Boxing Returns to Royal Oak Music Theatre
Posted: September 16, 2008

Boxing returns to the Royal Oak Music Theatre on Friday for another night of pro boxing from promoters Ron Remus, Heavy Hitter and CLIP. It is the second show in as many months at the venue from this trio with another show already scheduled for November.

The first show, in August, was well received and co-promoter Ron Remus reported on Monday that ticket sales were “phenomenal” and he predicted to sell out the 1,200 seat venue.

On Friday’s card:

Darryl Cunningham (10-2-0, 4 KO) of Detroit is scheduled in a light-heavy match-up against Douglas LaFontsee (8-3-0, 6 KO). Cunningham, a southpaw, is coming off a three-win streak, all coming in the last five months, and LaFontsee, 36, of Wyoming (near Grand Rapids) fought last May, losing to Edgar King by knockout in the fifth round.

In a light middleweight bout, Dearborn’s Alexis Hloros (6-2-2-, 5 KO) will face-off with Lenawee County’s Dan Wallace (9-5-0, 3 KO). The Dearborn fighter has thus far not been tested too hard, fighting mostly opponents with fewer fights than himself with two notable exceptions: A 2nd round TKO win over uninspiring Guy Packer with only two wins in 21 fights and a unanimous decision win against a more legitimate Chris Grays sporting a 7W-15L record with more than twice the professional experience as Hloros who enters the ring Friday on the tail-end of a five win streak. “Flawless” Wallace, 31, is coming off a four-loss streak with three of those coming on out-of-state cards against opponents with more impressive records; two being undefeated after sixteen fights.

Canadian Andre Gorges (2-0-0, 2 KO) makes his third ring appearance as a pro against Jamal Kahn (0-3-0) of Sterling Heights. Both of Gorges’ prior fights, which ended in his favor by technical knockout, have also been in Michigan. Kahn, who at 35 years of age is thirteen years Gorges senior, is looking for his first win having been knocked out in each of his earlier fights, including to two boxers on Friday’s card – Guevara and Ventis.

“Pistol” Pete Cantu (14-6-1, 9 KO) makes his fourth appearance this year in the ring versus Pontiac’s Eric Hall (7-7-0, 3 KO) at welterweight. Waterford’s Cantu has won his last seven contests, his last loss coming some twenty-six months ago. Hall’s last fight, in August 2007, ended with a no contest after an accidental headbutt in the third round left him unable to continue. A TKO win over Jaime Castellano three months earlier followed a loss at the hands of former-Detroiter Vernon Paris, who relocated earlier this year to Florida.

Rich Power (2-0-0. 2 KO) of Keego Harbor but training out of Detroit’s Downtown Boxing Club won both of his pro fights by early TKO. According to co-promoter Gino Cicarella , the 28-year old Power is originally from Brooklyn, New York, and had a roughly 5-1 win-loss ratio as an amateur before his June debut. His original opponent, Salomon Becerra, was nixed by state officials making way for “Towering” Tony Phillips (4-5-0, 3 KO). The 6’8” 320+ pound Phillips will be returning to the ring after nearly ten years away and coming off four straight losses.

Andrew Kooner (8-1-0, 4 KO) from Mississauga, in northern Ontario, was a member of Canada’s Olympic team in both 2000 and 2004. His bantamweight match against Jason Hayward (6-6-0, 2 KO) is the first rematch of his young career, having won an 8th round TKO over Hayward in March. This is Kooner’s third fight of the year and his first ever in America, two fights having taken place in his native England and the other seven in his home country of Canada. For the 30-year old Hayward, also of Canada, Friday will be his fifth fight of ’08 and, like Kooner, his first appearance in an American ring.

James Lester, 24, of Detroit is matched against fellow-Detroiter Ramon Guevara (8-17-2, 6 KO). This is the first fight in thirteen months for Lester (4-2-0, 2 KO) who is coming off a first-round knockout of Pedro Flores at an August 2007 Lansing show. The Dominican-born Guevara lost his last five fights, with two draws and another loss since his last win some nine fights ago in March 2007. Amongst Guevara’s losses were a first round KO to Lanardo Tyner and a 7th round TKO at the hands of Vernon Paris.

Detroit Welterweight Larry Ventis (3-0-0, 2 KO) makes his second ring appearance of the year against Ohio’s Eric Ricker, who is replacing North Carolina’s Brett Taylor as an opponent. It’s the fourth pro fight for Ventis since his debut in Monroe 13-months ago and his second fight this year. With three fights behind him, Ventis is undefeated so far. Ricker is making his pro debut.

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