Ring Wars 21 – Pero TKO2 Aquilar, Riley Decisions Caudle – Melikov Steals The Show!
By: George H. Hanson Jr., Esq.
Date: January 17, 2026
Venue: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia.
Promoters: Marshall Kauffman—King’s Promotions
Ring Announcer: Margaret Cresta-Griffin
Referees: Shawn Clark & Eric Dali
Ring Card: The Queens of King’s – Kendra Danelle & Kiana Kareema
Timekeeper: Fredric Blumstein
Ringside Doctor: Tony Al Amin
Coverage: BXNG TV
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.
I came back to the US on January 13th, eager to begin the 2026 boxing season opener—a seven-bout event promoted by one of my favorites, King’s Promotion with an all-female supporting cast – Margaret Cresta-Griffin, Kendra Danelle & Kiana Kareema. This is my nineteenth year covering boxing, with fifteen consecutive “Philadelphia Boxing Writer Of The Year” awards from the Salute To Philadelphia Awards Banquet. My journey began on November 2, 2007, at The Legendary Blue Horizon, Greg Robinson’s Power Production, where his nephew Tyric “Too Sweet” Robinson won an eight-round unanimous decision over Chris Fernandez.
This was my first chance to watch Cuban heavyweight Dainier “The Fear” Pero (11 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 8 kos) of Cuba fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada in person. I watched the broadcast – May 9, 2025, when Pero came back from two knockdowns in round three to win a unanimous ten-round decision over Cesar Navarro, showing his resilience. Tonight, he headlined an eight-round main event against Mario Aquilar (23 wins – 10 losses – 0 draws – 19 kos) of Sonora, Mexico. At age 26 and standing 6 ft. 5 inches, Pero has been a pro for three years and is aiming for a world title.
The Cuban, who stands at 6ft. 5inches and tipped the scales at 231lbs, controlled the action in the opening round, working effectively behind his right jab – stabbing the 6 ft, 262lbs Aquilar to the head and ample midsection- occasionally going to the ribcage with the right hook. To his credit, Aquilar countered, attempting to disrupt his nemesis’ game plan. It was a textbook display of the sweet science with Pero winning the round on my scorecard with effective aggression – laying the groundwork for Navarro’s demise.
Pero’s performance in the opening stanza was a resounding success as he increased his output in the second round, wreaking havoc on Navarro’s body. Midway, Dainier connecting with a punch south of the border, rattling Aquilar’s gonads leaving him in pain, walking gingerly – forcing referee Dali to call a temporary halt to the action – giving the impaired pugilist time to recuperate. With about three minutes expiring, Dali made sure that Navarro was able to continue and the action resumed. Pero continued his dominance, still driving hooks and uppercuts to his opponent’s side and midsection. Navarro complained about another foul below the beltline. However, Dali found that every punch Pero threw was within the rules, so Navarro’s complaint was dismissed, causing him significant discomfort.
With about thirty seconds left in the round – Pero pinned Navarro in a neutral corner and unleashed everything in his arsenal connecting to the Mexican’s head and body with Dali ready to call a halt. How Navarro stayed upright to the bell is a testament to his toughness and tenacity. He made it back to his corner and there was no surprise that his handlers did not send him out for the third round – keeping him on the stool. Referee Dali declared Pero the winner by technical knockout – 3:00 of round two – in an entertaining bout.
In the co-main event, a scheduled six-round heavyweight contest, Lemir Riley (5 wins – 7 losses – 0 draws – 3 kos) of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, went toe-to-toe with Joel Caudle (9 wins – 11 losses – 2 draws – 6 kos) from Raleigh, North Carolina. Despite the expectation of a slower tempo given the fighters’ size, the bout was marked by a surprisingly fast pace and high intensity throughout. Riley, who was measured just under 6 feet tall and weighed at 234.8 pounds, was the taller of the two competitors. However, he faced a notable challenge, entering the ring at a 17.4-pound weight disadvantage.
The opening round was contested at a frenetic paced as the combatants fought toe-to-toe with Riley’s trainer – former heavyweight contender Travis Kauffman – yelling “He got only one round in him, look at that belly!” referring to Caudle’s rather large midsection and anticipated conditioning. The fans enjoyed the action rarely witnessing heavyweights fighting at the pace of boxers at least one hundred pounds lighter. Either boxer could have been awarded the round. In the second round, Riley followed Kauffman’s strategic instructions closely, landing combinations as directed, while Caudle put up a strong fight. I scored rounds two through four for Riley, with Caudle edging out the fifth. In the final round, Caudle pressed forward, but Riley held firm under Kauffman’s guidance. The judges scored the bout unanimously for Riley: 60-54, 60-54, and 58-56.
In the third bout, with trainer Mark Robertson in his corner, eighteen-year-old featherweight Otabek Melikov (1 win – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) Uzbekistan, fighting out of Philadelphia – stole the show – winning a unanimous four-round decision 40-36 on all three scorecards in and extremely entertaining bout against Jose Torres (1 win – 1 loss – 0 draws – 1 ko) Allentown, Pennsylvania. The 5ft 10 inches teenager moved constantly, showcasing the skill of landing blows while avoiding them—delivering combination punches and recalling the late, great Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, who could slip punches by the narrowest margin, as if his chin was equipped with radar.
Torres tried everything within his powers however Melikov was slicker than a greased pig on a sweltering summer day – and as we would say in colloquial terms “more untouchable than Elliott Ness!” As a boxing purist – I enjoyed the display. In the third round, while throwing a combination – Melikov signaled to photographer Darryl Cobb that his camera was beyond the requisite distance permissible – intruding about an inch into the ring!
In the final round, Otabek Melikov displayed his power and control by dislodging Jose Torres’ mouthpiece twice, prompting referee Dali to temporarily halt the action and replace the gum shield on both occasions. Throughout the match, Melikov captivated the audience with his rapid hand speed and impressive technical abilities. It came as no surprise when the judges rendered a unanimous decision in his favor. During the post-fight interview, Melikov’s trainer, Mark Robertson, expressed his admiration, stating that he had been training Melikov for over four years and praised his composure under pressure, saying, “I love his swag under pressure!” Boxing fans are encouraged to remember the name “Otabek Melikov!”
The event’s opening bout featured debuting middleweight Gabrielle Colon, who secured a unanimous four-round decision with scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice against Soslan Alborov (1 win – 3 losses – 1 draw – 1 ko) in a spirited all-Philadelphia contest. Both fighters engaged in relentless bell-to-bell action, each seeking to land decisive blows with powerful rights and left hooks. While there were no knockdowns or moments of severe danger for either competitor, the intensity remained high throughout. Either boxer could have won rounds one or two.
However, Colon rallied in the third and fourth rounds, responding effectively to his trainer Reverend Elvin Thompson’s instructions to “Get your dip game!”—slipping punches and countering skillfully. As a result, Colon deserves acknowledgment for competing against a challenging rival during his debut professional match. Few newcomers could have withstood the sustained power and pressure from Alborov, who never retreated during the fight.
In the second bout, Eduardo Corona (1 win – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) Bricktown, New Jersey and Josue Sosa Mendez (1 win – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) Miami, Florida, both undefeated junior-welterweights, faced off in a four-round match. With no knockdowns and neither fighter in danger, Corona stayed aggressive and outperformed Mendez. His supporters were vocal throughout. Corona pressed the action from bell to bell blanketing Mendez, winning the exchanges, forcing the Floridian to engage on his terms.
“It’s bully time, c’mon!” yelled Corona’s supporters throughout the fight. The rounds were almost identical as the New Jersey fighter marched forward eating anything that penetrated his defense. Somehow, he was not going to be denied tonight and stayed true to the game plan of relentless pressure, consistently attacking both the head and body of his opponent.
Throughout the bout, his determination was evident as he maintained an aggressive pace, never allowing his adversary to settle or counter effectively. By sticking to a strategy centered on sustained offense, he was able to control the tempo and dictate the action in the ring, ensuring his dominance from the opening bell to the final bell. Corona won the entertaining bout by unanimous decision, with the judges scoring it 40-36 and twice at 39-37.
In the fourth bout – a scheduled six-round welterweight match – undefeated nineteen-year-old Pryce Sparrow (4 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 3 kos) Radcliffe, Kentucky won a unanimous decision 60-54 and 59-55 twice over Eduardo Hernandez Trejo (8 wins – 5 losses – 0 draws – 5 kos) Tijuana, Mexico. The opening round was uneventful as both fighters cautiously assessed each other’s style and pace. I gave the round to referee Shawn Clark who demonstrated impeccable footwork and great lateral movement maintaining order being the personification of excellence. However, I do not want to be too critical of the teenager who pitched a virtual shut-out – working behind his jab, controlling the action, content with out-boxing his opponent. Sparrow is a masterful boxer however he still has time to develop and understand that boxing is entertainment, and fans want excitement not a surgical dismantling absent of knockdowns or a knockout.
Sparrow outboxed Trejo, consistently staying ahead and connecting with jabs and occasional hooks to the body or head. I pray that this fight is pedagogical, and he will learn and be even more dominant in his next fight. Hearing the final bell is not necessary, as both an early stoppage and a decision victory result in the same payout. I look forward to Sparrow’s next fight.
In the fifth bout, lightweight Mehki Phillips (8 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 8 kos) of Baltimore, Maryland continues his annihilation – leaving a path of destruction – never hearing the final bell. Standing 5 ft 11 inches – the twenty-two-year-old understands that he is in the “hurt business” and fans love knockouts. In a scheduled six-rounder, Phillips took charge in the second round, outworked Yeuri Andujar (7 wins – 8 losses – 1 draw – 4 kos) Reading, Pennsylvania – forcing him to quit on his stool after the fourth round unable to answer the bell for the fifth stanza. Phillips won by technical knockout at the 3:00 mark of the fourth round.
After the traditional “feeling out” round – Phillips took the lead, going to the body and head forcing Andujar to the ropes where he kept him, landing several hard shots to the body. Andujar refused to fold but it was apparent that he was stuck in quicksand and only the referee was going to save him. The third and fourth round were similar with Phillips turning up the heat in the kitchen, hellbent on bringing closure – another stoppage. To his credit, Andujar fought back courageously. But Phillips had a little too much firepower. Kudos to Andujar’s handlers who refused to send him out for the fight round. Phillips’ knockout streak continues.
On January 11th we celebrated Marshall Kauffman’s birthday. It is only fitting that tonight we hail the opening of another momentous year of boxing in “The Greatest Boxing City On The Planet” – Philadelphia. In addition, must acknowledge Travis “My Time” Kauffman excellent job of coaching Lemir Riley to victory in the co-main event. Absent of the former heavyweight contender’s instructions and motivational speech between rounds, I doubt that Riley would have been victorious in a closely contested action-packed fight. Lastly, thanks, King’s Promotions!
Continue to support the sweet science, and remember, always carry your mouthpiece.
ghanson18@icloud.com
