Headliners Salita and Estrada both win. Yet, it’s Gary Stark that steals the show!

By Mike Indri

Retired Boxers Foundation

 

New York - The Manhattan Center’s Hammerstein Ballroom was packed Wednesday night, with the majority of the ticket holders there to see Dmitriy Salita, the hero of the NY Jewish community, fighting as the main event for promoter Lou DiBella’s latest offering of his Broadway Boxing series.

Highly touted Jr. Middleweight prospect David Estrada was brought in from Miami to fight in the co-feature bout.

Neither fighter disappointed the crowd.  Actually, all the fighters that were supposed to win, won, and did so rather easily.

Estrada, coming off back-to-back losses against Shane Mosley and Kermit Cintron, pounded a very resilient Clarence "Sonny Bono" Taylor for seven rounds before the ringside physician had seen enough and called a halt to the scheduled ten round bout after round seven.  The powerful Estrada, now 19-3 (10 KO’s) unmercifully hammered the body and head of the tough as nails Wilmington, DE. fighter who impressed all with his iron chin.  Taylor slipped to a very deceptive 11-10-2 (5 KO’s). 

 

Even before Dmitriy Salita began his walk to the ring the crowd erupted into exuberance.  The cheering for their beloved "Dima, Dima Dima" never stopped or wavered throughout the entire ten rounds of action against Francisco Campos.  Campos, a loser in seven of his last ten bouts, had his moments against the gritty Salita; especially when he staggered the likable Brooklyn fighter, driving him into the ropes in round two and also opening a large, nasty cut over Dmitriy’s left eye late in round nine.

Doing his best Arturo Gatti impersonation, Salita slugged it out with Campos, as the blood was streaming down the young Jewish fighter’s face and his legion of fans cheered him on. 

Salita still has much to learn from his accomplished trainer Harry Keitt, but the necessary qualities that make a true fighter: heart, will, determination and fortitude, can not be taught; and Dmitriy possesses these qualities in abundance.

Salita , now 26-0-1 (15 KO’s) remained unbeaten in earning the unanimous decision (98-92, 97-93 and 97-93), while the cagey Campos fell to 20-8-1, with 12 KO’s.

 

The fighter of the night, hands down, was New York’s Jr. Featherweight prospect Gary Stark, now 17-0 (8 KO’s).  Displaying blazing hand speed and the ability to thrown precision lazar dart punches with both hands, Stark had his game opponent Carlos Diaz frustrated from the fight’s opening bell.

As if Stark’s offensive attack wasn’t enough, the Staten Island native had the Floyd Mayweather Jr. defensive shoulder roll down pat.  Diaz (9-7-3, 7 KO’s) missed a lot more than he hit, yet the Tampa, Florida fighter deserves a thumbs up for never quitting and fighting his hardest.

The eight round unanimous decision victory (79-73, 80-72 & 80-72) was a tremendous showing for the young, cocky and talented Stark, who may very well be the brightest star of the Broadway Boxing bunch. 

 

Also on the Dash-DiBella Broadway Boxing fight card…..

Welterweight Edgar Santana pummeled Ukrainian Volodimir Khodakovskiy, now 12-10-2 with only 3 KO’s, en route to a ten round unanimous decision victory.  Santana, who improved to 19-2 (12 KO’s), controlled the fight from it’s onset and had his foe bleeding, battered and badly beaten by fight’s end.

Extremely popular New York fighter Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin excited the crowd when he decided to slug it out with talented and dangerous Brad Austin from Johnson City, TN.  Going punch for punch "Kid Chocolate" caught Austin midway through round two with a nasty right hand and the hurt fighter dropped to the canvas, on his knees.  Up at the count of seven, but shaky, Austin appeared in trouble and Quillin fired away, forcing the referee to jump in and call a halt to the bout at 2:05 of round two. 

Austin upset at what he thought was a premature stoppage, pleaded his case-to no avail.  Quillin remins perfect at 7-0 (6 KO’s), while Austin suffered his second loss, with eight wins (5 KO’s).

New York Lightweight Jorge Teron improved to 12-0-1 (8 KO’s) with a six round unanimous decision win (59-55, 60-54 & 60-54) over Philadelphia’s Lenny DeVictoria, now 8-6 with only 2 KO’s.  A hard shot by Teron caught DeVictoria in his right eye early in round one and this may have been a factor in the fight as the Philly fighter was hardly competitive from thereon in. 

Prenice Brewer, fighting out of Cleveland, earned his first pro win with a second round knockout over Brooklyn’s Shavaris Buie, who was making his pro debut.  Brewer, now 1-0-1, apparently caught Buie (0-1) in the throat with a punch, rendering him unable to continue the scheduled four round lightweight bout.

The night was started off with a pair of middleweights each making their pro debuts.  Atlantic City’s Patrick Majewski (1-0, 1 KO) displayed a strong offensive attack to the body and head of Terry Peacock (0-1), knocking out the Shirly, NY fighter at 1:08 in round two of their scheduled four round contest.

A good night of boxing, as evidenced by the capacity crowd and the non-stop cheers which cascaded through the Hammerstein Ballroom all night.

Lots of local talent and some genuinely, nice young fighters who are worth rooting for.

 

The night’s fight card was dedicated to the late Leavander Johnson.  The DiBella promoted Johnson was defending his IBF Lightweight world title on September 17, 2005 in a bout he eventually lost.  Johnson passed away five days later from injuries sustained during the fight.

Lou DiBella and the Johnson family have established a fund to help Leavander’s children.  Leavander Johnson died as he lived, as a champion!

To make a non-tax deductible donation to The Leavander Fund, PLEASE send a check or money order to:

The Leavander Fund

c/o DiBella Entertainment

350 Seventh Avenue (Suite 800)

New York, New York 10001

Attn: Meredith Greenberg