County Executive Steve Levy Announces Championship Heavyweight Bout to be at Suffolk Community College’s Ammerman Campus
Patchogue Resident Derric Rossy to Defend NYS Heavyweight Title on Feb.9
Hauppauge, NY – Home-grown heavyweight boxing contender Derric Rossy will put his undefeated record and New York State Heavyweight Championship on the line February 9, at a bout that will take place just a few miles away from his hometown of Patchogue.
Rossy joined Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, officials from Suffolk County Community College and fight promoters last week to announce the event, which will be held at the Brookhaven Gymnasium on SCCC Ammerman campus in Selden. The night of boxing features a full card, concluding with the state heavyweight bout which will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
“Bringing a nationally televised sporting event to Suffolk County is an economic plus, but it is also a great source of pride when the defending champion is a hometown boy,” said Levy.
“I’m thrilled about fighting in Suffolk County,” said Rossy. “I'm more excited about fighting right here at home than I was about fighting at Madison Square Garden, and I want to thank County Executive Levy and the folks at the College for working so hard to make this happen.” As New York State champion, Rossy is also in the running for a USBA heavyweight title.
The fight is sponsored by Final Forum Boxing, Dan Goosen Promotions and ESPN2.
Rossy, a 1997 Patchogue-Medford High School graduate and former Hansen Trophy winner as outstanding high school football player, is 15-0 with 9 knockouts. He will fight "Fast Eddie" Chambers of Philadelphia, who is 27-0, and will be Rossy's toughest opponent to date.
Levy said bringing this fight to Suffolk is part of his ongoing aggressive efforts to attract major sporting and cultural events to the county, and to work closely with the television, film and entertainment industries.
The County Executive added that future development of county-owned land in Yaphank is centered around an 8,000-seat sports and entertainment arena, “which will be a major asset in bringing these types of events to Suffolk in the future.”
Defending the Title in Suffolk: New York State Heavyweight Champion and Patchogue resident Derric Rossy will defend his title Friday, February 9, at a championship bout to be held on the campus of Suffolk County Community College. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy announced details of the event, which will feature a full boxing card and conclude with the state championship fight broadcast nationally on ESPN2. Pictured (l-r): SCCC Vice President of Economic Development George Gatta; NYS Heavyweight Champion Derric Rossy; County Executive Steve Levy; Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri; and fight promoter Sal Musumeci.
Killer Instincts
By Joe Sinisi at Ringside
Derric Rossy (13-0-0 8 KO) preserved his unbeaten record and added yet another KO to his resume as he dispatched Joe Stofle (10-6-2 9KO), the gritty Missouri native, in just three rounds. Sal Musumeci, in his unrelenting quest to bring boxing back to Long Island, once again presented a thrilling night of bouts at the Huntington Hilton, Final Forum’s cozy home away from home venue. Six feature bouts and one hard hitting main event kept boxing fans cheering throughout the contests, culminating in the, now unavoidable, Long Island faithful’s chants of ‘Ros-sy Ros-sy.’
If Rossy’s physical shape before the match (a svelte 247) wasn’t enough to convince critics he was taking their critiques to heart, then his unrelenting three round assault sure would. The knock on Rossy, for what it’s worth, has always been his inability to put a fight away. Despite his 8 KOs, critics often site his inability to deliver a deciding blow at a pivotal moment. This indecisiveness led Rossy into trouble in his last fight as the strong puncher Demetrice King drew more than a little blood and some heaving breaths from the champ. But from the outset of this match, Rossy took the fight to Stofle, giving him little chance to set his feet or counterpunch.
At the beginning of the second round, Rossy caught Stofle with such a stinging body hook that Stofle winced and stumbled backward, immediately clutching his waist and shaking his head. It was here, where a short match teetered on edge of a long one, that Derric may have backed off. He may have given Stofle a chance to catch his wind; he may have just jabbed away in safety, having already won the round but not the fight. He may have done all of these things if it were a different night. But tonight Derric pressed the action, forcing Stofle to the defensive and nearly scoring a knockdown at the end of the round. With the crowd noise swelling and Rossy’s corner screaming “No more of this Mr. Nice Guy Bull----!” Rossy raged from his corner and scored a pair of knockdowns and a win before the 1:06 mark of the third. His fearsome attack provided not only another win but also, quite possibly, a quieting of his critics.
To begin the night, Kristian ‘K-Smooth’ Vasquez made his thrilling pro debut against the overmatched Ronnie Howell (also pro debut). Confident and overwhelming, K-Smooth made short work of his opponent, landing a solid right hook at the 2:27 mark of the first round to put Howell out for good. K-Smooth looked well trained and focused for his first fight and it will be interesting to see how well he performs against a more prepared foe.
The third of five fighters making their pro debut, Tommy Rainone had a tougher time than K-smooth against the more experienced Marquis McConnel (4-6-0). While Rainone controlled the pace of the fight, he consistently tried to bring the fight to McMonnel and became flatfooted when pressing McConnel into the corner. McConnel made him pay the price with more than a few uppercuts. Rainone toughed it out though, and his tenacity and simple hard work won him almost every round.
Khabir Suleymanov and his brother are the current gold glove junior middleweight champs, so his debut as a pro this night may have been a bit misleading. So dominating were their performances at the gold gloves, that they both reached the finals and, unallowed to fight brother against brother, were crowned co-champs. Suleymanov punished his opponent, Liquori Crawford (0-1-0) for nearly every second of the first round until he scored the only knockdown he needed to win the fight. Suleymanov’s future looks promising as his form and skill seemed impeccable.
Long Island native Bobby Campbell (1-2-0) took on Washington Hago (3-2-0) in the night’s fourth fight. As is Campbell’s habit, he fought the bout with fundamental skill and kept busy enough to snatch a victory away from the stronger Hago. Campbell’s lack of power may present problems for him in future fights but he’s very adept at controlling fight tempo. This, coupled with Hago’s refusal to press the action, gave Campbell his second win by decision. When Hago decided to bear Campbell’s light punches he was able to get inside and go to work. But Hago was content holding back for most of the fight and it cost him a victory.
The final pro debut of the night, Costas Phillipou, brought with him a cheering section almost rivaling the New York Champ’s faithful. Greek flags dotted the crowd and before the fight began, Costas was already feeding off the home crowd’s energy. The perfectly defined and solid Costas (215 lbs) was dwarfed by the heavy but powerful Mitch Rose (2-9-1, 266 ½ lbs). Rose’s size helped him endure the absolute onslaught Phillipou pored on over four rounds. A runner up for the gold gloves this year, Phillipou looked every bit the professional as he pressured Rose throughout the fight with body shots, trying and succeeding at forcing damage through the bigger man’s gut. When he got in trouble, Rose would bounce off the ropes to avoid punches. Phillipou soon figured this out and waited with cocked hooks as the big man rebounded off the straining ropes. Phillipou gave his faithful fans something to cheer about and won the bout with an easy decision.
Joey Paladino (10-3-2) ran out of steam against Dione Craig (3-6-0) in their 6 round fight. Paladino’s early punches did little to slow down the determined Craig, whose superior footwork and precise punching paid dividends early and often. By the third round Paladino was so exhausted he took a knee as time expired. But the fourth round brought toe to toe action, and while neither man had enough left for a KO punch, the crowd thrilled at the sweat popping action the fighter’s displayed. Craig won in a unanimous decision.
In a night highlighted by newcomers making their professional debuts, it seems fitting that Derric Rossy would win in the manner in which he did. Flawless skill and hard punching have always been part of his repertoire, but tonight it was his tenacity, his killer instinct, that finally surfaced. Perhaps it was there all along, but one thing is for certain, it’s here to stay. It is this final, missing piece in Derric’s makeup that Sal Musumeci must have seen all along, and it’s why he’s willing to ride Derric straight to the top. For Derric it was one more fight, one more victory, but for Derric’s supporters it may have very well been the night they saw his true potential unleashed.
The Foundation of a Champion
Article By: Joe Sinisi
Guts. Fortitude. Resilience. In perhaps his toughest fight as a professional, Derric Rossy scored a decision in a close fight that had all the makings of a possible upset. In a night of underdogs and surprise knockdowns, the New York State Champion was tested like never before.
Once again the venue for a night of fights in Manhattan was the Hammerstein Ballroom, the converted opera house that is reclaiming the roots of NYC boxing. With six featured bouts, a decent lineup of newcomers and a title fight, the evening promised to be memorable.
The first fight of the night, Delbert Sommerville v Jamelle Hamilton, a pair of rookies both fighting their second bout, was anything but memorable. A light jab and a pair of heavy hits from Hamilton was enough to put Sommerville out of commission before the 2:25 minute mark of the first round. This presented additional problems. Shad Howard, the challenger in the night’s final bout, would be late. His plane still hadn’t arrived and his match vs. Dimitriy Salita wouldn’t start until eleven. With an early knockout, it seemed playing the waiting game would become inevitable.
The second bout of the night provided the first glimpses of excitement still to come. Prenice Brewer v Roberto Acevedo both put on a good fight wire to wire. Brewer dominated from the opening bell but his inactivity in later rounds cost him a decision. Early in the second, he landed a sharp hook and a cut sprouted beneath Acevedo’s eye. But Acevedo wouldn’t go away and by the fourth and final round, he stayed active enough to win himself an unlikely draw. Both men agreed to a rematch, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see either of these men do well for themselves in the upcoming months.
Your New York State Champion Derric Rossy fought next in a bout that wasn’t the main event, although apparently no one told the fans that. The Rossy contingent is growing, and every fight, at every venue he visits, more people know his name, know his punches, and know where he’s going. But in all of his previous professional fights, Derric had never been tested the way he would this night. His opponent, the kind-faced, strong puncher Demetrice King, appeared relaxed and focused before the bout, ready to give Derric his first major gut check as a pro. From the start of the fight through the first two rounds the champ stayed active, closed off ring escapes, and constantly pressured his opponent, classic Rossy strategy. King stayed aware and dangerous though, and by the end of the second landed a pair of hard hooks that, if nothing else, reminded Rossy of the power hiding behind King’s kind-eyes.
The start of the third brought more of King’s intensity and before long Rossy’s nose began to bleed. Some concern over this bubbled in his corner. Derric had suffered a broken nose recently, forcing him to cancel his previous appearance. His corner feared he might have reaggravated this injury. By the midway mark of the third, Derric was breathing heavy and it seemed his corner’s fears might have been realized.
And then it happened.
For a half moment King’s defense lowered, an over-anxious reaction to the hurt champ, a calculated risk to press the action and try and create an opening. A mistake. A mistake that the champ needed one punch to take advantage of.
The hit landed flush across the bottom of King’s chin; a vicious hook whose sound cut through the screaming Rossy chants and stunned the gathered crowd. King hit the canvas before Derric could walk away.
If it were only that easy. King regained his footing on an eight count and the fight continued. Rossy pushed but couldn’t put him down again before the round break. Unbeknownst to the gathered crowd and even his own corner until the next round, Derric had pulled a tendon in his right hand. The champ had established his dominancy in this fight, but at what cost? A pattern now developed and King brought heavy pressure until the final bell. Derric did his best to weather the onslaught, but his injury prevented him from landing the effective punches to back off his opponent. By the midway point in the fifth Rossy turtled against the ropes, enduring slow but calculated body shots. For every step Rossy pulled back to defend himself, King mimicked and delivered a right hook to the champ’s head for his effort.
By the sixth Rossy had recovered, and as the champ’s contingent screamed their approval, the two men gutted it out in the middle of the ring, each landing hard blows that rocked their opponent.
Derric Rossy would win this fight by a unanimous decision: 59-54 and 58-55 twice. He embraced his toughest opponent, who now looked haggard but proud, going toe to toe with the champ and showing his mettle. But once again this would be Rossy’s night, a victory earned and forged in adversity. Once again, although bloodied and battered, Rossy’s hand raised in triumph.
Maureen Shea v Olga Heron proved to be an exciting follow up to the champ’s fight. Heron, coming down to the ring to the song “Awesome God,” an interesting choice, stayed active throughout the opening rounds. Fast hands and shifty feet gave Bronx native and hometown favorite, Maureen Shea, trouble in the early rounds. But Heron’s punches packed very little power and Shea was able to endure the early onslaught and tough it out into the later rounds. A chorus of less than favorable chants rained down midway through the fourth round when Heron’s stomach padding began riding up so high that Shea couldn’t land any type of effective body shot on her. The referee, however, let the match continue and before long, equipment problems or no, the winner of the fight became evident. Maureen Shea came away with a decisive victory.
Perhaps the most shocking fight of the night, Curtis Stevens v Marcos Primera, nearly ended before it began. Stevens, another hometown hero, brought a relentless assault in the first that paid quick dividends in the form of a nasty cut beneath Primera’s eye before the first ended. Primera looked beleaguered throughout the first two rounds and all in attendance awaited the final bomb that Stevens, who’s known for his dramatic hard punch knockdowns, would land to put him out of his misery. But that bomb would never be dropped, and the tides shifted by the fourth round. Frustrated and tiring, Stevens delivered the strongest and nastiest low blow he could muster against his opponent. Primera’s feet lifted from the canvas and he crashed to the floor, writhing in pain for more than five minutes before the ref gave him a round break to recover. The low blow quickly proved to be the worst idea for a punch all night as it awakened the fire of competition in Primera. Primera became focused, determined and angry. He took advantage of Steven’s tired defense and laziness with a one-two combination that knocked Stevens out on his feet, Primera’s arms against the ropes the only thing supporting the weight of Steven’s limp body. A standing eight count ensued but Primera didn’t think that was a long enough rest for Stevens. Seconds later he brought the pain and an unlikely final round, come from behind knockout that shocked the crowd. Marcos Primera, elated and apparently just as shocked as the rest of us, slammed his fists on the canvas in victory.
The length of the fights and breaks in-between made Shad Howard’s late plane ride a non-issue. However, the final bout of the night, Howard v Dimitriy Salita, wasn’t worth the wait. Overmatched and outclassed by the veteran Salita, Howard never landed enough punches to win a round. The punch he did land repeatedly, a looping right hook, had its power continuously sapped by his refusal to throw it straight and hard. Salita kept up the relentless pressure he’s known for and by the fifth Howard had had enough. Add another TKO to “The Star of David’s” record, whose constituents made up the bulk of the crowd at the Hammerstein.
What had begun as a bust of a night grew into one of the better fight nights this year. Rossy’s gutsy performance added anther brick to the foundation of this future superstar. The true measure of a champion is often revealed in times of adversity. Thursday night Derric Rossy stared adversity down for a grueling six round fight and emerged victorious for the 12th time.
Critics are quick to jump on Sal Musumeci for his confidence in the young boxer. Musumeci has a simple counterargument: “Prove me wrong.” Sal claims that Derric has more than just potential; he has the talent and skill to become the next great heavyweight. Since the beginning of his boxer’s career, the unwavering confidence that Sal has in his fighter has only been eclipsed by Rossy’s ability to win over the critics for twelve fights now, inching all of us closer to the realization that Musumeci has known all along. Derric Rossy does nothing but prove Sal right.
Who is Derric Rossy?
Article By: Joe Sinisi
Photo By: Mervin Williams
It’s a question many casual fight fans and industry insiders are asking: Who is this guy, this soft-spoken six foot four two hundred and forty two pounder? In street clothes he’s unassuming. In the ring he almost looks undersized. Who is Derric Rossy?
On February 10 at the Friday Night Fights this question needed no answer. At the Huntington Hilton, Friday night was Derric’s night. It was the night he took a step forward and demanded that the dormant but well versed Long Island boxing fans take notice. Not that anyone would’ve had trouble knowing who the hometown favorite was. Amidst deafening ‘Ros-sy Ros-sy’ chants and a brilliant second round TKO a champ was born, and his ascension to stardom moved up one very large notch.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Sal Musumeci, the architect of Final Forum Boxing and himself a man on the move, put the night together. Rossy was coming off of an impressive win at Mohegan Sun, an eight round fight against David Polk he won by decision. Truth be told, by the eighth there wasn’t much of a decision to make. Musumeci was coming off an exhausting campaign to make sure that February 10 would be the night that put Final Forum on the map more.
Rossy In The News…
Before entering the boxing ranks, Rossy enjoyed a sterling football career. Following his high school days at Patchogue-Medford—in which he earned SuperPrep magazine All-American honors, a USA Today All-American honorable mention and the 1997 Hansen Award as the top football player in Suffolk County—Rossy played defensive end for the Boston College Eagles from 1999-2002. As a senior, he started the entire season, and had one of the best games of his career in his college finale at the Motor City Bowl. He recorded two sacks and a fumble recovery as Boston College beat Toledo 51-25.
As a prep for his pro career, Rossy took gold in the 2004 Empire State Games in the super heavyweight division.
L.I. Press Staff Report 10/20/2005
http://www.longislandpress.com/?cp=194&show=article&a_id=6195
"Rossy gives us a real B.C. maroon-and-gold flavor especially with former Eagles basketball great Dana Barros hosting the show at his beautiful sports complex," New England Ringside Promotions president Rick Brutti said. "Rossy is a big, athletic Italian
kid who is unlike so many former football players who've turned to boxing. Derric has very quick hands and feet to go along with his obvious power."
http://www.trufanboxing.com/in_the_news.htm
Former BC defensive end Derric Rossy, a fledgling professional heavyweight boxer, extended his record to 9-0 (five by knockout) last night with a unanimous decision over David Polk at Mohegan Sun. Rossy was a 2004 Golden Gloves champion who compiled a 10-0 amateur record. ''He is an extremely dedicated athlete who trains harder than any fighter I have ever known," promoter Sal Musumeci said. ''Derric contributes his hard work ethic to his days at Boston College and the excellent football training he received from the coaching staff. He has already progressed to the ability of an eight-year fighter after only two years of boxing."
The Boston Globe
Hokies haven't missed a tick with younger Vick
By Michael Vega, Globe Staff | October 22, 2005
http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/football/articles/2005/10/22/hokies_havent_missed_a_tick_with_younger_vick/
Long Island Press – “Thinking Outside the ‘Box’”
February 2, 2006
Okay, Derric Rossy, first things first. What's up with this resemblance to The Rock?
Rossy breaks out in laughter.
"Yeah, people have confused me for him a few times," he says with a pleasant, understated tone that belies his chiseled, 6-foot-3, 238-pound frame. "But he's a big movie star, and I'm not."
Dressed in a plain olive T-shirt and jeans, the 25-year-old former Patchogue-Medford High School football star and Boston College defensive end is the antithesis of the loud voices and often louder clothes that you'll see at a pre-fight press soirée.
Just over two years ago, he turned the two-car garage of his Medford home into a makeshift gym and—under the tutelage of his dad, former professional fighter Carlos Rossy—started training. Initially, it was just to stay in shape, as he still held dreams of playing in the NFL. Now, he's 9-0 as a pro, a meteoric rise for someone so green.
"People thought I was crazy for taking him pro so early," Musumeci admits. "I may keep moving him up fast, but he keeps stepping up to the challenge."
The promoter was already wanting to bring cards back to LI, but Rossy and his band of supporters, the "Rossymaniacs," convinced Musumeci more than ever that he could build the popularity of shows—thanks to a native son who has both the talent and temperament to appeal to Island sports fans. The promoter, who has been in the business for 10 years, insists that bringing press conference fistfights and ear-biting psychos here is a great way to go out of business.
"Long Island is an educated, sophisticated crowd," Musumeci explains. "They're not going to pay to watch a couple of thugs, and I don't associate myself with those kind of fighters."
Rossy and Bell (the latter was once Evander Holyfield's main sparring partner) are friends who talked exactly zero smack at the press conference, which probably should prompt a call to Guinness to see if that's ever happened before.
"I think [trash-talking and stunts] is a part of boxing that keeps people away; keeps away people who like golf and basketball and sports like that," Rossy says. "Now, fight fans do like that there is violence, but Long Island is a different kind of crowd. So, with boxing here we need to be gentlemen and do our business in the ring.
Hammering Fists at the Hammerstein
By Joe Sinisi at ringside
Jed Weinstein in association with Sal Musumeci's Final Forum Boxing helped to breathe life into the second annual Box NYC event held at the Hammerstein Ball on March 2 nd. The long time venue for alternative rock concerts and techno beats was, for one night, transformed into a business man’s land of boxing drama.
Unfortunately as the date closed in, the card became mired in cancellations and bout changes, most stemming from injuries of scheduled boxers. This forced Final Forum to call on the services of the New York State Heavyweight Champ, Derric Rossy. Derric was enjoying a trip to the Caribbean when he was forced into action on short notice.
Despite the last minute changes and fears of cancellation, Box NYC turned into an interesting night of boxing and entertainment. Showcased events such as a charity poker tournament, a fashion show, and in-ring excitement made the night a ‘can’t miss’ scene that should be a happening event year after year.
The first fight featured a pair of Welterweights, Masai McGrier and Diego Villalba. Villalba was coming off a tough loss at the Huntington Hilton only a few weeks before and McGrier was making his pro debut. Villalba was aggressive in the early two rounds, pressuring often and landing a few sloppy combinations. McGrier though, was able to whether the onslaught and come on strong in the final rounds. Villalba had trouble locating his punches and McGrier was able to take advantage and win a pair of rounds. The judges ruled a majority draw with McGrier winning the only disputed vote. Overall it was a decent showing for McGrier’s first fight and another tough decision for Villalba.
Jameson Bostic of Brooklyn took on Antonio Toribio in the second bout. Toribio appeared to be in great shape, slim and strong. But it was Bostic who came out aggressive, landing a series of inaccurate but effective punches that wobbled Toribio into the ropes. The ref declared a standing eight count, but in the end it didn’t matter much. Bostic pressed his advantage and before long Toribio kissed the mat two more times before being TKO’d. Bostic looked confident and sure-handed if not a little disorganized.
In the third contest, Corey Gregory tried his luck against the New York State Champ and came up very short. Derric Rossy made short work of the outmatched Gregory to gain his eleventh victory and seventh KO. Gregory had some power but was only able to land a few hard body shots on Rossy before Rossy took absolute control over the bout. Gregory struggled to string more than two punches together and the cleaner more relaxed Rossy found pay dirt with hook after hook into Gregory’s midsection. Gregory faired no better in the second round. Rossy backed him up into the corner and began teeing off head shots and uppercuts as Gregory desperately tried to bob and weave his way out. An apparent inadvertent low blow sent Gregory down to the mat and after some initial confusion from referee Claudio Santiago, Gregory’s corner threw in the towel. A surprised Gregory stood up and appeared like he still wanted to fight, but his corner did the right thing as he was completely outmatched by the champ. It was another victory for Rossy who can, at this point, almost smell a big fight in his near future.
The main event of the night pitted Junior Welterweight sensation Joey Rios versus the veteran Marty Robbins. Robbins’ 20-30-1 record is deceiving as he never had an amateur career. He looked fit and ready for his match, none the worse for wear after his late flight from Tennessee. Rios, however, was poised and confident and would not be denied. Rios pressured Robbins heavily in the opening rounds, not letting up with his consistent jab and relentless headshots. By the end of the second round Robbins had a slight cut over his left eye and a mouse sprouting underneath it. Rios at times in the middle rounds appeared stubborn, a lot of his hooks to the head were finding leather and he refused to go to the body. This gave Robbins some breathing room to land a few choice combinations, especially one at the end of the third which rocked Rios. Robbins fought well with his conditioning and constitution impressively on display. But it was Rios who dictated the pace of the fight. Rios’ edge in skill and boxing finesse helped him take advantage of every opportunity and by the sixth round, there was no doubt who would go on to win the fight. Robbins fought a good hard fight, even enduring a low blow in the sixth. Rios improved his unbeaten record to 13-0 and if he stays away from his apparent bullheadedness and lets his intelligence guide him a little more, there could be very good things in store for him in the future.
The Hammerstein was packed with over two thousand attendees. The crowd was interested and involved in all of the fights, with the New York crowd cheering heavily for their hometown favorites. The close of Box NYC brought a bevy of beauties showcasing the latest and greatest fashions in lingerie and the poker tournament was a big hit. Overall the night was a nice success and another feather in the cap for Final Forum Boxing.
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Rossy wins NY heavyweight title!
February 1, 2007
By Jason "J-Gon" Gonzalez and Ralph Rimpell |
As the masses came out in droves, ring announcer David Diamante called all of the action last Friday night. At the Huntington Hilton in Mellville, Long Island, eight hundred and ninety four screaming native 'Islanders' filled the grand ballroom to the maximum capacity to root and cheer for their ‘guy', Medford’s own Derric Rossy (10-0, 6 KO’s). Rossy put his winning streak as well as his undefeated record on the line, when he faced the seasoned veteran Gary Bell (22-3-1, 15 KO’s) in the main event. With the vacant New York State Heavyweight Championship up for grabs, initially it seemed that Rossy was biting off more than he could chew. But like his promoter (Sal Musumeci) said, “We here at Final Forum have the utmost confidence in our guy to get the job done.” And get the job done is right! Not only did Rossy get the job done, he got the job done rather easily, as contrary to popular belief. Rossy scored a second round knockout over Gary "Bring Da Pain" Bell to capture the vacant New York State Heavyweight Title last Friday night
After a tactical first round, Rossy figured out that Bell had nothing for him. So as soon as the second round started Rossy picked up the pace. As he continued to dictate the pace of the fight, the sold out crowd began to chant ‘ROSSY, ROSSY!’ The highly exuberant Rossy landed a straight right hand flush on the button. Thus dropping him to the canvas for the first time early in the round. Bell did get up; he beat the count and was up at 6. Although it appeared that Bell was a little woozy, the ref allowed the fight to continue. As the fight continued it was more of the same. The crowd was screaming even louder and with every second that passed Rossy gained more confidence. In the middle portion of the round Rossy pressured Bell into the blue corner and a left-right hook combination to the head put Bell down again for the second time. Once again Bell got up to his feet at the count of 7 and was willing to continue. The referee only allowed the bout to continue for the simple fact that the round was coming to an end. Although you knew that the fight was one combination away from being stopped, there was always that remote chance that Bell could have possibly survived the round. So as Bell continued, he tried to press the action. As Bell tried to smother Rossy, it seemed that fighting at a close proximity was Rossy’s forte. As the two slugged it out in the proverbial 'phone booth' Rossy landed a vicious uppercut to Bell's chin that sent him crashing to the canvas for the third and final time. The referee called a halt to the bout at the 2:58 mark of the second round.
The New York State Athletic Commissioner Ron Scott Stevens was on hand to present Derric Rossy with his prestigious trinket. As he awarded Rossy with the strap, the Commissioner emphatically proclaimed that, “Derric Rossy is a worthy champion!” Stevens added, “Rossy made quick business out of a formidable and experienced puncher....he was up for the task and now a star is born. New York is proud to call him their champion.”
New York Daily News
Searching For The Next Big Thing
by Bill Gallo 2/18/06
I am in search of a heavyweight who has the makings of a champion, and who can eventually lead the boxing parade. He has to be out there someplace. We may already know his name, or he could be a guy working out in some obscure gym.
He may be crude and untaught, yet he can't get this dream out of his mind. He envisions himself as heavyweight champion of the world. Like young Rocky Marciano, he lives with this thought day and night.
After he's through with his two-hour workout, he puts his jacket on and runs home. He's not finished yet, he tells himself. This is roadwork.
On the run, he imagines himself winning fight after fight, and, as in one of those fight movies, headlines of his knockout wins flash in his head.
Although it's too early for predictions, it could be a kid named Derric Rossy from Medford. This hopeful is 24, just about the right age to get into the boxing game. He's 6-3 and tips the scale at 235 pounds. That's a good size for today's crop of heavyweights.
Moreover, this young man is articulate and likable with a modest but confident personality. All this is in line with the heavyweight we're looking for to lead the parade.
Ah, but there is one thing we must still know: Can he fight? That, I suspect will take at least a year to know.
Rossy was an all-around natural who had done well in basketball and football. But he's given it all up for the ring, which is where he hopes his dream will take shape.
After an unblemished amateur career, Rossy has won all 10 of his pro fights. We've seen some clips of his early fights, and although he was up against a few paunchy punching bags, he seems to know how to handle his dukes.
He shows that he needs work, but what beginning fighter doesn't? Remember how crude Marciano was until Charlie Goldman, that master trainer, took him under his wing. Marciano also started fighting tubby humpty-dumpties to build up a winning record.
All Goldman saw in Marciano was a likable, hardworking young man who had no boxing knowledge but a hint of a big punch with a wild-swinging, street-fighting style. Marciano was a great student, doing everything Goldman taught him. When the course was over, Marciano became a fighter. And, not just a good one, but the heavyweight champ.
When we talk of Goldman it makes us realize how few real teachers there are left in the game. The great ones like Ray Arcel, Whitey Bimstein, Freddie Brown, Yank Durham, Eddie Futch, Cus D'Amato and Al Gavin are gone, and unfortunately - except in a few cases - did not pass on their vast knowledge.
Facts About Derric Rossy
Amateur Career: In his 6 month career, Rossy was 10-0 with victories in the Golden Gloves, New York State Games, and the Empire Games as a Super Heavyweight
Professional Career: In only a year and a half as a professional, Rossy is 11-0-0 with 7 KO’s; he holds victories over highly regarded Gary Bell (whom he defeated for the New York State Heavyweight Title) and David Polk
Career Highlights: Rossy was an All-American football player in Medford during his high school days and he earned an athletic scholarship to Boston College, where he was the starting defensive end for 4 years
In His Corner: Rossy has been trained by the legendary Al Gavin and by Bob Jackson of the infamous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn
