Nobody sold more tickets than Cletus Seldin, and the man with the best first name in the biz sent them all home happy in a junior welterweight plus scrap, set for 10 or less at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, LI Saturday night.
Seldin came out barreling and blasting and won a stoppage in round three, as a bloodied Roberto Ortiz, down twice in round one, was deemed unfit to continue by the doc.
The Long Islander Seldin came in at 20-0 with 16 KOs, while the Mexican Ortiz was 35-1-2 (26 KOs).
In the first, Seldin, promoted by Joe DeGuardia, a persistent sell-out attraction at the Paramount in Huntington, came out looking to bang. He did, scoring a knockdown. Then another, as Ortiz was caved in against the ropes. His body work was sharp and nasty. The first knock was off a right high on the head. A right uppercut helped get the second.
In the second, a bad cut on the left eye of Ortiz warranted a stop to get a doc look. He said continue. So Seldin did; the crowd loved every miss and every hit.
In the third, Ortiz found smoe space in between and landed but Seldin was a buzz saw. Ortiz was trying to slip and duck and weave and move and everything to evade. The blood was dripping again. Ortiz took a knee and said he’d been elbowed. The ref took him to see the doc and the fight was halted.
Tyrone James rose to 6-0 with a win over Daniel Sostre, now 12-15-1, at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday evening, as he got those needed rounds under his belt, learned a thing or two as a budding perhaps prospect.
James, a Long Islander, is promoted by Star Boxing, and Joe DeGuardia. The card, for the record, was promoted by Eddie Hearn, of Matchroom, a Brit making a splash in the American pool party. Dmitriy Salita co-promoted, and looked forward to his guy, Jarrell Miller, dominating, hopefully, in the co-feature, against Mariusz Wach.
We saw James walk Sostre down, pump a jab, and we saw a need for head movement, arguably.
He has a snappy jab, when he wants to fire it. Sostre backed up, looking to survive, not really thrive. James’ left hook to the body near end of round two was nasty.
A right hand put Sostre down to start round three. He got up and James stayed composed while flurrying.
In round four, James stalked, and tried to not be a plodding follower but instead a smart attacker. He kept Sostre at range, stayed smart, looking for a crafty counter. The crowd dug a solid connect and then another from James, who was well in control.
To round 5; James used his height advantage well. Was he maybe giving Sostre a bit much credit, and not lacing into him like he could have? Maybe.
In the sixth and final round of this junior middleweight tango, James stayed smart defensively. We went to the cards and all saw it 60-63.
NYPD’s Dimash Niyazov got the W, and looked quite sharp in scoring a TKO5 over Agustine Mauras of Massachusetts. He was patient and methodical and scored a knockdown and then finished the job, upping his record to 13-0-3. Niyazov is a prospect who has been working it from the start for promoter Dmitriy Salita. The Brooklyner has some skills and an above average work ethic and ambition reservoir so no one should right him off because he has draws on his record.
Long Islander Tommy Rainone met George Sosa of New Jersey in a junior middleweight tango. The Islander tied with the NJ boxer, by scores of 57-57, 57-57, and one card for Sosa, 59-55.
Rainone is a crafty lefty, who uses movement and angles and seeks to score points, mostly, as he’s no bomber. George wanted to walk him down, take him out, but Rainone is a smart defender. He’s also a ticket seller, and many in the stands were there for their Tommy. Would they be rewarded via judges’ love? We went to the cards. Sosa thought he had it; he jumped up on a turn buckle and roared. The crowd yawned.
Glenn Dezurn (9-0-1 entering) from MD met Jesse A Hernandez (9-1 entering) from Texas in a faceoff of featherweights. After eight elapse, we went to the cards: 79-73, 78-74, 77-75, for Hernandez.
The lefty from Texas looked to edge forward, and then Dezurn would take a turn being first. The lefty ripped underneath and by round six, it looked like his game plan was paying off. This after Dezurn had the edge to the midway point, arguably. Dezurn was watching too much, waiting. Was he needing a second wind? Did he show he had it with a nasty overhand right that just missed late in round seven? In round eight, who would show they wanted it more? Tex was ripping from the outside and then looking to continue inside to start. To the cards we went…
Conor Benn, son of Nigel, Brit boxing royalty, fought Brando Sanudo in a junior middle clash set for six or fewer. Benn had the height edge and used it. He stalked, confidently, and had Sanudo (5-5 coming in) backing up in earnest in the first. Benn ripped hard, low and high. He ended the matter in round two, with a left hook to the body that rattled organs.
Benn, now 10-0, in the second round sent his man down. A body shot did it, he couldn’t rise. The end came at 1:00 in the second.
