Threatt vs. Dunton-El Brings Two Willing Lightweights Together in Greenville

There’s a certain value in putting two fighters in the ring who have never been accused of taking the easy way through their careers.

Charleston’s Nathan “The Ultimate” Threatt and Baltimore’s “Glorious” Antonio Dunton-El Jr. will meet at lightweight on Friday, October 2, at Zona VIP in Greenville, South Carolina, as part of Blue Chip’s Flash & Fury.

On paper, it’s a matchup between two action fighters. But there is something else they have in common: neither has built his career by avoiding the difficult phone call.

Both have taken the path of least resistance when it was available. But when the right opportunity has come along, both have shown a willingness to pick up the phone and accept a tougher assignment.

That makes this more than a simple pairing of two regional lightweights.

Dunton-El enters the fight with a résumé that has taken him into the ring with a variety of opponents and styles. His recent schedule has included six-round fights against Zaquin Moses, the cousin of Shakur Stevenson, and Yevgeniy Pavlov. He also owns a split-decision victory over Sean Brewer and a stoppage win over Marquel Johns.

Known for bringing pressure and aggression into the ring, Dunton-El should provide an interesting test for Threatt, who has become increasingly comfortable letting his hands go.

Threatt has packed on muscle during his move into the 135-pound division, and the added strength has begun to show.

In his most recent outing, Threatt finished Jose Garcia in violent fashion, dropping him with a right hook before ending the fight with a vicious body shot in the second round.

But the physical growth is only part of the story.

Threatt has already shown that he is willing to leave home for difficult assignments. He traveled to Pennsylvania and handed previously unbeaten David Hardy Jr. his first professional loss, winning a six-round split decision. He has also fought John Garcia to a draw in Tampa and suffered a razor-thin split-decision loss to Jalique Holden.

Now, the equation changes.

Threatt will have the support of the South Carolina crowd behind him as he returns to action in Greenville, but Dunton-El represents the kind of opponent who won’t be intimidated by the occasion or interested in playing a supporting role.

That’s what makes this fight worth watching.

There aren’t many layers of mystery here. Dunton-El is an aggressive fighter. Threatt has moved into the lightweight division with more physical strength and growing confidence in his punch. Both have spent enough time around the regional scene to understand what they are getting into, and both have demonstrated a willingness to accept fights that carry some risk.

At 135 pounds, where speed, pressure and exchanges can change a fight in an instant, that combination could make for a long night—or a short one.

Either way, Threatt vs. Dunton-El looks like the kind of matchup where neither man intends to spend eight rounds wondering what might have happened if he had thrown more.

Flash & Fury takes place Friday, October 2, at Zona VIP in Greenville, South Carolina, with Threatt vs. Dunton-El Jr. adding another genuine action fight to the Blue Chip card.