A new generation of talent was on display at the Iron Mike Promotions’ The Pride of Pittsburgh boxing event at Consol Energy Center, Aug. 8t. But it was a familiar face that stole the show.
Lightweight Monty Meza-Clay (36-3-0), of Rankin, knocked out Alan Herrera of Sinaloa, Mexico, in the 10th and final round.
“I’m not the main event but I’m the main event,” said Meza-Clay. “I live a fighters lifestyle. I’m all business. I might be the smallest but I fight like I’m the biggest.”
In the main event Monessen native Sammy Vasquez Jr., (16-0-0) defeated previously unbeaten James Stevenson (21-1-0) of Baltimore. Vasquez stopped him in the ninth round.
“I never been past round six and I was hoping that he took me into deep water and he did,” said Vasquez. “I come a long way from a tiny gym at Courttime to the Consol Energy Center and it’s because of all my great fans. They want to see me fight so we keep moving into bigger and bigger arenas.”
Monty Meza-Clay relinquished his title out of health concerns and after a controversial loss. Tommy Yankello, the man who trains Meza-Clay, once called his fighter “Pittsburgh’s fourth franchise,” after the Steelers, Pirates and Penquins.
“He single-handedly resurrected boxing in Pittsburgh,” Yankello said of a man now faced with resurrecting his boxing career.
The crowd got into his fight and started chants of Monty, Monty, Monty, Monty, Monty late in the fight and he finished off his opponent with a flurry of punches in the tenth.
“Pittsburgh is a wonderful fight town,” said Iron Mike Tyson. “I might have to move here, because I’m coming back so often.”
Tyson signed Meza-Clay to a contract immediately after the fight,
“Before the fight I told Mike Tyson that he won’t be disappointed,” said Meza-Clay. “And he wasn’t. I’m in the prime of my career now and looking forward to working with Tyson.”
Meza-Clay’s appeal as a blue collar fighter in a blue collar town was immediate. His tattooed upper body made him noticeable inside the ring, but his generosity and caring outside it made him a working class hero. He was the people’s champion, signing autographs for kids and taking care of his family.
“I conquered the throne in Pittsburgh years ago. I will catapult beyond everybody. I’ll continue to make a statement,” said Meza-Clay. “The love for the sport is what keeps me going. This is my time.”
He was becoming more than just a local attraction. Meza-Clay drew national television audiences and staggering crowds to Rivers Casino and Mountaineer.
Toward the end of the 1970s and into the early 1980s, defense gradually began to take on a more prominent role in boxing, largely thanks to Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker and Michael Nunn.
“This is the best my defense has ever been. I have been working hard to improve my defense and this was the best of my career,” Meza-Clay said. “I’m not the biggest puncher, but I’m Mike Tyson at the end of a fight.”
Other winners: Steve Geffrard, of Miami, Fl; Amonte Eberhardt, of Pittsburgh; Ryan Martin, of Cleveland, Oh; Vincent Jennings, of Grand Rapids, Mi; Erickson Lubin, of Orlando, Fl and Ievgen Khytrov, of Brooklyn, NY.
