, 2-0 (2), and Anthony “TJ” Yoder, Jr., 1-0, round out the card. Nick Tiberi will serve as matchmaker and Kurt Wolfheimer as publicist.

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