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 Welcome to the Hard Knocks Arena, New York, where SPNY brings you their midweek fight card featuring Tomi Atomi’s 3rd defence of his Welterweight Title with tonight’s opponent Bradley Boston. Earlier on the card John Kyle Romo attempts to prove he deserves another shot at Atomi by defeating Also Zarathustra.
Main Event: Welterweight Title
Tomi Atomi (c) 20-5-1 (5-0-1 SPNY) vs Bradley Boston 15-8-2 (3-0 SPNY)
Atomi remains undefeated since joing SPNY and tonight makes his 3rd title defence. Atomi has quickly become a fan favourite with 3 fight of the night and one submission of the night award in his 6 SPNY fights; expect the crowd to be very vocal in his favour when he steps into the cage. Atomi will want to fight this one on the ground, being a far superior grappler to Boston and hoping that black belt vs purple belt will mean that he can make Boston the 9th submission win of his career.
After a long and inconsistent career with the now defunct MMM Elite org, Boston has arrived at SPNY and has now claimed a 4 fight winning streak to set up his title challenge. Tonight represents a big test for this prolific striker as he is on the wrong end of a 5 inch reach disadvantage. To win this fight Boston will have to move in close to Atomi and the need to come forward to land a strike will leave him exposed to Atomi’s strong takedown offence. Also against Boston tonight is that he has only managed to knock out an opponent in 1 of his last 18 fights.
Boston has reinvented himself since joining SPNY and fully deserves his shot at the title tonight; however, I just can’t see a way for him to claim the crown. A huge reach disadvantage will count against him badly as he tries to strike his way to a win, while he has the fitness and skills to outscore Atomi he does not have the power to put Atomi away. Over the course of a 5 round fight Atomi will get him to the ground where he will use his far superior grappling to find a finish. Atomi by submission in the 4th.
2: Welterweight
John Kyle Romo 24-9 (6-2 SPNY) vs Also Zarathustra 20-13 (1-0 SPNY)
Former champion Romo is a knockout specialist and desperate to prove that he is still the No. 1 contender for another shot at the title the Tomi Atomi took from him. His SPNY tenure has seen him become a big favourite with the local crowd, with 3 fight of the night and 2 knockout of the night performances in his 8 SPNY fights. Look for him to use his 2 inch reach advantage to keep this at range and use his lethal kicks to work for the knockout.
Zarathustra is relatively new to SPNY but brings with him a reputation for being a dominant grappler. I expect him to struggle tonight as he struggles defensively against kick boxers and Romo is a Muay Thai specialist. He may have a significant advantage if he can take this fight to the ground, but I don’t know that he has the ability to score a takedown over Romo without taking significant punishment first.
Romo to win this one by KO in the 1st.
3: Super Heavyweight
Abdullah Goldenberg 9-11 (1-1 SPNY) vs Jin Woo Kim 4-1 (1-1 SPNY)
Two of the Super Heavyweight division newcomers enter the cage for this one. Goldenberg is an amazing boxer who has little else to offer; never throws kicks, has no offence in the clinch, can throw some ground and pound from the top but has no takedown. Expect him to throw vicious combinations that will likely decapitate Kim if they land, but don’t expect him to fight with a sensible, well rounded game plan.
22 year old Kim represents one of the hottest prospects for the future that SPNY has to offer. Very good jujitsu is being supplemented with an improving stand up technique, and tonight if he can avoid the wildly swinging arms of Goldenberg has a solid takedown to gain the dominant position. Once on the ground watch for a few strikes to force Goldenberg on the defensive before he locks in a submission.
Goldenberg seems to be the favourite based on the rankings but unless he connects early I see him on his back and being submitted early in this one. Kim by submission in the 1st.
4: Light Heavyweight
Johnny Thunders 18-7 (11-5 SPNY) vs Bobby Tupperill 20-20 (SPNY Debut)
This Light Heavyweight bout matches SPNY old boy Johnny Thunders against an SPNY debutant in Bobby Tuperill. Thunders is a solid kick boxer who despite a successful career has never really mastered any of the other arts. Look for him to use his far superior striking to attempt to win this one, although he will have to over come a 5 inch reach disadvantage to do so.
To say Thunders relies heavily on his kick boxing to win matches is nothing compared to the reliance of Tupperill on his jujitsu and submission skills, all 20 of his career wins have been by submission, and he barely throws a strike while on his feet or in the clinch. While he has good takedown skills, on the nights when he has struggled to get the fight to the ground he has been on the receiving end of some brutal beatings; with his basic striking skills it is like he can’t fight back.
Tupperill only stands a chance if he gets it to the ground quickly, Thunders knows that and will be ready to stuff the take down. While clinch fighting isn’t usually Thunders’ modus operandi, it is Tuperill’s biggest weakness; he struggles to break the clinch and his takedowns from the clinch are very poor compared to from range. Thunders by KO in the first.
5: Light Heavyweight
Jason Krutcher 27-15 (1-3 SPNY) vs Jason Gambit 13-11 (0-2 SPNY)
In a striker vs grappler match up, Krutcher will be looking to turn around his recent poor form by standing and banging, he will back his 19 career KO record against Gambit who has been knocked out 7 times in his career to date. Gambit comes off a 3 fight losing streak, but will be hoping to take this to ground and be the first fighter to ever submit the veteran Krutcher; Gambit’s last 5 wins have all be by submission.
I fancy Gambit to land his takedown early in this one and work for either the ground KO or a submission. I’m not sure he has the ability to finish Krutcher but I would back him to grind out a decision win tonight.
6: Lightweight
Arturro Affi 13-5-1 (SPNY Debut) vs Amazing Game 10-10-1 (0-0-1 SPNY)
Australian born boxing specialist Affi will be looking to make a big impression on his SPNY debut against grinding wrestler Game. If Affi can avoid the takedown his superior striking skills will easily outpoint Game on the judge’s scorecards, but I don’t know if he has the KO power to finish this. Whilst the rest of his style is rather dull, Game does possess some of the more skilful takedowns I’ve witnessed, and if he gets the top position he has the ability to grind out a win here tonight; however, he must be careful on the ground against brown belt Affi.
I’m not a fan of Game’s style, so I will be cheering for the man from down under. I expect this to go the distance and finish very close but I’d expect Affi to win.
7: Heavyweight
Madz Ladz 5-3 (3-3 SPNY) vs Mamoru Takamura 5-6 (SPNY Debut)
Ladz is an amazing wrestler with brutal ground and pound, the crowd love him but as yet he is yet to round out his skills and in the 6 fights of his I have watched I don’t remember him throwing a single strike while standing. That could be a very dangerous tactic to use against sprawl and brawl specialist Takamura, whilst Ladz may get the takedown watch for Takamura to brutalise him with strikes before he gets there. On Ladz’s side is that while Takamura has KO power he doesn’t have a great chin and has lost 6 of his last 7 fights, the last 3 by KO; if Ladz can get the fight to the ground he will probably get the finish. But in Takamura’s favour is that he could very well knock Ladz out before the fight hits the ground.
I see Ladz getting this fight to the ground and finishing it with a solid KO in the 1st to add to his rapidly building reputation.
8: Welterweight
Kadian Aitkens 5-5 (0-1 SPNY) vs Shane Richards 15-9 (0-2 SPNY)
Two fighters looking for their first win since joining SPNY meet in this Welterweight fight. Aitkens is boxer with a solid knock out punch in his right hand, Richards a kick boxer who is more likely to grind out a decision using a high work rate. While Aitkens has lost his first SPNY fight, Richards has lost 4 of his last 5 and I don’t see him throwing off that poor form tonight.
Aitkens by KO in the 2nd.
9: Featherweight
Nicholas Diaz 0-1 (0-1 SPNY) vs Gawain Orucai 0-3 (0-1 SPNY)
Barring a draw, one of these two young men will have their first professional win tonight. In his debut, Diaz fought bravely but was out grappled and out scored by a better wrestler. Orucai to date has lacked the aggression needed from a professional fighter, whilst he has shown a solid chin he needs to work on his tactics because he seems to just stand and take punches.
This could easily go either way; Diaz in my mind has the attitude to win a decision but not the talent to finish the fight. Orucai I feel has the skill advantage but not the tactical ability. Gut feeling is that the 8 rounds Orucai has fought compared to the 3 of Diaz may give Orucai the ability to get his first win tonight.
10: Featherweight
William Harrison 1-0 (SPNY Debut) vs Keenan Miao (Professional Debut)
When kick boxer Harrison pulled guard to get a late submission win in his pro debut no-one seemed more surprised than him. He seemed desperate for a finish but was comfortably winning the scorecards in my mind. He goes up against debutant Miao tonight and I see him easily getting the win. While Miao has a good training camp I don’t feel he has the grounding in any martial art to give him an advantage. I expect much the same as we saw in Harrison’s first fight, which will easily outscore Miao.
The question for me isn’t will Harrison win, it is will Harrison be able to find the knock out he will need if he is to compete at the top level. Harrison by decision.
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