By John DiSanto at ringside

In the main event at the Met in North Philly, Malik Hawkins, Baltimore, 15-0, 9 KOs, defeated Andre Byrd, Jacksonville, FL, 7-7-2, 1 KO, in a slow-paced welterweight fight. Hawkins scored one knockdown in round seven and won by scores of 78-74 and 80-71 twice. The win earned Hawkins the vacant NBA Americas belt.

In the 8-round co-feature bout, junior welterweights Branden Pizarro, North Philly, 14-1-1, 7 KOs, and Tre’Sean Wiggins, Newburgh, NY, 11-4-2, 6 KOs, fought to a unanimous draw. Pizarro started quickly, winning the first three rounds, but Wiggins battled back to with the next four. The final round was perhaps the closest of the fight, but Pizarro edged the frame to even the score at four rounds apiece. All eight rounds were tight. The three official judges scored the fight 76-76. With the win, Wiggins retained his PA state title. Also on the line was Pizarro’s NBA Intercontinental belt, so both fighters left with the titles they came in with.

Maryland-based Ugandan Sulaiman Segwa, 12-2, 4 KOs, upset previously undefeated Gadwin Rosa, Ocala, FL, 10-1, 8 KOs, by unanimous decision after 8 rounds. The junior lightweight lefty dominated the action throughout, hurting Rosa several times during the fight. Rosa showed plenty of durability, but fell far short on the official cards. The scores were 80-72 and 79-73 twice.

North Philly heavyweight Darmani Rock improved to 15-0, 10 KOs, with an impressive power display over Mike Bissett of Tampa, 15-12-1, 9 KOs. Rock couldn’t miss on this night and won by TKO in round two. Rock dropped Bissett twice in the first round, once with a left hook and then with a left uppercut. In the second round, Rock put Bissett down twice more, both times with hard right hands. Referee Gary Rosato stopped the fight at 2:20 of round two.

After a fairly close first round between lightweights Christian Tapia, Coamo, PR and Raul Chirino, Miami, Tapia’s power became the determining factor in the scheduled 6-rounder. Tapia, 9-0, 8 KOs, dropped Chirino, 13-11, 8 KOs, twice in the second and twice more in the third. When the final right hand landed, Benjy Esteves jumped in to stop it as Chirino fell for the fourth time in the fight. The time was 2:25 of the third.

The third fight of the night was a beautiful brawl in the light heavyweight division. South Philadelphian Benny Sinakin, 4-0, 2 KOs, picked himself off the canvas in round two and went on to win a 4-round unanimous decision over Patrick Pierre, New Orleans, 3-7, 1 KO. Sinakin won the wild first round round, but both fighters landed often. Pierre jolted Benny with a hard right hand in the second that floored the undefeated fighter. It was the first time in his young pro career that Sinakin tasted the canvas. Benny jumped to his feet and regained control of the bout over the final two rounds. After four, Sinakin won by scores of 38-37 and 38-36 twice.

In a quick bantamweight fight, Josue Rosa, North Philadelphia, 2-0, 2 KOs, battered Lucky Holt, Hannibal, MO, 0-4, dropping him in a neutral corner. When Holt struggled to climb up the ropes, referee Benjy Esteves stopped the fight. The time was :45.

In a welterweight bout scheduled for four, North Philly’s Thyler Williams, 2-0, 2 KOs, stopped Abdiel Padilla, Aricebo, PR, 1-2, 1 KO, in round three. Williams our Padilla down twice in the third and referee Gary Rosato stopped the contest at the 1:46 mark.

The show was promoted by Hard Hitting Promotions, and was the second boxing event at the newly restored and reopened Met.