The Mouthpiece
The Real Deal—Ennis Stops Garibay – Ortiz Blitzes Davis
By: George H. Hanson Jr., Esq.
Date: January 26, 2018
Venue: The SugarHouse Casino – Philadelphia, PA
Promoters: Evander Holyfield—Real Deal Boxing
Ring Announcer: Alex Barbosa
Referees: Gary Rosato & Eric Dali
Photos: www.christoneyphotography.com
Philadelphia—“The Capital of Boxing”— “The City of Brotherly Love” is having a glorious 2018, Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Boxing came to town and our beloved Eagles are in Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots on Sunday, February 4th at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Holyfield, the former undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight champion – the only four-time heavyweight champion was a hit with the Philly fans that came out to the weigh-ins on Thursday afternoon. The dignified diplomat and sweet science statesman talked to everyone and signed countless autographs and smiled in all of the fan photos. To say that he was generous with his time would be an understatement. As we would say in colloquial terms, “The Real Deal showed Philly much love.” During our interview – Boxing 396 Episode 145 – with Holyfield at Thursday’s weigh-ins he stated that “Philadelphia is the #1 fight town” and that boxing is a global sport and he is trying to bring people from all over the world together through the sport of boxing. Needless to say, his first show in Philadelphia was a stunning success—a standing room only crowd—that brought people together from all walks of life under one roof.
(L-R) David Feldman, Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Lionel Byarm,
Michael Spinks, Kevin Howard, Bert Cooper, Jacqui Frazier-Lyde & Sal Musumeci
In the featured bout of the evening, undefeated Philly twenty-year-old welterweight sensation Jaron “Boots” Ennis (17 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 15 kos) squared off against thirty-seven year old Gustavo “Vitaminas” Garibay (13 wins – 9 losses – 2 draws – 5 kos) of Distrito Federal, Mexico. Garibay was in trouble the second he inked his name on the contract to fight Ennis. Absent of a miracle from God or the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission allowing him to enter the ring with a baseball bat and helmet he simply stood a “snowball’s chance in hell” of upsetting the top welterweight prospect on the planet. And even with a bat and helmet, he would still be the underdog against the Philly fighter.
Garibay made his way to the ring decked out in white, red and green trunks –the color of the Mexican flag – a large exquisite sombrero adorning his head. Shortly, thereafter Ennis and his entourage comprised of stablemate – welterweight contender Ray Robinson and his friend – undefeated bantamweight sensation Christian Carto strolled to the ring as though they were taking a stroll through Fairmount Park on a sunny spring afternoon – happy and supremely confident.
Ennis (L.) blasts Garibay with the left hook.
The ring-walk was the high point of Garibay’s afternoon. Because in the scheduled six-rounder, the bell rang and the action commenced with Ennis working behind his jab, landing to the head and body of his opponent before switching to the southpaw stance where he boxed brilliantly for most of the fight. It was total domination as Ennis displayed his wares using every weapon in his arsenal, shoulder-rolling, pirouetting, giving new meaning to MC Hammer’s signature phrase “Can’t Touch This.” Garibay showed much heart, resiliency and a good chin by absorbing so much punishment while still firing back. But, he was simply outgunned – a cowboy with a .45 facing both barrels of a Gatlin Gun manned by “The Outlaw” – Josey Wales!
I was wondering when the pogrom was going to end because after the opening stanza it was evident that Garibay had no business sharing the same ring with the twenty-year-old. For three rounds Ennis dominated Garibay banging him to the body using every punch from his arsenal appearing to be practicing or refining his skills, using his opponent for target practice. The end came towards the end of the fourth stanza when Ennis sent him to the canvas with a vicious combination and referee Dali saved the courageous man from serious damage declaring Ennis the winner by technical knockout at 2:14.
In the co-feature – a scheduled eight round lightweight bout – Philadelphia’s Steven Ortiz (7 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 2 kos) and Joshua Davis (11 wins – 2 losses – 0 draws – 5 kos) of Washington D.C. set the ring on fire for over two glorious minutes—with bombs being detonated by both combatants – the end coming at 2:21 of the opening round with Ortiz being the victor, winning by technical knockout after referee Rosato called an end to the heated battle after Davis’ third trip to the canvas.
The fight began with Ortiz keeping his distance attempting to orchestrate a technical chess match. Davis who scored a knockout on his first visit to Philadelphia—May 19, 2017 —by stopping Carlos Rosario (7 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 4 kos) of Pennsauken, New Jersey at 2300 Arena in the seventh round of their scheduled eight-rounder found himself on the receiving end of a vicious left hook followed by a straight right combination that deposited him on the canvas. More surprised than shaken he was able to reach a standing position as referee Rosato reached the count of three – dusted his gloves and the action resumed.
Ortiz (L.) connects with the left hook on Davis.
The fight continued and Davis came forward looking to even the score as he exchanged punches and seemed to be boxing on even terms. Again, another combination pierced his defense—landing on the side of his head—reintroducing him to the canvas. This time he was hurt and got up before the referee could toll four. Instead of retreating or grabbing to clear the cobwebs – Davis attacked Ortiz and was able to connect with a few solid punches that had the audience cheering. He fought valiantly and it was his machismo that was his demise because Ortiz connected with another well-timed combination that caused the third knockdown forcing the referee to call an end to this spirited battle. Davis is now 1-1 in the City of Brotherly Love – both fights failing to go the distance.
Super-middleweight Brandon “B-Rob” Robinson (8 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 6 kos) of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania – fresh off his December 1st stellar performance – an eight-round unanimous decision victory over the highly-regarded and more experienced Christopher “Ice Cold” Brooker (12 wins –5 losses – 0 draws – 5 kos) of Philadelphia, made short work of the chiseled Juan Celin Zapata (5 wins – 11 loss – 2 draws – 3 kos) of Trujillo, Honduras now fighting out of Bronx, New York. Robinson stalked Zapata—who looked like he was carved out of granite and belonged on the stage in a body-building contest instead of a boxing ring—at the opening bell backing him up keeping him on edge while working behind the jab. Zapata retreated and fired back. But, he brought his jab back too slowly and Robinson connected with a vicious overhand right that sent him to the canvas, flat on his stomach – crawling on both knees as though he was evading enemy fire in a rice paddy during the Vietnam War. Referee Rosato counted Zapata out – declaring Robinson the winner by knockout at 1:50 of the opening round of the scheduled six-rounder.
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Robinson watches as Zapata crumbles to the canvas.
York City’s twenty-year-old super-middleweight Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga (6 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 6 Ko’s) kept his knockout streak intact with a one-round destruction of Jaime Barbosa (19 wins – 13 losses – 0 draws – 9 KO’s) of San Jose, Costa Rica. Decked out in immaculately tailored gold trunks, Berlanga didn’t waste much time after the opening bell rang because he went to work and deposited his opponent on the canvas with a stiff left jab and right uppercut. Barbosa made it to a standing position as referee Dali was about to toll the count of three and the action resumed.
Berlanga (R.) lands the right on Barbosa.
And, Berlanga drilled him to the body and head with some vicious punches. Barbosa was in retreat mode trying to evade punishment but his porous defense was his demise because punches pierced his guard like hollow-point bullets penetrating paper. Toward the end of the round a left hook and right uppercut crashed off Barbosa’s cranium sending him back to the canvas. Amazingly, he was able to rise at the count of four on spaghetti legs with referee Dali having no choice but to call a halt to this display of domination and declare Berlanga the winner by technical knockout at 2:42 of the opening stanza.
In an artistic display of the sweet science, 2016 Ugandan Olympian, southpaw cruiserweight Kennedy “The Shadow” Katenda (2 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) now fighting out of New York City, was perpetual motion for six rounds – out boxing and befuddling Lyubomyr “The Demolition Man” Pinchuk (4 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 3 kos) of Lviv, Ukraine training and fighting out of the Conn-Greb Boxing Club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania—winning a unanimous decision – handing him his first loss.
The shorter Katenda answered the opening bell bouncing on his toes resembling a smaller southpaw version of former heavyweight champion Tony “TNT” Tubbs as Pinchuk pursued in the traditional European stance using his jab as a range finder. The elusive Katenda used his jab, unleashing quick combination with much power before disappearing. Pinchuk walked right into a combination and a hard straight left caught him in the center of his chest sending him to the canvas in the first round much to the surprise of the capacity crowd. He was up quickly and referee Dali wiped his gloves and the fight continued with Katenda closing the round dancing on his toes.
The rounds were almost identical with Katenda controlling the action being elusive – countering Pinchuk and riding away on his bicycle. Pinchuk took the third round on my scorecard by landing some good body shots appearing to solve the Katenda conundrum. However, the Ugandan regained his mojo in the following round and boxed brilliantly – never tiring – using lateral movement and his fast hands to garner the decision 59-54 on two scorecards and 58-55 on the third.
Katenda (R.) connects with the overhand left.
In the opening bout of the evening, undefeated nineteen year-old welterweight prospect Janelson Bocachica (8 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 5 kos) of Detroit, Michigan was impressive in his scheduled six-rounder against tough Victor Eddy Gaytan (2 win – 3 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Guanajuato, Mexico stopping him in fantastic fashion with one blistering straight right thirteen seconds in the fifth, winning by knockout.
It was a masterful display of the sweet science by the teenager who worked behind his jab going downstairs to the body early as the game Gaytan fought back. Gaytan visited the canvas in the second round compliments of a straight right from Bocachica. Somewhat shaken, he made it to his feet as referee Rosato reached the count of eight and the action continued. I didn’t see a head-butt however I noticed that the area around Bocachica’s right eye was crimson red.
However, the eye never became a factor in the fight as Bocachica out boxed Gaytan getting much needed work for his continued development against an opponent who came to town to win and wasn’t impressed by youngster’s flawless record. It was good fight for Bocachica who was able to demonstrate his boxing acumen and overcome the adversity of a cut and swollen eye early in the fight.
Bocachica (R.) lands the right
2017 National Golden Gloves 165 lbs. Champion – southpaw Poindexter “The Savage” Knight Jr. (1 win – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Philadelphia now campaigning as a welterweight didn’t waste much time in scoring his second stoppage with a blistering first round knockout of Jordan “Fighting for Jesus” Morales (2 wins – 3 losses – 0 draws –2 kos) of Pennsylvania who looked like New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady in the pocket absent of his offensive line. The gong sounded and Knight blitzed Morales like a World War II B-29 bomber dropping bombs on Germany. Two knockdowns in the opening stanza and referee Gary Rosato rescued Morales from a trip to the University of Pennsylvania hospital stopping the one-sided affair – declaring Knight the winner by technical knockout at 2:19 of the opening round.
Knight (R.) lands the right hook
Evander Holyfield’s visit to Philadelphia lived up to his moniker because it was the real deal! It was no surprise that the venue was packed. Enjoying the action seated right in front of me in press-row was the former heavyweight champion and living boxing legend Larry “The Easton Assassin” Holmes and his beautiful wife Diane. Holmes, Smokin’ Bert Cooper, and Lionel Byarm—Holyfield’s opponent in his professional debut—are three who swapped leather with Holyfield in losing efforts and came out to support him.
Also in the house were former light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion Michael Spinks; former three-division world champion Judge Jacqui Frazier-Lyde, 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time WBA welterweight champion Mark Breland; former welterweight contender Kevin “The Spoiler” Howard; former IBF Junior-middleweight champion Buster “The Demon” Drayton; junior-lightweight contender Tevin “The American Idol” Farmer; Dave McWater, CEO of Split-T Management and matchmaker Bernie Valenzuela.
(L-R) Jovana Gibson, Hanson & Mimi Gibson
Singer/actress/ ring-card lady/amateur boxer Mimi Gibson showed up with a beautiful young lady – Jovana Gibson – claiming that it was her mom. But, most of us believe that it was her big sister. We are still investigating the veracity of her claim.
Real Deal Boxing heads to my homeland of Jamaica next month!
One love!
Continue to support the sweet science, and remember, always carry your mouthpiece!
ghanson3@hotmail.com
