Heavyweight Polish Thunder Joey Dawejko Defeats Derric Rossy and Unbelievably Calls Out Vinny Maddalone!
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Polish thunder! In the main event of a six bout card at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, promoted by Sal Musumuci’s Final Forum boxing, on Saturday evening, January 25, 2014, heavyweight Joey Dawejko scored the biggest upset of the year in 2014 so far in Atlantic City, by outboxing heavyweight veteran Derric ‘Shaolin Fist’ Rossy to win an eight round split decision upset, and is now unbelievably calling out heavyweight veteran Vinny Maddalone to fight him next. Dawejko predicted he will stop Maddalone within the distance. To date, Maddlaone has never ducked a fighter who has called him out. Will Maddalone accept this new and bold challenge from Dawejko?
In an interview exclusive with Real Combat Media, Dawejko called out New York City heavyweight Vinny Maddalone of Flushing, Queens, New York, to fight him in March 2014 in his next bout in Atlantic City in what would be a spectacular confrontation of experience and styles. Dawejko, 9-3 with three knockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, captured 14 United States amateur championships, and won a gold medal at the 2008 World Youth championships in Mexico. Dawejko was the youngest heavyweight at 16 to win the Eastern Olympic trials. His professional career has not yet realized expectations, but at age 23, he still has plenty of mileage left to learn and grow as a heavyweight. Maddalone, age 40, 37-8-1 with 28 knockouts, an experienced heavyweight hard hitter who has fought some of the best in the business, fought to an eight round draw with Maurenzo Smith in his most recent outing last November.
Real Combat Media: “Joey, congratulations on your upset victory out Derric Rossy. Who’s next?”
Joey Dawejko: “I call out Vinny Maddalone! I think Vinny Maddalone would be a good fight next for me. It’s another Philly versus New York fight! Maddalone’s been around for a while, and he’s been in with some of the best. I think me fighting Vinny Maddalone would be a great fight! I think I can definitely beat Vinny Maddalone. He’s a tough guy, but I think with the right conditioning and the right game plan, I think I can score a stoppage of Maddalone in an eight or ten round bout. When I fought Derric Rossy this past weekend, I felt I could do ten or 12 rounds. I definitely feel in good shape, and I can beat Maddalone.”
Real Combat Media: “You appeared to lose the first two rounds to Derric Rossy while boxing with him very cautiously. Explain what happened next against Rossy.”
Joey Dawejko: “During the first first four rounds basically I was making Rossy miss, and I was capitalizing on his mistakes. Honestly, I lost the first two rounds. I was feeling him out and trying to get used to his style. Once I figured him out, then I took off. I was scoring on Rossy with hard body shots, overhand left hands, and a lot of right hooks. I was using a lot of feints and capitalizing on them. Rossy was throwing a lot of Pitty-pat punches, and he was not hurting me with any of them. I was throwing a lot of hard punches, and when my punches landed (on Rossy) they were hard and snapping. I made him miss with a lot of head movement and a lot of blocking. Rossy tried to tie me up a lot, (and) I tried to work out of it.”
Real Combat Media: “With a five week training camp, how did you feel?”
Joey Dawejko: “I felt the best I’ve ever felt in my professional career. At this rate, I feel I can be a top ten contender.”
Real Combat Media: “Joey, when will you fight next and against whom?”
Joey Dawejko: “Provided my promoter Dr. Mario Yagobi (of Boxing 360) and promoter Sal Musumuci of Final Forum Boxing approve, Sal has told me about a March 2014 date at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City next. If Vinny Maddalone’s available to headline on the March card with me and agrees to fight me, that would be great. The final decision on who I fight next and when will be up to Mario and Sal.”
Real Combat Media: “Joey, you wanted to fight Derric Rossy badly. You made the noise, and the promoters made the fight happen. Real Combat Media wishes you the best in your new quest to make a heavyweight fight with Vinny Maddalone happen in 2014.”
Joey Dawejko: “We’ll see what happens. Thank you for your support.”
The timing was right for Dawejko to upset Derric Rossy. With hard work, Joey Dawejko proved dreams really rally do come true if you set your mind to it. Whether or not Joey Dawejko can realize his second dream of defeating Vinny Maddalone will be decided by how badly Dawejko wants it, as Joey beating Maddalone would be another major upset. Promoters Dr. Mario Yagobi and Sal Musumuci can make this exciting fight happen. Dawejko, like he did with Rossy, wants a crack at the dangerous Maddalone badly. It’s a high risk fight, but if Dawejko wants Maddalone, and is given sufficient time to train, Dawejko versus Maddalone would be a spectacular Atlantic City main event bout.
COMMENTS
English