MMA fighter Rosta now 2-0 as boxer

June 25, 2017 at 12:05a.m.

Rain washes out

‘Paws’ main events

YOUNGSTOWN

New Castle’s Dalton Rosta wasn’t scheduled to be the main event during Saturday’s “Punching for Paws” outdoor boxing card at Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Center.

After rain forced cancellation of the night’s final two bouts, including the main event between Brian Sims (Downtown B.C.) and Cleveland’s Cody Orahoske, it became rather apparent that Rosta’s effort was more than noteworthy.

An MMA fighter who easily transitions from the cage to the ring, Rosta scored a unanimous decision over Dalante Brady of Akron to match his 2-0 MMA mark.

“My trainer is Sammy Calderon and he kills me with the mitts, so tonight I honestly pictured Dalante as if I was hitting Sammy’s mitts,” Rosta said.

Rosta is heading into his senior year at Youngstown State, majoring in finance while also fighting out of Downtown Boxing Club.

“I was throwing my hook, it kept landing and that just opened everything up for my right hand,” he said. “This was a really nice win for me.”

Up next for Rosta is a July 15 engagement against Desmond Carrol on Chuck Haskell’s MMA card.

Seven of the nine scheduled bouts were able to dodge any raindrops, but the next to last fight, a 160-ound match-up between Mike Sullivan of Keith Burnside’s Athletic Club and Akron’s Joshua Perkins, was stopped in the second round and was rendered no bout by Ben Rochester of USA Boxing, thus forcing cancellation of the night’s main event.

In the night’s opening bout, Yandel Lopez of Cleveland’s United Boxing Club scored a unanimous decision over James Keas of Salem B.C. in a 145-pound pairing.

Lopez forced three standing eight-counts of Keas, including two in the second round.

The lone female scrap had Maria Antunez of Ellwood City Boxing Club improving to 15-0 as she posted a unanimous decision over Jane Quinlan of Pittsburgh’s Original Old School Boxing Club.

“I’m preparing for the National Women’s Tournament, which takes place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from July 10-14 so I just wanted to let it all hang out tonight,” Antunez said. “I just wanted to make every punch count and make everyone proud of my effort.”

A 90-pound pairing had Kevin Roche of Cleveland earning a win over Jacorian Dent of South Side Boxing Club when referee Dick Trindle stopped the contest 32 seconds into the second round.

In January, Rodell Franklin of Downtown Boxing Club made his amateur debut. It was an inauspicious one in that he dropped a unanimous decision to Larry Davis of Cleveland.

On Saturday, he turned the tables on Davis and evened his record at 1-1 by posting a unanimous decision over the Cleveland native in a 190 pound pairing.

“I wasn’t as aggressive as I should have been in that first fight and looking back, feel like I could have done much better had I been the aggressor,” Franklin said. “I stayed on him every round this time and that was the difference. My jab worked best, but my one-two was what kept him honest.”

It was Kemp Tarver scoring a split decision over Nico Froch of New Castle at 135 pounds while in a 160 match-up, Cleveland’s Carl Polk, who was docked for holding in the second round, posted a unanimous decision over R.J. Dolwick of Downtown B.C.

Honored during intermission ceremonies were Mahoning Valley political leaders Ken Carano, Jim Davis, David Ditzler, John McNally, Carol Rimedio-Righetti and Anthony Traficanti for their support of Lights Out Management’s mission, which has now donated over $60,000 to area organization’s and non-profit groups over the past two years.