Worcester, מאַסע. (יאַנואַר 20, 2017) – Boxing returned to Worcester last night (דאָנערשטיק) for the first time in more than five years to the delight of a capacity crowd of 2,100 passionate fans at the Palladium.

The inaugural event of the “ניו ענגלאַנד 'ס צוקונפֿט” סעריע, דערלאנגט דורך ריוועראַ פּראָמאָטיאָנס ובידור, featured 10 אַקציע-פּאַקט פייץ, highlighted by rising Worcester featherweight prospect Irvin Gonzalez (5-0, 5 קאָס).

“The support we received from the sold out crowd was exciting for our first show,” האט געזאגט פאַרשפּרייטער דזשאָסע אַנטאָניאָ ריוועראַ, the former 3-time, 2-אָפּטייל וועלט מייַסטער. “We working on our second show in March, אַוואַדע, right here in Worcester.”

The 20-year-old Gonzalez was absolutely relentless in the main event, fright rom the opening bell, throwing a barrage of unanswered punches from every conceivable angle, repeatedly hurting his Mexican foe, ישראל “Tigre” Ramos (9-15, 3 קאָס), including a late first-round knockdown. Gonzalez didn’t let up in the second, firing crisp punches, until Rojas hit the canvas early in the second frame and referee Steve Clark had seen enough, stopping the one-sided fight.

Gonzalez is continuing the rich Worcester boxing tradition. “I’m always relentless,” Gonzalez said with a smile. “It was great fighting in the main event at home. I heard the crowd and really appreciated their support. I hurt him early and I almost took him out in the first round with a body punch. I finished him off with a right in the second. None of my fights have gone the distance, but I prepared to go the full six tonight, if needed.”

Gonzalez takes off זונטיק o report to undefeated גויללערמאָ ריגאָנדעאַוקס’ training camp in Miami, where he’ll work with the reigning WBA super bantamweight world champion and 2-time Olympic gold medalist.

ונדעפעאַטעד שטראַל “באַזאָאָקאַ” Gracewski (5-0, 3 קאָס), fighting out of Springfield (מאַ), was on a search-and-destroy mission in the co-feature against Worcester super middleweight Ralph Johnson (2-10, 1 קאָ), who was dropped three times before referee Kevin Hope halted the fight.

Hartford ס פּראָ-דעבוטינג ריטשארד “פּאָפּייע די סאַילאָר מענטש” ריוועראַ was good to the finish, albeit only two rounds, in a fight contested at a 185-pound catchweight against Philadelphian Davonte Hopkins (0-3). ריוועראַ, ווער איז געווען אַ 2016 Rocky Marciano Tournament winner, punished Hopkins, finally dropping him in the second round, after which his corner threw in the towel.

In an evenly matched junior featherweight bout, כאָומטאַון באַליבט אַנדינאָ ראַנסע‘s pro debut resulted in a hard earned victory, by way of a four-round unanimous decision, over Lowell’s (מאַ) previously unbeaten יונתן פּערעז (2-1-1, 2 קאָס)

Unbeaten Haitian heavyweight Jean Pierre “Kid Creole” Augstin (7-0-1, 3 קאָס) pounded game Mexican foe Jose Humberto “Olympico” Corral (19-22, 12 קאָס) from the opening bell en route to a shutout six-round unanimous decision.

East Hartford prospect Anthony Laureano (2-0, 1 קאָ), אַ 2016 ניו ענגלאַנד גאָלדען גלאָוועס מייַסטער, finished off winless welterweight Rafael Francis (0-9) with a debilitating body shot early in the second round.

In his pro debut, popular Worcester heavyweight Felix Martinez, a local barber, spotted his opponent, 392-פונט Bobby Favors (0-4), קימאַט 60 pounds but Favors was unable to continue after the first round.

Southbridge, מאַ ווילפרעדאָ “די סוקאַראָ” פּייגאַן turned in a memorable pro debut, winning a four-round majority decision over Alexander Picot (1-2-1 (0 קאָס), contested at a 145-pound catchweight.

The second-oldest pro fighter in Massachusetts history, 49-יאָר-אַלט “איריש” Chuck Shearns (3-1, 2 קאָס), of nearby Auburn, MA., ended his boxing career in style with an opening-round technical knockout victory over Philadelphia junior middleweight Shavonte Dixon (0-2).

יוז. מאַרינע Brandon Montella, fighting out of Saugus, MA., ימפּרוווד זיין רעקאָרד צו 6-0 (5 קאָס), as his light heavyweight Mexican veteran ראָבערטאָ “די אַלטע” וואַלענזועלאַ (69-74-2, 56 קאָס) suffered an injury early in the second round.

SPONSORS: כעוויווייץ – Lundgren Honda, אַטטי. Michael H. Erlich, אַטטי. מאַריאַ ב. ריוועראַ-קאָטטאָ, USANA Health Services; Lightweights – TKO Auto Repair, אַטטי. Stephen W. Debs.

Facebook.com/ריוועראַפּראָמאָטיאָנסענטערטאַינמענט

טוויטטער: @RiveraPromoEnt @joseriverachamp, @KingRivera_

ABOUT RIVERA PROMOTIONS ENTERTAINMENT (רפּע): געגרינדעט אין 2016, Rivera Promotions Entertainment is owned and operated by one of Worcester’s all-time greatest boxers – 3-צייַט, 2-division world champion Jose Antonio “די גאַללאָ” ריוועראַ – along with his son, Anthonee “AJ” ריוועראַ, whose collective goal is to bring boxing back to Worcester on a consistent basis, providing boxers a platform and fans a full entertainment experience.

Worcester, מאַסע. (יאַנואַר 11, 2017) – Fast rising featherweight prospect Irvin Gonzalez (4-0, 4 קאָס) will continue Worcester’s rich boxing tradition דאָנערשטיקנאַכט, יאַנואַר 19, headlining the inaugural “ניו ענגלאַנד 'ס צוקונפֿט” series event against Mexican invader ישראל “Tigre” Rojas (9-14, 3 קאָס), at the Worcester Palladium.

Rivera Promotions Entertainment (רפּע), is promoting the first professional boxing show in the Central Massachusetts city in more than five years.

(photo by Cristian Nunez)

Worcester’s boxing tradition started close to a century ago with Canadian import Lou Brouillard, a two-division world champion and Hall of Famer, 1928 Olympic bronze medalist Leo Sawicki, and more recently, צווישן אנדערע, pro and amateur standouts such as multiple national amateur champion Bobby Harris, שאָן “The Irish Express” Sean Fitzgerald און עדווין ראַדריגעז.

Arguably the greatest Worcester fighter in the past 50 years is three-time, צוויי-אָפּטייל וועלט מייַסטער Jose Antonio “די גאַללאָ” ריוועראַ, who is promoting “ניו ענגלאַנד 'ס צוקונפֿט” with his son, Anthonee. “I have seen Irvin train and fight since he was in the Junior Olympics,” Rivera said. “I am very proud of him because he was able to discover on his own that he was getting in his own way. He was always a talented fighter but, at times in the ring, he was inconsistent and it cost him a few fights. As he got older, he boxed more talented boxers and looked good against them. He started believing in himself more and it showed in his training. His abilities and confidence grew and that got him all the way to the Olympic Trials. I feel he has the skills to become world champion in the future. The sky is the limit for this young man and I am proud to have him fighting on our show.”

גאָנזאַלעז, אַ 2015 ניו ענגלאַנד גאָלדען גלאָוועס מייַסטער, will be headlining his first show in his first scheduled six-round bout. “Fighting in my hometown in the main event means a lot to me because,” Gonzalez admitted. “I’ve grown up in this city, fighting my whole life, and of people who’ve supported me will be watching me fight for the first time as a pro. איך בין יקסייטאַד. I’m comfortable fighting here in Worcester and I want to showcase the boxing talent we have in Worcester.”

Gonzalez qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials but he was eliminated, not due to a loss in the ring, for missing weight. He decided not to wait four years for another Olympic shot, turning pro this past March with a first-round stoppage of Gilvan Santos at Foxwoods Resort Casino. In four pro fights to date, Gonzalez has four knockouts and only one was extended into the second round.

“I was always told that I had a pro boxing style,” the well-spoken, handsome Gonzalez continued, “but we didn’t immediately decide to turn pro until the time was right. I had some stoppages as an amateur but, as a pro, I’ve been going more to the body. I do have heavy hands. I don’t go into a fight looking for a knockout. I just let ’em come but I’ve prepared to go six rounds if needed for this fight. I’ve been sparring eight rounds with different guys coming in fresh.”

In addition to being a prize fighter, the 20-year-old Gonzalez works at a bank and he also owns and operates New England Boxing gym with his father, former boxer Irvin Gonzalez, where the youngster serves as a personal trainer.

In the six-round co-feature Springfield (מאַ) ליכט כעוויווייט Reinaldo “באַזאָאָקאַ” גראַסעסקי (4-0, 2 קאָס) faces Worcester’s Ralph Johnson (2-9, 1 קאָ).

Fighting on the undercard in four-round bouts are Worcester junior lightweight אַנדינאָ ראַנסע in his pro debut vs. Lowell’s (מאַ) יונתן פּערעז (2-0-1, 2 קאָס), pro-debuting Worcester heavyweight Felix Martinez ווס. Bobby Favor (0-3), Hartford’s (קאָרט) pro-debuting light heavyweight ריטשארד “פּאָפּייע די סאַילאָר מענטש” ריוועראַ ווס. Brockton’s (מאַ) Davonte Hopkins (0-2), pro-debuting Southbridge (מאַ) באָקסער Wilfredo Pagan ווס. Alexander Picot (1-1-1, 0 קאָס) at a 145-pound catchweight, pro-debuting Springfield (מאַ) junior featherweight לויס “Pancho” סאַנטיאַגאָ ווס, Jonathan Ramos (0-2), 2016 N.E. גאָלדען גלאָוועס מייַסטער Anthony Laureano (1-0), of East Haven (קאָרט), ווס. Boston junior welterweight Rafael Francis (0-8), Auburn (מאַ) יינגער מידדלעוועיגהט “איריש” Chuck Shearns (2-1, 1 קאָ), the 49-year-old hanging up his gloves after his fight with Shavonte Dixon (0-1), פון פילאדעלפיע, Saugus (מאַ) ליכט כעוויווייט Brandon Montella (5-0, 4 קאָס) ווס. Roberto El Viejo” וואַלענזועלאַ (69-73-2, 56 קאָס) and unbeaten Lawrence (מאַ) כעוויווייט Jean Pierre Augstin (7-0-1, 3 קאָס) ווס. Jose Hymberto “Olympico” Corral (19-22, 12 קאָס).

כל פייץ און פייטערז זענען אונטערטעניק צו טוישן.

טיקקעץ, פּרייסט בייַ $65.00 (רינגסידע), $45.00 (preferred seating) און $35.00 (גענעראַל אַרייַנטרעטן), זענען אויף פאַרקויף און בנימצא צו קויפן ביי www.ThePalladium.net אָדער די פּאַללאַדיום קעסטל אָפיס (אַלגעמיין אַרייַנטרעטן בלויז), אָדער דורך קאַנטאַקטינג דזשאָסע ריוועראַ (elgallojar@gmail.com/508.864.6954), אַדזש ריוועראַ (anthoneerivera@gmail.com/774.272.2269) of any of the fighters. A portion of the proceeds will go to Why Me & Sherry’s House.

Major event sponsors include Lundgren Honda, אַטטי. Michael H. Erlich, אַטטי. מאַריאַ ב. Rivera-Cotto and USANA Health Services. Other sponsors are TKO Auto Repair and Atty. Stephen W. Debs.

Facebook.com/ריוועראַפּראָמאָטיאָנסענטערטאַינמענט

טוויטטער: @RiveraPromoEnt @joseriverachamp