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Irvington boxer Jean Pierre Valencia scores stoppage in New York debut
The 23-year-old Valencia will face Israel Bailey of The Bronx this Friday in the 165-pound final of the New York Boxing Championships
NEW YORK — Jean Pierre Valencia made an explosive debut on the New York boxing scene, scoring a third round stoppage of Jeminie Ramirez on Friday, July 21 at Victory Boxing Club in Manhattan.
Valencia, 23, of Irvington, N.J. used relentless pressure and an assortment of power punches from every angle to score three standing eight counts to force a stoppage at the 1:50 mark of the final round, earning Valencia a spot in the 165-pound open class finals of the 14th Annual New York Boxing Championships.
The 22-year-old Ramirez had won the 156-pound title at the 2022 Ring Masters Championships in New York. He had never previously been stopped.
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We train to get stoppages, great work tonight by my boxer Jean Pierre Valencia pic.twitter.com/1xetYvVsz9
— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) July 22, 2023
Valencia, whose amateur record is now 20-2, is looking to add another championship to his trophy case after winning N.J. Golden Gloves and Diamond Gloves titles, plus earning bronze at the 2023 National Golden Gloves in May.
The Ramirez bout was Valencia’s first since his impressive run at the nationals, after other fights were canceled, including a scheduled July 14 bout against Tymir Daniels. The 40-bout veteran Daniels, also of Irvington, was scheduled to face Valencia on a show in Newark before Daniels’ team decided against stepping in the ring with Valencia.
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“It is a real honor to fight in a tournament in New York. I realize that I have improved and I am not the same as before because I’m always working hard,” said Valencia, who was cornered by head trainer Ryan Songalia and conditioning coach Aaron Watson.
Standing in Valencia’s way of another championship is Israel Bailey, a 26-year-old from The Bronx. Bailey, a veteran of 12 bouts, also gave a strong showing in the semifinal round, knocking down Papa Ndiaye in round two with a right hand to end the fight.
Bailey was a runner up at the 2023 Ring Masters Championships, and trains out of the SouthBox Gym in The Bronx.
The Valencia-Bailey championship fight will take place this Friday, July 28 at the Classic Car Club of Manhattan, which is located at 1 Pier 76, 408 12th Ave., New York, N.Y. The fights begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the show begin at $40 for general admission, with a live stream being offered for $15 at Millions.co.
