The Clash @ the Cascades has been the bedrock of amateur boxing in British Columbia over the better part of the last decade providing great opportunities for amateur boxers to develop. On April 1 the series crossed into unchartered territory in hosting the first pro am event, giving opportunity to professional boxers develop their trade.
Canadian Featherweight Champion Sarah Pucek fought a non-title fight in the very first pro fight to take place at the Coast Convention Centre.
Pucek fought Stephanie Essensa from Red Deer, Alberta, a crafty southpaw whose only loss was to former world champion Lindsay Garbatt. The fight was fought very well with both fighters displaying good footwork trying to establish ring position. This is often the case when an orthodox fighter fights a southpaw. Pucek clearly won the first three rounds and was aggressive with her jab.
The fourth round changed when Essensa landed a solid straight left that was the best punch of the round. Pucek came back well in the fifth with some solid right hands in what was a spirited round.
The fight was well boxed and strategic in nature and a rematch with more rounds would be of interest to fight fans. The result was a unanimous decision in favour of Pucek, as one judge had it a shutout, the other two had it four rounds to one for Pucek.
A rematch with Lucia Larcinese of Montreal in defence of Pucek’s Canadian Championship is next up. This fight is set for June 17 and will take place at the Coast Convention Centre. Pucek who has never lost a featherweight fight, sees her pro record move to 6-2-1. Her two losses and the draw were both fights done two weight divisions above her fighting weight of 126 lb.
Pucek weighed just under 124 lb. and has been at this weight for three fights. The featherweight limit is 126 lb., and her trainer-manager Dave Allison says Pucek will be fighting at 122 lb. in the near future.
"When we are ready to challenge for a world title it will be at 122 lbs.," says Allison.
The undercard was a rematch between BC Super Welterweight Champion Ari Ashari of Raincity Boxing of Vancouver and Josh Wright of Ocean City Boxing. In the first meeting Ashari won a very close decision that was disputed. Wright was not allowing the judges to decide instead he used his right hand and stopped Ashari in the fourth round.
Tyson Gemby of Carlson Gracies won a decision over Cody Robertson of Surrey’s World Kickboxing in a Super Middleweight fight. Dave McCann stopped Harfi Bhullar of City Boxing in a Light Heavyweight fight. The first fight of the night saw a draw between Abdul Fidel of Eastside Boxing and Jerome Serrano of Port Kells Boxing.
Next up is Clash @ the Cascades #43 on May 6.