Top Rank signs Jeremy Adorno and Sonny Castro
Top Rank is proud to announce it has signed two of the East Coast’s brightest amateur stars — Puerto Rican-born super bantamweight Jeremy “Magic Hands” Adorno and South Philadelphia-born heavyweight Sonny Conto — to multi-year contracts.
Conto and Adorno will make their professional debuts in four-round bouts Friday, Feb. 8 at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia on the “Philly Special” card promoted by Michelle Rosado’s Raging Babe. Adorno, who currently lives in Allentown, Pa., is the younger brother of Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno, one of the sport’s top prospects.
“Signing with Top Rank is the beginning of my dreams becoming a reality,” Conto said. “There is no better place to make my professional debut than Philadelphia.”
“I’m really excited to have such a special person and fighter sign with the best promotional company in boxing,” said David McWater, Conto’s manager. “He is a superstar in the making.”
“I feel blessed to be signed with boxing’s best promotional company,” Adorno said. “Making my pro debut in Philadelphia in front of my family members and friends is a dream come true. My brother and I are going to take over the sport of boxing and give the fans a lot of action and excitement.”
“I’m thrilled to have Jeremy Adorno and Sonny Conto debut on my ‘Philly Special’ card,” Rosado said. “We’re in Conto’s backyard in South Philly, and we’re close to Adorno’s fans in Allentown. They were both outstanding amateurs with dedicated followings, which will make the card that much more special.”
Conto, 22, was a two-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion, a silver medalist at the 2018 National Golden Gloves, and a bronze medalist at the 2017 National Golden Gloves. Before turning to boxing full-time, he was a decorated collegiate pitcher who helped lead Rowan College at Gloucester County to the NJCAA Division III Baseball World Series. A 6-foot-4 puncher, Conto will appear on the ESPN family of networks in 2019.
Adorno, who turns 18 on Jan. 9, won more than 100 bouts in the unpaid ranks. A member of USA Boxing through 2018, he captured titles at the National Silver Gloves, Ringside World Championships, and the 2017 USA Boxing Youth National Championships. He will train alongside his brother and father/trainer, Anibal Adorno.