Philly’s New “Hammerin” Hank Lundy Speaks Out!
By Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing (Aug 14, 2009)
Every so often along comes what one might call a “freak of nature” like “Homocide” Henry Armstrong or Bob Fitzsimmons, who were both 3 division champions. There’s a light welterweight kid from Philly who happens to play the drums in his churches band on Sundays. I guess if he isn’t hitting something on Sunday it might as well be a drum!
“Hammerin” Hank Lundy is 5:07 ½ and with a slim build doesn’t look like the puncher he is. His new trainer Sloan Harrison is getting more punching power by having him set down on his punches. His record is 14-0-1 (8), with 6 of his knockouts inside of 2 rounds.
In addition to a new trainer Lundy has a new manager and a brighter outlook on his career. This converted southpaw, who switches during a fight, has a heart as big as a lion and will fight anyone. “I’ve been told by people I remind them of Gypsy Joe Harris,” said Lundy. Harris was a top contender in the 60’s with a “bag full of tricks”. Both well skilled and both characters that stand out!
His manager Ivan Cohen, who guided Philly’s Buster Drayton to the IBF light middleweight title plans to guide Lundy to a world title. “He has it all. He spars with my cruiserweight Pedro Martinez,” said Cohen. “I plan to keep him busy fighting on August 14th in Salem, New Jersey, and back again September 26th at a new venue on 23rd and Snyder in South Philly,” he added. Cohen has a stable of fighters at the Grays Ferry Boxing Club, 28th and Dickerson, in South Philly. His son Brian “The Bionic Bull” is a super middle at 11-2 (10), Martinez, 5-2 (3), super middle Dhafir Smith, 21-19-6 (4), Julius Edmonds 5-5 (0), Liz Sherman 1-0 (1) and newest member Lakeysha Williams, 9-14-3 (1). Cohen’s wife Donna is the promoter for Bionic Bull Promotions, and the busiest promoter in Pennsylvania. She has run 3 shows this year at South Philly High School, and currently will co-promote in Salem this week. Next month and on October 21st at 23rd and Snyder, the Yesha Hall (former Presidential Caterers), and November 6th at the Tri-State Sport Complex, Aston, Pennsylvania, just outside of the city. Renee Aiken will be serving as her new matchmaker.
Lundy turned professional in July of 2006 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, scoring a 1st round knockout. The following month he was at Foxwood’s Resort in Connecticut, winning by decision, and ending the year up in October in Providence, Rhode Island, knocking out Mike Williams, 3-2 (3), who would later stop Ira Terry’s unbeaten streak at 19. In 2007 Lundy scored another couple of quick knockouts before defeating the veteran Reggie Sanders in June who had over 50 fights. This was Lundy’s homecoming at the Blue Horizon. “I thought beating a guy with that many fights early in my career was something,” said Lundy.
In August, Lundy won every round over Andre Baker who had 35 fights and an always dangerous opponent. In January of 2008 he defeated the veteran Damon Antoine, winning every round in his first 6 rounder, scoring a knockdown. “I would say he was the best that I fought in the pro ranks,” said Lundy. This set the stage for his bout with Darnell Jiles, Jr., 8-0 (3) in March at the Seneca Allegany Casino, in Salamanca, New York, over ESPN2. Matching a pair of unbeaten fighters at this stage of their careers is unusual. All three judges scored it 38-38. It was reduced to a 4 from a 6 at fight time. “I know he would have never gotten through 6 rounds with me,” said Lundy.
In his next fight he would meet another unbeaten fighter in Esteban Almaraz, 7-0 (4) of Texas. Lundy was dropped in the 1st round and scored a knockdown of his own in the 2nd round. This was another ESPN2 show with Lundy taking a decision. It would be 6 months later in North Dakota, when he met Ben Odamattey, 13-11-2 (5), of Ghana. “This guy wouldn’t go down,” said Lundy. Lundy won all 6 rounds.
In March of this year another unbeaten boxer Jason Cintron, 10-0 (3) and Lundy would meet in Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center. Two upsets occurred with the main event fighters as John Duddy would lose for the first time and former champion Kassim Ouma would also be upset. Cintron, the younger brother of former IBF welterweight champion, had spent time in the Kronk Gym learning his trade and was a slight favorite. Lundy’s new trainer would be Peter Manfredo. I had met Lundy at a previous show and told him he better be in shape. He said, “I’ll take him out in 3 rounds.” The fight was really over in the 1st round when Cintron felt the power of Lundy. He had no way of dealing with Lundy no matter what he tried. Lundy had Cintron out on his feet in the 3rd round. In the 5th round two left hooks ended it as Cintron went down, but couldn’t beat the count at the 1:36 mark. This was Lundy’s first 8 rounder. I saw Lundy afterwards outside and asked him what happened? He said, “I won didn’t I?” I told him it took two more rounds than you promised to which he laughed.
In July his promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, of CES, brings the two main event fights from Rhode Island down to Philly on ESPN2. Instead of show casing Lundy between the two fights (which he did another fighter) he schedules him in Rhode Island the following week in a main event 6. I questioned Burchfield that night why Hank wasn’t on the card and he said “oh he’s coming later.” Coming later? I didn’t mean as a spectator. For some unknown reason it was decided to show case him in Rhode Island. I thought, “I pity his next opponent.”
If taking the long train ride up to Rhode Island wasn’t bad enough, Lundy was met with a big mouth opponent named Josh Beeman, 4-3-3 (2), from Providence, who was also with CES. He mocked Lundy like Ali would do to Frazier at the press conference. Lundy got up and said “I don’t curse, but I’m going to beat the crap out of you. I don’t curse. Is crap a curse word?” That fast, Beeman started leaving, and Lundy said “I’m going to punish you and take you out.” Cohen, who helped in the corner with new trainer Harrison, said “it was a thing of beauty the way he broke him down and punished him.” He added, “he could have taken him out early but said he wasn’t done with him yet.” Beeman had gone the 6 round distance with unbeaten Jeremy Bryan 3 weeks before this. Lundy stopped Beeman in the 5th round of a scheduled 6.
Lundy has his eyes on former Olympian Rock Allen, 15-0 (7) from Philly. Allen walked over to him after the fights in Atlantic City this past week-end. One can only imagine what those two could draw inside a Philly ring. He would also like rematches with two New Jersey fighters in Bryan, 11-0 (4), whom he lost to in the finals of the National Golden Glove tournament in 2005, and Jiles, Jr., 8-1-1 (3), with whom he fought the draw in March of 2008. “That Devon Alexander, 18-0 (11), doesn’t want any parts of me,” said Lundy. Allen, Bryan, Jiles and Alexander are on his “hit list”. Lundy knows the time has to be right in order to make the most money and has a confidence that is border line cocky.
Lundy started boxing at a late age in 2002 at 18. Football was his sport in high school. The following year he won the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves. He was also the Outstanding Boxer in the Middle Atlantic Association Tournament that year. In 2005 he won Philly’s Lucien Blackwell Tournament of Champions and Silver at the GG Nationals. He also has a win over Philly’s unbeaten welterweight Ray Serrano, 10-0 (6), in the amateurs. “I saw Hank have Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (later the 2007 Pan Am Games Gold Medalist) out on his feet in a tournament and get robbed,” said Dennis Hasson (8-0 Philly fighter) “I was able to check the scores after the first 2 rounds,” said Lundy. “I was up 20-15. At the end of the 3rd round they wouldn’t let me check the score. I had him out and the referee interferes giving him a rest. At the end of the fight I couldn’t believe they gave it to him,” he added. Lundy knew it was time to turn pro.
I asked him about playing the drums in church. “I have been in the church (attends Pentecostal Church of God & Christ) my whole life. Jesus is the reason I’m who I am. Without Him there would be no Hank Lundy,” said Lundy. Lundy has 4 daughters, Amiriah 1; Adriana, 2; Amari, 4; and Aniyah, 6. His 7 year old son Jaquan comes to the gym with him every day and sometimes gets yelled at for not wanting to leave. “I have to keep him in line,” said Lundy. Well, starting this Friday Gary “Southern Pride Fighter” Bergeron, 10-4 (6), will be first in line to face Philly’s new and improved Lundy at the Campbell Fitness Center, in Salem, New Jersey. “I’m looking for Hank to fight for one of the smaller titles,” said Cohen. “He’s going right to the top!” With 5 young hungry mouths to feed the 25 year old Lundy has the ability and confidence to reach that goal. It was 1986 that Cohen’s champion Buster Drayton won the title. He would like nothing better than to celebrate that 25th anniversary with another champion in early 2011. I can hear the ring announcer now saying “and the new light welterweight champion of the world, from Philadelphia, “Hammerin” Hank Lundy!”
Comments/disputes/questions?
e-mail Ken at: kenhissner@yahoo.com
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