ALBANY — “Mi-key, Mi-key!”

Those chants echoed throughout the Washington Avenue Armory as Guilderland’s Mike Faragon entered the ring on Friday night.

The “Baby-faced Beast” strode to the ring as the crowd stood on its feet for the hometown boy who was taking on Khadaphi Proctor in a light welterweight match. The match was one of seven bouts presented by Sweeney’s Boxing of Delmar that took place at the Armory featuring local fighters.

Faragon was joined on the bill by Chris Horn, a Berne native, and Feura Bush resident Liz Mooney, who holds the Women’s New York State Welterweight title belt.

 Faragon won his match by unanimous decision. The judges scored the fight, 39-37, 40-36, and 39-37.

Mooney and Mariam Brachache fought to a draw in their match. The scores were 77-76 in favor of Brachache, 78-74 in favor of Mooney, and 76-76.

Horn lost his cruiserweight fight by unanimous decision.

“The place was rocking, wasn’t it?” asked Andy Faragon, Mike’s father and trainer.

“They were behind me,” Faragon said of the crowd. “I heard them the whole time. At the beginning of every round, they helped me go out there and fight.”

On his way back to the dressing room, Faragon was mobbed by former Guilderland High School classmates and friends. Faragon, who graduated in 2005, was led to the ring by friend and fellow ’05 alum Matt LaValley. LaValley is the son of Guilderland High School baseball coach Doug LaValley, who was at the fight as a guest of Faragon.

“He and Matt graduated together,” Doug LaValley said. “He is a friend of the family and of course we would come and support him.”

Sitting next to Doug LaValley was John Roth, who gave Faragon space to use as a training site.

“Fantastic” crowd

The stands and seats surrounding the ring were filled for the first few fights.

Albany area boxing fans came out in droves, including, as Mooney put it, “All eight of us,” from Feura Bush.

“It is fantastic,” Mooney said of the crowd. “I really don’t hear the people until after the fight. I don’t hear them during the fight. I’m just focused on the fight.”

Delmar’s Zach Smith won his debut fight to open the night and the Saratoga Sledge Hammer Gary “The Whip” Wilcox pummeled John “Rain Man” winning by a technical knockout when the referee stopped the fight in the fifth round.

The fans cheered loudly for both local fighters.

Sitting in the front row was Guilderland resident Wendy Feldman who came to the fight with a friend. She is a huge boxing fan and recalled watching the Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard fight in 1976. She also boxes as a hobby.

As she watched Faragon fight, Feldman was shocked by how young the “Baby-faced Beast” looked but later became impressed by his punches.

Feldman was also eager to see Mooney fight.

“Building a fighter”

Faragon was in charge of the match in the first three rounds, which more than likely led to his winning on the judges’ scorecards. Proctor put up a strong effort in the fourth and final round, but it was not enough as Faragon came away with the decision.

“He calmed down a little bit,” Andy Faragon said. “He fought a strong kid. Against anyone else, Mikey probably knocks him out. We’re not fighting cupcakes. We are not building a record. We are building a fighter. He’ll tell you this, we have a lot of work to do.”

“I can always do better,” Mike Faragon said. “I have to keep getting better. He hurt me a couple of times. I hurt him and I capitalized on it. I got him with more punches.”

All Biz vs. Punchenella

“All Biz,” Liz Mooney’s fight, was close as she and “Punchenella” Brackache exchanged punches throughout. It was a fight worthy of the number-two (Brackache) and number-three (Mooney) fighters in the welterweight class.

“It was a warranted decision,” Mooney said of the draw. “I didn’t do enough out there. She has an awkward style. She is talented. In time, I’ll probably get another shot.”

Like the other fighters, Mooney was pleased with the crowd at the Armory, and to be able to get in the ring and fight in front of them.

“I’m coming away proud,” Mooney said. “Win, lose, or draw, that is the challenge I set for myself. I’m proud of myself, and I’m proud of my opponent. I’m proud of anybody that steps in the ring.”

And the people of the Capital Region are proud to be represented by these fighters.