MASHANTUCKET, CT – Irvin Gonzalez (16-4, 12 KOs) challenges “King” Kevin Walsh (13-0, 6 KOs) for the New England Super Featherweight Championship on Saturday, September 7 at Foxwoods Resort Casino, the premier resort casino in the Northeast.

The bout is CES Boxing’s co-main event on a stacked ‘Live Championship Boxing’ card featuring 2 championship bouts and several of the best contenders and prospects in New England. The entire card will be televised live on Swerve Combat TV.

Tickets for Live Championship Boxing are available at CESFights.com and Ticketmaster. Doors open at 6pm, with the first bout at 7pm. Get your tickets now as they are quickly selling out!

For Gonzalez, a Worcester, MA native of Puerto Rican descent, an impressive win over Walsh signals his claim as “king” of the super featherweights in New England.

“It puts me back in the spot where I should have been years ago, fighting for titles that actually mean something,” says the 28-year-old when considering what a victory would do for his career. “It will show that I’m still the best 126/130 pounder coming out of New England.”

Like Walsh, Gonzalez was once an undefeated prospect on the way to world title contention. Turning pro in 2016 after an extensive amateur career, Irvin quickly won his first 12 bouts, 9 of them by stoppage. Then came 2019, a challenging year that saw Gonzalez lose 2 fights in a row, the first by knockout.

“My performances that year had a lot to do with issues outside the ring,” confesses Gonzalez. “I was just young and dumb, going through a lot of things. I wasn’t there mentally, and I was trying to push through it, and I just couldn’t.”

Following those losses to Elijah Pierce and Toka Kahn Clary, Gonzalez regrouped to win his next 2 bouts, picking up the WBC Youth World title in the process. Then came a razor thin decision loss in 2020 to world title challenger Edward Vasquez at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“If you go back and rewatch that fight, they robbed me,” says a vehement Gonzalez about the encounter. “I beat him hands down, and in the first round of that fight, I had him hurt. He was on shaky legs, and I took my foot off the pedal.”

Gonzalez fought 3 more times following that frustrating defeat, going 2-1. His last bout was a first-round blowout of Rodolfo Montoya in November 2023.

However, while Gonzalez has not had a full bout in 9 months, he has been in the ring. The Worcester native joined the Boston Butchers in May of this year and fought 8 times for them, helping the Butchers enter the Team Combat League playoffs in July.

“It was a great experience,” says Gonzalez of his time with the Butchers. “It was a different atmosphere, a different game because you only have one round to score a point for your team, so you had to have a different mentality going into that ring.”

The experience rekindled Gonzalez’s love for the sport as he forged strong relationships with many of fighters on the team.

“I love the overall energy of the league,” explains Gonzalez. “It brought me back to the amateur days when we were all going to national tournaments together. We built bonds that we never had before.”

Those bonds led Gonzalez to join teammates Alejandro Paulino and Elijah Peixoto at the Big 6 Gym in Providence, RI, where Dr. Roland Estrada is preparing the 3 pugilists for separate bouts on September 7.

“Training has been going great,” says Gonzalez. “This will be my first fight at 130 but after this fight I’m going back down to 126. I don’t want to fight at 130. I’m making an exception for this fight because Kevin walks around like he’s the best 130-135 pounder in New England and that’s just not the case. We’ll find out September 7 who’s the best at 130, but from 126 to 130, I think I got it down. At 135, you’ve got Alejandro Paulino. Kevin thinks he’s the best in New England, so I’m just here to prove that he’s not.”

While many consider this fight to be a 50/50 matchup, Irvin believes that Walsh’s record is a mirage. Gonzalez doesn’t hold back when offering his opinion on Walsh’s previous opponents. He believes Walsh has yet to face a fighter of his caliber, and this fight will be a wake-up call for the Brockton native.

“I’ve seen him fight a few times,” says Gonzalez when assessing Walsh. “He does have skills, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think he’s anywhere near my level, especially when I’m on my A game. When I’m not on my A game, yeah, he might be, but when I’m on my A game, he ain’t got nothing for me, especially if you look at the opponents he’s fought. In the professionals, he hasn’t fought a soul. On paper, yes, Kevin Walsh might be 13-0, but he’s fought all cab drivers. He’s fighting a real fighter this time. I’ve been in there with Elijah Pierce, Toka Kahn, Edward Vazquez. Toka Kahn alone blows all his opponents out of the water.”

Analyzing this fight, Gonzalez has the edge in youth and experience, while Walsh appears to be the naturally bigger man. The question is which of them has the superior skillset and what factor will speed and power play in the fight.

“I give him all the respect in the world, but I’ve had over 130 amateur fights and I’ve been in the game since I was 8 years old, so it’s very different,” insists Gonzalez of the experience gap. “I fight at 126 and when I got offered this fight, I said I’ll come up to 130 to fight him because I don’t think we’re on the same level. It might appear like we are on paper, but skill wise and experience wise I don’t think we’re on the same level whatsoever, but I guess we’ll just have to find out September 7th.”

On September 7, we will all find out who is the king of the super featherweights in New England.

For more information on Live Championship Boxing 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 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 that gives guests more reasons to stay, including the opening of dining properties like Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen, Wahlburgers and Grace by Nia; celebrity pastry chef Zac Young’s storefront, Sprinkletown Donuts & Ice Cream; and a landmark deal with Great Wolf Lodge, opening in 2025. 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.

MASHANTUCKET, CT – On September 7th, CES Boxing returns to Foxwoods Resort Casino with “Live Championship Boxing,” a blockbuster card featuring 2 championship bouts and several of the best contenders and prospects in New England in competitive matchups that will be broadcast live on Swerve.TV.

A can’t-miss regional turf war will erupt when “King” Kevin Walsh (13-0, 6 KOs) of Brockton, MA, defends his New England Super Featherweight title against top contender Irvin Gonzalez (16-4, 12 KOs) of Worcester, MA, in the scorching co-main event. 

Tickets for ‘Live Championship Boxing’ are available at CESFights.com and Ticketmaster.  Doors open at 6pm, with the first bout at 7pm.  Get your tickets now as they are sure to sell out!  

While Kevin Walsh loved to fight as a kid, the Brockton native never imagined becoming a pro boxer, let alone a champion, when he was in and out of jail just 10 years ago.

“I grew up in Brockton, MA, looking up to the wrong people,” explains Walsh.  “I was always fighting in the streets, fighting in school, stuff like that. I got into trouble, got incarcerated and went to jail.  I did a year in DYS [Department of Youth Services] and when I got out, I got into some more trouble and I did a couple months here, a couple months there.”

The street life was leading the Brockton native to a future of spending a large portion of his adulthood behind bars. 

“I lost my father when I was 17, and he was my best friend” reflects Walsh.  “I had no guidance.  I went to jail again and I said to myself, ‘what should I do to get out of this mess? What can I do?’ And I thought to myself, ‘what would my father want me to do?’ When I was a kid, my father always told me that I was going to be something great one day. He would definitely want me to become a boxer. He always loved the fight world and the fight life, so I thought: you know what, stop fighting and start boxing.” 

Walsh was 22 when he got out of jail and decided to change his life.  With a court case looming, Kevin opted to find refuge in a gym instead of the streets that he had known so well. 

“Right after I got out of jail, I went to a couple of great local MMA professional fighters from my city, Steven Dunn and Lionel Young,” recalls Walsh.  “They took me under their wing and showed me the fight world. At first, I thought I would try MMA, so I started training with those guys.  Eventually, I got a call for a boxing match. Steve Dunn said, ‘alright, you’re gonna box, so we’re gonna hook you up with Mike Cappiello.'”

While Walsh was used to fighting in the streets, he had never actually boxed before and didn’t know what to expect when he entered the Cappiello Boxing Gym in Brockton, MA. 

“I was still just a street fighter,” elaborates Walsh.  “I went to Mike’s boxing gym for a month before my fight and ended up knocking the dude out in the first round. I fell in love with it. I just clicked with Mike right away and he said, ‘you know, I think you should stick with boxing,’ and I said yeah, let’s do it.”

Cappiello, a former pro boxer who is related to Brockton legend Rocky Marciano, became Kevin’s trainer as Walsh launched his amateur career.  However, Kevin still had to deal with a looming court case and a judge who could derail his career before it really took off.

“I was literally fighting for my life,” explains Walsh.  “The judge saw me making a name for myself in the amateurs and changing my life, and he decided to give me another chance.  He gave me 3 years’ probation instead of 3 years upstate, and I took full advantage of that.”
    
The 31-year-old has never looked back.  Instead of spending 3 years in prison, Kevin spent 5 years as an amateur under Cappiello’s tutelage before turning pro in 2021. 

Walsh is now a perfect 13-0 with 6 knockouts and beginning to emerge as a prospect to watch.  “King” Kevin also has some hardware to go with the notoriety: in January 2023, Walsh won the New England Super Featherweight title, defending it once before moving up to lightweight in pursuit of a second New England title, which he won in March of this year against veteran Matt Doherty.

“It felt good to win those titles,” says Walsh.  “I just gotta stay humble and keep working. They’re local titles, but I’m aiming for something much bigger than that.  I’m aiming for a world title and more.”

While Kevin has passed every test CES Boxing has given him thus far, he faces his stiffest one on September 7th when he drops back down to Super Featherweight to defend his title against the 16-4 Irvin Gonzalez. 

In Gonzalez, Walsh is facing a younger, taller fighter who turned pro 5 years before Kevin and has shared the ring with the likes of Toka Kahn Clary, Elijah Pierce, and world title challenger Edward Vasquez. 

“I feel like it’s time for me to take on a good opponent like Irvin Gonzalez,” says Walsh of the 28-year-old Worcester native, who is moving up from featherweight for the title shot. “He’s fought on 1 or 2 of my cards, so I’ve seen him fight before. I think he’s a good fighter, but I honestly just feel like I’m a stronger fighter, a faster fighter and I’m just more talented. He’s got experience and he’s been doing it longer than me, but it really doesn’t matter. I just feel like I’m overall the better fighter.”

While Walsh shows a healthy respect for Gonzalez, he shakes his head at the notion that this is a 50/50 fight.

“I’m not trying to take too much away from Irvin, because he’s a great fighter,” explains Walsh. “He comes forward and tries to walk his opponents down, but I just feel like he’s underestimating me.  I feel like he’s sleeping on me, and I feel like I’m just too fast and too strong of a fighter for him.”

Walsh reasons that if Kahn Clary, Pierce and Edwards were able to beat Gonzalez, he has the skills to do the same.

“I don’t really like to compare myself,” says Walsh. “I think all those guys are great fighters, but I feel like I’m right there with all of them if not better, so I should be able to take care of Irvin Gonzalez just like them if not faster.”

And with that, a declaration of war has been made between 2 of the top fighters in Massachusetts, each vying to pass the other to enter the world stage.

“He was talking a little bit of smack on social media, and he called me out, so you know I had to answer that real quick,” concludes Walsh.  “I got the hardware and the city behind me.  I’m feeling good and confident. September 7th is gonna be fireworks and I’m looking forward to the challenge.  Irving Gonzalez is going down!”

For more information on Live Championship Boxing 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 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.

Legends Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. fought to a draw in their exhibition bout at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Tyson looked to land power shots while Jones fought mostly on the outside. There was a lot of clinching, and neither man was ever in serious danger throughout the fight which consisted of eight-two minute rounds.

Tyson landed 67 of 193 punches. Jones was 37 of 236.

Jake Paul destroys Nate Robinson in 2

Youtube star Jake Paul destroyed former NBA Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson in round two of their scheduled six-round cruiderweight fight.

Paul drilled Robinson with a booming right that sent him hard to the canvas. Seconds later, Paul landed a perfect combination that sent Robinson out cold and the fight was stopped.

Paul, 189 lbs is 2-0 with two knockouts. Robinson is 0-1.

Jack decisions McKernan

Former world champion Badou Jack pounded away and won an eight-round unanimous decision over Blake McKernan in a cruiserweight bout.

Jack landed 203 of 520 punches; McKernan was 92 of 471.

Jack, 188 3/4 lbs won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 23-3-2. McKernan, 186 3/4 lbs is 13-1.

Ortiz Stops Segawa in 7

Jamaine Ortiz remained undefeated by stopping Sulaiman Segawa in round seven of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

Ortiz dropped Segawa with a body shot. Segawa tried to fight on but the e fight was stopped at 2:50.

Ortiz, 133 1/2 lbs is now 14-0 with eight knockouts. Segawa, 131 3/4 lbs is 13-3-1.

Edward Vazquez remained undefeated with an eight-round split decision over Irvin Gonzalez in a featherweight bout.

Vazquez, 125 1/4 lbs won two cards 77-75. Gonzalez won a scorecard 77-75.

Vazquez is 9-0. Gonzalez is 14-3.

Los Angeles, CA (Nov. 27, 2020) – Three of CES Boxing’s rising stars are primed and ready to chase championship glory tomorrow night on one of the most highly-anticipated nights in the sport’s recent history.

With pound-for-pound legends Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. set to face one another Saturday at The Staples Center for the WBC Frontline Title, Worcester, MA natives Jamaine Ortiz, and Irvin Gonzalez Jr., and Italian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano each aim for titles of their own on the undercard of a star-studded pay-per-view extravaganza.

The festivities, presented by Triller and Tyson’s Legends Only League, begin at 5 pm ET with a free hour of live boxing before the start of the pay-per-view main card at 6. You can stream the entire event for $49.99 via FITE.tv or through the Triller app.

Gonzalez’s showdown with undefeated featherweight prospect Edward Vazquez of Fort Worth, TX, for the vacant WBC USNBC title will be featured in the free 5 o’clock hour while Ortiz’s highly-anticipated battle against Maryland’s Sulaiman Segawa for the USNBC Silver lightweight crown airs during the pay-per-view portion of the card beginning at 6. Also on Saturday, Cusumano fights for the vacant USNBC heavyweight title against hard-hitting Greg Corbin of Dallas.

Friday’s official weigh-in kicked off the pre-fight festivities, highlighted by the long-awaited faceoff between the 54-year-old Tyson and the 51-year-old Jones, two larger-than-life talents finally going toe-to-toe decades after dominating the sport during the rise of the pay-per-view era.

The Tyson-Jones bout is an eight-round exhibition for the newly-created Frontline title, leading an action-packed pay-per-view card that also features YouTube sensation and unbeaten pro Jake Paul facing former NBA star and three-time Slam Dunk Contest winner Nate Robinson and former two-time world champion Badou Jack battling unbeaten California native Blake McKernan in an 8-round bout.

Complete weigh-in results are listed below. Visit CESBoxing.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING.
WEIGH-IN RESULTS
Mike Tyson, 220.4Roy Jones Jr., 210
Jamaine Ortiz, 133.5Sulaiman Segawa, 131.8
Irvin Gonzalez, 124.4Edward Vazquez, 125.4
Juiseppe Cusumano, 224.5Greg Corbin, 291.8
Jake Paul, 189Nate Robinson, 181
Badou Jack, 188.9Blake McKernan, 186.8
INFORMATION
CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC Fight Pass, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience.

Mike Tyson’s Legends Only League is a sports league created and owned by Mike Tyson and Eros Innovations. The Legends Only League is a next-generation sports venture that provides full support and infrastructure to the world’s greatest athletes, bringing the best of the best back to the ring, onto the court, and back on the field. The league will span live sporting events including tennis, basketball, boxing, and more in addition to creating consumer products, live events, premium content, and full-service management for the greatest sports stars the globe has ever known.

Eros Innovations is a global venture creation group led by Sophie Watts that invests in and creates globally recognized businesses for celebrities across premium content, consumer products and live experiences.Owners of Eros Innovations include Eros Investments, a media and tech investment holding company whose affiliate companies include Eros Now, India’s leading OOT platform with 186 million registered users.

Triller is an entertainment platform built for creators. The app allows users to create music videos, skits, and lip-syncing videos containing background music. Launched in 2015 by co-founders David Leiberman and Sammy Rubin, Triller uses an AI-based video editing tool that automatically adds effects like overlays, fast or slow motion, and basic text to videos. Triller has more than 65 million active users and has been downloaded over 250 million times worldwide. It also boasts some big names among its users, like Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, DJ Khaled, Alicia Keys, and others. Triller is owned by Proxima Media, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group with other investors like Snoop Dog, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and The Weeknd.

WORCESTER, MA (Friday, February 28) – Four Worcester fighters. Four knockouts. Four successful homecomings.

In front of a packed house at The Palladium in downtown Worcester, CES Boxing kicked off its 2020 schedule with a wild showcase of talent live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, highlighted by four hometown fighters earning knockout victories.

Unbeaten lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (13-0, 7 KOs), the reigning WBC World Youth Lightweight Champion, stopped hard-hitting Mexican Luis Ronaldo Castillo (22-6) in the main event while stablemate Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (14-2) dazzled in the co-feature with a knockout win over Yeuri Andujar (5-3) to capture the vacant WBC World Youth Featherweight Title.

Gonzalez became just the fourth Youth champion in CES Boxing history, joining an exclusive list that includes Ortiz, Matt Remillard and former pound-for-pound king “Bad” Chad Dawson. He and Ortiz, both of whom competed together at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials before turning pro, are now the only American-born WBC Youth title-holders.

Fighting for the first time since August, Ortiz kept his perfect record intact and lived up to his nickname, “The Technician,” picking apart the taller Castillo before two knockdowns in the second round ended the fight at the 2:11 mark. Ortiz, who entered ranked No. 15 in the NABF, expressed his desire to fight for a world title before the end of next year.

Gonzalez added the famed WBC Youth title to his resume in a thrilling showdown with Andujar, a smaller 126-pounder who bumped up in weight for the opportunity to bring a championship back home to Reading, PA. Andujar came out firing, turning the match into a slugfest early on, but Gonzalez used his jab, grew more comfortable as the fight wore on, and sent his opponent crashing through the ropes with a straight left hand early in the sixth round that put the wheels in motion for a monster finish.

Gonzalez finished the fight with a second knockdown at the 43-second mark to secure his second consecutive victory. CES Boxing is now the only promotion with two WBC Youth title-holders on its roster.

Also on the televised main card, fellow Worcester native Kendrick Ball Jr. (14-1-2, 10 KOs) made quick work of 50-fight veteran Ulises Jimenez (24-26-1) of Mexico City, clubbing his opponent with an overhand right that ended the bout 51 seconds into the opening round. Undefeated super welterweights Jalen Renaud (5-0) of Springfield, MA, and San Diego’s Laured Stewart (3-1) kicked off the broadcast with a spirited four-round battle with Renaud earning the win by majority decision, 39-38, 39-37, 39-37.

On the preliminary card, Worcester cruiserweight Jake Paradise (3-2, 3 KOs) kicked off the hometown frenzy with a second-round knockout win over Rogerio Dionizio (0-2), scoring multiple knockdowns before referee Kevin Hope waived it off at the 41-second mark. New Haven, CT, flyweight Marisa Belenchia (2-0) opened the event with a split-decision win over the game Shawna Ormsby (1-0).

Visit CESBoxing.com, Twitter.com/CESBoxing or Facebook.com/CESBoxing for more information, and follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing promoted its first event in 1992 headlined by future Champion Sucra Ray Oliveira. Over the years, CES has earned the reputation as the Heart and Soul of boxing with a rich history that includes the development of former U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada, plus Vinny Paz and Rhode Island legends Gary Balletto and Peter Manfredo Jr., both of whom rose to fame on The Contender reality television series. Through the years, Jimmy Burchfield Sr has earned several noteworthy awards, among them the NABF Promoter of the Year, and 2011 inductee into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

WORCESTER, MA (Thursday, February 27) – Listed below are the weights for all of the participants in Friday night’s live championship boxing event at The Palladium in downtown Worcester, streaming live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

The event features four up-and-coming stars from the fighting city of Worcester, headlined by undefeated prospect and reigning WBC Youth World Lightweight Champion Jamaine Ortiz (12-0, 6 KOs), who puts his perfect record on the line against 21-year-old Mexican challenger Luis Ronaldo Castillo (22-5, 17 KOs) in the eight-round main event.

CES Boxing stablemate and fellow Worcester native Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (13-2, 10 KOs) stars in the eight-round co-main event against San Cristobal, Dominican Republic native and Reading, PA, resident Yeuri Andujar (5-2, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBC Youth World Featherweight Championship.

Tickets for the event are priced at $35, $45 and $85 (VIP) and are available online at CESBoxing.com or ShowClix.com, or by phone at 401-724-2253. Preliminary bouts begin at 7 p.m. ET with the main card streaming live on FIGHT PASS at 8. Subscriptions for FIGHT PASS are available online at UFCFightPass.com.

In addition to a dynamic fight card, former two-time world champion and Worcester Jose Antonio Rivera, who won 43 fights as a pro, two of which came in 2018 and 2019 following a seven-year layoff, will receive a ceremonial Key to the City from Mayor Joseph Petty. Partial proceeds from all sponsorships will be donated to the Worcester Boys & Girls Club and the March of Dimes.

Visit CESBoxing.com, Twitter.com/CESBoxing or Facebook.com/CESBoxing for more information, and follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.
JAMAINE ORTIZ
Worcester, MA
12-0, 6 KOs
135
LUIS RONALDO CASTILLO
Sonora, Mexico
22-5, 17 KOs
138

IRVIN GONZALEZ
Worcester, MA
13-2, 10 KOs
126

YEURI ANDUJAR
Reading, PA
5-2, 3 KOs
126

KENDRICK BALL JR.
Worcester, MA
13-1-2, 9 KOs
168

ULISES JIMENEZ
Mexico City, Mexico
24-24-1, 16 KOs
174
JALEN RENAUD
Springfield, MA
4-0, 1 KO
155

LAURED STEWART
San Diego, CA
3-0, 2 KOs
153

JAKE PARADISE
Worcester, MA
2-2, 2 KOs
200

ROGERIO DIONIZIO
Revere, MA
0-1
188

MARISA BELENCHIA
East Haven, CT
1-0
110

SHAWNA ORMSBY
Orlando, FL
Pro debut
112

INFORMATION

CES Boxing promoted its first event in 1992 headlined by future Champion Sucra Ray Oliveira. Over the years, CES has earned the reputation as the Heart and Soul of boxing with a rich history that includes the development of former U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada, plus Vinny Paz and Rhode Island legends Gary Balletto and Peter Manfredo Jr., both of whom rose to fame on The Contender reality television series. Through the years, Jimmy Burchfield Sr has earned several noteworthy awards, among them the NABF Promoter of the Year, and 2011 inductee into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV

Worcester, MA (February 25, 2020) – CES Boxing’s long-awaited return to Massachusetts is just 72 hours away as hometown heroes Jamaine Ortiz and Irvin Gonzalez Jr. attempt to make history at The Palladium in downtown Worcester.

The east coast’s No. 1 promotion launches its 2020 schedule on Friday, February 28 in the heart of the Bay State live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS. Ortiz, the reigning WBC World Youth Lightweight Champion, headlines in an eight-round bout against 21-year-old Mexican challenger Luis Ronaldo Castillo(22-5, 17 KOs) while Gonzalez (13-2, 10 KOs), also of Worcester, aims for his own title in the eight-round co-main event when he battles Reading, PA, vet Yeuri Andujar (5-2, 3 KOs) for the vacant WBC Youth World Featherweight Championship.

Tickets for the event are priced at $35, $45 and $85 (VIP) and are available online at CESBoxing.com or ShowClix.com, or by phone at 401-724-2253. Preliminary bouts begin at 7 p.m. ET with the main card streaming live on FIGHT PASS at 9. Subscriptions for FIGHT PASS are available online at UFCFightPass.com. CES Boxing matchmaker and publicist Michael Parente handles play-by-play alongside legendary color commentator “Sucra” Ray Oliveira.

In February of 2019, Ortiz became just the third WBC Youth champion in CES Boxing history, joining a short list that includes former pound-for-pound king Chad Dawson and featherweight title-challenger Matt Remillard. A victory Friday by Gonzalez would make him the fourth WBC Youth title-holder in promotional history and make CES Boxing the only active promotion in the world with two reigning WBC Youth World champions. Ortiz and Gonzalez would also reign as the only American-born youth title-holders among the 16 current champions.

In anticipation for Friday’s championship event, CES Boxing will host a final press conference Thursday at Lundgren Honda of Auburn. This event is open to the public.

Mashantucket, CT (December 4, 2019) — Fan-favorite Peter Manfredo Jr., “The Pride of Providence,” and rising featherweight prospect Irvin Gonzalez headline CES Boxing’s special matinee showcase Saturday afternoon at Foxwoods Resort Casino.2

The event streams live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS® beginning at 2 p.m. ET as Manfredo Jr. (41-7-1, 22 KOs) returns to the ring for the second time in two weeks to face hard-hitting Colombian veteran Milton Nunez (37-22, 32 KOs) in the 10-round main event.

Manfredo Jr., the star of Season 1 of the reality television series The Contender and former IBO world middleweight champion, ended a three-year layoff November 23 in Rhode Island with a first-round knockout win over Melvin Russell, his first victory since 2013.

Starring in the co-main event, Worcester, MA prospect Gonzalez (12-2, 9 KOs) returns to Foxwoods for the third time in 2019, this time in a six-round bout against Omar Ethridge (3-2-1, 3 KOs) of Greensboro, NC. Saturday’s fight is Gonzalez’s third appearance with CES Boxing and first since 2016.

Doors open at 11 a.m. ET for this special afternoon event beginning with a spectacular amateur card at noon followed by the main card at 2 live on UFC FIGHT PASS. Tickets start at $47 and are available online at www.cesboxing.com and www.foxwoods.com or by phone at 401-724-2253. The UFC FIGHT PASS stream features CES Boxing publicist and matchmaker Michael Parente handling play-by-play with “Sucra” Ray Oliveira providing color commentary. UFC FIGHT PASS subscriptions are available at www.ufcfightpass.com.

In anticipation for Saturday’s season finale, CES Boxing will host a final press conference and weigh-in Friday at the Fox Theater. This event is open to the public.

New York, NY (August 5, 2019) On Thursday, August 29, DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series will return to Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, with a loaded card headlined by Toka Kahn Clary taking on Irvin Gonzalez in a 10-round super featherweight contest. WBA women’s super middleweight world champion Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa will also defend her title in the co-feature. The event will be live streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Broadway Boxing is presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance.

Tickets for the Broadway Boxing event, presented by Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, Christos Steak House and Gagliardi Insurance, are priced at $125, $75 and $45, and can be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-200-2882, or visiting the Foxwoods box office. Foxwoods Resort Casino is located at 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket, Connecticut 06338. Doors will open to the Fox Theater at 6:30 p.m., with the first fight scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“Broadway Boxing returns to Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, on Thursday, August 29, with a loaded card streamed live on UFC Fight Pass,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “The main event will feature a terrific New England matchup of super featherweights Toka Kahn Clary and Irvin Gonzalez. The card will also illustrate DiBella Entertainment’s commitment to showcasing women’s boxing, with world champion Alicia Napoleon-Espinosa defending her title in the co-feature and top female contenders Kali Reis and Helen Joseph competing as well. The undercard will have a great mix of contenders and prospects, including unbeaten heavyweight Stephan Shaw, Hershey Normatov continuing his rise in the junior middleweight division and amateur star Fazliddin Meliboev, from Uzbekistan, making his pro debut.”

New England super featherweights Toka “T Nice” Kahn Clary (26-2, 18 KOs), of Providence, RI, and Irvin Gonzalez (12-1, 9 KOs), of Worcester, MA, will clash in the 10-round main event. Victorious in seven of his last eight starts, the 27-year-old Clary, a native of Liberia, returns following a fifth-round knockout of Carlos Manuel Reyes on May 17, also at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Prior to the Reyes stoppage, Clary lost a hotly contested 12-round unanimous decision to world ranked and undefeated contender Kid Galahad on October 20, 2018, in Boston, MA. Unbeaten through his first 12 fights as a professional, the 23-year-old Gonzalez is looking to rebound from his only loss to Elijah Pierce on May 17.

In a 10-round women’s world championship bout, Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon-Espinosa (11-1, 6 KOs), of Lindenhurst, NY, will defend her WBA super middleweight world title against undefeated contender Shemelle Baldwin (3-0-1, 2 KOs), of Newark, DE. Napoleon-Espinosa will be making the second defense of her world title that she captured on March 3, 2018, with a 10-round decision versus previously undefeated Femke Hermans in front of her legion of fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. She followed that with a 10-round world title defense against Hannah Rankin on August 4, 2018, at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY. Napoleon-Espinosa began 2019 with a second-round knockout of Eva Bajic on April 10, in New York City. Before turning pro in November 2017, Baldwin was a Washington D.C. Golden Gloves champion, a three-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion, and a 2015 Olympic Trials semi-finalist.

Undefeated heavyweight Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw (11-0, 8 KOs), of St. Louis, MO, will square off against southpaw Johnnie Langston (7-1, 3 KOs), of Sarasota, FL, in an eight-round contest. The 6’4″ Shaw is determined to keep up the momentum from his last two impressive knockout victories against Aaron Chavers last October and Donovan Dennis in March. Following a stellar amateur career that included 2013 PAL and USA National Championships titles, Shaw turned professional in December 2013. Langston will seek to return to the win column following a majority decision loss to Lyubomyr Pinchuk in July.

Fazliddin Meliboev, a 22-year-old from Kokand, Uzbekistan, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc., will make his pro debut in a six-round bout. The southpaw Meliboev was an amateur star who was an Uzbekistan National champion in 2015. He won silver medals at the 2017 Great Silk Way Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the 2016 Chinggis Khan Cup in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and a bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Youth Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. He also participated in the World Series of Boxing, winning all three of his bouts.

Southpaw junior middleweight prospect Hurshidbek “Hershey” Normatov (8-0, 3 KOs), of Andijan, Uzbekistan, and now based in Brooklyn, NY, will compete in his first eight-rounder. He has defeated two previously unbeaten prospects in Alexis Gaytan and Nicklaus Flaz and, in his last fight, decisioned 9-1-1 Calvin Metcalf on April 10. As an amateur, Normatov accumulated a 190-40 record and won the European Amateur National Championships in 2014.

Former WBC middleweight world champion Kali “KO Mequinonoag” Reis (15-7-1, 5 KOs), of Providence, RI, and Helen “Iron Lady” Joseph (16-3-2, 10 KOs), of New Haven, CT, a former IBF Inter-Continental featherweight titlist, will compete in separate six-round bouts. Last May, Reis clashed with undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus in the first women’s bout telecast on HBO, losing a hard-fought 10-rounder in Carson, CA. Reis has returned with two wins in a row, most recently scoring a sixth-round stoppage of Szilvia Szabados on October 19, 2018, in Washington, D.C. On August 3, Joseph dropped then decisioned Hungarian Edina Kiss over six rounds in Brooklyn, NY.

Popular welterweight prospect Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (11-0, 9 KOs), of Lawrence, MA, will see action in a scheduled six-rounder. The 24-year-old Sosa has scored four knockouts in a row following his decision victory against previously unbeaten prospect Khiry Todd last year. Sosa was a 2014 New England Golden Gloves champion and turned pro in July 2016 following an 18-2 amateur career.

Two local newcomers will be featured with Puerto Rican lightweight Nelson “Chino” Perez (1-0, 1KO), of Marlboro, MA, and Bridgeport, CT, super featherweight Jacob Marrero (3-0, 2 KOs) each boxing in four-round bouts. Compiling an amateur record of 58-9, Marrero was a 2016 New England Golden Gloves Champion, a five-time Connecticut Silver Gloves Champion and a five-time Connecticut Junior Olympics Champion.