PHILADELPHIA – Camden, NJ junior lightweight Jason Sosa, takes home the Briscoe Award as the “2016 Philly Fighter of the Year”, on Sunday at the annual awards event presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and celebrating the Philadelphia fight scene – past and present.
Sosa upended the boxing world in 2016 by raising his game to the championship level and pulling off two upsets that few experts gave him the slightest chance of winning.
First, Sosa traveled to China to face WBA champion and heavy betting favorite Javier Fortuna for the WBA belt. Fortuna was skilled and carried a points lead into round eleven. However, Sosa’s “no quit” attitude keeps him in the fight until the very last bell. In the 11th, Sosa shocked Fortuna, and everyone watching, with a TKO victory that made the Camden fighter a world champ.
Five months later, Sosa defended his crown in Monte Carlo against another betting favorite, Stephen Smith of Liverpool. Sosa dropped Smith in the second and kept his title with a unanimous decision.
On the strength and significance of these two victories, Sosa led the pack among all other Philly-based boxers, and earned the biggest award at the 10th Annual Briscoe Awards, which will be presented on Sunday, October 15, 2017, at Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, 1:00 PM.
ABOUT THE BRISCOE AWARDS ON OCTOBER 15 FROM 1-4 PM
The Briscoe Awards are named in honor of legendary Philly middleweight Bennie Briscoe and the trophies given away – the Briscoe Statue and the Briscoe Medal – all bear the deceased icon’s likeness. The event brings together the local boxing community, including the award winners, their families, past and present boxers, fight fans, other boxing people, and general sports fans.
This is the tenth year for the Briscoe Awards, which are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Philadelphia’s great boxing legacy. Past winners at the Briscoe Awards include Bernard Hopkins, Danny Garcia, Steve Cunningham, and many others.
The event returns to Xfinity Live! Philadelphia, the central hub of Philly’s sports stadiums, located at 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased at BriscoeAwards.com or by calling 609-377-6413. Everyone is welcome.
For more information, please call John DiSanto, 609-377-6413 / [email protected].
The 10th Annual Briscoe Awards will be held on Sunday, October 15, 2017, 1-4 PM, at Xfinity Live!, 1100 Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia.
