By David Weinberg
Atlantic City boxer Justin Figueroa is hoping for a more definitive outcome in his rematch Friday night against Puerto Rico’s Luis Carabello Ramos at Tropicana Casino Resort.
Their first bout, held at the Trop last March 7, ended in controversy. The two were tussling in a corner in the third round of a scheduled eight-rounder when Ramos landed on the canvas after Figueroa executed a wrestling move known as a “DDT.”
The incident was ruled an accidental foul. After Ramos was unable to continue, the bout was ruled a no-contest.
“These guys just did not like each other,” Boxing Insider promoter Larry Goldberg said on Facebook. “It was turning into an all-out slugfest and it never got finished. So we are going to run it back.”
Figueroa (14-0, 11 KOs), a Holy Spirit High School graduate and member of the Atlantic City Beach Patrol, has kept busy over the last seven months competing for the New York Attitude in the Team Boxing League (TBL). In TBL matches, fighters compete in a series of one-round bouts.
He’s also made some changes in his corner. Chino Rivas is Figueroa’s head trainer in place of Egg Harbor Township’s Arnold Robbins.
“The coach I’m working with now has experience with a lot of good fighters and has world-class fighters in his stable,” Figueroa told 97.3 ESPN. “It comes to a point where if you’re around five world-class fighters, you’re probably going to become the sixth world-class fighter.”
Ramos (8-10-1, 8 KOs) has fought twice in the last seven months, losing via third-round TKO and unanimous decision, respectively, to unbeatens Frank Espinoz (5-0) in California and Justin Lacey-Pierce (15-0-1) in Detroit. He’s 1-8 in his last nine fights, excluding the no-contest.
“We’ve got some unfinished business,” Figueroa said on Facebook. “It just really bothered me because I had him beat the first time, then he took the first exit he could take.”
Also on the card, Pleasantville super-lightweight Julio Sanchez III (5-1, 3 KOs) will carry a four-fight winning streak into the ring against Skyler Bray (3-3-1, 3 KOs), of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
Sanchez, a former basketball standout at Pleasantville and Atlantic City, will be fighting at the Trop for the fifth time, where he is undefeated.
Bray, who is also a mixed martial arts fighter, has lost three straight after a 3-0 start as a boxer.
Five other fights are scheduled for the card, which will be the ninth held in Atlantic City this year.
Goldberg, who grew up in Margate and is an Atlantic City High School graduate, will be staging his third show at the Trop this year and ninth in the last three years.
“This (card) reminds me of the shows in the 70’s and 80’s (in Atlantic City),” Goldberg said in a statement. “It is all grit and for the love of the game.
“This is the kind of boxing your grandfather loved. Casino ballrooms, gritty club fighters trying to get to the next level.
Doors to the Tropicana Showroom open at 7 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7:30. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com.
High School football playoffs update
Atlantic City High will be hosting Millville Friday in the Central Jersey Group 4 championship game.
It’s a rematch of a game held on October 15, which the Vikings won 35-14.
Millville reached the title game with a 24-7 win over top-seeded Brick Memorial last week. Atlantic City posted a 42-13 victory over Northern Burlington.
Holy Spirit will be facing DePaul in the quarterfinals of the state Non-Public B playoffs after earning a 19-0 win over St. Thomas Aquinas in the opening round.
St. Augustine Prep will meet host Bergen Catholic Saturday in the opening round of the state Non-Public A playoffs.
Local swimmer headed to world championships
Former Mainland Regional High School swimmer Destin Lasco qualified for the U.S. team that will be competing in the Short Course World Championships in Beijing next month. Lasco, a former standout at Mainland and the University of California, placed second in the both the 200-meter backstroke and 200 individual medley at the U.S. Short Course World Championship Trials in Indianapolis last week.
Local NFL update
Jacksonville Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen Jr. (Millville) saw action on offense and special teams in a 33-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.
Dallas Cowboys safety Markquese Bell (Bridgeton) saw action on defense and special teams in a 27-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver/kickoff returner Bo Melton (Cedar Creek) averaged 27.5 yards on four returns and made two tackles on special teams in a 45-27 victory over the New England Patriots.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Max Melton (Cedar Creek), Bo’s brother, made five tackles and had two pass defenses in a 17-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
David is a nationally recognized sports columnist who has covered Philadelphia and local sports for over 40 years. After 35 years with The Press, he has served as a columnist for 973ESPN.com and created his own Facebook page, Dave Weinberg Extra Points. Send comments to weinbergd419@comcast.net.
