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02/14/2006 Archived Entry: "Manfredo Overwhelms Sandman"
Manfredo Overwhelms Sandman
Longtime Friend Stops Pemberton in the 3rd
By J.D. Vena at ringside
PROVIDENCE, RI – In the wake of one of the biggest northeast blizzards in years, a storm that postponed the original Sunday date of a battle of super middleweights at the Dunkin Donut Center, thousands were on hand without shovels to support their local hero in an important crossroads battle. Even without the staunch support, the increasingly popular Peter Manfredo, Jr. didn’t seem to need much of it as he disposed of longtime friend and real-life contender, Scott “The Sandman” Pemberton in three one-sided rounds. Manfredo and Pemberton of New Bedford, MA knew each other for a long period of time, only because Pemberton has known his younger adversary since he was a young pup.
“It was very weird,” reflected Pemberton after falling to 29-5-1 with 24 KOs. “I remember Peter when he was 14 years old and patting him on the head. Then I remember sparring with him when he was 19 and 20 years old thinking ‘I’m an old man.’ Now I’m actually fighting him. I turned pro (at 27) older than Peter is now (25). I’m 39 years old and there aren’t many people my age that do what I do for a living.”
Though Pemberton, 168, looked to be in good condition entering their bout, he most certainly appeared every bit the old fighter. As he admitted in the post-fight press conference, he is a “notoriously slow starter” and when you’re facing a boxer that knows you very well it can’t help your chances very much. Manfredo, 167 1/2, knew this all too well, which may have had everything to do with why Pemberton was chosen as Peter’s first non-Contender/ actual contender opponent since he joined The Contender.
Young Peter patiently stalked Pemberton as early as the first round and picked him apart with lead right hands and left hooks. Pemberton’s response to the punches being thrown at him were also delayed and at times he looked as if he were fighting under water. Toward the end of the second round Manfredo gave the anxious crown an idea of what was going to happen very soon when he momentarily rattled Pemberton with a right hand.
The crowd noise, which began earlier on with “Sergio (Mora) sucks” chants, erupted every time Manfredo landed a punch. Early in the 3rd round, Manfredo clipped Pemberton with a right hand, which buckled him and sent him into a neutral corner. Manfredo moved in for the kill with body shots, which were making the 6’2 Pemberton lean forward and thus a more compact target. Manfredo then quickly launched an uppercut that sent Pemberton face-first to the canvas and the crowd into an utter frenzy.
“I was setting him up with jabs and feints,” said Manfredo. “I saw him drop his head and I took the opening.”
Pemberton got to his feet at referee Dick Flaherty’s count of seven but the exciting Pemberton who is known for being dangerous while he is hurt never posed much of a threat. He was simply too slow for Manfredo who landed another right to the temple which dropped him for a second time. Pemberton bravely made it to his feet and kept trying to fight back but one more right to the temple wobbled Pemberton which was enough to convince Flaherty to halt the bout at the 2:06 mark. The hollering continued like the like the blizzard that hit New England in the early hours of Sunday morning and the “Pride of Providence” was made fully aware that he was the toast of the town last night.
It was a safe homecoming for Manfredo who is now 25-3 with 11 KOs and 12-0 in RI. His last fight, a rematch with Sergio Mora was considered to be a hometown robbery because the bout was fought in Mora’s backyard at the Staple Center in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, Manfredo truly enjoyed his return home and my, time has changed over the course of his short life.
“I remember when I was seven years old being here (then the Civic Center) when Vinny Paz (then Pazienza) fought Greg Haugen for the lightweight title,” recalls Manfredo. “I kept thinking, ‘Some day I hope it’ll be like this for me.”
Manfredo did what he should have done against a 39 year old contender on the outs, but had it not have been a successful return home, Manfredo admitted that he would have retired.
“Take nothing away from Scott but if I lost to him I would have hung ‘em up. I was figuring that I felt at the top of my game and if that wasn’t enough beat Scott, then I don’t belong in this sport.”
Fortunately for he and his new legion of followers, Manfredo, now officially a “contender,” proved that he belongs in boxing.
In last night’s ESPN co-feature, fellow Contender Miguel Espino of North Hollywood, FL took a couple of rounds to get going but once he warmed up, he outworked journeyman Dorian Beaupierre of Old Bridge, NJ over six rounds to win a unanimous decision. Beaupierre, 160,who was known for two 10-round draws with fringe contender Daniel Eduoard, wasn’t troublesome enough for Espino, also 160, who pressed the action with 4 and 5-punch combinations.
In the first round, Beaupierre led with uppercuts and always seemed to get his punches off first. Espino walked in with his hands up to get inside but didn’t absorb any damaging shots. Espino began establishing himself in the 3rd round when he began walking in behind punches. He connected with many of his shots and appeared to have a lot more in the tank than the more experienced Beaupierre. Espino now 11-2-1 with 4 KOs won by scores of 59-55 and 58-56 twice. Beaupierre is now 12-5-1 with 6 KO’s.
In the Contender series, 33-year old Jonathan “ReidDawg” (Is that the worst nickname or what?) Reid of Nashville, didn’t prove to be much of a 5-round fighter let alone a contender. Last night against rugged journeyman middleweight Mohammad Said of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Reid wasn’t much of a 4-round fighter. Not that he looked shot or without skill, he just didn’t seem to work hard enough to win this last minute bout which was put together when Alfonso Gomez withdrew from his scheduled bout after reportedly coming down with the flu.
Said, 165, won a majority decision by using his left hook exclusively and working the body effectively. Reid, also 165, landed a very nice 2-punch combination in the final round that appeared to stop Said in his tracks but he never did much more but allow Said to gain control by the round’s end. Judge Robert Paulino scored the bout a draw 38-38 while judges Clark Sammartino and Steve Epstein had it 39-37 for Said. For Reid, now 33-4 with 19 KO’s he may need to either pursue another career or elect to partake in fights scheduled for more than four and five rounds. It’s just not suiting him. Experienced fighters are supposed to drag a guy out into the later rounds and beat him. Said improved to 17-4 with 10 KOs
Matt “2-Smooth” Godfrey of Providence, didn’t get 2 much work out of his scheduled 6-round cruiserweight encounter with veteran Ernest “M-16” Mateen, but all the same, he managed to get out of the bout unscathed and unbeaten. Mateen was expected to be the biggest test for the accomplished amateur stand-out but after receiving a right hook to the body, Mateen hit the mat like a sack of potatoes. Mateen made it up before referee Joe Lopino’s count reached 8 but Mateen’s pained expression and lack of response must have convinced the referee to halt the bout at 1:51 of the round. The career of fast-rising Godfrey now 11-0 with 6 KOs will now need a bigger test for fans to see what they really have. So far he has moved faster than any of his contemporaries.
Prior to the opening bout, the evening began with a scuffle in section 107 of the arena but moments later after officials with nightsticks and blue uniforms escorted the ruffians to a more suitable environment, an approved match between Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard of Manchester, CT and fellow featherweight Garvin Crout took place. Unfortunately for Crout of Ypsilanti, MI, the local police didn’t stop the “Sharp Shooter” from firing at him. After stalking Crout for most of the first round, Remillard ended the fight and the frame with a thudding left to the body and a right to the jaw. Crout hit the canvas and clearly in pain from the body shot, made it to his feet by the count of nine, but he couldn’t stabilize himself enough to convince referee Charlie Dwyer that he wasn’t a hurt fighter. The bout was stopped at the 3:00 mark of the round and the impressive Remillard, who is managed by the famed Jackie Kallen, is now 7-0 with 6 KOs.
In the swing bout, former U.S. Olympic super heavyweight, Jason “Big Six” Estrada of Providence, had his most important bout against Yanqui Diaz of Las Vegas, stopped at 2:26 of the first round when Dick Flaherty on the advise of the ringside physician stopped the fight due to a cut caused by an accidental head butt. The bout was ruled a no-decision as Estrada stays 5-0 with 1 KO and Diaz is still 13-3 with 8 KOs
Promoter – The Contender in association with Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & SportsNetwork - ESPN
