The main event of the Stick N Move Promotions (Drew Graziadei) show At the beautiful Forbes Theater, in downtown Buffalo, NY saw local boy Alex Castellano take on Hialeah, Florida’s Frank Gonzalez in a scheduled 8-round super bantamweight scrap.
Despite a large height difference, castellano did not look interested in using his jab. The much shorter Gonzalez was able to get inside, Castellano would tie him up and it would be a clinch fest. The third round was a little more lively, less clinching and more clean punches thrown and landed. The action would alternate throughout with clinching and clean fighting, keeping referee Charlie Fitch’s hands very full.
Round 5 saw Castellano dart in and out with clean combinations, his best rounds up to that point. Somehow, Castellano seems to come to life in the final round, fighting in a way he probably should have been through the previous seven rounds- starting in and out, using his jab and pinpoint combinations, completely controlling Gonzalez and not allowing one clinch! The final scores were 78-74 and 79-73 twice, all for Castellano. He now moves to 12-2, 2 KOs. Gonzalez falls to 12-8, 6 KOs.
Heavyweights Joseph Taylor (Lockport, NY) and Erick Prieto (San Antonio, TX) met in a scheduled 4-rounder. Taylor was in full control from the outset. He outsized and outstrengthed Prieto to the very end, which came at 1:31 of the second round, courtesy of two crushing knockdowns. Despite beating the count, referee Evans waved it off as the towel simultaneously flew into the ring. Taylor moves to 2-0, 1 KO. Prieto falls to 3-7, 2 KOs.
Buffalo born Joseph Magovero took on Akeem Claybrone (Fort Walton Beach, FL) in a scheduled 4-round clash of novice heavies.
These two big boys took turns rocking each other right from the get-go. But it was Magovero who was credited with a knockdown In the first round when the ropes appeared to be holding Claybrone up. In the second, both went at it again and this time a right uppercut dropped Claybrone for a second time. He beats the count but referee. Charlie Fitch ruled him unable to continue. The time was 2:35 of the second. Magovero wins his pro debut to start out. 1-0, 1 KO. Claybrone Even thought at 1-1, 1 KO.
Rochester, NY’s Robert Hernandez locked horns with Bryan Hall, Fresno, CA, in a 4-round heavyweight tilt. Hernandez looked good in the first round controlling the action with his jab. Hall seemed to take the second round with just a little bit more activity. Hall scored a hard knockdown late in the third to definitively swing the momentum in his favor.
Keeping up the pressure in the fourth and final round, Hall turned up the volume, forcing Hernandez’ corner to signal surrender. The time was :52 of the final route. Hall improves to 3-5-1, 2 KOs, while Hernandez falls to 1-2.
In a lightweight contest scheduled for four rounds, Lebanon’s Albert El Zaibak met Rochester’s Edwin Viera. The difference in class and skill level between these two was like night and day. El Zaibak appeared to be levels above Viera. El Zaibak used his reach to execute an excellent jab and upper body movement to avoid almost all of Viera’s wild swings. It looked as if it was going to be an early night, but for whatever reason, El Zaibak could not put Viera away. The final scores were 39-37 and 40-36 twice, all for El Zaibak, Now 2-0, 1 KO. Viera drops his first, at 0-1.
