Manfredo Banks on Win!

Ringside by Pat Kelley and Peter Mark Heintzelman
Photos by Emily Harney

In the main event of "Cha-Ching in the Ring," from Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut, Peter "The Pride of Providence" Manfredo earned a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Portland, Oregon's David Banks.

Manfredo (28-4, 13 KOs), as he promised, utilized his size and strength to back up Banks (14-2-1, 2 KOs) through most of their 10-round super middleweight bout.

However, Manfredo's victory came at a price, as he departed the ring with a banged up face and severely swollen left eye, both the result of the accurate right hand of the upset-minded Banks. "He was very fast," Manfredo stated. "He caught me with that right hand all night long. My father kept telling me to watch for his right, but I didn't listen; as you can see. David Banks is a tough kid. He came here to fight, he came here to win."

Though the two engaged in many action-packed exchanges, Manfredo was simply the bigger and stronger man, and his game-plan, which was to make Banks fight while moving backwards, played an intricate role in his earning a unanimous decision victory.

While Banks did have some success early while working in close and throwing his punches in combinations, Manfredo's ability to back him up from the second round on, really seemed to give the "Pitbull" some trouble. With Banks no longer moving forward, Manfredo managed to find his range, and the result was not pretty for Banks, as Manfredo continued to catch Banks at the tail end of his punches, stunning him on a few occasions.

After Banks came out of the gate quickly in the first stanza, Manfredo bounced right back and wound up sweeping the next five rounds on all three of the judges scorecards. An exchange of punches following the bell to end round three appeared to fire-up Manfredo even more so, as he began the fourth with a fast and furious pace, and many heavy-handed punches. Though Banks, with his granite-like chin was able to withstand Manfredo's punching power, another barrage from Manfredo, this time to close out the fourth, resulted in Banks returning to his corner without his mouthpiece, and on unsteady legs.

Much to his credit, the 24 year-old Banks, who never had any amateur boxing background, continued on, seemingly more determined as the fight progressed.

The seventh and ninth rounds saw Banks do most of his damage, as he began to use his right hand to capitalize on the severe swelling that was developing around the left eye of Manfredo. Ironically enough, Banks would later admit that it just may have been the success he had with his right hand that wound up hindering him in the fight. "I don't know exactly what it was, but I stopped throwing my combinations," Banks stated "I was catching him with that right, flush, and I just kept trying to load up on it, I guess."

Judges Glen Feldman George Smith and Don O'Neil all scored the bout 97-93.

Manfredo, having now fought in his third bout in the last 74 days, is planning on getting some well-earned rest and enjoying the summer. "It's been a lot. I mean, I've been driving to the gym to train, and I didn't even want to go. I just need some time off, and then I'll be ready to take on someone like Allen Green or Jeff Lacy, who was here tonight. And I have to get back into training camp. I am much more motivated when I go away to train, and I get in much better shape. "

Banks, on the other hand, is more than eager to climb back in the ring. “I feel great. I thought I won the fight. I don't have a mark on me, and he's all swelled up. I don't know what the judges saw, but what can you do? I do this to support my son, and I'll fight tomorrow if they call me. I had no amateur background, so all my pro fights are the only fights I've ever had, so I think I'm progressing fairly well." ---Pat Kelley           

Clampitt Captures IWBF Junior Welterweight Belt!

Jamie "The Hurricane" Clampitt tasted sweet revenge, and captured the IWBF Junior Welterweight Championship by defeating a woman who beaten her before, Jane Couch.

Couch had previously grabbed the same belt on June 12, 2004 at Foxwoods, winning a unanimous decision against Clampitt.

Throughout 10 rounds of packed action, the braided ladies traded inside jabs and body shots, with neither woman backing down once. Clampitt’s game plan included a calm attitude in the eye of the storm, as she waited out the onslaught of Couch’s come-at-you jab and body-shot power and then responded with offense of her own. She grabbed the judges’ attention with scores of 100-99 and 98-92 twice.

With the win, Narragansett, Rhode Island’s Clampitt climbs, albeit bruised, to 18-4-1, 7 KOs and Couch returns to Fleetwood, England, with a record of 28-10, 9 KOs.

A definite Fight of the Night candidate!---Peter Mark Heintzelman          

Tillinghast Crushes Hilario!

Unbeaten Cranston, Rhode Island, light-heavyweight, Jarrod Tillinghast (9-0, 4 KOs) scored a devastating first-round knockout victory over Oaxaca, Mexico's Santiago Hillario (3-12, 3 KOs).

Tillinghast, fighting for just the second time since July 1999, showed little signs of ring rust, as he quickly engaged his journeyman opponent.

After several stiff jabs and left hooks appeared to have an immediate impact on the legs of Hilario, Tillinghast continued to assault the right side of his Mexican counterpart's face, hardly finding the need to even utilize his right hand.

Less than midway through the opening stanza, and with his opponent trapped in the corner, Tillinghast unleashed another thudding left hook, immediately dropping Hilario to the canvas.

After referee Joe Cusano reached the count of 10, ringside medical staff rushed into the ring to evaluate Hilario. As a precautionary measure, Hilario who was carefully removed from the ring on a stretcher, and taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.

Time of the stoppage was 1:33.---Pat Kelley           

Williams Pummels Tinsley!

Undefeated cruiserweight prospect Aaron Williams (13-0-1, 9 KOs) fighting at Foxwoods for the second time in his professional career, scored a vicious second-round technical knockout over Orlando, Florida's DeLeon Tinsley (7-2-1, 5 KOs).

After a competitive first round, Williams, who is trained by former light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, began the second round with a bang, landing an impressive four-punch combination that quickly introduced Tinsley to the canvas. With his opponent still on uneven footing, Williams began to stalk his prey, looking to go home early.

After allowing Tinsley to tie him up on a couple of occasions, Williams finally found the right distance at which to connect. And connect he did, landing two devastating right hands that launched Tinsley both down and out of the ring, thus forcing referee Joe Cusano to wave off the bout.

Time of the stoppage was 1:18 of round 2. ---Pat Kelley           

Camacho Outworks Terry!

In a super middleweight four rounder, Johnston, Rhode Island’s Angel Camacho, Jr., outworked opponent, John Terry, of Portsmouth, Virginia, and the judges scored the bout for Camacho, 40-36 three times.

Camacho controlled the pace with body shots and incessant offense, while swung wildly, missing his mark, and fell to the canvas.

With the win, Camacho advances to an undefeated 7-0, 4 KOs, while Terry returns south at 2-6, 1 KO.---Peter Mark Heintzelman        

Antoine Hands Grealish First Loss!

Four rounds of exciting fist-flying action in the junior middleweight division pitted Akron, Ohio’s Damon Antoine against hometown CES Boxing’s Gerry Grealish, of Galway, Ireland.

The fighters displayed head-hunting skills, trading jabs and hooks to the skull, but Antoine hung in tough, and kept the fight at close range, taking away the Irishman’s height and reach advantage.

Despite the crowd’s disapproval, Antoine deserved the win, with the judges Feldman, Epstein and Smith scoring the bout 40-36, 38-38, and 39-37.

With the majority decision win, Antoine climbed to 6-11, 1, 3 KOs, and Grealish saw his first loss and settled at 6-1-0, 4 KOs.---Peter Mark Heintzelman          

Lundy Hammers a TKO!

Hammerin Hank Lundy nailed home a technical knockout against overmatched Devarise Crayton in the junior welterweight division.

The boxers fought up close and personal, at a high energy level, as they traded jabs and head shots, while the crowd cried, "It’s Hammer Time!" Lundy did his ring-name proud, as he hammered Crayton onto his rear into the blue corner, which caused referee, Don Schiavone to waive the fight off at 1:48 of the second round.

With the win, Philadelphian Lundy remains undefeated at 6-0, 5 KOs, while Orlando Florida’s Crayton lands at 4-3, 0 KOs.---Peter Mark Heintzelman       

Irizarry Makes Quick Work of Allen!

In the opening bout, Addy Irizarry (2-1, 2 KOs) scored her second first-round knockout victory in the past eleven days, with a 16-second TKO over North Carolina's Domesha Allen (0-3).

Irizarry overwhelmed Allen from the onset, landing a big right hand just seconds into the bout. After receiving several more punches from Irizarry, Allen turned her back and began to retreat, thus earning her a vocal warning from referee Steve Smoger.

Another Irizarry flurry once again resulted in Allen turning her back to get out of harm’s way, and Steve Smoger immediately called a halt to the bout.

"It was obvious that Irizarry's opponent was hopelessly over-matched," Smoger stated. "When she turned her back for the second time, I had to stop the bought in order to protect her."---Pat Kelley