What to Know
- Boxing returns to The Paramount in Huntington, New York for Rockin’ Fights 54 from Star Boxing on Saturday, June 27
- Wendy Toussaint returns from a tough loss in a ten-round super welterweight fight.
- Rockin’ Fights 54 will stream live on Millions.co
Boxing is back on Long Island at one of the premier local venues in the boxing universe. On Saturday, June 27, Star Boxing returns to The Paramount in Huntington, New York, for the 54th installment of the longest-running club show series in New York boxing history.
The Rockin’ Fights series remains the true bulwark of Long Island boxing, the grand successor to the weekend club shows that were once foundational staples of the New York sports landscape.
Wendy Toussaint Headlines Card
This event features one of the biggest stars in the Star Boxing universe right now, Huntington’s own Wendy “The Haitian Fire” Toussaint. Toussaint, whose Rockin’ Fights pedigree stretches all the way back to the series’ ninth installment, will square off in a compelling 10-round non-title bout with tough Oakland southpaw Aaron Coley.
The card also features a classic crossroads battle, as blue-chip prospect Micky Scala takes on local favorite Zay Flaherty. Both fighters are coming off disappointing performances in this very ring and are desperately pushing to get back into the win column.
Local fan favorite Ralph Clemente, who put on a brilliant performance in his last outing, returns to action.
Rounding out the night will be a pair of intriguing professional debuts: local standout Alexander Garcia, a product of Frank Globuschutz’s famed “Academy of Boxing”, and Yousaf Zazae, an Afghan national fighting out of Connecticut who shares a gym pedigree with former Star Boxing title challenger Delvin Rodriguez.
Main Event: Wendy “Haitian Fire” Toussaint (17-4, 7 KOs) vs. Aaron Coley (17-5, 7 KOs)
10 Rounds | Super Welterweight Division
Wendy Toussaint returns to the familiar confines of The Paramount seeking his 11th victory in the series. Toussaint is coming off a courageous defeat against Austin “Ammo” Williams at Madison Square Garden, a fight he heroically accepted on less than 24 hours’ notice, moving up two full weight classes in the process.
While Toussaint came up just short of pulling off a monster upset that night, he put the entire boxing world on notice regarding his willingness to take on any contender, anywhere.
Toussaint will battle the clever and experienced southpaw Aaron Coley. Coley is launching a calculated comeback after a recent career layoff. While his record may not be littered with household names, what stands out and poses a dynamic threat is his elite gym pedigree.
Coley served as a primary sparring partner for undefeated Hall of Famer Andre Ward and has shared training camps with legends like Miguel Cotto. A win over Toussaint would instantly turbocharge his resurgence. Coley is a slick, patient operator who relies heavily on ring IQ, lateral movement, and tight defensive tactics rather than raw aggression.
Toussaint, who serves his community daily as a bus driver for the local Deer Park School District, will counter with his trademark high motor and extensive Rockin’ Fights experience. Behind a precision jab that sets up a thudding right hand, Toussaint will look to force a high-volume, relentless brawl to overwhelm the veteran.
Crossroads Co-Feature: Micky “Mesa Mick” Scala (13-1, 7 KOs) vs. Zay “No Chance” Flaherty (8-1, 4 KOs)
Eight Rounds | Super Welterweight Division
This bout represents the very definition of a boxing crossroads, carrying a major main-event feel even if it may have lost a bit of luster after both fighters lost at Rockin’ Fights 51.
In his last appearance at The Paramount, Scala was cruising through the opening round, using his long, lean frame to keep veteran trial horse Jose Perdomo at bay. Then disaster struck in round two. A brief defensive lapse allowed Perdomo to land a clean, heavy shot that sent Scala to the canvas. The referee halted the contest, completing one of the biggest upsets in the series history.
Scala has since rebounded by demolishing journeyman Braulio Rodriguez and now takes aim at local favorite Zay Flaherty.
While Flaherty will not occupy the red corner on Saturday night, he is no stranger to the raucous atmosphere at The Paramount. In a testament to his value on the local circuit, he headlined a main event in this building before top-biller Wendy Toussaint. Like Scala, Flaherty tasted his first professional defeat at Rockin’ Fights 51, struggling against the style of Javier Vargas en route to a unanimous decision loss. He now squares off against Scala to right the ship.
Scala possesses an off-the-charts ring IQ for a 23-year-old, a byproduct of a tremendous amateur pedigree. He fights exceptionally tall, utilizing a long, stinging jab to set up textbook offensive weaponry from the outside.
Flaherty must use his aggressive, bruising approach to breach that perimeter. He is the epitome of a pressure-inside fighter; his game plan will be to turn this into a phone-booth war, imposing his physical strength and volume punching while staying inside Scala’s reach.
With both fighters trying to reverse the lingering ghosts of their recent setbacks, this has all the makings of the Fight of the Night.
Feature Attraction: Ralph Clemente (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. Kasimu Yakubu (3-3, 2 KOs)
Six Rounds | Super Middleweight Division
Local favorite Ralph Clemente returns to The Paramount for the second time. The Connetquot High School alumnus grew up just 20 miles from the venue and has quickly built a reputation for showmanship. His last outing was a spectacular, quick destruction of Thomas Turner, featuring a theatrical Apollo Creed-style ring entrance that actually lasted longer than the bout itself.
Clemente boasts a wrecking-ball style; he doesn’t just look to win, he looks to completely dismantle his opposition. Utilizing a disciplined orthodox stance to set up high-impact power shots, he excels at cutting off the ring. His heavy hands are well-regarded on the island, having previously served as a sparring partner for Rockin’ Fights legend and former world champion Joe Smith Jr.
He faces Texas-based veteran Kasimu Yakubu, a rugged 38-year-old native of Ghana who prides himself on being an uncompromising test for rising prospects. Yakubu is a durable, uncompromising veteran who fully intends to drag Clemente into the deep waters and see if the young knockout artist has the gas tank to match his power.
Professional Debuts: Alexander Garcia vs. Pawel Zawistowski
Four Rounds | Super Middleweight Division
Alexander Garcia makes both his professional and promotional debut in what stands as the most interesting human-interest story on the card. His walk to the ring is the culmination of a grueling, decade-long comeback. In 2016, Garcia reached the pinnacle of the local amateur circuit, capturing the 165-pound novice title at the prestigious NY Daily News Golden Gloves.
Immediately following, a severe medical condition known as craniocervical syndrome (instability of the neck) forced him to step away from the sport completely. During his decade away from active competition, Garcia focused his mind, graduating from NYU’s Stern School of Business and building a successful career.
Now fully rehabilitated and medically cleared, the competitive fire brings him back to the canvas. He trains out of Frank Globuschutz’s acclaimed Academy of Boxing, the legendary gym that produced Rockin’ Fights icons Anthony Karperis and Johnny Hernandez.
He faces Pawel Zawistowski of East Rutherford, New Jersey. While Zawistowski is new to the boxing ring, he is a highly decorated combat sports athlete, holding multiple championships in both amateur and professional Muay Thai and Kickboxing out of Kings Muay Thai. Zawistowski operates the gym in East Rutherford.
Opening Bout: Yousaf Zazae vs. Elijah “Power” Grant (1-1, 1 KO)
Four Rounds | Middleweight Division
Opening the card is an exciting developmental matchup. Yousaf Zazae comes to the Paramount from Danbury, Connecticut, by way of Kabul, Afghanistan. A fierce, relentless competitor who describes his ring approach as a hybrid Russian-American style, Zazae trains out of the same stable that produced longtime Star Boxing standout and world title challenger Delvin Rodriguez.
He faces Dallas, Texas native Elijah Grant, who returns to New York to spoil the party. Grant made his pro debut in spectacular fashion in late 2024, scoring a vicious first-round knockout at the Melrose Ballroom.
He dropped his second bout a hard-fought decision loss to undefeated prospect Richard Johnson in Atlantic City, Grant holds a massive 6’2″ frame and a distinct experience advantage. He will attempt to establish his length early to keep the hard-charging Afghan debutant at bay.
A limited number of seats are still available for this weekend’s action. Doors at The Paramount open at 6:30 p.m.
The full card will stream live globally via the service Millions.co, starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The PPV price is $19.99.
A lifelong resident of Long Island, New York, Matthew Pomara, MMP, has always followed the sweet science. He caught the tail end of the Ali era, was a staunch follower of the Four Kings of the 80’s, loved the great expansion of the sport in the 90’s and has stayed with boxing through the 2000s. He has been published in The Ring Magazine and loves contributing to @NYFights. He can be found on Twitter @pomara_matt