This card has a long list of fights at this time. The main event is looking like Mike Walker (6,0) vs Harley Kilfian (9,9) at light heavy. Also featured on the card are Tocker Pudwill (40,7), Wayne Martell (24,4), and popular cruiser Bobby Deane (4,0).
Here is the full bout list April 28 Minot Card as it stands boxrec.com
Matt Vanda vs Ted Muller, Courtesy SnapLocally.com
For as much as I am fond of Matt Vanda and his fighting spirit, there are MANY in this state and beyond who could break down his strengths and weaknesses far better than I. On top of that, I have some crazy lung problem that is keeping me down and drugged. But heck, since when have I let not knowing what I am talking about and being under the influence stop me from sharing my thoughts. So here we go.
Keys to victory for Matt “The Predator” Vanda.
In his last two bouts, against Tocker Pudwill and Ted Muller Vanda stood right in front of each and was willing to trade blow for blow. For his fight with Pudwill, Vanda weighed in at just under 160lbs and Pudwill was right at the 160lb limit. For at least the first half of that fight Tocker Pudwill was able to outbox Vanda, but the meaningful punches were thrown and landed by Vanda. In the end as Pudwill slowed, Vanda’s pace stayed much the same and he continued to land his heavier shots, winning the fight according to the judges. Against Ted Muller, Vanda entered the ring at a all time high, 168lbs, while Muller tipped the scales at 175lbs. For this fight there was not a whole lot of the sweet science. Neither man seemed to shy from going toe to toe in what could be labeled a slug fest. Matt Vanda was not only able to stand up to a light heavyweight’s power but he was dishing it out as well. Again he won the fight by decision.
The Ted Muller fight answered most of the questions leading up to Matt Vanda’s showdown with one of Minnesota’s heaviest punchers. Vanda, entering the ring at 168lbs, did not look sloppy in the least. In fact, he looked quite solid. Now trading shots with Ted Muller in no way is like trading with The Drill, although, those that watched Muller fight Zach Walters know he can land with some pop.
This leads me to my keys to victory for The Peoples Champ, Matt Vanda. He can not fight anything like he did against Ted Muller, while I loved that fight and it may even have been the most entertaining of the year,Williams power needs to be respected. Even though he may not be the fastest or slickest fighter, Vanda will be all of the above for Phil Williams. Vanda needs to use plenty of movement and quick flurries to frustrate the always stalking and powerful Williams. While I am a big Drill fan, he has not proven to me that he has a lot more than bombs. Don’t get me wrong, I love bombs, but he tends to get frustrated when not given an opening to drop them. We all know Vanda doesn’t get KO’ed, but until very recently he hadn’t fought this big of guys. I agree that Vanda’s thick skull can probably handle a few blows and maybe even play a larger role by disarming Williams punches through hand injury, but that cant be banked on. For Matt Vanda, the judges are his friend, if he takes Phil Williams all ten rounds, I have no doubt he will have done enough to win.
By Pudwill’s estimation, he won six of eight rounds. Commentators on the internet pay-per-view telecast, including Anthony Bonsante – a former opponent of both Pudwill and Vanda – had Pudwill taking five rounds.
Internet accounts also had Pudwill dominating the early to middle rounds. Pudwill said both Vanda and his cornermen told him he won. But Vanda, who is from Minneapolis, swayed the judges.
“It was a hometown decision,” Pudwill said. “… There was no way I thought they could take it away from me on a decision.”
All photos courtesy of snaplocally.com
The Midwest Sports Council and the Target Center worked together to put on the best show of 2009 thus far. It’s hard to imagine getting any better than their last effort with Kolle/Bonsante, but this card was entertaining top to bottom. The 3,595 people in attendance witnessed the fulfillment of a feud, the mighty return of Jason Litzau, and a very controversial decision in Vanda/Pudwill. This is what live boxing is all about. The two biggest highlights for me were Allen Litzau vs Wilton Hilario and Jason Litzau’s furry.
Donny Tierney UD (38,37/38,37/38,37) over Zach Schumach – What a great start to the night. This was boxer vs brawler. Donny used his obvious boxing skill advantage to keep control throughout most of this fight. Zach brought the action and looping bombs, but it was not enough to beat the slicker boxer.
Jon Laboda TKO between rounds 2 and 3 over Patrick Cape – Round one had Cape looking to unleash his big right hand, and he had some success, taking the round in my opinion. The second round came with Laboda tearing into Capes body and mind. Following round two, Cape’s corner decided their fighter had felt enough.
Jason Litzau TKO round 5 over Phillip Payne – The crowd was going crazy for Litzau as he entered the ring. Once in the ring and the bell rung, Jason began to ring a different bell, Payne’s. This fight was all Jason and I can see why most local fight fans see Jason as cream of the crop. I understand that Payne’s record was lacking, but what a come back fight for Jason. Fast hands is not nearly descriptive enough to talk about the artillary Litzau was throwing. I give Phillip credit for making it to the 5th, as Jason was on him at every turn, popping him to every portion of his body above the waist.
Cerresso Fort TKO round 4 over Robert Kliewer – This would have been fight of the night on many occasions. Bombs away could describe the action between these two Rice Street Gym fighters. Fort didn’t look as impressive in this victory as he had in Hinckley but Kliewer makes all fights look a little different due to his style. I give Kliewer credit for making it as far as he did with the monsters Fort was throwing. I had Fort taking every round until the stoppage.
Wilton Hilario TKO round 5 over Allen Litzau – Rounds 1 through 3 were all action as these two rivals showed their dislike for one another. Both Allen and Wilton were landing big shots on each other. Wilton’s straight right had Allen seeing stars early on. After round three my notes just say WOW. Come round 4, the wear and tear seemed to be getting to Litzau, and Wilton was clearly in control of both the 4th and 5th rounds. Round five started with Hilario and Litzau charging each other, firing off punches, then Wilton again was doing the giving until the fight was mercifully stopped. The crowd was not happy with the stoppage but those at ringside all agreed. This is one of those fights that did live up to the hype and will stay in peoples memories for a long time. Great fight.
Matt Vanda MD (76,76/77,75/77,75) over Tocker Pudwill – According to the crowd, the writers, Vanda and his Corner’s reaction, the judges were watching a different fight. After it was through, I was able to talk to Anthony Bonsante and Jake Wagner, who were both broadcasting the nights events, and they both had it for Tocker by a landslide. At best this could have been a draw, but two judges giving Vanda the win by two points is beyond me. The fight itself was entertaining. The first 4 rounds I easily gave to Tocker because of his activity and reach. It just didn’t seem like Vanda could figure out how to get inside. Tocker had great defense and in those first 4 rounds didn’t get touched by much. The second half of the 8 round affair was a much closer bout. Vanda definitely landed the bigger punches and had Tocker hurt on a few occasions. I could have scored the last four for Vanda, giving him a draw but didn’t. I had Tocker winning by 2 points. This fight did show why people love Vanda– he shows no fear, and he is always on the prowl. If he had fought the whole fight like he did the last four rounds, I don’t know if it would have gone the distance, but I’m sure that had something to do with Tocker. A lot of credit needs to be given to Vanda for understanding the slight given to Tocker. He immediately offered Tocker a rematch and Vanda didn’t stay for the post fight interview. Tocker’s people were heard saying that they would take a rematch, just not in Minnesota.
What a night at the Target Center. I cannot wait for their next boxing event. There was not a fight on the card that wasn’t fun to watch. The Midwest Sports Council did a great job on lining up the cast for 2009′s best show to date.
Todd
Photos Courtesy of snaplocally.com
Wow! This was the most exciting prefight event I have been to. Matt Vanda and Tocker Pudwill stepped on and off the scale with no drama. Then the show began. Allen Litzau and Wilton Hilario both made their weight no problem, but had major problems when it came to who got to go in the ring last. Enough problems that both sides had to be restrained. If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, do so, these two mean business. Phillip Payne started off almost ten pounds heavier than Jason Litzau but came back 5 pounds less and the fight is on. Patrick Cape got down to nothing to make weight.
Phil “The Drill” Williams saw his opponent weigh 166 fully clothed and decided he wasn’t going to fight. He shouted that he wanted somebody big enough to fight with him. Phil hit the scale at 176, one pound over the contract weight of 175. Phil exclaimed he wanted Walters.
We will be at the Weigh-ins today. They take place at 3:30 PM at SEVEN-The Steakhouse, downtown Mpls.
Want to know a little more about the man facing Matt Vanda? Well, Jesse Kelley of MinnesotaBoxing.com has just what you’re looking for. You can read Jesse’s interview with Tocker Pudwill here.
Updated fight card.
1. Matt Vanda vs. Tocker Pudwill
2. Allen Litzau vs. Wilton Hilario
3. Cerresso Fort vs. Robert Kliewer
4. Jason Litzau vs. Phillip Payne
5. Phil Williams vs. Chance Western
6. Jon Laboda vs. Patrick Cape
7. Donny Tierney vs. Zach Schumach
* Fighters subject to change.
Wilton Hilario photo from soboxing.com.
Wilton Hilario(10,0,1) vs Allen Litzau(13,3)- If these guys each weighed 25 lbs more, this fight would be off the charts. But as is the case in all of boxing, the smaller fighters don’t seem to grab the imagination of the masses. Here is a great example of where the casual fan is missing out. We just got through with a major instate fight between Andy Kolle and Anthony Bonsante. The state was all a buzz in anticipation for the event, as it should have been, and they did not let us down. Well, not only is this fight between Allen Litzau and Wilton Hilario highly important to their boxing futures and status in the state, but they really don’t like each other. It’s no put on. On top of that, a Wilton win could set up an even bigger fight with Jason Litzau. Needless to say, the Wilton/Allen fight is our pick for fight of the night. 4-12-09 Allen Litzau
Matt Vanda(39,9) vs Tocker Pudwill(40,6) – Matt has gone (4,7) in his last 11 fights. But that record is deceiving. He has fought John Duddy, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr two times, Kenny Kost, Anthony Bonsante, and the new king of Minnesota middles Andy Kolle. The above list of opponents over the last few years was the reason MNboxingleague.com listed Vanda as the peoples champ, he is not afraid to fight anyone anywhere. His first fight with Chavez was in Mexico. There is word out that Matt would like to get a rematch with Kolle for the Minnesota middleweight title. First, he needs to take care of business on the 18th against Tocker Pudwill. Tocker has a better record and had a convincing victory over Anthony Bonsante. The Bullet almost shut out Vanda when they fought. I have heard fellas who know a lot more about the game than I say, Tocker will win this fight. For this humble writer, I think Vanda comes through with a big win for his career’s future and his GREAT fans.
Matt Vanda vs Andy Kolle from 11-17-07, Kolle by UD
Courtesy Walters Photography, all rights reserved
Jason Litzau(23,2) vs Phillip Payne(16,22,1) – Jason is ready to get back to the top. I am really looking forward to his return to the ring. 4-10-09 Jason Litzau
For full fight card, visit our “Unfinished Business” page.
Bear
“Humble writer???????, what?” Todd
Below is the final round between Matt Vanda and Yory Boy Campas at the Target Center.
Matt Vanda will be facing Tocker Pudwill April 18 at the Target Center.
Matt Vanda [won 39 (KO 22) + lost 9 (KO 1) + drawn 0] v. Tocker Pudwill [won 40 (KO 14) + lost 6 (KO 3) + drawn 0]– 8 rounds – 160 lbs.
Wilton Hilario [won 10 (KO 08) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 1] v. Allen Litzau [won 13 (KO 7) + lost 3 (KO 2) + drawn 0]– 10 rounds – 130 lbs.
Cerresso Fort [won 5 (KO 5) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 0] v. Bobby Kliewer [won 9 (KO 4) + lost 7 (KO 5) + drawn 2]– 6 rounds – 160 lbs.
Jason Litzau [won 23 (KO 19) + lost 2 (KO 2) + drawn 0] v. Phillip Payne [won 16 (KO 08) + lost 22 (KO 4) + drawn 1] – 8 rounds – 132 lbs.
Phil Williams [won 10 (KO 9) + lost 1 (KO 1) + drawn 0] v. John Turner is nolonger on card – 6 rounds – 175 lbs.
Jon Laboda [won 4 (KO 3) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 0] v. Patrick Cape [won 5 (KO 3) + lost 4 (KO 3) + drawn 0] – 5 rounds – 147 lbs.
Donny Tierney [Pro Debut] v. David Duncan [won 0 (KO 0) + lost 1 (KO 1) + drawn 0] – 4 rounds – 152 lbs.
A Pro Boxing Border Battle Headlines
Fight Night at Target Center
Matt Vanda Gets a New Opponent for April 18th “Unfinished Business” Card
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA (March 31, 2009) — Target Center, in association with Midwest Sports Council, announced a change in its co-headliner bout, “Unfinished Business,” today. Matt Vanda will now take on Tocker Pudwill (40-6,14 KO’s), a middleweight from Bismarck, North Dakota. Pudwill replaces K.J. Noons who was previously set to box Vanda on the downtown Minneapolis card. Noons severely injured his shoulder last Saturday night, going the distance but losing in a devastating ten-round decision. The Vanda vs. Pudwill bout sets up a battle for state pride. Both Vanda, a St. Paul native, and Pudwill hail from their states’ capital cities. Pudwill is also a former North Dakota state middleweight champion and has twice fought for but lost his bids for a world title.
*Co-Main Events:
St. Paul’s Matt “The Predator” Vanda (39-9, 22 KO‘s) is looking to get his career back on track against the “Bismarck Bomber” Tocker Pudwill (40-6,14 KO’s).
Vanda has lost his last two fights in decisions that went the distance against legendary, undefeated fighters John Duddy and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. Although being out punched by Duddy his last time in the ring at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Vanda showed a lot of guts and determination in the final round of the fight, landing a series of powerful blows in hopes for a knockout.
In the other co-main event, an eight round bout, Allen “The American Boy” Litzau (13-3, 7 KO‘s) is hoping to spoil Wilton “Pretty Warrior” Hilario’s (10-0-1, 8 KO’s) undefeated record and take home the Super Featherweight America’s Belt title at the same time.
Hilario, with his street fighter’s passion, has his eyes set on more high-profile fights down the road—namely a match up with powerful Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa. But, St. Paul’s Litzau, a four-time upper Midwest Golden Gloves champion is an impressive young brawler that opponents can’t afford to look past.
Fans will see the return of lightweight Jason “The American Boy” Litzau (23-2, 19 KO’s) after his devastating IBF Featherweight Title loss in February 2008. Jason was 125-10 as an amateur, finished second at the 2001 US Championship. He turned pro at 19 and ended his opportunity of competing in the Olympics. As a pro he continued to rise in the rankings.
Undefeated Jon Laboda (4-0, 3 KO‘s) takes on power puncher Mike Davis (3-5, 3 KO’s) in a four round, junior middleweight fight. Welterweight Donny Tierney makes his pro debut against David Duncan (0-1) and Cerresso Fort (5-0, 5 KO‘s) will defend his undefeated Middleweight record. Phil “The Drill” Williams will be taking on undefeated Reggie “Concrete” LeCrete.
*Fighters subject to change.