Story by Tyler Polk
Photos by Adam McQuaide
Battle at The Fairgrounds II at the Washington County Fairgrounds is the first professional boxing card in the region to host an event with 100 percent capacity allowed in the building.
When “Pretty” Richie Cantolina (6-0-1) made his entrance before the co-main event and knocked down Darryl “Dreamking” Bunting (4-9-2) twice in 44 seconds, the screams from the crowd sounded like a crowd at 130 percent capacity.
Pandemonium was at a full peak as Tim Shipley waved off the fight. Cantolina was hyped, beating on his chest, and D-Generation X style crotch chops were the celebration of choice.
At a glance, the celebration was due to the way everything happened after the bell had rung. Before the bell, things looked a little shaky at the weigh-in.
The fight at a catchweight of 169 pounds due to Bunting missing the planned weight of 165 pounds almost derailed the co-main event. Fortunately, it was able to go on after a re-weigh an hour later on Thursday.
I talked to Cantolina a few days before his fight. He said he wanted to showcase his technical abilities. He had enough to go six rounds with Bunting, but he wanted to end it in one or two rounds.
He only needed one round and did it by TKO in the most impressive showcase of the night.
The opening bout begins the night had quick action as well. First, a super featherweight clash as Shawn Rall (0-4) and Brandon Grimmett (0-2) were looking for the first wins of their career.
Grimmett, the Greensboro, NC native, made his third trip to Pittsburgh in four months.
As quick as the brawl started, it would end just as quickly. First, Rall sent Grimmett wobbly with a left hook. Greg Sirb, the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission, felt that the fight should have stopped after Grimmett’s first stumble at around 30 seconds in.
Grimmet had at least two more stumbles around the ring as the action continued before Tim Shipley called off the fight with a TKO to Rall at 51 seconds in the first round.
The next fight-up, Joel De La Paz (10-1) and Latiss “No Love” Norman (4-6) T super middleweight.
With De La Paz’s 60 percent knockout rate in his wins, one expected to see some fireworks out of him. However, Norman is a gamer, and he proved it with his performance on Friday.
It seemed like De La Paz was patient and waiting for Norman to make mistakes. He had a three-hit combo that got the crowd going. However, there wasn’t a follow-up as Norman seemed to get free reign to search around his guard. Norman seemed like the better performer through two rounds.
In the third, La Paz got on some rolls, but Norman seemed to sense it and clinch or slow him down. La Paz started going to the body more to end the round. It felt like La Paz was still waiting in the fourth for the perfect strike. However, Norman wasn’t allowing perfection, and his defense controlled the fight.
La Paz got really active with his fighting in the final two rounds and, combined with his third, fifth, and sixth-round, was enough to earn the split decision draw. Judges scored the fight: 58-56 (La Paz), 58-56 (Norman), 57-57.
Ivan Hernandez (2-4-1) and Deon Goodlow (1-3) would battle next at super welterweight.
Goodlow got his jab working to begin the fight. Then, he spread out his attack through the first round, and when Hernandez would try to get going, Goodlow would answer right back. Thus, kicking off a solid first round for Goodlow.
Hernandez starts the second round flying, and the nickname “Hurricane” is apt as a flurry knocks out Goodlow’s mouthpiece. Goodlow would use left and right hooks to get back on track and focuses on the body to end the round strong.
Both would show patience to begin round 3. Goodlow got to work up close and went back to the jab in this round. Both fighters entertained with a brawl towards the end of the round that excited the crowd.
In round four, Goodlow showcased some defense, and his jab scored a wobble on Hernandez. Nevertheless, the jab would carry him through the rest of the round and the majority decision for Goodlow, with the judges scoring 38-38, 39-37, and 39-37.
A super featherweight fight between Ryziemmion Ford (3-1) and Ryan Venable (2-4) would be the final fight before the intermission.
Ford was looking for a bounceback victory in the same location where his first loss occurred. Both were figuring out their opponents. Ford was the more aggressive, scoring some shots on Venable. Ford would chase Vennable back when he came in close with some punches. A close round, but Ford seemed like the winner.
Ford would use his jab to start round two and came out firing and pressuring in close. Ford seemed to pick up momentum towards a knockdown. However, Venable sensed it clinching around the ropes to end a favorable round for Ford.
Round 3, “The Humble Beast,” was in control and looking to finish off Venable. Credit to his opponent for hanging in there. His ability to hang on is the reason that Ford didn’t end this before the fourth round. Venable unleashed one last flurry to end the round, but it was clear who would win this fight.
Round 4, Ford went for it and kept Vennable moving so much he lost his mouthguard from the pressure. Ford nearly caught him with an uppercut with evil intentions. Ford eventually caught him with a shot that got Venable woozy. Ford would pressure more catching with a short-range right uppercut that brought Venable down. He would get back up and hang on for the decision.
Ford won this fight unanimously, with the judges ruling it 39-36, 40-35, and 40-35.
Steve Smoger, the Chairman of Officials for the International Boxing Association and International Boxing Hall of Famer, was in attendance for the main event of the evening.
Matt “Sweet Child” Conway (18-2) vs. Jonathan “Popeye” Perez (38-26) for the IBA Intercontinental Super Featherweight Title.
Conway looked for his first title as a professional and showed against Perez, who had 30 wins by knockout.
The fight opened with Conway showing aggression and setting the tone against Conway. Perez hung in there, but Conway ends the first round with a nice combo.
Conway continued the aggression keeping Perez on the ropes. “Popeye” would attempt to force himself off the ropes to no avail. Finally, Conway would yield five straight shots on the ropes to Perez to highlight the end to another round for Conway.
Perez was more active than he was in the first two rounds, but Conway was forcing him back with his footwork and right hook. Perez would keep his distance, but Conway would trap him against the ropes again. Perez had a couple of 2-hit combos, but Conway answered them back.
In round four, Conway would again start hot. His movement controlled this fight and this round. Perez hangs in there, but every answer by him would be rebutted quickly. Perez couldn’t follow up when he got his opponent on the ropes. Conway landed a body shot and pop to the jaw on Perez near the end of the round.
In between rounds 4 and 5, Perez would call off the fight while in the corner. The relentlessness of Conway was too much. However, Perez did fight valiantly and showed some toughness.
Conway was declared the victor and new IBA Intercontinental Super Featherweight Champion.
Shortly after the announcement, Conway would bring his girlfriend Melissa into the ring and propose to her and said yes. Congrats to the couple, and the best of luck to them in the future.
He signaled his intentions on capturing the IBA World Championship in the future.