Karpency earns TKO in 2nd round
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Adah native and Albert Gallatin graduate Dan Karpency towers over Roger Blankenship after recording a knockdown in the second round of his four-round fight against the Cleveland native on Saturday during the World Fighting Championship’s WFC 91 at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Karpency won by TKO at 44 seconds of the second round when the referee stopped the fight.
Jonathan Guth | Herald-Standard
Adah native and Albert Gallatin graduate Dan Karpency throws a jab against Roger Blankenship during their four-round bout at the World Fighting Championship’s WFC 91 on Saturday at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
Tom Karpency Sr. is all smiles after his son, Dan Karpency, defeated Roger Blankenship by TKO in the second round of their four-round fight on Saturday at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
Adah native and Albert Gallatin grad Dan Karpency (right) is hugged by his trainer and father, Tom Karpency Sr., prior to his four-round bout against Roger Blankenship during the World Fighting Championship's WFC 91 event on Saturday at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
Adah native and Albert Gallatin grad Dan Karpency sets up a punch during Saturday's bout against Roger Blankenship at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
The sweat flies as Dan Karpency throws a punch against Roger Blankenship during their four-round bout on Saturday at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
Dan Karpency throws a punch against Roger Blankenship during their four-round bout on Saturday at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
Adah native and Albert Gallatin graduate Dan Karpency poses in the locker room after earning a second-round TKO over Roger Blankenship on Saturday at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
Adah native and Albert Gallatin graduate Dan Karpency (left) and Roger Blankenship compete on Saturday in a four-round bout during the World Fighting Championship's WFC 91 at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino.
WASHINGTON — Dan Karpency was like a shark that smelled bleed.
The Adah native and Albert Gallatin graduate picked his spots in the early part of the first round before scoring two knockdowns en route to a TKO over Roger Blankenship on Saturday during the World Fighting Championship’s WFC 91 at the Meadows Racetrack & Casino’s Event Center.
Karpency (8-2, 4 KOs) and Blankenship (1-5) were scheduled for a four-round fight at 153 pounds, but the former Colonial added one final knockdown, and the fight was stopped by the referee at 44 seconds of the second. The Cleveland native protested that he was ready to continue, but the decision had been made and Karpency had a successful return to the ring after a 17-month layoff.
“I was just trying to feel him out,” Karpency said. “I’ve been out for 17 months so I had to kind of find myself in there. I just listened to my corner and heard everything that they were saying, and of course it was good advice, and I just tried to work behind that. I was pleased to get him out of the ring early.”
Karpency and Blankenship felt each other out early in the first half of the opening round, but a straight right knocked Blankenship down. Blankenship continued in the bout but Karpency landed body shots and power punches for a second knockdown. Blankenship survived the round but was well behind on points.
Karpency didn’t waste much time in closing things out in the second. Blankenship was bleeding from the nose after the final knockdown, and if the fight would have continued, Karpency felt good about his conditioning and where he was in the bout.
“I caught him flush with a right hand a couple of times and also hit him with a body shot that seemed to buckle him,” Karpency said. “I think his nose may have been broken because he was gushing blood pretty good there. My corner just told me to stay on him if the fight continues. I was ready to pounce if it continued.
“Overall, I felt good about the fight. I know it didn’t go the full four rounds, and I would have liked to have gotten some more rounds in to see how I would have felt to get in the later rounds. I felt relaxed in the fight. I was pretty dried out after having to make 153, but I was able to get a day to revive after weigh-ins and I felt good.”
Adah was well represented at the Meadows and Karpency, who is trained by his father, Tom Sr., was glad to have the hometown support.
“It is always a great thing to have all the support here,” Karpency said. “Without our support system, we don’t have a fight. We have our friends and family from Adah, who have been supporting us since Day 1, and I also have a lot of my friends from where I work at SCI Greene coming out to support me, and I appreciate that because they could have other things to do, but they choose to come out and support me.”
Karpency has been on three WFC shows, which are run by Las Vegas native Matt McGovern.
“He (McGovern) puts on a lot of shows and they are nation wide, so for him to come to a small town and put on a show is great,” Karpency said. “We appreciate that he gives us a look.”
Karpency’s brothers, Jeremiah and Tommy, are also professional boxers. Dan and Jeremiah are in discussion with promoters about a fight on Sept. 2 at the Mountaineer Racetrack & Casino in New Cumberland, West Virginia.
“I spar with my brothers, and I figure if I can stay with those guys that are world-class fighters, I can handle anybody I fight in the ring,” Dan said. “We hope to keep getting opportunities to fight, and we know our dad will be on us and getting us ready to go. He will have his work cut out for him the next month.”
Karpency fought in the second to last bout as Pittsburgh’s Bill Hutchinson headlined the event with a TKO in the fifth round over Justin Savi at 138. Hutchinson is headed to law school and will not be stepping in the ring for quite some time, but he went out a hometown hero.
Deon Goody Lowe won by unanimous decision over Shawn Rall in a four-round fight at 150. Both fighters were making their pro debut.
In amateur action, Dalton Rosta stopped John Demus in the second round via TKO in the 201-plus weight division.
Lucas Adams (185), Eric Quarles (160), Laron Rockymore (145) and Carlos Johnson (165) all won by split decision in three-round amateur bouts.
Ryan Flora opened up the action with a unanimous decision over Justin Riley in a three-round amateur bout at 145.