First-ever Lock City outdoor professional boxing card tentatively scheduled for Ulrich Center on Aug. 1.
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By John D’Onofrio
LOCKPORT — With one snap of his left leg, light heavyweight kickboxer Amer Abdallah answered a lot of questions on Saturday night.
Away from the professional ring for four years, Abdallah opened his comeback career with an impressive, fifth-round technical knockout victory over Cleveland’s Jesse Colone at the Kenan Center Arena.
The largest crowd in local boxing history — estimated at between 2,000 and 2,500 — was on hand to support not only Lockport’s Abdallah, but several other local fighters on the eight-bout card.
The success of the fight card prompted Abdallah and city businessman Dave Ulrich to strike a tentative deal on the city’s first ever outdoor professional card at the Ulrich Center on Aug. 1.
“This was the best show ever, in terms of turnout, community support and the way the show ran. My wife, Lizz — she didn’t miss a beat. I had so many compliments on the show from business owners who asked if they could help sponsor our next event,” Abdallah said.
“It was a great community experience. The CEO of The Talking Phone Book, Jeff Folckemer, was so impressed he bought pizza and nachos for the whole place. It was a stunning turnout — the biggest I’ve ever seen.”
Abdallah improved to 7-0 by dominating Colone in their light heavyweight main event, which was sanctioned by the World Kickboxing Association and the New York State Athletic Commission.
“It was so awkward fighting him,” Abdallah said of Colone, 28, who gave up several inches in height.
“I never fought anybody as short as he was. I had problems kicking him. A lot of my kicks were flying over his head. But we made adjustments in the corner and that wasn’t much of a problem after the second or third round.”
Abdallah, 31, looked typically poised, confident and in tremendous physical shape, as referee Joe Pagan of Fredonia issued final instructions. When asked if he had any final questions, Abdallah told one official, “Can you count to 10?”
At the sound of the bell, Abdallah came out and immediately began working the body with a series of thunderous leg kicks. He went to the head successfully occasionally, but stuck to leg kicks to the body, which found their mark from the start.
He continued his body assault in the second and third, then as Colone started dropping his gloves to protect his body, Abdallah went upstairs like a technician and slowly, but surely, took him out.
“My game plan was simple,” Abdallah said. “My plan was ‘beat the body and the head will fall.’ He started protecting his ribs more, then (Abdallah trainer) Andrew (Heron) kept saying, ‘hold your kicks to the head until the fourth round.”
By that time, Abdallah was comfortably ahead on points and poised to win the fight by a unanimous decision.
However, Abdallah, a former state and national champion, gave the crowd its money worth with a knockout finish. He bloodied his challenger with a hard right hand in the fourth, then midway through the fifth, sent him to the floor with a sweeping left leg kick to the head that had the crowd on its feet for good. Colone beat the 10-count and rose to his feet, but he looked out of it. Abdallah stepped in to finish him off, as Pagan mercifully stopped the fight at 1:42 of the fifth.
Abdallah said his right hand and feet were a little sore after the fight from the blows he delivered, but added that remains in great shape.
“My wife said I’m still pretty,” he quipped.
Colone, who dropped to 13-3, said he hoped to fight Abdallah again in the future.
“He kicks real good. He was a good opponent,” said Colone,
Lockport martial arts instructor Corey Webster lost a three-round majority decision to Canadian Provincial Middleweight Champion Jesse Ronson of London, Ontario, in his middleweight comeback bid, but Webster had a lot to be proud of with the strong performances of his Western New York MMA stable.
Two of three fighters trained by Webster, Lockport’s Eric Plumeri, a middleweight; and welterweight Matt Harrison, were victorious. Plumeri earned a unanimous three-round decision win over Josh Fitzimmons of Hamilton, Ontario, and Harrison earned a three-round majority decision over Buffalo’s Tyler Clark.
“Corey was my main sparring part for this fight,” Abdallah said. “He’s the best. I’m so proud of him.”
Other fight night winners were cruiserweight Kassine Omar Cass of Buffalo, lightweight Chris Kyle of Liverpool, light heavyweight Jason Colone of Cleveland; and lightweight Kim Andrello of Liverpool.
