PHILADELPHIA (May 12, 2022)–Weights for Friday Night’s Fight card at Parx Casino

Sonny Conto 228.2 – Justin Rolfe 254.1

Shinard Bunch 144.2 – Marklin Bailey 141.4

Jordon Murphy 127 – Antonio Dunton El 128.9

Carlos Ramos 129.5 – Jesus Arturo Guzman 128.6

Christopher Burgos 140.4 – Phillip Davis 143.1

Gerardo Martinez 139.4 – Michael Crain 140.4

Karly Wylie 139.3 – Tyree Arnold 143

Quadeer Jenkins 160.5 – Andre Hammon 161

Promoter: Joe Hand Promotions

Venue: Parx Casino

1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Tickets at $50, $75, and $125 are on sale at https://tickets.parxcasino.com/tickets/390007, Hold My Ticket Call Center at (1-877-466-3404) or by calling 215-364-9000. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Several of Philadelphia’s top young boxers, including blue-chip prospects and Golden Gloves champions, will showcase their skills in the ring at Parx Casino® on May 13th.

The main event features undefeated Sonny Conto (9-0, 7 KOs), the Top Rank heavyweight from South Philadelphia and a top 25 heavyweight in the US, against Justin Rolfe (7-3-1, 5 KOs) out of Fairfield, ME. Conto is a highly-touted prospect but still understands he has a lot to work on. He said after his last win on February 24th, “There’s a lot to work on, but it felt good to be in there,” Conto said. “I won every round. The goal was to win every round decisively. I got hit a little too much. There’s just a lot to work on, a lot to improve. It’s all about growing.”

In this fight against former USA New England Champion Justin Rolfe, Conto will look to continue his career progression and improve on some of the mistakes he made in past fights.

Shinard Bunch (18-1-1, 15 KOs), the 2021 Briscoe “Prospect of the Year,” will face Marklin Bailey (7-7, 4 KOs) out of Durham, NC in a 6-round super lightweight bout. Bunch has eleven first-round knockouts in his career and will be looking to make it twelve at Parx Casino® on May 13th. Bailey is a veteran of the sport, and this will not be an easy task for Bunch to get him out of there before the final bell.

Additionally on the card are a few young fighters that are still trying to make their mark in the sport. The first is featherweight D’Angelo Fuentes (7-0, 4 KOs) out of Coconut Creek, FL, who will face James Early (4-8) in a six-round super featherweight bout. This will be the most experienced opponent Fuentes will face. This action-packed fight will be a great test and an important moment in Fuentes’ career.

          Bensalem-born Jordon Murphy (2-0, 1 KO) will be making his third professional appearance and will face Antonio Dunton-El Jr. (2-0-1) out of Baltimore, MD in a 4-round super featherweight bout. In this fight, we have two young undefeated prospects that are trying to carve out their place in the boxing scene early in their careers. 

The always entertaining Christopher Burgos (3-5-1, 1 KO), of North Philadelphia, PA, will face Philip Davis (2-5-1) of Worcester, MA, in a six-round lightweight contest.

Making his debut on the card will be 2014 Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion Karl Wylie out of Coatesville, PA, who will face Tyree Arnold (1-4) out of Philadelphia, PA in a four-round lightweight bout.

Tickets at $50, $75, and $125 are on sale at https://tickets.parxcasino.com/tickets/390007, Hold My Ticket Call Center at (1-877-466-3404) or by calling 215-364-9000. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Undefeated D’Angelo Fuentes (7-0, 4KOs), of Coconut Creek, FL, will have his hands full in a six-round featherweight bout against James Early (5-8) out of Seat Pleasant, MD, as part of a 9-bout card at Parx Casino® on Friday, May 13.

Fuentes has a passion for everything that comes with boxing. He loves the preparation that is needed for the fight, and the reward that comes from winning. He understands he needs to stay consistent and disciplined to achieve his goals.

Fuentes has big goals in boxing, as he said, “I will be the undisputed featherweight champion of the world, and I won’t stop till I get to that point.”

Fuentes watched great champions like Hector Camacho and Roberto Duran and implemented pieces of their fighting style into his. In his upcoming fight with James Early on May 13th, Fuentes will display the skills that he has attained from watching these legends.

It is important to have the right people around a fighter when they are trying to win a championship. Fuentes recently changed management, and when talking about the impact it had, he said, “It’s absolutely a big difference. My manager, Jereme Cohen, cares about me and he is a part of my family now. Before, it was more controlled, and I didn’t like that. But Jereme is looking out for my well-being and cares about me, and it is a big difference.” With the right people around him and the right mindset, Fuentes will look to put on his best performance at Parx Casino® on May 13th.

ADDITIONAL Q&A with D’ANGELO FUENTES

Did you always want to be a boxer?

“So, my first sport was football, but I’m just too small, and to be honest, my mom and I always knew that my fighting was going to be involved in my future. Whether it was boxing or mixed martial arts, it was going to be something involving fighting.”

After your last fight, what is something that you have been working on that you want to showcase in the ring?

“There are a lot of things that we are working on for this camp, but you will have to see it on May 13th to find out. I don’t like to speak about it. I like to show people.”

What do you find the most rewarding or gratifying in boxing?

“It’s definitely winning the fight. The day of the fight, after the fight, and getting your hand raised are the most rewarding.”

Who are your biggest supporters outside the ring?

“I would say my mom, my girl, my coach, and Jereme. There are too many people in my mind that are my biggest supporters. Those are some of the most important people in my life.”

The live boxing event, which is produced by Joe Hand Promotions, will feature a six-round heavyweight bout between Sonny Conto (9-0, 7 KOs) out of Philadelphia, PA, going up against Justin Rolfe (7-3-1, 5 KOs) fighting out of Fairfield, ME.

2021 Briscoe “Prospect of the year” Shinard Bunch (18-1-1, 15 KOs) out of Trenton, NJ, will look to continue his 17-fight undefeated streak when he competes in an eight-round super lightweight fight.

Jordon Murphy (2-0, 1 KO), originally from Bensalem, PA, and now residing in Deerfield Beach, FL, will be returning to Philadelphia to fight in front of his family and friends in a four-round super featherweight bout.

The always entertaining Christopher Burgos (3-5-1, 1 KO), of North Philadelphia, PA, will face Philip Davis (2-5-1) of Worcester, MA, in a six-round lightweight contest.

Making his debut on the card will be 2014 Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion Karl Wylie out of Coatesville, PA.

Jordon Murphy (2-0, 1KO), originally from Bensalem, PA, and now residing in Deerfield Beach, FL, will be returning to Bensalem to fight in front of his family and friends in a four-round super featherweight bout on Friday, May 13th at Parx Casino®. I had the pleasure to talk with Jordon Murphy and hear his thoughts on fighting in front of his hometown fans in his last fight at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philly on February 24th. Jordan’s career is still young, and he does not take for granted the fact that he gets to fight in front of his friends and family at this stage of his career.

JORDON MURPHY Q&A

What are your thoughts on your last fight?

“My thoughts were that it was something new. We expected him to come out wild and everything but being in the ring is something different than watching videos it was a new experience it was a tough fight fighting someone that is wild and non-stop like him, it was a tough fight but we got through it and I wasn’t that impressed with my performance but as long as we got the job done that all that counts and you will be seeing something different for the next fight.”

Did you enjoy fighting at home for your last fight?

“I loved it and I always said that would my dream to fight in front of my family and friends and to do it in my second fight was an amazing experience. I couldn’t ask for more it was wonderful having my family and friends out there it is a different atmosphere than my first fight in Florida so having everyone so close to me in my life around to see that peak like not even a peak on that ladder I have been climbing for years now and to finally be that point to perform in front of them was amazing”

Do you feel this fight is different than your last fight since this one is in your hometown while the last fight was in South Philly?

“Not really we go into every fight doing what we worked on in camp so what we are doing will be the same thing it’s all about just getting used to it being around the crowd and having this arena around you that’s the only difference is the arena the ring and it is different people but we don’t pay attention to that in the ring we just noting different we go in there and do the same stuff we have been working on getting the job done.”

Do you enjoy the pressure of fighting at home?

“I don’t mind the pressure for me I feel like it is not the same for others like my dad for my last two fights when we were backstage, he asked are you nervous? And I said no it’s a dream come true I’m happy to be in the place that I’m at right now at the point where I finally reached my first goal of being a professional boxer and have all there are different experiences, I don’t feel this nervous pressure. I like the crowd that’s why my nickname is jiggy all that stuff excites me. It’s no pressure I like working out I like going to the gym I love boxing and like I love this, and this is my life and what I was raised to do. I’m so used to the pressure I have been on national stages multiple times throughout my career I have had pressure since I was eight years old like being in front of Floyd Mayweather and people the pressure was always on me but now as a pro its something I have gotten used to.”

What are some skills that you want to improve on for this fight?

“In this camp well they fight with Nasir I had a shoulder injury for a little bit and he kind of pulled my arm a little bit in the second round and I wasn’t able to consistently throw that jab like I would have liked to. That is something we are working on to improve this camp is to build that shoulder strength up. we already got what we needed to be done for the shoulder. So we are back to normal and the main focus for this camp is building that jab and getting back to where it used to be and we didn’t even know I had an injury until we got late into camp. So we had to do what we had to we had to fight through the pain and that’s exactly what we did.”

If you have one message for the fans what would it be?

“To my fans and family lie, I appreciate every little thing you guys do for me just clicking the like button on my Instagram is more than enough I’m just blessed to have you around I don’t need anything in return from everyone this is my work I don’t expect anything from everybody I’m going to work regardless but to have my friends and family supporting me as much as they do is more than I could ever ask for and I am truly blessed to have everyone in my corner and on my side supporting mine toward this whole thing ad I promise at the end of all this there will be a return for you all.”

The live boxing event, which is produced by Joe Hand Promotions, will feature a six-round heavyweight bout between Sonny Conto (9-0, 7 KOs) out of Philadelphia, PA going up against Justin Rolfe (7-3-1, 5 KOs) fighting out of Fairfield, ME.

2021 Briscoe “Prospect of the year” Shinard Bunch (18-1-1, 15 KOs) out of Trenton, NJ will look to continue his 17-fight undefeated streak when he competes in an eight-round super lightweight fight.

The always entertaining Christopher Burgos (3-5-1, 1 KO), of North Philadelphia, PA, will face Philip Davis (2-5-1) of Worcester, MA, in a six-round lightweight contest.

Making his debut on the card will be 2014 Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion Karl Wylie out of Coatesville, PA.

Karl Wylie, a lightweight fighter from Coatesville, PA, and a former Golden Gloves winner, will be making his professional boxing debut at Parx Casino® on Friday, May 13.

“Boxing is the only thing I could get up and do every day and not complain about and it’s terrible because of what you put your body through,” said Wylie. “I could do this and not complain about it.”

With a passion for boxing and the competitiveness that comes with it, the road to get in the ring was not easy for Wylie. There are no gyms in Coatesville, and he had to travel 45 minutes to an hour to Reading, Lancaster or Phoenixville just to train.

He had success at the 2014 Golden Gloves, making it to the national tournament. He wanted to go pro, but the problems kept coming up. He had terrible luck with his car breaking down, and that really hindered him from going to the gym every day. He knows how important consistency is because without it, he would just become an average fighter.

He never let himself get out of shape as he would always be hitting the pavement running and getting in those miles. During those runs, he felt the support from his friends and family. When running, he was sure to get 5-10 people giving him supportive beeps of their horn. Boxing is a lonely sport, but the support from his family and friends is what kept him going and keeps him still working to make his professional debut, even after a five-year gap between fights.

ADDITIONAL Q&A with KARL WYLIE:

How does it feel to make your debut close to home?

“It’s exciting and bittersweet because my first amateur fight was actually in my city of Coatesville. The energy and the atmosphere was ridiculous. I burnt out like halfway through the fight because I was fighting so much off energy and adrenaline. I wasn’t breathing and when I finally stopped to take a deep breath, I didn’t think I was going to make it. But that was a long time ago, and I’m anxious, and everybody is really excited, and it’s going to be amazing.”

What are your hopes and dreams for your future in fighting?

“Just be able to achieve greatness starting out at 29. I could have started sooner, but life has its obstacles so it’s not likely for me to come in at 29 and dominate like Floyd Mayweather for 20 years, but just to be mentioned with some of the greats and to be compared to them.”

The live boxing event, which is produced by Joe Hand Promotions, will feature a six-round heavyweight bout between Sonny Conto (9-0, 7 KOs) out of Philadelphia, PA, going up against Justin Rolfe (7-3-1, 5 KOs) fighting out of Fairfield, ME.

2021 Briscoe “Prospect of the year” Shinard Bunch (18-1-1, 15 KOs) out of Trenton, NJ will look to continue his 18 fight undefeated streak when he competes in an eight-round super lightweight fight.

Super featherweight Jordon Murphy (2-0, 1 KO), originally from Bensalem, PA, and now residing in Deerfield Beach, FL, will be returning to Philadelphia to fight in front of his family and friends in a four-round super featherweight bout.

The always entertaining Christopher Burgos (3-5-1, 1 KO) of North Philadelphia, PA, will face Philip Davis (2-5-1) of Worcester, MA, in a six-round lightweight contest.

South Philly heavyweight boxer Sonny Conto (9-0, 7KOs) looks to shatter triskaidekaphobia when he puts his undefeated record on the line and steps into the ring for a six-round bout against former USA New England Champion Justin Rolfe (7-3-1, 5KOs), of Fairfield, ME, at Parx Casino® on Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m.

“The fans of Bucks County, Philadelphia, and New Jersey are passionate about their boxing, and we have been bombarded with fans contacting us asking when we are going to return to Parx Casino®. I’m excited to tell them – WE ARE BACK!” stated promoter, Joe Hand, Jr.

Tickets at $50, $75, and $125 are on sale NOW at https://tickets.parxcasino.com/tickets/390007, Hold My Ticket Call Center at (1-877-466-3404) or by calling 215-364-9000. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Daiyaan Butt (10-2, 5KOs), also of Philadelphia, PA, has two first round knockouts in his last four fights and looks to show his power in a six-round super lightweight bout.

Super featherweight Jordon Murphy (2-0, 1KO), originally from Bensalem, PA, and now residing in Deerfield Beach, FL, will be returning to Bensalem to fight in front of his family and friends when he competes in a four-round super featherweight bout.

Undefeated D’Angelo Fuentes (7-0, 4KOs), of Coconut Creek, FL, will have his hands full in a six-round featherweight bout as he tries to push his undefeated streak to eight.

The always entertaining Christopher Burgos (3-5-1, 1 KO), of North Philadelphia, PA, will face Philip Davis (2-5-1) of Worcester, MA, in a six-round lightweight contest.

Making his debut on the card will be 2014 Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion Karl Wylie out of Coatesville, PA.

For press credentials contact Bam McCloskey at Brittany@JoeHandPromotions.com.

ABOUT JOE HAND PROMOTIONS

Founded in 1971, Joe Hand Promotions is the nation’s oldest and largest television distributor of pay-per-view and closed circuit sports and entertainment events, such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), championship boxing, and concerts. JHP’s event consultants provide their marketing knowledge and promotional expertise to help commercial establishments grow their business through the use of live sports and entertainment programming. Additionally, JHP hosts 4-6 live boxing events per year in the Philadelphia area. These events have held sold-out crowds at various venues and arenas.

ABOUT PARX CASINO®

Parx Casino® is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing, Inc. and is the #1 revenue-generating casino property in Pennsylvania. Parx Casino® is conveniently located 20 minutes north of center city Philadelphia, I-95 exit 37 or PA Turnpike exit 351 (westbound), exit 352 (eastbound) on Street Road in Bensalem, Bucks County, with complimentary parking for over 5,000 cars. Parx features Xlounge, a luxury casino lounge, and over 200,000 square feet of gaming; 3,270 slot machines and 148 live table games; 40 poker tables; Parx Poker, a new custom-built private poker room; live racing and simulcast action. The Xcite Center at Parx Casino is a 1,500-seat live entertainment venue. Parx has an array of dining options to include Parxgrill, an upscale signature restaurant; Foodies quick service dining; Chickie’s & Pete’s Crab House and Sports Bar; Jax sports bar; Circle Bar; and Bambu Noodle House. In 2019, Parx launched sports betting and opened the massive year-round Liberty Bell Beer Garden gastropub to rave reviews. For more information on Parx Casino®, visit www.parxcasino.com.

PHILADELPHIA–Sonny Conto remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Mike Marshall in front of a capacity crowd at Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia.

The show was promoted by Joe Hand Promotions.

Conto dominated the fight as he was able to land hard shots to the head and body. He was very effective with his jab that eventually set up some nice straight rights and left hooks to the body. Marshall showed a good chin, but was never able to get any consistent offense of his own on-track.

Conto, 226.1 lbs of Philadelphia won by shutout margins of 60-54 on all cards is 9-0. Marshall, 248.8 lbs of Danbury, CT is 6-3-1.
Sonny Conto Talks about his unanimous decision win over Mike Marshall

In a crowd pleasing slugfest, Bryce Mills won a six-round unanimous decision over Daiyaan Butt in a super lightweight battle.

In round one, Mills was cut on the left side of the forehead from an apparent headbutt.

Mills was very aggressive throughout the contest, which proved to be the difference in the fight. Butt was able to counter, which set off some nice exchanges.

In round six, Butt was cut badly over his right eye.

Mills, 141.9 lbs of Liverpool, NY won by scores of 60-54 and 58-56 twice to raise his mark to 8-1. Butt, 143.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 10-2.

Carlos Marrero won a six-round unanimous decision over Christopher Burgos in a super lightweight bout.

Marrero, 136.2 lbs of Bridgeport, CT won on all cards by 58-56 scores and is now 3-6-3. Burgos, of North Philadelphia is 3-5-1.

D’Angelo Fuentes remained undefeated with a six-round majority decision over Justice Bland in a featherweight bout.

Fuentes, 123.8 lbs of Coconut Creek, FL won by scores of 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56 to remain perfect at 7-0. Bland, 126 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 5-2.

Eslih Owusu remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Evincii Dixon in a super welterweight fight.

Owusu, 155 lbs Worcester, MA won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 7-0. Dixon, 155.2 lbs of Lancaster, PA is 10-28-2.

Jordon Murphy won a four-round unanimous decision over Nasir Mickens in a lightweight battle featuring undefeated fighters.

Mickens came storming out but was continuously picked apart by Murphy. Murphy, who is from Deerfield Beach, Florida but has a lot of roots in Bensalem, and it showed and was heard by a large throng of fans who came out to support him

Murphy, 128.8 lbs of Bansalem, PA won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Mickens, 129.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 2-1.

Quadeer Jenkins destroyed Rahiem Cooke in the opening round of their four-round middleweight fight.

Jenkins was all over Cooke, hurting him with the first punch and was relentless until referee Eric Dali stopped the fight 64 seconds into the contest.

Jenkins, 159.5 lbs of Trenton, NJ is 1-2 with one knockout. Cooke, 158.3 lbs of Philadelphia is 0-2.

CONTACT: Ike Richman // ike@richmancommunications.com

About Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia
Voted Best Overall Gaming Resort in Pennsylvania by Casino Player Magazine, Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia has transformed the South Philadelphia Stadium District into a nationally unrivaled one-stop destination to enjoy the fast-paced action of four major professional sports teams, memorable entertainment, premier dining, well-appointed hotel accommodations and world-class gaming. Conveniently located off I-95 and I-76, the facility features more than 200 luxury hotel rooms that are Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ with Forbes Travel Guide, a FanDuel® Sportsbook and Lounge, over 2,100 slots and electronic table games, and 150 live action table games, including a dedicated poker room. New dining and entertainment options include the Zagat-rated #1 steakhouse The Prime Rib®; Luk Fu, serving authentic Asian cuisine; Sports & Social Philly, a one-of-a-kind sports restaurant, gaming venue and social lounge; the 10th Street Market, a unique food hall featuring Guy Fieri’s Taco Joint and Guy’s Burger Joint; Philadelphia-favorites Lorenzo and Sons Pizza, Termini Bros. Bakery and Sang Kee Noodle Bar & Kitchen; Morty’s Deli and Luckie’s Liquor. A spirited nightlife scene at Center Bar and R Bar rounds out the Live! experience. The property offers more than 15,000-square-feet of customizable meeting and event space, as well as ample, secure parking. Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia was developed and remains owned and managed by Stadium Casino RE, LLC, an affiliate of The Cordish Companies, the premier developer of Live! dining, entertainment, gaming, hotel and sports-anchored destinations in the country. For reservations, call 1-833-472-5483 or visit Philadelphia.LiveCasinoHotel.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – @livecasinophl