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Rockin' Fights 54 Delivers Another Memorable Night Of
Action Before Sold-Out Paramount Crowd
Joe DeGuardia's Star Boxing once again delivered an
unforgettable evening of professional boxing as a sold-out
crowd filled The Paramount on Saturday night for the 54th
edition of the acclaimed Rockin' Fights series.
Featuring five competitive bouts, dramatic momentum swings,
and nonstop action from opening bell to final decision,
Rockin' Fights 54 continued the tradition that has made the
series one of the premier developmental boxing series in the
country.
With another capacity crowd filling The Paramount, Rockin'
Fights once again showcased the formula that has made the
series the nation's premier developmental boxing
events—combining competitive matchmaking, rising stars, and
an atmosphere unlike any other in club boxing. From the
opening bout through the main event, fans were treated to
nonstop action that kept the energy high throughout the
evening.
In the ten-round main event, world-ranked junior
middleweight Wendy "The Haitian Fire" Toussaint of
Huntington, New York, was pushed to the limit by veteran
Aaron Coley of Oakland, California, battling to a
hard-earned majority draw in a highly technical and closely
contested fight.
One judge scored the bout 97-95 for Toussaint, while the
remaining two judges each scored it 95-95, resulting in a
majority draw.
From the opening bell, both fighters displayed high-level
boxing skills, taking turns controlling the action in a
tactical contest where every round was competitive and
little separated the two throughout the evening. Toussaint's
record now stands at 17-4-1 (7 KOs), while Coley moves to
17-5-1 (7 KOs).
"This is exactly what Rockin' Fights has become known for,"
said Joe DeGuardia, President and CEO of Star Boxing.
"Competitive fights, hungry fighters, and an incredible
atmosphere where every bout intrigues fans. Once again, our
fans were treated to an outstanding night of boxing and
entertainment."
The co-feature brought together fan favorites with proud
ethnic backgrounds as Zay Flaherty of Queens squared off
against Micky Scala of Mesa, Arizona, in an entertaining
eight-round junior middleweight contest.
Flaherty came out aggressively, pinning Scala against the
ropes for much of the opening round before dropping him with
a crushing overhand right late in the frame. Scala showed
tremendous heart, surviving the knockdown and battling back
throughout the contest.
Flaherty maintained a relentless pace behind a high-volume
attack over the middle rounds, while Scala continued
searching for opportunities to turn the fight around. The
eighth and final round produced one of the night's most
exciting moments as Scala unleashed his best combinations in
a desperate attempt to score a knockout. The sold-out crowd
rose to its feet as Flaherty weathered the late assault
before earning a well-deserved unanimous decision. Flaherty
improves to 9-1 (4 KOs), while Scala falls to 13-2 (7 KOs).
Long Island native Ralph Clemente thrilled his hometown
supporters with an impressive fifth-round stoppage of Kasimu
Yakubu in their scheduled six-round super middleweight bout.
The fight featured heavy exchanges from the outset, with
both men enjoying moments of success in an entertaining
back-and-forth battle. With the contest still hanging in the
balance, Clemente landed a thunderous left hook in the fifth
round that badly hurt Yakubu. Sensing the finish, Clemente
poured on the offense, forcing referee Pat Sullivan to stop
the bout. Clemente improves to a perfect 5-0 (5 KO's) with
the win.
Making his professional debut, Yousef Zazae of Danbury,
Connecticut, scored an impressive stoppage victory over
Elijah Grant in a scheduled four-round middleweight bout.
The opening two rounds were highly competitive before Grant
complained of dizziness following the second round. After
being examined by the ringside physician, the bout was
halted before the start of Round 3, giving Zazae a
successful professional debut. Zazae begins his career at
1-0 (1 KO), while Grant falls to 1-2 (1 KO).
The evening opened with an action-packed four-round super
middleweight battle between professional debutants Alex
Garcia of Huntington and Pawel Zawistowski of Ridgewood.
Both fighters exchanged heavy punches throughout an
entertaining contest that immediately energized the sold-out
crowd. Garcia scored a flash knockdown in the second round
and maintained his composure over the remaining rounds to
earn a hard-fought decision victory. Garcia begins his
professional career at 1-0, while Zawistowski falls to 0-1.
From the opening bout through the final bell, Rockin' Fights
54 delivered competitive matchmaking and exciting action
that have become the hallmark of Joe DeGuardia's Star
Boxing. Before another sold out crowd at The Paramount, the
series once again lived up to its reputation as one of the
premier club boxing events in America, providing fans with
an unforgettable evening of thrilling entertainment.
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