Written and Photos taken on a Nikon D3100 by Tyler Polk
With four fights ending by way of TKO and ten stoppages for a count or referee decision. The Spring Slugfest held by Integrity Fighter Management and the Conn-Greb Boxing Gym certainly lived up to its name.
Boxing fans from all over Pittsburgh flocked to the Priory Grand Hall on the Northside to cheer on Pittsburgh's local talent. After an emotional national anthem that made one judge shed tears, the first fight of the night between Jarrell "The Samurai" Brackett (1-2) and Ohio's Latiss "No Love" Norman (1-3) brought the fireworks early.
Brackett's battle cry before the bell ring was a signal for war, and the two fighters went at each other without any hesitation. It was a short opener as Norman scored two early knockdowns and clinched the victory with a TKO stoppage at 1:02.
The next fight was a bout between two fighters who struggled to secure challengers for the event and decided to face each other.
Lucas Adams (Debut) and Brock Willis (1-1) of West Virginia had a spirited bout that featured good combinations, plus back and forth action between competitors. Their match would go the full four rounds, and the judges scored the decision 39-37, 40-36 and 40-36 for Adams debut fight. In post-fight interviews, the two showed mutual respect under challenging circumstances.
"The Demolition Man" Lyubomyr Pinchuk (8-1) took on Michigan's Thad Berkhousen (5-5-2) for the ABF USA Cruiserweight Championship. Like his walkout music, Pinchuk left Berkhousen thunderstruck. Setting the pace with his combinations in the first round.
Berkhousen stood tall with a couple of chances, but it was too much Pinchuk. His combos scores a standing count on Berkhousen and a TKO stoppage in the 2nd round to cap off another successful title defense.
Flashy entrances were the introduction to Llewlyn McClamy (1-0) and Stephen Dailey Jr. (1-0-1). Dailey came out in a sparkling red robe and mask. McClamy was bouncing around to Rapper's Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang.
When the bell rung, the theatrics was exchanged for a gritty close-quarters affair. Referee Chris Riskus wanted less grappling during the second round, but it continued. McClammy knocked down Dailey and left him leaning on the ropes to end the round.
A confident McClamy came out the next round and as a member of the crowd exclaimed: "Sock him, Lou!" he scored the second knockdown of the fight en route to a third in the final round, clinching a TKO victory.
Intermission was an emotional tribute to some of the members of the Pittsburgh Boxing Community who recently passed, including Jimmy Cvetic who passed on February 16th from cancer.
Victor Olive gave a heartfelt tribute and a ten bell salute in his honor. With a poster of Jimmy Cvetic on the wall, you have to feel he would be smiling from the performances of all the competitors last night.
"Pretty" Richie Cantolina (2-0) faced New York's Erik "The New Creation" Plumeri (1-9-1) after the intermission. Cantolina's fast start with combos and footwork blitzed Plumeri early, but he would rebound during round two. Both men would trade combos and moments throughout the fight.
Plumeri was much more competitive than what his record would entail, but Cantolina would still get the decision victory with judges scoring the fight 38-38, 39-37, and 39-37. He would take the microphone to honor his father who beat pancreatic cancer.
The main event of the evening didn't finish off the night, but it was an eight-round fight for the ABF USA Super-Bantamweight Championship. Oleg "The Ukrainian Pittbull Dovhun and Daron "Sweet Tay" Williams came into the match with equal 7-0 records.
Their fight would go the distance despite a second-round knockdown to Williams. Dovhun had the bulk of the offense for the contest and Williams had more output during and after round five.
Williams would cut Dovhun with his final punch in the final round, but it wasn't enough for the title, as the judges would score the bout 78-73, 79-72 and 78-73 unanimously for "The Pitbull" winning his first professional championship.
The featured attraction for the night's events was a four-round heavyweight clash between Michael "The Pittsburgh Bull" Manna (3-0) and Davmond Carter (0-1).
The crowd was ready to explode as those two titans swung for the fences in round one, both men aggressively searched for a knockout. After a popping shot by Manna that sent oohs through the crowd, Carter followed up by knocking "The Bull" down for the first time.
Manna would hang on through the end of round one into round two, as body shots reverberate around The Priory. Every shot by Carter would get a response as the crowd urging for the deciding blow for "The Bull."
Before round three, the crowd would chant Manna's name again, but Carter throws a combination of blows to his body and head leaving him stumbling on his feet. Referee Tim Shipley would call the fight off with a TKO stoppage victory for Carter at 1:17.