GM Ross – Two cards of professional boxing are scheduled for this weekend in Canada. On Saturday, May 15, at the Bowness Sports Plex in Calgary, Alberta, Teofista Promotions will present undefeated lightweight prospect Steve Claggett against seasoned Mexican veteran Martin Armenta of Los Mochis. Armenta is a former NABA light flyweight champion and brings thirty eight fights of experience to the ring. Although Armenta has lost twenty-one times in his career, fourteen of these defeats have come to prospects with one loss or less. A win would be a big step forward for Claggett who is currently entangled with Buzz Grant, Logan McGuinness and Tony Luis, in the hotly contested race for the lightweight championship of Canada..
Teofista has brought together some of western Canada’s best prospects for their Claggett-Armenta undercard. In a four round clash of undefeated heavyweights Ken Frank of Lethbridge, Alberta, will face Sandy Pembroke of Kamloops, British Columbia. Both Frank and Pembroke are coming off impressive victories in April. Pembroke made his professional debut last month against the more experienced Jamie Walton (3-2-2) of Burnaby, British Columbia, winning a four round majority decision. Frank last faced Jon Norman of Curryville, New Brunswick, scoring an impressive second round TKO in their scheduled six round affair. In other action, Stuart McLellan will put his undefeated 6-0-1 record on the line against newcomer Darcy Boizard of Edmonton, Alberta, in a four round super middleweight contest.
In Brampton, Ontario, United Promotions has put together what should be an excellent evening of fights for Saturday, May 15. In the main event, Canadian Boxing Federation (CBF) bantamweight champion Andrew Singh Kooner of Mississauga, Ontario, will fight for the North American Boxing Association bantamweight crown against Jose Silveira of Merida, Mexico. The fighters come into this contest with matching 10-2-0 records and identical knockout percentages of 33.33%.
In a contest scheduled for eight rounds, CBF lightweight contender Harrison McBain of Hamilton, Ontario, will take on journeyman Jorge Banos of Longueuil, Quebec. McBain, I and many others would argue, is more talented than his 3-2-1 record suggests. His losses are hardly anything to be ashamed of, having come against lightweight standouts Steve Claggett and Buzz Grant. The Banos- McBain contest is a rematch, the two having fought to a majority draw back in 2008. The lone judge who didn’t score Banos-McBain I a draw had the contest 39-37 in favour of McBain.
In the welterweight division Tebor Brosch of Mississauga, Ontario, makes his first appearance of 2010 against Frank Abbiw of London, Ontario. Abbiw is coming off a close split decision loss to Kenneth Giroux in Edmonton last month and should be eager to prove he is superior to his provincial rival. “Dangerous” Denton Daley will be back in action against Taffo Asongwed in a four round cruiserweight contest. Fans will recall Daley’s devastating knockout of Irving Chestnut of London, Ontario, earlier this year. Despite being only one fight into his professional career, Daley’s impressive debut has made him the talk of the Ontario boxing scene leading up to fight night.
Four debuts round out United Promotions’ evening of fistic fun. In the super middleweight division, Winston “the Show” Dann will make his much anticipated professional debut against fellow newcomer Horace Hunter and, in light welterweight action, Ryan Wagner and Rene Rivest will make their initial forays into the fight-for-pay game against each other.