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VICTOR VASQUEZ PREPARES
FOR NABA TITLE BOUT

North Philly lightweight Victor Vasquez will bring his signature crowd-pleasing style into the biggest fight of his career when he faces veteran Dorin Spivey for the NABA lightweight title at Atlantic City's Tropicana Hotel & Casino on Saturday night. We visited the "Brawling Barber" and his trainer Billy Briscoe a few days before the fight at the Rivera Rec Center (aka "The Oven") and found the tattooed thrill machine to be ready  for war. But that was no surprise. Check out the three training videos from their camp.        (VIDEOS)

SOUTHPAW PROBLEMS

Dhafir Smith won on his home turf Saturday night with a six round unanimous decision over Quinton Rankin of Charlotte, NC at West Philly's First District Plaza. It was the first home-field appearance for the West Philly road warrior in about three years. His opponent came in with a mere 4-1 record, a seeming piece of cake for a 53-fight vet like Smith. However, the 25-year old visitor brought the fight and an awkward southpaw style with him to Philly, and the result was a rather tough night for the hometown boxer. But after a slow start, Dhafir Smith got it together and worked his way to the points win... (MORE)

ANYWHERE, ANYTIME,
ANYPLACE

West Philly Road Warrior Dhafir "No Fear" Smith finds himself in an unusual place for his fight this Saturday - at home. This time out Smith won't be fighting in his opponent's backyard as he usually is forced to do. Instead he'll answer the bell just a stone's throw from the James Shuler Memorial Boxing Gym where he began his rocky career and still trains today. Boxing scribe Gary Purfield caught up with the throwback pro with the deceiving record to discuss his upcoming bout and his future in the sport that believes a fighter with a 24-22-7 record has no future. But Dhafir Smith has "No Fear"... (STORY)

CRAZY HORSE
JESSE SMITH PASSES

We received the sad news that former Philadelphia middleweight star Jesse Smith passed away Sunday, January 22 in Chester, PA. Smith, nicknamed "Crazy Horse", was 79 years old.

Jesse Smith had a memorable boxing career that spanned 13 years (1953-1966) and produced an excellent record of 46-12-5 with 33 KOs. He faced an impressive list of opponents and was an extremely popular attraction especially in Philadelphia and Chicago, where he fought 30 and 21 bouts respectively.

In 1960, after going 29-6-3, Smith faced the rising Henry Hank at Chicago Stadium. Hank, 45-11-1, was closing in on a title shot and was heavily favored to beat the relatively unknown Smith, but Jesse took the fight to... (MORE)

JENNINGS WINS
PA STATE TITLE

North Philly's Bryant Jennings defeated South Philly's Maurice Byarm by 10-round unanimous decision Saturday night at the Asylum Arena in a battle for the Pennsylvania State Heavyweight Championship. The two rising undefeated boxers answered a last-minute call to fight less than one week before another match was intended to launch the brand new NBC Sports Network nationally televised boxing series. But this bout exceeded expectations for even the originally scheduled fight between Eddie Chambers and Sergei Liakhovich... (MORE)

GRADUATION DAY FOR GABY

Gaby Rosado scored the best win of his six-year pro career at South Philly's Asylum Arena when he trounced Jesus Soto Karass for a 5th round TKO. No one had ever stopped the tough Mexican before Rosado managed the trick in a bloody and brutal beat down that left the tough measuring stick reeling after referee Steve Smoger halted the bout at 2:06 of the round. The fight could have ended in the round before had the bell not sounded in the nick of time to save Karass. But the temporary respite only set up the out-gunned veteran for more punishment, which Rosado gladly resumed the second round five began. It was a beautiful and passionate victory for a fighter who has patiently travelled... (MORE)

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

The Hall of Fame Room at the Wells Fargo center was like a morgue. The occasion was the final pre-fight press conference for the Main Events-promoted, Peltz-matched and NBC Sports Network-televised fight card scheduled for the Asylum Arena on Saturday night. You could feel the stress and the fatigue in the room. Clearly the people who put this boxing show together had suffered a very difficult week, and the wear and tear was palpable.

Last Friday the news trickled out that the show's scheduled headliner, Philly's Fast Eddie Chambers was injured and could not fight his anticipated bout with former WBO champ Sergei Liakhovich. The ten-rounder had the air of a big-time battle of heavyweight contenders, and Main Events and the fledgling NBC Sports Network were clearly hanging their hats on the bout as the showcase for the event. So much... (MORE)

ROSADO OUT TO MAKE STATEMENT ON NBC SPORTS

"Almost every step of the way Rosado has taken the hard road in his career. He takes the road less traveled in today’s boxing world. Willing to fight anyone, anywhere, anytime he has taken his lumps but is better off for it in the ring. He has developed and matured into a more experienced and more skilled fighter due to his ups and downs."

Boxing  scribe Gary Purfield profiles Gabriel Rosado as the North Philly boxer approaches the biggest fight of his career, a nationally televised shot on the NBC Sports Network.             (MORE)

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