By Kurt Wolfheimer at ringside
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.

Unheralded Adan Gonzales (5-2-2, 2 KOs) did the unthinkable in the four round featherweight co-feature on Saturday night at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, spoiling the professional debut of two-time Cuban Olympic Gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (0-1) by capturing a split decision victory.

Gonzalez dropped Ramirez in the opening seconds of the fight with a short counter. The knockdown seemed to give the Adan Gonzalez confidence and he opened up his offense with short little shots which seemed to keep the Cuban from letting his hands go. Rounds two and three were close, but Gonzalez wouldn’t back down his attack. Ramirez landed enough to make the rounds close. Ramirez caught Adan in the final seconds of the fight with a couple big lefts over the top as both traded, but just could not deter the busier Gonzalez. One judge saw the bout 38-37 for Robeisy Ramirez, but was overruled as the other to officials had it 38-37 and 40-35 for Adan Gonzalez, giving him the upset split decision victory.

Undefeated KO artist Edgar Berlanga (12-0, 12 KOs) kept his first round knockout streak intact, needing only two minutes and twenty four seconds to stop French middleweight Gregory “Nounou” Trenel (11-5-2, 3 KOs). Berlanga stunned Trenel with an eight punch combination early in the first round. Trenel tried to back out, but was sent to the canvas with an overhand left up top. Trenel was game and tried to survive as Berlanga rocked him with crushing shots. Referee Benjy Esteves Jr finally had seen enough and stepped in and called a halt to the contest at 2:24 of the opening round.

Undefeated knockout artists Paul “The Punisher” Kroll (5-0, 4 KO’s) and Shinard Bunch (2-1, 2kos) put on a classic slugfest over six action packed rounds. Kroll was the busier puncher and took over the fight in the final two rounds to capture the six round unanimous decision victory by scores 58-56 x 2 and 59-55 respectively.

Highly touted heavyweight Sonny “The Bronco” Conto (4-0, 3 KO’s) battered an outclassed Guillermo Del Rio (2-3-1, 2 KO’s) throughout the first three rounds and then dropped him in the fourth with a counter left on the way to a one sided unanimous decision victory by scores of 40-35 across the board.

Undefeated featherweight Donald “No Love” Smith (10-0, 6 KO’s) dropped Raheem “Bazooka” Abdullah (3-3) in the opening round and then used his superior reach to outbox Abdullah from the outside over next five rounds to capture the six-round unanimous decision victory by scores of 60-52 and 59-53 twice.

In the opening bout of the evening, flashy super bantamweight “Magic Hands” Jeremy Adorno moved to 2-0, 1 KO with an impressive third round knockout of Fernando Robles (2-2). Adorno hurt Robles with a right hook midway through the third round. Robles tried to fight back, but the man with the magic hands dropped him for the ten count with two body shots at the 2:01 mark of the third round.

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