Jean Pierre Valencia faces DC champ Hamilton on Newark pro-am card
Photo: Jean Pierre Valencia (R) lands a right hand on Jason Moreno. Photo by Carlo Estonactoc
Two recent N.J. Diamond Gloves champions and one national champ will be among the boxers competing in the five amateur bouts which will open up the pro-am card this Saturday, November 11 at Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, N.J.
Jean Pierre Valencia, the reigning 165-pound state champion from Irvington, will face Christian Hamilton, the reigning Golden Gloves champion of Washington D.C. in the highest profile bout of the amateur portion. Valencia, 23, is looking to give himself an early birthday present with a big win at home following his recent stint at the Diamond Gloves last month, when he stopped Jordan Simpson before decisioning Alvin Matthews for a third time to win the title.
Hamilton, 22, made it to the quarterfinals of the National Golden Gloves this year, losing a split decision to no. 1 ranked Donte Layne, while Valencia made it to the semifinals.
The card will also feature a pair of boxers from the DORCA program in Newark, including Yoell “Boy Boy” Cooper, who won the National Junior Golden Gloves 145-pound title in August, and 156-pound open class boxer Samir Dieujuste. Cooper will face Makai Moore – the son of former pro Steve Moore – while Dieujuste will face Abedallah Elaiwah of Butler, N.J.
Elaiwah of Aces Boxing Club won this year’s 156-pound Diamond Gloves title when Dieujuste, who had outclassed Tymir Daniels in the semifinals, withdrew from the finals. Elaiwah has been on a roll since then, defeating West Point boxer Ryan Chi and Duckenson Marcelin in recent weeks by decision.
The show will also include two more open class bouts as 147-pounder Jasai Kirkpatrick and 125-pounder Chakor Claiborne, both of Ironbound Boxing Academy, will face Wilmer Bueso and David Reyes, respectively.
The professional portion of the show will be headlined by Emmanuel “Salserito” Rodriguez facing Gilberto Mendoza in an eight-round bantamweight fight, plus a number of other bouts including New Jersey boxers Robert Terry, Gabriel Gerena, Ghandi Romain, Jordan Rosario, plus the pro debut of Vladimir Dalton.
The show will be the 50th event promoted by Rising Star Promotions, which is owned and operated by middleweight contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna.
Doors open at 5 p.m., with amateur bouts scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.