Joey “The Tank” Dawejko Headlines Blue Corner Promotions’ Explosive Philadelphia Fight Night Featuring Four Knockouts at 2300 Arena
By: George H. Hanson Jr., Esq.
Date: October 16, 2026
Venue: 2300 Arena– Philadelphia, PA
Promoter: Brian Costello, Blue Corner Promotions
Matchmaker: Jake Johns
Ring Announcer: Alex “Macho” Barbosa
Referees: Ricky Gonzalez & Eric Irizarry
Ringside Doctor: Tony Al Amin
Ringcard Ladies: Mya & Brianna.
Timekeeper: Fred Blumstein
Cutmen: Billy Briscoe & Danny Davis
National Anthem: Matt Cappy
Coverage: Blue Corner Media @bluecorner_entl
Commentators: Nick Anderson & Brian Cohen
Gloves: “Put Up Your Dukes” brand – www.kdukesboxing.com
Photos: Darryl Cobb Jr.
Philadelphia, “The Capital of Boxing,” delivered another sensational night. Promoter Brian Costello’s nine-bout card featured 50 scheduled rounds: seven six-rounders and two four-rounders. Spectacular knockouts in the second, fourth, sixth, and seventh bouts highlighted the show, while the other five contests offered competitive action and intrigue. Costello again demonstrated a promotional formula that I believe will ultimately earn him a place in the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame. Ring announcer Alex “Macho” Barbosa, dressed in a red velvet jacket with black lapels, added his signature flair. A promoter, ring announcer, and former professional boxer, he remains a formidable triple threat—and, in my view, another future Hall of Famer. Representatives of Peltz Promotions, Teflon Promotions, R&B Promotions, and RDR Promotions were in attendance. Congratulations to Blue Corner Promotions on a job well done.
The six-round main event matched two 36-year-old heavyweights: Philadelphia’s Joey “The Tank” Dawejko (28 wins -14 losses – 4 draws – 16 kos) and Joel “Quiet Storm” Caudle (10 wins – 12 losses – 2 draws – 6 kos) of Raleigh, North Carolina. I have watched Dawejko since his amateur days and once believed he would win world titles at light heavyweight and cruiserweight. His impeccable boxing skills and defensive wizardry reminded me of the legendary James “Lights Out” Toney.
Careers do not always unfold as predicted but tonight offered another opportunity to watch The Tank at work. Both fighters stood 5 feet 10 inches tall. Caudle weighed 258.4 pounds, giving him an advantage of almost five pounds. Dawejko’s last professional bout was nearly a year earlier, on October 18, 2025: a seventh-round technical knockout loss to then-undefeated Polish heavyweight Damian Knyba on the Danny Garcia–Daniel Gonzalez undercard. He had nevertheless remained active, fighting seven times during the past year in Team Boxing League as a member of the Philadelphia Smoke. Over the same period, Caudle recorded one win and two losses. His most recent outing was a six-round split-decision victory over Portland Pringle in North Carolina, March 21, 2026.
After referee Ricky Gonzalez delivered the instructions, the fighters returned to their corners. Both opened behind their jabs in a traditional feeling-out round, searching for openings. Dawejko mixed left hooks to the head and body into his attack, and I scored the round for The Tank. The second followed a similar pattern, with both men circling and jabbing. With 1:16 remaining, Dawejko’s jab knocked out Caudle’s mouthpiece. Caudle retrieved it from the canvas and replaced it before Gonzalez could call time. Dawejko continued mixing body hooks with his jab, earning another round on my card.
The third round again centered on the jab, with Caudle appearing to control the action. With about 1:15 remaining, Caudle landed a low blow during an exchange. Gonzalez paused the action to allow Dawejko to recover, and the bout resumed at much the same pace. The fourth was difficult to score. Both fighters jabbed, while Caudle pressed forward. After four rounds, the fight could reasonably have been even at two rounds apiece, leaving the final two rounds to decide the outcome.
Caudle continued advancing behind his jab in the fifth, while Dawejko circled, jabbed, and blocked. With about 1:20 remaining, a Dawejko right hand dislodged Caudle’s mouthpiece again. Gonzalez called time and replaced it. Neither fighter clearly took control, making this another difficult round to score. Caudle fought the final round with urgency, pressing behind his jab, backing up Dawejko, and working the body. He landed more punches than The Tank and was the busier boxer, earning the round on my card. With about 1:05 remaining, Caudle’s mouthpiece hit the canvas for the third time. Gonzalez retrieved and replaced it, and Caudle resumed pressing the action until the final bell. Dawejko won a majority decision by scores of 60–54, 59–55, and 57–57. I strongly disagreed with the two winning scorecards: Caudle won at least two rounds, and the final round clearly belonged to him. Hopefully, a rematch follows.
I was tempted to lead with the fourth bout, the matchup many fans had come to see. South Philadelphia’s Brendan “The Irish Assassin” O’Callaghan (8 wins – 5 losses – 2 draws – 3 kos) faced North Philadelphia’s Billy “El Flaco” Briscoe Jr. (7 wins – 1 loss – 1 draw – 5 kos). The two had sparred more than once, adding familiarity to the rivalry.
O’Callaghan’s adviser, Hall of Fame promoter J. Russell Peltz, had discussed the fight several months earlier. Having watched Briscoe since childhood, I told Peltz that I would not make this matchup at this stage of O’Callaghan’s career. Briscoe, the son of legendary trainer Billy Briscoe Sr., was raised in a boxing gym. Like two-division world champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis, he seemed to have a mouthpiece before he had a pacifier.
O’Callaghan, a licensed electrician and member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98, is also a major ticket seller. His drawing power gave him no reason to rush into such a demanding matchup. I know Brendan and believe this challenge should come later—or carry a title and a payday of at least $150,000. Peltz stood firm, however, and watched from his ringside VIP seat.
Barbosa delivered a magnificent introduction, and referee Eric Irizarry gave the instructions before the fighters and their handlers returned to their corners. Briscoe opened with his left hand on his hip, stalking O’Callaghan in the style of Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns. O’Callaghan used double and triple jabs effectively while circling and retreating. Briscoe pressed forward but missed an overhand right.
With about 1:20 remaining, O’Callaghan landed two overhand rights to the left side of Briscoe’s head, stunning him and forcing a clinch. Briscoe relied on his instincts: he sidestepped, raised his left hand, and clinched to get through the round. At the bell, O’Callaghan returned to his corner with his right glove raised in confidence.
Briscoe answered the second bell refreshed, with his left hand up. He stalked O’Callaghan, backed him up, and jabbed to the midsection as they exchanged jabs. With 1:48 remaining, Briscoe landed an overhand right followed by a sweeping left hook that buckled O’Callaghan’s legs and sent him to the canvas. O’Callaghan rose before Irizarry reached four. The referee dusted off his gloves, checked that he could continue, and resumed the fight.
Briscoe advanced immediately. O’Callaghan threw an overhand right, but Briscoe slipped it and answered with an overhand right and a powerful left hook, scoring a second knockdown. O’Callaghan rose at the count of three, and Irizarry checked him before allowing the fight to continue. Briscoe attacked again, landing another overhand right for a third knockdown. Irizarry immediately stopped the bout. Briscoe gestured toward Peltz in his ringside VIP seat, while O’Callaghan was able to stand shortly afterward. Briscoe won by technical knockout at 1:53 of the second round—a decisive result for North Philadelphia in this cross-city matchup.
The sixth bout paired 22-year-old lightweight knockout artist Francisco “Sisco Kidd” Rodriguez (8 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 8 kos) of Atlantic City, New Jersey, with 38-year-old Derrick “Soja” Murray (20 wins – 13 losses -1 draw – 6 kos) of St. Louis, Missouri, in a scheduled six-rounder.
Rodriguez attacked at the opening bell with hooks and straight rights. Murray jabbed and kept his distance, but even a blocked left hook drove him backward. Rodriguez pinned him against the ropes and landed powerful body shots and straight rights before Murray escaped to the center of the ring.
During a subsequent exchange, Rodriguez landed a left hook to Murray’s forehead, knocking him flat on his back. Murray rose as referee Irizarry counted to five, but he remained unsteady. Irizarry stopped the fight, awarding Rodriguez a technical knockout at 1:39 of the opening round—another display of his exceptional punching power.
In the seventh bout, Philadelphia southpaw featherweight Rasheen “Sugar Sheen” Brown (15 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 9 kos) stopped Yeyery Castillo (14 wins – 3 losses – 0 draws – 11 kos) of the Dominican Republic just 54 seconds into their scheduled six-rounder. Brown emerged first from the dressing room in a striking black outfit trimmed with pink fur, with “Sugar” emblazoned in pink across his jacket. The late rapper DMX’s 1999 hit “What’s My Name” blared over the house speakers:
What’s my name?
DMX and I be the best, you see the rest?
They lookin’ like they need a rest
One more time
I’ma spit at you, some shit that’s gon’ get at you and be fuckin’ with your mind
Stop talkin’ shit
‘Cause you out there runnin’ your mouth
And really don’t know who you fuckin’ with
Here we go again………
As a DMX fan who had seen him perform live, I was swept up in the pageantry of Sugar Sheen’s entrance. Brown walked to the ring with his uncle, Percy “Buster” Custus, the legendary Philadelphia trainer and founder/owner of the James Shuler Memorial Gym, following behind him. The entrance felt like a prelude to a great performance. Castillo entered afterward without fanfare. Referee Ricky Gonzalez completed the formalities, and the fighters and their handlers returned to their corners.
Brown opened behind his southpaw jab, then caught the retreating Castillo with a right hook. He pinned Castillo against the ropes, landed several right hooks to the ribs, and drove a straight left into the solar plexus. Castillo fell to both knees before settling on his right knee as Gonzalez administered the ten-count.
Brown won by knockout at 54 seconds of the first round—another impressive performance by the Philadelphia fighter. I expect Rasheen Brown to be ranked in the top 10 this time next year.
The second bout produced the night’s first knockout. Baltimore heavyweight Demalik “Grave Digger” Miguel (2 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 2 kos) needed just one minute and forty-five seconds to stop southpaw Noah “Jack Black” Grice (0 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws) of Grand Prairie, Texas.
Both fighters are 22 years old. Miguel stood 6 feet 1 inch and weighed 262.2 pounds—three inches taller and 27.4 pounds lighter than Grice. Grice’s belly extended over the waistband of his trunks, but this is heavyweight boxing, not a Mr. Universe contest.
Grice opened by stalking Miguel, who circled behind his jab. Miguel soon reversed the momentum, backing Grice up and cornering him with straight rights to the midsection. Grice briefly escaped, but Miguel resumed jabbing and searching for openings.
Several body shots forced Grice into a protective shell. Miguel followed with more punches to the body and a powerful straight right that pierced Grice’s high guard and sent him to the canvas. Grice rose almost immediately, but a ringside official from the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission signaled for the referee to stop the fight. Grice protested the stoppage, which spared him further punishment. Miguel won by technical knockout at 1:45 of the first round. With his excellent boxing skills, the Grave Digger is a prospect whose development I look forward to following.
The opening bout was a four-round heavyweight contest between 28-year-old Justin “Aqua Man” Litz (1 win – 1 loss – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Croydon, Pennsylvania, and 36-year-old southpaw Michael Cserenyi (2 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 0 kos) of Brooklyn, New York.
The competitive matchup unfolded like a high-stakes chess game. Neither fighter was knocked down or seriously troubled, although a headbutt opened a cut over Litz’s left eye in the second round. His corner managed it well, and the cut did not determine the outcome. The action went back and forth, with Litz holding a slight edge in punches thrown and landed. One judge scored it 40–36, and the other two scored it 39–37, giving Litz a unanimous decision in an entertaining, action-filled fight. I look forward to his next outing as he continues to develop.
The third bout matched 22-year-old super-bantamweight Lisandra Contreras (3 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko), from the Dominican Republic and fighting out of Newark, New Jersey, against 30-year-old Erica “La Negra” Abarca (3 wins – 9 losses – 0 draws – 0 kos) of Michoacán, Mexico.
Contreras, the first female boxer signed to Blue Corner Promotions, stands 5 feet 2 inches and possesses exceptional skills, speed, and anticipation. Over six rounds, she boxed judiciously, switched stances, and used footwork, timing, and distance to outbox the relentless Abarca. Her footwork and head movement reminded me of the late, great Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker.
Contreras opened behind her jab, circling as Abarca advanced. She soon reversed the momentum, backing Abarca up with hooks to the head and body. In the second round, a Contreras counter opened a cut above Abarca’s right eye. Abarca’s corner controlled the bleeding, and the fight continued at a brisk pace. Abarca kept fighting back but was consistently outboxed.
My only criticism is that Contreras needs to “sit down” on her punches. She is accurate and moves beautifully, but she does not yet put her full weight and power behind her shots. If she corrects that, I doubt many future opponents will reach the final bell. I am convinced she will become a world champion in less than a year—she is that good!
Philadelphia featherweight Jaclyne “The Assassin” McTamney (5 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko), a registered nurse and La Salle University graduate, entered with her new trainer, Derek “Pooh” Ennis. The former USBA junior-middleweight champion and Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Famer was joined by his brother, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, a two-division world champion and the current undefeated WBA and WBO junior-middleweight champion.
McTamney faced the rugged Jessica “Bulldozer” Bellusci (7 wins – 7 losses – 0 draws – 2 kos) of Lombardia, Italy, in a scheduled six-rounder. Bellusci pressed forward throughout, crowding McTamney, who relied on side steps and counterpunches. Bellusci’s persistence and ability to absorb punches suggested an iron chin: no matter what landed, she kept advancing and throwing.
Round after round, they fought at close quarters, with McTamney playing the matador to Bellusci’s charging bull. Bellusci’s tenacity and toughness made this an entertaining, all-action contest. All three judges scored it 60–54, giving McTamney a unanimous shutout victory as she continues her climb toward a world title.
You can never go wrong with a fighter named Ali on the card! I was excited to see one of my favorite prospects, Philadelphia’s WBC FECARBOX Cruiserweight Champion Ali “The Cosmetologist” Ellis (10 wins – 0 losses – 1 draw – 3 kos), in the eighth bout. The 5-foot-10 Ellis weighed 218 pounds. His opponent, 36-year-old Aleem “The Hammer” Whitfield (10 wins – 2 losses – 0 draws – 6 kos) of Geneva, New York, was two years younger, two inches taller, and 3.75 pounds heavier. With referee Ricky Gonzalez overseeing the action, both boxers gave their best in an action-packed six-rounder.
Round after round, Ellis pressed behind his jab against the elusive Whitfield, whose sidesteps helped him evade punches despite his seemingly unsteady legs. Ellis boxed skillfully, largely avoiding Whitfield’s dangerous overhand-right counters. Several heated exchanges recalled the late, great Gypsy Joe Harris, with Whitfield slipping and sliding away from Ellis’ attacks. Disciplined and patient, Ellis stayed with his fight plan: jab, work inside when necessary, and remain defensively sound.
With ten seconds remaining in the second round, Whitfield landed an overhand right during a heated exchange, catching Ellis on the side of the head and briefly sending him to the canvas. More surprised than shaken, Ellis rose immediately as Gonzalez began the count. The referee checked that he could continue, and the bell ended the round shortly afterward.
Ellis resumed boxing and throwing combinations, preventing Whitfield from taking control for the rest of the fight. In the fourth, he rocked the New Yorker with a combination, and I thought the end was near. Whitfield, however, used his defensive wizardry—bobbing and weaving—to avoid further punishment and reach the next round.
In the final round, Gonzalez deducted a point from Whitfield for excessive holding after repeated warnings. The deduction was justified. All three judges scored the bout 58–54, giving Ellis a unanimous decision. This was a valuable learning experience for Ellis, who again showed that he can box intelligently throughout a fight. Overall, it was another brilliant performance. I hope he stays at cruiserweight—his best route to a world title—rather than facing the behemoths at heavyweight.
Blue Corner Promotions is like butter in a restaurant – on a roll! Its inaugural show on April 11th and its second on July 25th and tonight’s event delivered: three shows, three exciting nights of boxing, showcasing emerging and established talent in “The Capital of Boxing.”
Kudos to Brian Costello, Founder & CEO of Blue Corner Promotions, for his commitment and diligence in giving fans great shows.
Continue to support the sweet science, and remember, always carry your mouthpiece!
