February 23, 2022–Weights for Thursday Night’s Joe Hand Promotions fight card at Live Casino & Hotel Philadelphia

Sonny Conto 226.1 – Mike Marshall 248.8
Daiyaan Butt 143.1 – Bryce Mills 141.9
Christopher Burgos 139.6 – Carlos Marrero 136.2
D’Angelo Fuentes 123.8 – Justice Bland 126
Eslih Owusu 155 – Evencii Dixon 155.2
Jordon Murphy 128.8 – Nasir Mickens 129.4
Quadeer Jenkins 159.5 – Rahiem Cooke 158.3

Promoter: Joe Hand Promotions
Venue: Live! Casino & Hotel Casino Promotions
1st Bell: 7 PM ET

Christopher Burgos (3-4-1, 1 KO), of North Philadelphia, will fight Carlos Marrero (2-6-3), of Bridgeport, CT, in a six-round Super Lightweight bout at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philadelphia, on Thursday, February 24.

Here is a Q&A with Christopher Burgos for your consideration in previewing the bout.

What got you into boxing?

“As a kid, I just wanted to learn how to fight and I guess build my self-esteem up because I had low self-esteem as a kid. So then I got into boxing, and I got good at it. I did it for a while, but then I got sucked into a dumb life and gave it up. But years later, I came back and took it seriously.”

What do you enjoy the most about boxing/fighting?

“I enjoy how I have to prove to myself that I can actually do a lot more than what I think I can and push myself further than what I thought. I kind of had a lot of doubters in life and they looked at me like I wouldn’t go anywhere in life, and I actually got somewhere.”

Is there current or former fighters that you took pieces of their style from and implemented into your style?

“When I was teenager, I used to love watching Roy Jones. Jr. fight, and I wanted to get more into Roy Jones’s style. But as I got older, I kind of lost that speed, so I started developing a pressure style of fighting. For some reason when I am fighting, the more I actually come forward and battle with the guy, the easier the fight is, and the less you think about what’s happening and the more you stay in the zone with the fight. The more you box and run around, you might lose focus, and the fight gets boring too.”

Did you always want to be a boxer?

“I was more into military and law enforcement growing up, but my brother was always into wrestling and stuff. I’m not going to lie. It sounds kind of funny and cheesy since I’m from Philly, but I saw the Rocky movie every year on TV. Then after watching the movies so much, I said why not give it a try and what do you know, the Rocky movies lead me to being a Philly fighter.”

After your last fight, what is something that you have been working on that you want to showcase in the ring?

“So far I try to show determination and go against adversity. A lot of the time, most of the guys I have been thrown in against, a lot people said I wasn’t supposed to win. Because of my age or record, I did not have that great of an opportunity. So it’s more like going against adversity and the doubters. I have my son, and I have custody of him, and he is really young, but in a way, I want to show him that things are possible if you fight hard and really try to push through it. Everybody loved the last fight. They gave me ‘Fight of the Year’ for the Briscoe Awards, and the fight before that, I stole the ‘Fight of the Night’ even though I was not the main event. So pretty much since I put on action packed fights and people like it, I figure I’ll work harder on being more of an action packed fighter. Nowadays, what people want to see is a lot of punches being thrown, bleeding or getting hurt. So I don’t want to get hurt, but at the same time, I love the action. Everybody loves the action so I try to bring action packed fights.”

What are your hopes and dreams for your future in fighting?

“My only 3 goals in this sport have been hopefully to make enough money to buy a nice house with at least one fight, and not be fighting to pay it off. Second one would be to buy another house for my mom, if possible. And I would say the last one is like the first one and it would be to inspire my son to go for what he believes in and if he wants to push hard, he can make it happen.”

Who are your biggest supports outside the ring?

“I’m very thankful for the support because you know I kind of screwed up a lot in my life. So my mom never gave up on me, and she told me to keep trying for the best and one day you’ll find something. I appreciate everybody’s support. I was never used to getting a lot of support so in my mind, it’s just more about how I feel about myself or what I accomplish. I am really thankful for my girl and everyone that has been around. And the main one I appreciate is my coach. If it wasn’t for him, it wouldn’t have been possible. He helps me, he calls me, he checks up on me like we’re family. I’m really thankful for his support more than anybody because he is one of the guys that saw something in me when what others saw in me was another old guy trying to do something.”

What did it mean to receive the Briscoe Award for “Philly Fight of the Year” and were you expecting it?

“I wasn’t expecting it at all. I didn’t even think that was possible. I don’t see myself as a famous guy. I never tried to be famous. I just wanted to make a nice living. I was really excited and surprised when they gave it to me, and my family, my girlfriend and all my friends were happy for me. Then after I got it, I’m kind of nervous too. I can’t mess up, and I have to try really hard. I know there are a lot of fighters that are looking at me because of that award, and now I have to really step my game up to live up to that award.”

What does it mean to have your son in your life and how has it affected you?

“What it means to me is to show him hard work and dedication. What I’m hoping when he gets older when he finds something he likes or loves in life, he will work and put the effort in. When people tell him he can’t, he will still go for it and not let anyone tell him what to be in life and not be lost in this world and try to figure out what to do.”

Why did you choose to train where you do?

“My coach has been with me from my whole pro career and my last few amateur fights. I joined the gym when I was 24 and there was a coach there, and he wasn’t a real coach. He only had one amateur fight, and I heard he lost it because he was scared. I started to find things out about this guy, and the way he was training us was kind of crappy. Another coach came in who did boxing in the army, but he was more a physical trainer than a boxing trainer and he didn’t care too much about what happened. He just wanted to do it as a hobby and to entertain himself. He didn’t really care for the fighters so much. Time went by and then I came across Rickie Diaz and Miguel Perez. Those two saw something in me and they work with me even through all the bad habits I have and all the mistakes I was making. They saw if they gave me a command, I would follow it. And when it came to getting in shape, they knew I was running everyday so there was no need to keep track of me on exercise. If they told me to push forward, I would push forward. I really appreciate my two coaches because they saw I did not give up on them, and they never gave up on me. I would bust my back for them and they would do the same thing for me.”

What do you find the most rewarding or gratifying in boxing?

“To actually look in the mirror and look at yourself and know you put the effort in, and to feel like you did something instead of feeling like you wasted something with yourself.”

The live boxing event, which is produced in partnership between Joe Hand Promotions and Russel Peltz, will feature a six round heavyweight bout between Sonny Conto (8-0, 7 KOs) out of Philadelphia, PA going up against Mike Marshall (6-2-1, 4 KOs) fighting out of Danbury,

Super lightweights Christopher Burgos (3-4-1, 1 KO) of North Philadelphia, PA will battle Carlos Marrero (2-6-3) out of Bridgeport, CT in a six round bout.

Another bout on the card is a six round featherweight contest between Justice Bland (5-1, 2 KO’s) out of Brooklyn, NY going up against D’Angelo Fuentes (6-0, 4 KOs) fighting out of Coconut Creek, FL

Also on the card is a four round lightweight bout featuring Jordon Murphy (1-0, 1 KO) out of Deerfield Beach, FL going against Nasir Mickens (2-0, 1 KO) out of Philadelphia,

Temple student Daiyaan Butt (10-1, 5KOs) is living the dream.

As a first grader, he stood in front of his classmates on career day and declared he would become a boxer. When asked “why a boxer?” He responded he regularly watches Mike Tyson and Roberto Duran with his father which inspired his dream.

Butt will go toe-to-toe with Bryce Mills, of Liverpool, NY, (7-1, 4 KO’s) at Live! Casino & Hotel in South Philadelphia on Thursday, February 24.

  A boxer is not the only way that Butt wants to be remembered. He wants to be more than just a boxer. When asked about his hopes and dreams in boxing, Butt responded: “I don’t want to be labeled as just a boxer,” citing Muhammad Ali as an example. He wants to us his platform to make this world a better place.

As a junior at Temple University, Butt is studying Management Information Systems (MIS). He wants to be the leader of his own career inside the ring and outside the ring. He wants to use what he is learning at Temple University in their Fox School of Business and apply it to the business side of boxing.

With a great understanding with how money and finance works he will be able to make sure he understands his value and getting what he deserves. He enjoys learning new things, but enjoys it more when he can it apply it in everyday life.

Butt admits getting his hand raised is a great accomplishment in the ring, he also loves learning new skills in the gym and applying it the next sparring session or fight is just as gratifying.

ADDITIONAL Q&A with DAIYANN BUTT:

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned in boxing?

“You can’t take anything for granted in life in general but boxing taught that because in boxing it only takes one punch and that translates to life, next thing you know you could be on top of the world and then a your nobody.”
Is there current or former fighters that you took pieces of their style from and implemented into your style?

“Yes and no, yea obviously I look at great fighters and different fighters and take what they do and see if it works for myself but at the end of the day you have to be your own fighter and different person. You do not want to be a factory car and be the same as everyone else, you want to be your own person a little different, a little spice and twist in it. Yea I watch fighter and I’ll take little things that they do but you have to put your own style and twist with it. My style is a pure boxer puncher.”

The live boxing event, which is produced in partnership between Joe Hand Promotions and Russel Peltz, will feature a six round heavyweight bout between Sonny Conto (8-0, 7 KOs) out of Philadelphia, PA going up against Mike Marshall (6-2-1, 4 KOs) fighting out of Danbury,

Super lightweights Christopher Burgos (3-4-1, 1 KO) of North Philadelphia, PA will battle Carlos Marrero (2-6-3) out of Bridgeport, CT in a six round bout.

Another bout on the card is a six round featherweight contest between Justice Bland (5-1, 2 KO’s) out of Brooklyn, NY going up against D’Angelo Fuentes (6-0, 4 KOs) fighting out of Coconut Creek, FL

Also on the card is a four round lightweight bout featuring Jordon Murphy (1-0, 1 KO) out of Deerfield Beach, FL going against Nasir Mickens (2-0, 1 KO) out of Philadelphia,

Professional fighter, Jordon Murphy, born in Bensalem, PA, and currently fighting out of Deerfield Beach, FL, will put his 1-0 record on the line when he faces Nasir Mickens (2-0, 1 KO), of Philadelphia, PA, in a four-round, lightweight bout at Live! Casino in South Philadelphia on Thursday, February 24. The fight is one of eight fights featured that evening.

Tickets at $50, $75 and $125 are on sale now at https://philadelphia.livecasinohotel.com/events-and-shows/joe-hand-boxing and at AXS.com or by calling 215-364-9000. Must be 21 or older to attend.
Here is a question and answer with Murphy for consideration as a preview to the fight and a profile of a fighter.

What got you into boxing?
“Being born in Philadelphia you know Rocky is a huge part of that city, so I grew up a lot watching Rocky with my brother. Then I moved to Florida at a young age, and my brother was so influenced by Rocky, he begged my dad to sign him up for boxing, and we all were playing baseball. It just so happened that my old boxing coach, Butch Santy, came around somehow and started talking to my dad. They started to talk about boxing and then he (Butch) was like I’m opening a boxing gym in a few months and that is how it started, following in my brother’s footsteps.”

What do you enjoy the most about boxing/fighting?
“Basically everything about it. There is not one specific thing I can say. I love the training. Most people don’t like running. I enjoy running; I enjoy the workouts we do; I love sparring; I love being in the ring. What I like the most is seeing myself improve every time I step into the ring and learn new things.

Is there current or former fighters that you took pieces of their style from and implemented into your game?
“I would definitely say Sugar Ray Leonard was a big part of that. I watched Sugar Ray as a kid and then Floyd Mayweather came around. Floyd Mayweather was a huge star, and then Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez. I like watching those type of guys. They all have a unique style that you don’t usually see in boxers.”

Did you always want to be a boxer?
“So like I said, at first it was baseball. That was really the first sport I started playing, and I was really good at it. I always thought I was going to be a professional baseball player, but the first time I stepped into a gym was on my birthday, and that was the only thing I asked my dad for. I said I do not want anything for my birthday; I just want you to put me in boxing. Since the first day, I fell in love with it. My mom was pregnant with my little brother, and every day she would drive us to the gym, and it was something I really admired.”

What is the biggest life lesson you have learned in boxing?
“Definitely you learn a lot of discipline being in boxing. You know how to control your anger a little more. Nobody is perfect. Everyone gets mad, but me personally, I do not like getting mad. Boxing has helped with that over the years. I feel like my temper has gotten a lot better than when I was a kid, and also my discipline and wisdom, as well as how to speak to people when you’re interacting with people nonstop throughout your career. As a kid, I won 4 national titles, 7 regional titles and 12 state titles, so the attention was always on me, and I always had to interact with older people coming up to me. So, it definitely taught me a lot over the years.”

After your last fight, what is something that you have been working on that you want to showcase in the ring?
“It literally is those two things that you said were exactly what I needed to work on. I have watched my pro debut every day, and you start taking little pieces off. I did see I was fighting off of my front foot a lot. Obviously, it’s not good. You have to be sitting on your back foot to generate more power. So, something I have been working on a lot is sitting down more on my back foot and picking up my left hand. Watching Floyd Mayweather throughout my whole life, you probably know from seeing a lot of younger boxers, a lot of kids do the Philly shell now and try to mimic the Floyd Mayweather stance. But in professional boxing, that does not work.”

What do you find the most rewarding or gratifying in boxing?
“I think the most special part about boxing is definitely winning. That is a huge aspect. You never want to lose; you never want an L on your record even though you can’t be scared to have that on your record. A lot of champions who are still Hall of Famers have multiple L’s on their record. So it’s not something you should be scared of. It’s just something nobody wants. Definitely something special is having those people around you supporting you as well. They walk you step by step. Having my coach teach me new things and learning new things throughout the years, those things are special to me, knowing that I can get better and do better every time I’m in the gym.”

Who are your biggest supporters outside the ring?
“For sure, my girlfriend. I met my girlfriend a few years back. She’s my ride-or-die for sure. She has always had my back. She makes sure I’m eating well, going to the gym and doing the things I need to do. She helps me edit pictures; she does a lot too. She is definitely my number 1. My dad is also like my best friend. He is the one that put me into this sport, and he has been nothing but supportive of me and moving forward in the future. My whole family, I have a big family, I have my mom, my 2 older brothers, my younger brother, my younger sister, my uncle, who is also my manger. So, I have a pretty big team around me. Those people definitely hold a big spot in my heart. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to do this. The support they give is something special for sure.”

PHILADELPHIA (January 25, 2022)—South Philadelphia heavyweight fighter Sonny Conto (8-0, 7KOs) puts his impressive undefeated streak on the line against Mike Marshall (6-2-1, 4 KOs) of Danbury, CT, in a six-round heavyweight fight at The Event Center at Live! Casino & Hotel in Philadelphia, on Thursday, February 24th at 7 p.m.

Tickets will go on sale Friday January 28th at 10am starting at $50, $75 and $125 and can be found at Philadelphia.livecasinhotel.com, AXS.com or by calling 215-364-9000. Must be 21 or older to attend.

In his previous sold out fight at Live! in November 2021, Conto scored a third-round knockout in front of the loud supportive hometown crowd.

Marshall is a veteran of the sport making his debut in 2015 and is coming into enemy territory trying to bounce back from a tough loss on the Wilder vs Fury 3 undercard.

Super lightweights Daiyaan Butt (10-1, 5KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA and Bryce Mills (7-1, 4KO’s) of Liverpool, NY will battle six rounds where Butt will look to extend his three fight winning streak.

Another highlight on the card is lightweight Jordon Murphy (1-0, 1KO) of Bensalem, PA will be making his second professional appearance competing in a four round bout.

The card will also feature super featherweight Frankie Trader (13-2-1, 3KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA competing in a six round contest. Trader will look to continue to climb the ranks, as he has won 3 straight bouts since making his return from a four and a half year layoff and reuniting with his head trainer Aaron Ford.

Super lightweights Christopher Burgos (3-4-1, 1KO) of Philadelphia, PA will battle Phillip Davis (2-5-1) in a six round bout. Burgos won his last fight in an all-out war in a rematch against Gerardo Martinez and will look to build on that win to gain some momentum.

Rounding out the card will be Gerardo Martinez (5-2, 1KO) of Coatesville, PA going against Seifullah Jihad Wise (4-8, 1KO) of Philadelphia, PA in a six round bout.

For press credentials contact Bam McCloskey at Brittany@JoeHandPromotions.com.

About Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia
Voted Best Overall Gaming Resort in Pennsylvania by Casino Player Magazine, Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia has transformed the South Philadelphia Stadium District into a nationally unrivaled one-stop destination to enjoy the fast-paced action of four major professional sports teams, memorable entertainment, premier dining, well-appointed hotel accommodations and world-class gaming. Conveniently located off I-95 and I-76, the facility features more than 200 luxury hotel rooms that are Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ with Forbes Travel Guide, a FanDuel® Sportsbook and Lounge, over 2,100 slots and electronic table games, and 150 live action table games, including a dedicated poker room. New dining and entertainment options include the Zagat-rated #1 steakhouse The Prime Rib®; Luk Fu, serving authentic Asian cuisine; Sports & Social Philly, a one-of-a-kind sports restaurant, gaming venue and social lounge; the 10th Street Market, a unique food hall featuring Guy Fieri’s Taco Joint and Guy’s Burger Joint; Philadelphia-favorites Lorenzo and Sons Pizza, Termini Bros. Bakery and Sang Kee Noodle Bar & Kitchen; Morty’s Deli and Luckie’s Liquor. A spirited nightlife scene at Center Bar and R Bar rounds out the Live! experience. The property offers more than 15,000-square-feet of customizable meeting and event space, as well as ample, secure parking. Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia was developed and remains owned and managed by Stadium Casino RE, LLC, an affiliate of The Cordish Companies, the premier developer of Live! dining, entertainment, gaming, hotel and sports-anchored destinations in the country. For reservations, call 1-833-472-5483 or visit Philadelphia.LiveCasinoHotel.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – @livecasinophl

PHILADELPHIA–Sonny Conto got a test for a couple of rounds, but he passed it with flying colors as he stopped Joel Caudle in round three of a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout in front of a capacity crowd at the inaugural fight card at Live Casino Hotel Philadelphia.

Caudle stood in and landed some flush shots. Conto gave as good as he received as he rocked Caudle several times over the first two rounds. In round three, Caudle continued to stand in and want to trade with the bigger Conto., but Conto landed a huge right hand that sent Caudle to the deck, which made the pro-Conto crowd erupt in adulation. Caudle got to his feet, but was wobbly, and referee Benjy Esteves stopped the fight at the end of round three.

Conto, 220.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 8-0 with seven knockouts. Caudle, 257.1 lbs of Raleigh, NC is 8-6-2.

In an entertaining contest, Christopher Burgos scored a mild upset by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Gerardo Martinez.

Burgos was able to land the more eye-catching blows in the fight, which saw each fighter take turns controlling the action.

Burgos, 138.9 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 3-4-1. Martinez, 138.7 lbs of Coatesville, PA is 5-2.

Daiyann Butt defeated Siefullah Wise via 3rd round disqualification in a scheduled six-round junior welterweight bout.

Wise was deducted points for holding and hitting in each of the first two rounds. Wise was punished for hitting behind the head in round three, and referee Benji Esteves had seen enough and halted the action 53 seconds into round three.

Butt, 142.4 lbs of Philadelphia is 9-1. Wise, 144.6 lbs of Philadelphia is 4-8.

Jeremiah Kendrick made a successful pro debut with a opening round knockout of Tyrone Lewis in a scheduled four-round junior middleweight contest.

Kendrick landed a hard right to the head which stunned and hurt Lewis, and a follow up punch put him on the ground. Referee Shawn Clark stopped the fight upon Lewis getting to his feet at 1:05.

Bilal Quintyne needed a last second knockdown to eek out a four-round majority decision over Maurice Burke in a four-round battle of undefeated middleweights.

Burke controlled the first couple of rounds as he landed some solid right hands.

In round four, Quintyne dropped Burke with a hard right hand.

Quintyne, 159.8 lbs of Marietta, GA won by scores of 38-37 twice and 38-38 to raise his record to 2-0. Burke, 160.6 lbs of Philadelphia is 1-1.

Tariq Green made a successful pro debut with a four-round unanimous decision over Tunde Fatiregun in a light heavyweight battle.

Green, 174.5 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 1-0. Fatiregun, 176 lbs of New Brunswick, NJ is 1-1.

The show was promoted by Joe Hand Promotions in association with BAM Boxing and Peltz Boxing.