Emily Harney
Three-time world title challenger Omar Sheika won an entertaining slugfest tonight against a game Theo Kruger in the main event on the 8th annual “Fight To Educate” card at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. Sheika (28-9, 19 KOs) wore-down Kruger (9-9-2, 3 KOs) and took a knee in the seventh round after Sheika unloaded a barrage of punches. The onslaught continued in the eighth as Kruger was decked again. He beat the 10-count on shaky legs, but the fight was wisely halted by the referee at that point.
In the big shocker of the night, New York heavyweight Shawn McLean (4-4, 3 KOs) upset previously undefeated Faruq Saleem (38-1, 32 KOs) by way of a fourth-round technical knockout.
New Hampshire favorite Richard Gingas (10-2, 6 KOs), cast member in The Contender IV, defeated a game Robert Davis (5-19-3) in an action-packed light heavyweight bout that ended when Davis was unable to continue after seven rounds.
Light welterweight Danny O’Connor (9-0, 3 KOs), 2008 U.S. Olympic Team alternate, kept rolling along with another impressive boxing performance. The slick southpaw stopped Patrick “The Raging Bill” Cape (6-8, 3 KOs) in the third round with a perfectly placed left uppercut to the body.
New York super middleweight Hajro Sujak (4-0, 2 KOs) kept his unbeaten record intact, flooring Joel Lopez (0-4) twice with left hooks en route to a first-round TKO.
The 8th annual “Fight To Educate,” presented by MB Tractor & Equipment, in association with Cedric Kushner’s Gotham Boxing, benefitted the SEE Science Center, Bobby Stephen Fund for Education, and The Veterans Count Club.
