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Teflon Promotions’ "Re:Play Volume 3" was
reduced to three fights after several bouts fell through, but the
shortened card at The Grand Ballroom (aka First District Plaza
Ballroom) still gave the crowd a title fight between Philadelphia
and Newark, the return of a veteran after nearly seven years away
and a stoppage to open the night. Jibril Noble retained his undefeated record
and captured the NBA Continental Lightweight Title with a unanimous
decision over Wanzell Ellison in the main event. The first two
rounds already had the feel of a title fight. Noble and Ellison
fought at close range, trading in the phone booth and making their
punches count. Noble began finding success with his jab in the third
round while Ellison used movement to counter. Neither fighter slowed
down.
The fourth round continued at the same pace.
Both fighters showed their conditioning while throwing combinations
and working the body. By the fifth, Noble’s pressure began giving
him an edge in the exchanges. His ability to force Ellison onto the
ropes made it harder for the Newark fighter to work. Ellison changed the fight in the sixth,
becoming the aggressor and pressuring Noble around the ring. Noble
answered with his footwork, turning Ellison and making him work to
get into position. Noble’s pressure returned in the seventh, with
both fighters continuing to exchange at a high pace and attack the
body.
Ellison was fighting for the first time
since a unanimous decision loss to Dravontay “Speed” Rawls in
November 2019. Despite nearly seven years away from the ring,
Ellison showed no signs of ring rust or fatigue and gave Noble a
full eight rounds. The performance also gave Noble the type of
test he needs at this stage of his career. In my view, the last time
Noble was tested at this level was his victory over Torch Adams in
October 2023. The three judges scored the fight 78-74
(Gail Jasper), 78-74 (Marc Werlinsky) and 80-72 (Nicholas
Chimienti), all for Noble. Titles only mean as much as the two fighters
competing for them. Noble and Ellison made the NBA Continental title
mean something on Saturday night.
CANGELOSI BEATS ESCALANTE Christian Cangelosi made his Philadelphia
debut a successful one, defeating Saul Guadalupe Corral Escalante by
unanimous decision. Cangelosi began putting more power into his
combinations in the third round and nearly scored a knockdown, with
the ropes preventing Escalante from hitting the canvas. The same
pattern continued in the fourth as Cangelosi became more willing to
sit down on his punches.
By the seventh, Cangelosi was looking to
finish. He dropped Escalante in the corner, but the 39-year-old
veteran weathered the attack and made it to the final bell. The victory kept the 28-year-old from
Palermo, Sicily, unbeaten at 12-0-1 with five knockouts.
ANDERSON STILL UNDEFEATED Aaron Anderson opened the card with a
third-round stoppage of Christian Aguirre. Anderson established his attack early, going
to the body in the opening round and found success with the
uppercut. The body work continued to give Aguirre problems as
Anderson set the pace.
In the second round, Anderson allowed
Aguirre to trap him in the corner, looking to draw him into an
exchange. Anderson scored two knockdowns during the fight before
referee Eric Irizarry stopped the contest at 2:25 of the third
round.
The scheduled seven-bout card was ultimately
reduced to three after several fights fell through. Teflon
Promotions still gave the crowd three different reasons to stay
engaged: Anderson’s stoppage, the Philadelphia-Newark title fight
between Noble and Ellison, and the arrival of Cangelosi from Italy. The crowd responded throughout the night,
and despite the shortened card, fight fans left The Grand Ballroom
with three completed fights and plenty to talk about. |
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2026 STORIES |
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