Star Boxing’s “March Madness” Recap and Results

Under the skinny, uppercutting gold arms of the ballroom’s grand chandelier, the scene at the Plattdeutsche Park Restaurant is unmistakably a boxing one. On the night of Ireland’s patron saint, the real cause for celebration are the fighters from Long Island.

7:02 PM. My ticket is punched, my hand has been assaulted with juicy black ink from a Sharpie (King Size, nonetheless), and from Section A, Row 2, Seat 15, I look to my right, into the dressing room:

Velour jackets and satin cornermen tops; gloves, tape, scissors, and wraps; neck rolls and shoulder shrugs; blue New York State Athletic Commission blazers; focus mitts; noses that know how effective a good jab can be; close handshakes and pats on the back; lots of pacing; grizzled old dudes speaking definitively to their charges; hoods being pulled up, but not staying up; nervous, bouncing energy; that tall guy with the tattoos who cornered John Duddy.

7:40 PM: Mary J. Blige’s “Real Love,” the remixed version featuring a Mr. Biggie Smalls, comes on, and the house DJ prudently turns up the volume. Seats have been takes; hot dogs, beer, and giant pretzels have been bought. It’s time.

KAMIL LASZYCK vs. LAQUAN LEWIS (4 rounds – Lightweight)

I was sitting among some Polish fans and learned that Kamil (right) had over 120 amateur fights and was a six-time national Polish champ. “He wants the noke out,” I hear from my right.

In Round 1, the smaller Kamil lands an early big right hand, which LaQuan counters with a solid left upstairs.  LaQuan is putting on a show, sort of: facially expressive, head shaking, a bit of dancing, and hands low, a la Roy Jones (if Roy Jones were 0-6 heading into this fight).

Kamil smacks LaQuan with a big right. And again. Still, LaQuan’s hands are down by his thighs. He’s in trouble. Kamil has taken the center of the ring and closes the round with rips to LaQuan’s body.

Kamil turns it up in Round 2. LaQuan responds to hard shots from Kamil with a big smile; we all know what that means. Bad things happen to LaQuan in the corner: Kamil punishes the body, left to the jaw, right jab. LaQuan’s hands are still low. Kamil finally drops a right hand on an overmatched LaQuan that drops him into the ropes, where he lies frozen for a moment, like a cow stuck in a barbed wire fence, before crumbling to the ground. Kamil scores the one-punch knockout in Rd. 2.

“We are done for to-day!” shouts a robust Polish fan, high-fiving me as he and his constituency proudly parade out of the Plattdeutsche.

In Kamil's corner was Pawel Wolak (pictured below), who beat NY's own Yuri Foreman last weekend.

JOSELIZ CEPEDA vs. COREY WHITE (4 rounds - Jr. Lightweight)

Both men wear black and are pretty well tattooed, so if not for Cepeda’s braids, I’d be lost on this one.

Early on, Corey looks stronger in the clinch (and he may have been), only because he is busier (but rather wild) on the inside. The best shot of the round comes from Joseliz, a.k.a. “The Dominican Guererro,” who knocks Corey’s mouthpiece out halfway through the round with the shot.

Joseliz presses in Rd. 2 with the one-two and seems to have found his rhythm, especially with the right hand. A solid right drops Corey, who gets the eight count from referee – and Long Island’s own - Arthur Mercante. Now Joseliz starts punishing the body.

Joseliz opens the third round with a big overhand right. Corey is slowing down and breathing harder. Joseliz closes the round with a solid left hook, followed closely by a right. Corey is fading.

As expected, Corey opens the fourth round swinging for everything and anything. Joseliz counters one of Corey’s wide, loopy bombs with a tight left hook. Corey throws a monster right hand that misses by a mile, and he nearly tumbles to the ground with the whiff. The rest of the round sees Corey lunging in and throwing wildly, but to no avail.

Joseliz strengthens throughout the fight; Corey does not. Joseliz Cepeda takes the unanimous decision, 39-36, 40-35, 40-35.

Scott Burrell with Joseliz Cepeda (right)

DANNY VALLE vs. SIDDELL BLOCKER (4 rounds  - Junior Lightweight)

The much taller, longer Sidell (left) answers the opening bell like a madman. He swings wide and aggressive. The intentions are bad, but so is his precision. These opening few seconds would serve as a microcosm for the entire fight.

The Bronx’s own “Dazzling” Danny slips a hook early and ignites the crowd with a clean looking right hand. He counters again with a left-right combo. He’s smooth, quick, and poised. He’s like a matador, and not just because of the red trunks.

The rest of the fight sees much of the same: a very game Siddell bringing the fight to Valle, who counters at will. Siddell’s best two shots come in the second round: first comes a left hook, then a headbut when the two are tangled in the corner.

Much to the frustration of the guys behind me, Valle doesn’t really open up and let the leather fly until late in the fourth. Yes, he avoids damage, outmaneuvers his opponent, and lands the more effective (and prettier) punches, but everyone seemed to have those “Valle’s gonna finish this kid any moment now” butterflies.

Valle takes the unanimous decision, as expected, but didn’t exactly dazzle. Siddell was deservedly shown some love by Plattdeutsch crowd (myself included) on the walk back to the dressing room. I’d like to see Valle fight again.


Pictured below are the legendary Victor Valle, Jr. and Dennis Rappaport (in his St. Pat's green), the former trainer of Long Island's own Gerry Cooney.

ADAM WILLETT vs. SHARIEFF HAYES (4 rounds – Heavyweight)

Here come the big boys. Former U.S. amateur heavyweight stud Adam is making his return after being shot last April out in Bay Shore.

Early on, it’s clear that Adam is the stronger, quicker, more skilled fighter. “This kid’s real  light on his feet,” says the sagacious elderly gentleman behind me. He’s absolutely right.

Adam rips right and left hands to Sharieff’s body early and often. He turns him and hooks. He throws in combination, moves in, does work, and moves out. And here’s one for the highlight reel: left uppercut, followed by the right hook. Brutal.  

Round 2 is the same story, except that now, you can see it on Sharieff’s face. Adam smashes the body (at will, it seems) and then brings the party back upstairs. Adam senses the end is nigh, and so too might Sharieff, who starts holding on. Was Sharieff just talking trash?

Sharieff’s corner needs to come up with an answer for Round 3, so they gather handfuls of the fighter’s dreads and bundle them with white tape. At least now Sharieff can see. And he connects! Left, right, left to the head. Wow. Adam lands a shot below the belt, and Sharieff takes some time. The fight resumes, and yes, Sharieff is talking smack. Arthure Mercante isn’t going for it, though: “Cut the bullshit and box!” Adam scores again with the left uppercut-right hook tandem and smiles as the round closes.

In the final frame, Adam is still rolling, Sharieff is still running his mouth, and the ref is still pissed off. More of the left uppercut-right hook combo from Adam. He’s landing big punches. Sharieff hits below the belt in the final seconds. Adam smiles, and the two men embrace at the bell. Adam “Showtime” Willett takes the decision 40-36 from all three judges.

CHRIS ALGIERI vs. JULIAS EDMONDS (8 rounds - Welterweight)

Strikeforce MMA fighter Gian Villante reps Team Algieri

“Are you nervous?” I asked Chris Algieri’s girlfriend Danielle when I walked in. She was the first familiar face I saw in the building.

 “Yes,” she said unapologetically.  

(Wisely, Chris put her on assignment to sell the black “Team Algieri” t-shirts and watch his nephews. Sublimation at its finest. Who says boxing isn’t a team sport?)

Erik B and Rakim’s “Don’t Sweat the Technique” comes on as Algieri emerges from the dressing room, donning blue and white. Now I’m now fired up. Chants of “Al-gier-i! Al-gier-i!” erupt from the dozens of people wearing black and gold Team Algieri t-shirts. 

Juilas, a tough kid from Philly, looks small. Algieri is a big welterweight: tall, muscular, wide shoulders. He finds his range and controls the opening round with his jab. Julias threw some leather, but nothing to disrupt Algieri, whose hands and feet move much more efficiently than those of his Philadelphia counterpart.

In the second round, Chris fights like the taller guy, attacking from the outside. He lands the first big punch of the fight: a solid left hook. And then another before angling out. He lands a hard right off the left jab. And again. Conventional wisdom says Julias needs to get inside and do some work, but Algieri makes him pay every time he comes in.

Round 3 opens with a nasty right hook from Chris, followed by a punishing left to the body. He bullies Julias throughout the third round. Chris is really picking things up now, and Julian’s face is showing it.

Julias lands a good right hook early in Round 4, but Chris counters immediately to the body. Chris connects with two solid uppercuts, and his combinations are getting through. Julias subsequently lands his best punch of the fight: a looping right overhand tomahawk thing to the left side of Chris’s head. But before Julias can capitalize, Chris spins off the ropes and turns into a buzz saw, firing away, left and right, head and body.

Julias is like a tree being cut down with surgical precision. Chris’s punches are relentless, and Julias is down. he's fallen through the ropes, it seems. H's up and meets the ref after eight, but Chris pours it on, fast and on target. Julias has no answers. Chris turns up the fire, prompting the ref to step in and call a stop to the fight. The crowd explodes for its undefeated hometown boy.

Congrats to Chris, Adam, Danny, Kamil, Joseliz, their trainers and families, and to Joe DeGuardia and Star Boxing for a great night of fights here on Long Island.