FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Milford, New Hampshire (June 28, 2021) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next event, “NEF 44: Back in Black,” on August 21, 2021, at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire. The show will feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and kickboxing fights. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of two amateur bouts to the fight card. Twin brothers Evan & Isaac Piette will make their respective amateur debuts in separate bouts.
The Piette twins are lifelong martial artists, having started their training in the northern portion of the Granite State at the Kaze Dojo when they were just six years old. They have trained at Kaze now for over a decade. The brothers are recent graduates of Littleton High School in Littleton, New Hampshire.
“In the fickle world of martial arts gyms, few people hang around for 11 years and even fewer do it with their identical twin,” noted Kaze Dojo owner and head coach Greg Williams. Evan and Isaac have been in my gym since first grade. From day one they have displayed a work ethic and a passion for martial arts. They are two of the most respectable individuals I know. After prolific high school sports careers, both are as excited to be a part of NEF in New Hampshire as I am to coach them.”
Evan Piette will step into the cage at “NEF 44” opposite Lucas Donald who will also be making his amateur debut that night. The fight will take place within the 155-pound lightweight division.
“I am excited for the opportunity to proudly represent northern New Hampshire,” said Evan Piette. “I have been doing martial arts since I was six and it has become a part of who I am. My twin brother Isaac and Greg have been my partner and sensei since I first walked in. I’m ready to show what years of hard work can do on August 21st. Go Kaze!”
Like his twin brother, Isaac Piette will debut in the amateur lightweight division on August 21 in Milford.
“Evan and I have been making memories together since birth,” said Isaac. “At the age of six, we made our first appearance at Kaze Dojo. After countless blood sweat and tears, Evan and I are grateful to represent not only our home dojo but also New Hampshire’s North Country on August 21st. The three of us are ready to make one final memory before we part ways in the fall.”
Looking to play the role of spoiler on August 21st is Isaac’s opponent, and fellow amateur debut, Kaleb Kenney. Nicknamed “The Outlaw,” Kenney represents Team Nitemare based in Maine.
“Fighting in a cage has been a dream of mine for a long time,” stated Kenney. “I’ve been training hard for this and can’t wait to showcase my skills. I’m super pumped that my debut will be on a NEF card close enough that people from home get a chance to come see all the hard work pay off.”
Tickets for “NEF 44: Back in Black” are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets/. The MMA and kickboxing event will take place at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire on Saturday, August 21, 2021, with a bell-time of 7 pm.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Milford, New Hampshire (June 25, 2021) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next event, “NEF 44: Back in Black,” on August 21, 2021, at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire. The show will feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and kickboxing fights. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur middleweight fight to the card. Carlton Charles (3-2) will meet Josh Banks (0-0) at a fight weight of 185 pounds.
Carlton Charles, now representing Recon Fitness based in Westbrook, Maine, was a standout athlete on the football field. He played for Windham High School in Windham, Maine and later coached the team to a state championship as an assistant in 2009. Charles went on to play for the Division 1 University of Maine Black Bears.
He made his MMA debut in the summer of 2017 at “NEF 30” with a blistering knockout of Josh Jones (2-4) just 23 seconds into the first round. Charles would follow up that performance with a 12 second knockout of Delmarkis Edwards in early 2018 at “NEF 32.”
After making an unsuccessful challenge for the NEF Amateur Welterweight Title against Duncan Smith (5-3) at “NEF 34,” Charles picked up a victory in his last fight on a card in the Granite State in the spring of 2019. The fight against Banks will mark Charles’ return to cage action after a 28-month absence.
“Man, I’m just excited to get back in there and with NEF making its first appearance in NH, there’s no better time,” said Charles. “It’s been awhile since anyone has been able to get the opportunity to compete, so I feel blessed with this chance. For me, it’s been over two years now due to an injury in 2019 and then the pandemic shutting other opportunities down. I don’t know much about my opponent, other than he comes from a great gym that will have him ready to compete. I’m thankful to my coaches and his team for this opportunity. As usual, I am coming to put on a show and I know my opponent will be game. I wish him a healthy camp so we can both be at full strength for ourselves, families, and of course the fans!”
Josh Banks will be making his debut at “NEF 44.” Banks represents the Regiment Training Center based in Fall River, Massachusetts where he trains alongside UFC veteran and former NEF Professional Cruiserweight Champion Yorgan De Castro (6-3).
Tickets for “NEF 44: Back in Black” are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets/. The MMA and kickboxing event will take place at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire on Saturday, August 21, 2021, with a bell-time of 7 pm.
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
QUINCY, Mass. (June 1, 2021) – The main event on the June 26th “Breakout” card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions, matches two New England heavyweights heading in opposite directions, Steve “The Gentle Giant” Vukosa (13-1, 5 KOs) and “Fly” Mike Marshall (5-1, 4 KOs).
The evening card of another Granite Chin day-night doubleheader (separate admissions) is headlined by the 10-round main event for the vacant NABA United States Heavyweight Championship between Vukosa (13-1, 5 KOs) who will possibly be fighting for the final time – win, lose or draw — and reigning New England heavyweight champion Marshall.
Vukosa, fighting of out Quincy, MA, is a former WBC U.S. Heavyweight Champion, which he captured in 2019 when he won an 8-round unanimous decision against Joe Cusumano (18-2, 16 KOs). During his 20-year pro boxing career, Vukosa’s gained invaluable experience sparring at the famed Wild Card Boxing gym in Los Angeles as a sparring partner for world champions James Toney, Evander Holyfield and Wladimir Klitschko. He’s also driven a bus for the past 15 years for the Mass Bay Transportation Authority, starting at 4 p.m. and finishing around 2 a.m., after which he does his run in. But he’s now 44 with a wife and three children and his boxing clock is ticking.
“I’m still fighting because I love it,” Vukosa explained. “It’s hard to walk away from something you’re good at. This one fight and it could be the end. My wife will be happy. My body is starting to fall apart: hands, back and knees. They’ve been killing me. I used to be quick and fast, now I’m slow. I just want to have a good fight, win, or lose, but I want to win. I really enjoyed by days at Wild Card, those sparring sessions were like real fights, and my amateur days with trainer Jimmy Farrell.
“I saw my opponent when he won the New England title, I was impressed. (promoter)Chris (Traietti) called asking if I’d fight him, I accepted because I like to fight and a good challenge. I’m looking forward to the fight.”
The 36-year-old Marshall, fighting out of Danbury, CT, has won his last two fights, both on Granite Chin shows at the same venue as his upcoming match with Vukosa, including his N.E. title-winning performance last November against Justin “Crazy Train” Rolfe. Marshall isn’t looking at his opponent as over the hill because of Vukosa’s advance age, but he does plan to make a statement that, hopefully, will get him positive exposure outside of New England.
“I know he’s a veteran pugilist, a pupil of Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, who was an awesome fighter in his own right,” Marshall remarked. “This is boxing, anything can happen. My job is to prepare for anything. I’ve had the best quality sparring in house with the No. 1 amateur heavyweight, Fernely Felix, Jr. My team works very hard, My manger, A.J. Galante, asked me to be sharper in my last fight (3-round KO of Tracey Johnson this past April), so I did what he asked me to do. My cornerman Austin Ampeoquio keeps me sharp with the mitts, and my head coaches David McDonough and Bennie ‘The Jet’ Little do a good job pushing me as well.
“I know Steve comes to fight and I’m looking forward to an exciting night of boxing. We are two warriors going toe-to-toe in the ring, putting on a show for boxing fans who really enjoy the sport of boxing, not this YouTube celebrity garbage that’s going on right now.”
“Steve ran into some bad luck after the Cusumano win,” Granite Chin president Chris Traietti commented. “A few fights fell through, then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We literally had a fight in Germany fall out the day we were set to leave for the airport. After that we lost a lot of the steam from the Cusamano fight and kind of had to reassess. He picked up a tune-up fight a few months ago, but we now have to either regain some momentum by winning a fight like this or finally have Steve ride off into the sunset. This fight with Marshall will be no picnic. He has burst upon the local scene with some impressive performances.
“Like many coming to the fight, I have no idea how this fight shakes out, which makes for a great main event. One thing I will say, despite what Steve like to make people believe, in the event he wins this fight, it won’t be his final fight. Zero chance of that! If Marshall wins, I have no doubt he will get a television fight in the very near future on a major network.”
In the 8-round co-featured event, former N.E. heavyweight champion Rolfe (5-2-1, 4 KOs), of Fairfield, ME, will takes on Mexican challenger Jose Humberto “Olimpico” Corral (20-26, 12 KOs) for the vacant ABF Atlantic heavyweight title.
New England welterweight champion Mike “Bad Man” Ohan, Jr. (12-1, 6 KOs), fighting out of Holbrook, MA, will defend his title in an 8-round match against upset-mindedTyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (13-14-4 (9 KOs).
Undefeated Holyoke, MA welterweight Denzel “Double Impact” Whitley (4-0, 3 KOs) will be in his first scheduled 6-rounder versus Anthony Andreozzi (0-1), of Swansea, MA. Indianapolis junior welterweight Dewayne Wisdom will be in his 66th pro fight against Nelson “Chino” Perez (2-0, 2 KOs) in a 6-rounder.
Also slated to be in action on the undercard, all in 4-round bouts, is Weymouth, MA welterweight Eric “Gladiator” Goff (1-0) vs. Aquilando Brandao (0-3), Holyoke junior middleweight Carlos Abel Castillo (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Jay Gregory (0-3), Woburn, MA middleweight Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Rodrigo Almeida (2-10, 2 KOs), Framingham, MA light heavyweight Saul “Spider” Almeida (0-13-4) vs. pro-debuting Steve Sumpter, Lawrence, MA junior lightweight Kevin Rodriguez (0-1) faces Ryan Venable (2-4), undefeated Puerto Rican super middleweight Jelame Garcia (7-0, 6 KOs) vs. Larry “Slo Mo” Smith (12-47-2, 8 KOs), and Worcester’s (MA) 3-time New England Golden Gloves champion Demek “Hightower” Edmonds (1-0, 1 KO) vs. pro-debuting Wallace Nass Silva.
The pro segment of the afternoon’s Pro-Am card will be headlined by ABF Atlantic Cruiserweight Champion Yan “Wild Thing” Pellerin (11-1, 5 KOs) defending his title against Lewiston, ME challenger Cristiano Pedro, fighting out by way of Angola, in an 8-round fight.
Other pro fights, all 4-rounders, include Canadian heavyweight Alexis Barriere (1-0, 1 KO) vs. New York’s pro-debuting Andrew Nolan, Methuen (MA), light heavyweightAndrew Perez in his pro debut vs. Jesus Cintron (1-18-2), Springfield (MA) super lightweight Ian “Dinamite” Garcia (0-0-1) vs. Andy Aiello (1-4-1), of Bridgewater, MA, New York light heavyweight Scott Lampert (1-2, 1 KO) vs. Yhago Goncalves (0-3), of Portsmouth (ME) by way of Brazil, and Springfield’s pro-debuting super middleweightLaurent Humes vs.pro-debuting Philipe Martins, of Marlborough, MA.
The inaugural “Granite Chin Invitational” tournament, pitting some of the best amateur boxers in New England in the semifinals round, in the USA Boxing-sanctioned event during the afternoon portion of the day-night doubleheader. The semifinals winners will advance to the tournament’s championship final August 28th at New England Sports Center.
Some of the top N.E. amateur boxers expected to compete include 2021 USA National Championships gold medalist Arika Skoog, the 2-time N.E. Golden Gloves champion out of Newton (MA); 2-time N.E. Golden Gloves champion Tashawn Ward, a featherweight from Providence (RI); and middleweights James Maner, 2019 N.E. Golden Gloves champion from Providence, and 2-time N.E. Golden Gloves champion Mike Fontanez, of Nashua (N.H).
Tickets are on sale and are priced at $25.00 (Day Show) / $40.00 (Night Show) for general seating (unassigned). Unassigned ringside seating will be available at $35.00 per seat during the day show. The night show will offer ringside tables (assigned and seats 4) for $300.00 and are available to purchase online at www.ticketriver.com(Search: Granite Chin Invitational for the day show, Breakout for night show).
Doors open at 12:15 p.m. ET and 7:15 p.m. ET (night) with the first bouts, respectively, at 12:30 p.m. ET and 7:30 p.m. ET.
DERRY, N.H. (August 30, 2020) – Two regional title bouts, supported by several stay-busy fights, highlighted Granite Chin Promotion’s first pro boxing event since this past November, ‘Return to Derry,” last night (Sat., Aug. 29), in front of a near capacity crowd at New England Sports Center in Derry, New Hampshire.
Two world champions were in attendance to support the fighters, undefeated reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade and“El Gallo” Jose Antonio Rivera, the retired 3-time, 2-division title holder.
“I’m glad that tonight we took as step forward towards normalcy,” promoter Chris Traietti commented. Sports help to bring people together and tonight we had a packed house with people of all races, religions, and creeds. I’m happy these Americans enjoyed themselves here tonight.”
Justin “Crazy Train” Rolfe was crowned New England heavyweight champion by way of an 8-round unanimous decision over Tracey “Titan” Johnson in the main event.
Rolfe vs. Johnson II was a rematch of a 6-round majority draw last November in Quincy, Massachusetts. A lot more was at stake in the rematch, though, because the N.E. heavyweight title was on the line. Boston southpaw Johnson, the half-brother of Andrade, methodically boxed, while Maine-resident Rolfe came forward throwing bombs, and their contrast of styles made for a entertaining fight.
The elusive Johnson started finding his range in the fourth round, connecting with combinations as Rolfe appeared to tire, but he got his second wind and continued to be aggressive, often pinning Johnson on the ropes. The two evenly matched fighters went back and forth in the latter half of the fight, although Rolfe pressed the action and Johnson countered. Neither appeared to be hurt at any point during the bout., Both let loose in the eighth and final round, leaving nothing in the tank. Rolfe’s non-stop attack and turned out to be the difference in this match-up.
Ryan DiBartolomeo captured the vacant New Hampshire welterweight title, taking a 6-round split decision over Kris Jacobs, in the co-featured event. “I live in Massachusetts but all my fights (3-0-1) have been in New Hampshire and I train in Nashua (NH),” DiBartolomeo said after the fight. “Fighting in New Hampshire is like fighting at home and now I’m the New Hampshire welterweight champ.”
DiBartolemeo quickly came out of the corner and soon dropped Jacobs for an 8-count. Jacobs made it through the opening round, but he was unable to avoid the free-swinging DiBartolemeo’s strong right hand, peppering his opponents head, in round two. Jacobs settled down in the third, picked-up the pace in the fourth, and started letting his hands go more in the fifth, landing more effectively on his aggressive foe. The two fighters went at it toe-to-toe in the final round and DiBartolemeo closed the show.
New England middleweight champion Kendrick Ball, Jr., fighting light heavyweight Tahuk Taylor, displayed his skill set to the maximum, blasting his opponent to the mat with a sweet straight right, again with a beautiful left hook, and he was about to close the show when refereeJackie Morell mercifully ended the fight with 13-seconds left in round one.
Popular junior welterweight Mike “Bad Man” OHan, Jr. did just about everything but stop gritty DeWayne Wisdom, who was penalized two points and officially floored once. But he survived, albeit losing a lop-sided 6-round unanimous decision to Ohan.
New England Golden Gloves champion Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan dismissed Rashan Wisdom, who went down on the canvas twice before his corner threw in the towel. Hogan is a tall, lanky southpaw who is well schooled and now 2-0 (2 KOs).
In a spirited fight, undefeated light heavyweight Edet “Papito” Mkpanam (4-0, 3 KOs) was relentless against a game Saul “Spider” Almeida, one of the top mixed-martial-arts fighters in New England. Mkpanan dropped Almeida in the first two rounds on his way to a tough 4-round unanimous decision.
Promising Boston lightweight prospect Jonathan Depina outclassed Theo “The Unholy Truth” Desjardin, flooring him early and finishing him off soon after with a blistering shot, to improve to 2-0 (2 KOs).
Middleweight Anthony Concepcion won by way of a third-round disqualification when his opponent, pro-debuting Caleb Denham, ignored the referee’s instructions to continue fighting.
Middleweight Larry “Slomoshun” Smith, fighting out of Dallas, recorded his first victory in more than nine years, taking a 4-round unanimous decision from Jesus “The Juice” Cintron. The 41-year-old Smith, 0-39-2 during his winless streak, dropped Anderson in the first round.
Larry Smith celebrated after his first win in 9 years
Texas light heavyweight Bryan Vera knocked out Mike Anderson with a big right hand early in round one. Referee Leo Gerstel immediately waved off the count right after Anderson hit the mat. Vera, who is known for his participating in The Contender reality television show, has defeated world champions Sergio Mora (twice), then-undefeated Andy Lee and Serhiy Dzinziruk during his 16-year pro career.
Veteran junior middleweight Cliff “Magician” McPherson had no tricks for Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey because he was disqualified in the second round by referee Morrell for repeated holding.
Opening the night was a cruiserweight match between Larry “Hitman” Pryor and Francisco Neto. It didn’t take long for Pryor, whose cousin was the late, Hall of Famer Aaron “Hawk” Pryor, put down Neto with a nicely placed left hook. Neto beat the count but stood on wobbly legs, leading referee Gerstel to halt the fight at the 35-second mark of the opening round.
Complete results below:
OFFICIAL RESULTS MAIN EVENT – VACANT NEW ENGLAND. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP Justin Rolfe (4-1-1, 3 KOs), Fairfield, ME WDEC8 (79-73, 79-73, 78-74) Tracey Johnson (4-8-6, 0 KOs), Boston, MA (Rolfe won the N.E. heavyweight title)
CO-FEATURE – VACANT NEW HAMPSHIRE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP Ryan DiBartolomeo (3-0-1, 1 KO), Leominster, MA WDEC6 (59-54, 59-54, 56-57) Kris Jacobs (2-1-1, 0 KOs), Fall River, MA (DiBartolomeo won vacant N.H. welterweight title)
CRUISERWEIGHTS Larry Pryor (12-22, 6 KOs), Frederickson, MD WTKO1 (0.35) Francisco Neto (1-9), Woburn, MA
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS Kendrick Ball, Jr. (15-1-2, 11 KOs), Worcester, MA
Tahuk Taylor (3-12-1, 1 KO), Greensboro, NC
Edet Mkpanam (4-0, 3 KOs), New Bedford, MA WDEC4 (40-35, 39-36, 39-36) Saul Almeida (0-12), Framingham, MA
Bryan Vera (27-16, 17 KOs), Auston, TX WKO1 (1:01) Mike Anderson (0-6), Philadelphia, PA
MIDDLEWEIGHTS Francis Hogan (2-0, 2 KOs), Weymouth, MA WTKO1 (1:37) Rashan Blackburn (8-54-2, 4 KOs), Columbus, OH
Larry Smith (11-44-2, 7 KOs), Dallas, TX WEC4 (40-35, 40-36, 40-36) Jesus Javier Cintron (1-14-2, 0 KOs), Asbury Park, NJ
Anthony Concepcion (5-0-1, 4 KOs). Providence, RI WDQ3 (152) Caleb Denham (0-1, 0 KOs), Jamaica Plain, MA
Mike Ohan, Jr. (10-1, 5 KOs), Holbrook, MA WDEC6 (60-52, 59-54, 59-54) DeWayne Wisdom (7-54-2, 3 KOs), Indianapolis, IN LIGHTWEIGHTS Jonathan Depina (2-0, 2 KOs), Boston, MA WKO1 (2:17) Theo Desjarden (0-12), Wrentham, MA
DERRY, N.H. (April 8, 2018) — The official weigh in was held today for tomorrow (Saturday) evening’s “Fight Night at the Zone,” presented by Granite Chin Promotions, at The Sportszone in Derry, New Hampshire.
In the main event, Dorchester, MA junior middleweight Gabriel Duluc (12-3, 3 KOs) used a vicious body attack to stop veteran Texas fighter Larry “Slomoshun” Smith in the fifth round. A right to the liver put Smith down, but he beat the referee Mike Ryan‘s count. Smith was unable to recover as he was pinned on the ropes by Duluc, who reeled off a dozen unanswered punches, forcing referee Ryan to end the fight.
New England’s hardest hitter is unquestionably UBF N.E. light heavyweight champion Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (7-0, 6 KOs), who knocked out cruiserweight Randy “The Rattler” Campbell (3-19, 2 KOs) with the first punch in their non-title fight, a lethal right that broke Campbell’s lower right ankle.
Flashy Worcester, MA prospect Irvin Gonzalez (9-0, 8 KOs) overwhelmed his Mexican opponent, junior welterweight Francisco “El Mono” Medel (12-13, 8 KOs), blasting him from every angle en route to a first-round technical knockout, in which Medal went to the canvas twice.
New England cruiserweight champion Chris Traietti (26-4, 21 KOs), also the co-promoter, pounded “Jammin” James Morrow (12-23-3, 5 KOs) from pillar to post until referee Leo Gerstel halted the action in their non-title fight for a third-round technical knockout.
Irish junior welterweight Paddy McGee, fighting out of Dorchester, MA, landed only two punches in his pro debut, both flooring Bardraiel Smith (0-4), for a quick first-round knockout.
Stoughton, MA welterweight Travis “The Outlaw” Demko (6-1, 1 KO) outclassed Paul DeSouza (0-11), of Somerville, pitching a six-round shutout decision.
With former world champion Wilfredo, Vasquez, Jr. supporting him, Springfield, MA welterweight Anthony Velasquez (2-0, 2 KOs) needed only 43 seconds to finish off Shavonte Dixon (0-3).
Danbury, CT junior welterweight Omar “The Beast” Bordoy, Jr. (5-0, 1 KO) remained undefeated, taking a four-round unanimous decision from a game Carlos Galindo (0-2).
Local favorite, Ricky Ford (2-1-1), fighting out Claremont, NH, dropped Woburn, MA junior middleweight Jaco Matsos (0-2) twice before the fight was stopped by referee Mike Ryan.
New Jersey super middleweight Chris “Sandman” Thomas improved his pro record to 8-0-1 (5 KOs), when John Hantzopoulos (0-2) failed to answer the bell for the third round.
Complete results below:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
MAIN EVENT – JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Gabriel Duluc (12-3, 3 KOs), Dorchester, MA
WTKO5 (1:40)
Larry Smith (10-35-1, 7 KOs), Dallas, TX
CO-FEATURE – CRUISERWEIGHTS
Richard Rivera (7-0, 6 KOs), Hartford, CT
WKO1 (0:37)
Randy Campbell (3-19, 2 KOs), Bowerston, OH
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Chris Traietti (26-4, 21 KOs), Quincy, MA
WTKO3 (0:53)James Morrow (12-23-3, 5 KOs), Lafayette, IN.
SUPER MIDDEWEIGHTS
Chris Thomas (8-0-1, 5 KOs), Beechwood, NJ
WTKO2 (3:00)
John Hantzopoulos (0-2), Lynn, MA
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Ricky Ford (2-1-1, 1 KO), Claremont, NH
WTKO1 (1:47)
Jaco Matos (0-2), Woburn, MA
WELTERWEIGHTS
Travis Demko (6-1, 1 KO), Stoughton, MA.
WDEC6 (60-54, 60-54, 60-54)
Paul DeSouza (0-11), Somerville, MA
Anthony Velasquez (2-0, 2 KOs), Springfield, MA
WTKO (0:43)
Shavonte Dixon (0-3), Philadelphia, PA
JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS
Irvin Gonzalez (9-0, 8 KOs), Worcester, MA
WTKO1 (1:57)
Francisco Medel (12-13, 8 KOs), Sonora, Mexico
Paddy McGee (1-0, 1 KO), Dorchester, MA
WTKO1 (1:12)
Bardraiel Smith (0-4), Philadelphia, PA
Omar Bordoy, Jr. (5-0, 1 KO), Danbury, CT
WDEC4 (40-35, 40-35, 40-36)
Carlos Galindo (0-2), Woburn, MA
Sponsors included Betley Chevrolet, Tobin Scientific, Matrix Aerospace, TownPlace Suites, Manchester Monarchs and Cars.com
QUINCY, Mass. (April 2, 2018) — This Saturday night’s “Fight Night at The Zone”, presented by Granite Chin Promotions, has been strengthened by the late addition of hot prospect Irvin Gonzalez to a card already showcasing some of the best young, professional boxers in New England.
Granite Chin Promotions is on a mission to establish a fan-base in the Granite State, providing a fan friendly, full entertainment experience at The Sports Zone in Derry, New Hampshire.
Gonzalez (8-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of Worcester, MA, was a 2015 New England Golden Gloves champion, who qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials. The 21-year-old featherweight prospect will face Mexican Francisco “El Mono” Medal (12-12, 8 KOs) in a six-round bout.
Gonzalez, who hasn’t fought since December 1 1 (sensational third-round knockout of previously undefeated 13-0 Marlon Olea in Providence), was supposed to fight St. Patrick’s Day in Boston, but he was informed the day of the weigh in that his opponent hadn’t cleared medicals.
I’m always in the gym working hard because I like to stay busy and be ready,” Gonzalez said. “No layoffs for me. I’ve been sparring 3-4 times a week to polish my craft. I’m always prepared. I was disappointed a few weeks ago, but I’m fighting on this card, and back on the right track.
“I only focus on my next fight, April 7th, against a tough, experienced opponent. He’s a veteran boxer from Mexico. After this Saturday night, I’ll concentrate on my next fight, May 5th at Foxwoods.”
The addition of Gonzalez with a card featuring some of tomorrow’s stars such as Hartford, CT light heavyweight champion Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (6-0, 5 KOs) means two of the top three prospects in New England will be in action this Saturday in Derry. And several other promising boxers will also be in action. Rivera faces Randy “The Rattler” Campbell, of Ohio, in the six-round co-featured event.
“We are happy to have Irvin on our show,” co-promoter Chuck Shearns said. “His last fight fell out and we are always happy to help local fighters, especially someone of Irvin’s caliber. We have five undefeated fighters on this show. They’re legitimate prospects with a lot of upside. Irvin, Richie and Omar are starting to get national attention and New Hampshire fans are getting an early look at them. The veteran fighters on this show have a lot to fight for as well. ”
Dorchester, MA lightweight Gabriel Duluc (11-3, 2 KOs) headlines in the eight-round main event against Dallas veteran Larry “Slomoshun” Smith.
Iraq War veteran Chris Traietti (25-4, 20 KOs), fighting out of Quincy, MA, meets Indiana veteran “Jammin'” James Morrow in an eight-round, non-title fight. Traietti, whose title will not be on the line, is also the co-promoter of “Fight Night at The Zone.”
Another top Conn. prospect, Danbury junior welterweight Omar Bordoy (4-0, 1 KO), takes on Carlos Galindo, of Woburn (MA), in a four-round match. Other four-rounders on the undercard include Peabody, MA light heavyweight Russell Kimber (1-0) vs. Dustin Caplinger; Irish welterweight Paddy McGee, now fighting out of Dorchester (MA), makes his pro debut vs. Philadelphia’s Bardraiel Smith; Springfield, MA welterweight Anthony Velezquez (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Philadelphia’s Shavante Dixon, and Claremont, NH junior middleweight Rickey Ford (1-1-1) vs. Philadelphia’s Demetrius Thomas.
Also fighting on the undercard in six-round bouts are Stoughton, MA welterweight Travis Demko (5-1, 1 KO) vs. Paul DeSouza, and New Jersey middleweight Chris “Sandman” Thomas (7-0-1, 4 KOs) vs. Lynn, MA middleweight John Hantzopoulas.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $60.00 (ringside), $45.00 and $30.00, are on sale and available to purchase at www.ticketriver.com. Tables with wait service are also available for $400.00. Half-priced tickets are available for active members of the military, police and fire departments.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., first bout 7:30 p.m. ET.
Event sponsors include Betley Chevrolet, Tobin Scientific, Matrix Aerospace, TownPlace Suites, Manchester Monarchs and Cars.com.
PHOTO SLIDESHOW (contact rich.bergeron@gmail.com for photo copies):
Boxing fans packed the Manchester Downtown Hotel Wednesday night to take in a spectacular night of elite amateur boxing. This was the final stop on a three-city tour of Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts and Manchester, New Hampshire. The scheduled fights featured Team USA amateurs facing the best amateur boxers from Ireland. By the final bell, Ireland managed to finish the eight bouts of the evening with a tie score, their best outcome of the tour. Team USA won the first two duals of the tour in Boston and Springfield, respectively, by scores of 8-4 and 7-3.
Wednesday’s fights were not all about winning, however. For the majority of the boxers involved it was a great opportunity to fine-tune their techniques and get some much-needed international competition experience. Some of Wednesday night’s best performers will also likely be representing their respective countries in the upcoming 2020 Olympics.
The main event of the night featured 2016 Youth World Championships Bronze Medalist Richard Torrez dominating 3-time Irish National Champion Dean Gardiner. The Irish fighter’s towering height and long reach simply could not overcome the fast pace and excellent defensive posture of the shorter American.
Torrez spent the first round executing masterful feinting and punch slipping while scoring with some bombing hooks. Torrez changed levels, used slick head movement, and never let his foot off the gas as Gardiner plodded forward with an unbalanced and wild approach in the early going. A thudding body shot connected for the Irishman in the first, but not much else.
Torrez kept up the quick work rate in the next frame, unleashing left and right hooks and landing cleanly through much of the round. He scored to the body and head easily, though much of the round saw his opponent covering up and waiting for openings. One straight left from Torrez sent his opponent reeling for a moment, but the taller man recovered and did land a phenomenal left hook to the head of Torrez as he was fighting off the ropes. Gardiner tried landing mostly straight punches on the outside and seemed unable to turn over his punches in close.
The third round saw both fighters slugging it out until the final bell with one of the wildest back and forth exchanges of the night, but it was too little and too late for Gardiner. He just could not get his range dialed in. Torrez just outworked his opponent again and landed a few slick uppercuts to go with his thundering right and left hooks. He used the jab sparingly but effectively, spending much of the final frame targeting Gardiner’s body. Torrez earned the Unanimous Decision win with his performance and didn’t take more than a handful of hard shots in the process.
Kelly Harrington, a World Championship Silver Medalist from Ireland, likely had her team’s most masterful performance in cruising to a unanimous decision victory over Stacia Suttles in the opening bout of the night. Suttles struggled to keep herself at the ideal punching range against the unrelenting attack of Harrington in the first round, spending much of the three minutes bobbing and weaving to try to avoid the crisp combinations of her opponent. Suttles did land her jab fairly consistently, and she did begin to put some combos together late in the round, but Harrington is an absolute expert when it comes to head movement. She looked as if Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was one of her coaches as she utilized a hands-low technique with constant feints, punch slipping and level changing. The first round saw her landing a beautiful straight left to the head and a fantastic body and head punching combination that landed solidly. She unleashed some fierce hooks, although a few were wild haymakers. Below is a picture of Harrington during one of just a few brief moments in the fight where she brought both hands up to protect her face.
Suttles caught Harrington with some glancing and flush shots in the second round, but she seemed to be having trouble getting power behind her punches. She did trade some decent right hands with her opponent, but it was clear by the end of the round that she just wasn’t going to be able to find any rhythm in the fight due to the craftiness of her opponent. Harrington spent the same round perfecting her range with crisp 1-2 combos and wild lead rights connecting. Harrington also scored some powerful left hooks with a picture perfect straight right landing just a few moments later.
The third round was more of the same for both fighters. Suttles worked much of the frame to track her opponent down, but every time she unloaded, she paid for it. One particularly solid left hook landed late in the round, but it just wasn’t enough. Harrington spent much of the last three minutes trying to connect with winging right hands. She landed one of her hardest punches of the fight late in the round and momentarily stunned her opponent before the bell to end the fight. Harrington took away a unanimous decision and looks to be one of the most promising boxers at her weight in the running for the 2020 Olympics.
Yet another example of height somehow being a disadvantage played a role in the other female fight on the card. Team USA’s Leah Cooper (#2 US Female Middleweight) used ducking and feinting to avoid the taller Aoife Burke’s long reach. Cooper fought from a semi-crouch, making it hard for Burke to land with any significant power on the majority of her punches. The 8-time National Irish Champion
had a few spots in the fight where she regained control of the action, but Cooper made the right adjustments to minimize the threats.
Cooper executed a swarming attack to begin the first round, firing off 1-2 combos and backing Burke up. She remained patient and persistent throughout the frame, staying low and out of range of Burke’s power shots. Burke exhibited excellent defense, but she could only manage to throw and land one punch at a time. She showcased a crisp jab throughout the round, but it just didn’t deter Cooper. Burke had her best moments of the round toward the final bell, mixing up shots to the body and head, including a hard right hook to the head.
Burke came out for the second round on fire, storming Cooper with rapid fire 1-2 combos and hooks. She also mixed in a slick uppercut that found Cooper’s chin. Cooper weathered the storm, only falling into the trap briefly. She regained her composure, landed some excellent counter punches, and turned what might have been Burke’s best round into the Irish champ’s worst. Cooper remained calm and cool, despite taking some of the hardest shots her opponent landed in the fight. She landed some superb 1-2 combos after Burke’s attack fizzled, eventually opening a cut near Burke’s left eye and bloodying her nose. Cooper’s hard body punching also sent Burke crouching down to the canvas briefly after a solid right hook.
Burke started the third round a bit late after getting checked out and cleared by the ringside doctor. She again started out with a flurry of bombing punches. She targeted the body and the head, but Cooper collected herself once again and went back to work. She changed levels well and began connecting with furious hooks, first to the body and then back up to the head. She also kept up an active jab and landed multiple 1-2 combos. Burke did manage another late flurry in the closing moments of the fight, but Cooper still came away with the unanimous decision win.
Team USA Lightweight James Browning came into Wednesday night’s bout with Ireland’s Francis Cleary as a two-time USA Boxing Champion. Cleary, a nine-time Irish National Champion, represented Browning’s first crack at international competition. Both fighters had their moments, but it would be Browning getting the win at the end of three entertaining, back-and-forth rounds of action.
Browning spent the first round establishing a higher work rate than his opponent and using lots of movement to avoid Cleary’s attack. He also landed a consistent jab, mixing up his body and head shots well. Though he won the round, Browning took plenty of risks and paid the price. Cleary picked his spots and unleashed the more clean and powerful punches when he was able to land. He just couldn’t connect enough, and he clinched out of trouble almost every time he wound up fighting in close quarters.
Clearly landed some more sharp bombs in the second frame, getting more aggressive and starting to track down his constantly moving opponent. A thumping left hook near the end of the round connected with Browning’s head and impressed the packed house of fans. Still, Browning remained busy and did well in the slugging exchanges between the two fighters. He was often wild, but the work output kept Cleary from stealing the round.
Cleary came out for the third round with renewed ferocity, engaging in a wild brawl with Browning. It was the best round of the fight for Cleary, and Browning could not maintain the elusiveness he displayed in the prior rounds. The Irish fighter landed another booming left hook in the round, featured perfectly-timed counters, and kept punching right up to the bell. Browning definitely appeared to be frustrated and tired by the end of the fight. Still, two out of the three judges were sure he deserved the win, earning a split decision victory.
The next bout pitted eight-time Irish National Champion Wayne Kelley against 13-time US National Champion Adrian Benton in a close welterweight battle. Both young fighters had bright spots in the match, but Kelley managed to squeak out the split decision victory with a crafty, gutsy effort.
Benton had the better first round thanks to a swarming attack. He worked in and out of range with 1-2 combos and sparing hooks. He used all his angles well, pivoting out of trouble and into effective range with ease. Kelley struggled to land counters until the final moments of the round when he landed his own flurry of 1-2 combos.
Kelley started the second round with much more energy and poise. He landed early and often, winging left hands and opening up a cut on Benton’s lip. Benton slipped some of the more dangerous punches, blocked shots well and landed some crisp, hard shots of his own. His best exchange was a left and right hook to the head that landed near the middle of the round.
Kelley slowed down a bit in the final round, unable to find his ideal range. He landed some hard right hands, a well-placed body shot and unloaded with a late flurry. Benton kept busy early in the round and artfully ducked under a bombing right hook from Kelley. The judges seemed more impressed with Kelley’s composure in the final two rounds as Benton kept getting drawn in to sloppy brawling. Kelley edged out the win by a 2-1 margin.
The light welterweights came next, producing another tight contest. Ireland’s Caoimhin Ferguson fought Team USA’s Charlie Sheehy with a slightly better tactical approach, earning another split decision victory for his squad.
Sheehy took on a more cautious and patient approach in the first round, waiting for the perfect moment to throw and land. His best punches of the round included a hard right hand to the body and a starching jab. Ferguson put in more work in the frame, scoring on multiple hooks to the head and unleashing wild and crazy flurries a few times. One particular left hook crashed hard into Sheehy’s head in the final moments of the round.
Ferguson landed some decent shots in the second round, but Sheehy was much more composed. He worked around the wild-swinging, hard-charging assault by keeping his distance and scoring from outside with some crisp rights to the chin. The fighters exchanged some hooks to the body and wound up in a clinch before the end of the round.
Sheehy struggled to string punches together in the final round. Though he had a nice straight right hand working for him, Ferguson was able to penetrate his defense. Ferguson landed a thumping left hook early and went on to land a few more bombs before losing his mouthpiece in one exchange. Likely knowing he needed to finish strong to get the judges on his side, Ferguson rushed in with a final torrent of hooks in the final seconds. He earned a 2-1 decision win for his tenacity.
Welterweights Kieron Molloy (Ireland) and Freudis Rojas, Jr. (USA) squared off in another bout. Both fighters are previous World Championship Bronze Medalists with Molloy also claiming nine Irish National titles and Rojas winning the US nationals 10 times so far. It was another close shave win for Team Ireland.
Rojas was clearly the more active fighter in the first round. He used a consistent jab and increased his work rate through the frame. He ket busy on offense right up until the bell. Molloy began the round winging shots and trying to figure out his range. He unleashed a bit late in some of the more fierce exchanges, couldn’t figure out how to get his combinations going, and had a tough time catching up with the faster Rojas. Molloy did land some excellent straight lefts, though.
The next round went much better for the Irish southpaw. He started with an uptick in his punch output, though he still struggled to land combos. At one point in the round, Molloy connected with a huge straight left, followed up by a nice power jab, slowing down his opponent. Rojas kept coming forward but couldn’t capitalize on scoring opportunities in the round. A late flurry of punches from Rojas wasn’t enough for him to steal the round.
Rojas landed some excellent shots in the final round, going downstairs to the body frequently. He also caught Molloy against the ropes, blasting him with straight punches. Molloy fought the smarter round, though, picking the best times to throw and often catching Rojas with his hands down. His best exchange of the round featured a huge 1-2 connecting to the head and a wild left hook to the head. A final swarm of punches from the Irish fighter closed the show and earned him a 2-1 split decision win.
Team USA’s Nikita Ababiy scored a hard-fought win in a wild affair before the main event with Team Ireland’s Gerard French. The first round saw Ababiy jabbing well. The American came into the fight with a very non-traditional boxing stance with one hand low, but his posture seemed to be effective in luring his opponent into punching range. Ababiy landed some booming hooks and a nice left uppercut that backed up French. Meanwhile, French concentrated on trying to land counters. He had a lower work rate but also didn’t take too much punishment.
French spent the second round trying to exchange in close quarters. He landed more shots later in the round, including some heated right hooks in the final moments. Ababiy connected with some thumping shots in the round and showcased some nice defense as well. He mixed up his shots to the body and head, throwing and covering up to wait for the next opening. Ababiy landed a nice left hook to the head followed up with a picture perfect right uppercut in the final minute. He ended the round well on his way to his first win.
The final round saw Ababiy slow down a bit, but he was still effective enough to carry the frame. French managed some crisp left hooks to the head, but he couldn’t figure out the different style his opponent brought to the ring. The American cruised to the unanimous decision win.
The night also began with the only stoppage on the card thanks to a wild brawl between local 132-pound Manchester, NH novices Michael Correa and Abhisek Thapa. Correa took off across the ring upon hearing the opening bell and unleashed one wild flurry after another. Thapa didn’t let the tornado swallow him up, though. He ust covered up and waited for his opportunities. It only took a couple minutes for Correa to start tiring out from the relentless attack. Thapa then waded in to land some of the most impressive shots of the night, forcing the referee to stop the fight for three standing eight counts before the end finally came with a whirlwind of power punches from Thapa.
There was also a guest appearance made by the boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. still calls his toughest opponent ever, Emanuel Augustus (3-34-6, 20 KOs). Augustus participated in a reunion the previous night with “Irish” Micky Ward (38-13, 27 KOs), celebrating one of the best fights in the history of the sport, which took place on July 13, 2001. Augustus stuck around for the fights and even came into the ring to showcase that he still has the same punching prowess that made him one of the most entertaining fighters of his era.
“We learned from this tour that we’re right up there with the best teams in the world,” Team USA head coach Billy Walsh said. “Team Ireland is a very good, young team. We’re going to have a good team to send to Tokyo (2020 Olympics). I’m proud of my team. They all worked very hard. We didn’t have some of our best boxers because some were competing in an International tournament We do have a good crop of 18-19-20 year-olds who will make up our 2020 Olympic team.”
Team Ireland also brought their own production crew to film all the action for those who couldn’t be there:
MANCHESTER, N.H. (March 22, 2018) – Last night’s third and final stop on USA Boxing’s 2018 USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour ended in a 4-4 draw at Downtown Manchester Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire. Team USA won the team tour title, 2-0-1.
Team USA had won the first two duals of the tour in Boston and Springfield, respectively, by scores of 8-4 and 7-3.
“We learned from this tour that we’re right up there with the best teams in the world,” Team USA head coach Billy Walsh said. “Team Ireland is a very good, young team. We’re going to have a good team to send to Tokyo (2020 Olympics). I’m proud of my team. They all worked very hard. We didn’t have some of our best boxers because some were competing in an International tournament We do have a good crop of 18-19-20 year-olds who will make up our 2020 Olympic team.”
Team Ireland led last night’s team scoring, 4-3, going into the final match of the night, a super heavyweight rematch. The 2016 Youth World Championships bronze medalist Richard Torrez once again defeated there-time Irish National Champion Dean Gardiner,
Third time was the charm for Brooklyn middleweight Nikita Ababiy, who broke into the win column with a 3-0 unanimous decision over Gerard French, keeping the Americans hope alive to deadlock the final score with one match to go.
In a battle between southpaw welterweights, nine-time Irish National Champion and World Championships bronze medalist, Kieron Molloy took a 2-1 split decision over Freudis Rojas, Jr., a 10-time national champion and World Championships bronze medalist.
Irish light welterweight Caoimhin Ferguson won a 2-1 split decision victory over California light welterweight Charlie Sheey to give Team Ireland a 3-2 advantage.
Eight-time Irish National champion and European Championships bronze medalist Wayne Kelley won a 2-1 split decision versus Cincinnati light welterweight Adrian Benton, the 13-time national champion making his International match debut.
In his International debut, two-time USA Boxing champion James Browning won a 2-1 decision over Irish lightweight Francis Cleary, a nine-time Irish National champion and European Championships silver medalist, in a very entertaining lightweight match.
No. 2-rated American middleweight Leah Cooper dropped her opponent, eight-time National Irish National champion and European Championships bronze medalist Adolfe Burke, en route to a 3-0 unanimous decision.
World Championship silver medalist Kellie Harrington defeated lightweight Stacia Suttlesfor the second time on the tour by the identical score, 3-0, giving Team Ireland its first lead of the tour, albeit temporary, in last night’s tour opener.
In a Special Manchester Lightweight novice class match, Michael Correa (Manchester PAL) defeated Abhisek Thapa (Title Boxing) when the referee stopped the contest in the opening round.
Emanuel Augustus joins special guests Micky Ward & Steve Smoger to complete memorable fight
March 21 in Manchester, NH
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 19, 2018) – Retired pro boxer Emanuel Augustus has confirmed his attendance this week at a USA Boxing-hosted reunion of the 2001 Fight of the Year, associated with the final stop on the 2018 USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour festivities in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The 2001 Fight of the Year was held July 13, 2001, at Hampton Beach Casino in Hampton, NH., and it is still considered one of the greatest matches ever broadcast on ESPN. “Irish” Micky Ward won an incredibly entertaining, back-and-forth junior welterweight match-up with “boxing cult” hero Emanuel Augustus, by way of a 10-round unanimous decision that was much closer than the judges’ scoring indicated (98-90, 96-91, 96-94).
“Ward versus Augustus was truly the event of the year in boxing and we’re so happy it was held right here in New Hampshire,” said Stephen, who has been in his position as chairman since 1974, “Micky was losing the fight until the later rounds. As the chairperson of he commission, I checked the judges’ scorecards after six or seven rounds and Micky was losing. Then, Micky caught Augustus, dropped and really hurt him. He went on to win a great fight.”
The high-profile win positioned Ward for what turned out to be his epic Gatti trilogy, while Augustus went on to become one of the most dangerous, upset-minded opponents in boxing. Ward, Augustus and the third man in the ring that night, Hall of Fame referee Steve Smoger, will host as USA Alumni Association event Tuesday, Mar. 20 at The Shaskeen Pub & Restaurant (909 Elm St. in Manchester), starting at 6 p.m. ET.
The trio will also be joined by two others closely associated with the 2001 Fight of the Year, Chairman of the New Hampshire Boxing and Wrestling Commission, Bobby Stephen, as well as International matchmaker, Eric Bottjer, who made the Ward-Augustus fight in 2001.
All five will also attend the USA Boxing Alumni Association event as well as the following night’s (Mar. 21) USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour finale at the Manchester Downtown Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire.
SPECIAL MANCHESTER AMATEUR BOXING MATCH ADDED
A special lightweight novice WILL open the competition, showcasing two Manchester amateur boxers, Abhisek Thapa (Title Boxing Club) and Michael Correa (Manchester PAL).
Presented by Corona Premium, the Manchester event will start at 7 p.m. EST, and it also serves as a fundraiser for another partner of the show, the Manchester PAL Boxing Club.
Tickets are reasonably priced at $20.00 for general admission, $30 for reserved ringside seats, and available to purchase on Seacoast Ticket Agency’s website, www.seacoastticket.com, the official ticket distributor for the event.
“We’re so happy to have the USA-Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour here in Manchester,” Stephen added. “The talent on both squads is extraordinary. We’re honored to have these two teams here for this big event. It’s a credit to USA Boxing and (special events director) Al Valenti, who has done so much over the years for boxing in New Hampshire. Boxing was very popular here many years ago. People turned out in droves to attend the Golden Gloves. There’s a boxing resurgence and that’s so important to teach young people discipline, respect and conditioning that’s so needed today. These amateurs do their best for the love of boxing; they aren’t in it for money like professionals.
“Micky is honorable, a real nice person. It means a lot for local fans and boxers to meet him. We were fortunate to have him fight in New Hampshire on serval occasions and nobody who watched his fight Augustus or his trilogy with Arturo Gatti will never forget.”.
To stay up to date on the USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour click here.
USA vs. Ireland Schedule
March 21: The Manchester Downtown Hotel, Manchester, N.H.
BOSTON (March 13, 2018) – Team USA defeated Team Ireland, 8-4 , last night (Monday) on the first stop of the three-city 2018 USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour, at Club Royale Entertainment Center in Boston’s historic theater district.
Two of the best amateur boxing squads in the country, featuring numerous 2020 Olympic hopefuls, had a major showdown to the delight of the mixed crowed of supporters of both programs.
“It was a fantastic night of boxing,” said Team USA head coach Billy Walsh, who used to guide Team Ireland’s boxing program. “The real winners were the boxing fans, American and Irish, supporting these two young teams. I was really happy with our performance as well as theirs.”
The USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour continues this Thursday (Mar. 15 at) the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., and concludes Wednesday, Mar. 21 at The Manchester Downtown Hotel in New Hampshire.
All the duals will begin at 7:00 p.m. EST and tickets will be made available for purchase in the coming weeks. Each city will showcase up to 12 bouts, which will all be live streamed, free of charge, on USA Boxing’s website (www.usaboxing.org).
Honorary captains Irish” Micky Ward and Kevin “The Clones Colossus” McBride, respectively, led Team USA and Team Ireland into the ring.
A USA Alumni Association gathering was held prior to the show.
In the final bout of the night, American super heavyweight Richard Torrez, the 2016 Youth World Championship bronze medalist and 2017 USA Boxing Elite National champion, closed the show in style against four-time Irish National Champion Dean Gardiner, 3-0.
Bombs away was the theme in the heavyweight match as Irishman Kiril Afganasev powered his way past Adrian Tillman, 2-1.
Lanky American light heavyweight Khalil Coe decisioned six-time Irish National champion Caoimhin Hynes.
Three-time European champion Michael Nevin edged 2016 Youth World Championship team member Nikita Ababiy, 2-1, in a back-and-forth middleweight contest.
One of America’s brightest prospects, 2017 Elite World Championship bronze medalist Troy Isley, showed everything in his arsenal against eight-time Irish National champion Brett McGinty, emerging with an impressive unanimous decision in a toe-to-toe middleweight clash.
Eight-time Irish National champion Kierion Molloy won a split decision over American welterweight Quinton Randall, a 2017 Elite World Championship team member.
In a special match-up between two Internationally decorated light welterweights,2016 Youth World Champion and 2017 Elite Continental Championships silver medalist, Delante “Tiger” Johnson, took a split decision from eight-time Irish National champion Wayne Kelly.
Keyshawn Davis pounded Irish light welterweight George Bates en route to a dominating unanimous decision victory, in which the American showcased his numerous skills.
American lightweight Marc Castro, who moved up one weight class, turned in an auspicious “Elite” class debut, defeating Francis Cleary by way of a unanimous decision. The highly-regarded Castro was a two-time World champion as a junior and youth boxer.
Aggressive American welterweight Oshae Jones won a hard-fought split decision versus Grainne Bates in an action-packed match from start to finish. Jones was a 2017 Elite Women’s Continental Championships silver medalist.
World Championships silver medalist lightweight Kellie Harrington won a unanimous decision over American lightweight Stacia Suttles in a very competitive match.
Four-time 2017 international gold medalist Virginia Fuchs opened the night with a victory over Irish flyweight Lauren Hogan, when the referee stopped the contest in the second round.
Complete individual & team results:
BOSTON RESULTS
SUPER HEAVYWEIGHTS
Richard Torrez, Tulare, California, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Dean Gardiner, Tipperary, Ireland
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Kiril Afanasev, Dublin, Ireland
WDEC (2-1)
Adrian Tillman, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Khalil Coe, Jersey, City, New Jersey, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Caoimhin Hynes, Belfast, Ireland
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Michael Nevin, Laois, Ireland
WDEC (2-1)
Nikita Ababiy, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Troy Isley, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Brett McGinty, Derry, Ireland
WELTERWEIGHTS
Kieron Molloy, Galway, Ireland
WDEC (2-1)
Quinton Randall, Katy, Texas, USA
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS
Tiger Johnson, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
WDEC (2-1)
Wayne Kelly, Laois, Ireland
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Keshawn Davis, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
WDEC (3-0)
George Bates, Dublin, Ireland
Marc Castro, Fresno, California, USA
WDEC (3-0)
Francs Cleary, Mayo, Ireland
WOMEN WELTERWEIGHTS
Oshae Jones, Toledo, Ohio, USA
WDEC (2-1)
Grainne Bates, Dublin, Ireland
WOMEN LIGHTWEIGHTS
Kellie Harrington, Dublin, Ireland
WDEC (3-0)
Stacia Suttles, Bronx, New York, USA
WOMEN FLYWEIGHTS
Ginny Fuchs, Kemah, Texas, USA
RSC2 (1:57)
Lauren Hogan, Offaly, Ireland
USA: 8 IRELAND: 4
To stay up to date on the USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour click here.
USA vs. Ireland Schedule
March 15: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Mass.
March 21: The Manchester Downtown Hotel, Manchester, N.H.
