Lockport’s Lockport’s Amer Abdallah will defend his national light heavyweight title against T.J. Gibson of Duluth, MN.
By John D’Onofrio
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
LOCKPORT — The anticipation is so high, you can almost taste it.
Lockport’s Amer Abdallah will defend his national American Kickboxing Association light heavyweight championship tonight against T.J. Gibson of Duluth, Minn. in the main event of an eight-card professional fight card at Lockport’s Kenan Center Arena.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with the first fight beginning at about 7 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door.
Lockport Mayor Michael Tucker was among the local dignitaries on hand at Friday night’s official fight night weigh-in at Finnan’s Bar & Grill on Lincoln Avenue.
Gibson (14-2) said he’s been treated well since he first arrived in Western New York.
“I don’t know too much about him,” Gibson said of Abdallah, who remains undefeated as a professional at 11-0. “I’m just a knockout artist. I’ve knocked out just about everybody I’ve boxed.”
The Abdallah-Gibson fight is scheduled for 10 rounds, as is the co-main event, a battle between Muzzamal Nawaz and Shannon Hudson for the WAKO Inter-Continental Championship.
Among other locals on tonight’s fight card are former Starpoint football player and wrestler Kyle Gibas, who will take on Canada’s Jessie James in a three-round heavyweight bout. Gibas (2-2) weighed in at 209 pounds.
“ When I first started, I just go thrown into the ring. Now, working with Corey Webster, I’ve learned to be more patient and not just go wild out there,” Gibas said.
Weighing in at 175 pounds was Lockport’s karate great Brian Irr, who just got back from last week’s United States Open International Karate Championships in Las Vegas, where he shined.
Irr, 2-0 as a pro kickboxer, placed second in the international North American Cup karate competition, then helped Team USA Karate place first, beating teams that included Bosnia, Kosovo, Mexico, Peru, Canada and Germany.
“I know we’ve got karate backgrounds. We’re both tall and long we both like to kick,” Irr said of his opponent tonight, Sean Connor of Canada.
Other three-round bouts scheduled are Pat Thompson against A.J. Babour (cruiserweight), Tom Marlus versus Brian Macinanti (light heavyweight), Kassine OMar versus Justin Holden (super middleweight) and Chris Greig against Kevin Van Nostrandi (welterweight).
