Heavyweight Vukosa drops and defeats Cusamano

Fightnews.com

By Jason Marchetti at ringside
Photos: Emily Harney

In the main event of the evening, heavyweight Steve Vukosa (11-1, 4 KO’s) defeated Juiseppe Cusamano (18-3, 16 KO’s) at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island. The card was promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports.

Vukosa has been inactive over the years, a 10 year layoff, followed by a 4 year layoff, but was selected to fight in ESPN’s Heavyweight Boxino Tournament in 2015. He returned to boxing this year, with cruiserweight Chris Traietti (27-4) working his corner, to defeat the regional giant, Cusamano by unanimous decision.

Vukosa, 42 landed flush shots throughout the fight while moving and feinting well for his age and activity level. Cusamano, 31, was dropped with a right hook in the 3rd and was cautious moving forward as his style normally dictates. Cusamano is very strong but does not translate it into power punches which was unable to hurt Vukosa most of the night.

The rounds were close and as the scorecards were read, a general intrigue hushed the remaining audience at Twin River. The final scores were 76-75 (twice) and 77-74, all for Vukosa.

In the co-main event, Jamaine Ortiz (12-0, 6 KO’s) peppered Romain Couture (8-2-1, 4 KO’s) for every minute of 8 straight rounds to earn himself the WBC Youth World Super Lightweight Title. Ortiz, a rising young prospect in New Englan