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Revolution Championship Boxing Make Debut at Wheeling Island Racetrack, Hotel and Casino

Wheeling's Eric Bledsoe on Friday’s card

Photo by Kim North - Eric Bledsoe of Wheeling takes it to opponent Larry Blakey during a Friday bout at Wheeling Island Racetrack, Hotel and Casino.

WHEELING — The Bull Pen Fight Club of East Wheeling went undefeated Friday night as Revolution Championship Boxing made its debut inside a standing-room-only ballroom at Wheeling Island Racetrack, Hotel and Casino.

Six different fighters from both sides of the Ohio River had their hands raised after dominating their opponents. The 7-fight card included professional boxing, amateur boxing, professional kickboxing and amateur mixed martial marts.

Headlining the event was Morristown’s Travis “The Terror” Clark who retained his W.Va. state heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision over Glenville’s Keith “No Holds” Barr. The fight was stopped by referee Brian House in the fifth round — it was scheduled for 8 — as Clark was bleeding heavily from his forehead after a series of headbutts, which Barr was warned for a round earlier.

“I’m not real happy with the way it (the fight) went. I wanted to finish it,” Clark (10-0-0) said. “It just didn’t go the way I wanted it to.

“I really respect Keith for being here. I thank him, but those head butts weren’t called for,” Clark added. “He got with like four of them, but it is what it is. They went to the scorecards and I won. I’m going to call it a day.”

When asked if he would offer Barr (17-10-1) a rematch, Clark was right to the point.

“No. Not tonight.”

Barr was also short after the bout.

“I can’t comment on what the judges see, but I feel like he got an easy way out. I’ll look for a rematch.”

Wheeling’s Eric Bledsoe (2-1-0) got things started when he posted a unanimous decision over Pittsburgh’s Larry Blakey (4-5-0).

“I thought it was a four-rounder,” Bledsoe admitted. “When they (my cornermen) told me I had two more rounds, I knew I had to dig deep from my heart. I had to put on a show for my family and hometown friends.”

Bledsoe will next fight in MMA action at The Meadows in Washington, Pa., in August.

In the lone bout not involving an Ohio Valley fighter, Jason “The Ironman” Bergman (26-12-2), of Washington, Pa., was a winner by TKO over Arthur Saribekian (23-12-1), of Providence, R.I. The fight was stopped at 1:34 of the fifth round when Saribekian’s left eye was a bloody mess.

Hunter Haines, of Cameron, also kept his amateur boxing record unblemished (5-0-0) with a three-round unanimous decision over Jake Wickline, of Cumberland, Md. The former wrestler knocked Wickline down in the third before pummeling him with powerful lefthanded punches in the corner as the bell sounded.

“I work on my left hand a lot in practice,” he explained. “I didn’t know a thing about him, so I went out there and just did my thing. Apparently, I do it well.”

Haines said he will spend some more time in the amateur ranks before deciding on a pro career.

Bridgeport’s Josh “The Cake” Baker prevailed in his professional kickboxing career when he sent Princeton’s Rick Caruso to the mat at 2:58 of the second round.

A big right hand and a left foot to the face did the damage. Another right hook put him down.

“It feels good,” Baker said with a huge smile. “I like doing kickboxing, boxing, Ju-Jitzsu to sharpen up my MMA game. That’s my main sport.”

Baker is hoping for an MMA match on the Oct. 1 Fall Brawl card.

Shadyside’s Alex Quinn, a former Ohio state championship wrestler, didn’t waste any time in running his amateur mixed martial arts record to 3-0 when he used a rear naked choke hold to put Ripley’s Adrean Walker (3-2) out of commission. The match was stopped by submission a mere 24 seconds into the second of three rounds.

“This is my first win with that move,” Quinn revealed. “It was there. After I slammed him to the mat, he stood up and didn’t protect his neck at all.”

Wellsburg’s Aaron “Quiet Storm” Quattrocchi improved to 10-0-1 when a knockout of Kansas City’s Mickey Scarborough (6-10-0) at 2:38 of the second round. He’s the holder of two W.Va. state title belts — 168 and 175 pounds.

“We knew he was a good guy and was going to put up a good fight, but my coach and I have been worked hard every day of the week. We never stop.

“I’m the best (fighter) in West Virginia. I come to box eight rounds,” he continued. “Everybody I fight wants to slug it out with me. I’m a boxer.”

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