DEDHAM, Mass. (November 21, 2021) – Vertex Promotions closed its first season in style last night with its fourth event in less than 60 days, “Fall Brawl,” at Moseley’s on the Charles in Dedham, Massachusetts.
“We feel good about what we’ve done, especially considering we just started promoting,” Vertex promoter Dave Clark said. “Fans and fighters are enjoying what we’re doing. We’re making plans for next year, but we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We’re in rhythm.”
Headliner RayJay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (14-0, 11 KOs) outclassed his tough Mexican opponent, super lightweight Danny “Vendado” Flores (15-25-1, 8 KOs). Bermudez patiently fought his fight, setting up power punches and staying away from Flores’ punches, comfortably and effortlessly moving in and out. A three-punch combination buzzed Flores at the end of round one, Bermudez nearly putting Flores away as the bell sounded. Bermudez continued to control the pace in the second, repeatedly whacking Flores, even though Flores tried to bait Bermudez into a brawl midway through the third. His request backfired as Bermudez pounded him with a steady diet of powerful lefts and rights.
The accumulation of punches Flores ate eventually took its toll as Bermudez consistently ripped vicious punches to Flores’ head and body, nearly ending the fight at the end of round four. Flores somehow preserved, but it was only momentary, as Bermudez pinned Flores on the rope and fired away in the next round. The beating didn’t end as Flores asked for more and Bermudez gladly obliged. In the end, Bermudez won a brutal 8-round unanimous decision, but Flores got kudos for lasting six hard rounds.
Bermudez, from Albany (NY), is the NBA Continental Junior Welterweight and ABF American West Super Lightweight champion.
In the co-featured event, undefeated Mansfield (MA) welterweight James “The Slim Reaper” Perella (8-0, 6 KOs) peppered Andre Byrd (8-11-2, 1 KO) from all angles, using his height and length from the outside during the first five rounds. In the sixth round, he fought more on the inside, smothering Byrd’s punches, and shifted into an attack mode in the seventh and eighth. Byrd, however, hung tough and made it to the final bell, as Perella took a one-sided 8-round unanimous decision. Perella needed to go rounds and Byrd gave that to him.
A graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, Perella is a 4-time USA New England Championships and 4-time New England Golden Gloves Champion.
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James Perella (L) needed and got in rounds
Once again it was Tank Time! Undefeated super welterweight Francis “The Frank” Hogan pleased his growing fanbase by remaining perfect, winning his ninth pro fight, each by knockout. The 21-year-old southpaw knocked Rynell Griffin (8-49-2, 2 KOs) on his rear in the first round, followed with a knockdown in the second with a left hook, and two more trips to the canvas in the third, until the referee halted the fight. Using his right as a range finder, in addition taking advantage of his height and reach advantages, his lethal left closed the show. Hogan, of Weymouth (MA), is the reigning New Hampshire Super Welterweight Champion as well as a 2019 New England Golden Gloves champion.
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Francis Hogan (R) remained perfect
Four-time U.S. Army champion “The Dedication” Daniel Bailey (8-0, 4 KOs, fighting out of Tampa (FL), drilled Austin Reed (10-0, 5 KOs), dropping him the round one with an overhand right, and he closed the show at the end of the same frame with a lefthanded uppercut. Bailey, the cousin of former world champion Randall Bailey, also captured top honors at the 2012 Ringside National Tournament.
Fighting in his first scheduled 8-round fight, 2020 Dominican Republic Olympian Rohan “El Rayo” Polanco (6-0, 3 KOs) stepped up in terms of competition and passed the test with flying colors against veteran Argentinian super lightweight Jonathan “El Potro” Eniz (27-16-1, 11 KOs), dominating the fight for a decisive decision.
Undefeated “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman improved his record to 10-0 (6 KOs), stopping super middleweight David Rohn (0-10-1) with a crushing body shot early in round one. McCalman, of Colorado, is the reigning ABF American West champion.
Local favorite Troy Anderson, Jr. (3-0. 3 KOs), fighting out of nearby Dorchester (district of Boston), was too much for Ronny Arana (0-3) to handle. A 2016 Rocky Marciano Tournament champion, southpaw Anderson displayed solid fundamentals throughout the fight, trapping his opponent on the ropes in the second round, and unloading a pair of unanswered double-digit flurries. Anderson cut-off the ring effectively in the third, pressing the game Arana, who showed signs of fatigue yet survived to the end. The virtually unmarked Anderson went the distance for the first time in his young career, but he pitched a shutout for a 4-round unanimous decision, winning each round on the three judges’ scorecards.
In the first scheduled 6-rounder of the night, New Bedford middleweight Drew “Tomahawk” Dwelly (4-0-2, 4 KOs) decked Ginno Montoya (0-7) three times in the opening round, the second on a left hook to the stomach, for a convincing victory by way of a technical knockout.
Pro-debuting welterweight Miguel Valencia, of Worcester, won a 4-round split decision over Boston’s James Murrin (1-1, 0 KOs) in a competitive match.
Puerto Rico-native Alex Rivera (2-0, 2 KOs), fighting out of Southbridge (MA), out-boxed featherweight DeShawn Kennedy (0-5) enroute to a commanding 4-round unanimous decision.
Kansas City super lightweight Marcus Davidson (2-0, 2 KOs) needed only four-seconds to win his fight against pro-debuting Marlon Hardnick, Jr. Davidson moved across the ring, threw a 2-punch combination, the latter punch a left hook that sent his opponent to the canvas, which ended the fight.
In the opening bout of the evening, Salem (MA) super welterweight Kenny Larson had a memorable professional debut, dropping Seigenald Daley, Jr. (0-2) midway through round one, and moments later Lawson connected right on the button with a right cross that floored his opponent. Referee Kevin Hope stopped the fight without counting.
Complete results below:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
MAIN EVENT – SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS
RayJay Bermudez (15-0, 11 KOs), Albany, NY
WDEC8 (60-54, 60-54, 60-52)
Danny Flores (15-26-1, 8 KOs), Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
CO-FEATURE – WELTERWEIGHTS
James Perella (9-0, 6 KOs), Mansfield, MA
WDEC8 (80-72, 80-72, 79-73)
Andre Byrd (8-12-2, 1 KO), Jacksonville, FL
SPECIAL SUPER WELTERWEIGHT ATTRACTION
Francis Hogan 9-0, 9 KOs), Weymouth, MA
WTKO3 (1:32)
Rynell Griffin (8-49-2, 2 KOs), Las Vegas, NV
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Shawn McCalman (10-0, 6 KOs), Aurora, CO
WTKO1 (1:07)
David Rohn (0-10-1), Vila Park, IL
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Drew Dwelly (4-0-2, 4 KOs), New Bedford, MA
WTKO1 (2:26)
Ginno Montoya (0-7), Greenwood, NE
SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS
Kenny Larson (1-0, 1 KO), Salem, MA
WTKO1 (2:44)
Seigenald Daley, Jr. (0-2), Kalamazoo, MI
WELTERWEIGHTS
Miguel Valencia (1-0), Worcester, MA
WDEC 4 (40-36, 39-37, 37-39)
James Murrin (1-1, 0 KO), Boston, MA
Marcus Davidson (2-0, 2 KOs), Kansas City, KS
WTKO1 (0:04)
Marlon Hardnick, Jr. (0-1), Kalamazoo, MI
SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS
Rohan Polanco (6-0, 3 KOs), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
WDEC8 (80-7, 80-72, 79-73)
Jonathan Eniz (27-16-1, 11 KOs), Dolores, Buenos Aires, Argentina
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Daniel Bailey (9-0, 5 KOs), Tampa, FL
WTKO1 (2:50)
Austin Reed (0-10), Garden City, KS
SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS
Alex Rivera (2-0, KOs), Southbridge, MA
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-35, 40-35)
DeShawn Kennedy (0-5), Holland, MI
Troy Anderson, Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs), Dorchester, MA
WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)
Ronny Arana (0-3), New York, NY