HEATHER “THE HEAT” HARDY REMAINS UNDEFEATED ON SPECIAL EDITION BROADWAY BOXING CARD
YELEUSSINOV, BARANCHYK, LITTLETON, GOLUB & CRUZ ALL SCORE IMPRESSIVE VICTORIES
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3 – B.B. KING BLUES CLUB & GRILL, NYC
Photo by Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
New York, NY (12/4/14) – On Wednesday night, DiBella Entertainment (DBE) hosted an action-packed Special Edition Broadway Boxing card at NYC’s famed B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, sponsored by Manfredi Auto Group and Everlast, headlined by female boxing sensation Heather “The Heat” Hardy, known as the “First Lady of DBE”, putting on an impressive performance against a very determined opponent in Salt Lake City’s Elizabeth Anderson. Appearing on the undercard, the trio from the former Eastern Bloc, Ivan Golub, Ivan Baranchyk and Dauren Yeleussinov, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., all kept their undefeated records intact.
In the evening’s main event, Hardy challenged the spirited Anderson in an eight-round junior featherweight bout. Once again, Hardy displayed vastly improved boxing technique, landing countershots with great accuracy and bobbing and weaving to avoid returning fire. Anderson, though, was not deterred, continuing to trade leather no matter how often and hard she was hit, making for some very exciting rounds. Hardy wisely threw combinations to the body to slow Anderson down, which proved the difference during the later rounds. Often, Hardy would bend at the waist to make Anderson miss then pay with powerful overhand rights.
At the conclusion of eight heated rounds, the judges’ scores of 79-73, and 78-74 twice, awarded Hardy, now 12-0 (2 KOs), a unanimous decision victory, while Anderson dropped to 3-6. Hardy, who stayed busy in 2014, winning all five of her bouts, picked up the WBC International female super bantamweight title in October. She was also the subject of a documentary film, titled “HARDY” that was executive produced by Lou DiBella, which followed her around as she set out on her professional boxing career, beginning in 2012.
Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
DBE-promoted New York Golden Gloves champion and Bronx-native Louis Cruz dominated a very game Rogelio Casarez, of Batesville, AR, in a six-round junior welterweight contest. During the first three rounds, Cruz outboxed Casarez landing combinations behind a consistent jab. However, over the second half, the resolute Casarez was still exchanging power shots, forcing Cruz to increase the volume of his offense, with a strong focus on body punches. In round five, one such shot strayed below the belt, resulting in a point deduction for Cruz. After six rounds, the judges tallied 59-54, and 58-55 twice, all for Cruz, now 10-0 (4 KOs), via unanimous decision. With the loss, Casarez’ record fell to 7-3 (3 KOs). Following a second-place finish at the 2011 National Golden Gloves, the 23-year-old Cruz competed in the 2012 US Olympic Trials before turning pro later that same year.
The 25-year-old Ukrainian middleweight southpaw Ivan Golub needed just 47 seconds to demolish Joshua Williams, of Batesville, AR. Golub began throwing in combination and blasting the body and head with his straight left. It was that shot thrown to the temple that twice sent Williams to the mat resulting in the stoppage victory for Golub, who is now 4-0 (3 KOs). The loss brought Williams’ record to 9-6 (5 KOs). Golub amassed an astonishing record of 270-32 during his amateur career. He became a five-time Ukrainian National champion, and won bronze medals at the Junior World Championships in 2006 as well as at the World Championships in 2009. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all five of his bouts.
The undercard also featured a rematch between undefeated DiBella Entertainment-promoted middleweight prospect Paul Littleton and Lamar Harris, in a six-round contest. The two engaged in a captivating battle that ended in a disputed draw, on September 13, that many felt Littleton deserved to win, in Saint Charles, MO, near Harris’ hometown of St. Louis. The 28-year-old Littleton, originally from Chicago and now living in Miami, FL, trained by Melvin “Chico” Rivas, began backing Harris up right away with a stiff jab and hooks to the body. Harris threw a few wild shots attempting to fend off the attack, but much of his offense missed the target. Trapping his opponent against the ropes, Littleton threw a series of combinations to upstairs and down until Harris fell the canvas in a heap. Seeing that Harris was badly hurt and in no condition to beat the count, the referee waved off the contest at 2:20 of the opening stanza, bringing Harris’ record to 8-11-4 (4 KOs). After winning the Chicago Golden Gloves three times while accruing an amateur record of 85-20, Littleton, now 10-0-2 (6 KOs), turned pro in December 2011. He has since beaten three undefeated prospects, including the 7-0 Roberto Acevedo. In June 2014, Littleton signed an exclusive promotional agreement with DiBella Entertainment and the rematch against Harris was his third under the DBE banner.
Belarusian-native junior welterweight Ivan Baranchyk stepped back into the ring less than three weeks after his professional debut, taking on Alfonso Olvera, of Tucson, AZ. Baranchyk, a short but solid all-out brawler, pressured Olvera from the outset banging away from all angles. In round two, Baranchyk threw a barrage of punches upstairs until his adversary hit the canvas. A second trip to the mat that frame was ruled a slip. The cagey Olvera survived the knockdown and managed to make it to the final bell of the four-round contest, but was outworked throughout. All three scorecards read 39-37 in favor or Baranchyk, who improved to 2-0 (1 KO), while Olvera suffered his first defeat, dropping to 1-1 (1 KO). As an amateur, Baranchyk won gold at the 2010 Class A Vilnuse tournament, 2011 and 2013 Match Event tournament, 2011 Kostukovichi International tournament, 2011 and 2012 Soligorsk Open International tournament, 2012 Class A Liventsev tournament, 2013 Active Military tournament, 2013 Republic of Belarus Open Cup, 2014 Vitebsk University tournament in Belarus, and was an amateur champion of Belarus from 2009-2014.
In his pro debut, Kazakhstan’s 28-year-old southpaw Dauren Yeleussinov charged out of his corner searching for openings to land his powerful left hand against Biloxi, Mississippi’s Anthony Madden. Bringing down Madden’s guard with shots to the body, Yeleussinov threw an overhand left to drop his foe hard early in round one. Madden arose but was felled again by the same shot prompting the referee to halt the bout at 1:56 of the very first round, awarding Yeleussinov a TKO victory. Madden’s record is now 1-7-1 (1 KO). Yeleussinov had an extensive amateur career that saw him compile a 397-23 record, with more than 100 knockouts. He is a four-time National champion for Kazakhstan and has won gold twice at the Universiade Championships as well as at the National Junior Championships.
Header photo by Ed Diller
