The move from a six-round fight to an eight-rounder is a big step for a fighter. Turn that eight-round bout into a title fight for the East Coast Championship belt on Friday night at Pikesville Armory, and that step turns into a steep climb.
Standing tall at 10-0 with two knockouts, Mike “The Persecutor” Paschall is prepared to climb that mountain.
“Mentally, it takes a toll on you,” fight promoter Jake Smith said. “Those extra two rounds are a tough way to go. We are going to see where his conditioning is right now. He?s had over 100 amateur fights ? he?s ready.”
Paschall, a 27-year old Baltimore native, will have his hands full in Friday?s middleweight showdown, his first fight at Pikesville Armory. His opponent, Dhafir Smith (15-14-3, 3 KO?s), is best described as a seasoned fighter. Boxing all over the globe, Smith?s three most notable matches are all losses on European soil ? twice in WBC youth light heavyweight titlematches and once in the WBC youth super middleweight title bout.
“He?s a pretty slick boxer, so it will definitely be a good boxing match between both of us,” Paschall said. “I?m not too afraid of his power, so I?m going to try to walk him down and bang with him for awhile.”
The rest of the card features many up-and-coming Baltimore area fighters who continue to improve with each fight. Jessie “The Beast” Nicklow (6-0, 2 KO?s) will square off against 31-year -old Jamaican Anthony Osborne (5-18-1, 1 KO), who has dropped 15 of his last 16 bouts. For Nicklow, a 19-year-old Severn native, this is a chance to mature his fighting style and work on some technical aspects in order to reach the next level.
“I know it?s going to be a tough fight, probably my toughest fight so far,” Nicklow said. “I need to throw more punches; I load up for one or two. I need work a few punches and then throw a big one.”
The rest of the card will feature Glen “Irish” Williams (2-3-1, 2 KO?s) of St. Petersburg, Fla., vs. Dalonta Marshall (0-1) from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore?s Willie “For Real” Williams (4-1, 1 KO) vs. William “The Storm” Bailey (5-10-2, 2 KO?s) of Chesapeake, Va.
FIGHT NIGHT
» Where: Pikesville Armory, 610 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville
» When: Friday night, 8 p.m.; doors open at 6:30
» Cost: $35 for general admission (in advance), $40 at the door, $50 ringside reserve, $100.00 for VIP.
» For ticket information, call 410-375-9175 or 410-675-6900 for credit cards.
