Aleksandra Lopes (L) fighting for one more world title shot (Photo courtesy of Takfoto.com)

QUINCY, Mass. (July 31, 2017) – On Saturday night, August 5, three-time world title challenge Aleksandra Lopes (17-4-2, 1 KO) is taking on former world super lightweight champion Lisa Garland (15-7-1, 8 KOs) in the eight-round co-featured event on the “Fight Night at the Bay” card, largely to try and better position herself for one final world title shot.

“Fight Night at the Bay” card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions, will be held at Marina Bay Sportplex in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Former New England. welterweight champion Derek Silveira (12-1, 6 KOs), fighting out of Salem (MA), will meet former world title challenger Michael “Cold Blood” Clark (44-16-1, 18 KOs) in the eight-round main event.

Poland-native Lopes (17-4-2, 1 KO), fighting out of Marshfield (MA), is a 37-year-old lawyer who practices in Brockton (MA). She lost a pair of vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Welterweight title fights to a Pole in Poland, Swede in Sweden. Last September, Lopes lost a 10-round decision to Ewa Piatkowska (9-1) in Poland; she dropped a 10-round majority decision in Sweden to Mikaela Lauren (22-3) in 2014. In 2013, Lopes lost a 10-round unanimous decision in Rhode Island to Tori Nelson (6-0-3) for the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) World Welterweight Championship.

The highlight of Lopes’ 8 ½-year professional career, thus far, is her 10-round complete shutout (100-90 X 3) decision victory, July 30, 2016, to Szilvia Szagbados (13-6) in Plymouth (MA) for the vacant WBC Silver female welterweight crown. Lopes has also defeated world champions Yvonne Reis and Kali Reis.

Lopes vs. Garland has world title fight implications for the winner. “I’d like to position myself for one more world title shot,” Lopes said. “I’m still learning every fight and I haven’t reached my plateau yet. Garland has good experience, she’s been around as long as I’ve been fighting. I can’t afford to lose this fight, but I’ve always had that in the back of my mind. I need an experienced opponent like her to push me, to learn something new, and I always like to fight at home.

“It’s tough to fight here (U.S.) for a world title. You almost always need to travel overseas. We’re limited here because of the required purse (for the defending champion to come to the states) and sanctioning fees for promoters in America. Women’s boxing is more popular in Europe, Mexico and parts of South America. But I have had a very good run and great relationships with New England promoters, who’ve put me on their cards.

“I think women’s boxing maybe, just maybe, will start changing if the trend continues as fighters such as Clarissa Shields and Katie Taylor, women boxers who’ve made names in the Olympics, keep turning pro. Amanda Serrano has gotten some good exposure fighting on television, too. We’ve had to travel for world title fights but, hopefully, things are changing for the better.”

Other top N.E. boxers will also be in action Aug. 5, including Iraq War veteran Chris Traietti (23-4, 19 KOs), of Quincy, who squares off against Nick Lavin (4-5, 4 KOs), of Shelton (CT) for the vacant New England cruiserweight title in an eight-round bout. Traietti is also the co-promoter of “Fight Night at the Bay”.

Fighting on the undercard in six-round bouts are Dorchester (MA) welterweight Gabriel Duluc (11-2, 2 KOs) vs. Norwalk’s (CT) Shakha Moore (12-23-3, 2 KOs), Quincy’s undefeated U.S. Marine veteran Brandon Montella (7-0, 6 KOs) vs. Florida light heavyweight “Money” Mike Sawyer (7-8, 5 KOs), and Ireland-native and Quincy junior middleweight Paddy Irwin (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Philly’s Demetrius Thomas (0-4). Holbrook, MA welterweight Mike O’Han, Jr. (1-0) takes on Dorchester’s (MA) Daniel Amaro (0-2-1) in a four-round match.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $60.00 (ringside), $50.00 (general admission) and $40.00 (standing room), are on sale and available to purchase at www.ticketriver.com.

Doors open at 6:45 p.m., first bout 7:30 p.m. ET.

Tufankjian Auto Group and Tobin Scientific are major event sponsors; additional sponsors include The Chantey, Jack Campbell Electric,  Hancock Tavern, Brennan’s Smoke Shop, JN Phillips Auto Glass and Sheriff Michael Bellotti.

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