The Mouthpiece
Getting That Gapper!—Carto Beats Smith
Brooker Defeats Davis
By: George H. Hanson Jr., Esq.
Date: March 2, 2018
Venue: SugarHouse Casino – Philadelphia, PA
Promoters: Marshall Kauffman—King’s Promotions
Ring Announcer: Alex Barbosa
Referees: Benjy Esteves Jr. & Blair Talmadge
Ring Card: SugarHouse Sweeties
Coverage: Eleven Sports
Commentators: Marc Abrams & Rich Quinones
Photos: www.christoneyphotography.com
Oftentimes I find it difficult to start writing without a captivating headline. The writing process can be a delightful journey with a great theme and a pot of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. After watching undefeated Philadelphia bantamweight Christian Carto (14 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 11 kos) reel off his 14th victory by boxing brilliantly like a gloved chess grandmaster, maneuvering around the ring always a step ahead of his opponent – I could hear my trainer Charles Ramey in the recesses of my mind talking about “Getting That Gapper!”
Carto (R.) connects with the left hook
Gapper has always been a word that Ramey used meaning money—rivaling the other colloquialisms such as dead presidents, cabbage, cheese, scratch, paper, bag, bread and dough. But, it was during my research for this article that I discovered that “gapper” has a plethora of meanings including “a ball hit in the space between outfielders in baseball” and “a person who is spending a year working or traveling after leaving school and before going to university.” Well, Carto isn’t playing baseball and he enrolled in Rowan College at Gloucester County right after high-school. But, based on his pugilistic prowess he will be “getting that gapper” – a huge signing bonus when he decides to ink his name to a promotional contract.
With a nor’easter hitting Philadelphia and temperatures reaching a high of 37 degrees Fahrenheit – the Philadelphia fight-faithful withstood the snow and rain, packing the venue to witness Carto, who sold over 500 tickets, in the eight-round main event. And they weren’t disappointed! The audience stood—many holding their phones taking pictures— as Carto and his handlers made their way to the ring like the Roman legion crossing the pomerium. The awaiting James Smith (12 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 7 kos) of Detroit, Michigan, decked out in a gold-colored “Kronk” t-shirt, stood in the red corner staring in the direction of his adversary.
Referee Esteves gave the instructions, the gong sounded and the action commenced with the shorter, stockier Smith coming forward as Carto kept his distance trying to assess the situation and get a proper reading on his opponent. Smith pressed onward while throwing the straight right with Carto ducking just in time as the shot whisked over his head. It was a close round with Smith being the busier combatant.
It is safe to assume that Carto solved the Smith conundrum because he took control in the second round. The Philly fighter became a gloved-sniper—picking his shots—countering—using lateral movement and distance to befuddle the man from Michigan —dissecting him like a honor-roll high school student in biology class dismantling a frog. It was a pedagogical moment for Smith who despite the lesson, fought gallantly but was simply out-classed. Carto controlled the fight from a distance and dominated the in-fighting whenever Smith closed the gap—hurting him with body shots in the fifth round—never allowing him to land anything of consequence. It was a complete performance by Carto and a testament to Smith’s toughness. When it was over two judges scored it a shut-out 80-72 with the third having it 79-73 all for Carto who won by unanimous decision and is on the road paved with gold to “getting that gapper!”
Carto (R.) lands the left hook on Smith
In an all-Philly rumble thirty-six year-old war horse Jamaal “Da Truth” Davis (16 wins – 12 losses – 1 draw – 7 kos) made the first defense of his World Boxing Foundation United States Super-middleweight title against twenty-six year-old whirlwind Christopher “Ice Cold” Brooker (12 wins – 5 losses – 0 draws – 5 kos). Davis won the vacant title in his last fight on December 9th —an eight-round split-decision over Antowyan Aikens. This was an intriguing match-up because Brooker was seeking redemption after dropping four out of his last five fights – the last one on December 1st to Brandon “B-Rob” Robinson for the vacant Universal Boxing Federation All America Super-middleweight title. Brooker was back in the Fast Lane Boxing Gym in West Philadelphia where he found much of his earlier success. He had departed for what he believed was greener pastures and deviated from his blitzkrieg style attempting to become a stand-up boxer in those four losses. With trainer Zahir Justice in his corner many believe that Brooker would be back to doing what he does best – jump in his opponent’s chest and make him uncomfortable fighting at a frenetic pace the entire fight.
Tonight, Brooker was true to form as he blanketed Davis like a pimp at a Greyhound bus station recruiting a recently relocated vivacious vixen to the big city from a rural town. He never allowed Davis to get enough time and space to catch his breath and box from long range. He hurt Davis early in the first stanza, freezing him momentarily with a left hook with the veteran using his ring savvy to stay calm and fight through adversity. Brooker stayed close the entire fight getting the better of Davis by simply out-working him – throwing punches from all angles. The rounds were identical and Brooker tried to close the show in the final round when he wobbled Davis with an overhand right. But, Davis is a cagey veteran and held on to clear his head, fighting back through the fog to the final bell. Two judges had it 79-73 with the third turning in a score of 77-75 all for Brooker who won by unanimous decision and captured the World Boxing Foundation United States Super-middleweight title.
Brooker (R.) counters Davis’s jab
When you sell 150 tickets and your opponent doesn’t make weight and your fans want to see you fight – then as we would say in colloquial terms the promoter “has to make it do what it do!” Thus, Philadelphia welterweight Rasheed “Sugar Sheed” Johnson (3 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 1 ko)—who was scheduled to face rough and rugged cross-town rival Vincent Floyd (3 wins – 4 losses – 1 draws – 2 kos) who was seven pounds overweight at Thursday’s weigh-in—found himself in a scheduled three round exhibition against amateur Rondell McGhee who made the trip down from Yonkers with Victor Vasquez. The 6 feet 2 inches Johnson “got his Tommy Hearns on” and forgot that it was an exhibition and not a fight – blasting the shorter McGhee at the opening bell. The shellacking lasted two rounds because referee Talmadge told McGhee’s corner that there was no need to send him out for the third round. Johnson displayed his wares and his fans were happy to see him in the ring.
In a scheduled eight-round junior-welterweight bout, Tyrone Crawley Jr. (7 wins – 0 losses – 0 draws – 0 kos) of Philadelphia suffered his first loss to Anthony Mercado Reyes (10 wins – 3 losses – 0 draws – 9 kos) of Arecibo, Puerto Rico by referee technical decision at the end of the third round—RTD 3—in a bout in which Crawley won all three rounds and was ahead by four points on all scorecards. Crawley took the opening stanza by using his jab and speed to control the action, keeping the relentless Reyes at bay. He had similar success in the second round sending Reyes to the canvas with a straight right from the orthodox stance almost at the bell before the round concluded. Reyes despite being out boxed continued coming forward like a charging bull as Crawley controlled and captured the third round. Thus, it was somewhat shocking when referee Esteves announced that the fight was over and that the southpaw Crawley had sustained an injury to his left hand and was unable to continue.
Crawley (R.) on the attack
Philadelphia junior-bantamweight Jerrod “The Golden” Miner (1 win – 1 loss – 0 draws – 1 ko) had to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat in a four –round contest against Rondarrius “Too Fast” Hunter (1 win –2 losses – 0 draws – 1 ko) of Atlanta, Georgia. The taller Hunter was able to out boxed Miner over the course of the bout. Miner came forward but Hunter simply used lateral movement while throwing and landing more punches as his nemesis came forward with his arms tucked in the now-famous Floyd Mayweather shoulder-roll position. Going into the final round, most in press-row had Hunter winning the previous three rounds. In the fourth round, a tiring Hunter was pushed to the canvas and referee Talmadge erred in judgement by awarding Miner a knockdown. Midway in the round during an exchange Miner was able to send Hunter to the canvas with a combination. More exhausted than hurt, Hunter made it to his feet and was able to finish the round. Shockingly, one judge scored the fight for Miner 39-35 with two turning in identical scores of 37-37. Had referee Talmadge not recorded the push as a knockdown the round would have been scored 10-8 instead of 10-7 and Hunter would have garnered a split-decision victory 38-37 on two scorecards.
In somewhat of a shocker, Victor Vasquez (9 wins – 3 losses – 0 draws – 3 kos) of Yonkers, New York dominated Philadelphia’s David “Two Gunz” Gonzales (8 wins – 2 losses – 2 draws – 2 kos) in a scheduled eight-round junior-welterweight bout – dropping him in the opening stanza–winning by technical knockout at 1:56. The 5 ft. 10 inches Vasquez attacked at the opening bell – walking straight to Gonzales, bombing away at the Philly fighter who appeared to be out-gunned by the New York native who seemed hell-bent on not leaving the outcome in the hands of the judges. Vasquez switched intermittently from southpaw to orthodox with equal success. Gonzales fired back but Vasquez was getting the better of the exchanges and connected with a left hook sending him to the canvas. Gonzales was able to get up as referee Esteves tolled four. However, Esteves determined that Gonzales was in no shape to continue and called a halt to the contest declaring Vasquez the victor. It was an impressive performance by the twenty-two year-old vastly improved Vasquez who has the talent to go far – possibly winning a world title.
Vasquez (L.) connects with the left hook
Debuting Philly heavyweight and amateur stand-out, twenty-one year-old Dominique “Majik” Mayfield found himself under duress as thirty-four year-old Ronny “Big Country” Hale (3 wins – 11 losses – 0 draws – 3 kos) of Austin, Texas came out of his corner like NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor chasing down quarterback Joe Theisman – forcing him to clinch—throwing him to the canvas like a ragdoll. Mayfield who sold over one hundred tickets with many of his fans at ringside had a hard landing. Referee Talmadge would have been justified in penalizing Hale for his rough tactics. Hale knew what he was doing by giving the young fighter an introduction to the professional ranks. It worked to his advantage because shortly thereafter he connected with an overhand right that deposited the youngster on the canvas. Mayfield was up immediately and the action resumed. Another right caught Mayfield and he went to the canvas. However, the referee ruled it a slip and didn’t count it as a knockdown. Hale wasn’t going to allow Mayfield to make it out of the round and was able to score two more knockdowns with the overhand right forcing referee Talmadge to call an end to the festivities at 1:40 opening the door for the critics and naysayers to chime in on social media.
It was another exciting night of the sweet science in “The Capital of Boxing” – Philadelphia where a nor’easter isn’t a deterrent to our faithful fight fans. Carto continues to be the biggest ticket seller in our beloved fighting city. Team Carto—comprised of his father Frank, manager who also happens to be his older brother Frankie and trainer Mickey Rosati Jr.— is doing a fantastic job in guiding the gifted and talented fighter. Carto – a throwback fighter – is chasing greatness, walking down the same road as the great Sugar Ray Leonard. It was uncanny how he was able to control the space and distance reminiscent of Leonard. It is only a matter of time before he will be “getting that gapper” – enough dead presidents to have Abe Lincoln rolling over in his grave.
“The Pope of Pugilism” & The SugarHouse Sweeties.
Continue to support the sweet science, and remember, always carry your mouthpiece!
ghanson3@hotmail.com
