Lewiston, Maine (June 1, 2017) - New England ayalwa (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on June 17 with a fight card featuring both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Ngasekuqaleni namuhla, ukukhuthazwa wamemezela ikhadi egcwele wokulwela umcimbi. The fight card is subject to approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine (CSAM). The boxing portion of the card will begin at 7 pm EDT with the MMA card to immediately follow.
In a highly-anticipated “Superfight,” Maine MMA star Bruce “Umfana Omuhle” Boyington (14-9 MMA, 1-0 boxing) will take on Maine’s premier boxer Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour, Jr. (15-2, 7 Kos) in a six-round boxing bout. The fight will be a dream match for fans who never expected to see each sports’ top in-state athletes face one another. Boyington and Lamour have both been featured in nationally-televised bouts on NBC and ESPN in recent years. Lamour is the former New England Middleweight Champion, while Boyington held the NEF MMA Lightweight Title until relinquishing it last year to sign with the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) global promotion.
“Bruce and Russell are at the top of their respective games,” noted NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “Russell is a great boxer, and he’s going to face a superb striker in the form of Taekwondo black belt Bruce Boyington. This is a true dream match for Maine fight fans.”
The professional MMA portion of the fight card will feature the long-awaited return of former NEF MMA Featherweight Champion Ray “All Business” Wood (8-3) as he faces Brazilian prospect Alexandre “Butt” Bezerra (19-5). Wood left Maine more than two years ago to re-settle in South Carolina and then Texas. Both Wood and Bezerra are veterans of the Bellator cage with a dozen fights between them for the national promotion.
“When you consider both sides, this is probably the highest-level fight to ever take place in NEF,” wathi NEF co-umnikazi futhi umgqugquzeli Nick DiSalvo. “This fight could easily be slid into any UFC card on FS1 or Fox and steal the show. Either one of these athletes could get the call up after this fight. Our fans are about to see something special.”
The amateur MMA card will be headlined by a title fight with Rafael “Deez Nuts” Velado (4-0) defending the amateur lightweight championship against Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Famer Pat Kelly(3-0). At age 52, Kelly will be the oldest fighter to ever challenge for an NEF title.
In addition to the fights, legendary boxer James “Buster” Douglas (38-6-1, 25 Kos) will make an appearance at “NEF 29” as the guest of honor. Douglas will hold an hour-long meet-and-greet with fans at the Colisee from 6 pm to 7 pm prior to the opening bell. Longtime fans will remember Douglas as the architect of the greatest upset in professional sports history with his knockout of “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 Kos) in 1990 to claim the world heavyweight title. Douglas halted the 37-fight undefeated streak that opened Tyson’s pro career.
The full “NEF 29” fight ikhadi (subject to change and approval of CSAM):
PROFESSIONAL Boxing
200 Crowsneck Boutin (Independent) vs. Cristiano Pedro (Cugno)
168 Jason Quirk (PBC) vs. Borngod Washington (Meekins)
160 Russell Lamour (PBC) vs. Bruce Boyington (TKD Boyington sika)
154 Casey Kramlich (PBC) vs. Bryan Goldsby (Jorge Gurgle)
PROFESSIONAL MMA
265 Ras Hylton (First Class/Dragon Fire) vs. Eric Ramsey (Trinity)
145 Alexandre Bezerra (Daddis) vs. Ray Wood (Nick’s)
145 Dominic Jones (Class First) vs. Matt Denning (CMBJJ)
145 Andre Belcarris (NE Assassins) vs. Josh Parker (Abanonya)
Amateur MMA
155*TITLE Rafael Velado (Class First) (c) vs. Pat Kelly (Young’s)
185 Mike Williams (CMBJJ) vs. John Tefft (Class First)
185 Anthony Spires (Independent) vs. Josh Jones (Class First)
150 Jacob Deppmeyer (Class First) vs. Ben Harrington(CMBJJ)
145 Derek Daley (Class First) vs. Frank Johanson (CMBJJ)
140 Glenn Kasabian (Nostos) vs. Kam Arnold (CMBJJ)
115 Alex Walker (Kaze) vs. Sarah Ziehm (CMBJJ)
New England Fights returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with its next event, “NEF 29: STARS & STRIPES,” ngomgqibelo, June 17, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at the Colisee box office 207-783-2009 x 525 futhi online at www.TheColisee.com. The event will be broadcast live on the FloCombat app on Roku and Apple TV and streamed live at www.FloCombat.com.
Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwengeziwe mcimbi fight updates ikhadi, sicela uvakashele iwebhusayithi ukukhuthazwa sika at www.NewEnglandFights.com. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ungakwazi watch NEF imiqophi at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England ayalwa."
About New England ayalwa
New England ayalwa ("NEF") Yimpi izenzakalo ukukhushulwa inkampani. Mission NEF ukwakha esezingeni izenzakalo for fighters Maine kanye fans ngokufanayo. Executive team NEF has olutheni management combat ezemidlalo, izenzakalo production, ubudlelwane media, marketing, kwezomthetho kanye nokukhangisa.