By Lou McLaughlin: This coming Wednesday, June 13th at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, N.J. First Round Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions will present a fight card of nine bouts as a fundraiser for Derek’s Dreams.
Derek DiGregorio is a 13 year old afflicted with a genetic disease called Ataxia Telangiectasia, which affects three people out of every million and offers the grim prognosis of a life expectancy unlikely to reach much past 20 years. A-T is a rare genetic, progressive, degenerative disease that affects muscle control and the immune system while creating a predisposition to cancer. Derek’s Dreams is a group dedicated to raising the awareness and resources necessary to combat this disease. The group’s goal is twofold.
First, there are the needs of Derek himself, which will only increase during the next few years and which will make normal day-to-day life difficult. Second, there is the more global desire to attack the disease itself, so that future children and families can have a better chance against Ataxia Telangiectasia.
Headlining the nine bout card will be Richard Pierson 11-2 (8 KO) of Paterson, N.J. facing Daniel Adotey Allotey 14-2 (7 KO) Accra, Ghana in an 8 round bout for the vacant super middleweight WBC FECARBOX Title (WBC’s Federacion Centroamericana de Boxeo Profesional belt). This important bout could propel him into the WBC’s top ten ratings. Pierson has a personal desire to work with youth speaking at local schools and churches. He has aspirations as to what his successes in boxing can do to make him a role model for kids.
The Co-Main event features Atlantic City’s light heavyweight Lavarn “Baby Bowe” Harvell 10-0 (5 KO) vs. Brian “Wildman” Donahue for 6 rounds. Lavarn’s aggressive skills are coupled by a startling facial resemblance to Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe-hence his ring nick name. Lavarn last fought in April on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins / Chad Dawson rematch at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
The undercard will showcase several up and coming New Jersey boxers. Heavyweight John Lennox of Carteret 10-1 (5 KO) takes on Rodricka Ray in six rounds. Lennox’s last fight was a TKO in 1 in February.
A six round light middleweight bout will have New York’s Tommy ‘The Razor”Rainone 17-4 (4KO) take on seasoned boxer Keenan Collins in a scheduled 6. Rainone who began his career in 2004 at welterweight has been moving up in weight class over the past four years to light middleweight.
Newark middlewight Thomas Baldwin 2-0-2 (1 KO) will compete in a four round bout.
Newark heavyweight Aaron “The Animal “Kinch 3-0-1 (1KO ) vs. Khuzaymah Al Nubu in a 4 rounder. Aaron has had an active 2012 this being his fourth fight this year.
Former amateur star and rising prospect in the professional ranks Anthony “Juice” Young of Atlantic City will compete in 4 rounds against an opponent TBA. Young won the 2011 Philadelphia Golden Gloves and was runner up in the Mid – Atlantic Golden Gloves.
Also scheduled four rounds featuring Anthony Gangemi two time Golden Gloves champion out of the Dover Boxing Club will be making his professional debut And Ireland’s Tyrone McKenna will make his entrance into the paid ranks.
The evening will give an entertaining mix of seasoned professionals such as Richard Pierson and Lavarn Harvell exhibiting their skills and those entering the paid ranks giving their all for successful debuts. The night’s program to benefit a worthy cause as Derek’s Dreams gives special luster.
Wednesday June 13th-bouts begin at 7:30 P.M.
Robert Treat Hotel
50 Park Place, Newark, N.J. 07104
Promoted by First Round Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions
Ticket information: VIP Tables $1500, Front Row $ 100, Ringside $ 75, General $ 50
Tickets available at www.FirstRound Promotions.org CALL 1-888-612-4191. GCPBoxing.com CALL 212-851-6425 Desiree@GCPBoxing.com
Boardwalk Saloon
206 Bloomfield Ave
Newark, NJ 07104
973-483-8766
Elite Heat Boxing Gym
130 Mt. Pleasant Ave.
Newark, N.J. 07104
862-772-2532
Final Round Boxing
156 Algonquin Pkwy
Whippany, NJ 07981
973-515-0704