PHILADELPHIA, PA — The parking lot was packed. Cars were parked on the sidewalk in front of the 2300 Arena Saturday night. The 2300 itself was mobbed, portions of which were standing room only.
Danny Garcia’s Swift Promotions is making fast strides—and it helps to have young, rising stars like undefeated lightweight Curmel Moton and undefeated junior featherweight Dylan Price on your card.
Both won by first-round knockout. The 18-year-old Moton (6-0, 5 knockouts) vanquished 25-year-old Hilario Martinez Moreno (4-5, 4 KOs) with left hook to the body at 1:35. The 26-year-old Price (19-0, 13 KOs) stopped southpaw Jose Saant (15-7-1, 5 knockouts) at the :35 second mark.
Afterward, no one was that willing to leave, milling around in the lobby area of the 2300 Arena, located in South Philly, roughly about three miles from the Philadelphia sports complex.
Everyone wanted selfies and meet Moton and Price in person. Either fighter could not take a few steps without being swamped by fans, admirers and fanboy YouTubers, recording their every move.
Moton and Price better get used to it.
“I think Curmel is right where he needs to be,” said Curtis Moton, Curmel’s father and trainer. “Curmel was a little aggressive at first, but after the first 10 seconds, he calmed down. I loved what I saw. I think he is right on track where he needs to be. Curmel always had a good left hook, and that comes from one-handed sparring since he was 10. He could beat most guys right now with one hand.”
Moton will be coming back to the East Coast on Thanksgiving Day weekend to fight on another Swift promotions card in Atlantic City.
“I was satisfied with what I did, I started out with my jab and it is probably the most I worked my jab in one round,” said Curmel, who fights for Floyd Mayweather under Mayweather Promotions. “I looked for openings within the combinations. It was the left hook that sat him down. I’ll be back in the gym on Monday. I get to sleep on the plane back home (to Las Vegas). “South Philly has showed me a lot of love, and I appreciate the high energized crowd. I would love to come back again on a larger stage to show love to South Philly.”
Price is about to make a major announcement in the coming weeks revealing what promoter he will be signing with. He was the main event. He knows his career has to get moving now for his skills to pay dividends.
“I felt good, my first real fight at 122, and I felt strong,” Price said. “This is the best I felt in about a year, because I was killing myself to make 118. I know I have to start fighting better opponents. I am definitely ready to step it up. I’ll fight again one or two times this year. I have an announcement to make soon that will get me going.”
Garcia again was pleased. His company is moving and building up. The showing for the two Philly cards has been encouraging.
But there is something that the future Hall of Famer is learning about the boxing promotion business: “Sometimes it is hard to get fighters to actually fight,” he said, laughing. “It is amazing, I know, coming from me. As a fighter, looking at it from the other side, you think it is easy to make fights. It really isn’t. It is not easy to make fights and not easy to sign fighters.
“Fighters are hard to deal with (laughs). But tonight, this was amazing to see. We almost sold out. With Curmel and Dylan, they are future world champions. I look forward to working with Floyd to get Curmel on more shows.”
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Follow @JSantoliquito
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The post Curmel Moton and Dylan Price shine on a successful Danny Garcia Philly card Saturday night appeared first on The Ring.
