2022 News and events
All-Star Boxing
November 12, 2022 - Portland, ME
The Portland Boxing Club hosted its 107th event in its 30-year history on November 12, 2022. A sold-out crowd of nearly 3,000 people packed the James A. Banks Exposition Building to see boxers from Portland Boxing Club win two championship belts.
In the main event, PBC’s Jason “The Fighting Fireman” Quirk from Scarborough, Maine faced Anthony Hines of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Both boxers put their perfect record of 9-0 on the line in this 8 round match up for the ABF/USA Middleweight Title. Although this was only Quirk’s second fight in 5 years, he did not show any ring rust with back-and-forth exchanges with Hines in a terrific battle for all 8 rounds. Quirk landed cleaner punches and controlled the action, in a much closer bout than what the unanimous decision indicated.
In the co-feature event, PBC’s Jorge “Mantequilla” Abiague from Portland, Maine was clearly the aggressor over the first five rounds to defeat Eder Clervoix of Montreal to win the Northeast Regional Super Bantamweight Title. Clervoix suffered a hand injury and refused to come out for the sixth of the scheduled eight rounds giving Abiague the win by TKO.
Brandon “The Cannon” Berry, a welterweight from West Forks, Maine, overwhelmed Miguel Angel Suarez from Buenos Aries, Argentina with a punishing body attack scoring five knock downs. The referee called a halt to the action at 2:03 into the fifth round.
On the undercard, Cristiano Pedro, a cruiserweight from Lewiston, Maine, won a unanimous decision over Jimmie Levins of Buffalo, New York in a slow moving four-round bout that featured a lot of holding. Jahyae Brown, a junior middleweight from Schenectady, New York won by knockout over Jader Alves de Oliveria of Framingham, Massachusetts at 2:43 into the first of the six scheduled rounds. Xavian Ramierz, a junior welterweight from Morrill, Nebraska, won a unanimous decision over Mike Fowler, of Madison, Wisconsin, in a four-round bout.
The evening started with two amateur bouts featuring Portland Boxing Club boxers. PBC’s Zordan Holman, a super heavyweight from Westbrook, Maine, won by TKO over Joseph Jones, of Sharon, Massachusetts, at 1:36 into the second round. PBC’s Wade Faria, a middleweight from Gorham, Maine, looked impressive winning a unanimous decision over Bopol Tshiunza, of Lewiston, Maine.
In honor of Veteran’s Day, Alan “Hooker” Johnson was introduced. Johnson is the recipient of the Defense Medal of Freedom and the Secretary of Defense Medal of Valor. Portland Boxing Club president and head coach Bobby Russo was awarded a Veteran’s Choice Award for his continued support of veteran’s causes.
Special guests were James “Buster” Douglas and Rob Ninkovich who signed autographs and took photos.
- Lead sponsor - Wipfli LLP
- Food sponsors - Cowbell Burger and Pizzaolo
- Beverage sponsor - Definitive Beverage Company
- Store promotion - Ralph Hendrix

Portland Boxing Club team members past and present at the Hall of Fame celebration. From left to right: Jeff Quirk, Durward Ferland, Skip Neales, Nick Stevens, Jess Najera, Hal Stevens, Freddy Najera, Jordan Lindsay, Allen Bunmy, Zordan Holman, Jorge Abiague, Bobby Russo, Steven Rosacea, Xavier Diaz, Wade Faria, Keith Derrig, Franco Decilla, Noah Metsser, Max Kennedy, Ilias Bashir, Jeff Graffam, Lindsay Francois, future member Kya Francois, and Stephen Francois.
National Golden Gloves Hall of Fame
August 2022 - TULSA, OK
Portland Boxing Club's president and head coach Bobby Russo was inducted into the National Golden Gloves Hall of Fame in August in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In addition to leading the Portland Boxing Club for 30 years, Russo is National President of Golden Gloves of America and the Executive Director of the New England Golden Gloves. He was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.