POPEYE is the New UBF NEW ENGLAND LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP and gets the 3rd Round TKO Victory
Main Event - 8 rounds for the vacant UBF New England Light Heavyweight Championship.
Richard “Popeye the Sailor Man” Rivera of Hartford, CT is no stranger fighting on the Rivera cards and fighting in main events. Some thought that fighting Kevin “The New England Bully” Cobbs tonight of South Boston, would have been too much for someone going into this match up with 5 professional bouts and Cobbs 12, but Rivera wanted this win. He had the heart of gold, or probably had his spinach before the fight. Popeye wasn’t lunging forward, the first 2 rounds were each fighters exchanging punches until round 3 for about 1 minute
Popeye landed a barrage of punches on Cobbs. Cobbs covered well but was only defending himself and not fighting back. Cobbs went down twice, both times got the count by referee Jack Morrell, the fight continued on and by the 3rd time Cobbs went down due to an uppercut, Morrell stopped the bout at 2:51 and Rivera wins by TKO and increased to 6-0, 5 Kos and Cobbs 10-3, 4 Kos.
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS - 6 ROUNDS: Jose “Rated R” Rivera of Hartford, Connecticut met up against Troy “Omar KO Artist” Artis of Danbury, CT. First two rounds weren’t that busy. Rated R needs to step it. Artis keeps trying to back up Rivera against the ropes. Rivera head hunting trying to knockout Artis. At times, Rivera feeling more comfortable in the ring with his hands down low. In the 5th, Rivera trying to knock out Artis, both fighters exchanging punches and Rivera ended up on canvas but it was a slip. After 6 hard fought rounds the judges scored it 57-57; 58-56 and 58-56 in favor of Artis by majority decision. Artis increased to 4-8-1, 3 kos and Rivera 4-2, 3 kos.
The following are all 4 round bouts:
CO-FEATURE - SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS: Bobby Harris, III of Worcester, MA took on mma fighter, Saul Almeida of Framingham, MA. Almedia has a different stance for boxing. Almost too straight up. The fight was back and forth with each fighter landing their shots. At times you thought … Hmmm could Almedia get his 1st win??? Almeida with even toying with Harris and circled around Harris. Harris jabbing his way through the rounds. Judges scored the bout 39-37 for Almedia and 38-38; 38-38 this is a majority draw. Harris is now 2-0-1 and Almeida 0-8-2.
Junior welterweights: Omar Bordoy, Jr. of Danbury, Connecticut controlled the action against Seith Basler of Illinois. The bout started off as a busy one. Both fighters letting their hands go. Basler fought a total of 4 times and lost. Omar digging into the body. The crowd is favoring Omar. The entire bout Omar is decating the fight. Continuing digging into the body. All 3 judges scored it the same for Omar 40-36 and Omar increased to 4-0, 1 Kos. Basler 0-5.
Junior welterweights: Wilfredo "El Sucaro" Pagan of Southbridge, Massachusetts won by TKO against veteran, Bryan “The Brick” Abraham of New York. In the first round Pagan landed a beautiful left right and Abraham backed up and was knocked down. Moments later the bell rang. Although Abraham, had more experienced in the ring, with previous tougher opponents, with great head and foot work, Pagan just landed the harder shots. Round 2, Pagan landed a straight left that shoveled the Brick backwards and referee, Jack Morrell stopped the bout at 1:25 of round 2. Pagan increased to 4-0, 2 Kos and Abraham 6-29-2, 6 Kos.
Welterweights: Derrick "Bad Boy" Whitley of Springfield, Massachusetts fought an easy fight against Roger Blankenship of Ohio. Whitley weighed in a few pounds overweight. The first two rounds were at a slower pace and by the 3rd round 3 the pace picked up, Whitley backing up Blankenship against the ropes, tried to end the fight but Blankenship wasn’t having it. Whitley just can’t keep Blankenship on the ropes. And Blankenship ends up tying up Whitley. Whitley’s was landing the cleaner shots and controlling the fight. I can hear Derrick “Double Impact” Whitley, his dad, giving great commands from the corner. Judges scored the bout 40-35; 40-36; 40-36 all in favor of Whitley. Whitley increased to 3-0 and Blankenship decreases to 1-3
Welterweights: Joseph Goss of Bridgeport, Connecticut made his pro debut against Samuel Vasquez of Canada. Round 2, Goss dropped Vasquez by a body shot and he received the count. Goss continued on trying everything to finish Vasquez but Goss just kept his hands up. Goss is one tough kid. Vasquez has great foot work. After 4 rounds the judges scored the bout 38-37; 39-36; and 40-35 all in favor of Goss. Goss is now 1-0 and Vasquez 1-3, 1 Ko.
Junior lightweights: Luis Rivera of Hartford, Connecticut against Bridgeport's Carlos “Talented” Marrero III. Rivera is digging deep to the body of Marrero. Marrero is looking better than his pro debut at Mohegan Sun by not standing so straight up. Both fighters are exchanging punches and picking their punches. The crowd loves this fight. Rivera’s right eye is cut bad. Blood dripping.
After 4 hard rounds of back and forth action that could have went either way the judges scored the bout 38-38; 39-37 and 40-36 in favor of Rivera and wins by majority decision. Rivera increased to 4-3, 1 ko and Marrero 0-2.
Light heavyweights: Ray "Bazooka" Graceski was a tiny bit shorter in this matchup when he fought pro-debuting, Muah Thai superstar, Pawel Banasiak from Hartford, Connecticut. First round was a busy round for both fighters. Right before the bell Graceski got rocked with a left hand and Banasiak pounded him on the ropes as Graceski was saved by the bell and didn’t get the count. That saved Graceski from a 10-8 round. By the 3rd round, both fighters are missing and not landing. Round 4, both fighters coming forward trying to back the other one up. Graceski ended up with a bloody nose. All 3 Judges scored the bout 38-38. Graceski is now 5-0-1 and Banasiak 0-0-1.
Middleweights: Jelame Garcia of Lynn, Massachusetts vs. Nathan Schulte of Woburn, MA. Round 1 Schulte needed to let his hands go more. Garcia controlled the rounds. Landing the cleaner shots. Going to the body and head. Judges scored the bout 39-37; 40-36 and 40-36. Garcia keeps his perfect record of 7-0, 6 Kos and Schulte 0-5.
Event: "New England's Future 5" professional boxing event
Promoter: Rivera Promotions Entertainment
Venue: Pallidum, Worcester, Mass.
