Former Dexter High standout wrestler to make MMA pro debut

By Ernie Clark
Staff Writer

One of the top amateur fighters in Maine will make his professional mixed martial arts debut in April.

Josh Harvey, the New England Fights amateur lightweight champion, is scheduled to step up to the pro ranks in a bout against Matt Denning of Lewiston on the NEF 22 boxing-MMA card set for April 23 in Lewiston.

The fight will be contested at a catchweight of 150 pounds.

Harvey, the top-ranked amateur lightweight in New England according to mass-mma.com, is riding a three-fight winning streak, including a second-round knockout of Ryan DiBartolomeo last Sept. 12 that was named 2015’s “amateur KO of the year” at the New England MMA Awards.

Harvey compiled a 5-1 amateur record.

“I’m feeling blessed to be a signed professional cage fighter,” said Harvey, a former two-time 152-pound wrestling state champion at Dexter Regional High School who now trains at Young’s MMA in Bangor.

“I’m one step closer to my goal and April 23 I’ll take another. I’ve wanted a chance to fight [Denning] ever since I met him — he is just one of those guys. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

Denning (2-1) is coming off a loss last November to Jon Lemke, who recently lost a controversial split decision to NEF lightweight champion Bruce Boyington.

That loss ended a four-fight win streak — all by submission — that dated back to Denning’s amateur days.

There is some apparent bad blood between the fighters that stems, according to NEF officials, from a cageside confrontation at NEF 14 in late 2014.

“One thing is very clear in this matchup — Josh and Matt don’t like each other,” said NEF matchmaker and co-owner Matt Peterson. “There is some deep, pent-up frustration that has been percolating between these two for a long time and on April 23 the cork comes out.”