Shu Shu Kicks Ass Again: Undercard Report From Top Rank/ESPN/MSG Theater Show

Shee-it, Shu Shu did it again.

130 pounder Bruce Carrington went to 3-0 on Saturday night, as he bettered Yeuri Andujar in the third fight of the night, giving the assembled at the Theater at MSG some bang for their buck. Two of his three wins have come via showy KOs, and so the winners’ buzz profile builds. (<<< Is a RING story on Shu Shu.)

He knows the people want a Show Show, does ‘Shu Shu.’

HIGHLIGHT REEL FOR THE HOMETOWN 🏠

My goodness, @B_Carrington1 🤯 pic.twitter.com/v3dy5MOMzP

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) March 20, 2022

“Shu Shu” ate a left in the first right after we heard Tim Bradley talk about how much he loves the prospect, for people watching on ESPN platforms. He handled it well, and didn’t blink twice. BC keeps things tight, he doesn’t get too wide very often. In the second, the 24 year old stayed busy. Kay Koroma told him after the round to whack the body more.

In the third, Andujar bled some, from his right eye region, and upped his activity. A clash of heads caused the slice, by the way. Shu Shu kept hammering away in the fourth and in round five a two fer, a lead right-left hook finisher put Andujar out of it 51 seconds into the fifth.

Yep, this is now a pattern for Kid Carrington.

Junior welter Armani Almestica (repping Orlando, Florida and Puerto Rico) downed PR’s Luis Portalatin in the second bout of the night, with a stoppage in the third of a scheduled four. The time of the TKO was 1:57, for the record.

Porta had to deal with a blast to the groin in the second round. In the third, ref Eric Dali stopped the fight when he saw Porta (now 3-4, has lost four straight) not answering well in the third.

The lefty Armani (now 4-0 with 4 KOs) had an amatuer record of 117-7, and won 17 national titles, including the National Golden Gloves in Las Vegas, at 135. He aimed at the 2020 Olympics, but COVID instability sent him instead to the pros. He also worked through some out of the ring issues; Almestica got arrested in 2019 in connection to the theft of a motor vehicle.

He comes from a certain sort of upbringing; his dad Freddy had promise as a pugilist but flamed out. Armani and his mom battled homelessness, and Freddy came back into his son’s life.

Kelvin Davis (25 years old; southpaw) opened the show with a blastout win over Phil Carmouche (now 2-2). Kelvin rose to 4-0, and the lefty wasted zero time.

The Long Island native went right at the loser, backed him up, and kept hurling. Like Shu Shu, Davis is a guy who knows that stoppages build buzz. He has good hand speed and pop, he’s one to watch.

NOTE: They are teasing this one a lot.

Who here thinks Shakur gets tested, really tested, in this one?

Welterweight Jahi Tucker (7-0, 4 KOs) kept the streak alive, giving the A side corner the W. Tucker bested Tracye McGruder (now 6-2), with a clear UD6, though the commentators Tim Bradley and to a lesser degree Andre Ward dogged him a bit.  Young Tucker is actually young, he’s 19, only.

The fighter lives in Deer Park, Long Island, I know the area, I lived right over there in 2000 into 2002. I like Tucker because I see solid skills, and chill as a ring general, and good pacing, etc…and I give him room to improve, for crowing out loud, 19 is a baby. And I think Bradley maybe didn’t see explosivity that he wanted because McGruder is a more than decent fighter.