For additional updates and event information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

ABOUT CES BOXING

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the U.S. regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven – time national award – winner for “Arena of the Year.”  For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

The fight topped a massive pro-am show at the nearly sold-out Lowell Memorial Auditorium that was televised live on Swerve Combat TV. 

16 years after competing at this very venue as an amateur, Ellis showed his local supporters why the welterweight world champions are so wary to face him. 

“I want to thank everyone that came out,” said a gracious Ellis after the fight.  “I first fought here when I was 16 years old at the Golden Gloves. 16 years later, I’m headlining here as a professional in front of my friends and family.” 

Ellis’ skills were on full display: blazing speed, sharp combinations, and the sneaky power that has stopped his last 3 opponents and reminded everyone of just how good Rashidi has become.

Ellis began the scheduled 10-round contest with quick combinations, hitting Ruiz several times before dancing out of range. 

Ruiz, a Honduran based in Miami, Florida, is a normally durable fighter who has seen the final round against the likes of Henry Lebron, Gabe Flores Jr. and Alex Martin.

Against Ellis, Ruiz could not make it out of round 3.  Whenever the Scorpion tried to engage, Ellis countered him with lightning-fast strikes.  A picture-perfect counter left hook to the body, hook to the head combination in round 2 dropped Ruiz, who beat the count at the bell.

Knowing his prey had not fully recovered, the ‘Savage with a Smile’ pounced on Ruiz in round 3, trapping the Honduran against the ropes and teeing off with a two-fisted assault to Ruiz’s head and body.  Ruiz bravely tried to respond, but a left hook dropped him for an 8-count.  Ruiz again beat the count, but a counter left to the body had him back on the canvas, forcing the referee to step in at 2:19 of round 3.

“You already know who I want: [WBO World Champion] Brian Norman Jr.,” said Rashidi moments after the bout. “I’ve been calling him out for the last few years. It’s getting to the point where he won’t be able to avoid me and I’m telling you; it’s going to be easy work.

Ellis and Norman Jr., who impressively stopped contender Jin Sasaki in Japan on Thursday, are on a collision course.  Currently ranked #8 by the WBO, there is only so long that Norman will be able to delay meeting the talented Ellis.

Hogan stops Correa; calls out Booker

In the co-feature, WBC US Silver Middleweight champion Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (20-0, 17 KOs) overcame a shaky moment in round 2 against Venezuela’s Esneiker Correa (16-6-1, 14 KOs) to roar back and stop the 26-year-old in round 4 of their 10-round middleweight contest.

Escorted to the ring by local legend “Irish” Micky Ward and trained by Mark DeLuca, Weymouth’s Hogan was greeted warmly by the boisterous crowd. 

Things started off well for the 6’2 Hogan, who used his superior height and reach to keep Correa at bay behind a stiff jab while the Miami-based Venezuelan fired rights and lefts to Hogan’s midsection. 

Frank returned the favor in round 2, but a low blow caused the Venezuelan to take a knee.  Once recovered, Correa came alive, landing a series of shots including a right to the head which seemed to hurt Hogan.

“I knew he was a tough opponent,” admitted Frank immediately after the fight.  “He just caught me with a big shot and stunned me.” 

The 24-year-old remained calm, however, tightening up his defense behind a high guard and picking his shots to survive the round. 

Correa became frustrated after a back and forth round 3, drawing a warning from the referee after intentionally headbutting Hogan in round 4.  The Venezuelan was lucky that a point wasn’t deducted, but Hogan would not be needing the extra points on this night.  The fighters traded, and a hellacious left hand to the body dropped Correa in agony for the full count. 

“He definitely took me off my game a bit,” said Hogan. “I didn’t realize that he was able to throw awkward shots like that from all angles, but I stuck to my gameplan and stayed calm like my corner told me and I ended up getting him out of there with a body shot.”

The colorful Hogan, who is penciled in to headline a card at Mohegan Sun Arena on July 19, did not hesitate when asked who he’d like to fight next.

“I leave that up to my trainers Mark and Matty Ryan,” said Hogan, “but I do want to call somebody out that used to talk a lot of s@$% about me: Chordale Booker, I said it at the media workout and I’m going to say it again. If you want this smoke, come get it. I’ll put you to sleep over 10.  No more talking.  Let’s go!”

Fontanez remains Blessed

It took a few rounds, but Michael “Blessed Southpaw” Fontanez (11-0, 7 KOs) eventually figured out Noah Kidd (10-15-2, 5 KOs) to keep his unbeaten record intact in an 8-round middleweight bout.

‘Salsa Mike’ won the first 2 rounds using an educated right jab and long left hand, but he had to be wary of Kidd’s unorthodox style.  With his hands down and switching between conventional and orthodox stances where he launched sudden leaping shots, the Missouri native reminded many of Emanuel “The Drunken Master” Augustus. 

Undeterred, the Nashua, NH resident turned his assault to Kidd’s body in round 3, landing thundering shots. Kidd fell to the canvas after a left hand strayed low. Once the action resumed, Fontanez trapped Kidd in the corner and landed a border line shot that folded Kidd to the canvas.  The referee again ruled the punch a low blow, this time deducting 2 points from Fontanez.

Determined not to let the fight get away from him, the Blessed Southpaw pressured Kidd to the ropes and landed 2 body shots, these ones legal, that dropped the Missourian to his knees in round 4.  Kidd beat the count but was met with a flurry of punches that convinced the referee to halt the action at 2:58 of the round. 

After the bout, Fontanez called for showdowns with Pablo Valdez or Fernando Vargas Jr.

Other Action

The last time Adrian “Tonka” Sosa entered a boxing ring, he suffered his first loss to fellow unbeaten prospect John Mannu in Melbourne, Australia.  3 years later, the Lawrence native made a resounding return to his home state, dominating Giovanni Gutierrez (11-14-1, 6 KOs) over 4 rounds before stopping the Nicaraguan veteran in round 5 to improve his record to 13-1 with 9 KOs. Time of the stoppage was 0:22 of the round.

Led to the ring by newly inducted Hall-of-Famer Vinny Paz, New Hampshire’s Jaydell “The New Pazmanian Devil” Pazmino (7-0, 7 KOs) wasted little time in demolishing Aelio Mesquita (22-19-1, 20 KOs), dispatching the Brazilian in just 34 seconds of round 1. 

In a cross-town war, New Bedford’s Josh Alvarado (3-1, 1 KO) outlasted Lawrence-based Puerto Rican Kevin Rodriguez (4-3, 2 KOs) over 4 rounds.  Scores were 40-26 (2x) and 39-37 for the 24-year-old Alvarado.

In the opening bout of the evening, Cork, Ireland’s Brian Long (2-0, 1 KO) pounded out a 4 round unanimous decision over Winchester based Brazilian Jhony Dos Santos (0-2).

For more information about ‘Mill City Mayhem’ and all other CES Boxing events, visit cesfights.com.

INFORMATION
About CES Boxing

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

Tickets for ‘CES MMA 81′ are available for purchase at CESFights.com and Ticketmaster.  Doors open at 6pm, with the first bout beginning at 7pm EST.  The fight will also be available on Swerve.TV.

The 32-year-old Ghareeb, who is 7-1 in the CES cage, has seen more than his share of adversity since winning a split decision over Mohammad Al Kinani last August.  Shortly after the victory, Nate packed his bags, leaving Florida and American Top Team behind after divorcing his wife of several years.

Now back in Southampton and training with the coaches who first molded him, Ghareeb is ready to remind fans—and himself—why he fell in love with MMA in the first place.

“It’s been going good, man,” said Ghareeb of his training camp at Springfield Submission Society. “It’s a little different than what I’m normally used to.  I was down in Florida for three years at American Top Team, and now I’m back in Massachusetts training with my old coaches and teammates and some new teammates as well.  I feel like I’ve been learning a lot again, especially in the striking department.”

Born in Arkansas and raised in Southampton after being adopted as a child, Ghareeb wrestled through middle school and college before discovering jiu-jitsu and then Muay Thai while studying at West Virginia University.  That spark turned into a wildfire for Ghareeb.

“I fell in love immediately with the art of fighting,” said Ghareeb. “I fought two weeks before my college graduation and the weekend after. I knew this is something I wanted to do. I knew that if I didn’t do it then, I probably never would.  I’m grateful that I decided to pursue it because it led me all over the world and allowed me to meet a few of my heroes—guys like Don Cerrone.”

After college, Ghareeb settled in Coconut Creek, Florida and trained at the famed American Top Team gym, which offered him the kind of intensity and elite-level training many fighters dream of.

“Training there was amazing,” explained Ghareeb. “I was training with the best every single day, with some of the best coaches in the world.  They offered me different perspectives, and I was able to work on some holes that I had.  It was an incredible experience, but due to personal reasons, I had to leave Florida. There’s a lot of things that have been going on in my life since my last fight. The last two years have been brutal for many reasons.”

Deciding to return home to Massachusetts, Ghareeb reconnected with his longtime coach, Dan McIntyre, and found a renewed sense of clarity.

“The only way I can explain it is, it’s something that’s very special,” said Ghareeb of the relationship he has with his coach. “The knowledge he passes on to me, I just understand it. It just makes more sense to me. I always take the lessons that I’ve learned from anywhere I’ve been and add them to my arsenal, so it makes me a more complete fighter.”

While Nate took a philosophical tone, he’s still every bit the “Nasty” problem fans and opponents have come to expect.

“I’m an entertaining fighter,” says Ghareeb of his style. “I bring the violence and the mean.  My style is built around that. My goal was never really to be a world champion.  I want to have entertaining fights and moments in time that people will remember for years to come.  The goal is to get to the UFC and put on highlight reel fights.”

A memorable fight is what Nate hopes for on Saturday, when he takes on Jefry Roy, a physical and aggressive fighter known more for raw power than polish.

“He’s an athletic guy,” says Ghareeb of Roy. “He hits hard. His grappling is very athletic based—he just bench presses or tosses you off.  His striking is not educated.  He gets timid when pressed.”

Nate believes that Roy will wilt under the educated pressure Ghareeb will apply.  

“I have a great feint game,”explains Ghareeb.  “Anybody that’s ever sparred or fought me knows that you never really know what’s coming. I’m going to pressure him and break him down.  If he decides to come forward swinging, I’ve got plenty of things to counter that. He’s gonna walk into some really brutal things. He throws punches with his chin up in the air—so he’s gonna eat something real nasty.”

After everything Nate’s endured—injuries, losses, divorce—this fight means more than just another win on his record.  For Ghareeb, this marks the start of his reinvention in the sport and in life.

“I was at a point where I was about to retire,” admits Ghareeb. “But a bunch of people were like, ‘You can’t.  You still have so much left.’  They believe in me. My team believes in me. My family believes in me, even though they hate that I do this.  I’m going to go out there and put everything that I have into this fight, win or lose.  This is part of the comeback story—not just in fighting, but in life.”

Nate’s resurrection begins on Saturday night at Foxwoods. 

For more information on ‘CES MMA 81′ and all other CES MMA events, visit cesfights.com.

About CES MMA

CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional company based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional MMA event in 2010. In 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista.

CES MMA has gained the reputation as being the gateway to the UFC developing the careers of UFC contenders Calvin Kattar, Rob Font, Charles Rosa, William Knight, Mike Rodriguez, Tony Gravely, Andre Soukhamthath and others.
About Foxwoods Resort Casino

Foxwoods Resort Casino, the largest resort casino in the Northeast, has set the standard for innovation and excellence in gaming and hospitality for over 33 years. Owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Foxwoods continues to redefine the resort experience by offering a dynamic mix of world-class gaming, award-winning dining, top-tier entertainment, and family-friendly attractions.

A destination like no other, Foxwoods offers over 1,900 luxury hotel rooms, over 175,000 square feet of flexible space for meetings and events, shopping at Tanger Outlets, and expansive gaming floors throughout the resort and unmatched amenities. The entertainment portfolio features globally acclaimed artists, exclusive live performances, and premier events hosted at its renowned venues, including the Premier Theater and Great Cedar Showroom.

Through strategic partnerships with leading brands like DraftKings Sportsbook, Hell’s Kitchen, and Great Wolf Lodge, Foxwoods continues to expand its offerings and deliver elevated, curated experiences for guests. The new brand campaign, “This Is How We Resort,” reflects Foxwoods’ commitment to creating unique, personalized moments—from thrilling gaming adventures to relaxing escapes—that redefine what it means to “resort”. For more information, visit www.foxwoods.com.

Tickets for CES MMA 76 are on sale now at CESfights.com, ticketmaster, or the Foxwoods Box Office.  Act now as tickets are quickly selling out!      

Headlining the card is newly minted CES MMA Middleweight World Champion Gary “Batman” Balletto Jr. (8-3), who will attempt to win a world title in a second weight class when he battles Springfield, MA native Pat “The Gorilla Ninja” Casey (10-7) for the vacant CES MMA Welterweight title. 

Balletto Jr. won his middleweight title at home in Cranston, RI last July, when he submitted James Cannon via rare naked choke in round 2 to the delight of his hometown fans.  

Only six months later, Batman will be fighting for a world title in a second weight class.  In Casey, Balletto Jr. will be facing a highly athletic former Bellator fighter with an aggressive style who is seeking his first professional title.

“Here we go again,” said an ecstatic Balletto Jr. to the standing room only crowd.  “I’m excited to be sharing this card with Pat.  He’s got a great following and is an exciting fighter.  This is as bad ass as it gets.”  

As ‘The Gorilla Ninja’ took the stage, it was evident that the respect was mutual. 

“We’re both well rounded fighters,” said Casey, who played football for American International College before taking up mixed martial arts.  “Wherever the fight goes, it’ll be exciting.  We both have many ways in which we can finish a fight, and I see no way that this won’t be an exciting fight for however long it lasts.”  

In the co-feature, former UFC veteran Yorgan DeCastro (9-5) battles Eric Smith (7-7) in a heavyweight contest.  “The Mad Titan,” a Cape Verdean native fighting out of Fall River, MA, made his pro debut with CES MMA and is undefeated with the company in his 4 appearances. 

“I don’t think there’s a heavyweight in New England who can deal with me,” said a confident DeCastro.  “But I know that talk is cheap, so February 23 I have to go out there and execute.”

In Yorgan’s way stands Eric Smith, who will be making his CES MMA debut after several California Cage Wars and Gladiator Challenges.  The California native is extremely motivated to impress CES MMA with the biggest win of his career.

Another intriguing match-up includes the return to CES of “The Russian Polar Bear,” Yuri Panferov (6-1).  Panferov is a perfect 4-0 in the CES MMA cage and is looking to bounce back from his only career loss on ‘Dana White’s Contender Series’ last October.  Panferov is facing 23 fight veteran Rocky “The Number” Edwards in a middleweight match-up.    

Four other bouts are confirmed, including the highly anticipated pro debut of Peabody, MA native Lucas Rosa.  The 28-year-old, who trains alongside his older brother Charles Rosa in Boca Raton, FL, was one of the best amateurs in the country with a record of 10-1.  Many believe that the Wheaton College graduate is destined for world titles and stardom.  He faces Leslie Summers, who is also making his pro debut, in a 3-round featherweight bout.     

For more information on CES MMA 76 and all other CES MMA events, visit cesfights.com.

INFORMATION

About CES MMA
CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional company based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional MMA event in 2010. In 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista.

CES MMA has gained the reputation as being the gateway to the UFC developing the careers of UFC contenders Calvin Kattar, Rob Font, Charles Rosa, William Knight, Mike Rodriguez, Tony Gravely, Andre Soukhamthath and others.

About Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino offers guests a premier destination resort experience throughout its six world-class casinos, AAA Four-Diamond hotels featuring over 2,200 rooms, dining options for all tastes, luxurious spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, Tanger Outlet Mall and conference space for groups of all sizes. There is always something new at Foxwoods, including the recently announced landmark deal with Great Wolf Lodge, opening in 2024, our new 80,000 sq ft expo center opening in November 2022 and a new High Stakes Bingo Hall which opened July 2022, giving guests more reasons to stay than ever. When it comes to sports betting and gaming, Foxwoods has partnerships with fan-favorite betting and entertainment platforms, including DraftKings and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s recently formed Wondr Nation. For a detailed look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

“It was a masterful performance,” said CES Boxing founder Jimmy Burchfield, Sr.  “He outboxed Lopez from the beginning.  Jamaine outshined the showman in his hometown and then he was robbed of the decision.  It’s shame when a fighter loses a decision like that after putting on such a boxing clinic.  As far as I’m concerned, we beat Teofimo Lopez and we’re ready to challenge the other champions in the division.” 

Closely guarding his gameplan throughout fight week, ‘The Technician’ came out as a southpaw from the opening bell and never switched to orthodox.  Despite having fought southpaws the likes of Vasyl Lomachenko, Josh Taylor and Sandor Martin throughout his career, Lopez seemed unable to hit Ortiz cleanly and was equally ineffective at cutting off the ring.  

“I stuck to the gameplan,” said a dejected Ortiz moments after the decision.  “He couldn’t hit me.  I was making him miss all night.  I was keeping him at bay with the jab, I was countering with the check hook. He wasn’t landing any shots on me.”  

Team Ortiz devised a plan based on Lopez being ineffective in the role of aggressor.  The game plan paid dividends immediately, as Teofimo often found himself punching air and being made to pay with counter right hooks.  

“Like I said the whole week, he gets frustrated,” said Ortiz of his opponent’s temperament. “He can’t control himself. I know how to control myself and I knew he couldn’t. That was the game plan: get him frustrated and make him lose control.  He was throwing wild, I was making him miss, it was part of the game plan and it worked.”

That’s not to say that Ortiz fought off the back foot all night.  There were several instances throughout the contest when Lopez waved Ortiz in and Jamaine obliged, tagging up the Brooklyn native with rapid fire combinations.  

After 12 rounds, the only real damage that ‘The Technician’ suffered, other than the widely booed decision, was a cut on his left eye from a headbutt in round 7.  

“I believe I won the fight,” said Ortiz to a group of reporters afterwards. “I got him out of his gameplan.  He was frustrated and I was in control.  He was missing wildly, and I was countering him.  What can I say?  It’s politics as usual.” 

Several high-profile boxers agreed, taking to social media in the early hours of Friday morning to voice their opinions.

“People gotta understand the game is called ‘BOXING’ and not ‘FIGHTING’,” wrote undisputed welterweight champion Terrence Crawford.  “Hit and not get hit.  But I guess y’all don’t know what that means, because when y’all see a fighter boxing the first thing y’all say is he’s running.”

“Beautiful boxing by Ortiz,” echoed former 2-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter.  “Doing exactly what he needs to do.  It’s like a video game.  If you can’t stop my play why the hell would I pick a different play?”  

Undefeated junior welterweight contender Arnold Barboza Jr. summed it up best: “Ortiz boxed well. Congratulations.  Hopefully they don’t rob you”.  

“I came up on the short end of the stick once again,” lamented Ortiz.  “Obviously we’ll go back to the drawing board, make some adjustments, and come back for another title shot.  The fans know what happened. The media knows, my team knows.  The whole world probably saw it my way, but the decision is already made. Boxrec and history will say that he won, but hopefully we get a rematch and I’ll make it more of a clear decision next time around.”

Jamaine Ortiz may not be coming home with the official win, but the fans, his peers and the world saw the Worcester native put on a boxing clinic as he showed up ‘The Showman’ in his own backyard.  

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

The bout served as the main event of “Winter Brawl 2024,” a 10-fight card that featured 3 WBC title fights, 7 supporting bouts and the ‘Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational’ amateur showcase. The card was broadcast live on Swerve Combat TV. 

Going into the bout, Booker was irked as Vendetti questioned whether Chordale had the grit and gas tank to win a war of attrition.  Booker swore that he would make a believer of ‘The Villain’ through the course of their 10-round contest, and he delivered on that promise.

Vendetti, a 33-year-old former world title challenger, was eager to pick up the WBC US Super Welterweight title that Booker won at Mohegan Sun Arena last April.  The title could only be won by ‘The Villain’ when Booker missed the super welterweight limit by one pound the day before.  

The volume punching Vendetti began the fight as usual, pressing Booker behind a frenetic pace.  For his part, Booker circled the ring attempting to counter ‘The Villain’ while staying off the ropes.  

Vendetti came in behind a low stance in round 2, and Booker took advantage of that with left uppercuts and right hooks to the head.  A left hand in round 3 opened a cut over Vendetti’s right eye.  The Wakefield resident briefly switched stances in round 4, looking to smother ‘The Gift’ and rough him up on the inside.  Booker looked for spots to counter in round 5, and the pugilists took turns teeing off on one another as the bell rang. 

The Stamford native began to take control of the bout towards the end of round 7, pot shotting the stocky Vendetti.  True to his word, Booker seemed to be in full control of the pace of the fight by round 8, circling the ring, countering well and blocking most of Vendetti’s offense.  Booker dug to Vendetti’s body in round 9, causing ‘The Villain’ to double over in pain.  Chordale went in for the finish, launching a series of uppercuts to the head and lefts to the body.  The valiant Vendetti withstood the assault, soaking up the punishment and even pressing forward in round 10 as the fighters traded shots until the final bell.  Booker may have left the Mohegan Sun Arena without his coveted title, but he nevertheless proved to Vendetti and his hometown fans that he can not only survive under pressure, but win a war of attrition convincingly. 

Ricky de los Santos (12-1, 3 KOs) scored the biggest victory of his 13-fight career in the co-feature, outworking New England rival Nathan Martinez (8-3, 2 KOs) to win the vacant WBC US Silver Super Featherweight championship.  The fight looked to be a 50/50 match up on paper, and the first round went according to script, with Ricky enjoying a reach advantage and Nathan countering well.  De los Santos began establishing his jab in round 2, and the Providence resident took over the contest in round 3 with his jab and occasional left hooks.  The 34-year-old added solid right hands in round 4, with Martinez trying his best to time and counter Ricky as the round came to an end.  De los Santos began breaking Martinez down in round 5, as the New Britain native went down from a questionable low blow and went as far as turning his back to de los Santos in round 6 citing a headbutt.  With his 4 daughters and his wife cheering him on ringside, de los Santos poured on the assault in round 7, outworking Martinez to claim the win.  After 8 rounds, the score cards read 79-73 and 78-74 (2x).  2024 is off to a great start for the 34-year-old, as his son was born in mid-January and he won the WBC title less than a month later.       

Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (16-0, 14 KOs) also picked up the first title of his professional career, winning a shut out 8-round decision over fellow southpaw Dormedes Potes (14-6-1, 10 KOs) for the vacant WBC US Silver Middleweight title.  The colorful Hogan established a body attack in round one before launching a straight left to the head that dropped his Colombian opponent.  The Boston native returned to the body assault in round 3 and dominated the middle rounds behind a stiff jab, effective feints and a balanced attack to the head and body.  A left to the body dropped Potes for a second time in round 7, but the tough Colombian beat the count and launched an uppercut that temporarily halted Hogan’s progress.  After the ringside doctor checked on Potes between rounds, the Colombian fighter came alive, launching his own body attack.  It was short lived, however, as ‘Frank the Tank’ reestablished control, landing long left hands as the bout came to a close.  Scores were 80-70 (3x) for the new champion.  

Lightweight prospect Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino (16-0, 13 KOs) was extended the distance for the first time in 5 bouts, pounding out an 8-round unanimous decision over tough Texan D’Angelo Keyes (17-4, 11 KOs).  Paulino was sharper throughout the contest, landing hard left hooks and right hands.  ‘El Abusador’ dropped Keyes twice in round 3, first with a right to the head and later with a follow up flurry to the head and body.  Keyes bravely beat the count just as the round came to an end.  The doctor checked in on Keyes between rounds, and the game Texan was allowed to come out for more of the same in rounds 4 and 5.  Keyes enjoyed his best round in the 6th, landing flush right hands to Paulino’s head.  The shots had the 25-year-old in an unfamiliar position, as he was forced to back up for the first time in the fight.  In response, Paulino wisely chose to box in round 7.  A right hand bloodied Paulino’s nose in round 8, but the Dominican-born New Londoner had built up enough of a lead to win the bout comfortably.  Scores were 79-71 (3x) for the undefeated Paulino, who improved to 16-0 (13 KOs) while Keyes fell to 17-4 (11 KOs).         

In a compelling flyweight battle, Hartford’s Angel “Set it Off” Gonzalez outworked and outlasted a tough Christian Robles over 8 scintillating rounds.  The fighters engaged in a war of attrition from the opening bell, with Robles focusing on a body attack and Gonzalez responding to the head.    Gonzalez tipped the scales in his favor in round 6, when a big right hand to the top of the head dropped Robles for an 8-count.  The Wild Card fighter made it to his feet and composed himself, only to be staggered again moments later.  Gonzalez hurt Robles once more with a flurry in round 7, but the Californian was able to weather the storm.  The fighters ended the fight as they started, trading hard shots back and forth until the final bell.  Scores were 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74 for Gonzalez, who improved to 13-0 (7 KOs), while Robles dropped to 8-2 (3 KOs).   

“King” Kevin Walsh (11-0, 5 KOs) wasted little time clinching his 11th win, dropping Puerto Rico’s Darrell Rivera (9-3-1, 7 KOs) with a tremendous counter right hand moments into their 6 round lightweight bout for a first-round stoppage.  Referee Ricky Gonzalez immediately waved off the contest as Rivera suffered his second consecutive knockout.  

Port Chester, NY’s Carlos “All In” Vanegas Nunez (7-1, 6 KOs) made a triumphant return to the win column, blitzing Jaden Webb (2-2, 2 KOs) with a ferocious body assault that dropped the Beebe, AR native early in round one.  The follow-up attack continued as soon as Webb beat the count, causing referee Arthur Mercante Jr. to mercifully halt the bout at 2:00 of the opening stanza.

Up and coming Polish prospect Slawomir Bohdziewicz improved to a perfect 3-0 (3 KOs), knocking out Boston’s Bruno Saraiva (0-2) at 1:35 of round 2.  Bohdziewicz came out swinging from the opening seconds of the bout, landing sharp left jabs and clubbing right hands to the roar of the Polish contingent.  The Stamford resident continued the assault in round 2, backing Saraiva to a corner with a one-two combination.  Saraiva fought his way out, but a follow up left to the body dropped him to his knees and he was unable to beat Referee David Fields’ 10-count.  

In the opening bout of the evening, James Maner (5-0, 2 KOs) used his reach and speed advantages to outbox Miguel Torres (2-1, 2 KOs) over 4 rounds in a middleweight bout.  Maner bled from his mouth from a head clash in round 2, but the 29-year-old remained composed under fire, staggering Torres with a counter right hook as the Dorchester native came forward.  Maner lost a point later in the round when he hit Torres after referee Arthur Mercante Jr. told the fighters to break.  Maner closed the fight strong, landing at will during the fourth and final round as his opponent followed him around the ring.  Scores were 39-36 3x for the Providence native.  

For more information about CES and its events, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENAMohegan Sun Arena, one of the busiest sports and entertainment venues in the world today, was awarded the 2024 Newsweek Readers’ Choice award for “Best Casino with Live Entertainment in America“. In 2021, the 10,000-seat Arena also received its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its size in the world from Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena is consistently recognized among the top five venues in the United States, and also in 2021 was named “Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency during the pandemic.  In recent years, the “Most Beloved Venue in America” has also been named the “World’s Best Casino Venue,” by Best of Hartford Magazine, and is a seven-time national award winner for “Arena of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music Awards and G2E Las Vegas. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

“Teofimo Lopez is among the best fighters in the world and always wants to fight the best available opponent,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Jamaine Ortiz is a supreme talent who fits the bill.”

The bout is being promoted as “The Showman Returns,” and is set to take place on Thursday, February 8, live on ESPN during Super Bowl week at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.

“We are over the moon to be able to provide this opportunity to Jamaine,” said CES Boxing founder Jimmy Burchfield, Sr.  “Jamaine has the talent, skills, and determination to beat a formidable champion in Teofimo Lopez.  Jamaine has been waiting a long time for this, and I know that he will leave that ring a champion.”

“I’m excited to fight for the world title for the first time,” stated Ortiz. “It’s been a long time coming and I’m ready to bring the world title back to Massachusetts.”

The fight will be Lopez’s first defense of the titles he won at Madison Square Garden’s Theater in June of last year.

“February 8 at Mandalay Bay, ‘The Takeover’ will entertain inside that squared circle as only I can,” boasted Lopez. “Jamaine is tough.  I would know, because I faced him back in the amateur days.  I look to not only dominate and break down Jamaine Ortiz, but to do it in such a fashion that my division will be put on alert.  I’ll show the world that champions don’t flinch when faced with challenges.  They rise and shine the brightest when the stakes are highest.”

Indeed, the protagonists are familiar with one another and have much in common.  Each are Latin American fighters from the East Coast who fought as amateurs in 2015 with the National Golden Gloves title on the line.  Lopez won that fight via decision before they each launched their pro careers in the lightweight division. 

Not only have they fought one another, but they have also both shared the ring with the legendary Vasyl Lomachenko.  While Lopez won a 12-round decision over “The Matrix” in October 2020 to pick up the IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight titles, Ortiz lost a close 12-round decision to Lomachenko two years later in a fight that the Ukrainian admitted was one of his toughest to date.

Since then, each fighter made their way to the junior welterweight division.  Lopez is 3-0 at the weight, his biggest win coming last June in an outstanding 12-round decision over Josh Taylor for the WBO and Ring junior welterweight titles.  Ortiz moved up to the 140-lb division 3 months later, winning a 10-round decision over tough Mexican veteran Antonio Moran.

This set the stage for a showdown between two of the top junior welterweights in the world.

“This is what boxing at its best is all about,” exclaimed Burchfield, Sr.  “Two young fighters in their prime representing their heritage and their hometowns.  It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Ortiz, a Worcester, MA native of Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage, is a technically gifted boxer with impressive wins over former world champion Jamel Herring, prospect Nahir Albright for the NABF title and the battle-tested contender Moran.  

In Lopez, he’ll be challenging a two-division champion who, at 26, already boasts victories over three world champions in Richard Commey, Lomachenko and Taylor.

The Brooklyn-bred fighter of Honduran descent, who lost his lightweight titles to George Kambosos, Jr. in November 2021, erased any doubts about his commitment to the sport with the dominant win over Taylor at the Madison Square Garden Theater last year.

“This one is for all my people on the Takeover Express,” said Lopez.  “Let’s show the world once again what real boxing looks like.”

A Teofimo in top form is exactly what Ortiz is hoping for to show the world what he is capable of.

“This is the most important fight of my career,” admitted The Technician. “I believe this fight will bring out the very best in me, and I’m looking forward to coming home as the new champion.”

On February 8th, the world is in for quite a show.

The Main Event features the return of Chordale “The Gift” Booker (21-1, 10 KOs) as he makes the second defense of his WBC Silver Super Welterweight title against former world title challenger Greg “The Villain” Vendetti (23-5-1, 12 KOs).

Stamford, CT’s Booker was a perfect 4-0 with 3 knockouts in 2023 and has a World Title in his sights.  In his way is Wakefield, MA’s Vendetti, a National Guardsman who gave WBA Super Welterweight champion Erislandy Lara all he could handle in a 12-round decision loss in 2020.

In the co-feature, undefeated southpaw Francis “Frank the Tank” Hogan (15-0, 14 KOs) battles Paul “El Gallo Negro” Mendez (21-5-2, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBC USA Silver Middleweight title.

Hogan’s legion of fans will be making the trek from Weymouth, MA to see the 23-year-old puncher compete for his first major title against his most experienced opponent yet.

The third title fight of the night features Ricky de los Santos (11-1, 3 KOs) against Nathan Martinez (8-2, 2 KOs) in an 8-round bout for the vacant WBC US Silver Featherweight title.

de los Santos, of Providence, RI, is 1-0 since suffering an upset loss to 27-fight veteran Yeison Vargas in March 2022.  New Britain, CT’s, Martinez is looking to secure the biggest win of his young career.

Many of New England’s best fighters will also be featured on the stacked card. Undefeated super featherweight prospects collide when New London, CT’s Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino (15-0, 13 KOs) meets Ghana’s Holy “Jaw Breaker” Dorgbetor (10-0, 6 KOs) in what is sure to be a barn burner.

In addition, Hartford, CT native Angel “Set It Off” Gonzalez (12-0, 7 KOs) continues his rise in the stacked flyweight division when he faces Christian Robles (8-1, 3 KOs) in an 8-round bout, and Brockton, MA’s Kevin Walsh (10-0, 4 KOs) battles Puerto Rican puncher Darrell Rivera (9-2-1, 7 KOs) in a 6-round lightweight contest.

Undefeated prospects Slawomir Bohdzieweicz (2-0, 2 KOs), James Maner (4-0, 2 KOs) and Jeff Gonzalez (4-0, 2 KOs) will also be in action as they work towards contender status.  As if that weren’t enough, fans will be treated to many of the very best amateur boxers in the country with the return of the popular ‘Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Invitational,’ an amateur showcase that will take place at 5pm EST prior to the professional card and is included as part of the ticket price.

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATIONCES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

A fight against Stevenson was almost a reality for Ortiz just a few months ago, when fellow lightweight contender Frank Martin pulled out of a fight against Shakur after first accepting it.  The move opened the possibility for Jamaine to finally fight for a world title.  

“We were very close to making a fight against Shakur happen,” explains Ortiz. “Shakur’s team were going down the rankings of the WBC, and everyone was turning the fight down.  I would’ve taken it, but de los Santos was one spot ahead of me in the rankings and he accepted the fight.”  

With de los Santos taking the fight, Ortiz went back to the drawing board.  But rather than sit back and wait for another opportunity to materialize, Jamaine decided to take matters into his own hands.

“I’m no longer waiting,” emphasizes Ortiz.  “I’m out here initiating my next move.  I’m calling these guys out.  I’m tired of waiting.”

Ortiz’s last fight was a 10-round unanimous decision win in September against battle tested Mexican contender Antonio Moran.  The bout took place at a catchweight of 138 pounds, leading many to speculate that the Worcester native’s days as a lightweight were over.  

While Ortiz admits that he is considering a move to 140, he insists that there are still a few big fights that would motivate him back to the lightweight division.

“My last fight was at 138 so that I could see how I felt at the higher weight,” says Ortiz.  “If there’s a chance that I can face Shakur or Tank Davis, I’ll do it at 135.  If not, I’m looking to go to 140 and would like to fight Teofimo Lopez.”  

In addition to Stevenson and Davis at lightweight and Lopez at junior welterweight, The Technician is eyeing the winner of the WBC junior welterweight title bout on December 9th between champion Regis Prograis and former undisputed lightweight king Devin Haney.

“I would 100% be interested in the winner of Prograis vs. Haney, but if Haney wins, I know Devin doesn’t want to fight me,” laments Ortiz.  “Every time I’m in Las Vegas, I go to the Top Rank gym, and every time I mention it to his people, they tell me that it’s not going to happen.  He won’t take the fight.”  

Haney aside, there are many options available for Ortiz in the future.  In the meantime, he will watch tonight’s fight intently and see how things shake out. 

“I’m out here with team de los Santos.  My uncle is working the corner, so I’m here to support my fellow Dominican,” says Ortiz. “I think de los Santos’ chances are very good.  I think that he can live up to the moment and surprise Shakur.”

If that doesn’t happen, however, Ortiz will be ringside, willing and able to challenge Stevenson.

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional company based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional MMA event in 2010. In 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista.

CES MMA has gained the reputation as being the gateway to the UFC developing the careers of UFC contenders Calvin Kattar, Rob Font, Charles Rosa, William Knight, Mike Rodriguez, Tony Gravely, Andre Soukhamthath and others.About Foxwoods Resort CasinoFoxwoods Resort Casino offers guests a premier destination resort experience throughout its six world-class casinos, AAA Four-Diamond hotels featuring over 2,200 rooms, dining options for all tastes, luxurious spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, Tanger Outlet Mall and conference space for groups of all sizes. There is always something new at Foxwoods, including the recently announced landmark deal with Great Wolf Lodge, opening in 2024, our new 80,000 sq ft expo center opening in November 2022 and a new High Stakes Bingo Hall which opened July 2022, giving guests more reasons to stay than ever. When it comes to sports betting and gaming, Foxwoods has partnerships with fan-favorite betting and entertainment platforms, including DraftKings and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s recently formed Wondr Nation. For a detailed look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.