Fiorentino Gets By Nunez!

Ringside by Peter Mark Heintzelman

Photos by Emily Harney - FightWireImages.com

They don’t call Missy Fiorentino “The Fury” for nothing!

The female super featherweight, from Cranston, RI, is a New England fan favorite because of her tenacity and never ending onslaught she inflicts on her opposition.

This past Saturday night as the main event on Peter Manfredo Sr.’s “The Ultimate Showdown II” fight card in Mansfield, MA, “The Fury” warmed up a reported 1,200 fight fans on a chilly night at the Mansfield Sportsplex, with her sixth round defeat of a very competitive and dangerous, Ela “Bam Bam” Nunez of Jamestown, NY, winning the IWBF super featherweight title belt in the process.

The golden belt was at stake, as a scheduled ten round main event, on a card chuck full with great action. That action however came to a screeching halt in the sixth round, when the ring doctor witnessed an accidental collision of heads between the two competitors.  The head-butt inflicted a bloody cut upon the head of Fiorentino.

Working “The Fury’s” corner, Peter Manfredo Sr. protested to let the fight continue, as did Fiorentino.  The ringside physician then proclaimed, “I can see the bone,” behind the bloody mess, and stopped the action.

Under the Massachusetts’ Boxing Commission’s rules, the fight would be determined by the judges’ score cards, which added up to 60-54, 59-55, and 57-57, for Fiorentino.

FightNews had the bout at 57-57, when the fight was stopped. 

The gallant gals had traded a significant volume of power punches through the five plus rounds, particularly technically superior jabs that would have put most pugilists down in one.  Fiorentino’s typical game style of coming right at her opposition and not being denied was significantly checked by the impressive “Bam Bam’s” lighting speed jabs to the face. 

Missy, always the aggressor, seemed resigned to absorb the shots from Nunez and just kept on coming forward in just a fantastic display.  It is no wonder Fiorentino’s fans come out in great numbers to witness one of the best women fighters of our time!

With the win, Missy Fiorentino won the vacant IWBF super featherweight title and elevated her record to (17-1, 6 KOs).  Ela “Bam Bam” Nunez’s record comes to rest at (5-3, 1 KO), but her reputation elevated to a higher ranking in the eyes of those who witnessed this phenomenal fight which cries for a rematch!

Gingras Decisions Bailey!

Rich Gingras fighting out of Claremont, New Hampshire remained unbeaten in his young career this evening by defeating a game William “The Storm” Bailey, fighting out of Chesapeake, Maryland in a six round cruiserweight bout.

Gingras, known for his quiet demeanor but loud with his southpaw may not have anticipated the more seasoned fighter’s experience, as he seemed to have trouble early getting into gear. Bailey billed as being “upset minded” brought a good game to the ring, and disrupted Gingras’ operation.

Almost all of Gingras’ points were scored with his southpaw, which made him look unbalanced and predictable.  Bailey gave him trouble, but was not able to capitalize on Gingras’ one-sided offense.

After six rounds, all three judges scored the fight 59-54. With the win, Gingras, a 2006 Ringside World Heavyweight Champ, climbs to (8-0, 4 KOs), and Bailey levels at (7-13-2, 4 KOs).

DeLuca Clocks Kirby!

Likeable Mark “The Italian Bazooka” DeLuca also extended his undefeated professional record with a fantastic knock out of Philadelphian, Charles Kirby. The four round super middleweight bout stirred an animated and cheering crowd who found the action entertaining.

DeLuca was all business and was the tactician, inflicting a well-balanced barrage of jabs and body shots that sent Kirby to the canvas for the down and out.

“I almost cried with excitement!” remarked a lady fan near the press pit. “He was focused and he was fierce,” remarked her companion.

With the win, Mark DeLuca, a 2004 National Silver Gloves Champion, of Whitman, MA, elevates his undefeated record to (4-0, 3KOs), and captured his third knock out.

Kirby returns with his head held high to the “City of Brotherly Love,” at (1-3, 2 KOs).

Rodriguez Prevails In Pro Debut!
* photo: Ed Rosa

In front of a major contingency of hometown fans who made up many of the 1200 fans in attendance this evening, the highly acclaimed, Edwin Rodriguez, of Worcester, MA launched his highly anticipated professional career with a first round technical knockout in a shot heard round the world!  The victim, Samuel Ortiz Gomez, of Orlando, Florida, was the first of many to come according to Rodriguez’s excited corner.

From the bells first ring, the six foot tall and lanky 22 year old middleweight Rodriguez towered over Gomez, in height, reach, offense, and skill. Gomez on the hunt for his own first professional win after three tries came out focused and ready to duel.  But Rodriguez was all business, focused, shifted into gear, and never stopped the onslaught until his challenger, as if to royalty, bowed and kneeled before him on the canvas in submission at 1:33 of the first round, the second knockdown of the round. The referee waived the fight off, and the crowd went wild!

After the fight, Rodriquez said, “I felt great, I worked hard for it. I believe the last body shot I threw ended the fight. I hit him early, and I didn’t think he had time to recuperate. I want to also thank all my fans for turning out, and thank my corner and management.”

His corner man, Carlos Garcia, a boxing icon in Central Massachusetts who has worked in the trenches of the amateur world for years with fighters from his stable including three time world champion Jose Antonio Rivera (38-6, 24 KOs) and Sean Fitzgerald (29-2, 11 KOs), stated after the fight that, “I thought his fight was beautiful. He was ready for anything. He was ready for the pros before, now he’s really matured. If Edwin stays in that line, there is no doubt in my mind that you witnessed a future world champ tonight!”

Garcia continued by saying, “To me, Edwin is like Jose (Rivera), with a beautiful heart, and he’s going to stay straight and right on. Edwin was sparring with a lot of people, including fighters from Peter Manfredo’s gym, some of the Worcester guys, and Edwin is in top, top shape. And I’ve got a great team, including manager, Larry Army, and Dave Turney, from New York, one of the best cut men in the sport, so I’ve got the team I want.  If we do well in our next fight, on February 8^th in Boston, we may have an opportunity to fight on the upcoming undercard at Madison Square Garden.”

Jose Antonio Rivera, former WBA light middleweight champ and WBA welterweight champ, who came to witness history, added that “I thought Edwin fought like a fighter who had ten or fifteen fights already. He was patient, kept his composure, didn’t get into a wild fight, paced his shot, and worked the body. You don’t see that from guys that just turned pro!”

Rodriguez achieved an amateur record of (84-9), and won the USA Boxing national championship for 2005, and the Golden Gloves national championship for 2006, both at the 160 pound mark.

The undercard was preceded by amateur matches meant to highlight their own talents, highlight Peter Manfredo Sr.’s promotional goals of featuring new up and comers, and developing a competitive and experience stable of new fighters for the next generation.

Here are the results of the amateur bouts:

Masters:
Steve Gentile (Howard Beach, NY)-WRSC3-Ed Nelson (Petronelli’s Gym)
Eric Flaherty (Bishop’s Boxing)-WDEC3-David Fascaldo (Petronelli’s Gym)
J.R. Moore, Monroe, LA-WDEC3-Frank Azevedo (Petronelli’s Gym)
 
Open:
Calvin Marte (Worcester Boys & Girls Club)-WDEC3-Mike Tremblay (Manfredo’s Gym)
Jesus Caro (Manfredo’s Gym)-WDEC3-Norfolk Francis (Cappiello’s Gym)

Their involvement also helped to raise funds for “Bash for Cash, LLC,” a Brockton Massachusetts based promotions company, established by Mr. Denis Marrese that assists businesses, schools, individuals and families with charity fund raising.

For more information, contact www.bashforcashllc.