BOXING’S BACK IN ATLANTIC CITY, AND A.C.’S JUSTIN FIGUEROA IS A HEADLINER
Professional boxing is making a triumphant return to the Boardwalk in Atlantic City on Saturday, May 11.
After staging successful shows in the Broadway district of New York City for the last year and a half, Larry Goldberg of Boxing Insider Promotions is coming back to his hometown. The scene is the Tropicana Atlantic City where the showroom hosts a special card that features some of the finest young talent in New Jersey, New York and beyond. Plus, for every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to the Atlantic City Police Athletic League and Tropicana Atlantic City will match the donation. Boxing Insider Promotions is proud to support the PAL and looks forward to working closely with them in the future.
Goldberg didn’t have to go too far to find his main attractions. Junior middleweight JUSTIN FIGUEROA (8-0, 6 KO’s) is an Atlantic City product, who is well-known to the public for his exploits not only in boxing but in other sports as well, particularly in football, where he starred at Holy Spirit High School and harbored thoughts of playing for a Division I program.
Ultimately, he came back to boxing, where he won New Jersey Golden Gloves titles and competed against national standouts, posting a win over National Golden Gloves champ Nasheed Smith among his exploits.
As Figueroa progresses through the pro ranks, he intends, in his own words, to “put Atlantic City on my back.” He is about the city in many ways; in fact, he served as a lifeguard with the Atlantic City Beach Patrol for years.
Figueroa’s May 11 opponent in the six-round fight is TIMOTHY PARKS (5-5-1, 4 KO’s), who’ll come from Loganville, GA for this show. Parks has fought on the west coast and in Mexico thus far, and he doesn’t go in against light competition either; indeed, he has fought five undefeated opponents.
What’s significant here is that Parks presents a style challenge for Figueroa, as he is a six-foot southpaw.
The Garden State is represented elsewhere on the May 11 show. Junior featherweight JOHN LEONARDO (10-1-1, 4 KO’s) hails from Manalapan Township, and he brings a big following with him wherever he goes. The young man who calls himself “Bodyshot” has won all the important amateur titles regionally, including three Metro crowns and a New Jersey Golden Gloves championship.
He’s chomping at the bit, as it’s been a while since he’s been in the ring. Leonardo last fought in August, as he won an eight-round decision over Dominique Griffin, capturing the American Boxing Federation USA title at 122 pounds.
That was the first time Leonardo went eight rounds. and he may have to do the same in the May 11 main event against FRANK GONZALEZ (12-5, 6 KO’s), who has been that distance in each of his last two fights. Gonzalez, who fights out of the Tampa Bay area, once competed for the WBO Latino belt as well as the WBA Fedecentro title in the bantamweight class. He also boxed to a decision loss against current world lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in the amateur ranks.
Goldberg has spoken about having a “stacked” card, and that’s no lie.
Here are the other bouts on the show, with further details soon to come:
8 Rounds — Welterweights
AVIOUS GRIFFIN (13-0, 12 KO’s), Chattanooga, TN vs. LESTHER ESPINO (8-5, 6 KO’s), Nicaragua
6 Rounds — Welterweights
FAMOUS WILSON (4-0, 2 KO’s), Deer Park, NY vs. JONATHAN GARY (2-1), Oklahoma City
6 Rounds — Jr. Middleweights
DWYKE FLEMMINGS (6-0, 6 KO’s), Paterson, NJ vs. TBA
4 Rounds — Heavyweights
PRYCE TAYLOR (3-0, 2 KO’s), Brooklyn vs. LAWRENCE KING JR. (2-1,1 KO), Rochester, NY
4 Rounds — Middleweights
JACOB SOLIS (3-0, 3 KO’s), New York, NY vs. BRANDON MARTINEZ (1-3, 1 KO), Tucson, AZ
4 Rounds — Lightweights
JASON CASTANON (`1-0, 1 KO), Brooklyn, NY vs. TBA
4 Rounds — Lightweights
KOBY WILLIAMS (pro debut) vs. TBA
In addition, legendary former heavyweight champion LARRY HOLMES will be on hand to meet and greet fans at the May 11 show.
This is the first professional boxing show at the Tropicana in seven years. So you had better believe it will be a festive atmosphere.
Tickets are priced at $60, $100, $150 and $200, and are available through TicketMaster (https://www.ticketmaster.com/
This event will also stream live and free of charge at BoxingInsider.com
