DUBOSE WINS FIRST MAIN EVENT
IN REMATCH WITH LULE
 
Story by John DiSanto
Photos by Darryl Cobb, Jr.
 

Rising Philly featherweight Antonio Dubose, 8-0-1, 2 KO, won the first main event of his career Saturday night at Harrah’s Casino and Racetrack in Chester, PA. His opponent, Jesus Lule, 7-14-1, 1 KO, of Ft. Meyers, FL, was a familiar one. The pair fought to a feisty four-round draw three months ago, and this rematch landed atop the latest card staged by the busy Kings Promotions. Dubose grinded out a unanimous six-round decision this time, but Lule still proved to be a tough customer.

At the start of the fight, it appeared Dubose would roll over Lule in a hurry. Although not known as a big puncher, Antonio plastered Lule with a shocking left hook and put him down hard. Lule regained his feet and he fought back hard.

Rebounding well, Lule took the next two rounds, although the action was close. With the fight even after three rounds, Dubose began to step on the gas in round four. The surge lasted for the remaining three rounds and albeit it a struggle, Antonio managed to keep up the pressure and stay ahead on the cards.

In the last round, Dubose closed the show by hurting Lule with a few more left hooks and was clearly the stronger and fresher fighter by the final bell.

All three judges favored Dubose. Lindsey Page scored it 59-54; Alan Rubenstein saw it 58-55, and Lynne Carter had it the closest at 57-56. My tally matched Rubenstein’s. 

The victory put Dubose back on track after his first blemish back in June.

FOLLY W6 NAJERA
Undefeated Manny Folly, 6-0, 4 KO, won his second bout after taking 18 months off from boxing to become a Philadelphia Police Officer.  The 23 year old looked sharp and cruised through four rounds with veteran Sergio Najera, 10-21-2, 4 KO.

Folly controlled the entire bout, landing hard right hands all the way. In the fourth and final round, he was credited with a knockdown after a body shot put Najera, Tijuana, Mexico, on the mat. The knockdown was just icing on the cake, and moments later Folly collected a shutout unanimous decision from judges Adam Friscia, Lindsey Page and Lynne Carter, all of whom scored the junior lightweight fight 40-35.

BROOKER TKO2 RAYA
Philadelphian Christopher Brooker, 4-1, 4 KO, dominated his super middleweight clash with Bolivian Juan Fernando Raya, 2-3, 1 KO, in their scheduled four-rounder. Brooker was bigger and stronger and administered a real beat down beginning from the opening bell.

In round two, Brooker had Raya on the brink of going down several times, but could not power him to the canvas. Referee Shawn Clark kept a close eye on the one-sided action, but never pulled the trigger on the stoppage, despite appearing to have several opportunities to do so before the round ended.

Raya returned to his corner and the moment he arrived, the bout was stopped to save him from any more punishment. The official time was 3:00 of round two.

ROSARIO TKO3 SLOAN
The four-round lightweight contest between Philly’s Korey Sloan, 2-8-2, and Carlos Rosario, of Pennsauken, NJ, 3-1, 2 KO, became a slugfest as soon as the bell rang. Sloan drew first blood by dropping Rosario with a strong right. Rosario rolled over, got up, and then sent Sloan sprawling to floor with his own right hand. Sloan managed to get up, and both fighters survived until the end of the round.

Rosario was physically stronger and won the second round by bullying Sloan around the ring. In round three, Rosario repeatedly blasted Sloan with rights that kept him hurt, off balance and increasingly desperate. Rosario put Sloan down with another right, and the fight was topped by referee Hurley McCall at 2:28 of the third.

WALTON D4 CAPERS
Cruiserweights Dominic Walton, Philadelphia, and Lamont Capers, Hawley, PA, fought to a four-round draw. Walton did enough to have the edge on my scorecard, but the fight was tight in every round. All three judges had a different opinion about the result. Alan Rubenstein scored it 40-36 for Walton. Lynne Carter’s tally was 39-37 for Capers. The deciding card of Lindsey Page was a 38-38 draw, and made the bout even. This was Walton’s pro debut. Capers went home 5-7-2. 

JOHNSON TKO2 VALLIERE
Vineland, NJ Middleweight Alshamar Johnson, 1-1, 1 KO, scored an upset over previously undefeated Nick Valliere, 5-1, 2 KO, Forked River, NJ. Valliere won the opening round of the scheduled four-rounder, but his wild, free-swinging style eventually got the best of him. As Valliere swung away, he tired and exposed himself to Johnson’s punches.

In the second, Johnson landed a vicious right uppercut that jarred Valliere’s head upward. Nick backed away, but Johnson chased him down. A flurry from Johnson put Valliere down. Although he rose, Nick looked wiped out. Johnson jumped on his wounded opponent in a corner, and thrashed away until referee Hurley McCall stopped the fight at 2:19 of round two.

VASQUEZ W4 IRIZARRY
Featherweight Rafael Vasquez, 2-3-1, also scored an upset when he dished Robert Irizarry, 3-1-1, the first defeat of his pro career.  Irizarry, Cherry Hill, NJ, started well, but tired badly. Vasquez, Bayamon, PR, was relentless and appeared to be close to a stoppage a few times through the remainder of the bout. Vasquez applied plenty of pressure, but Irizarry survived all four rounds. The official scores were 40-36, and 39-37, twice.

MARTIN W4 JOHNSON
In the opening bout of the card, middleweight Santario Martin, 1-1, took a four-round unanimous decision over Newark’s Fitzgerald Johnson, 3-8-1, 1 KO.  Martin, of Gainesville, FL, floored Johnson in round three, but had to settle for a points win in his first-ever victory.

The show was promoted by Kings Promotions and drew about 300 customers. It was the second consecutive night with a card by Marshall Kauffman's Kings Promotions, and he has another one coming up Tuesday night in Bethlehem, PA.

John DiSanto - Chester, PA - September 19, 2015
 

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