(Picture courtesy of Jess Marie Photography)
QUINCY, Mass. (May 3, 2022) – Undefeated New Bedford (MA) light heavyweight prospect Edet Mkapanam (6-0, 5 KOs) is battling back from retina and shoulder surgeries that sidelined him 16 months before his successful ring return this past March.
The 27-year-old Mkapanam faces Scott “Bombz” Scott on the May 7th Hometown Royalty” card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions in association with Cappiello Boxing Promotions and Shearns Boxing Promotions, at Bridgewater Veterans Club in Bridgewater, Massachusetts (85 Cottage St.), marking the first professional boxing event ever held in that town.
Raised in Brockton, known as the “City of Champions, Mkapanam had an abbreviated amateur career (8-3), although he was a heavyweight winner in the 2017 Rocky Marciano Tournament, as well as runner-up a year later in the prestigious New England Golden Gloves Championships.
Mkapanam had back-to-back surgeries, starting with a torn ligament in his shoulder, followed by surgery to repair his retina in the right eye.
“I didn’t have much of an amateur career and I’ve been learning on the job (as a pro),” Mkapanam explained. “I learned in the gym sparring with some of the top fighters in New England like Peter Manfredo, Jr. and Mark Deluca. In my mind, I wanted to continue fighting and I kept working hard in the gym while recovering. Some doctors said I shouldn’t fight again, so I upped my intensity in the gym, and when I was examined again the doctors said my eye was a lot better and I was cleared to fight. I had a tough training camp before my last fight, the first after my surgeries, and I wasn’t even thinking about my eye during that fight.”
Mkapanam looked relatively sharp in his March 19th comeback fight, stopping pro debut fighter Igor Pessoa in the third round of their fight in Derry, New Hampshire.
Now, Edet is on a mission to make up for lost time.
“I’ve been working on my jab and some other things,” he said. “My goal is to fight on bigger stages, which is one of the reasons I signed with (Granite Chin promoter) Chris Traietti. I respect Scott Lampert, but I’m on a whole different level in New England boxing, and I’m going to prove it this fight. I know Chris is going to get me opportunities to fight on bigger stages.”
“Edet was somebody I was interested in working with in the past, but then his injuries happened before we could formally get a deal together,” Granite Chin president Chris Traietti explained. “Once he reached out and told me he was cleared to fight again, I wasted no time making him an offer to sigh with Granite Chin. Edet is a great guy who works hard and wants to fight. We talked about a game plan for his career. We are both on the same page and you will be seeing him on a big stage in the very near future.”
Former New England Welterweight Champion Mike “Bad Man Ohan, Jr. (14-1, 8 KOs), of Holbrook, MA, headlines “Hometown Royalty” in the 8-round main event against Argentinian opponent Jose “El Chino” Aubel (8-9, 7 KOs).
Quincy (MA) lightweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (30-6, 11 KOs), a 2008 National Golden Gloves silver medalist and 2-time New England Golden Gloves Champion, faces another Argentinian, Mario Lozano (18-5-1, 9 KOs), in the 8-round co-featured event.
Brockton welterweight prospect David Ribeiro makes his pro debut in a 4-round bout versus Joshua Zimmerman (0-8). Ribeiro was a celebrated amateur having won gold medals at the 2020 New England Golden Gloves, 2019 King of the Ring, and the regional Mike Tyson Tournament.
Fall River (MA) welterweight Damon Towns (4-0, 3 KOs) meets Robert Bricks (0-9) in a 4-round bout.
Card subject to change.
Tickets are on sale, $60.00 standing room and $40.00 floor seats, and available for purchase at www.TicketRiver.com (Search: Hometown Royalty).
INFORMATION:
Facebook.com/GraniteChin
Twitter: @Granite_Chin