Philadelphia, PA- Junior welterweights Victor Padilla, of Berlin, NJ, and Romain Tomas, of Brooklyn, NY, will square off in the main event Friday evening, Oct. 4, at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia.

The eight-bout card, labeled Blood, Sweat & 50 Years, will celebrate the Golden Anniversary of Peltz Boxing Promotions. The card is being promoted by Raging Babe (Michelle Rosado) with J Russell Peltz serving as the matchmaker. First bout 7:30 p.m.

Going old-school on this one, Peltz has scheduled the Padilla-Tomas fight for six rounds, harking back to the first two decades of the 20th century when all main events in Pennsylvania were limited to that distance.

The 20-year-old Padilla, originally from Vieques, Puerto Rico, is a southpaw with speed and power. He has won all five of his fights by first-round knockout. In fact, he has only been in the ring for a total of six minutes, 29 seconds, in those five contests. Although none of his five opponents had a winning record when he fought them-their combined mark was 17-29-1 at the time-Padilla still is considered one of the best young pros on the East Coast. He is promoted by Lou DiBella’s DiBella Entertainment.

The 30-year-old Tomas is originally from Emerainville in the Seine-et-Marne region of France, outside Paris. He brings an 8-2 record into the fight with Padilla. Tomas is coming off his biggest career win, a six-round decision over previously unbeaten (7-0) Omar Bordoy in Bordoy’s nearby backyard of Hampton, NH.

“Some of the greatest fighters of all-time appeared in hundreds of six-round main events during those 20 years at the turn of the last century,” said promoter J Russell Peltz. “In my 50 years in boxing, this marks the first time I have been involved with a six-round main event. When you’ve never done something before, often that is the best reason for doing it.

“Hall-of-Fame champions like Jack Johnson and Benny Leonard boxed six-round main events in Philadelphia during those years,” said Peltz. “How about Stanley Ketchell vs. Sam Langford or Joe Gans taking on Jack Blackburn? I would have loved to have seen those battles. Lew Tendler, Abe Attell, Terrible Terry McGovern, Rocky Kansas, Philadelphia Jack O’Brien. Philadelphia was the boxing capital of the country and six-round main events was the norm.

“I’m an old-school kind of guy so this is going to be fun for me. This represents the past and Padilla vs. Tomas will give us a peek into the future.”

The undercard is topped by three additional six-round rematches.

Junior middleweights Roque Zapata, of Culpeper, VA, and Isaiah Wise, of North Philadelphia, meet in a rematch of their 2016 at the 2300 Arena, won by Zapata via majority four-round decision, the first loss of Wise’ career.

Zapata (6-2-4) also defeated Fred Jenkins, Jr., early in 2017 over six rounds in the same ring. Wise (7-2-1, 4 K0s) last boxed 10 months ago when he knocked out Andy Gonzales, of Worcester, MA, at the 2300 Arena.

Junior welterweights Gerardo Martinez, of Coatesville, PA, and Osnel Charles, of Atlantic City, collide in the other six-round rematch.

Martinez (4-1, 1 K0) earned a four-round majority decision over Charles (13-19-1, 2 K0s) at the 2300 Arena. While Martinez has been idle since, Charles picked up a four-round points victory in June over Laquan Lewis, of Brooklyn, NY, at the Parx Casino in Bensalem, PA.

North Philadelphia welterweight Marcel Rivers (7-1, 4 K0s) will fight in a six round contest.

Four-rounders scheduled for Oct. 4 include: Shinard Bunch, of Trenton, NJ, vs. Rakym Dyer, of South Philadelphia, welterweights; Christopher Burgos, North Philadelphia, vs. Tyree Arnold, North Philadelphia, junior welterweights; Vinnie Denierio, Elmira, NY, vs. Seifullah Wise, North Philadelphia, lightweights.

Lightweight Shamar Fulton, of North Philadelphia, also will appear in a four-round contest.

Tickets to “Peltz Boxing 50th Anniversary Celebration” are priced $50, $70 and $90. They can be purchased online at www.2300arena.com or by calling 215-758-2173 and/or 215-765-0922. Doors open at 6:30 pm and first bout is at 7:30 pm. Credential applications are due by Sept 20 and can be requested at ragingbabe.com/credentials. Blood, Sweat & 50 Years is brought to you by Rocco’s Collision and Cricket Wireless.

ATLANTIC CITY (JUNE 12, 2017) — This past Saturday, welterweight Thomas LaManna won an eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Carlos Winston Velasquez that headlined a card at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City.

The show was the 8th consecutive capacity capacity crowd promoted by Rising Promotions at the Claridge

LaManna dominated the action with power shots that he landed behind a long jab throughout the contest. Velasquez was game as he took a lot of shots and landed an occasional power shot. LaManna sealed the deal in the final round when he landed a flush 4-punch combination that put Velasquez on the canvas.

LaManna of Millville, NJ won on all cards by scores of 80-71 to raise his mark to 23-2. Velasquez falls to 24-29-2.

“Velasquez was tough and durable,”said LaManna following the fight.

“I needed this fight, and now I would like to fight Kermit Cintron if he should win his fight with Tyrone Brunson on June 24th. Maybe he will stop ducking me, I want to fight a big name like Cintron, Zab Judah or a rematch with Dusty Harrison. We at Rising Promotions will be back here at the Claridge on August for our 9th event.”

Anthony Young won a eight-round unanimous decision over George Sosa in an entertaining welterweight contest.

Young was extremely active as he landed hard combinations with Sosa landing an occasional hard shot to the head.

Young of Atlantic City won by scores of 80-72 twice and 80-71 to raise his mark to 17-2. Sosa of Reading, PA is 15-9.

Donald Smith remained undefeated by winning a four round unanimous decision over Sidell Blocker in super featherweight bout.

Smith of Philadelphia won on all cards 40-36, and is now 5-0. Blocker of Pleasantville, NJ is 1-8-1.

Chris Thomas and Oscar Valdez battled to a four round majority draw in a middleweight contest.

Thomas of Beachwood, NJ took a card 39-37, while two judges saw it even at 38-38.

Thomas is now 6-0-1. Valdez of Batesville, ARK is 1-2-1.

Gabriel Pham won a six round unanimous decision over Edgar Perez in a light heavyweight bout.

Pham won on all cards 60-54 and is now 9-1. Perez of Chicago is 7-21.

Tomas Romain won a four round unanimous decision over Lamont White in a lightweight bout.

Romain of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37, and is now 3-1. White of Washington, DC is now 1-8.

Elijah Vines remained perfect with a 3rd round stoppage over Harry Tyrone Paige in a scheduled four round junior middleweight bout.

In round one, Vines dropped Paige with a perfect right hook. In round three, Vines dropped Paige with a right to the body. Paige got to his feet, but his corner pulled the plug at 1:42.

Vines of Philadelphia is 4-0 with 4 knockouts. Paige of Batesville, ARK is 0-5.

Frederick Julan stopped Jose Valderrama in the 6th and final round of their light heavyweight bout.

Julan dropped Valderrama in round six with a body shot. Julan finished off the when he dropped Valderrama for a 2nd time with a right hook to the head, and the fight was stopped at 1:17.

Julan of Brooklyn, NY is 5-0 with three knockouts. Valderrama of Manati, PR is 5-20.

Dan Pasciolla and LeMarcus Tucker battled to a majority draw in a rematch of Heavyweights.

In round one, Pasciolla began to bleed from his nostrils.

Pasciolla took a card 58-56. That was overruled by 57-57 scores.

Pasciolla of Brick, NJ is 9-2-3. Tucker of Batesville, ARK is 4-2-1.

Photo by Matthew Heasley