Dave McWater Is A Top Boxing Manager with Over 50 Boxers!

By Boxing News - 11/21/2021 - Comments

By Ken Hissner: How Split-T Management boxing manager Dave McWater does it with over 50 boxers, of which some 37 are unbeaten under contract, is a wonder!

From Oklahoma, McWater graduated from New York University and never looked back staying in New York. He was an owner of 16 taverns starting in 1992 in that state. An avid sports businessman, whether it was basketball, baseball, or boxing. Also, he is a former professional poker player.

McWater was briefly the youngest general manager in the history of professional basketball. He founded a business representing American players in foreign countries. He is a long-time member of The Society for American Research, the largest contributor to the database of high schools.

It was McWater’s love of boxing after years working with IBHOF matchmaker Don Elbaum that he began becoming a manager on his own. He is currently serving as an editor of boxrec.com.

Working with McWater are Player Agent Brendan Segales and Publicist Marc Abrams.

Some of his well-known boxers include WBA, WBO, and IBF Lightweight World champion Teofimo “The Takeover” Lopez, 16-0 (12), of Jonesboro, ARK, who on November 27th defends his titles against No. 1 ranked George ‘Ferocious’ Kombosos, Jr., 19-0 (16), of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, NY, over DAZN.

Former IBF Light Welterweight champion Ivan “The Beast” Baranchyk, 20-2 (13), of Belarus, living in Miami, OK, since losing in August to Montana Love is under suspension. In October 2018, he won the world title, stopping Sweden’s Anthony Yigit in the US.
Dave McWater: Pretty exciting day for me. The Boxing Writers Association of America announced their awards today, and it was a Split-T Management sweep.

Our client Teofimo Lopez, the greatest fighter in the world, was honored as Fighter of the Year. His father, Teofimo, Sr. was honored as Trainer of the Year, and I was lucky enough to be honored as Manager of the Year.

Our wonderful client (and former world champion) Ivan Baranchyk was also honored for being in Fight of the Year. I couldn’t have done my part without my wife, who was so understanding when I disrupted our lives to start this business and all the great people that work for Split-T, Joe Quiambao, Ron Rizzo, Brian Cohen, Brendan Segalas, and Ryan Rechten. Also, I would never have gotten an honor like this so fast without the two Teofimo’s believing in me and in themselves! Thanks to everyone!

Highly ranked boxers like WBO welterweight Janelson Figueroa Bocachia, 17-0-1 (11), of Detroit, MI, who recently appeared on Showtime in a draw decision against Shinard Bunch, now 16-1-1 (14). In February, he defeated Mark Reyes, Jr., 14-0, by majority decision in the hometown of Reyes, Tampa, FL.

Another is No. 8 ranked IBF contender Ivan “The Volk” Golub, 20-1 (15), of the Ukraine and Brooklyn, NY. On August 3rd, won the vacant USBA welterweight title defeating Erik ‘Baby Faced Assassin’ Walker, 20-4 (9), at Madison Square Garden, NY, scoring a pair of knockdowns.

USBA Super Welterweight champion ranked No. 6 IBF contender Charles Conwell, 16-0 (12), of Cleveland, OH, stopped Juan ‘El Terri’ Carlos Rubio, 18-1 (9), on August 29th in 3 rounds at Cleveland, OH.
The most newly signed boxer also from Cleveland, OH, is 23-year-old 2020-2021 Olympian Delante “Tiger” Johnson, who will compete as a welterweight. He was 188-17 in the amateurs. He won a Gold Medal in the 2016 Youth World Championships, a Bronze Medal at the 2019 Pan Am Games. He made it to the quarter-finals in the Tokyo Olympics, losing to the eventual Gold Medal winner, Cuban Roniel Iglesias. He is trained by Renard Sefo and Prentice Brewer.

“Signing with Split-T Management is a dream come true. I have a great relationship with Dave McWater. He has seen me fight as a youth and has followed my amateur career very closely. I am very comfortable with Dave and his team because he has taught me a lot about life outside the ring and has given me great advice. Being that comfortable has helped me in the ring,” said Tiger Johnson.

“Tiger is a special kid. I first saw him in Reno in January of 2016, and I immediately knew he was going to be a star. I am excited to be a part of his journey,” said McWater.

NABO welterweight champion Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan, 28-0 (15), of San Diego, CA, defeated Mexico’s Angel ‘Relampago’ Ruiz, 17-2 (12), at the Pechanga Arena, in San Diego, CA, on October 15th, over ESPN+.

In July of 2017, Santillan won the WBO NABO title, stopping Sammy Valentin, 12-0. He made two defenses stopping Ghana’s Dodzi Kemeh, 19-1, and knocking out Alejandro ”‘Bad Boy” Barboza, 11-1. His biggest win came after this defeating former WBC World Lightweight champion Antonio “Tony” DeMarco, 33-8-1, by majority decision in June of 2020. He defeated Cecil McCalla, 23-4, in June of 2021. In his last fight, he defeated Angel Ruiz, 17-1, in Oct of 2021.

Middleweight Tyler “Hercules” Howard, 19-1 (11), of Crossville, TN, lost for the first time to Ian ‘Young General’ Green, 15-2 (9), of Haledon, NJ, at the Virgin Hotels, in Las Vegas, NV, on November 5th.
NABA Super Featherweight champion No. 3 ranked WBO’s Abraham “El Super” Nova, 20-0 (14), of PR and Albany, NY, defeated Richard ‘The Beast’ Pumipic, 22-12-2 (7), of the Philippines, over eight rounds on August 14th, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in Tulsa, OK.

Nova won the vacant NABA Super Feather title defeating Uganda’s Sulaiman Segawa, 11-1, in November of 2018. In May of 2019, he stopped Argentina’s Mario Lozano, 18-2-1, and knocked out Mexico’s Luis “Loco” Castillo, 20-3. In June of 2020, he defeated Philadelphia’s Avery Sparrow, 10-1.

Super Middleweight Melvin Powell, IV, 12-1 (7), of Ft. Mitchell, AL, defeated by split decision William Langston, then 3-1 (2), at the Buckhead Fight Club, over six rounds on February 27th in Atlanta, GA.
Super Lightweight John “El Terrible” Bauza, 15-0 (6), of PR and North Bergen, NJ, stopped Christon Edwards, 12-3 (6), of Houston, TX, in 2 rounds scoring a knockdown in first and two in the second, at the Virgin Hotels, in Las Vegas, NV, on June 12th.

WBO Inter-Continental Welterweight champion Brian Ceballo, 12-0 (6), of PR and NY, last fought in December 2020, winning his title defeating Larry Gomez, 10-1, over ten rounds.

Then a pair of unbeaten brothers from Allentown, PA, in Lightweight Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno, 14-0-2 (12), in a recent draw with Jamaine Ortiz, 14-0. His brother is Super Bantamweight Jeremy Adorno, 5-0 (1).

Another PA fighter from Philadelphia is Super Lightweight Damon “Baby Dane” Allen, 16-1-1 (5), scheduled in December in Philly. He has wins over Gamaliel “El Platano” Diaz, 40-16-3, and Martin “El Brochas” Honorio, 33-11-1, in 2017. He last fought in October of 2019, defeating Dieumerci “Elephant” Nzau, 11-9, in his first fight in his hometown of Philadelphia since 2015.

Philadelphia heavyweight prospect Sonny ‘The Bronco’ Conto, 8-0 (7), on November 18, stopped Joel Caudle, 8-6-2, after three rounds in the Live Casino in Philadelphia.

Super Middleweight Isaiah Steen, 16-0 (12), of Cleveland, OH, on July 23rd in his first ten rounder, he defeated unbeaten Kalvin Henderson, 14-0-1, over ten rounds, at the Heartland Event Center in Grand Island, Nebraska.

The former NABA Super Welterweight champion now at Middleweight John “The Phenom” Vera, 20-1 (12), of Ft. Worth, TX, stopped Cleotis ‘Mookie’ Pendarvis, 21-7-2, in the first round at the Civic Center, in Biloxi, MS, on March 4th. In August of 2019, he defeated Uzbekistan’s Ravshan Hudaynazarov, 17-1.

Lightweight Will Medera, 17-1-3 (10), of Albany, NY, stopped Jamshidbek Najmitdinov, 17-2 (14), of Uzbekistan, at Barclays Center, in New York, in 5 rounds, on October 16th.

Willie ‘El Mongoose’ Monroe, Jr., 24-3 (6), of Rochester, NY, was scheduled to fight on August 14th in Miami, FL., but the bout fell through. He last fought on June 1, 2019, defeating Hugo ‘The Boss’ Centeno, Jr., 27-2-1, at the Soboba Casino, in San Jacinto, CA, over ten rounds.

WBO Latino Middleweight champion southpaw Chris Pearson, 17-3 (12), of Selma, TX, was stopped in 8 rounds challenging IBO World Super Middleweight champion Carlos Gongora, 19-0 (14), of Ecuador and Boston, MASS., on April 17th. In his previous fight, he defeated Brazil’s Yamaguchi Falcao, then 18-0-1 (8), at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV, over ten rounds, on May 2nd, 2019.

“Dave McWater is one of the best boxing people that I have worked with in the 19 years I have been in this business. He identifies talent as well as anyone in boxing, and it shows by the quality of fighters that have signed with Split-T Management. I love working with him and have a tremendous amount of respect for him. I truly believe that there will be many more Manager of the Year awards coming his way,” said Marc Abrams.

The latest signee, 6:09 southpaw heavyweight Antonio “Elegante” Mireless, 1-0 (1), of Des Moines, IA, made his debut in November with a fourth round stoppage.