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Lockport Native Amer Abdallah Defends his WKA Cruiserweight Championship

By John D’Onofrio
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

Ethan McCarthy didn’t need to travel 3,401 miles to find a “pub,” but that’s exactly where the Englishman found himself on Friday night, weighing in, literally, on the opportunity of a lifetime.

McCarthy (23-4), accompanied by his experienced trainers Steve East and Steve Moffatt, weighed in at the Lockport Pub for tonight’s World Kickboxing Association Cruiserweight championship bout against Lockport native Amer Abdallah (17-0), at the Kenan Arena.

“This is something I’ve done from a young age that I liked and just kept doing,” said McCarthy, 23, who’s making his third trip to the U.S. from his hometown of South Shields, near Newcastle. McCarthy is a member of the Kuei-Ling Kickboxing Club in South Shields and has been training in his sport since the age of 15.

“I can’t wait,” McCarthy said. “He’s a good kicker and moves well and looks strong, so I’ve got to box clever and fight ‘our fight,’ not the way he wants to.”

McCarthy weighed in at 187.2 pounds and the WKA world champion Abdallah, 39, at 189.4 pounds.

Meanwhile, several other fighters in the Abdallah stable also weighed in Friday night. They included professional light heavyweight Joe Taylor and middleweight Erick Plumeri of Lockport and Buffalo’s outstanding Ayanna Tremont.

Taylor — 1-0 as a kickboxer and 1-0 in MMA — weighed in at 188.8 pounds. He’ll take on Rochester’s Nathan McClain, who weighed in at 187.6, in a professional five-round kickboxing bout.

“I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life,” Taylor said. “I dedicate this fight, like I always do, to my father, Johnnie Taylor, and to everyone who supports me.”

“The Candy Man” Plumeri said he knows what to expect from his opponent, journeyman Whitney Wadell of Florida.

“He’s more of a karate guy — everyone I fight usually is. I’ve got better hands than most people,” he said, adding that he dedicated this fight to his entire family, especially his daughter, Zaria. Plumeri weighed in at 161.8 pounds.

Tremont, who’s fighting out of Lockport native Corey Webster’s Western New York MMA gym in Buffalo, weighed in at 170.2 pounds. The Kenmore West schoolteacher and Lace Up Promotions Women’s Middleweight champion Tremont will defend her title against Syracuse’s Tania Marchall.

Also attending the weigh-ins on Friday were the two combatants in another highly-anticipated rematch that pits “Baby” Joe Mesi’s nephew, Tyler Mesi of Buffalo, against Lockport’s Tyler Rodier. Rodier won by a close decision when the two battled at the Kenan last year.

Mesi, accompanied by his father, Tom Mesi, and grandfather, Jack Mesi, weighed in at 159.2 pounds. Rodier weighed in at 161.6 pounds.

Among the many sponsors of tonight’s fight card are Mulvey Construction, All Metal Works, KJ Motorsports, MJ Flooring, Executive Landscaping, Jays Auto Sales, Niagara Gutter, Pizza Oven and Centimark Roofing.

McCarthy’s main sponsors are North East Refurbishments Ltd., Gary Tuck Workshops, Hanson Wealth, Paul Davis Aerials and Carmeleon Concepts. Kuei-Ling Kickboxing Club is based at 40 Maxwell St., South Shields, UK.

Photo Above
England’s Ethan McCarthy, left, and Lockport native Amer Abdullah pose Friday night at the Lockport Pub after weighing in for tonight’s World Kickboxing Association Cruiserweight Championship bout at the Kenan Center Arena. McCarthy, 23, is the No. 1 contender for the WKA title Abdullah captured last May. It’s the first professional world title defense for the undefeated Abdullah, 39. McCarthy weighed in at 187.2 pounds and Abdullah at 189.4.

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Abdallah Defends His WKA Championship Saturday at Kenan Arena

By John D’Onofrio
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

It’s “youth versus experience” this Saturday night at the Lockport Kenan Center Arena when World Kickboxing Association Cruiserweight Champion Amer Abdallah defends his title against European Champion Nathan McCarthy.

Both training camps said they’re confident of victory. It’s Abdallah’s first defense of the world title he captured last May at the Kenan, knocking out England’s Dan Hughes before a standing-room-only crowd.

McCarthy is a member of the Kuei-Ling Kickboxing Club in South Shields and has been training in his sport since the age of 15.

“I’ve competed in different countries before, but never outside of Europe,” McCarthy told the Shields Gazette. “It’s not very often that you get a chance to go to America to fight, so this is quite a big deal. This is the biggest thing to happen to me in my career. It’s just massive.”

The Lockport native Abdallah said this time around, he’s not just fighting the No. 1 contender from Newcastle, England, but also “Father Time.” At 23 years of age, McCarthy (23-4) is 16 years younger than the undefeated Abdallah (17-0) and also four inches taller at 6-feet, 4-inches.

“His youth, height, aggressiveness won’t be a factor in this fight,” Abdallah said. “You will see me at my sharpest and watch me take this English lad to school.”

McCarthy said after watching tapes on the Lockport native, he’s confident he’s developed a winning strategy.

“We’ve seen key things in watching Amer fight, where we’re confident we will be able to defeat him,” McCarthy said. “On Nov. 12, there will be a new world champion.”

Team Abdallah head coach Dewey Cooper said the tapes don’t lie. “All they saw was perfection,” said Cooper, a two-time world champion (WKC heavyweight, WKF cruiserweight titles).

Abdallah added, “On Nov. 12, everyone will hear, ‘… and still world champion.’ ”

McCarthy will be joined on his trip and ringside,by coaches Steve East and Steve Moffatt.

“Everyone at the club is over the moon and really excited for me — but that’s the club, where we’re like one big family,” McCarthy said. “I know it is going to be a tough fight. I’ve been doing this long enough now to know you never get an easy street.”

McCarthy’s main sponsors are North East Refurbishments Ltd., Gary Tuck Workshops, Hanson Wealth, Paul Davis Aerials and Carmeleon Concepts. Kuei-Ling Kickboxing Club is based at 40 Maxwell St., South Shields, UK.

Also featured on Saturday night’s co-main event is popular Lockport knockout artist the “Son of a Legend” Joe Taylor.

For years, Taylor and another top heavyweight, Cameron McClaney of Rochester, have crossed paths, but have never met in the ring. Lace Up Promotions was able to put the long-awaited bout together, which is slated to be an explosive fight.

Taylor is currently 1-0 as a professional kickboxer and 1-0 as a professional mixed martial arts fighter. Both fighters promise the decision won’t be up to the judges and they will control the outcome of the bout by knockout victory.

Taylor is currently training at Western New York MMA in Buffalo under head coach Lockport native Corey Webster. McClaney set up his training camp on the west coast in California.

Also on Saturday’s fight card is Lock City favorite, Erick “The Candyman” Plumeri, who takes on journeyman Whitney Wadell of Florida. Plumeri has been a crowd favorite and dubbed the “Blood and Guts Warrior of Kickboxing.”

Another popular local fighter, Kenmore West schoolteacher and Lace Up Promotions Women’s Middleweight champion Ayanna Tremont will defend her title against Syracuse’s Tania Marchall.

Also on the undercard is the rematch between “Baby” Joe Mesi’s nephew, Tyler Mesi, and Lockport’s inspirational Tyler Rodier. Rodier won by decision when the two battled at the Kenan  last year.

Among the many sponsors of Saturday’s fight card are Mulvey Construction, All Metal Works, KJ Motorsports, MJ Flooring, Executive Landscaping, Jays Auto Sales, Niagara Gutter, Pizza Oven and Centimark Roofing.

The official weigh-ins are slated for 6 p.m. Friday at the Lockport Pub and are open to the public. Papa Leo’s will handle concessions.

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Photo Above
Lockport’s Amer Abdullah poses with his WKA Cruiserweight Championship of the World belt. The undefeated Abdullah, 39, will take on WKA European Champion Nathan McCarthy, 23, in his first title defense this Saturday night at the Kenan Arena. Photo by Jay Stoos.

It’s the first-ever world title defense in Lockport’s history on Nov. 12

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

Less than five weeks away, Lockport’s beloved world cruiserweight champion of the world Amer Abdallah is set to make history again on Nov. 12 at Lockport’s Kenan Center Arena.

The undefeated Abdallah (17-0) will take on WKA European champion Nathan McCarthy, 23, of Newcastle, England, in his first defense of the World Kickboxing Association championship he won by knockout earlier this year at the Kenan. Abdallah’s demolition-like KO victory over British champion Daniel Hughes in May was the first world championship fight in Lock City history, making next month’s title defense the city’s historic first as well.

The 6-foot, 3-inch McCarthy is coming off a big win in Ireland last month and boasts a professional record of 23-4.

Abdallah, 38, said he was undecided if he’d continue fighting after reaching his lifelong dream of becoming a professional world champion.

“I felt too sharp and too strong to walk away at this stage of my career,” said Abdallah, who’s already been preparing for the fight for the past several weeks with his trusted trainers Dewey Cooper and Jeff Mayweather at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, where he currently resides.

“I still have a lot left in the tank,” added Abdallah. The Englishman welcomes his opportunity to fight in the United States and particularly at a title shot against Abdallah.

“His youth, height and aggressiveness won’t win him this fight. On Nov. 12, I’m taking him to school,” Abdallah said.

The co-main event in the international fight card will feature Lockport’s popular knockout specialist “Son of a Legend” Joe Taylor, who plans to build off of his 1-0 professional kickboxing record. Known for his ferocious KO style and a champion of youth causes, Taylor is coming off of his first professional MMA bout at the Seneca Niagara Casino, where he won a decisive, three-round decision.

Taylor said he’s excited to be fighting back in his hometown and promises to deliver another victory.

Also returning, is Lockport’s charismatic professional middleweight “The Candyman” Erick Plumeri (1-0). In Plumeri’s last bout at the Kenan, he out-pointed a tough and durable Evander Russ of Syracuse by decision.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketfly.com or in person at the Lockport Athletic & Fitness Club on South Transit Road.

The fight card is sponsored by local businesses Mulvey Construction, All Metal Works, KJ Motorsports, Papa Leo’s, Cain,Witlin & Dry and Seneca Poker.

While Abdallah brought Lockport its first world title fight, the city has produced a number of world-class fighters over many years, beginning with Jimmy Duffy a century ago. Duffy went to become a popular local policeman. Former heavyweight contender Tony Ventura trained under the late Angelo Dundee — the same principle cornerman for the late Muhammad Ali.

Newfane’s “Fighting School Teacher” Lockport native and retired Newfane Elementary School principal Tommy Hicks mixed textbooks with boxing gloves in a Hall of Fame career that culminated in a world light heavyweight title fight against the great Bob Foster in the early 1970s in Scranton, Pa.

The late, legendary Pat Cuillo remains a Lockport favorite, remembered and talked about fondly by his friends throughout city for the unsurpassed five world championship bouts that he fought.

Olympic hopeful Billy “Little Red” Hackmer was a beloved stick of dynamite in the ring as well and remains a local favorite. Hackmer’s fists of fury made him an inspiration to a whole generation of Lockport fight fans while making Union-Sun & Journal headlines throughout the 1970s under the late great Lockport trainer Rob D’Angelo.

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Photo above by Jay Stoos

Lockport Heavyweight Joe Taylor Wins His Professional MMA Debut

The Associated Press

NIAGARA FALLS — Lockport’s “Son of a Legend” Joe Taylor earned a unanimous-decision victory last weekend over Savalas Williams of Florida in his first professional mixed martial arts fight at the Seneca Niagara Casino.

The popular Lockport native made his first MMA debut a successful one in the co-main event of an event promoted by King of the Cage.

Taylor took his time in the opening round, measuring and figuring out Williams’ timing. But that’s all he needed to get started. The second round had Taylor opening up and moving forward on Williams, landing crisp strikes.

Williams attempted taking the Lockport superstar to the ground on several occasions, but Taylor found a way to get out of each attempt.

“His athletic ability is just spectacular to watch. Joe would get out of positions on the ground that simply amazed me. It was almost as if he was making up his own rules,” said Taylor’s head trainer, Lockport native Corey Webster of Buffalo’s “Western New York MMA.”

The third and final round was a bloody one with Taylor unleashing heavy blows on Williams.  The official scores were 29-28, 29-27, 30-27 all in Taylor’s favor as he improves his MMA record to 1-0.

Also preparing Taylor for his debut was former Lockport boxer and National boxing champion Troy Morris, the newest addition to Team Taylor.

“I’m so proud of what Joe consistently proves and stands for,” said Taylor’s promoter, WKA world cruiserweight champion Amer Abdallah, also a Lockport native now living and training in Las Vegas.

“Just like in his fight, it doesn’t matter what tries to bring him down, he always finds a way to get back up and come out on top. Joe is a superstar,” Abdallah said.

Taylor’s next fight will be announced in the next two weeks, his promotors said. Lace Up Promotions is attempting to secure the bid for a Nov. 12 event in Lockport for Abdallah and this city’s first world title defense, which will feature Taylor in the co-main event.

“Fighting at the Seneca Niagara Casino, fighting for King of the Cage, and being on the best team are all dreams come true for me,” Taylor said.

“I thank God first and always for making me the smarter man that I am today. I have to thank my community, my team at WNY MMA, coach Corey Webster, Troy Morris and my friend and promoter Amer Abdallah for his guidance.”

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Photo by Jay Stoos

World Kickboxing Association world cruiserweight champion of the world Amer Abdallah was honored last week by Mayor Anne McCaffrey and the Lockport Common Council.

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

On May 14, Abdallah captured his WKA world title by knocking out British champion Daniel Hughes at the Kenan Center Arena.

Mayor McCaffrey’s proclamation reads as follows:

“Whereas Amer Abdallah was born in the Bronx, New York City, and moved to Lockport at the age of eight and attended Charles Upson Elementary School, North Park Middle School and was a graduate of Lockport High School in 1995,

“And whereas he and his wife Al-Anoud currently live in Las Vegas with their 1 year old daughter, but still have property in Lockport and always consider it their hometown,

“And whereas Amer is a wonderful ambassador of Lockport and on every occasion or interview he has done nationally and internationally he proudly states that he is from Lockport, N.Y.,

“And whereas Amer has an undefeated professional record of 17 wins and zero losses as a two-time United States champion, World Kickboxing Association world champion and currently ranked No 1 cruiserweight in the world,

“And whereas Amer recently became the first Western New York native in history to win a professional world title by knocking out his opponent the British champion on May 14 and more impressively he did it at home here in Lockport,

“And whereas international outlets have spread the word of his accomplishment with the American Embassy in Jordan reaching out to congratulate him and overseas in Jordan they are expecting to give him a hero’s welcome when he visits in late July as the first Jordanian-American to win a world title,

“Therefore let it be resolved that I, Anne E. McCaffrey, Mayor of the City of Lockport, proclaim today, July 20, 2016 as Amer Abdallah Day in the City of Lockport.“

Abdallah, now living in Las Vegas with his wife, Al-Anoud and their infant daughter, said he was humbled by the honor.

“Thank you so much everyone. Anywhere I go in the world, everywhere I fight and every time I give an interview and they ask me where I’m from — whether it’s Las Vegas or overseas in Jordan or Dubai, I always say proudly that I’m from Western New York and a small city called Lockport,” Abdallah said.

“This city has been with me throughout my career and I couldn’t be more proud to receive this , Thank you Mayor McCaffrey and the Common Council. I’m prod to be a Lockportian.”

US&J city reporter Rikki Cason contributed to this story.

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