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When Rogers Mtagwa steps into the ring June 16, he’ll be introduced as the United States Boxing Association featherweight champion.
Tomorrow night, the native of Tanzania will be making his first title defense when he faces Artyom Simonyan at the New Alhambra, Swanson and Ritner streets.
"I feel real happy and it makes me feel real good," the 27-old pugilist said of entering the ring as champion.
After fighting in Evansville, Ind., back in March, Mtagwa, of the 1800 block of South Taylor Street, said he is looking forward to fighting in South Philadelphia.
"I am ready," Mtagwa said after doing a three-mile run around FDR Park, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. "I would rather fight in Philadelphia because a lot of people come to see me. When I fight in New Jersey, I don’t know nobody."
He is referring to his October 2004 bout in Whippany, N.J., when he lost a controversial decision to Agapito Sanchez.
"He does win the crowd over," Mtagwa’s manager, Joe Parella, said. "He is a crowd-pleaser."
This will be Mtagwa’s third appearance at the New Alhambra. In May 2004, he scored a second-round knockout over Broderick Harper and, in March 2005, Mtagwa won a split decision over Fernando Trejo.
Challenger Simonyan is 15-2-2 with seven KO’s and holds a 2-inch height advantage over the 5-foot-5 Mtagwa.
"I am going to stay very close," the champ said. "If I get too far away I am going to get hurt because [Simonyan] has got a long right hand. If I stay very close, he can’t hit me."
Since March, Mtagwa has been working with a new trainer, former middleweight Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts, who won a majority decision over Marvin Hagler at the Philadelphia Spectrum in 1976.
"Bobby Watts will get in the ring with you and show you why he wants to do [things]," Parella said. "He is a teacher as well as a trainer."
A win should push Mtagwa up in the International Boxing Federation rankings. In March, he fought Orlando Salido in an IBF featherweight title eliminator, but an injury to Mtagwa forced the fight to be stopped after the fifth round. Had he won, the USBA champ would be in line for a world-title shot.
With a couple more wins, Mtagwa could be right back in the title picture.
"We are just going to take it one fight at a time," Parella said. "After this, we will see who there is. Maybe we will get a rematch with [Orlando] Salido"
Tickets are $35, $45 and $50. Call Peltz Boxing, 215-765-0922.
