Toughman takes on new twist

By KEVIN JAKAHI

Tribune-Herald sports writer

Toughman Hawaii promoter Wally Carvalho Jr. is a contractor by trade, so he knows a thing or two about starting something from scratch, and working through all types of thorns to polish off a finished product.

That’s basically what his Challengers event is: an audition for new blood to show their stuff in a boxing ring, where the toughest remain standing while the defeated leave with a bump on the head.

“In the boxing ring, the fight is more technical. There’s no pushing and shoving against a cage,” said Carvalho, explaining the choice of a ring over a mixed marital arts cage. “The Challengers opens the door to new competition making their way into the Tournament of Champions, which started last year.

“It’s for the new fighters to learn the technicality of fighting, rather than going nuts in a cage. The officials will determine which fighters will work their way to the bigger shows.”

An expected special guest official will be Strikeforce unbeaten fighter Yancy Medeiros (9-0), a middleweight from Waianae, who will referee. He’ll also probably serve as an unofficial advisory board when a defeated fighter asks how to avoid a knockout-inducing roundhouse kick.

Carvalho is well aware that his $20 ticket price is double of fellow promoter Russell Strong’s Unorthodox Industries Championship event, which packed Hilo Civic a week ago. He and Strong are pals, and Carvalho, who is a licensed cutman, worked the MMA card.

If Challengers turns a profit, he said his next promotion, Toughman Hawaii King of Ring, would be for $10 on May 26 at Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium.

“The difference is I don’t have a national sponsor,” said Carvalho, who along with others noticed title sponsor National Guard signs, T-shirts and posters all over the place. “People who sponsor us put their hearts out. Everybody leaves here with something, a trophy or a medal. We have smaller contributors and we’re grateful what they give.”

That’s not cheap talk by Carvalho either.

He’s been hired as the chief cutman for India’s Super Fight League, which will be streamed live on YouTube on March 11. Some singer named Jennifer Lopez is scheduled to perform.

Carvalho and J-Lo in the same part of town in Mumbai is not the big deal. Carvalho’s shirt is. To thank his local sponsors, on his T-shirt, he’s putting the names of RSL Drywall, Lai Construction, Mira Construction, Embroidme, Trophy Case and Pono’s Used Cars for free. He’s also giving worldwide advertising to his two websites: toughmanhawaii.com and hawaiicutman.com.

He’s also been hired to train fighters in the Philippines, Thailand and China for the Super Fight League, India’s answer to the UFC. Carvalho was allowed to bring one tag-along partner to help, and he chose Tony Pagan, a local boxing trainer, rewarding him for his tireless work with Hilo’s youth.

In the analogy of building bridges, Carvalho is hoping his good work there will lead to a nice you-scratch-my-back return somewhere down the line. At say, the next SFL event set for April or the one in May.

Waianae’s Jon “Untamable” Barnard is on Saturday’s card and is willing to put his Toughman 140-pound lightweight belt on the line against anyone with a healthy pulse. (In the Toughman events, the undercard is set after fighters make weight.)

The 22-year-old holds a 41-4 record and is windsurfing on a 19-0 winning streak. Carvalho is his manager and wants to unleash Untamable when the moon and pay scale are right, hoping a spot opens in the SFL.

“I want to turn him pro in India, China or Thailand,” Carvalho said. “He’s definitely my first choice to pick a fighter to turn pro when it’s time to go. That’s what it’s about — trying to build bridges and landing that first fight in India.

“I always believe what comes around goes around. You get something for something, and nothing for nothing. I always want to help kids from my organization.”