Posts Tagged ‘Michael Parente’

CES MEDIA ALERT: Three-City Regional media tour kicks off Monday as CES boxing winds down summer schedule with two huge events

Posted: August 15, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 14th, 2017) — With two major-league events scheduled over the next five weeks, the region’s leading combat sports promotion, CES Boxing, kicks off a three-city press tour Monday to launch the final countdown to its summer of 2017 extravaganza.

 

The tour begins Monday, Aug. 14th in Connecticut at Filomena’s Café at 262 Boston Post Road in Waterford, the first of two press conference / pep rallies to promote CES Boxing’s upcoming Saturday, Aug. 26th, 2017live boxing event at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

 

CES Boxing returns to Connecticut on Tuesday, Aug. 15th with its second press event at The Powerhouse Gym at 31 Bernhard Road in North Haven, followed by a stop in Worcester, Mass., on Wednesday, Aug. 16th at Lock 50 at 50 Water Street to formally announce CES Boxing’s highly-anticipated Saturday, Sept. 16th, 2017fight card at Twin River Casino.

 

All three press conference / pep rallies are open to the public and begin approximately at 6 p.m. ET.

 

The Aug. 26th live event at Foxwoods’ The Premier Ballroom is unique in that all fans purchasing a ticket receive free entry next door at the Grand Theater to view the long-awaited Floyd Mayweather–Conor McGregor Pay Per View showdown in Nevada on closed-circuit television.

 

The live event features a 10-round main event between reigning World Boxing Council U.S. National Boxing Council (WBC USNBC) Welterweight Champion Jimmy Williams (13-0-1, 5 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., and Bronx, N.Y., vet Issouf Kinda (18-4, 7 KOs).

 

Tickets are priced at $55, $90, $155 and $325 and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.foxwoods.com, or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253 or 800-200-2882 or at the Grand Theater Box Office. All $55, $90 and $155 tickets offer buyers a reserved ticket to the Mayweather-McGregor PPV. A $325 ticket purchase includes preferred seating. All bouts are subject to change.

 

The full eight-fight card begins at 6 ET. Fans purchasing PPV-only tickets can do so online at www.foxwoods.com, by phone at 800-282-2882 or through any Ticketmaster location.

 

The Sept. 16th event at Twin River Casino features the return of Worcester’s Khiary Gray (14-3, 11 KOs), who makes his welterweight debut live on FITE Pay Per View against dangerous Union City, N.J., vet Juan Rodriguez Jr. (13-4, 5 KOs) in the eight-round main event.

 

Tickets for the 12-fight Twin River card are priced at $47.00, $102.00, $127.00 (VIP) and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change. The entire event also airs live in its entirety on FITE TV Pay Per View for $14.99 beginning at 7 ET / 4 PT.

 

CES Boxing’s upcoming events are a continuation of the promotion’s year-long 25th anniversary celebration.

 

On Aug. 26th, both Sicilian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano (11-1, 9 KOs) and standout Worcester lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (4-0, 3 KOs) make their Foxwoods’ debuts in separate bouts.

 

The Foxwoods undercard also includes a six-round junior welterweight showdown between unbeatens Cristobal Marrero (4-0, 3 KOs) of New London, Conn., and Springfield, Mass., native Miguel Ortiz (2-0, 1 KO), plus a cruiserweight showdown between Richard Rivera (2-0, 2 KOs) of Hartford, Conn., and eight-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) vet Leandro Silva of Sao Paolo, Brazil, an intriguing, four-round crossover bout following in the footsteps of Mayweather-McGregor.

 

Aug. 26th also features a four-round middleweight bout between Hartford’s Jose Rivera (3-1, 3 KOs) and North Carolina vet Corwin Farmer (1-1), a four-round welterweight bout between Hartford newcomer Jeff Gonzalez and Boston’s Daniel Amaro (1-3), plus the professional debut of super middleweight Jarel Pemberton of Boston, the son of former world-title challenger “Sandman” Scott Pemberton, in a four-round bout against Nathan Schulte (0-2) of Woburn, Mass.

 

Fighting on Sept. 16th, New Bedford, Mass., vet Ray Oliveira Jr. (7-1, 1 KO) faces Meriden, Conn., native David Wilson (5-1-1, 1 KO), plus undefeated Providence, R.I., lightweight Anthony Marsella Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs) makes his highly-anticipated return to Twin River along with Worcester’s Ortiz, both in separate bouts. (more…)

Gray makes long-awaited welterweight debut Sept. 16th

Posted: August 4, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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Friday, Aug. 4th, 2017

motionmailapp.com

Photo courtesy of Will Paul

WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS WELTERWEIGHT Khiary Gray, seen above right in his last 154-pound bout against reigning New England champion Greg Vendetti in June, makes his debut at 147 against New Jersey veteran Juan Rodriguez Jr. on Saturday, Sept. 16th, 2017 at Twin River Casino. The entire 12-fight card will air live on FITE Pay Per View. Gray is looking to rebound from a loss to Vendetti in June and make his presence in the welterweight division. Other bouts include Ray Oliveira Jr. battling David Wilson, plus the return of Anthony Marsella Jr. and Juiseppe Cusumano.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Aug. 4th, 2017
CES MEDIA ALERT
Gray enters welterweight division with tough opening test against hard-hitting Rodriguez Jr. Sept. 16th

Photo courtesy of Will Paul

UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT PROSPECT Kendrick Ball Jr. of Worcester, Mass., returns for his 10th pro fight Saturday, Sept. 16th, 2017 when he faces 7-1 North Carolina vet Pablo Velez Jr. in a six-round bout at Twin River Casino.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Aug. 4th, 2017) — After establishing his presence as one of the top junior middleweights in the region, Worcester, Mass., slugger Khiary Gray is ready to test his skills at 147 pounds with a major statement in his opening bout.

The hard-hitting Gray (14-3, 11 KOs) makes his welterweight debut Saturday, Sept. 16th, 2017 live on FITE Pay Per View at Twin River Casino against dangerous Union City, N.J., vet Juan Rodriguez Jr. (13-4, 5 KOs) in the eight-round main event of CES Boxing’s fourth installment of the 2017 Twin River Fight Series.

The Gray-Rodriguez main event headlines a stacked 12-fight card that also features a junior middleweight battle between New Bedford, Mass., vet Ray Oliveira Jr. (7-1, 1 KO) and unbeaten Meriden, Conn., native David Wilson (5-0-1, 1 KO), plus the highly-anticipated return of undefeated Providence, R.I., lightweight Anthony Marsella Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs) and 6-foot-4 Sicilian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano (11-1, 9 KOs).

Tickets are priced at $47.00, $102.00, $127.00 (VIP) and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The entire 12-fight card also airs live in its entirety on FITE TV Pay Per View for $14.99 beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
(more…)

CES MEDIA ALERT Vendetti defeats Gray in epic main event to retain New England Junior Middleweight Championship

Posted: June 12, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 9th, 2017) – Nicknamed “The Villian,” hard-nosed Stoneham, Mass., junior middleweight Greg Vendetti made a lasting impression in his first career bout at Twin River Casino on Friday, defeating Khiary Gray by majority decision to retain his New England Championship in a scintillating main event.

 

Vendetti (15-2-1) out-worked Gray (14-3) over eight rounds, bulldozing his way to the inside and landing looping, overhand rights while also working the body effectively for the majority of the fight. Gray, who found himself circling the ring most of the night, landed sporadically in exchanges, but could not match Vendetti’s workload on the inside; “The Villian,” fighting in front of a heavy crowd of hometown fans from Stoneham, earned a 76-76, 77-75, 78-74 decision over the Worcester, Mass., native Gray, his 11th consecutive win since signing with Boston-based promotion Murphys Boxing.

 

Gray has now lost three of his last four bouts, including a back-and-forth eight-round battle with Brooklyn’s Courtney Pennington in February. In a fight both sides have yearned for over the past year and a half, Gray and Vendetti delivered, fighting aggressively for eight hard rounds, even taunting each other at times with following close exchanges at the bell.

 

Friday’s event, promoted by CES Boxing in association with Murphys Boxing, featured eight exciting bouts live on FITE TV Pay Per View, including a back-and-forth co-feature war between Whitman, Mass., junior middleweight Mark DeLuca (19-0) and Chicago’s Chris Chatman (14-7-1) with DeLuca earning a 78-73 decision on all three scorecards. Chatman hit the canvas in the sixth and still earned a split of the final two rounds on two of the scorecards, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap against DeLuca, who was the busier of the two fighters in the early rounds and built a sizeable lead heading into the stretch run.

 

Returning to Twin River for the first time since April, Providence, R.I., lightweight and fan favorite Anthony Marsella Jr. (5-0) faced adversity in his scheduled six-round bout against Texas native Abraham Torres (3-2), rising from the canvas in the fourth round courtesy of a flash knockdown and turning on the pressure in the fifth and six to earn a 58-55, 58-55, 57-56 unanimous decision win to keep his perfect record intact.

 

The knockdown occurred as the two exchanged a close furry in the center of the ring, with Torres getting the edge with a short right upstairs. Marsella continued to mix it up with his opponent in the fifth and sixth, but also boxed more effectively on angles, dodging Torres’ punches and scoring from a distance to keep Torres off balance.

 

Sicilian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano (11-1, 9 KOs), making his Twin River and CES debut, impressed his first-time viewers with a devastating knockout win over Delaware’s Dan Biddle (9-6), sending Biddle to the canvas three times with body blows in the second round, forcing referee Eddie Claudio to stop the bout at the 2:36 mark.

 

Facing the toughest test of his career – and facing am undefeated opponent for the third time since turning pro – Worcester, Mass., middleweight Kendrick Ball Jr. (7-0-2) earned a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Bloomfield, N.J., vet Godson Noel (6-1-1), 58-56, 58-56, 59-55. Ball was the aggressor for the entire fight, boxing effectively off the ropes, utilizing his angles while doubling up with quick uppercuts on the inside and short hooks. Noel landed in short bunches, but Ball was busier throughout and landed the cleaner, more impactful blows.

 

Making his professional debut, Providence, R.I., super featherweight Michael Valentin (1-0, 1 KO) dazzled the crowd with an impressive, 55-second knockout win over debut challenger Kevin De Freitas (0-1) of Somerville, Mass. Valentin, debuting at the age of 18, took his time to feel out his opponent in the opening seconds, then unloaded with a flurry along the ropes that sent De Freitas down and out.

 

Also on the undercard, Salem, Mass., junior welterweight Matt Doherty (7-3-1) narrowly defeated Providence’s Cido Hoff (1-2-1) by majority decision, 39-37, 39-37, 38-38. Judges Steve Weisfeld and Martha Tremblay scored it in favor of Doherty while Ken Ezzo had it even at 38 apiece. Doherty has now won three in a row, including a big knockout win over Julio Perez in February.

 

Fighting for the second time since making his debut in April, Providence featherweight Ricky Delossantos ran his record to 2-0 with an impressive 39-36, 38-37, 38-37 unanimous decision win over tough New Jersey native Malcolm Simms (0-1-1). Fresh off a win over Phil Davis two months ago, Delossantos sent Simms crashing to the canvas with an overhand right in the second round and controlled the final two rounds to earn his second win in as many fights.

 

– CES –

Contacts:

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

Michael Weber, (727) 424-9938 or michael.weber@flipps.com.

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

 

CES MEDIA ALERT: WEIGHS FROM TWIN RIVER!

Posted: June 9, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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CES MEDIA ALERT

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 8th, 2017) – Listed below are weights of all the participants for tomorrow’s professional boxing card at Twin River Casino, promoted by CES Boxing in association with Murphys Boxing.

Reigning New England Junior Middleweight Champion Greg Vendetti (14-2-1, 10 KOs) of Stoneham, Mass., defends his title against challenger Khiary Gray (14-2, 11 KOs) of Worcester, Mass., in the eight-round main event while unbeaten Whitman, Mass., junior middleweight Mark DeLuca (18-0, 12 KOs) battles Chicago’s Chris Chatman (14-6-1, 5 KOs) in the eight-round co-main event.

Scheduled bouts between Ray Oliveira Jr. and Jose Rivera and Miguel Ortiz and Cristobal Marrero have been postponed due to injury. The entire care is available on Pay Per View via www.fite.tv for $14.99 beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are priced at $47.00, $102.00, $127.00 (VIP) and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.murphysboxing.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.

GREG VENDETTI

Stoneham, Mass.

14-2-1, 10 KOs

152

KHIARY GRAY

Worcester, Mass.,

14-2, 11 KOs

154

MARK DELUCA

Whitman, Mass.

18-0, 12 KOs

154

CHRIS CHATMAN

Chicago, Ill.

14-6-1, 5 KOs

156

ANTHONY MARSELLA JR.

Providence, R.I.

4-0, 2 KOs

135

ABRAHAM TORRES

Dallas, Tex.

3-1, 1 KO

136

JUISEPPE CUSUMANO

Richmond, Va.

10-1, 8 KOs

235

DAN BIDDLE

Wilmington, Del.

9-6, 5 KOs

224

KENDRICK BALL JR.

Worcester, Mass.

6-0-2, 5 KOs

163

GODSON NOEL

Newark, N.J.

6-0-1, 4 KOs

162

MICHAEL VALENTIN

Providence, R.I.

Pro debut

137

KEVIN DE FREITAS

Somerville, Mass.

Pro debut

137

PLACIDO HOFF

Providence, R.I.

1-1-1

138

MATT DOHERTY

Salem, Mass.

6-3-1, 4 KOs

138

RICKY DELOSSANTOS

Providence, R.I.

1-0

126

MALCOLM SIMMS

Newark, N.J.

0-0-1

124

– CES –

Contacts:

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

Michael Weber, (727) 424-9938 or michael.weber@flipps.com.

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

A message from Jimmy Burchfield Sr.

Posted: June 8, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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Greetings! Classic Entertainment & Sports CEO Jimmy Burchfield Sr.

There’s nothing like a night at the fights, from the action in the ring, the fanfare throughout the arena, even the people-watching between bouts. Even as we enjoy a tremendous NBA Finals series this week, featuring two exceptional teams loaded with star talent, the allure and enticement of a great prizefighter stands alone as the most intriguing draw in the sporting world.Jimmy Burchfield Sr

Boxing’s greatest fighters have always made an impact both in and out of the ring, whether it was the polarizing Muhammad Ali and what he stood for during a time of conflicting religious and political beliefs, or Floyd Mayweather, who has forever changed the way many view the sport as the wealthiest, most talked-about fighter of this generation.

On any given night, that next great superstar could be stepping through the ropes. In our endless quest to bring you the most entertaining, evenly-matched fights at CES Boxing, we also aim to showcase the sport’s future.

Tomorrow night at Twin River Casino, we return our next installment of the 2017 Twin River Fight Series, a continuance of our year-long 25th anniversary celebration. We have a stacked lineup on tap for Friday’s event. Worcester’s own Khiary Gray, undoubtedly one of the region’s most popular up-and-coming fighters of this new generation, aims to recapture championship glory when he faces Stoneham’s reigning New England Junior Middleweight Champion Greg Vendetti, part of our collaboration with Boston-based promoter Murphys Boxing.

Also fighting in front of our loyal Twin River fans for the first time as a pro is New England’s best-kept secret, Mark DeLuca, an affable, hard-hitting junior middleweight from Whitman who sports an 18-0 record as he prepares to face arguably the toughest challenge of his career against the venerable Chris Chatman, who makes his ninth appearance here in Rhode Island as an unlikely fan-favorite.

While those two fights alone could carry most cards, Friday’s event features depth unlike any fight card in New England in recent years. Many fighters will be making their first appearance in New England’s mecca for pro boxing, including one of our most exciting proteges, 6-foot-7 Sicilian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano, who’s poised to take the division by storm, beginning Friday in his Rhode Island debut.

American fight fans have always had a love-hate relationship with heavyweight boxing. The lack of a genuine, homegrown talent or charismatic ambassador for the sport during the Vladimir Klitschko-Vitaly Klitschko reign of dominance forced many to turn a blind eye to boxing’s most prestigious division.

With Anthony Joshua’s scintillating knockout win over the elder Klitschko earlier this year, the heavyweight division is once again up for grabs. It’s a great time to be a heavyweight prospect right now and Cusumano has all the tools; with a 10-1 record, eight wins coming by way of knockout, he has the punching power and footwork to give fight fans their money’s worth, plus a million-dollar smile and positive attitude that will remind many old-school New England fight fans of the great Rocky Marciano, the last great Italian heavyweight to embrace the sport in a way like no other.

Marciano fought in Rhode Island 28 days in his pro career, which ended at a perfect 49-0. Tomorrow will be the first of many for Cusumano, who promised to be the next fan-favorite to step through those ropes. (more…)

Bessette stops Trujillo to retain CES MMA world title

Posted: May 14, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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CES MEDIA ALERT

Bessette bloodies Trujillo to retain world title; Rebello, Walo score impressive wins on main card

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 12th, 2017) – Reigning CES MMA World Featherweight Champion Matt Bessette retained his title for the second time Friday night in the main event of “CES MMA 44” at Twin River Casino in a thrilling back-and-forth war on AXS TV Fights.

Facing tough Texan Rey Trujillo (22-19), who replaced original challenger Jeremy Spoon on just two weeks’ notice, Bessette (22-7, 7 KOs) brought the crown back to his hometown of Stafford, Conn., after ringside physician Peter DeBlasio stopped the bout at the end of the second round due to a nasty cut over Trujillo’s right eye.

Bessette nearly finished Trujillo early in the second courtesy of a short right hook that sent the challenger crumbling to the canvas, but Trujillo made it back to his feet and continue to press the action until Bessette landed a clean kick upstairs that opened the cut. Trujillo survived a barrage of uppercuts at the bell, but the cut continued to bleed, prompting DeBlasio and referee Kevin MacDonald to waive it off.

Bessette has now won seven in a row, including two title defenses since capturing the vacant world title last August.

Providence heavyweight Greg Rebello (22-7) earned his first submission win since 2012, forcing Colorado vet Kevin Ray Sears (6-4) to tap via d’arce choke with only 13 seconds to go in the third and final round of Friday’s co-feature.

Rebello, who’s now won two in a row, dominated from start to finish, peppering Sears upstairs and to the body, nearly finishing him in the second round with a series of hammerfists. Sears survived the third and weathered another onslaught midway through the third before Rebello sunk in the submission in the closing seconds.

Making his long-awaited Rhode Island homecoming, Providence flyweight Sean Soriano (10-5, 5 KOs) secured a much-needed win over New York vet Jacob Bohn (5-3), forcing his opponent to verbally submit at the 3:21 mark of the second round due to unanswered leg kicks.

Released from the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) following three defeats, Soriano fought in Rhode Island on Friday for the first time in five years and looked sharp as ever, weakening Bohn with repeated leg kicks to set up a series of combinations upstairs. Soriano dominated the opening round and continued the onslaught in the second, eventually forcing Bohn to call it quits. The win was Soriano’s first since November of 2015, snapping a two-fight losing streak.

The red-hot Manny Walo (12-2) of Jersey City, N.J., won his fifth consecutive bout in a wild, back-and-forth slugfest with former UFC vet Jon Manley (9-4) of East Hampton, Mass., earning a 30-27 unanimous decision victory on all three scorecards. Manley tried to circle the perimeter and fight on the outside, but Walo – making his second appearance with CES MMA – cut him off effectively and consistently landed the cleaner blows during close exchanges. Walo has not lost since getting stopped by Chuck O’Neil at “CES MMA 27” in 2015.

Making his Rhode Island debut, West Haven, Conn., middleweight Justin Sumter (4-1) picked up the pace over the final two rounds and cruised to a unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Brian Sparrow (2-1) of Sandwich, Mass., 30-27 on all three scorecards.

Sparrow was active in the opening round, repeatedly attempting takedowns, but Sumter defended them all and began landing at will with effective strikes in the second and third, peppering Sparrow as his opponent continued to attempt unsuccessful takedowns.

Fighting for the second time in 2017, undefeated New Britain, Conn., bantamweight Carlos Candelario (6-0, 2 KOs) kept his perfect record intact, stopping last-minute fill-in Timothy Wheeler (2-3) of Harlem with a barrage of unanswered strikes at the 1:12 mark of the opening round. Candelario has won four times in the last 11 months and is now 5-0 under the guidance of CES MMA.

After scoring quick knockout wins in his previous two bouts, Quincy, Mass., light heavyweight Mike Rodriguez (7-2, 5 KOs) found himself in a battle with New Jersey vet Alex Hooben (5-3) before securing the win in the closing seconds of the opening round. Hooben tried to exert his well, pressing Rodriguez against the cage in an attempt to wear him down in the opening minutes, but Rodriguez kept his composure and ultimately gained control on the ground, finishing Hooben with a barrage of unanswered elbows and punches at the 4:46 mark.

Rodriguez has now won his last three fights and needed only 46 seconds combined in his previous two bouts, including a 39-second knockout win over James Dysard at “CES MMA 43” in April.

Philadelphia welterweight Paul Sims (1-0) earned a victory in his pro debut in the finale of the preliminary card, defeating Pawtucket, R.I., vet Toby Oden (2-2) by unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27. Oden came out strong and nearly sunk in a guillotine choke in the opening round, but Sims survived and eventually wore out his opponent, using his size and strength to control the fight on the ground.

Female flyweights Kerri Kenneson (1-0) of Hooksett, N.H., and Maryland native Jennifer Norris (3-1) went toe-to-toe for three rounds with Kenneson earning the clear victory by unanimous decision, 30-27, across the board. Kenneson scored takedowns in each of the first two rounds and dominated the action on the ground, also opening a cut under Norris’ right eye with a clean elbow in the second. The third round featured more striking with Kenneson as the aggressor, landing the cleaner, more damaging blows.

Brazilian middleweight Reginaldo Felix (1-2), now fighting of Framingham, Mass., earned his first win as a pro in his U.S. debut, knockout out fellow Framingham vet Adam Quitt (1-5) with a huge overhand right 15 seconds into the opening round.

– 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.

 

Michael Parente

CES Boxing matchmaker / publicist
CES MMA publicist
C: 401.263.4990
F: 855-850-2866

Bessette makes second title defense at CES MMA 44

Posted: April 28, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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Friday, April 28th, 2017

motionmailapp.com

Photo courtesy of Will Paul

REIGNING CES MMA World Featherweight Champion Matt Bessette, right, returns to defend his title for the second time on Friday, May 12th, 2017 in the main event of “CES MMA 44” on AXS TV at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., when he faces challenger Jeremy Spoon of Oklahoma. Bessette recently dispatched of Kevin Croom (above) in his first title defense and now aims for his 22nd win as a pro in the five-round main event, one of six fights scheduled for the televised AXS TV main card. Spoon, a veteran of 23 pro fights, has earned submissions in 12 of his 20 victories.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 28th, 2017
CES MEDIA ALERT
Bessette returns to Twin River to defend title against Spoon in main event of CES MMA 44 on AXS TV

Photo courtesy of Will Paul

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND heavyweight contender Greg Rebello returns to the cage Friday, May 12th, 2017 aiming for his second consecutive win when he faces Colorado heavyweight Kevin Ray Sears on the televised main card of “CES MMA 44” at Twin River Casino.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 28th, 2017) — CES MMA has upped the ante for its upcoming AXS TV showcase, featuring the return of World Featherweight Champion Matt Bessette, plus an intriguing welterweight bout between two rising prospects vying for their own shot at the title.

Bessette (21-7, 6 KOs), the widely-popular, reigning title-holder in the 145-pound division from Stafford, Conn., headlines “CES MMA 44” live on AXS TV Fights on Friday, May 12th, 2017 at Twin River Casino in a five-round title defense against Oklahoma’s Jeremy Spoon (20-3, 1 KO), Bessette’s second defense since capturing the title in August.
While Bessette’s loyal social media army continues to lobby for his promotion to MMA’s biggest stage, the 32-year-old simply keeps winning fights – six in a row, to be exact – in dominant fashion, including his systematic breakdown of Kevin Croom in January at “CES MMA 41” in which Bessette battered and bruised his opponent en route to a third-round TKO win.
The six-time CES MMA and nine-time Bellator vet now faces the dangerous Spoon, himself a four-time Bellator vet with 12 of his 20 pro wins coming by submission. The 32-year-old Spoon competed in the Seasons 6 and 7 Bellator Featherweight Tournaments, where he fought two-time champion Daniel Straus and Season 8 finalist Mike Richman, and recently defeated two-time Bellator vet Josh Tyler by unanimous decision.
The Bessette-Spoon main event title bout is one of six televised fights on the AXS TV main card, which begins 9 p.m. ET, with the preliminary fight card beginning at 7.
Tickets for “CES MMA 44” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com or www.cagetix.com/ces by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Also on the main card, Woonsocket, R.I., native and three-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) vet Sean Soriano (9-5, 4 KOs) makes his long-awaited homecoming in a featherweight bout against New Yorker Jacob Bohn (5-2, 1 KO), Soriano’s first fight in Rhode Island since his CES MMA debut in 2012 when he knocked out Lee Metcalf at “CES MMA 9.”
As an added bonus, fellow Woonsocket native and Blackzillians teammate, UFC bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath, will also return to his home state to work Soriano’s corner against Bohn. The two have combined for 15 CES MMA appearances, including Soriano’s last bout inside the CES cage at “CES MMA 38” on AXS TV against UFC vet Levan Makashvili.
“CES MMA 44” also features the return of Providence heavyweight Greg Rebello (21-7, 13 KOs), looking to continue his climb back to the top of the division in a scheduled three-round bout against Colorado’s Kevin Ray Sears (6-3, 3 KOs).
Welterweights Jon Manley (9-3) of Adams, Mass., and Manny Walo (11-2, 2 KOs) of Jersey City, N.J., clash in a CES MMA title eliminator with the winner facing reigning world champion Chris Curtis.
Manley, a standout on Season 16 of The Ultimate Fighter, makes his third CES MMA appearance and first since 2015 while Walo returns hoping to earn a second shot at the CES MMA World Welterweight Title following a stunning, 11-second knockout loss to then champion Chuck O’Neil in his first opportunity at “CES MMA 27.” Manley has won his last four, including two appearances with World Series of Fighting (WSOF), and eight of nine overall.
The reigning champion Curtis, now 15-5 overall, recently defended his title at “CES MMA 42,” stopping challenger Wilfredo Santiago via second-round knockout on AXS TV.
Light heavyweight Mike Rodriguez (6-2, 4 KOs) of Quincy, Mass., who has made quick work of his last two opponents in a combined 46 seconds, jumps right back in on the main card “CES MMA 44” against New Jersey’s Alec Hooben (5-2, 1 KO) and undefeated flyweight Carlos Candelario (5-0, 1 KO) of New Britain, Conn., faces Grand Rapid, Mich., native Shawn Mack (6-2, 1 KO).
Rodriguez set a new CES MMA record with his 7-second knockout win over Hector Sanchez in January and pummeled James Dysard in just 39 seconds at “CES MMA 43,” earning him his third appearance on AXS TV Fights on May 12th. Candelario, a rising star in the flyweight division, makes his fifth appearance with CES MMA after submitting Miguel Restrepo in January.
The preliminary card features the return of three-time CES MMA vet Toby Oden (2-1, 1 KO) of Milford, Mass., making his first appearance since 2015 plus two exciting female bouts. Oden faces Paul Sims of Philadelphia, who makes his professional debut. Oden last fought at “CES MMA 29,” scoring a first-round knockout win over Wayne Alhquist.
Also on the preliminary card, undefeated female flyweight Maria Rivera (2-0, 1 KO) of Framingham, Mass., returns for the third time since January in a three-round bout against New Haven, Conn., pre debut Marisa Messer-Belenchia while renowned bantamweight prospect Kerri Kenneson of Hooksett, N.H., debut against unbeaten Jennifer Norris (3-0, 1 KO) of Baltimore.
Milford, Conn., middleweight Justin Sumter (3-1, 2 KOs), who earned an impressive first-round knockout win in his CES MMA debut at “CES MMA 43” in Massachusetts, returns to face unbeaten Sandwich, Mass., native Brian Sparrow (2-0), who makes his second appearance with CES MMA in his first fight since 2013.
Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, or follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA.
— 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.

AXS TV is a television network dedicated to providing the best in music programming and festivals, comedy performances, current events and mixed martial arts promotions. AXS TV is a partnership between founder Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CBS. “AXS TV Fights” presents more live mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network with more than 40 world-class fight cards each year. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich call all the action as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage every Friday night.

Twin River Casino, located in Lincoln, Rhode Island, is the state’s largest gaming and entertainment venue as well as its top tourist and cultural attraction. Formerly known as Lincoln Park, the renovated facility offers 162,000 square-feet of gaming space with more than 5,000 gaming positions. The casino operates more than 4,200 video slot machines and virtual table games (including blackjack and roulette), as well as 108 live table games including blackjack, roulette, craps, a poker room and more. A great alternative to Connecticut and Massachusetts casinos, this unique gaming facility also hosts simulcasting of the best thoroughbred and greyhound racing from around the country, a 29,000+ square foot Twin River Event Center with headline entertainment, free concerts at the Lighthouse Bar, signature cocktails and premium cigars at Blackstone Cigar Bar, award winning beer and live music at the Shipyard Pub, as well as live comedy & karaoke every weekend at Rhodehouse Live. Home to the incredible Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse, you can have an award-winning steak and seafood dinner, or enjoy the exciting sports bar scene at Wicked Good Bar & Grill, as well as 18 other dining outlets. Twin River offers both smoking (1st Floor) and smoke-free (2nd Floor) casinos. Twin River Casino is situated just 10 minutes from Providence and less than an hour from Boston. 

CES MEDIA ALERT Gonzalez earns submission win against Dias; DiSciullo impressive in unanimous victory over Lozano

Posted: April 17, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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BEVERLY, Mass. (April 15th, 2017) – Pedro Gonzalez found himself in a familiar position Saturday at the North Shore Music Theatre, hands raised in victory, again ready to make his climb toward the top of the featherweight division.

Now it’s up to the Gloucester, Mass. native to assert himself among the elite in the northeast.

Fighting for the first time since he won at “CES MMA 35” 12 months ago in Beverly, Gonzalez (12-5, 11 submissions) defeated Brazilian Bruno Dias (19-10) by guillotine submission at the 2-minute, 41-second mark of the second round in the main event of “CES MMA 43.”

After last year’s victory over Andres Jeudi, Gonzalez was supposed to face Matt Bessette for the then vacant CES MMA World Featherweight Title, but injuries derailed his shot at the crown. Bessette went on to win the belt, which he will defend next month at “CES MMA 44.”

Is Gonzalez next in line? After Saturday’s performance, he’s certainly back in the conversion. Dias dominated the opening round, keeping Gonzalez under wraps while trying to lock in a rear-naked choke. Gonzalez survived and finished with a flurry at the end, taking the momentum with him into the second round. Dias had control early in the second, but Gonzalez reversed position and locked in the guillotine, forcing Dias to tap.

The co-feature saw Peabody, Mass., bantamweight Rico DiSciullo (7-1) bounce back from his first career loss with a masterful performance against Matt Lozano (8-5) of Lancaster, Pa., earning the unanimous decision by a 30-27 score on all three cards. DiSciullo’s slick boxing and fancy footwork dictated the pace as the hard-charging bantamweight opened two cuts on Lozano in the opening round and controlled the bout from start to finish.

Coming off a 7-second win in his last fight, a CES MMA record, Quincy, Mass., light heavyweight Mike Rodriguez (7-2, 5 KOs) made quick of the overmatched James Dysard (0-2), tossing his opponent to the canvas in the opening seconds and scoring the knockout at the 39-second mark.

Making his first appearance with CES MMA since 2014, Fayetteville, N.C., vet Andrew Osborne (7-10-1), who now lives and trains in North Providence, R.I., upset previously unbeaten lightweight Connor Barry (3-1) by unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards. Osborne tossed Barry to the canvas early and often in the opening round and fought back in the third to control the fight on the ground and earn the victory.

Middleweight Justin Sumter (3-1, 3 KOs) scored his third career knockout win in his CES MMA debut in the opening bout of the main card, forcing Providence native Abe Pitrowski (6-3) to tap to strikes at 1:56 of the opening round, pummeling the overmatched Pitrowski, who returned the cage for the first time since 2014. (more…)

CES MEDIA ALERT Williams captures WBC title over DeLomba; Kramlich stays unbeaten with comeback win over Oliveira

Posted: April 10, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 7th, 2017) – In an era where highly publicized fights don’t always live up to the hype, Friday’s World Boxing Council USNBC Welterweight Championship between Jimmy Williams and Nick DeLomba delivered as promised.

 

Williams (13-0-1) kept his perfect record intact in a thrilling, back-and-forth romp with DeLomba (11-2), defeating the Cranston, R.I., by unanimous decision, 98-91, 97-92, 97-92 at Twin River Casino to take home the coveted green belt, handing DeLomba only the second loss of his career.

 

The New Haven, Conn., native Williams, fighting at Twin River for just the second time in his career, came out firing, sending DeLomba crashing to the canvas in the closing seconds of the opening round with a vicious overhand right.

 

Williams, the aggressor from the opening bell, continued to press the pace in the second and third, preventing DeLomba from using his patented angles and circling the ring as he’s accustomed to doing. As the pace slowed a bit in the middle rounds, DeLomba found his second wind, but Williams fought back with a strong sixth and again had DeLomba on the ropes late in the fight before a spirited back-and-forth in the 10th brought the crowd to his feet.

 

The co-feature delivered an equal crowd-pleaser as Portland, Maine junior middleweight Casey Kramlich (7-0-1) also remained unbeaten, handing New Bedford, Mass., vet Ray Oliveira Jr. (7-1) his first career loss via majority decision, 56-56, 57-56, 57-56.

 

The durable Kramlich survived a second round knockdown courtesy of a left hook by Oliveira and won the final three rounds on two of three scorecards and scored a 10-8 round in the sixth on the other card after a dominating final three minutes that earned him the win.

 

In a stunning finish, Springfield, Mass., lightweight Zach Ramsey (8-0, 2 KOs) captured the vacant New England Lightweight Championship with a fourth-round knockout win over the previously unbeaten Divante Jones (9-1) of Augusta, Ga., just the second knockout of Ramsey’s career.

 

The two circled one another for three rounds until Ramsey unleashed in the fourth, cracked Jones with a pair of right hands that sent both fighters tumbling to the canvas, with Ramsey correctly rewarded for the knockdown. Once Jones made it to his feet, the new-look Ramsey continued to apply the pressure, catching Jones defenseless with two overhand rights followed by a left uppercut that forced Joey Lupino to stop the fight at the 58-second mark.

 

Taunton, Mass., welterweight Marqus Bates (2-1, 2 KOs) again looked impressive in his third fight at Twin River, stopping Arturo Lopes (1-1) of nearby Marshfield at 2:03 of the opening round for his second consecutive first round knock win since February.

 

Lopes, who hadn’t fought since making his pro debut in Plymouth in 2009, looked rusty at the beginning and hit the canvas early courtesy of an overhand right. Lopes shook it off and fought back, even driving Bates into the ropes on two occasions, but the Taunton vet weathered the onslaught and eventually connected with a pair of left hooks flush to the jaw, forcing referee Danny Schiavone to step in and stop the bout. (more…)

CES MEDIA ALERT: WEIGHTS FROM TWIN RIVER

Posted: April 7, 2017 in Professional Boxing
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (April 6th, 2017) – Listed below are weights for the participants on tomorrow’s CES Boxing professional fight card scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Twin River Casino.

Doors open at 6 and the first bout begins at 7. Cranston, R.I., vet Nick DeLomba (11-1, 2 KOs) faces Jimmy Williams (12-0-1, 5 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., in the 10-round main event for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) USNBC Welterweight Title.

The event airs live in its entirety on FITE TV Pay Per View for $14.99 beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. Fight fans can stream the event live on their television by downloading the FITE app free from iTunes or Google Play and using the instant stream-to-TV function for full-screen viewing, or watch online from any device at www.fite.tv. The FITE app also works with any Wi-Fi connected TV, iOS and Android devices, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Chromecast and more. Replays will be available for those unable to watch live.

Tickets are priced at $47.00, $102.00, $127.00 (VIP) and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.

NICK DELOMBA

Cranston, R.I.

11-1, 2 KOs

142

JIMMY WILLIAMS

New Haven, Conn.

12-0-1, 5 KOs

143 ½

RAY OLIVEIRA JR.

New Bedford, Mass.

7-0, 1 KO

154

CASEY KRAMLICH

Portland, Maine

6-0-1, 3 KOs

151 ½

ZACK RAMSEY

Springfield, Mass.

7-1, 3 KOs

136

JAMAINE ORTIZ

Worcester, Mass.

3-0, 2 KOs

135

GLENN MITCHELL

Steubenville, Ohio

2-0, 2 KOs

132

ALEKSANDRA MAGDZIAK LOPES

Marshfield, Mass.

16-4-2, 1 KO

146 ½

PATY RAMIREZ

Aguascalientes, Mexico

11-3, 5 KOs

144 ½

KENDRICK BALL JR.

Worcester, Mass.

5-0-2, 4 KOs

166

ZACHARY CHRISTY

Providence, R.I.

1-0-1

166

KHIRY TODD

Lynn, Mass.

2-0, 2 KOs

146

ADRIANO MORAES

Coconut Creek, Fla.

Pro debut

142

ARTURO LOPES

Marshfield, Mass.

1-0, 1 KO

142

MARQUS BATES

Taunton, Mass.

1-1, 1 KO

142

CRISTOBAL MARRERO

New London, Conn.

3-0, 2 KOs

140

SIDNEY MACCOW

New York, N.Y.

4-4, 3 KOs

141

JONATHAN FIGUEROA

Hartford, Conn.

2-0, 1 KO

141

MIGUEL ORTIZ

Springfield, Mass.

1-0, 1 KO

141

RICKY DELOSSANTOS

Providence, R.I.

Pro debut

126

PHILIP DAVIS

Worcester, Mass.

Pro debut

128

– CES –

Contacts:

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

Michael Weber, (727) 424-9938 or michael.weber@flipps.com.

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

 

Michael Parente
Director of Boxing Operations

Classic Entertainment & Sports
C: 401.263.4990
F: 855-850-2866
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