Five Fights End Early During Wild Boxing Night in Atlantic City

On a busy weekend in the sports world, the tension and energy was still present for the Headliner Fight for Boxing Insider Insider Promotions' eighth event inside the Tropicana Showroom in Atlantic City.

On the same night as the New York Knicks won their first NBA Championship since 1973, Atlantic City added a new chapter to its boxing history with two South Jersey High School graduates entering the ring with undefeated records. In a sport infamous because so many fighters "pad" their records with "easy fights", these two boxers took the ultimate risk for the trajectory of their professional fight careers.

There was a lot of talk, plenty of social media chatter, and numerous opinions about what would happen when Josh Popper would throw down with Bruce Seldon Jr., but on Saturday Night, a former amateur boxer's words rang through my mind:

“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause" - Theodore Roosevelt, 26th president of the United States

Five Finishes Highlight Saturday Night of Boxing at Tropicana Atlantic City Showroom

Earlier in the day on 973 ESPN South Jersey, Boxing Trainer Jose Guzman said "there's levels to this (sport)", and seven hours later his figher fullfilled his predictions. Holy Spirit High School Graduate Josh Popper used a short left hook to setup the finishing strike to earn the knockout victory at 30 seconds into his fight.

Popper and his opponent, Absegami High School Graduate Bruce Seldon Jr., were scheduled to go six rounds, but no one expected this heavyweight showdown to end this quickly. Both men wanted the opportunity to showcase all their hard work in the weeks leading up to the fight, and each man wanted to display their evolving skills.

Josh Popper post-fight in Atlantic City June 13th, 2026

Popper, now with a record of 8-0, is a fighter who likes to stay busy, and as soon as he is medically cleared, will probably book at least one more fight before the end of the year. Seldon Jr. said on social media that he is going "back to the drawing board' and he will be fighting again soon.

The night of boxing began with a decisive victory by Kahshad Elliott, a TKO Victory that improved the professional record for the Plainfield, New Jersey resident to 8-0. Elliott was a national champion as an amateur boxer, and a fast-rising star in the pro boxing ranks, now with his fifth KO/TKO victory since October 2024.

Pleasantville High School Graduate Julio Sanchez III is now 5-0 when fighting in Atlantic City after his Unanimous Decision victory on Saturday Night. A flurry of strikes almost gave Sanchez a Knockout or TKO victory, but Athletic Commission officials determined that the bell rang before the fight was stopped by the in-ring referee.

Active-duty United States Air Force member, Damian Tinnerello, looked more focused and stronger as the fight progressed to him earning a TKO victory at 2:58 in the second round. Tinnerello, now with a 6-0 record, was reserved and focused from weigh-ins to fight night, but finally burst with emotion after his decisive victory.

The night's final matchup featured David Malul punishing his opponent en route to a TKO victory at 2:05 in the second round. A practicing Orthodox Jew, Malul requested not to fight until after nighfall, and the New Jersey Athletic Commission honored his request, allowing him to observe the 25-hour Sabbath period.

Boxing Insider Promotions Larry Goldberg continues to deliver on his promise from two years ago to bring action-packed fight cards to Atlantic City, and has established himself as the most consistent promoter delivering quality boxing events to Atlantic City with his eighth fight night on Saturday, June 13th. The date of Boxing Insider Promotions' third fight card of 2026 is expected to be announced before the end of the summer season.