Johnson tops Ennis;Rooney stops Armstrong in AC!

By John Wall (ringside)

A capacity crowd filled the ballroom at Bally’s Atlantic City for a night of boxing featuring contenders as well as some top local prospects. The packed house was treated to some fine displays of pugilism and a late April Fools joke in the form of an upset in the main event.

The main event turned into a boxer vs tough guy contest as Philadelphia’s Farah Ennis (17-1 11KOs) the more experienced, more polished combatant scored well in the early rounds but the bigger stronger Alexander Johnson (11-0 4 KOs) wore down the NABF champion and took home the prize in the form of a majority decision win.

For the first half of the fight Ennis was content to jab-cross scoring well and leading on my card but not doing any damage to the rangy dreadlocked Johnson. The southpaw Johnson walked in on Ennis fearlessly with with his right low inviting Ennis to challenge him with a left hook. It wasn’t until round 8 that Ennis saw the opening but by then the damage had been done. Ennis looked weary and had developed a cut over his right eye. The judges had it 95-95, 97-93 and 98-93.

In the second heavyweight bout of the evening southpaw Amir Mansour of Pens Grove, (13-0 10 KO’s), trotted out his knockout power stopping Hector Ferreyo of Laredo, Texas, (21-10-12KOs)m with a crushing right hook that crumbled the Texan at 2:08 of round one. Ferreyo was taken from the ring on a stretcher, no word yet on his condition.

The biggest ovation and largest entourage of the evening was for Bayonne’s real life “Lights Out Leary”, Bobby Rooney (12-3 6KOs). His opponent Adrian Armstrong of Springfield, Missouri was content to lay on the ropes with his earmuffs on (thank you Teddy Atlas). Rooney split the guard with an uppercut and sealed the deal with the hook stopping the action at 2:03 of round one.

In a junior middleweight contest, Steven Martinez, (9-0 7KOs), of the Bronx took a unanimous decision from MMA fighter turned boxer John Eric Marriott (3-3 3KOs) of Independence, Missouri.

In more heavyweight action Damian Wills (30-2 22KOs) bested Aaron Lyons (12-10 9KOs) of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Wills dominated the early action until Lyons discovered his hook in round four. Lyons sustained a cut over his left eye in round eight and the ringside physician stopped the bout after nine giving the TKO win to Wills.

In a lightweight matchup Osnel Charles (7-2) of Atlantic City outclassed Chris Green (4-3 1KO) of Asbury Park in a bout the judges saw closer than this observer did. Charles went home with the majority decision win 60-54 59-55 56-56.

Bantamweight Victor Valenzuela (8-2 1KO) of Passaic dropped his second straight bout after being bested by St Joseph, Missouri’s Steven Johnson (7-2 4KOs) all three judges saw it for Johnson, with the scores reading 59-54 twice and 58-55,

In the opener, Thomas LaManna (1-0) of Vineland, NJ made quick work of an overmatched Bobby Bynum, who should find a new way to make a living. Bynum was knocked down three times in round one before referee Earl Brown stopped it at 1:36 of round one.

PHOTOS BY E.A. SIROTA

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Bobby Rooney - and Beetlejuice - Ready for Battle on April 2 at Bally's Atlantic City!

ATLANTIC CITY (March 30, 2011) - When Bayonne, NJ's favorite son Bobby Rooney Jr. returns to the ring for the first time in nearly two years against Walter Foster in a light-heavyweight bout this Saturday, April 2 at Bally's Atlantic City, the loudest voice among his sizable cheering section will come from the smallest person.

Lester Green, better known to audiences as Beetlejuice, has been Rooney's biggest supporter since he turned professional in 2003.

"Beetle is an adviser to some degree, as well as a motivator," said the 11-3-1 (6 KO) Rooney, who also works as Beetle's manager. "When someones calling you a dirtbag while you're doing your running, it has to get you pumped."

"He's my brother and I help him whenever I can," said Beetlejuice, who has risen to cult stardom through his appearances on the Howard Stern Show. "I want to be there with all the success. I'm 100% right behind him."

Rooney's bout with the 32-year-old Foster, 4-3-1 (4 KO), of Berkeley, Missouri is scheduled for six rounds and will be part of the Pound for Pound Promotions event headlined by undefeated NABF super middleweight champ Farah Ennis (17-0, 11 KO) of Philadelphia facing Alexander Johnson (10-0, 4 KO) of Oxon Hill, MD.

Rooney and Beetlejuice have been close friends ever since Rooney's late brother Sean discovered Beetlejuice in a Jersey City bar and brought him to the attention of Howard Stern.

Together, Rooney and Beetle travel the country making appearances, which recently included Miami to film a movie called Girls Gone Dead, which starred Ron Jeremy and Jerry "The King" Lawler.

Rooney feels that his closest ally gives him an edge on fight night.

"I think it intimidates my opponents when they see him walking me to the ring," said Rooney. "I know I'd be intimidated if I had someone fighting me with Beetlejuice walking him to the ring.

"He steals the spotlight from me, but it takes some of the pressure off of me, too."

Aside from his own career, Rooney continues the tradition set by his father as he now runs the Bayonne Police Athletic League Gym where he originally started boxing. After Rooney Sr. retired from the gym in 2006, Rooney Jr. took over and the gym won back-to-back New Jersey Golden Gloves team championships in 2009 and 2010.

Rooney hopes to win a third consecutive team championship this year, having entered five boxers in this year's tournament with all five making it to the finals, which are set for the middle of April.

"People always ask me if this is my final fight, but if I come out and say that then I might as well retire today," said Rooney. "I still feel great because I'm not a drinker, never been into cigarettes or drugs. I don't feel my age at all."

The heavyweights will also be in the spotlight, as Damian Wills (29-2-1, 22 KO) of Los Angeles, CA faces Arron Lyons (12-9-1, 9 KO) of Las Cruces, NM and Amir Mansour (12-0, 9 KO) of Wilmington, DE faces “Hurricane” Hector Ferreyro (21-9-2, 12 KO) of Laredo, TX. Both matches are scheduled for eight rounds.

Former three time Daily News Golden Gloves champ and National Golden Gloves champ Steven Martinez (8-0, 7 KO) will also be in action in a four-round junior middleweight matchup against an opponent to be named later.

The rest of the card will be comprised of top young talent including bantamweight Victor “The Viper” Valenzuela (8-1,1 KO) of Passaic, NJ; lightweight Chris Green (4-2, 1 KO) of Asbury Park, NJ; junior-middleweight Thomas Lamanna (1-0, 1 KO); and light-heavyweight “The Bull” Anthony Caputo-Smith (9-0, 7 KO) of Kennett Square, PA.

Tickets, priced at $75 and $50, can be purchased at the Bally's Atlantic City Box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, calling Pound for Pound Promotions at 201-223-0155 or online at ticketmaster.com.


Do you want to own the same shirt that many of the state's top fighters wear? Email gsfightscene@aol.com to get yours today! Shirts come in black with white lettering or white with blue lettering. Sizes range from M-XXL.