Latest News

Click here to see the original article

LOCKPORT — It took just three rounds for Lockport’s Amer Abdallah to earn a TKO victory over his opponent Saturday night in Abdallah’s quest to regain one of his former kickboxing titles.

That opponent, Scott Muller of Shreveport, La., was unable to continue into round four of their Eastern United States Kickboxing Light Heavyweight championship fight at the Kenan Center Arena.

This after three bruising rounds in which Abdallah’s relentless series of kicks rendered Muller’s legendary “left hook” virtually useless.

The victory raises Abdallah’s record to a perfect 9-0.

The Lockport fighter’s next quest is the National Championship, which could put him in a position for a world title fight.

A training injury suffered by Abdallah led to the postponement of the original fight against Muller back March 20.

Abdallah earned this title match with impressive knockout victories over Cleveland’s Jesse Colone in April of 2009 and Donnie Pendleton the following August. Both fights were held at the Kenan Arena.

Another Lockport favorite, Corey Webster, earned a first-round knockout victory over Pat Pytlick of London, Ontario, Canada.

Among those attending the fight was former professional heavyweight contender, Team Abdallah member “Baby” Joe Mesi.

Click here to see the original article

LOCKPORT — Former U.S. Light Heavyweight Champion Amer Abdallah (8-0) takes on Scott Muller (13-2) for the title at 7 p.m. this Saturday at the Kenan Center Arena.

Abdallah earned this title match with impressive knockout victories over Cleveland’s Jesse Colone in April 2009 and Donnie Pendleton the following August.

The majority of Abdallah’s training for the fight card titled, “Redemption” is taking place at his Lockport Athletic & Fitness Club, with other local clubs being used for sparring.

Abdallah has a huge endorsement with the support of former No. 1-ranked world heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi, who’s expected to be ringside on Saturday night.

A training injury led to the postponement of the original Abdallah/Muller fight night on March 20.

Also on the Kenan fight card is Lockport’s Corey Webster, who’s coming off a Silver Medal finish at the New York State Golden Gloves Tournament. He’ll take on Canadian champion Pat Pytlick.

The Local Edge, formerly the Talking Phone Book, is the major sponsor of the event, along with ADPRO Sports.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with the opening bell scheduled for 7 p.m.

Click here to see the original article

Light heavyweight Seeks WKA Title March 20 at the Kenan Arena

By John D’Onofrio

LOCKPORT — Lockport’s Amer Abdallah will get his first opportunity to reclaim his World Kickboxing Association East Coast Light Heavyweight title on March 20 at the Kenan Center Arena.

After back-to-back impressive knockout victories over Cleveland’s Jesse Colone (April 25, 2009) and Milwaukee’s Donnie Pendelton (Aug. 1, 2009), Abdallah (8-0) will fight Scott Muller, 32, of Arkansas (13-2).

Also on the card is three-time Golden Gloves champion Lockport heavyweight Mike Ford and respected local fighter and trainer middleweight Corey Webster of Lockport.

Muller, a former member of the U.S. National Kickboxing Team, is known as a hard-hitting light heavyweight, knocking out the majority (11) of his opponents.

“We know he can hit and that’s fine. The question is how he’ll react when he gets hit,” said Abdallah’s head trainer Juan Deleon.

Team Abdallah opened camp in mid-January, giving them nine weeks to prepare for the mega fight. Heading up camp is longtime trainer Deleon (former Baby Joe Mesi trainer), strength and conditioning coach Gina Nowak and manager Lizz Bouchard.

“Thanks to Juan, Gina and the amazing Dr. Briarley, my body feels stronger than ever before,” Abdallah said.

“March 20th will be a glorious night for Lockport and the stage where we bring the title back home.”

Both Webster and Ford are expected to sign with Lace Up Promotions, Team Abdallah’s new promotions company, later this month.

“Mike’s been away from the scene for eight years now and is working hard to get his timing, speed and power back. He’s a natural athlete and will have no problem doing that,” Abdallah said.

Added Ford, “I’m happy to be back home in the Team Abdallah stable and perform in front of my community once again. I want to make Lockport proud of me.”

Special guests for the Kenan Arena event will include Mesi, former featherweight world champion Orlando Cruz and several other local professional athletes.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with the opening bell scheduled for 7 p.m.

Click here to see the original article

Lockport’s Amer Abdallah KOs Milwaukee’s Donnie Pendelton in the First Round, Highlighting Historic Fight Night Downtown

By John D’Onofrio

LOCKPORT — Lockport’s Amer Abdallah made short, quick work of his challenger on Saturday night, knocking out Milwaukee’s Donnie Pendleton in 2:45 of the first round in the main event of “Downtown Throwdown” at the Ulrich Centre.

With thousands on hand watching the largest professional fight card in Lock City history, Abdallah improved to 8-0 as a light heavyweight kickboxer, dominating Pendelton in the short, but sweet main event.

Lockport’s Corey Webster, Mike Moyer, Richard Zang and Pat Thompson also earned victories.

The historic night also included a salute to Lockport boxing legends Billy “Little Red” Hackmer, “Tough” Tony Ventura and “The Fighting School Teacher” Tommy Hicks, who watched the fight ringside, along with several other prominent Lockportians, including Mayor Michael Tucker, developer Dave Ulrich, attorney George V. Muscato and several other fight night sponsors.

Near-perfect weather played host to nine bouts in all.

Abdallah’s scheduled five-round battle with Pendelton lasted just 165 seconds. The former national light heavyweight champion Abdallah landed several leg and punch combinations before Pendelton landed his first blow.

A thunderous right roundhouse to the body brought a wincing Pendelton to one knee. He managed to get up before referee Joe Pagan finished his 10-count and wished to continue. Abdallah moved in for the kill after that, dropping the challenger for the final time with a left-right combination.

Pendelton, who dropped to 26-6 as a pro, suffered a rib injury and had difficulty breathing after the fight, prompting ringside physician Dr. Margaret Libby to call for an ambulance.

“Our fight plan was ‘kill the body and the head will fall.’ He came out swinging and brawling, but we neutralized him with stiff jabs and laid him out as planned,” said Abdallah after the fight.

“After I dropped him the first time, I knew he was (hurt), so I stood right in front of him. Then a right hand went through his guard and hit him right in the temple. The body shots had more of an effect, I think. That was his excuse to get out of there.”

Abdallah’s second straight impressive victory brings him a step even closer to a title shot. He plans to fight again Oct. 17 in Syracuse and will return to fight at Lockport’s Kenan Center Arena on March 13, “hopefully for a championship,” he said.

Meanwhile, Webster, a mixed martial arts instructor, earned multiple victories, both in the ring and out. Webster dominated his middleweight bout against fellow MMA instructor Curtis Tillman of Syracuse, knocking out Tillman in 2:38 of the third round.

Webster, who was greeted by a standing ovation from the partisan Lock City crowd, was aggressive from the start, winning the first two rounds easily. In the third, Webster finished off a battered Tillman, as referee Rob D’Angelo stepped in mercifully to end it.

“It did mean a lot to me, coming off a loss,” said Webster, who trains fighters at Abdallah’s Town of Lockport gym.

“It was nice coming back with a win like this.”

Three of Webster’s stable of fighters, Zang, Moyer and Thompson, also earned impressive victories.

Zang defeated Paul Dowdy of Hamilton in their three-round middleweight fight, Moyer won a close fight by decision over fellow light heavyweight Randy Brown of Canandaigua and Thompson won by forfeit.

“Richard works harder than anyone in the gym,” Webster said.

“It was great to see him come out on top. Mike fought well also. I can’t wait to see the video.”

Other fight night winners were lightweight Tyler Clark of Buffalo, heavyweight Dave Shilt of Hamilton, welterweight Tenk Ageyman of Syracuse, lightweight Marcia Moon of Liverpool and middleweight Kassine Omar of Buffalo.

Clark won by decision over Lockport’s Jason Pettitte, Shilt earned a knockout win over Lockport’s Munkis Shmay in 1:15 of the first round, Moon beat Lockport’s Becky Morris, Omar beat Lockport’s Eric Plumeri by decision; and in a battle of unbeatens, Ageyman earned a decision win over Lockport’s Matt Harrison.

Downtown Throwdown was taped by Lockport Community Television, with broadcasters Jim Slowey and Danny Sheehan calling the action.

Click here to see the original article

Ulrich Center Downtown Will Host City’s Biggest Fight Card Ever, Outdoors, on Aug. 1

By John D’Onofrio

LOCKPORT — If “The Duke of Lockport” were alive today, he’d probably be the first in line to buy tickets for the largest outdoor boxing card in Western New York history on Aug. 1 at the Ulrich City Centre, downtown. Then again, he’d probably be interested in climbing back in the ring and being a part of it all.

After all, Jimmy Duffy, a former Niagara County sheriff’s deputy, was the first Lock City pugilist — and certainly not the last — to garner national attention in the sport known as “The Sweet Science.”

Over the years, Duffy, a Buffalo Boxing Hall of Famer, has been followed in this community by several other boxing greats who reached the pinnacle of their sport and helped earn this community the nickname of “The Boxing City” in many national circles.

Legends such as Duffy, Tommy Hicks, Tony Ventura, Johnny Taylor and Pat Cuillo paved the way for today’s premier Lockport professional kickboxer and promoter, Amer Abdallah, whose local fight cards have attracted thousands to the Kenan Center Arena.

Abdallah, a former national champion who resumed his light heavyweight kickboxing career with a knockout victory last April, will compete in the main event of “The Downtown Throwdown,” along with more than a half dozen other Lockport kickboxers competing in the undercards.

“Aside from this being the first outdoor event, we’re also taking a new approach in having a Lockport fighter in every bout,” said Abdallah’s wife and business manager Liz Bouchard. “It will be a huge night for Lockport.”

Lockport developer Dave Ulrich, who was joined at Monday’s press conference by Abdallah, prominent Lockport attorney George V.C. Muscato and Lockport Mayor Michael Tucker, said the outdoor fight card is the first of its kind in this area.

“After attending the last fight card and witnessing what a great job Amer and Liz did, both promoting and putting on a premier event in our city, it inspired me to try and contribute to an even larger event,” said Ulrich, one of Lockport’s most successful businessmen whose downtown City Centre is the sight of numerous community events, including the summer-long Molson Concert Series.

“The City Centre is a perfect place to hold such an event — and one to our knowledge that will be the biggest outdoor fight card in Western New York history.”

While the Kenan struggled at times to hold the thousands of local fight fans who have faithfully attended Abdallah fight cards for the past decade, seating at the Ulrich Centre shouldn’t be a problem, with a capacity of nearly 24,000.

“We expect them to be hanging from the rafters,” Ulrich added.

Muscato, a highly-respected Lockport attorney for the past four decades, said he’s got two great reasons for getting on board as a fight night co-sponsor.

“My father’s cousins, Joe and Phil Muscato of Hamburg, were two of the greatest boxers ever to come out of Western New York,” Muscato said.

“The City Centre is one of the best things to happen downtown. It attracts a lot of people from all different life situations. I thought it would make a great entertainment venue for boxing, so I decided to be a part of it.”

Mayor Tucker, who also attended the last Kenan fight card, said he’s equally excited.

“I’m sure this event will be very well attended. The past fight cards I’ve attended have been very well organized and very exciting to watch. This should be bigger and better than all of them.”

Abdallah, who’s expected to announce his Downtown Throwdown opponent within the next week, said he’s honored to have prominent Lockportians like Muscato and Ulrich involved.

“George has had his practice in Lockport for a long time and has always been community minded. I’m honored to have George on board and am humbled by his ongoing support,” Abdallah said.

“The last fight (April 25 knockout victory over Cleveland’s Jesse Colone) was the most emotionally draining battle I’ve ever had. Aside from the physical preparation for the bout, the emotional hurdles were colossal. Seeing my community supporting me in bigger numbers than ever gave me so much pride. This is the next step. I have to bring this championship back home and Aug. 1 will be one more step in that direction.”