Boxing Fans Pack the Expo on Veteran’s Day
[Old Orchard Beach, Maine] Portland Boxing Club’s Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour Jr., of Old Orchard Beach, ME lost an eight-round split decision to John Thompson of Newark, NJ in a fight for the vacant IBA North American Middleweight Championship. This was the main event of Portland Boxing Club’s All-Star Boxing with a packed house at the Portland Expo. Thompson inflicted a deep gash above Lamour’s eye and broke his orbital bone in the first round. Despite adverse conditions, Lamour pushed through and made a fight of it in every round, but the sharp, accurate Thompson showed great boxing skills throughout with an impressive performance winning the bout and taking home the title. Lamour, who was previously the IBA North American Middleweight Champion in 2015, now has a record of 15-3-0 (7 KO) and Thompson’s record improves to 18-3-0.
In the co-feature, Portland Boxing Club’s super middleweight Jason “The Fighting Fireman” Quirk, of South Portland, defeated Siri Mikael Bosse, of Charleston, WV, with a fourth-round knockout from a left hook to the body and a right to the head on the way down after wearing down the sharp Bosse with a steady body attack in a competitive matchup scheduled for six-rounds. Quirk’s record improves to 8-0-0 (6 KO).
Welterweight Brandon “The Cannon” Berry, of West Forks, ME, earned a majority draw in a six-round rematch with Eric Palmer of Uniontown, PA. Berry returned to the ring after an 18-month recovery from his third shoulder surgery, getting off to a slow start in the first three rounds and seemed to pick up the pace in the next three close rounds that could have gone either way, resulting in the majority draw decision.
In what was the most dramatic fight of the night, former Maine native Brandon Montella, of Quincy, MA, had to get off the floor twice in the first round then turned the tables and came back to score knock-out 2:17 into the third round over Austin Marcum, of Charleston, WV, in the bout scheduled for six rounds.
Cruiserweight Tommy Karpency, of Youngstown, OH, defeated Rubin Williams, of Detroit, MI, with a knock out 1:00 into the first-round of the bout scheduled for eight rounds.
Cruiserweight Christiano Pedro, of Lewiston, ME, knocked out John Hantzoupolas, of Carver, MA, 0:39 into the first-round of the bout scheduled for eight rounds.
The show started with bouts featuring two of Portland Boxing Club’s amateur stars. Portland Boxing Club’s amateur welterweight Josniel “TG” Castro, of Portland, ME, won a unanimous decision over Tim Lawrence, of Red Bank, NJ. Castro is ranked fourth nationally and is competing in the USA Boxing Elite National Championships in Salt Lake City, UT in December. Portland Boxing Club’s amateur light welterweight Lindsay (Kyajohnian) Francois, of Gorham, ME, lost a split-decision to Shelly Walsh, of Boston, MA. Francois recently earned bronze in the 2017 National Women’s Golden Gloves Championships.
Mayor Ethan Strimling presented a key to the City of Portland to special guest of the evening former World Heavyweight Champion Ray “Merciless” Mercer who was on hand signing autographs and taking photos with the fans along with special guest former Boston Bruin Rick “Nifty” Middleton.
