Lou DiBella’s Broadway Boxing returns tonight with a stacked nine bout card at BB King Blues Club & Grill in New York City. Headlining tonight’s show will be heavyweight hopeful Tor Hamer (20-2, 13 KO’s) taking on Kertson Manswell (23-7, 17 KO’s) in a scheduled eight round contest.
Hamer made headlines last June when he won the U.K.’s “Prizefighter” tournament, defeating former world title challenger Kevin Johnson in the final three round contest. He stopped Dominique Alexander in two rounds in his next bout, and in December he rounded off the year with another big step up in class by meeting Vyacheslav Glazkov on NBC’s Fight Night program, an undercard bout to the Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham rematch that headlined the show. Hamer put up a game effort, but was stopped by the undefeated Ukrainian in four rounds. After a five month break, he returned to Broadway Boxing and stopped Maurenzo Smith in three rounds, which leads us to tonight’s bout against Manswell.
Kertson Manswell had a very good start to his pro career: turning pro in 2004, he went undefeated in his first 20 contests with 15 knockouts before being stopped in a regional title bout by Bermane Stiverne in 2011. Since then, he’s went 3-6, losing his last four outings. In his last bout in January, he dropped a 10 round decision to Skipp Scott in a WBF Intercontinental title bout.
In the nights co-feature, light middleweight Boyd Melson (11-1, 4 KO’s) looks to extend his unbeaten streak to five when he meets Jason Thompson (5-6, 4 KO’s) in a rematch, also scheduled for eight rounds. Melson’s lone defeat came at the hands of Delen Parsley in March of 2012. Despite dropping Parsley twice, he went on to lose an eight round decision after being dropped himself in the final frame. He’s won three of his last four bouts, with one draw against Thompson in their first meeting. Thompson is coming off back to back draws against Melson and Frank Galarza respectively after being inactive for all of 2011. Before that he had lost three straight.
Lennox Allen (16-0-1, 10) puts his undefeated record on the line when he moves up in weight to meet light heavyweight Michael Gbenga (16-8, 16 KO’s) in a six round bout. Allen is the former New York State and Caribbean Boxing Federation super middleweight title holder and has won four straight (three by stoppage) since an eight round draw with Darnell Boone in 2010. This is his first bout in 13 months. Gbenga comes into this bout off back to back defeats, being stopped by Badou Jack in May and dropping a 10 round decision to Andre Dirrell in February. He’s a guy that always has a punchers chance however, as is evidenced by his 100% knockout win ratio.
In female action, fan favorite Sonya Lamonakis (7-1-2, 1 KO) looks to rebound after suffering her first defeat when she faces Tanzee Daniel (4-2-1, 1 KO) in a heavyweight attraction. This is the third meeting between the two, Lamonakis winning both fights accounting for Daniel’s only two defeats. Lamonakis took her first loss in April when she was shut out over six rounds by Martha Salazar.
Undefeated Patrick Day (4-0, 2 KO’s) meets Donald Ward (5-1, 3 KO’s) in a scheduled six round light middleweight contest. Day, a New York Golden Gloves champion, has had busy start to his pro career; this is his fifth fight of 2013 after taking to the pro ranks in January. Ward has won his last four contests, the last two by stoppage.
Rounding out the card, undefeated Amos Cowart (7-0, 5 KO’s) faces Chazz McDowell (6-3, 1 KO) in a lightweight six rounder, and in three four round bouts junior lightweight Jeremy Abram makes his professional debut against Micah Branch (1-7-1), light welterweight Donte Strayhorn (2-1) meets Justin Robbins (1-2), and hard hitting super featherweight Neuky Santelises (5-0, 4 KO’s) faces Michael Doyle (1-3, 1 KO).
Broadway Boxing is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and SMS Promotions. The event will be aired live on GFL.tv, to be broadcast on SNY at a later date. Doors open at 6:30pm, opening bout scheduled for 7:00pm. Tickets are priced at $55, $75, and $100.
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