Pro Boxing returns to Pittsburgh area

PITTSBURGH (June 1, 2021) – Quite a bit is on the road for Pittsburgh tremendous featherweight Matt “Candy Youngster” Conway this Friday evening (June 4) when he headlines the second installment of the favored “Battle of the Fairgrounds” sequence, offered by Gionta Administration, at Washington County Fairgrounds in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Conway (18-2, 7 KOs), a former Worldwide Boxing Affiliation (IBA) Intercontinental light-weight champion, takes on Colombian knockout specialist Jonathan “Popeye” Perez (38-26, 30 KOs), the previous Colombian Tremendous Bantamweight Champion, within the 8-round major occasion for the vacant IBA Intercontinental Tremendous Featherweight Championship.

The 25-year-old Conway is in a crossroads combat having suffered the primary losses of his professional profession. He’s coming off a win by means of a 6-round unanimous resolution this previous February in opposition to Vincent Jennings, however previous to that combat, Conway stepped up in school and misplaced to Francisco Esparza (9-1-1) and Gabriel Flores, Jr. (16-0), respectively, by means of 8-round cut up and unanimous choices in Las Vegas on Prime Rank-promoted playing cards in opposition to its fighters.

Conway, who has by no means been stopped as knowledgeable, realizes that he must get again on the profitable observe and he’s thrilled to be headlining in his hometown.

“It’s form of a crossroads combat for me as a result of now, I don’t have a lot wiggle room and shedding can’t be an choice,” Conway stated. “However shedding these two fights pushed me to get higher and taught me what I needed to work on, and it’s not like I received blown out of these fights. I can nonetheless make my mark with high quality opponents. I discovered to be extra affected person, and I must belief myself and know I’m there for a purpose.

“Being pumped for this combat is an understatement, particularly headlining in a title combat. Persons are going loopy as a result of they wished boxing again after the pandemic and we’re making it occur. My hometown followers at all times come to help me and with this combat in my yard, I’m able to placed on a present.”

Battle-tested Perez, who has fought world champions Cristian Mijares and Abner Mares, has turn into a gatekeeper having fought rising prospects resembling Toka Khan Clary, Carlos Videl, Nestor Bravo Velezquez, Karl Dargan, Luis Rosa, and plenty of others through the previous decade.

“I do know my opponent is hard,” Conway added. “He has loads of expertise and is coming right here to combat, however I don’t need this combat going greater than six rounds. A formidable victory will let everybody know I’m within the working to make some noise, particularly within the IBA. My identify has slightly buzz to it, however it’s not large enough.”

Unbeaten Pittsburgh tremendous middleweight “Fairly” Richie Cantolina (6-0-1, 2 KOs) faces upset-minded Darryl “Dreamking” Bunting (4-9-2, 2 KOs) within the Within the 6-round co-featured occasion. A former mixed-martial-arts fighter (12-8 as an beginner), Cantolina has efficiently transitioned to boxing, evident by his professional document.

Ohio tremendous featherweight Ryizeemmion “Humble Beast” Ford (4-1, 3 KOs) meets 21-fight veteran Christopher Nelson, of Louisville, in a 6-rouind match.

Puerto Rico-native Joel De La Paz (10-1, 6 KOs), a promising prospect out of Atlantic Metropolis (NJ), takes on Cleveland challenger Latiss Norman (4-6, 2 KOs) in a 6-round bout. De La Paz is driving a 3-fight win streak since he suffered his solely professional loss in 2018 to 8-1 Naim Terbunja.

Additionally slated to combat on the beneath in 4-round bouts are Pittsburgh’s Deon Goodlow (1-3) and Ivan “The Hurricane” Hernandez (2-4-1, 2 KOs), of Buffalo, battle in a 4-round combat at a 152-pound catchweight, Buffalo light-weight Gerffred Ngayot (2-0, 1 KO) vs. TBA, and Ohio tremendous featherweight Shawn Rall (0-4) vs. North Carolina’s Brandon Grimett (0-2).

Card topic to vary.

Doorways open at 6 p.m. ET with the primary bout beginning at 7 p.m. ET.