Shinard Bunch, Anthony Demonte score first round KOs in Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Shinard Bunch hasn’t allowed the disappointment from his controversial draw with Janelson Figueroa Bocachica keep him on the shelf.
The 22-year-old welterweight prospect racked up his second straight first round knockout win on Saturday at the Showboat Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., dropping Colombian trial horse Wilfrido Buelvas twice to end matters at the 1:52 mark.
The first knockdown came from a glancing blow, but the second one just moments later was a picture perfect right hand that left no doubts.
“[Trainer Chino Rivas] is always telling me to stay patient. He told me to drop down, come over the top and that’s it. Just listening to my coach, that’s all,” said Bunch (17-1, 15 knockouts).
The win over Buelvas (22-15, 16 KOs) is Bunch’s second straight since the draw with Bocachica in July. Bunch says he isn’t going to wait around for the rematch to be made.
“They know we won, we’re not looking for the rematch. If it comes then it comes, other than that, we’re moving on,” said Bunch of Trenton, N.J.
Bunch’s manager, the Hall of Famer Russell Peltz, says Bunch will likely be back in the ring on Nov. 20 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Peltz says the problem isn’t getting a big fight, as much as it is maintaining control of their in the process.
“We don’t want to have to give up half the fighter to get a fight, that’s the problem,” said Peltz.
If Bunch was bringing the notoriety, Anthony Demonte, the welterweight prospect competing in the co-featured bout, brought the crowd.
The 25-year-old Demonte (4-0, 3 knockouts) of Staten Island, N.Y. gave his hundreds of supporters in attendance something to cheer about, blasting out the overmatched Nicholas Collins in 29 seconds.
Popular welterweight prospect Anthony Demonte finishes off an overmatched Nicholas Collins in 29 seconds at The Showboat Casino in Atlantic City. Demonte (4-0, 3 KOs) is from Staten Island, N.Y. and won the 2014 NY Golden Gloves 152-pound novice title pic.twitter.com/FpdUwnK6B4
— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) October 31, 2021
Demonte, a 2014 New York Golden Gloves champion in the 152-pound novice division, opened the bout with a left hook that shook Collins (0-2) of Anchorage, Alaska. Two body shots opened up Collins for a left uppercut followed by an overhand right that scored the first knockdown. Collins rose up but collapsed in resignation after a couple follow up punches.
Demonte, who is trained by Lenny DeJesus out of the State of Fitness Boxing Club in North Bergen, N.J. and is promoted by Murad Muhammad, says he was still in great shape from his last fight, a four round decision over Davon Hall just a month ago.
“I felt like I was ready for anyone tonight. It ended up being a short night but I was ready to go a full four rounds if I had to,” said Demonte, who expects to be in the ring again in early December, possibly in Atlantic City again.
Not every fight on the card was a quick blowout, however.
Dezmond Lucas (3-0, 1 KO) scored a four round shutout over a tough debutant named Cesar Espinel-Maldonado. Lucas, from the Courtlandt Ave. section of the Bronx, N.Y., lived up to his “Technician” nickname, and is expected to return to action on the same Nov. 20 card as Bunch.
The opening bout featured Justice Bland (5-1, 2 KOs) defeating Geovanny Martinez (1-1, 1 KO) by a disputed decision in a six-round featherweight bout. The scores were 60-56, 60-54 and 58-56, all for Bland.
A six round bout featuring another former Golden Gloves champion, 2011 132-pound open class winner Marco Suarez III (5-0-2, 1 KO), was nixed after his opponent, Shauncy Perry of Arkansas, reportedly complained of chest pains just moments before walking to the ring. Suarez’s trainer and father Marcos Suarez says his son will be end his 3-year layoff in December instead.
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