By Larry Snyder

Pittsburgh Pa. – The Steel City’s “Sweet Child” Matt Conway (19-2, 8 KOs) and the undefeated Kiante Irving (9-0, 9 KOs) from Beaver Falls, PA, are two of the warriors featured Saturday, September 18, 2021, on promoter Derek Gionta’s “Murrysville Madness” boxing card at the Murrysville SportsZone. Fans should arrive at 6:00 p.m. to hear the opening bell at 7:00 p.m.

Gionta commented about the Sweet Science in the Burgh on boxingtalk.com, “We have already seen a recent revival in the sport here. The key is to have enough shows to keep fighters busy so they can develop and eventually move on to a bigger stage. Maybe some of the bigger events can take place here as enough fighters develop?” He continued, “I’d like to remain active promoting shows here and in neighboring cities with some people that we already have good relationships with. I want to continue building up fighters here!”

In the eight-round main event, matchmaker Brian Dillon has the 26-year-old Conway facing Rodolfo Puente (20-7-2, 16 KOs) of Barranquilla, Colombia. Conway claimed the International Boxing Association Intercontinental Super Feather title in June 2021 when Jonathan Perez (38-27, 30 KOs) could not continue after the fourth round at the Washington County Fairgrounds, Washington, PA. This meeting is a non-title bout.

Puente, known as “El Tsunami,” is 27 and won his last outing in August 2021 against Yohangel Romero by technical knockout in the fourth round.

Irving, a 2018 National Golden Gloves Champion, is part of the six-round co-feature event when he battles 22-year-old middleweight Antonio Louis Hernandez (5-11-3, 3 KOs) from Kansas City, Kansas. “The Irv,” 27, had five of his nine fights not go past the first round, with another three not progressing past the second. In the remaining contest, Carlos Garcia Hernandez (15-22-1, 12 KOs) hung on until the fourth, going down by TKO, in December 2019 at Rivers Casino.

Starting in December 2020, the referee raised Antonio Hernandez’s arm in victory by TKO over his previous three opponents. His last defeat was in January 2020 by unanimous decision to Lorenzo Simpson (10-0, 6 KOs) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Ryizeemmion Ford (5-1-0, 3 KOs) of Alliance, Ohio, accepts the challenge of his first scheduled six-round competition against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Also in action on Saturday evening, Pittsburgh’s Chatiqua “Tika” Hemingway (1-0) is ready to clash with an undetermined female super middleweight.

REMAINING MM LINEUP:

Super Lightweight (4 Rnds): Mike Conway (3-2-1, 2 KOs) Pittsburgh, PA Vs. Joshua Zimmerman (0-3) Baltimore, MD

Middleweight (4 Rnds): Eric Lomax (3-0, 2 KOs) Pittsburgh, PA Vs. Taurean Bogguess (0-2) Davenport, IA

Super Welterweight (4 Rnds): Paul Palombo (Debut) Aliquippa, PA Vs. Jabrandon Harris (0-6) Bryan, TX

Featherweight (4 Rnds): Joseph Reed (Debut) Buffalo, NY Vs. Baszybek Baratov (4-1-2, 1 KO) Monroeville, PA

CORNER NOTES: Co-sponsored by Gionta Management and Kastle Boxing of Johnstown, PA, an amateur boxing show begins at noon. A separate 20 dollar admission is required to view these matchups.

From YouTube And Shootin Ur Shot – Gionta Management Presents: Battle At The Fairgrounds (Clean Audio)