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Johnny Garbarino Smokes Kaine Tomlinson Jr. with a Close-Range Cannoli
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Just wrapping things up at the BKFC press conference in South Philly, where Johnny “Cannoli” Garbarino did a full Dontrelle Willis windup and absolutely obliterated Kaine Tomlinson Jr.-
Garbarino and Tomlinson are fighting Saturday at Knucklemania VI. We did a Q/A last week with Johnny Garb, who has been getting a lot of deserved publicity after bursting onto the scene at Knucklemania V with a big win and some viral cannoli clips. It’s a genuinely-good South Philly come-up story and the biggest crowd pops on Thursday were for Garbarino and this fight.
The presser was mostly a shit show, which is a good thing. That’s what you’re looking for in combat sports. Some highlights:
- BKFC President David Feldman believes they’ll beat last year’s attendance of 17,762.
- “Felony” Charles Bennett is fighting South Philly’s Patrick Sullivan, who suffered a brutal KO loss last year to Tomlinson Jr. Bennett referred to Sullivan as “trans man” at least a half dozen times while holding the microphone upside down.
- Sullivan said he’s going to knock Bennett’s teeth out, but Bennett countered by saying nobody has done that in 25 years of fighting.
- Local product Pat Brady hinted that Shane Gillis could be in attendance at the event.
- Garbarino accused Tomlinson Jr. of dressing “like a hooker.”
- Tomlinson Jr. brought a folded belt to the press conference. He said he will go “belt to ass” against Garbarino on Saturday.
- Lorenzo Hunt accused Yoel Romero of being a “coochie” for dropping out of their co-main event. He’s fighting Dave Mundell in the co-main now.
- Bennett complained at the end of the presser that there were “too many fat guys” in the crowd.
It went great. Good face offs and all of that. They’re going to do the weigh-ins on Friday night and then Knucklemania VI takes place Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
I’m pumped for the fights. Let’s fuckin’ go!
Full presser:
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com