Strap Season: Rosenberger set for ABF title fight in Columbia

Once Ohio's busiest fighter prior to the pandemic, Danny Rosenberger will enther the ring for the fourth time post-pandemic as the fighter who goes by by the ring alias Feel Good Hollywood is currently riding a three fight win streak.

Standing in the way of Rosenberger and his win streak will not only be Walter Estrada who brings over 80 fights of experience with him to the ring, but the issues that traveling over 2,500 miles to fight Estrada on his own turf in Columbia.

"After I beat Russian fighter Vitalii Gubkin for the USBF belt, doors have been opening and I’ve had many calls but nothing worth taking," Rosenberger said of how his ABF title fight with Estrada came to be. "I was reached out by the president of the ABF about taking a fight down in Colombia. At first I didn’t know what to think but after talking to him and the promoter down there I decided it would be a possibility".

Once the logistics were pounded out with with the ABF, it came down to finding a worthy opponent.

"He has 47 professional wins and fought multiple current or former world champs including Mikey Garcia, Jesse Vargas, Yuriorkis Gamboa and many others" Rosenberger said of Estrada. "So a win vs such a decorated fighter with a great resume and an ABF title will certainly boost my rankings".

Though Estrada will bring a tough test to the plate for Rosenberger, the Niles native is confident especially knowing the work he's put in with trainer Joe Board who has helped transform Rosenberger into an aggresor during this win streak.

 "We’ve been in the zone and it’s straight focus and hard work from sparring, bag work, road work," said Rosenberger of his camp for his international business trip. "It feels like back to old school training when we run in the mountains down in Toronto".

Toronto you might ask yourself?

Located roughly an hour south of Youngstown, Rosenberger makes the commute to train with Board, a small price to pay as the 32-year-old is undefeated since making the transition and looking to get more active in the ring upon his return from this bout.

"I wouldn’t mind fighting 3 or maybe 4 more times this year. I feel great in every way to, mentally and physically," Rosenber said of his future plans.

"I know what I’m capable of and believe in myself and my abilities. I’m excited to see what the next few months hold for more. I hope to become a more recognized fighter in our valley since it feels like they forget about the few pros in our area".

Rosenberger and Estrada will get it on for the ABF title on Friday, August 19 in Santa Monta, Columbia.

"I leave for Colombia August 17th and I return back to the states on the 23rd and I will have the ABF belt with me".

Vic Toney set for national stage against former Olympian

Vic Toney (6-1-1, 5 KO's) will look to add to the recent waves the Youngstown boxing scene has created as he heads to Las Vegas to take on 2020 Tokyo Olympian, Tory Isley of Alexandria, VA at Resorts World.

Isley, 23, is 6-0 is 6-0 as a professional with 4 wins coming by way of knockout.

Though Isley who fights for Top Rank Promotions will be a tough test for Toney, the Youngstown native is no stranger to challenges having gone the distance in defeat to the current WBC Interim World Super Welterweight champion, Sebastian Fundora back in 2017.

Toney, 34, will be entering the ring for the first time since scoring a KO victory over Joel Guevera in July of 2021.  A victory for Toney, who trains at Youngstown Salem Boxing Club, will open many doors for the fighter who has shown flashes of potential greatness.

The scheduled 6-round middleweight fight will be broadcasted live this Saturday, August 13 on ESPN+ on the undercard of the Teofimo Lopez-Pedro Campa bout.

Strap Season: Rosenberger set for USBF National Title fight in West Virginia this weekend

Danny Rosenberger will make the trip to West Virginia, a place he's certainly becoming familiar with as he will take on Vitalii Gubkin in a welterweight showdown for the USBF National Title in the events co-main event.  

This will be the second trip in a row for Rosenberg to the Mountaineer State which he has frequented many times before as a fighter.

"I'm starting to feel at home in West Virginia.  They treat me well and I'm starting to create a fanbase down there I believe", said Rosenberger on heading to Vienna, WV this weekend.  "I had about 100 people come up to me and shake my hand and want to meet me and they are very welcoming and love my style of boxing".

The fans aren't the only ones making the 31-year-old feel at home in West Virginia.

"The commission is very easy to work with and fair.  They don't play favorites like some states do for the hometown fighters so I'm excited to fight in West Virginia again and look forward to a lot more fights there soon".

Hopefully, more fights are on the docket for Rosenberger in the near future as the Niles native was one of the most if not the most active fighter in the state of Ohio before COVID scored a technical knockout and put the sport at a standstill.  

Rosenberger will be looking to remain in the winners circle having won his last time out in impressive fashion in his first bout under new trainer Joe Board who he contributes a lot of his recent success and newfound desire to succeed in the ring.

"Everything with Joe has been great", said Rosenberger of his training in preparation for Saturday night.  "We've been more dialed in on road work, sparring, and gym work, back to the old school blood, sweat, and tears training".

Though Board is the main reason Rosenberger travels over an hour each way near the Ohio River town of Toronto, he also knows he is going to get great work in that gym which he is very grateful for.

"I also have to give credit to a few people in the gym for helping me prepare for my last fight and taking time off and helping me for this fight", Rosenberger said of his preparations for the fight.

With camp now behind him, the only thing left for Rosenberger is to climb between the ropes and face Gubkin.

"He's on a nice little win streak but that will come to an end on October 30", Rosenberger said of his opponent.  "He's a Russian fighter so I know he's going to be a tough opponent and will come at me with everything he has but we are prepared for that and willing to leave it all in the ring to that title", stated Danny on his opponent.

"I believe my movement and speed will be too much for him".

Fans who can't make it to the Grande Pointe Conference and Reception Center in Vienna, West Virginia can watch the event being billed as The Takeover 3 on pay per view on their devices by heading to the following link: F55LIVE, first bell is slated for 7:00 PM. 

Youngstown-Salem Boxing Club brings afternoon of amateur boxing to Struthers to unite the community

Saturday afternoon will be more than the blood, sweat, and tears that happen between the ring as Youngstown-Salem Boxing Club will host its first amateur card to bring attention to a bigger cause.

The show is being billed as "Unity in the Community".

Recently, Youngstown has been under fire with all its shootings and tensions, and what better way to help bring unity back to the community than the sport that helped put the city on the map alongside the now paralyzed steel industry that once flourished here.

Headlining the show will be #1 ranked Zion Hensley, a student at Western Reserve, who finally gets to fight in her own backyard after spending much of the past two-plus years on the road facing the best competition at her age and weight class at the national level.

Though she will be fighting at home, the level of competition for Henley will not relax as she will be taking on the #3 ranked girl.

Many local fighters along with fighters from out of state will be showcasing their talents at The Embassy on Youngstown-Poland Road as well.

Tickets for the event, which begins at 4:00 PM will cost $25 with the doors opening at 3:00 PM.

Zion Hensley to fight for National Title today in Missouri

It's national championship day in Independence, Missouri as champions will be crowned in the 2021 Silver Gloves Tournament.

Zion Hensley, a student at Western Reserve will be in action today during today's championship session which kicks off at 1:00 PM ET.

Z, who will fight out of the blue corner will take on Emily Peres in bout #12 on ring #3 in the 90 lb. championship bout which will be streamed can be viewed here for $9.99.

For those planning on viewing, tune in early as its hard to judge how long preceding bouts will last.

Rosenberger set for ring return this weekend in Morgantown, WV

Before COVID-19 came out swinging and sidelined the sport of boxing, Danny Rosenberger was the busiest boxer in Youngstown having fought five times in 2019 and once in early 2020.  Now the middleweight is back and with a new trainer and at a new weight.

Though he's been out of competition that doesn't mean Rosenberger has been out of the gym as the Niles native has linked up with Joe Board of Board's Boxing in the Ohio River town of Toronto.

"It's definitely different in Toronto with Joe," said Rosenberger.  I feel like he brings out the better Danny, the part of me I never knew.  The way he talks to you and the little tricks and knowledge he has for the game of boxing just feeds my fire for the sport which is the reason I commute an hour to his gym 4-5 days a week."

Rosenberger won't have an easy task in his return, but what should we expect from a fighter who fought future "The Contender" participant Gerald Sherrell on a day's notice.  

Standing in the way for his ring return is 28-year-old West Virginia native Zachary Randolph who will bring a 5-0-1 record into the evening while fighting in front of his hometown fans.

"So many fights where I feel as I won and lost due to fighting in the guy's backyards which is something that I am once again doing" stated Rosenberger when asked about fighting an opponent on his home turf.  "I need to absolutely dominate or stop this guy to get the win as we know I am not the judge's favorite for the decision".

The one advantage Rosenberger sees for himself despite taking the fight on short notice on somebody else's turf is the fact that the 6-round bout will be held in the super middleweight division.

"I'm moving up to 168 pounds for this fight which is the highest weight class I've ever been at," said Rosenberger.  "I walk around at 165 so I have to put on rather than cut weight this time.  It is short notice but we're ready and stay in the gym for moments like this".

If all goes acorrdingly, you will be hearing plenty of news moving forward of Rosenberger getting in the ring.

"I plan to become a very active fighter once again now that the pandemic is hopefully coming to an end" said Rosenberger of his future plans".  "It was defintely challenging training all those hours and driving that far the last 20 months and not fighting but now it's my time and I"m excited to step back in there".

Toney scores brutal knockout victory

Vic Toney is back.

Toney scored a brutal third-round knockout as the 33-year-old who now trains at the Youngstown-Salem Boxing Club with Rocky and Alecia Defrank improved his record to 6-1-1 with his destruction of the gritty Joel Guevara (4-7-1) in super welterweight action at the Boyd County Community Center in Catlettsburg, Kentucky.

From the opening bell, Toney showed dominance landing a couple furries in rounds one and two before landing a perfect combination that sent his opponent to the canvas and secured the referee stoppage. 

Fingers crossed this is just the beginning for Toney as he enters a new phase of his career with a boatload of confidence.