By Larry Snyder

Murrysville, Pa. – The Burgh’s Maverick, Mike Conway (5-3-1, 2 KOs), is ready to do battle in the main event with Guadalupe Jimenez (6-9-1, 4 KOs) from East Moline, Illinois, Saturday, March 25, 2023, on promoter Derek Gionta’s Murrysville Madness IV fight card. Fans of the Sweet Science can come through the doors of the Murrysville SportZone at 6:00 p.m. with the opening bell at 7:00 p.m.

Gionta told me about the facility, “The venue is great to work with. They are very organized and professional, and they have made the whole combat sports experience a great one. We are planning a second show at the SportZone in 2023.”

Conway, who weighed in at 135.4 lbs on Friday night, won a four-round unanimous decision over Nathan Benichou (2-15-1, 2 KOs) in September 2022 at the Murrysville Madness III event. The victory marked the seventh time Conway went the distance in nine matchups. Saturday’s lightweight conflict is six rounds. The 28-year-old said on his Facebook page, “Work is done! I’m ready to have fun, do my thing, and put on a show Saturday night!”

Jimenez, 34, wants to curtail a three-fight losing streak. His last triumph was in May 2022, a unanimous decision over Leonel Jimenez (5-33-1, 4 KOs) at the Rhythm City Casino in Davenport, Iowa. He tipped the scales at 135.8 lbs on Friday.

Ohio sends a fresh pair of 26-year-old junior lightweights to be the exciting co-feature of the evening. Coshocton southpaw Andre Donovan (3-2-0, 1 KO) steps through the ropes to engage Newark’s Robert Presley (3-2-0, 1 KO) over four rounds. I predict this confrontation could sneak in as the night’s top fight.

Donovan secured a four-round unanimous decision in February 2023 over Rasheed Wright (1-1-0, 1 KO) at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Maryland. He told Mike Brown of the timesreporter.com about Saturday’s clash, “I would say I’m relentless. I’m non-stop. I can adapt when I need to and listen to my coach, but my bread and butter is probably overwhelming my opponent.” Presley assembled a four-round split decision versus Joshua Delgadillo (0-1-0) in January 2023 at Cherry Valley Hotel in Newark.

Matchmaker Brian Dillon brings two junior lightweights to the ring when Pittsburgh’s Colleen Davis (1-0-1, 1 KO) faces off with Jessica Emerick (1-0-1, 1 KO) from Columbus, Ohio. The clash is four two-minute rounds. Davis prepares at the RSBA Elite Boxing/Training Center in Millvale, Pennsylvania, while Emerick drills at VO2 Fitness in Newark, OH.

Aliquippa southpaw Paul Palombo (3-0-0, 1 KO) and Gabriel Smith (11-7-1, 4 KOs) of Houston, Texas, come together for a four-round middleweight meeting. The 30-year-old Palumbo collected a four-round majority decision against Antonio Castillo Jr (2-3-0, 2 KOs) also in September 2022 at Murrysville Madness III. In his last outing, Smith, 33, lost a unanimous decision to southpaw Husam Al Mashhadi (6-0-0, 5KOs) at Hype Athletics in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.

Leading off Gionta’s quality lineup is Wellsburg, West Virginia’s Tyler Ainscough (1-1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round super middleweight contest with Martin Bills III (0-1-0) from Nashville, Tennessee.

CORNER NOTES: The Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission approves the competitions, and the pugilists are subject to change. Super welterweight and Steel City southpaw Mary Casamassa (2-0-0, 1 KO) was to be a participant, but her opponent pulled out for personal reasons.

From The Shootin Ur Shot YouTube Channel – October 2021: Gionta Management Presents Murrysville Madness (Clean Version)…