NEW BEDFORD, MA – The heat is rising in New England as CES Boxing returns to Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday, July 19 with ‘Summer Heat 2025’, a sizzling pro-am showcase headlined by a can’t miss regional showdown between two of Massachusetts’ best.
WBC US Silver Super Lightweight Champion Wilson “Ill Will” Mascarenhas (11-1, 5 KOs) of New Bedford puts his title on the line against undefeated challenger Nicolas Tejada (11-0-1, 8 KOs) of Haverhillin a high stakes clash of power against precision.
The 8-round main event, presented by CES Boxing in association with Boston Boxing Promotions, pits two of New England’s most promising junior welterweights against one another early in their careers.
Tickets for ‘Summer Heat 2025’ at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on July 19 are available for purchase at cesfights.com, Ticketmaster and the Mohegan Sun Box Office.
“He’s a tough opponent, but nothing that I haven’t seen before,” says Mascarenhas. “I feel like this will be another good challenge for me, but I’m definitely ready for it.”
Since his return to boxing in 2021 following a horrific attack, the charismatic Mascarenhas has been on a tear, winning 8 consecutive bouts, 3 by knockout. The Portugal native with Cape Verdean roots captured the WBC US Silver title in impressive fashion last year, stopping tough Ghanian Patrick Okine in 6 one sided rounds.
On Saturday, Wilson faces arguably his toughest test in Tejada, a heavy-handed technician riding an undefeated streak and hungry to win his first major title.
While Mascarenhas acknowledges Tejada’s unbeaten record, ‘Ill Will’ believes that his mentality will make the difference on fight night.
“I’ve overcome adversity many times in my career,” explains Mascarenhas. “I lost my first pro bout and I had to come back from a major injury. He’s a fighter who has never lost before, who feels like he’s on top of the world. I’m going to show him that I want this more. I’m coming with everything, and I have the grit and determination to dig deeper if I have to.”
When considering whether the bout will be a classic matchup of boxer vs. puncher, Wilson is unfazed by the notion that Tejada is the bigger puncher, envisioning several ways in which he can secure the win.
“Sometimes the number of knockouts doesn’t really mean much,” says Mascarenhas of Tejada’s 8 knockouts in 11 wins. “I’m going to go in there and focus on my gameplan. I have the endurance to go all 8 rounds or I can stand and fight. I’ve got different tools I can use on fight night.”
The depth of his skillset and quality of opposition is what Mascarenhas believes will separate the two fighters on Saturday.
“I’ve worked too hard to give this up now,” said Mascarenhas. “At the end of the day, our records may look the same, but there’s levels to this. He hasn’t been in deep waters like I have. On July 19, he’s going to find out that we’re not on the same level, and that undefeated record will come crashing down to Earth.”
CES Boxing President and Founder Jimmy Burchfield Sr., who has promoted several champions and unforgettable fights for over three decades, sees this main event as something special.
“This is what boxing is all about—two proud warriors from the same region putting it all on the line,” said Burchfield. “Wilson Mascarenhas is a champion in every sense of the word, but Nicolas Tejada is dangerous, motivated, and undefeated. The fans are in for a war.”
Indeed, this matchup is more than just a title bout—it’s about proving who’s the best super lightweight in New England. And only one man can leave the ring with his hand raised.
For more information about CES SUMMER HEAT 2025 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”.
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.
