PRO KICKFIGHTING: Syracuse’s VanNostrand is co-main event on ESPN this Friday.
Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
Lockport’s “Son of a Legend” Joe Taylor will make a historic, nationally-televised second appearance this Friday night at the most famous arena in the world, New York City’s Madison Square Garden; and joining him will be another long-time, Lockport favorite and among the greatest talents ever to grace the Kenan Arena ring, Syracuse’s Kevin VanNostrand.
Taylor (5-1), who recently opened his own, new Lockport gym, is scheduled to take on Jacob “The Nightmare” Rodriguez (2-2) of Victoria, Texas on GLORY Kickboxing’s “Super Fight Series,” which will air just prior to the main card on the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN).
“I always thank God first, along with my amazing family, community and my sponsors for their constant support of my career,” Taylor said.
“Thanks to my friend and mentor, Amer Abdallah, the doors were opened. On Friday, I will put on a show and, God willing, get a huge win at Madison Square Garden. Training camp is over and my confidence level is at an all time high. I can’t wait to show the world once again who I am.”
The co-main event of the star studded card will be Taylor’s stablemate, another Lace Up Promotions fighter very familiar to Lockport fight fans, Kevin VanNostrand.
VanNostrand, who has fought and won almost a half dozen times in the Lock City, and Taylor are stablemates in Lace Up Promotions, headed up by Lockport native Amer Abdallah, now living in Las Vegas. Abdallah, the WKA Cruiserweight World Champion, has promoted dozens of fight cards in Lockport over the past 20 years and Nostrand has been one of the most notable, winning impressively and showing world class talent in every one of his Kenan Arena fights.
VanNostrand and others in Jim Andrello’s “Team Andrello” stable are regulars at Abdallah’s Lockport’s bi-annual fight cards at the Kenan Arena, earning a reputation in this community as among the most talented and best-trained fighters at each event.
“My job is to position my fighters and give them the greatest chance of success in their careers,” Abdallah said.
“Ability is very limited without opportunity and both Joe and Kevin have tremendous opportunities on Friday with GLORY. I’m blessed to manage two of the best kickboxers on the planet,” Abdallah said.
Abdallah’s impressive stable of fighters includes Mayweather Promotions 2-division world champion Badou Jack amongst many others.
“All of my fighters support each other. Badou called me from Sweden to wish Joe and Kevin luck and all of our eyes and hearts will be with them on July 20th,” Abdallah said.
