“Breakout” main event fighters Steve “The Gentle Giant Vukosa and “Fly” Mike Marshall battled to a 10-round Granite Chin Promotions doubleheader last night, presented by Granite Chin Promotions, at New England Sports Center in Derry, New Hampshire.
Granite promoted another day-night doubleheader, including a Pro-Am card during the afternoon sessions, highlighted by the semifinals of the inaugural “Granite Chin Invitational, featuring some of New England’s top amateur boxers.”
The ageless Vukosa (13-1-1, 5 KOs), a former WBC U.S. heavyweight title holder, and Marshall (5-1-1, 4 KOs), the reigning New England heavyweight champion, battled to a 10-round draw and the NABA United States title they fought for remains vacant.
It was clearly a difficult fight to judge as evident by the wide range of judges’ scoring: 99-91 for Marshall, 97-93 in favor of Vukosa, and 95-95.
“We had a dynamic day and night,” Granite Chin Promotions president Chris Traietti said. “During the day, we had some of the top amateurs in New England and some local pros. At night, we had a packed house and entertaining fights. Although scorecards in the main event may not have reflected the fight, I don’t argue with the outcome, only the way we got there. I’ll talk to Steve and Mike and ask them if they want to fight again on our August 28th card. I’m not sure if Steve wants to continue fighting and Mike may be offered a bigger fight. We’ll talk soon and find out.”
In the co-featured event, former New England heavyweight champion Justin “Crazy Train” Rolfe (6-2-1, 4 KOs) outworked his Mexican opponent, Jose Humbert “Olimpico” Corral (20-27, 12 KOs) from the opening bell to win a decisive 8-round unanimous decision for the vacant ABF Atlantic heavyweight title.
New England welterweight champion Mike “Bad Boy” O’Han, Jr. (13-1, 7 KOs) retained his title with a workmanlike performance against gutsy challenger Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (13-15-4, 9 KOs), who was unable to answer the bell for the sixth round.
In what was unquestionably the Fight of the Night, junior lightweights Kevin “El Gallo” Rodriguez (1-1) and Dee “Outlaw” Venable 2-6) went toe-to-toe for four entertaining rounds of non-stop action. Despite being penalized a point for a low blow, Rodriguez edged Venable on all three judges’ scorecards by the identical scores of 38-37.
Undefeated welterweight prospect Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (5-0, 4 KOs) floored Paulo Sousa three times en route to a third-round triumph by technical knockout.
Unbeaten Julien “Black Drago” Baptiste (3-0, 2 KOs) pitched a near shutout against Rodrigo “The Lion” Almeida (2-11, 2 KOs) for a 4-round decision.
Young welterweight Eric “Gladiator” Goff (2-0, 2 KO) used an old-fashioned body attack and a right hook put Aquilando Brandao (0-4) on the canvas in round one. He beat the count, but it was ruled that he was unable to continue, resulting in a knockout for Goff.
An unanswered barrage of punches thrown by junior middleweight Carlos Abel Castillo led to the referee stopping the bout late in the first round against an overmatched Jay Gregory (0-4)
A wild opening round, in which heavyweight Marco Nasciemento (0-2) was dropped twice and then he decked Dennis Ventura (2-0, 2 KOs), was followed by a slower pace in round two. Ventura dropped Nasciemento again in the second and Nasciemento was unable to beat the count.
Lightweight Brandon Idrogo moved to 3-0 with his third knockout, needing only 50-seconds to secure a technical knockout of Tommy “T-Mike” Kenney (0-6).
Light heavyweight Steve Sumpler won his first pro fight by way of a fourth round TKO, when an accidental head but opened a cut over Saul “Spider” Almeida’s right eye so severe that the ring doctor halted the fight.
Fighting for the first time in more than three years, undefeated middleweight Jelame Garcia (8-0, 6 KOs) got right back on the winning track, out-boxing Texas veteran Larry “Slo Mo” Smith for a 4-round unanimous decision
Promising middleweight prospect, Josniel “TG” Castro (3-0, 2 KOs) punished Jader Alves, who had two points deducted for holding and head butting, until the ring doctor stopped the one-sided fight after the conclusion of the third round. Castro recently signed a managerial contract with Shearns Boxing.
Nelson “Chino” Perez improved his record to 3-0 when his opponent, Dewayne Wisdom, was disqualified in the fourth round for repeated fouls and refusal to follow the referee’s orders.
Three-time New England Golden Gloves champion Demeck “Hightower” Edmonds (2-0, 2 KOs) needed only three punches and 21-seconds to stop pro-debuting Wallace Nass Silva in the evening’s first bout.