Boxcino 2015 heads into semifinal round on Friday

On Friday evening it’s back to work for the final eight boxers in this year’s Boxcino 2015 Tournament to be aired on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights from the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Penna.

On Friday evening, April 10th, the Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight and Heavyweight Tournament resumes with the semifinal round consisting of four bouts being contested inside the Events Center at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, PA.

The event center at the Sands Casino & Resort in Bethlehem, Penna. has this flexible multipurpose space of 14,000 square foot which can hold up to 2,408 boxing fans.

The show, being promoted by Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions, will be broadcast live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

(l to r) Brandon Adams from Los Angeles and Vito Gasparyan from Burbank, Calif.

In the Jr. Middleweight division we have the 25 year-old southpaw Brandon “Cannon” Adams (16-1, 11 KOs) of Los Angeles, CA, who is trained by W. L. “Dub” Huntley and co-managed by San Diego’s Bobby DePhilippis and LA’s James McGary. While Adams had only eight Amateur bouts, his opponent, Gasparyan, had over 200. The 28 year-old, 5’ 9” Vito “Casper” Gasparyan of Burbank, Calif. by way of Yerevan, Armenia who trains with Justin Fortune in Glendale, Calif. has a record of(15-3-5, 8 KOs). In their openers, Adams registered a fifth round TKO of Alex Perez while Gasparyan won a well deserved unanimous decision over Simeon Hardy. While Adams has more power, it’s been said Gasparyan is the better boxer.    

As mentioned before, don’t be misled by Gasparyan’s losses – one was to Jessie Vargas, the current IBO and WBA World super-lightweight champ, another was to Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (25-0), the current WBC Continental Americas Light Middleweight Champ.

Today’s quote from Mr. Gasparyan: “Everything is good. I am ready. I have had great sparring with Ruslan Provodnikov and Frankie Gomez. Brandon is my friend. I look at him like my brother, but Friday is business. We will get in the ring and do my thing. We have a perfect game plan and I’m ready to do my thing. This time there will be no ring rust.”

Adam’s thoughts: “I am looking forward to fighting Vito to show him how much I have grown since the last time we worked together. I am looking forward to showing the world that I have learned new tricks.”

(Wise Guys pick Adams)

In the second jr. middleweight bout, you have John Thompson (l) from Newark, N.J. going up against Stanyslav Skorovokhod (r) from Slavutych, Ukraine.

Then it’s the 25 year-old, 5’9” Stanyslav Skorokhod (9-0, 7 KOs) of Slavutych, Ukraine who is trained by Marvin Somodio battling 6’1” 25 year-old John Thompson (15-1, 5 KOs) from Newark, New Jersey. Skorokhod, who looked sensational in the opener and ended up scoring a fourth round TKO victory of Michael Moore, has a tight defense plus quick hands.

“I am very confident,” said Skorokhod. “And have once again had a very good training camp at the Wild Card Boxing Gym. I have done great work with Marvin Somodio, Ernie Zavala and my conditioning coach Jordan Feramisco.” 

In Thompson’s opener (you must remember he was a last minute replacement), he surprised most everyone by thumping Ricardo Pinell and pitching the 60-54 shutout on all three scorecards. It had been a year and a month since Thompson had last fought. In his prior bout, the undefeated Thompson fell from grace by being knocked out at the :16 mark of round two by tough guy Frank Galarza in a co-main event featured on ShoBox.

“Training has been great,” said Thompson in his fight week interview. “Been working really hard in Virginia under Kay Koroma. I am looking forward to both the semifinals and the finals to see what kind of doors open up for me.”

Since the Wise Guys picked Skorokhod at the outset of this tournament, they have to stick with that pick even though Thompson looked quite impressive in his opener.

In the first of two heavyweight matches, you have Jamaican Lenroy Thomas (l) vs Andrey Fedosov (r) of Hollywood, Calif. by way of St. Petersburg, Russia.

In the Heavyweight division:  

It will be the 11 year veteran, 28 year-old, 6’1”, 223 pound banger Andrey Fedosov (26-3, 21 KOs) of Hollywood, CA by way of St. Petersburg, Russia who is trained by Marvin Somodion going up against the 29 year-old, 247 pound, 6’ 2” Jamaican southpaw Lenroy “TNT” Thomas (19-3, 9 KOs) who stands 6’2½” tall, lives in Saint Petersburg, Florida and is trained by Dan Birmingham.

Fedosov’s succinct comment in regards to his fight with Thomas: “I am looking forward to April 10th. I will be ready to give the fans another great fight and I’m looking forward to the finals!”

Thomas’ short statement: “Training is going good. I am ready to go. He is a strong opponent. He is coming to fight and so am I. It will be an interesting night.”

(In this one, the Wise Guys have to go with Fedosov)

(l to r) Donovan Dennis of Davenport, Iowa who is trained by Nile Pena and Razvan Cojanu of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Romania trained by Buddy McGirt.

Next, you have the 6’7½”, 27 year-old Razvan Cojanu (13-1, 7 KOs, 270 lbs.) of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Romania who is trained by Buddy McGirt squaring off against a 27 year-old, 6’5” southpaw by the name of Donovan Dennis of Davenport, Iowa (13-2, 10 KOs, 226 lbs.) who is trained by Nile Pena.

Former boxing great and well respected trainer James “Buddy” McGirt (l) holds the mitts for his latest charge Romanian heavyweight Razvan Cojanu.

“Everything is great,” said Cojanu. “Dennis is a good fighter and I am excited to fight him. I changed some of my training and had a lot of southpaw sparring.”

The quote from Dennis: “I am ready and I am in better shape then I was for my last fight. I am ready to go. I don’t know too much about Razvan, other than he is a taller guy. I train for what my coaches tell me to do.”

(With much trepidation, the Wise guys selected “Cojo” to remain in the tournament and thus face Fedosov in the finals.) All four of the Boxcino semifinal bouts are scheduled for eight rounds.

On the undercard, Greg Jackson (5-1-1, 2 KO’s) of Philadelphia will take on Curtis Morton (2-4-2) of Harlem, NY in a six-round welterweight bout.

Ed Fountain (10-1, 4 KO’s) of St. Louis, Missouri will battle Jon Bolden (6-10-1, 5 KO’s) of Brooklyn, New York in a six-round heavyweight bout.

Eric Newell (7-3-2, 5 KO’s) of Bethlehem, Penna. will battle Brandon Spencer (2-8-1, 1 KO) of Atlanta, Georgia in four-round heavyweight bout.

Ricky Nuno of Bethlehem, Penna. will make his pro debut against Pat Kehoe (1-1) of Reading, Penna. in a four-round welterweight match.

Mike Liberto of Bethlehem, Penna. will make his pro debut against Darnell Hayes (0-1) of Myerstown, Penna. in a light heavyweight bout.

The show begins at 7 p.m. Ticket are priced at $100, $75, $50 and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com by calling 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting the Casino’s box office at the Sands Event Center in Bethlehem, Penna.