Italo-American Club of Rhode Island’s Man of the Year
Live Testimonials (Sept. 27, 2008)

Teddy Atlas:  “I know Jimmy Burchfield’s fighters are his friends long after they are done fighting and that’s why I am here as the Master of Ceremonies. He is a man who understands the responsibilities to handle fighters. They call him the hardest working promoter in fighting.”

Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey: “I’m not here as a boxer or NABF cruiserweight champion, I’m here as a friend for what he has done for me all these years. We met 15 years ago. I was just breaking into boxing and he was promoting a show where one of the guys from my gym was on the undercard and Jimmy was nice enough to give me a ticket. When you go to shows now you see Jimmy in his tux running around doing so many things, but no, that night he was wearing a Red Dog beer t shirt. It’s just funny to see how far he’s come. Jimmy does as much as a friend as he does as a promoter. I remember one fight I trained nine weeks for a fight that fell out the week of the fight and he was nice enough to pay me. I didn’t have to ask, he just did it. He is one of the greatest people I know. As Captain of Team CES, I’d like to introduce some of the CES fighters here tonight: Peter Manfredo, Jr., Joey “KO Kid” Spina, Jason “Big Six” Estrada, “Baby” Joe Mesi, Matt Remillard, Jaime Clamoitt, Angel Camacho, Jr., Bobo “The Bull” Starnino, Jason Pires, Addy Irizarry, Andrei Nevsky, Eddie Soto, Brian Macy, Diego Pereira and Keith Kozlin. Former CES fighters here and in the CES Ring of Honor are Vinny Paz, Gary Balletto and Ray Oliveira. As Captain of Team CES, I want to thank Jimmy for all he’s done for us and boxing.”

Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini: “I just flew in this morning from the West Coast to be here. The first time I met Mr. Burchfield was through his sons, Jimmy and Joey. We met through mutual friends. It is 27 years later now. It was at a press conference for Providence’s favorite son, Vinny Paz. I met Jimmy at his restaurant and I met you then. I was truly touched by your passion for the sport, your passion for the fighters, your love for your fighters. Then when I heard you were a promoter I said, man boxing just got better. Boxing just got better. You deserve all of these accolades. You’re a great man for boxing, the City of Providence, and your family. I’m so happy to be here for you. Continued success.”

“The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr.: “I’m very honored to be here to honor my friend, my promoter and, well, he’s like my second, third, fourth father. Jimmy is always there for his fighters. When Vinny Paz had his 50th win and retired, I was suppose be the next Captain of CES, the franchise. But then The Contender came along. I had an opportunity to do something for me, my family and my kids - a better life for us. But to go on the show it would hurt him financially. He has to be a real man, real gentleman, to let somebody fulfill their dreams knowing it was going to hurt his business. That was in 2004 and I can’t thank him enough. Everyday I wake up I can’t thank him enough. He’s getting what he deserves tonight. He’s man of the year, but every time I wake up he’s the man of my day, the man of the year, every year. I can’t thank him enough, I owe him a lot. On November 13th I have a shot to pay him back. On Novermber 13th its just where we left off Jimmy. You made me No. 3 in the world. I was NABO champion, I was ready to fight for a world title. Now I’m back with you, I’ve leave off with you, and we’re going to win this world title on November 13th. You made it happen. That’s my way of paying you back. I will give Jimmy the IBO super middleweight championship of the world.”

Vinny Paz: “I’m so glad you came here for Jimmy Burchfield. I love that guy. I wish my dad was here; they were partners. They told me I had three minutes. Yeah. I could talk days about Jimmy and I don’t need to write things down. I love this guy – what he says comes from the heart. He has a great family. He’s a special guy and a wonderful Italo-American Man of the Year. But he could be Irish Man of the Year, Dominican Man of the Year, Puerto Rican Man of the Year, African-American Man of the Year…..he’s helped so many people of all walks of life. It all started for Jimmy and I in 1981 – we’ve been together a long time. I know him probably better than anybody. I won a gold medal in the National Sports Festival on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. I was 18 and thought that it was a big deal. Not many people made a big deal other than this guy, Jimmy, who invited me and my family to his restaurant. I won 50 fights and 5 world championships. I wish Jimmy was my boxing promoter back then – maybe I would have won 10 world titles. I take great pride in this man. The biggest thing is this man single handedly changed, directed and influenced the lives of so many people in and out of the ring. You can’t put a price tag on that; thousands of people. I told Jimmy I wanted to get my 50th win. I signed a picture in his office that says, ‘50 wins of death.’ So, he gets me a fight for my 50th win, but being the guy I am, I wanted a real fight. He gets me a guy with 40 wins who is a decade younger. He hits me with the first punch and it almost knocks me out. No way, The Pazman get knocked out. I’ve never been knocked out once in my career. But I’m not getting near this guy and I’m losing the fight after the fifth round. This guy is 6-1 and I’m 5-8 on a good hair day. My promoter comes over to my corner – he’s not supposed to be there as the promoter – and he pulls my trunks and says, “Champ, you said you’d win this fight or die.” I stepped up and won my 50th, totally owing it to Jimmy. He’s one of my role models. I’ve never told him this but I have two role models in my whole life, that’s all. I looked up to two people. One of them was Mohammad Ali, and two, without a doubt is Jimmy Burchfield. He lives his life like I fought in the ring – I laid it all out on the line. Balls to the wall, heart and soul and it made me very successful. That’s why he is a successful man, that’s why he has a successful family and that is why he does unbelievable things in the ring and outside the ring. The thing with me and him is we get knocked down, but me and Jimmy keep getting up because we’re both champs.”

“Baby” Joe Mesi: “I’ve been doing my fighting with my voice more than my fists the last few months.  I put my (political) campaign on hold to be here tonight because that’s how important Jimmy Burchfield is to me. I’m honored to be here for Jimmy Burchfield and to be an Italian-American. He’s just a great, great man – 1000 people came here to thank him. When I was fighting I got injured and had legal battles to get reinstated a year later. Only one promoter stepped up (Jimmy Burchfield). We worked together and will continue to make history. He will be a Hall of fame promoter and, hopefully, I will be the heavyweight champion of the world. I’ve worked with some of the most popular, biggest name promoters in the business, and I had a great time with all of them. But I’ll tell you what, not one of them was my friend. They were business partners, but you were my friend. You are my promoter and my friend. I can’t say that about one of the guys I’ve worked with and I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the business, you being one of them, but you and I are friends. And that’s what I love about you. Congratulations on your award and this tremendous honor.