Vincent cruises past Gladney to capture bantamweight title; Biosse impresses in win over Mundy

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 17^th, 2013) – In a night of epic finishes, Providence’s Shelito Vincent left Twin River Casino with her first championship belt wrapped around her waist.

Fighting for a title for the first time in her career, Vincent (9-0) responded with her most impressive performance to date Friday night, dominating tough challenger Angel Gladney (8-8-1) in an 80-71, 79-72, 79-72 unanimous-decision victory to capture the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) International super bantamweight title in the main event of “The New Era,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports.

“Non-Stop” Gladney lived up to her nickname, trading blows with Vincent throughout the night, but Vincent landed the cleaner shots with more authority, eventually dropping Gladney in the opening seconds of the seventh round with a hard left hook. Gladney, a Columbia, S.C., native, looed sharp early, especially at the end of the opening round when she landed a clean, four-punch combo that stunned Vincent, but Vincent’s relentless pressure was the difference as she eventually wore down her opponent in the later rounds.

In the co-feature, “Mr. Providence” Vladine Biosse (15-2-1) returned to Twin River for the first time in a year with a strong win over Philadelphia super middleweight Latif Mundy (10-6). Working with new trainer Paul Andrade for the first time, Biosse picked up the pace in the second and third rounds, continuously backing Mundy against the ropes. Biosse scored most of his points by landing the power punches, specifically his left hook mixed with a series of uppercuts.

The work with Andrade, including a brief trip to Oakland to train at world champion Andre Ward’s gym, paid off as Biosse rebounded from his loss to Marcus Upshaw in January with an effective, methodical win over the tough Mundy.

Two of the most highly-anticipated undercard bouts lived up to expectations as Rich Gingras (13-3) won a close split decision against Joe Gardner (11-6-1) and star middleweight Thomas Falowo (10-1) impressed with a convincing 59-54, 59-54, 60-53 win over the hard-hitting Tylon Burris (5-1).

Gardner, of Woonsocket, R.I., started strong in his six-round super middleweight showdown as Gingras, the Attleboro, Mass., native, came out wild from the opening round, but Gingras eventually his strength to overpower and, at times, wear out Gardner in the middle rounds. Gingras also mixed in his jab, which peppered Gardner, and began to apply more pressure by backing Gardner into the corner. The result was a 58-56, 56-58, 58-56 win for Gingras, which snapped Gardner’s three-fight win streak.

Facing an unbeaten foe from nearby Hartford, Conn., Falowo turned in what may have been his most impressive performance. The Pawtucket, R.I., native shook off a few strong body blows by Burris and eventually dominated the pace with his typical output, peppering Burris with jabs and landing solid combinations in the later rounds that eventually forced Burris to clinch. With Burris being deducted a point for hitting in the back of the head, Falowo dominated the scorecards, 59-54, 59-54, 60-53, for his fourth consecutive win.

In what might’ve been the most thrilling fight of the night aside from the main event, Cranston, R.I., welterweight Nick DeLomba (1-0) won his professional debut against Portland, Maine’s Jimmy Smith (0-1) in a 59-53, 60-52, 60-52 unanimous decision. The action was much more tense than the scores indicated. Smith pushed the pace early, but DeLomba began landing at will in the middle rounds and eventually battered Smith’s right eye to the point where it swelled late in the fight. Still, Smith battled as the two took turns landing flurries in the center of the ring and exchanged clean hooks in the closing seconds of the sixth and final round to end the bout triumphantly.

Also on the undercard, Cranston welterweight Jon Smith (2-0, 1 KO) earned the first knockout win of his career, stopping Hartford’s Oscar Diaz (0-1) at the 1:24 mark of the opening round. Smith backed Diaz into a corner with a hard left and a follow-up right and finished the fight with a flurry, forcing referee Joey Lupino to stop the fight. Harwich, Mass., super middleweight Paul Gonsalves (5-3) bounced back from a loss in March with a hard-fought win over Roxbury, Mass., veteran Maceo Crowder (2-1), who returned to the ring for the first time in three years. Gonsalves controlled the pace early and won unanimously, 39-37, on all three scorecards.

Hyannis, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (6-1-1, 3 KOs) stopped New York’s Phil Triantafillo (2-3) at the 1:19 mark of the opening round and welterweight Zack Ramsey (4-0) of Springfield, Mass., outlasted veteran Bryan Abraham (6-17-2) of Schenectady, N.Y., in the toughest fight of his young career to earn a 38-36, 38-36, 37-37 majority decision. Ramsey dropped Abraham with a hard right early in the third round and then rebounded from a flash knockdown in the fourth in which Abraham hit him with a looping right.

– CES –

Contacts:

Michael Parente, Classic Entertainment & Sports, (401) 263-4990 or michael@cesboxing.com.

Kim Ward, Twin River Casino, (401) 475-8352 or kward@twinriver.com.

Fan-favorites Biosse, Vincent return to Twin River to celebrate ‘new era’ of New England boxing

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 24^th, 2013) – Fresh off a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd in March, Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports is bringing professional boxing back to Twin River Casino Friday, May 17^th, 2013 for another dynamic event featuring the region’s most sought-after talent.

“Mr. Providence” Vladine Biosse (14-2-1, 7 KOs) and female bantamweight sensation Shelito Vincent (8-0), also of Providence, will headline “The New Era” in a rare co-main event; Biosse will face Philadelphia veteran Latif Mundy (10-5, 4 KOs) in an 8-round super middleweight bout and Vincent will fight the dangerous Christina Ruiz (6-5-2, 4 KOs) of San Antonio, Tex., in an 8-round bout for the vacant Women’s International Boxing Association (WIBA) International super bantamweight title.

Tickets for “The New Era” are $41.00, $76.00, and $126.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.shop.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

Biosse, a two-time winner on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, is looking to avenge a Jan. 19 loss to Marcus Upshaw against the 5-foot-8 Mundy, who has faced tough competition in recent years against Ossie Duran, Matt Korobov and Patrick Majewski; the three have a combined record of 68-11-2 with 35 knockouts.

Ruiz, a two-time title challenger, will be Vincent’s toughest test as she fights for a title for the first time in her career. Ruiz recently lost a unanimous decision to International Female Boxing Association (IFBA) super bantamweight champion Kaliesha West in California and also challenged Alicia Ashley for the then-vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) title in July of 2011. Her last two wins (February of 2011 and April of 2010) have come by knockout. Vincent is coming off a March 1 win over Mikayla Nebel and is already 2-0 in 2013.

The undercard features the highly-anticipated rematch between Rhode Islanders Joe Gardner (11-5-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket and Providence’s Alex Amparo (5-1, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout. Gardner handed Amparo his first career loss via unanimous decision in November and is coming off another impressive win over fellow Woonsocket native Reynaldo Rodriguez in March.

Boston’s Maceo Crowder (2-0, 1 KO), the half-brother of former U.S. Olympian and Providence native Demetrius Andrade, will return from a three-year absence to face Harwich, Mass., veteran Paul Gonsalves (4-3, 3 KOs) in a four-round super middleweight bout; and welterweight Jon Smith (1-0) of Cranston, R.I., will battle newcomer Oscar Diaz of Hartford, Conn., in a four-round bout.  Willimantic, Conn., light heavyweight Kevin Cobbs (7-1, 2 KOs); female flyweight Noemi Bosques (1-0-1) of Providence; Hyannis, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (5-1-1, 3 KOs) and Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (9-1, 7 KOs) will also be on the undercard in separate bouts. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For more information on “The New Era” and all of CES’ upcoming shows, visit www.cesboxing.com.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “The New Era.” Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)

– CES –

Contacts:

Michael Parente, Classic Entertainment & Sports, (401) 263-4990 or michael@cesboxing.com.

Kim Ward, Twin River Casino, (401) 475-8352 or kward@twinriver.com.

LINCOLN, R.I. (April 12^th, 2013) – John “Doomsday” Howard punched out Jason Louck, and, quite possibly, punched his ticket back to the big stage, while Dennis Olson sent Todd Chattelle back to the drawing board Friday at Twin River Casino.

Howard (18-8, 9 KOs) the former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran from Boston, knocked out Louck (15-11) 23 seconds into the opening round of their middleweight bout, and Olson beat Chattelle for the second time in his career, choking out “The Hulk” in a surprising finish in the first half of Friday’s co-main event.

Howard caught Louck with a clean left hand early in the fight, following by a right and another hard left to the chin, sending Louck to the canvas for good. With the UFC set to return to Boston later this summer, Howard could get the call after making quick work of Louck and winning his fifth consecutive bout since the UFC released him in 2011.

“I just went for it. I saw an opening and went for it,” Howard said. “If I go back to the UFC I’m representing Rhode Island.”

Chattelle (11-9), who lost to Olson in his professional debut in 2007, dominated Friday’s rematch early, catching Olson (13-7) with an overhand right that sent his opponent to the canvas and nearly ended the fight. Olson worked his way back up, only to eat a series of short uppercuts that again left him dazed against Chattelle’s non-stop onslaught. Just when it appeared Chattelle had the upper hand, and, perhaps, the inside track toward a much-needed win, Olson scored a quick takedown and subsequently submitted Chattelle with the north-south choke to stun the pro-Chattelle crowd at Twin River.

“He rocked me like four times in that round,” Olson said. “I just tried to keep pushing. Todd is a big, strong 185 pounds, but I knew if I pressed in the later rounds, his cardio would give up on him. I just kept working and working, and it worked for me.”

In a highly-anticipated battle between two of the region’s top featherweights, Rob Font (6-1) of Boston one-upped himself Friday, beating previously-undefeated Lucas Cruz(6-1) by unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, less than two months after taking out former top-ranked featherweight Saul Almeida at Twin River. Both fighters switched positions throughout the fight in what was an evenly-matched bout, but Font credited a strong finish in the fight’s final two minutes as the difference on the scorecards.

Cruz had previously beaten veterans John Ortolani and Pete Jeffrey along with undefeated featherweight Andres Jeudi prior to Friday’s loss to Font.

“Lucas is a stud,” Font said,“and I only want to fight studs. I pushed a little harder in the end and came out on top.”

Providence lightweight Keenan Raymond (1-0) started the night with a win in his professional debut, submitting last-minute replace Ralph Johnson (5-5) of Worcester, Mass., via a rear-naked choke at the 2:44 mark of the second round. After a slow start, Raymond picked up the pace in the second round and essentially overwhelmed Johnson with a series of short elbows before locking in the choke.

Jersey City veteran Emmanuel Walo (3-1) picked up a big road win as he handed Milford, Mass., welterweight Toby Oden (1-1) the first loss of his career by unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Walo won the first two rounds on each scorecard with his exceptional takedown defense and ground game and overcame a furious charge by Oden in the third to secure the win.

Flyweight Jimmy Grant (4-1), also of New Jersey, scored another win for the Garden State out-of-towners with a first-round submission win over Woonsocket, R.I., native Kody Nordby (3-1). Grant won it with a mounted D’Arce choke at the 1:19 mark, leaving the previously-unbeaten Nordby unconscious with his back to the canvas. East Providence, R.I., lightweight Nate Andrews (4-0) also made quick work of his opponent, knocking out Asa Zorn(1-1) of Connecticut 32 seconds into the opening round. Zorn went for the takedown, but Andrews caught him with a knee to the chin on the way, sending Zorn face down to the canvas and forcing referee Kevin MacDonald to stop the fight.

Featherweight Shaun Marmas (5-4) of Coventry, R.I., spoiled Thomas Evans’ comeback attempt, submitting Marmas via armbar at the 4:21 mark of the opening round. Fighting for the first time since April of 2012 due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident, Evans (2-2) was forced to tap out late in the round once Marmas reversed his takedown and locked in the armbar. Marmas had lost four of his last six bouts entering Friday.

Cambridge, Mass., bantamweight Kin Moy (2-0) pulled off one of the more surprising wins of the night, turning the tables on fan-favorite Dinis Paiva Jr. (3-4) of East Providence, R.I., and earning the submission victory 57 seconds into the second round. Paiva dominated the opening round with several big takedowns in addition to his exceptional stand-up game, but he got caught early in the second trying to go for a single-leg takedown and Moy subsequently choked him out with the guillotine to end the fight.

Chattelle looks to avenge first career loss in highly-anticipated rematch against Olson 

LINCOLN, R.I. (March 27^th, 2013) – Todd Chattelle doesn’t care much about revenge. As far as he’s concerned, his upcoming rematch against Dennis Olson is as new a fight to him as any random bout against a first-time challenger.

“We’ve both grown so much,” said Chattelle (11-8, 8 KOs), who lost his professional debut to Olson by unanimous decision in a five-round bout in 2007. “It’s been six years, so this is a new, fresh fight for me. It’s time for me to go, go, go … I’m not sure how much more time I’ve got left.”

The Pawtucket, R.I., native, who turned 34 in February, admits the daily wear and tear of mixed martial arts has caught up to him – “Some days are good, some days are bad,” he says – but still has enough left in the tank to make one last run at championship glory, which could begin Friday, April 12^th, 2013 at Twin River Casino when he faces Olson at “Path To Destruction,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports.

As Chattelle pointed out, both fighters have come a long way since their original bout in 2007. At one point, Chattelle was treading water at 6-6 following a knockout loss to Derek Brunson in 2010, uncertain where his career would take him, until he signed a promotional agreement with CES and won his next four bouts, including CES’ inaugural middleweight title bout against Brett Oteri. Following back-to-back losses last year, “The Hulk” rebounded in December with a convincing submission win over Robby Roberts to put him back in the conversation among the top middleweights in the region.

Perhaps now is the perfect time for Chattelle to face Olson (12-7, 1 KO), an Amherst, N.H., native who is coming off losses in three of his last four fights and hasn’t stepped inside the cage since October of 2011 when he lost a unanimous decision to former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran and current CES MMA middleweight champ John “Doomsday” Howard.

“He might be a little rusty,” Chattelle said. “I’m not too far removed from my last fight. I’ll be fresh.”

Olson isn’t concerned.

“I will be non-stop, bell to bell, every round,” he said. “Both myself and Todd have had five years of experience since we last met in the cage, however, I feel that at 27 years old I’m really just reaching my athletic prime. I have nothing but respect for Todd and his camp, but I think my pace and forward motion will be a lot for him to deal with. I have trained very hard for this fight. I’ve never been so mentally and physically prepared for a competition in my life.”

Given the amount of time that has passed since Chattelle and Olson last fought (they actually squared off in a boxing ring, not a cage), there’s not much either fighter could gain by digging into the vault for a copy of the videotape, though Chattelle still remembers the details as if it happened yesterday.

“Two things in particular I remember,” Chattelle said, “First, I hit him in the second or third round and he went through the ropes. It looked like he was hurt. The referee stood him back up and they resumed the fight. At the end of the fourth, he got me with a real big slam that made a lot of noise. I wasn’t hurt, but I think it sealed the win for him.”

Asked if he thought he should’ve won the decision, Chattelle said, “I can’t really remember it like that, but I think maybe it should’ve been a majority draw.”

Chattelle will now have the opportunity to turn the tables, albeit against a fighter who has developed drastically through the years since the two last fought. After beating Chattelle in what was his fourth professional fight, Olson lost to Woody Weatherby – Chattelle’s first victim under CES’ promotional guidance – before winning eight of his next nine fights with the loss coming against former UFC contender David Branch at the Bellator Fighting Championships in 2009.

Suffice to say, both Chattelle and Olson have endured their share of ups and downs over the past six years. Chattelle alternated wins and losses for a year and a half before signing with CES, while Olson hit a bump in the road in the midst of his second four-fight win streak when he lost consecutive bouts to Dan Cramer, Rick Hawn and Tom Moreau, who have 30 combined victories between them; since beating Olson, Hawn has become a staple on Bellator’s most recent fight cards, winning six of his eight bouts with that respective promotion.

Chattelle, in a way, is right – this feels more like a statement fight for each side rather than a rematch. With everything that’s happened to both fighters in between, they each need this win a lot more now than they did six years ago. The major difference this time is Olson will come up in weight to face Chattelle at 185 pounds, not in the welterweight division where he’s fought most of his fights. Chattelle is more comfortable at middleweight, which he hopes gives him the edge in next month’s rematch.

“That might be my biggest advantage,” Chattelle said.

Strangely enough, Chattelle never sought after a rematch with Olson, but he’s thankful for the opportunity, if not for anything other than to show how much he’s grown over the years and how much he’s learned, even in defeat.

“My joints hurt, my body aches – there’s not a lot of time left for me to show what I can do in this sport,” Chattelle said, “but I’m going to take advantage of the time I do have left.

“Over these last few years, I’ve grown and become a much better fighter. I’m a much different fighter, too, just like he is. He’d probably be in the Top 10 right now, but he just hasn’t fought in a while. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”

The undercard of “Path To Destruction” features an eclectic mix of the region’s top talent, including Howard (17-7, 8 KOs), the former UFC vet, who will face Iowa’s Jason Louck (15-10, 7 KOs) in a middleweight bout, and Rhode Island natives Shaun Marmas (4-4, 1 KO) of Coventry and Providence’s Thomas Evans (2-1), who will clash in a three-round featherweight bout.

The show-stopped might be the highly-anticipated featherweight bout between Lucas Cruz (6-0, 2 KOs) and Rob Font (5-1, 1 KO), two Boston natives who will battle for bragging rights, along with regional supremacy in the 145-pound division. Also on the undercard, TriForce’s Keenan Raymond will debut against Northborough, Mass., lightweight Jay Bakanowski (1-1); Kody Norby (3-0) of Woonsocket, R.I., will put his unbeaten record on the line against flyweight Jimmy Grant (3-1) of Carlstadt, N.J.; and welterweight Toby Oden (1-0) of Milford, Mass., will return against Jersey City veteran Emmanuel Walo (2-1).

Fan-favorite Dinis Paiva Jr. (3-3, 1 KO) of East Providence, R.I., will also be back in action searching for his third consecutive win against Cambridge, Mass., native Kin Moy (2-0); and Massachusetts natives Matt Doherty (1-0, 1 KO) of Salem and Whitman’s Johnny Campbell (5-4, 3 KOs) will square off in a bantamweight bout. Unbeaten lightweight Nate Andrews (3-0, 1 KO) will also be back in action in a separate three-round bout.

Tickets for “Path To Destruction” are $36.00, $56.00, $101.00 and $126.00 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Path To Destruction.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance).

– CES –

Contacts:

Michael Parente, Classic Entertainment & Sports, (401) 263-4990 or michael@cesboxing.com.

Kim Ward, Twin River Casino, (401) 475-8352 or kward@twinriver.com.

Wright answers the call; will face Manfredo Jr. March 15^th in main event at Twin River 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 4^th, 2013) – As he continues to rewrite his future in professional boxing, Peter Manfredo Jr. must first revisit his storied past, reliving his glory days as a fan-favorite on the hit reality television series The Contender.

With Joey Spina unable to fight due to an injury, thus squashing what was shaping up to be a highly-anticipated rematch between two of Rhode Island’s most beloved fighters, Manfredo (38-7, 20 KOs) will now face fellow Contender alum Walter Wright (14-3, 7 KOs) in the 10-round main event of “Unfinished Business” Friday, March 15^th, 2013 at the Twin River Event Center, presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports.  

“I like Walter from The Contender Season 2, and I’m also glad he’s stepping up on just two weeks’ notice,” said Manfredo, who rose to fame in 2005 when he reached the finals of the show’s inaugural season. “That’s why he’s a true contender.

“I was training and preparing for Joey Spina, so now I have to get mentally ready for a whole different fight and fighter, but, at the end of the day, the fans will see a great fight.”

Wright, a Seattle, Wash., native and former quarterfinalist in Season 2 of The Contender, hasn’t fought since a six-round unanimous-decision win over Joshua Snyder in 2010, but he’s remained active throughout his layoff, most notably as a training partner for James Kirkland during his preparation for bouts against Alfredo Angulo and Carlos Molina, which were held in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Wright had also been preparing for his own comeback in June against Omar Henry, but that fight fell through at the last minute.

“I’m even more excited about this bout than I was for the potential Joey Spina-Peter Manfredo rematch,” Burchfield said. “The Contender has thrilled boxing fans for years with its candid, in-depth look at the sport of boxing, and its showcasing of great, young talent, and both Peter and Walter are two of the brightest, most successful stars to emerge from the fray.

“Because of their determination and perseverance, they’ve succeeded where other Contender alums have failed, and they’re both as hungry as ever to make another run at a world title, so it’s only fitting they meet face-to-face in front of what will be a sold-out crowd at the beautiful Twin River Casino on March 15^th.”

In 2006, Wright won his opening bout on Season 2 of The Contender in convincing fashion, beating Andre Eason 50-44 on all three scorecards before losing in the quarterfinals to future world champion Cornelius Bundrage. Later that year, Wright returned for the Season 2 finale at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and defeated fellow castmate Vinroy Barrett by fourth-round knockout. Proving his success under the bright lights was no fluke, Wright faced off against then-unbeaten junior middleweight Dan Wallace in January of 2007 on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights and scored a knockout win in the eighth and final round.

For Manfredo Jr., “The Pride Of Providence,” this is the second fight of his much-heralded comeback, which began in November with a unanimous-decision win over Rayco Saunders at Twin River. Tickets for the event are $40.00, $60.00, $100.00 and $150.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

The undercard of “Unfinished Business” features an array of intriguing regional showdowns, starting with an intra-city battle between Joey Gardner (10-5-1, 1 KO) and Reynaldo Rodriguez (6-5-1, 3 KOs) of Woonsocket, R.I. The former training partners will go toe-to-toe in a six-round super middleweight special attraction.

Also on the undercard, Boston middleweight Julio Garcia (6-3, 3 KOs) – trained by former heavyweight world champion John Ruiz – will face Thomas Falowo (8-1, 6 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., in a six-round bout while light heavyweight Kevin Cobbs (6-1, 2 KOs) of Burlington, Vt., who is looking to bounce back from his first career loss in November, will face hard-htting Paul Gonsalves (4-2, 3 KOs) of Harwich, Mass., in a four-round bout.

Warwick, R.I., super middleweight Benny Costantino (7-2, 4 KOs) is also back in action and looking to bounce back from his loss in July as he faces Quincy, Mass., veteran Emmanuel Medina (2-3-1, 2 KOs), who appeared in a nationally-televised bout on ESPN2 in January. Unbeaten, 19-year-old Polish welterweight Patryk Szymanski (5-0, 2 KOs), fighting out of North Bergen, N.J., will make a special appearance in a six-round bout against Antonio Chaves Fernandes (2-8-1) of Brockton, Mass. Jesse Barboza (5-1-1, 3 KOs), a Barnstable, Mass., heavyweight, will return to Twin River for the first time since 2010 when he faces Jeramiah Witherspoon (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Altoona, Pa., in a four-round bout, while female bantamweight Noemi Bosques (1-0), a St. Petersburg, Fla., native who now trains in Providence, will face Queens native Vanessa Greco (1-2-1) in a four-round bout. All bouts are subject to change.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Unfinished Business.” Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)

– CES –

Contacts:

Michael Parente, Classic Entertainment & Sports, (401) 263-4990 or michael@cesboxing.com.

Kim Ward, Twin River Casino, (401) 475-8352 or kward@twinriver.com.

After long layoff, Barboza returns to Twin River ready to make a major push in 2013  

BARNSTABLE, Mass. (Feb. 14^th, 2013) – The only thing worse than the two-year layoff for Jesse Barboza was the fact his last fight had ended in a disappointing draw, leaving the former three-time New England Golden Gloves champion with a lot of free time to think about what had went wrong.

“I had two years to deal with it,” Barboza said. “It drove me nuts.”

Barboza (5-1-1, 3 KOs) finally got the sour taste of his mouth last November when he returned from his hiatus with a unanimous-decision win over Kevin Franklin in Providence, R.I.

Now Barboza’s comeback is about to come full circle as he prepares to fight at Twin River Casino on Friday, March 15^th, 2013 under the guidance of his first – and only – promoter, Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports. This will be his first fight with CES since November of 2010, ending a hiatus Barboza hopes he can finally put in his rearview mirror.

“I love CES,” said Barboza, who’ll face Altoona, Pa., heavyweight Jeramiah Witherspoon (2-2-1, 1 KO) in a four-round bout on the undercard of “Unfinished Business” at Twin River.

“I love how they do things. When you go somewhere else and work with other people, it makes you appreciate having a team around you where you can say, ‘Hey, can you get this done for me?’ and it gets done with no questions asked.”

Three years ago, the Barnstable, Mass., native stepped out from under the shadow of his own amateur success and began his professional career with a thrilling, second-round knockout win in nearby Plymouth. With a hard-working promoter and a dedicated management team in his corner, Barboza had everything a young fighter could ask for – most importantly, stability.

Within nine months, the former Golden Gloves standout was 3-0 with three knockouts, but everything went sour when he lost for the first time in his career to to then-unbeaten heavyweight Winston Thorpe at Twin River. Communication between he and his manager broke down, and Barboza soon began switching trainers on a routine basis in search of the right fit.

“Sometimes you hit bumps in the road and people aren’t always ready for that,” Barboza said. “The lack of communication had as much to do with me as it did with them. I should’ve just told them I wasn’t comfortable with this fight, or that fight … 

“Sometimes when you tell people you’re not ready for a certain fight they think you’re a coward,” he continued. “That’s not how it is. People were dogging [super middleweight world champion] Andre Ward for a long time wondering when he’d step up. Look at him now. You always want to fight tough guys, but, at the same time, you have to make the right decisions. The risk has to match the reward.”

Following the loss to Thorpe, Barboza returned to the ring four months later with an uninspiring, unanimous-decision win over Antonio Robertson, raising even more concerns within his inner circle. As he continued to struggle with finding the right opponent, Barboza’s layoff went from being just a few months to suddenly a year and a half to two full years before he finally stepped back into the ring. 

The good news was that throughout his hiatus, Barboza worked with only one trainer, Jeff Gonsalves, the younger brother of Barboza’s first trainer, Dave Gonsalves Jr., so he knew it was only a matter of time before he returned.

“Sometimes that doubt might creep in, and it’s scary,” Barboza said, “but for me it was never really there.

“It would get tough being on that rollercoaster, but I knew I wasn’t ever going to stop. During that whole [layoff] I was training. I didn’t take any time off. Jeff and I have been on the same page the whole time. He’s a student of the game. He loves boxing. A lot of trainers have big names and a big following with hundreds of clients, and that’s great for them, but I had to get away from that. I had to find someone who was 100 percent focused on me. I know what I need in a trainer; I need a lot of attention to detail. A lot of guys have too much pride and don’t think they can learn anything else, but Jeff isn’t one of those guys. We still struggle, but you’re always going to have that. He takes my ideas, I take his, and it just kind of works out.”

Barboza’s win over Franklin in November didn’t end the way he had hoped it would – “I wanted a knockout,” he said, “but my timing was still a little off” – but having the opportunity to step back into the ring only four months later should help him regain the rhythm he once had earlier in his career.

As he prepares for his 27^th birthday in June, Barboza knows that while there is still plenty of time left him for him to achieve his dream of becoming a world champion, this is the year that could make or break his career, and it’ll start March 15^th under the guidance of the promoter who got it all started four years ago.

“I’ve already made up my mind that this is going to be the year I’m going to make my name,” Barboza said. “You have to set short-term goals first, but I want everyone to know there’s a new American heavyweight on the scene.

“My goals are still the same. If you’re in this for anything other than to be on top of the world, you should quit or retire. You’re not in this sport to finish in second place; you’re in it to be a champion. I’m here to prove I belong at the top of the heavyweight division. I want to prove it to myself, my community … my family. This is the year I break through. I’ll be a contender by the end of the year.”

The 10-round main event of “Unfinished Business” features the long-awaited rematch between Providence, R.I., super middleweights Joey Spina (26-3-2, 18 KOs) and Peter Manfredo Jr. (38-7, 20 KOs), who’ll face one another for the first time since 2006. Also on the undercard, Providence’s Alex Amparo (5-1, 3 KOs) will look to avenge his first career loss when he faces Woonsocket, R.I., veteran Joey Gardner (10-5-1, 1 KO) in a six-round super middleweight rematch. Gardner beat Amparo by unanimous decision in November.

“Unfinished Business” also features a six-round battle between light heavyweights Rich Gingras (12-3, 8 KOs) of Attleboro, Mass., and Dennis Okola (14-8, 4 KOs) of Nairobi, Kenya (now training out of Cheshire, Conn.), and a six-round interstate showdown between Boston middleweight Julio Garcia (6-3, 3 KOs) and Thomas Falowo (8-1, 6 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I.

Looking to bounce back following his first career loss in November, light heavyweight Kevin Cobbs (6-1, 2 KOs) of Burlington, Vt., will face Paul Gonsalves (4-2, 3 KOs) of Harwich, Mass., in a four-round bout. Female bantamweight Noemi Bosques (1-0), a St. Petersburg, Fla., native who now trains in Providence, will face Queens native Vanessa Greco (1-2-1) in a four-round bout. All bouts are subject to change.

Tickets for “Unfinished Business” are $40.00, $60.00, $100.00 and $150.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Unfinished Business.” Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)

– CES –

Stakes are higher than ever as Manfredo Jr., Spina prepare for long-awaited rematch

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 12^th, 2013) – More than six years have passed since Peter Manfredo Jr. knocked out fellow Providence native Joey Spina on national television at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in what was, at the time, Rhode Island’s biggest turf war.

As they prepare to face one another again Friday, March 15^th, 2013 at the Twin River Event Center in the latest chapter of their longstanding rivalry, both Spina (26-3-2, 18 KOs) and Manfredo Jr. (38-7, 20 KOs) are dealing with the fact there’s much more at stake now than there was the first time they fought in 2006.

The pressure’s higher than ever; Manfredo Jr., now on his second fight since returning to professional boxing in November, will turn 33 later this year, while Spina, coming off consecutive losses for the first time in his career, is 35. Time is no longer an ally, and a loss March 15^th could derail both fighters in what is shaping up to be their final run at championship glory.

The Spina-Manfredo Jr. II showdown, promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports and appropriately titled, “Unfinished Business,” will be fought at a catch weight of 170 pounds as the 10-round main event of a spectacular card at Twin River, which also features the return of heavyweight Jesse Barboza and the Rhode Island-debut of female bantamweight Noemi Bosques.

“The first fight between these two local heroes was the talk of the town six years ago, and the latest installment of this rivalry promises to be even bigger than ever,” Burchfield said.

“No two fighters draw bigger crowds in Rhode Island than Peter Manfredo Jr. and Joey Spina, and with the two of them facing one another in front of what will be a packed house at Twin River Casino, this will turn into the must-see event of 2013.

“Our fans have been waiting more than six years for this rematch. We’re the only promotional company in the world capable of turning this dream into a reality. Nobody makes bigger fights, and nothing divides loyalties better than a good, old-fashioned rivalry. Spina or Manfredo Jr.? Take your pick – it’s going to be a huge night.”

When Manfredo Jr. and Spina first faced one another in 2006, both fighters were at crossroads in their respective careers. Manfredo Jr. had just made the jump from middleweight to super middleweight, a move punctuated by his third-round knockout win over Scott Pemberton earlier that year. Spina, the “K.O. Kid,” was still undefeated, having just defended his World Boxing Council U.S. National Boxing Council (WBC USNBC) super middleweight for the fourth time while simultaneously capturing the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Inter-Continental crown with a knockout win over Jay Pina.

Earlier that year, Spina dubbed himself “The Contender Killer” following an 11^th-round, knockout win over Jesse Brinkley, a participant on The Contender reality television series. This irked Manfredo Jr., who also rose to fame as a finalist on the debut season of The Contender, and led to a high-stakes border war between he and Spina that culminated with their nationally-televised showdown on ESPN2 in October of 2006.

“He’s got a big mouth and he has no respect for anybody,” Manfredo Jr. said of Spina at the time.

Manfredo Jr. boldly predicted he’d “show [Spina] who’s boss,” and promptly kept his word, knocking out Spina in the third round of their scheduled 12-round bout. Spina, who broke his hand three weeks before the fight and re-aggravated the injury in the second round, never got over the loss; while preparing for a bout against veteran Tiwon Taylor at Twin River in 2009, Spina lamented the knockout against Manfredo Jr. as a reminder of what he lost both in and outside the ring.

“I never thought in a million years I’d lose to Manfredo,” Spina said at the time. “I mean, Peter’s a great fighter, but I just feel like I’m that much better.”

March 15^th will be Spina’s last shot at redemption, his final opportunity to prove he’s the better fighter. For “The Pride of Providence” Manfredo Jr., it’s a chance to take care of “unfinished business” and write the final chapter of this heated rivalry. 

Spina-Manfredo Jr. II won’t be the only rematch March 15^th; Providence’s Alex Amparo (5-1, 3 KOs) will look to avenge his first career loss when he faces Woonsocket, R.I., veteran Joey Gardner (10-5-1, 1 KO) in a six-round super middleweight rematch. Gardner beat Amparo by unanimous decision in November.

The undercard of “Unfinished Business” also features a six-round battle between light heavyweights Rich Gingras (12-3, 8 KOs) of Attleboro, Mass., and Dennis Okola (14-8, 4 KOs) of Nairobi, Kenya (now training out of Cheshire, Conn.), and a six-round interstate showdown between Boston middleweight Julio Garcia (6-3, 3 KOs) and Thomas Falowo (8-1, 6 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I.

Looking to bounce back following his first career loss in November, light heavyweight Kevin Cobbs (6-1, 2 KOs) of Burlington, Vt., will face Paul Gonsalves (4-2, 3 KOs) of Harwich, Mass., in a four-round bout. Barboza (5-1-1, 3 KOs), a Barnstable, Mass., heavyweight, will return to Twin River for the first time since 2010 when he faces Jeramiah Witherspoon (2-2-1, 1 KO) of Altoona, Pa., in a four-round bout, while Bosques (1-0), a St. Petersburg, Fla., native who now trains in Providence, will face Queens native Vanessa Greco (1-2-1) in a four-round bout. All bouts are subject to change.

Tickets for “Unfinished Business” are $40.00, $60.00, $100.00 and $150.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Unfinished Business.” Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)

– CES –

Providence, R.I., native Mike “The Beast” Campbell took home the hardware Friday night as he defeated Brazilian Abner Lloveras (15-7-1) by unanimous to win the vacant Classic Entertainment & Sports’ Mixed Martial Arts lightweight title at Twin River Casino.
 
Unafraid to exchange blows with the former Spanish Olympic boxer, Campbell (13-4) dominated the stand-up game and withstood the best Lloveras (15-7-1) had to offer in a 50-44, 48-47, 49-48 unanimous-decision win.
 
“I had to make a few adjustments along the way,” Campbell said. “He’s a lot stronger than I expected. He came to fight tonight, but so did I.”

Campbell has now won four consecutive fights since his last loss. For Lloveras, Friday’s setback was his first loss in four bouts. Campbell is just the second champion crowned by CES; the first was Todd Chattelle, who won the inaugural middleweight title in 2012.
 
Arguably the most exciting knockout of the night belonged to rising bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (4-1, 3 KOs) of Woonsocket, R.I., who buckled  Kurt Chase-Patrick (1-1) of Seymour, Conn., with a liver shot courtesy of a short, left hook in the second round and finished him with a series of unanswered blows at the 45-second mark to earn his fourth consecutive win.
 
After an even opening round, Soukhamthath pressed Chase-Patrick against the cage, where he caught him with a body blow that sent his opponent to the canvas. That was it for Chase-Patrick, who could only stave off the damage for a few more seconds before the referee mercifully stopped the bout.
 
Courtland, N.Y., native Josh Lange (2-1) made quick work of newcomer Chris Dudley (0-1) in the opening bout, earning the submission with an arm triangle at the 1:32 mark of the first round. Welterweights Toby Oden (1-0) of Milford, Mass., also earned an impressive submission victory in his professional debut, defeating fellow newcomers Sylvester Murataj (0-1) of Rocky Hill, Conn., by rear-naked choke 1:03 into the opening round.
 
Welterweight Eric Spicely (1-0) of Providence, R.I., dominated on the ground to earn a 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous-decision win over fellow debut Kemran Lachinov (0-1) of Springfield, Mass., while lightweight Terrell Clark (1-0, 1 KO) finished Framingham, Mass., veteran Adam Quitt (1-3) at the 1:45 mark of the opening round with a series of unanswered blows.
 
In a rematch from their fight at Twin River in December, heavyweight Pat Walsh (3-0, 2 KOs) of West Bridgewater, Mass., earned another quick victory over Providence’s Eric Bedard (4-3), this time finishing Bedard with unanswered blows 1:56 into the opening. Their first bout ended in just 51 seconds due to a Kimura submission by Walsh.
 
Rahway, N.J., native Shedrick Goodridge (4-4) stopped his three-fight losing streak in spectacular fashion in the middleweight division, forcing Dedham, Mass., veteran Brett Oteri (11-4) to submit 2:42 into the second round after sustaining a head injury in the second round. Oteri fought most of the bout with a severe cut under his right eye and ultimately tapped out verbally.      
 
Featherweight Joe Pingitore (2-0-1) of Johnston, R.I., and Boston’s Sergio Moran Cabrera (2-0-1) fought two exciting, back-and-forth rounds before the bout ended in a majority draw after an inadvertent by Pingitore left Cabrera unable to continue. Two of the three judges had the fight even, resulting in the draw. In the welterweight division, New York native and Bombsquad veteran Darius Heyliger (5-1) used his height and reach to his advantage, peppering Wilfredo Santiago (3-2) of Lawrence, Mass., with jabs and rear leg kicks and bouncing back from a slow start to score a 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous-decision win – his second career win at Twin River.

One of the most surprising outcomes of the night occurred in the featherweight division, where up-and-comer Rob Font (5-1) of Boston out-worked veteran Saul Almeida (12-4) to earn a 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous-decision win to hand Almeida his fourth consecutive loss. Font kept his distance and utilized his superior stand-up game to frustrate Almeida and prevent him from taking the fight to the ground.

LINCOLN, R.I. (Jan. 14, 2013) - Mike Campbell has heard this story before.
 
"Everyone says they're going to come in here and beat me up. That's fine," Campbell said. "Saying it and doing it are two different things."
 
Needless to say, Campbell barely flinched when Brazilian lightweight Abner Lloveras predicted a second-round knockout win in their upcoming title fight scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1, 2013 at the Twin River Event Center.
 
"Hopefully, he puts his money where his mouth is," Campbell said.
 
Next month's five-round showdown between Campbell and Lloveras is for the Classic Entertainment & Sports Mixed Martial Arts lightweight title, only the second title bout in CES' history, and will be the main event of "Undisputed II," presented by Jimmy Burchfield. For Campbell (12-4, 7 KOs), it will be his toughest to date, but certainly nothing new for the Providence, R.I., native who is accustomed to fighting top-tier competition; since November of 2011, Campbell has won three consecutive bouts against opponents with a combined record of 28-18.
 
"I haven't had any easy fights in the past few years," Campbell said. "I'm just trying to win fights and fight the best fighters in the country. If not, what am I fighting for?"
 
Lloveras (15-6-1, 5 KOs) certainly fits that mold. A former Spanish Olympic Boxing gold medalist, Lloveras has won three consecutive fights, including an impressive victory over Ryan Quinn at Twin River in June in which he repeatedly stuffed Quinn's takedown attempts and utilized his superior stand-up game to win the fight on all three scorecards.
 
"I have seen some of Mike's fight and he has an explosive style," Lloveras said. "He has 16 pro fights and is very respected in the northeast MMA circle. That's a strong background to consider.
 
"This fight with Mike Campbell is a late Christmas gift for fans in this region," added Lloveras' trainer, Marco Alvan. "I've witnessed how serious Abner is taking this fight and I'm very confident he will have a great performance and bring home the win."
 
Putting a title on the line adds even more allure to what is already one of the most highly-anticipated fights of 2013.
 
"This is what I've always wanted," Campbell said, "and what better belt to fight for than the CES title? I made history fighting the main event on their first show in Rhode Island [in September of 2010] and now I'm ready to make more history."
 
Lloveras, who now trains out of Ludlow, Mass., has more experience in title bouts having fought for both M-1 and Shooto championships, so he's used to preparing for and fighting five rounds rather than three, but anyone who's followed Campbell knows his conditioning is never a problem.
 
"I don't think anyone would question that," Campbell said. "Five five-minute rounds? Most guys lose their pace while I maintain my pace. I'm not really concerned about it because I tend to over-train anyway. I'm just doing what I do. The way I see it, it's only another 10 minutes out of my life.
 
"I'm just working on my skill sets," he continued. "I'm watching a lot of film on him, which is the first time in a long time for me. I want to develop a game plan and implement it. I know I can adapt within the first round if I know what he's going to do. If I can do it faster, that's even better for me."
 
Campbell has paid particular attention to Lloveras' win over Quinn in which he neutralized Quinn's strength - his wrestling ability - and fought on his own terms.
 
"He looked good," Campbell said of Lloveras, "but the other thing he did was put Quinn on his heels and kept him from coming forward. He kept jabbing. Quinn didn't set it up properly. I'm not saying Abner isn't a good wrestler, but people always ask me who does better in a fight between a wrestler or boxer. It's about who's more efficient. I was impressed with his ability to stuff takedowns, but I think he's one dimensional - definitely not the most well-rounded, but clearly a threat."
 
"I don't think people overlook my ground skills, but they usually respect me more for my boxing," countered Lloveras. "I won three national gold medals in Spain as a boxer and I was close to qualifying for the London Olympics, but I've also competed in and won many [Brazilian jiu-jitsu] tournaments. This is MMA, so I try to be a complete and well-rounded fighter.
 
"The priority [against Quinn] was to hit him and then defend his powerful wrestling. As we were getting ready for the fight my coach told me, 'This guy is coming for you! He's coming off a loss [to Ultimate Fighting Championships veteran] Ricardo Funch, so he's hungry. You need to keep calm and work to get up.' That's just what happened. It was a great win."
 
Whoever comes out on top in February will continue to climb the rankings in the lightweight division while adding a new piece of hardware to their collection. This one is for all the marbles, and both sides have a lot at stake.
 
"I'm coming to win the belt," Campbell said. "I'm not saying I'm going to knock him out, but I'm coming to win the belt. I want to make it look like he doesn't belong in there with me.
 
"It's a title fight, so there's a lot of anxiety that comes with that, and some guys can't control their emotions, but I don't get tired and I don't get nervous. Fighting is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical. I'll fight whether it's in the cage or in the schoolyard."

LINCOLN, R.I. (Dec. 7, 2012) – Former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran Chuck O’Neil moved one step closer to returning to the big stage Friday night and halted Keith Jeffrey’s momentum with a 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous decision win in the main event of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Battle Tested” mixed martial events at Twin River Casino.

O’Neil (10-5) took control of the fight in the third and final round with a critical takedown, subsequently preventing Jeffrey (8-3-1) from unleashing his overhand rights, which, at that point, had been his most dangerous weapon.

Jeffrey, a Pawtucket, R.I., native, entered the fight having won each of his last three bouts since returning from a knee injury in 2011, but O’Neil’s takedown and poise on the ground in the final round turned out to be the difference. O’Neil, a former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter reality show, has now won two of his last three fights while Jeffrey suffered his first loss since 2010.

One of the most impressive wins of the night belonged to Providence’s Luis Felix (9-6), who submitted Ludlow, Mass., lightweight Jeremy Ross (6-4) just 1:21 seconds into the opening round via guillotine choke. The win was Lewis’ fourth in a row and first since October when he defeated former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran Marc Stevens in October.

Coming off back-to-back losses, Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Todd Chattelle (11-8) also made quick work of his opponent, using the guillotine choke to submit veteran Robby Roberts (8-15) of Orange, Mass., at the 1:35 mark of the opening round. Chattelle had lost both of his fights in 2012 prior to Friday’s victory after finishing 2011 with a perfect 4-0 record.

Salem, Mass., bantamweight Matt Doherty (1-0, 1 KO) started the night with a victory in his professional debut, stopping Terin Swanson (2-2) at the 1:54 mark of the second round with a series of unanswered blows. Swanson got off to a strong start with his ground game in the opening round, but Doherty answered the call in the second round and utilized his superior stand-up game to make quick work of Swanson, who had won his last two bouts entering Friday. 

In the middleweight division, newcomer Joe Palazio (1-0) of Providence bounced back from a slow start and defeated Joe Cronin (2-0) of Mansfield, Mass., via submission with a guillotine choke at the 2:27 mark of the opening round. Cronin looked sharp early, but Palazio turned the tide with a short left hook and then finished Cronin with the guillotine for his first career win.

Chris Foster (6-2) of Middletown, Conn., and Thane Stimson (2-2) of nearby Canterbury went the distance in their featherweight bout with Foster hanging on for a 28-29, 29-28, 29-28 split decision win. Foster controlled the bout early, using a flurry of lefts and right to bloody Stimson’s face in the opening round, but Stimson regained control in the second round with his ground game. The third round went back and forth until Foster sealed it with a well-timed takedown in the closing seconds for a victory in his first fight in more than a year and a half.

Dinis Paiva of East Providence, R.I., evened his record at 3-3 in the bantamweight division with a hard-fought 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 unanimous decision win over Ithica, N.Y., native Josh Lange (1-1). In a tough fight to score, Paiva controlled the action on the ground to escape with the decision. Heavyweight Pat Walsh (2-0) of West Bridgewater, Mass., made quick work of Providence’s Eric Bedard (3-2), submitting his opponent via Kimura just 51 seconds into the opening round.

In one of the most highly-anticipated bouts of the evening, Boston lightweight Lucas Cruz (6-0) kept his perfect record intact by out-working and out-hustling previously-unbeaten Andres Jeudi (5-1) to score a unanimous, yet close, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 win. Both fighters traded blows throughout the fight, with Jeudi’s exceptional takedown defense frustrating Cruz at times, but Cruz sealed the win with a critical takedown in the closing minutes of the third round, preventing Jeudi from utilizing his stand-up game.