By: Ken Hissner
On Friday night at the SugarHouse Casino, Marshall Kauffman’s King’s Promotions brings Tyrone Crawley, Jr., 7-1 (0), of Philadelphia, for the WBF junior welter title, against his toughest opponent to date in Dominican Ricardo Garcia, 14-3 (9), over 8 rounds. The matchmaker is Damian Ramos and PR is Marc Abrams.
Crawley is the son of his now trainer Tyrone “Butterfly” Crawley, Sr., 22-2 (7), who was one of the slickest boxers in Philly’s modern times. After his career ended he became a Philadelphia policeman. He won the NABF title over future champion Charlie “Choo Choo” Brown, defeated unbeaten boxers, Robin Blake, 22-0, Gene Hatcher, 14-0, Edwin Curet, 14-0-1, Pat Jefferson, 6-0, and Hermino Morales, 10-0-1.
I remember when I first saw Crawley, Jr., fight I called him the caterpillar, for he wasn’t quite a “butterfly” like his dad but the future will reveal that. “Seeing Tevin Farmer win the world title last week is an inspiration,” said Crawley.
The card is filled with Philly fighters with the co-main event having always exciting super middle Christopher Brooker, 13-5 (5), coming off a win in his last fight over Philly’s Jamaal Davis in March. Welter Poindexter Knight, 4-0 (2), under management to Dave McWater, super feather Joshafat Ortiz, 4-0 (2), of Reading, welter Rasheed Johnson 3-2 (1), of Willow Grove, Philly’s Paul Kroll former National Golden Glove champion making his debut, along with Rasheem Brown, super welter James Martin, 1-1, son of Jerry “The Bull” Martin, and Jamaican heavyweight Nicoy Clarke, 1-1, from Jersey City, NJ.
Talk about home grown Philly and surrounding area boxers!
Saturday Hard Hitting Promotions under Will Ruiz, Jr. and matchmaker Manny Rivera will be at the 2300 Arena in South Philly off Oregon Ave & Front Street. PR Kurt Wolfheimer.
On top is Glassboro, NJ, super middle Derrick “Take It to The Bank” Webster, 26-1 (13), taking on Australia’s Les Sherrington, 37-10 (21), over 10 rounds. In the co-feature is Philly’s Eric “The Outlaw” Hunter, 21-4 (11), first fight in over two years losing in a IBF World feather title fight in the UK against southpaw Fatiou Fassinou, 28-10-3 (15), of Benin, fighting out of Ft. Washington, MD, over 8 rounds.
On the loaded undercard are Philly’s lightweight Branden “Gifted” Pizarro, 10-1, lightweight Samuel “Tsunami” Teah, 31-2-1, of Liberia, Philly, lightweight Jeremy Cuevas, 9-0, super bantam Romuel Cruz, 2-0, light heavy Benjamin Sinakin making his debut, super feather Seifullah Jihad Wise, 3-5, and cruiser Prince Badi Ajamu, 29-4-1, of Camden, NJ.
Finally, at the PAL Center, in Hockessin, DE, Saturday headlining for matchmaker Rene Aiken will be Philly’s cruiser Dhafir “No Fear” Smith, 27-25-7, out of Upper Darby, heavy Mark “Oak Tree” Brown, 15-7, super feather Donald “No Love” Smith, 7-0, middle Ryan Wilczak, 6-0, of Scranton, Jamaican Anthony Miller, 3-2, of Wilmington, welter Tyrone Shelton, making debut, of Wilmington, and feather Ryshine Collins, of Philly making his debut.
