Khiary Gray’s comeback fight against veteran Jimmy Williams

QUINCY, Mass. (November 6, 2023) – Worcester (MA) super welterweight Khiary “Too Sharp” Gray (17-6, 13 KOs) will fight for the first time in two years in his comeback bid against New Haven (CT) veteran and divisional gatekeeper Jimmy “The Quiet Storm” Williams (18-13-2, 6 KOs) in a six-round bout on the December 9th “Pandemonium at the Palladium 2”, presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), at the famed Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

All the action will be streamed live on BXNGTV.com. GCP has partnered with Project New Hope, a Worcester-based charity that supports veterans and their families.

“This is going to be a tremendous fight that has been in the makings for a few years,” GCP president Chris Traietti proclaimed. “I remember grumblings about this fight happening, but it never materialized. Once I connected the dots that Khiary wanted to fight on this show and Williams didn’t have anything scheduled, I immediately went to work to try and make this fight finally happen. It didn’t take much convincing on either side, both guys jumped on it and worked with me to make it happen.”

A 2012 New England Golden Gloves Champion, Gray is anxious to get back in the ring and he’s not necessarily concerned about being rusty after being inactive for two years.

“It definitely feels right and great to get back to fighting,” Gray said. “I’m preparing to put on a show to let Worcester and everyone in the boxing world that I’m back and coming to get back where I’m supposed to be, top contender. I’m looking at this fight and every fight from now on as critical in terms of me needing and wanting to win at this stage of my career.

“I’m avoiding being rusty by staying active in sparring in training camp, but I like to say that I’m like gold because gold doesn’t rust. All I need is some polishing up. It seems right to have my comeback fight in my hometown. I’ve only fought in Worcester once. I am comfortable fighting at home. It doesn’t stress or bother me, it just pushes me to show my city that I’m not done, I still have a lot left in this fight game. I know I can hold my own in my division. I am and will show it with this comeback fight. I will show that I’m coming to break down the doors and in 2024, I want to make a huge mark in the 154-pound division.”

Gray certainly could have picked an easier opponent than Williams, a former college cornerback on Southern Connecticut State University’s football team, as well as the former holder of three titles – World Boxing Council (WBC) USA welterweight, as well as the ABF USA and UBO International super welterweight.

“I am a gatekeeper,” Williams explained. I got in this game late but had success, winning three titles. Now, I’m fighting guys who have to get past me to get to a champion. Eight or nine years ago there was talk about me and him (Gray) fighting. He was dropping down to welterweight, but I knew local fights would always be there, and I wanted bigger fights. We’re going to get it on now. He’s coming back and I test people.”

Williams is more than capable of pulling off an upset. Only two years ago, Jimmy defeated former world champion Yuri Foreman to capture the ABF USA and UBO International titles.

This isn’t Gray’s first comeback, either. He’s officially at the crossroads and he needs to defeat Williams to make a long final run.

“I’d tell him (Williams), don’t let the layoff fool you. I could have picked anyone less risky for my comeback fight, but at the end of the day, that’s not me. I take risks to get where I want to be. I had a 3 ½ year layoff during COVID. My first fight back, I fought Bakhram Murtazaliev, who was 18-0 at the time. He was and still is Jermell Charlo’s mandatory for the IBF World title. I lost to Murtazaliev (currently 21-0, 15 KOs) by decision, but I wasn’t hurt and stayed in there.  

“From the first bell to the last, I’m not scared of taking risks. I was smiling ear to ear when asked to fight him. I had wanted to fight him (Williams) since 2017 after my fight with Nick DeLomba. In all honesty, I thought it was all hype. No disrespect, he can fight. I give him that but at the end of the day, he’s just a tough journeyman, I know I can beat him in dramatic fashion. I expect Jimmy to come out and fight. We are going to put in a show for my city.”

Gray vs. Williams could steal the show.  Another hometown fighter, light heavyweight Kendrick “Peppa” Bell, Jr. (21-1-3, 12 KOs), and International Boxing Association (IBA) Americas Super Middleweight Champion Steve “The Savage” Sumpter (9-0, 7 KOs), of Pittsfield (MA), are also fighting on the card in separate matches.

Card subject to change. Additional fights and fighters will soon be announced.

Tickets are on sale and available for purchase online at www.ThePalladium.net.

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

INFORMATION:  

Facebook.com/GraniteChin

X (Twitter): @Granite_Chin




Williams-Hogan showdown highlights undercard of Thursday’s pre-St. Patrick’s Day extravaganza in Boston live on UFC FIGHT PASS®

Boston, MA – CES Boxing’s best and brightest invade the Bay State this week for an unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day Weekend extravaganza.

Stablemates Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams and Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan face another in a highly-anticipated eight-round middleweight bout on the undercard of Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions Hollywood Fight Nights Boston show Thursday, March 16 at the Agganis Arena live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

The card is headlined by undefeated Irish southpaw super welterweight “King” Callum Walsh putting his perfect 5-0 record on the line in a 10-round bout against Spanish challenger Leonardo di Stefano Ruiz. Williams and Hogan are two of three CES Boxing fighters on the undercard; unbeaten super featherweight Kevin Walsh of nearby Brockton returns fresh off a career-defining win in January to face New Jersey’s Andrew Bentley in a six-round bout.

Tickets are available through TicketMaster, online at AgganisArena.com, or the Agganis Arena box office. Fight fans can also stream the action live beginning at 7 pm ET with a monthly or annual subscription to FIGHT PASS.

The Williams-Hogan showdown pits one of CES’ longest-tenured fighters against one of its most recent acquisitions and highly-touted prospects.

A former college football player born in Plainfield, NJ, and raised in New Haven, CT, Williams (18-10-2, 6 KOs) joined the CES family in 2013 when he made his professional debut at the age of 26.

He first began boxing at 8 years old, but pursued football most of his life. Injuries derailed his football career following several tryouts with NFL team, so he returned to boxing in his mid-20s. More than a decade later, the now 36-year-old Williams continues to answer the bell against elite competition. Since scoring an upset win over former world champion Yuri Foreman in 2021, Williams has faced highly-skilled Greg Vendetti, Tyrone James, Vito Mielnicki Jr., Luis Arias, and now the undefeated southpaw Hogan, who boasts an impressive 13-0 record with 12 KOs entering March 16.

The 22-year-old Weymouth, MA, native Hogan signed a promotional agreement with CES in the summer of 2022, bringing his impressive power and elite skillset to the region’s most sought-after promotion.

A third-year apprentice with the Iron Workers Local 7 Union, Hogan debuted professionally at 19 years old following more than 200 amateur bouts under the bright lights of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, scoring a knockout win to launch a streak of 10 consecutive wins by knockout to begin his pro career.

The 6-foot-2 Hogan is a unique blend of height and power, a rangy opponent with a quick jab and even quicker wit whose eccentric weigh-in outfits have become folklore amidst the pre-fight hysteria. Thursday is his opportunity to prove he’s ready for the next level of competition while the wily veteran Williams hopes he has enough left in the tank for one last run at championship glory.

The fast-rising Walsh (7-0, 4 KOs) returns Thursday fresh off the biggest win of his career January 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Originally scheduled to face Rhode Island rival Mike Valentin, Walsh was forced to pivot on short notice and square off against the taller, rangier Christian Otero of New York. The Brockton native aced the test with flying colors, sending Otero to the canvas in the opening round and holding on for a split decision win to capture the vacant New England Super Featherweight Title.

Walsh, 30, who fights out of the Cappiello Boxing and Fitness Gym in downtown Brockton, turned pro in 2021 following a short, but successful, amateur career and continues to climb the ladder among his peers in the 130-pound weight class after fighting at various weights early in his career. On Thursday, he faces the 37-year-old southpaw Bentley, a dangerous, slick competitor who has faced some of the top 126- and 130-pounders in recent years, including Pennsylvania’s Joshafat Ortiz and unbeaten Raymond Cuadrado.

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

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, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.




Garcia Decisions Benavidez

BRROKLYN, NY–Philadelphia-born Danny Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs) handled Phoenix native Jose Benavídez Jr (27-1-1, 18 KOs) throughout 12 rounds en route to a majority decision at Barclays Center. The larger Benavídez seemingly could not find an answer for Garcia, who seemed loose and quick for the contest. The judges scored the bout 114-114, 116-112 and 117-111.

Garcia landed 233 of 746 punches; Benavidez was 117 of 600.

Danny Garcia: 

“I did take a break going through mental things, things went dark (breaking down crying), I went through anxiety, deep depression, just trying to be strong.

“It was the pressure of life, being a good dad, just letting it out right now (crying) because it was stuck inside, it rained on me for a year and a half and the only way to do better is to fight and I’m a fighter, if you battle anxiety and depression, you can get out of it, that’s what I did today. I fought.

I still battle some days, I have dark days, but I try my best to stay positive, but I feel good, I gave the fans a good fight tonight.

“(Angel) was there with me the whole way. I’m nothing without this man.  I thank him every day, to be Danny Garcia again, people ask me all the time, why do I fight? I make a lot of money. Why does Warren Buffett is still making money? I’m a fighter. This is what I do, what I love to do. Hopefully, I don’t become a meme with the crying face.

“I’d like the rematch with Keith Thurman, he took my ‘0.’ I’ll take Lara for the middleweight title at 155 pounds.”

Angel Garcia:

“Love is the key. Love is the key to everything.” 

Jose Benavidez Jr.:

“I’m happy with my performance. I feel like I did good. I’m fighting in his backyard, one of the best, I took his punches like they were nothing.

“I thought I won the fight. But it is what it is, a loss makes you stronger.

“It’s tough, things don’t always go your way, they’re ups and downs. I try to be positive, like when the doctor said I would never walk again. I didn’t let that get to me. The only one that can stop me is me.

“He’s a great personality, we had a hell of a fight. We’re happy to be here.”

Demirezen Decisions Kownacki in a Slugfest

Turkish heavyweight, Ali Eren Demirezen (17-1, 12 KOs) edged Polish-born Adam Kownacki (20-3, 15 KOs) via unanimous decision in their 10-round heavyweight fight. The bout featured mixed displays of heavyweight power and boxing skill, with both fighters taking damage throughout the 10 rounds. Ultimately, the judges scored the contest 96-94, 97-93 and 97-93 for Demirezen.

The two threw a staggering 1766 punches with Demirezen landing 256 of 915.  Kownacki was 276 of 851, but Demirezen landed more power punches by a 239 to 186 tally.

Ali Eren Demirezen:

“I truly love fighting in the U.S. and I love New York so I said before you will see me more on SHOWTIME and PBC.

“I was nervous because he’s a strong fighter and I could be much better but it’s my first time here and he’d fought here before.”

Adam Kownacki:

“I’m a bit rusty, I think he was getting off first in the exchanges, I didn’t’ sit down as much, I think the rust played a part, being out so long

“I was out of the ring since last October, camp was good but I don’t know, I was letting him get off first, I wasn’t moving my feet, I went back to the old me instead of the first few rounds when I was doing good.

“I have two kids, I’ll have a long talk with my wife to see what I want to do. I’ve had so many fights here, so many great memories, I don’t want to go out like a loser. I would like another fight to leave my fans with a win.”

Russell Stops Barthelemy via controversial sixth round stoppage

Maryland son, Gary Antuanne Russell (15-0, 15 KOs) stopped former world champion and Las Vegas native Rances Barthelemy (29-1-1, 15 KOs) in the sixth round their super lightweight 10-round matchup. The opening rounds of the fight featured heavy-handed actions, with both fighters landing powerful shots. The official stoppage came in a controversial manner, as Barthelemy was dropped from a leaping right hook from Russell.  Barthelemy seemingly beat the 8-count and looked ready to continue fighting. However referee Sharda Murdagh waved the fight off at 50 seconds of round six, handing Russell the TKO victory.

Gary Antuanne Russell:

“First and foremost I want to thank God, I want to tell my father up above I did it for him, we’re going to keep it going for pops, I want to thank showtime for letting me participate. I know Rances was a high-grade class athlete and he wanted to continue. Emotions were high. Whether we or bruised or beaten, as a warrior, you always want to continue but the referee was doing their job and if he was allowed to continue it would have been the same outcome.  I would have gotten him.

“It’s the first of many [without my father] I had to have tunnel vision. This is something my dad instilled in us, no matter what you go through in life and death, two things are inevitable, he raised us to be men and well-rounded men. Being thorough means to be prepared, and he prepared us for boxing and for life outside of boxing. I thank my father and I did what I had to do.

“In the sixth round I had him backing up, I knew he was looking for his right cross and I caught him backing up and I shot my hook and put him down, he was buzzed but he wanted to keep going. He’s a warrior.”

Rances Barthelemy:

“No, they shouldn’t have stopped it. I felt good, it was good shot, I’m not denying that, but they shouldn’t have stopped it.

“I got up and told him I’m fine and I’m good to go

“Of course I want the rematch, but with a different referee.”

Orlando Cuellar – Barthelemy’s Trainer:

“I’m unhappy , this was a good fight these fans paid good money to see, how can you take this opportunity away, he’s been down before and gotten up. He’s fought on. You’re supposed to give your fighter every opportunity to continue. The referee took away the chance for both to show their character, for Rances to continue and for Gary Antuanne to show his character by fighting on in a hard fight. You robbed the fans. We want a rematch but with a different referee.”

–NON TELEVISED ACTION–

Ukrainian-born Sergiy Derevyanchenko (14-4, 10 KOs) decidedly handled San Diego native Joshua Conley (17-4-1, 11 KOs) in their 10-round middleweight bought. The fight went the distance, with all three judges scoring in favor of Derevyanchenko. Two of them scored the contest 99-91 and the last scored it 98-92, officially awarding the Ukrainian the unanimous decision.

Vito Mielnicki JR. (12-1, 8 KOs) of Roseland, New Jersey stopped Jimmy Williams (18-9-2, 6 KOs) of New Haven, Connecticut at 2:12 of the sixth round of their 8-round super welterweight matchup. Mielnicki JR unleased a series of strong blows on Williams, forcing his corner to intervene, providing the New Jersey native with another TKO victory.

Philadelphia native Miguel Román (2-0, 0 KOs) and Baltimore-born Marcus Redd (0-1, 0 KOS) fought to a decision in their super bantamweight four-round bout. Both fighters displayed strong technical boxing during the fight. Romàn, however, won the decision, with all three judges scoring the contest 39-37 in his favor.

Junior Younan (17-0-1, 11 KOs) wasted no time in making a statement against fellow Brooklyn resident Dauren Yeleussinov (10-2-1, 9 KOs) . In the first round of the scheduled eight-round the super middleweight bout, Younan unloaded shots on his opponent, not stopping until the referee stepped between the two  at 1:47 of round 1.

Ricky Lopez (21-5-2, 6 KOS) and Joe Perez (16-6-4, 10 KOS) were looking for knockouts in this fast-paced super featherweight 6-rounder. However, the fight went the distance, ultimately leaving the outcome to the judges. Although one judge scored in favor of San Diego native Joe Perez by a 58-56 tally, the two others did not agree, with both scoring it 57-57, ending the fight in a majority draw.

Ismael Villareal (12-0, 8 KOS) of Bronx, New York dropped and stopped LeShawn Rodriguez(13-1, 10 KOs) of Port Jefferson, New York in the sixth round of their eight-round super welterweight bout to maintain his perfect record. Following a knockdown in the second round, Villareal repeated this in the sixth, Rodriguez got to his feet, but was wobbly, forcing the referee to stop the bout.

Dwyke Flemmings JR (2-0, 2 KOs) of Paterson, New Jersey defeated Angelo Thompson (0-3, 0 KOs) of Irvington, New Jersey via TKO in their super welterweight contest. In the first round, both fighters threw hard shots and landed combinations. This continued in the following round, however, Flemmings JR turned up the intensity, backing Thompson down, with the referee officially stopping the bout at 2:32 of the second round.




SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO VS. JOSHUA CONLEY AND VITO MIELNICKI JR. VS. JIMMY WILLIAMS TO BE STREAMED LIVE ON SHOWTIME SPORTS® DIGITAL PLATFORMS AHEAD OF DANNY GARCIA VS. JOSE BENAVIDEZ JR. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® ON SATURDAY, JULY 30

NEW YORK – July 26, 2022 – SHOWTIME SPORTS will offer live coverage of top middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko battling against Joshua Conley in a 10-round bout and rising prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. taking on Jimmy Williams in an eight-round welterweight duel on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page on Saturday, July 30 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

In addition, SHOWTIME SPORTS will provide live streaming coverage of fight week events featuring Philadelphia’s two-division world champion and Brooklyn fan-favorite Danny “Swift” Garcia and exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr. ahead of their SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event Saturday, July 30 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  

The “City of Brotherly Love” will be on full display as SHOWTIME has tapped a notable announce team to host the streamed fights on Saturday’s pre-show as veteran combat sports reporter Luke Thomas of MORNING KOMBAT, former junior middleweight champion and SHOBOX® commentator Raúl “El Diamante” Marquez and star Philadelphia natives Jaron “Boots” Ennis and unified 122-pound world champion Stephen Fulton Jr. will call the preliminary action live from inside Barclays Center and look ahead to the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING bouts.

Fans will have the opportunity to catch up with Mielnicki before he steps in the ring as SHOWTIME SPORTS goes behind the scenes and into his training regimen with a revealing DAY IN CAMP feature here on the emerging star via the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel.

Following the streamed action, the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader will also see Polish star and Brooklyn’s all-action Adam Kownacki returning to the ring to take on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in a 10-round heavyweight attraction, while unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell faces former two-division champion Rances Barthelemy in a 10-round showdown to kick off the telecast.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through seatgeek.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

The events will stream live on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page. YouTube embed codes and links are listed below. 

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ABOUT GARCIA VS. BENAVIDEZ

Garcia vs. Benavidez will see two-division world champion and Brooklyn fan-favorite Danny “Swift” Garcia making his super welterweight debut against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr. in a 12-round showdown that headlines a stacked tripleheader Saturday, July 30 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will also see Polish star and Brooklyn’s all-action Adam Kownacki returning to the ring to take on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in a 10-round heavyweight attraction, while unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell faces former two-division champion Rances Barthelemy in a 10-round showdown to kick off the telecast.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sportswww.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #GarciaBenavidez, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook  at           www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.




ADDED SPECIAL FEATURED BOUT: “THE JACKPOT” TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES LOOKS TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED SATURDAY NIGHT (6/11) AT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 42

Long Island, New York (June 9, 2022) – Rockin’ Fights 42 is ready to take over The Paramount in Huntington, Long Island on Saturday night (June 11). Star Boxing announced today that featured on the card is local undefeated super welterweight, “THE JACKPOT” TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES (Elmont, NY 12-0 9KO’s). James returns to “Rockin’ Fights” after an electric fourth round stoppage victory over a big step up opponent in Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams this past March. James seeks to keep his undefeated record on June 11th, and do it in “Pretty Boy” style, as he steps up once again against Colombian, JANER GONZALEZ (Miami, FL by way of Colombia, 20-4-1 16KO’s), in an 8 round super welterweight bout.

Gonzalez has faced off with some big time prospects, contenders and champions such as undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion, Eimantas Stanionis (then, 11-0 9KO’s), Ivan Golub (then 19-1 14KO’s) and former WBA Interim World Champion, Jamal James (then 24-1 12KO’s). James will seek to elevate his status once more with a key victory over an opponent with Gonzalez’s stature.

Also on the Star Boxing acclaimed series, Ireland’s “SUPERFLY” TONY BROWNE (Dublin, Ireland, 5-1) returns to the USA quickly after his recent April 9th ‘step-up’ unanimous decision victory at Rivers Casino over Leandro Silva. Brown will take on Star Boxing stablemate, Brazilian bomber, LUCAS MARTINS (Sao Paulo, Brazil, 13-1 11KO’s) in an 8-round super middleweight bout. This June 11th fight at the Paramount will be the biggest fight and test of the young Irishmen’s career, and a victory will put him on the map in the states, leading to bigger opportunities. However, Martins, who is coming off a victory in his native Brazil and was seen on DAZN back in October in a respectable performance against heralded prospect Diego Pacheco, is also a well-regarded prospect. The winner of this fight figures to have a bright future in the super middleweight division.

In a possible show stealer, ISAAH FLAHERTY (Elmont, NY, 3-0 1KO) will put his undefeated record on the line against the tough QUADEER JENKINS (Trenton, NJ 2-3 2KO’s) in a 4-round super middleweight fight that could steal the show. Flaherty returns to The Paramount after taking home a unanimous decision over Angelo Thompson. Jenkins, who fought on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz back in 2019, is coming off a second round TKO victory on May 13 and will look to keep the momentum going by snatching Flaherty’s undefeated record.

In a battle of pro debut’s, two-time New York Ring Masters Champion RONNY REYES (New York, NY, Pro Debut) looks to start his career on the right foot in a 4 round lightweight bout against a fellow pro debut in HECTOR BECERRA (Corpus Christi, TX, Pro Debut).

Bronx firefighter, LOUIS “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (Bronx, NY 1-1-1) looks to get back in the win column against DEQUINT “BEYOU” HILL (Austin, Texas, 0-1) who will attempt to secure his first victory as a professional in a scheduled 4 round light heavyweight bout.

“This is a fun card from top to bottom that will once again bring excitement to the Paramount on Saturday, June 11th,” said Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA. “The action at the Paramount rivals any location in the world and the fighters always seem to put it all on the line in that famed ‘telephone booth’ sized ring at the Paramount. Tyrone James has really become a fan favorite and could be the next one to graduate to the bright lights. The undercard once again should be thrilling 50/50 fights that promise to captivate the fans in attendance. It’s always great to be at “Rockin’ Fights,” and we hope to see you there.”

The Cletus Seldin vs Rachid Jkitou bout that was scheduled for 10 rounds for the NABA Super Lightweight Title will not proceed due to a Jkitou medical issue. It is hopeful that a new opponent will be announced for Cletus Seldin Thursday afternoon.

“Rockin’ Fights” 42 is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing

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TICKETS:

Tickets to #RockinFights at The Paramount are now available at ticketmaster.com or by visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets start at $50. Purchase your tickets, HERE.

“Rockin’ Fights” 42 is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing on June 11, 2022 at the Paramount in Long Island, NY.

Bouts subject to change

“ROCKIN’ FIGHTS” 42 TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!

BUY TICKETS HERE!
TICKETS START AT JUST $50

FIGHT NIGHT: SATURDAY, JUNE 11 AT THE PARAMOUNT

ABOUT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS

Created in 2011, the “Rockin’ Fights” series has developed elite boxing talent and has produced current WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion, the “Common Man”, JOE “THE BEAST” SMITH JR. (Mastic, Long Island 28-3 22KO’s) and former WBO Super Lightweight World Champion, CHRIS ALGIERI (Huntington, NY 25-4 9KO’S), two of only four Long Island World Champions EVER.

“ROCKIN’ FIGHTS” 42 is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

For more information visit us at www.StarBoxing.com. For 30 years of action packed fights, subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE. Follow along on social media for fight announcements and updates @StarBoxing, and join the conversation using #RockinFights.

ROCKIN’ FIGHTS ARCHIVES:

CLETUS “THE HEBREW HAMMER” SELDIN returned to the Paramount at “Rockin Fights” 38 to face off with late replacement LUIS FLORES in a WAR for the NABA Super Lightweight Title

TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES left his mark on “Rockin’ Fights” 35 with a vicious TKO victory over RAY OLIVEIRA JR. to remain undefeated!




Gervonta Davis Knocks out Out Romero in 6

BROOKLYN–It took one punch by Gervonta Davis to shut the mouth of Rolando Romero as Davis retained his WBA Lightweight title with a sixth round stoppage of Romero in front of a sold-out Barclays Center of 18,790.

The fight was a tactical first five-plus round with neither man averaging more than 20 punches per round.  

Finally in round six, Romero ran right into a perfect left to the face that had him sprawling into the ropes and down the canvas,  Romero got to his feet but was unsteady, and referee David Fields stopped the fight at 2:39.

Davis, 133.75 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 27-0 with 25 knockouts.  Romero, 134.25 lbs of Las Vegas is 14-1.

Gervonta Davis

“I want to thank God, first for this victory, second I want to thank Al Haymon, Mayweather Promotions, Showtime, we did it again in New York City baby. Thank you New York City.  I won my first belt here and it was great to come back to New York City and do it again.

“I was thinking as this interview was coming up and as much as I wanted to be cocky, but I want to thank Rolly. I want to thank his team. We settled it like men inside the ring. I wish him the best in the future.

“I knew it was all about selling the fight. I’m glad we didn’t fight the first time because I was so emotional. But I’m just grateful to be in this position and to be able to come out with the win. He was strong for sure but it was a couple shots that I was getting warmed up and he caught me and I was like, ‘I can’t sit with him just yet.’ I know when to take it to my opponents and when to chill out. There was someone in the crowd and they were telling me to press forward and I was like, not yet. I got to loose him up a little more.

“The crazy thing is that I didn’t even throw it that hard. He just ran into it. He just ran into it. Something like when Pacquiao got caught. I didn’t even throw it that hard and he’s the one who ran into it, when he was talking that it was going to be me.

“I knew that I could get into his head, just from when we weighed in. I knew his goal was to move in front of me (on stage during the weigh in) so when he went in front of me he didn’t realize that the stand was coming to an end so I just tapped him and he fell.

“I’m here baby, whatever they want to do, I’m here. I want to send my condolences to Mr. Russell, he was someone who I came up with in the amateurs. I want to shout out the Russell brothers and send my condolences to them.”

Lara Stops O’Sullivan in eight; Retains Middleweight title

Erislandy Lara retained the WBA Middleweight title with an eighth round stoppage over Gary O’Sullivan.

In round four, Lara dropped O’Sullivan with a straight left.

In round eight, it was another straight left that rocked O’Sullivan and the fight was stopped.

Lara, 159.75 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 29-3-3 with 17 knockouts.  O’Sullivan, 159 lbs of Cork, IRE is 31-5.

Erislandy Lara

“This new style that I’m demonstrating is for all the boxers to show them how I can fight now, just being able to change up. He was a tough boxer, too.

“I’m a smart boxer, a slick boxer, that’s what I did tonight. I wait until he attacks and then I do what I have to do to win the fight.

“I saw the opening, he was leaving himself open and that’s when the left came in and knocked him down. I saw in the eighth round he didn’t have any more power and that’s when I stepped up and showed my power.

“I want to thank the fans that came to Brooklyn, Al Haymon and Luis De Cubas Jr. for setting up the big fights that I want to have for me. I’m still a force

Ramos Gets Family Revenge; Decisions Santanaria

Jesus Ramos avenged a loss that his uncle Abel had to Luke Santamaria, by winning a 10-round unanimous decision in a super welterweight bout.

Ramos landed 158 of 625 punches; Santamaria was 142 of 560.

Ramos, 153.5 lbs of Casa Grande, AZ won by scores of 98-92 and 97-93 and is now 19-0.  Santamaria, 154 lbs of Garden Grove, CA is now 13-3-1.

Jesús Ramos

“Yes of course (it was important to avenge the loss of my uncle). It wasn’t the way we wanted to win, but I think it takes two to tango and tonight I was the one who wanted to fight. I’m not really satisfied. I could have done a lot better but like I said, it takes two to tango and tonight Santamaria didn’t want to fight

“I could have pressed a little more, gone to the body a little more, he was kind of slippery in there, and I didn’t want to risk anything because he would counter so I was trying to stay composed and stay at my distance.

“I’m going to go back and watch the fight and grow. I went 10 rounds again and it’s going to help me mature a lot more.

“I want whoever they want to put in front of me. We’re going to keep going forward and take whatever fight my team thinks is best for me.

“I could improve on cutting off the ring a little and going to the body a little bit more. He was headbutting me and fighting a little dirty in there, so I didn’t want to get too careless.”

Luke Santamaría

“I thought it was closer than that. I thought we got the win. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way. I moved up in weight. I thought he was going to be stronger than that. I thought we did enough to win the fight.

“The plan was to counter and slip his shots. I thought it was good enough to get the win but what happened happened and we can’t complain.

“We’re going to stay at 147. When you lose you dig a deep hole but we’ve dug ourselves out of the hole before and we’ll do it again. He never hurt me, never felt his power. I was good. I thought he was going to be tough. I’m just as tough as they come.

“The plan was to box him and to get him tired and it was working. I thought it worked.”

Ramirez Decisions Melendez

Eduardo Ramirez won a 10-round majority decision over Luis Melendez in a junior lightweight fight.

Ramirez landed 171 of 555 punches; Melendez was 193 of 659.

Ramirez, 130 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 95-95 and is now 27-2-4.

Eduardo Ramírez

“The first few rounds were even, but after that he only had his jab. I was able to hurt him. He tried to win going backwards and that’s no way to win.

“I want to fight for the world title next. I’m ready for any of the top fighters. I don’t shy away from tough challenges.”

Luis Meléndez

“I felt I won the fight. It’s part of the game. You just have to go back and keep training and just come back better.

“The last scorecard when they said it, I felt I won, without a doubt. My people know I won, the crowd knows I won, it definitely hurts when you travel here and you expect to win and it’s my first pay-per-view. Everybody at home was watching me. It is what it is. I just have to go back to the drawing board and get better. I’m still young. I felt I landed the crisper punches and out-boxed him. He never hurt me. Never.

“It felt great to hear the crowd cheering for me. It’s more of a Gervonta crowd, but they showed me love. It just comes with the territory. The judges didn’t think it was for me this time. It is what it is.”

Luis Arias won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jimmy Williams in a super welterweight fight.

Arias, 155.25 lbs of Boca Raton, FL won by scores of 99-91 on all cards and is now 20-3-1.  Williams, 154 lbs of Plainfield, NJ is 18-8-2.

Jalil Hackett remained undefeated by stopping Jose Belloso in round three of their four round welterweight bout.

The time was 2:13 for Hackett, 145 lbs of Washington, DC who is now 4-0 with three knockouts.  Belloso, 145.75 lbs of Carson, CA is 4-1.

Adrian Benton remained undefeated with a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Meza in a super lightweight bout.

Benton, 129.4 lbs of Cincinnati, OH won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 7-0.  Meza, 130 lbs of Gomez Pueblo, MEX is 8-7.

Arnold Gonzalez won a six-round split decision over Tracey McGruder in a welterweight contest.

Gonzalez, 146.4 lbs of New York won on two cards 58-56, while McGruder took a card 59-57.

Gonzalez is 10-0.  McGruder, 148.4 lbs of Rochester, NY is 6-3.

Cattino Oliver won a four-round unanimous decision over Jahdon Lewis in a super bantamweight fight.

Oliver, 118.2 lbs of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 2-0.  Lewis, 118.2 lbs of North Augusta, SC is 2-2.

Julica Pavilus won a six-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Mia Ellis in a lightweight bout.

In round six, Pavilus dropped Ellis with a left hook.

Pavilius, 133.2 lbs of Port-a-Prince, HAI won by scores of 59-54, 58-55 and 57-56 and is now 3-5-1.  Ellis, 134 lbs of Baltimore, MD is 4-1.




AUDIO: Luis Arias talks fight with Jimmy Williams






VIDEO: Luis Arias talks fight with Jimmy Williams




Super Welterweight Contender Luis Arias Duels Jimmy Williams Plus Rising Prospect Jalil Hackett Battles Unbeaten Jose Belloso in Undercard Showdowns Streaming Live on the SHOWTIME Sports® YouTube Page This Saturday, May 28

BROOKLYN – May 25, 2022 – Super welterweight contender Luis “Cuba” Arias will face Jimmy Williams in a 10-round showdown, while exciting welterweight prospect Jalil “Major” Hackett takes on unbeaten Jose Belloso for a six-round attraction in undercard bouts that will stream live on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube page this Saturday, May 28 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The streaming action will begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and lead into the highly-anticipated SHOWTIME PPV lineup headlined by WBA Lightweight Champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, boxing’s hottest young attraction, taking on unbeaten No.1 ranked contender and mandatory challenger Rolando Romero. SHOWTIME has tapped a notable announce team to host the streamed fights on Saturday’s pre-show as veteran combat sports reporter Brian Campbell of MORNING KOMBAT, NBA champion Stephen Jackson of ALL THE SMOKE, and former unified world champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams will call the preliminary action live from the 40/40 Club inside Barclays Center and look ahead to the PPV bouts.

Campbell will also serve as the host of Friday’s live-streamed weigh-in with Jackson and former world champion Raul Marquez covering the weigh-in and breaking down the fights. Former NBA superstar Tracy McGrady will also join Friday’s weigh-in stream as a special guest from the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page, and the Premier Boxing Champions YouTube page.

The SHOWTIME PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features two division world champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defending his WBA Middleweight Title against hard-hitting Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan in the co-main event. Plus, sensational young star Jesús “Mono” Ramos faces Luke Santamaría in a 10-round super welterweight showdown, while hard-hitting contender Eduardo Ramírez battles Puerto Rico’s Luis Meléndez in the 10-round super featherweight telecast opener.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through seatgeek.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available for purchase at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

A native of Milwaukee who now trains out of Las Vegas, Mayweather Promotions’ Arias (19-3-1, 9 KOs) will look to bounce back on Saturday night from a split-decision loss to Vaughn Alexander in December. Prior to that fight, Arias had scored a career-best victory in June 2021, as he earned a decision victory over former unified champion Jarrett Hurd on the Mayweather vs. Paul SHOWTIME PPV undercard. Arias has also battled former champion Daniel Jacobs and owns a draw against veteran contender Gabriel Rosado. He will take on New Haven, Connecticut’s Williams (18-7-2, 6 KOs), who also will be looking to return to the win column after dropping a March contest to unbeaten Tyron James. The 35-year-old Williams owns a 2021 victory over former champion Yuri Foreman and has fought everywhere from 140 to 160 pounds throughout his career, having faced top contenders such as Brandun Lee and Abel Ramos.

Hackett (3-0, 2 KOs), a fast-rising prospect in the Mayweather Promotions’ stable, will look to continue his road toward becoming the next great fighter representing Washington, D.C. as he continues his burgeoning pro career on Saturday night. The 19-year-old turned pro in June 2021, scoring a first-round knockout of Angelo Diaz. He followed that up with another first-round knockout in October, before earning a shutout four-round unanimous decision over Darynn Levya in December. He will face off against the fellow unbeaten Belloso (4-0, 4 KOs), who is yet to go the distance since turning pro in June 2021. The 29-year-old is originally from Carson, California and now resides in Arkansas, having most recently stopped Anthony Woods in three rounds in December.

In non-televised undercard bouts, New York-native Arnold Gonzalez (9-0, 5 KOs) will take on Tracey McGruder (6-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round welterweight fight, plus Cincinnati’s Adrian Benton (6-0, 4 KOs) competes in a six-round super lightweight duel versus Mexico’s Jose Antonio Meza (8-6, 2 KOs), while Baltimore’s Cuttino Oliver (1-0, 1 KO) faces South Carolina’s Jahden Lewis (2-1, 1 KO) in a four-round super bantamweight attraction and Baltimore’s Mia Ellis (4-0, 3 KOs) steps in against Haiti’s Jaica Pavilus (2-1, 1 KO) for a six-round lightweight showdown.

#

ABOUT DAVIS VS. ROMERO
Davis vs. Romero will see five-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis defend his WBA Lightweight Title against unbeaten No. 1 ranked contender and mandatory challenger Rolando Romero on Saturday, May 28 live on SHOWTIME PPV from Barclays Center in Brooklyn headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features two division world champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defending his WBA Middleweight Title against hard-hitting Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan in the co-main event. Plus, sensational young star Jesús “Mono” Ramos faces Luke Santamaría in a 10-round super welterweight showdown, while hard-hitting contender Eduardo Ramírez battles Puerto Rico’s Luis Meléndez in the 10-round super featherweight telecast opener.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow #DavisRomero, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, and @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions and @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.




“ROCKIN’ FIGHTS” 41 IS READY TO RUMBLE ON MARCH 18

Long Island, New York (March 16, 2022) – Extremely limited tickets remain to Star Boxing’s “Rockin’ Fights” 41 on March 18th live from The Paramount in Huntington, New York. Just two nights separate us from an electric atmosphere as fans will pour into The Paramount for a stellar night of fights.

In the main event, #6 world rated (WBA) super bantamweight and current NABA Champion, OLEH “UKRAINIAN PITBULL” DOVHUN (Pittsburgh, PA by way of Stebnyk, Ukraine 13-0 5KO’s) puts both his undefeated record and title on the line against Belgian bruiser, GERAM ELOYAN (Brussels, Belgium, 7-2-1 6KO’s). With a victory, Dovhun will push for a top 5 world rating, with a WBA world title shot within his reach.

On the undercard, fan favorite undefeated super welterweight, TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES (Elmont, NY 11-0 8KO’s) makes his much-anticipated return to the ring. Jumping right back into the fire, James is set to take on his toughest test to date, CES promoted, JIMMY “QUIET STORM” WILLIAMS (New Haven, CT 18-6-2 6KO’s) who is recently earned a major victory over former world champion Yuri Foreman. The two will battle over 8 rounds for the ABO North America Super Welterweight Title.

In 6 rounds of super welterweight action, WENDY “HAITIAN FIRE” TOUSSAINT (Huntington, NY, 12-1 5KO’s) returns against TRAVIS GAMBARDELLA (Revere, MA 7-1-2 3KO’s). Toussaint had his undefeated streak come to an end in 2020 when he took top rated contender Charles Conwell into deep water on Showtime, before falling short, suffering the first loss of his career. Toussaint learned from this experience and is prepared to climb back the ladder at 154 lbs in a big way.

In a trio of four round bouts, New York City fireman, LOU “IL MARTELLO” MAIETTA (Bronx, NY 1-0-1) will showdown with KAMRON HUMPHREY (Brooklyn, NY 2-0 1KO) in a classic Bronx vs Brooklyn battle of the buroughs over 4-rounds at light heavyweight. This will be Maietta’s third appearance in the “Rockin’ Fights” series.

Undefeated Elmont Long Island product, ISAAH FLAHERTY (2-0 1KO) looks to remain undefeated as he faces off with Newark, New Jersey’s ANGELO THOMPSON (0-1) who has eyes set on getting his first professional win. Finally kicking off the action will be EMMANUEL ETIENNE (1-0 1KO) looking for his second win at the Paramount against Amsterdam, New York’s ALEXIS NIEUWKERK (pro-debut).

“There are few nights better than a “Rockin’ Fights” fight night,” said Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA. “March 18 will be yet another thrilling night of fights in the long history of fantastic “Rockin’ Fights” cards that Star Boxing has produced since 2011. We are expecting a sell out as there are currently very limited tickets remaining. Be sure to grab them before it’s too late!”

“Rockin’ Fights” 41 is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing

TICKETS:
Tickets to #RockinFights at The Paramount are now available at ticketmaster.com or by visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets start at $50. Purchase your tickets, HERE.

MEDIA CREDENTIALS:
To apply for media credentials CLICK HERE. All applications must be submitted no later than Friday, March 11 at 8PM. Accredited media members ONLY.

“Rockin’ Fights” 41 is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing on March 18, 2022 at the Paramount in Long Island, NY.
Bouts subject to change
“ROCKIN’ FIGHTS” 41 TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!
BUY TICKETS HERE!
TICKETS START AT JUST $50
FIGHT NIGHT: FRIDAY, MARCH 18 AT THE PARAMOUNT
ABOUT ROCKIN’ FIGHTS

Created in 2011, the “Rockin’ Fights” series has developed elite boxing talent and has produced current WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion, the “Common Man”, JOE “THE BEAST” SMITH JR. (Mastic, Long Island 27-3 21KO’s) and former WBO Super Lightweight World Champion, CHRIS ALGIERI (Huntington, NY 24-3 9KO’S), two of only four Long Island World Champions EVER.

“ROCKIN’ FIGHTS” 41 is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.
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For more information visit us at www.StarBoxing.com. For 30 years of action packed fights, subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE. Follow along on social media for fight announcements and updates @StarBoxing, and join the conversation using #RockinFights.

PAST RELEASES:
ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 41 ANNOUNCED FOR MARCH 18
ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 41 MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED: DOVHUN vs SILVA
ROCKIN’ FIGHTS 41 TYRONE JAMES vs JIMMY WILLIAMS ANNOUNCED
ROCKIN’ FIGHTS ARCHIVES:
Rockin’ Fights 38: Cletus Seldin vs Luis Flores NABA Title Bout
CLETUS “THE HEBREW HAMMER” SELDIN returned to the Paramount at “Rockin Fights” 38 to face off with late replacement LUIS FLORES in a WAR for the NABA Super Lightweight Title
Rockin’ Fights 35: Tyrone “Pretty Boy” James vs Ray Oliveira Jr.
TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES left his mark on “Rockin’ Fights” 35 with a vicious TKO victory over RAY OLIVEIRA JR. to remain undefeated!




LONG ISLAND FAN FAVORITE TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES MAKES HIS HIGHLY ANTICPATED RETURN AGAINST NEW HAVEN’S, JIMMY “QUIET STORM” WILLIAMS in ABO NORTH AMERICAN SUPER WELTERWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT at the PARAMOUNT

Long Island, New York (February 16, 2022) – Long Island Is buzzing with excitement as “Rockin Fights” is set to return for its 41st edition on March 18th. Adding to the buzz, Star Boxing is excited to announce the return of “THE JACKPOT” TYRONE “PRETTY BOY” JAMES (Elmont, NY 11-0 8KO’S) against JIMMY “QUIET STORM” WILLIAMS (New Haven, CT 18-6-2 6KO’s) in an 8 round super welterweight showdown for the ABO North American Championship.

James, who is on a five-fight knockout win streak, returns to the ring after being sidelined due to the COVID induced hiatus, using the time to recover from an elbow injury that required surgery. The undefeated Elmont born super welterweight brings captivating energy and flash to each fight, backed by significant skill and power.

“The return of the Jackpot will be something you do not want to miss,” said James. “I’m back ladies and gentlemen and it’s for a belt. Make sure to purchase your tickets and witness me The Jackpot, Tyrone Pretty Boy James win his first title CHA CHING!”

Williams will be James’ toughest test to date. The 26-fight veteran is coming off a major victory over former world champion Yuri Foreman in June of 2021, earning the ABF USA Super Welterweight Title. Williams followed up this performance with a well fought challenge of the WBC USNBC Title against the tough Greg Vendetti in September, falling short by split decision. Williams resume also includes world title challenger Abel Ramos and rising star Brandun Lee.

Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA had this to say about James-Williams, “It is great to be able to get Tyrone back in the ring with the opportunity to not only fight for the ABO title, but the chance to test his metal against a tough veteran in Jimmy Williams.”

The James-Williams ABO North American Title bout will play support to the previously announced battle of the undefeated in the “Rockin’ Fights” 41 main event pitting #6 world rated super bantamweight OLEH “THE UKRAINIAN PITBULL” DOVHUN (Pittsburgh, PA 13-0 5KO’s) defending his NABA title against challenger and Brazilian banger MICHEL “BABU” DA SILVA (Sao Paulo, Brazil 13-0 12KO’s) over 10 rounds in the super bantamweight division.

The James-Williams bout is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing in association with CES Boxing.

TICKETS:
Tickets to #RockinFights at The Paramount are now available at ticketmaster.com or by visiting www.starboxing.com. Tickets start at $50. Purchase your tickets, HERE.




Weights from Hartford

Hartford, CT (Thursday, September 23) – Listed below are Thursday’s official weigh-in results for CES Boxing Live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, scheduled for tomorrow night at the Connecticut Convention Center.

Limited tickets for Friday’s event can be purchased online at CESFights.com. Headlining Friday’s card are regional rivals Jimmy Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs) of New Haven, CT, and Greg Vendetti (22-4-1, 12 KOs) of Stoneham, MA, who face one another in the 10-round main event for the vacant WBC USNBC Silver Super Welterweight Title.

Friday’s event also features the long-awaited Connecticut debut of Stamford’s own Chordale Booker (16-0, 7 KOs), a rising star in the middleweight division who faces tough veteran Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Yucatan, Mexico in the eight-round co-main event.

Also on the card, undefeated super bantamweight Angel Gonzalez (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, who now fights out of Florida, returns to New England in a tough six-round matchup against Dominican Republic-born challenger Juan Gabriel Medina (12-7, 11 KOs). Featherweight Nathan Martinez (6-1, 2 KOs) of New Britain returns from a two-year layoff to face Mexican challenger Francisco Dominguez (7-11-1, 1 KO) in the six-round special attraction.

Preliminary bouts begin at 6:30 pm ET followed by the live FIGHT PASS stream beginning at 7 with play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi.

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

WEIGH-IN RESULTS

Jimmy Williams
New Haven, CT
18-5-12, 6 KOs
152 1/2

Greg Vendetti
Stoneham, MA
22-4-1, 12 KOs
153

Nathan Martinez
New Britain, CT
6-1, 2 KOs
126

Francisco Dominguez
Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
7-11-1, 1 KO
126 1/2

Chordale Booker
Stamford, CT
16-0, 7 KOs
159

Silverio Ortiz
Yucatan, Mexico
37-27, 18 KOs
157

Angel Gonzalez
Hartford, CT
5-0, 3 KOs
116

Juan Gabriel Medina
La Ramona, Dominican Republic
12-7, 11 KOs
117

Ramon Caraballo
New Britain, CT
Pro debut
146

Samuel Lajoie-Dery
Montreal, Canada
1-0, 1 KO
146

Stevie Jane Coleman
Columbia, CT
0-1
149

Christina Barry
Manitoba, Canada
1-7
147

Carlos Perez
New Haven, CT
1-0
140

Tyriek Gainey
Paterson, NJ
Pro debut
134

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.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC 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. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat 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, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

Opened in 2005, the Connecticut Convention Center is the Northeast’s most ideal location for trade shows, conventions, business meetings or any occasion demanding a dramatic riverfront setting. Overlooking the Connecticut River, the Center is situated in the heart of downtown Hartford’s Front Street District – a rapidly expanding entertainment hub teeming with new restaurants, bistros and entertainment venues. Limitlessly functional and endlessly customizable, the 540,000 square foot Connecticut Convention Center is the largest convention facility between New York and Boston. The Center combines ample meeting space – including 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000 square foot ballroom and 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – with visually stunning touches, creating the ideal backdrop for any event.




Well-traveled New England warriors Williams, Vendetti go toe-to-toe Friday in Hartford

HARTFORD, Conn. (September 20) – They’ve shared plenty of the same spaces through the years, whether in major arenas or in the cozier confines of local gyms ripping away at the heavy bag, yet, surprisingly their paths never crossed when it counted.

Until now.

In what may be one of the most intriguing New England fights of the year, regional rivals Jimmy Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs) of New Haven, CT, and Greg Vendetti (22-4-1, 12 KOs) of Stoneham, MA, collide Friday night, September 24, at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford in a 10-round bout for the vacant WBC USNBC Silver Super Welterweight Title live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

Williams and Vendetti are two of New England’s most accomplished active fighters, making Friday’s championship showdown all the more important; in addition to the famed green and gold belt, bragging rights are also on the line.

Friday’s event also features the long-awaited Connecticut debut of Stamford’s own Chordale Booker (16-0, 7 KOs), a rising star in the middleweight division who faces tough veteran Silveiro Ortiz (37-27, 18 KOs) of Yucatan, Mexico in the eight-round co-main event. The preliminary card begins at 6:30 pm ET with the live FIGHT PASS stream kicking off at 7, featuring play-by play from Michael Parente alongside color commentators “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and Fun 107 radio host and veteran ringside correspondent Madelyn Grimaldi. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.

Williams and Vendetti have built strong followings in and out of New England through the years despite their careers traveling vastly different paths. Williams, 35, a former college football standout born and raised in Plainfield, NJ, began his career with 15 wins in his first 16 pro bouts, the only blemishes being a draw against Greg Jackson in 2013 and a controversial no contest against Issouf Kinda in 2017.

Along the way, the charismatic right-hander, who works as a truancy officer in West Haven, captured the WBC USNBC Welterweight Title, dominating CES stablemate and fellow New England boxer Nick DeLomba in 2017. Never one to back down from a challenge, Williams hit a rough patch between 2019 and 2020, punctuated by a devastating knockout loss to prospect Brandun Lee, but a solid performance in his comeback bout against Mexican challenger Esteban Villalba, albeit a loss, proved to be enough to lift Williams’ confidence and convince him to keep moving forward.

The decision to continue fighting was a wise one; in June, Williams scored one of the most – if not the most – impressive wins of his career, outworking former world champion and 38-fight vet Yuri Foreman to capture the UBO International Super Welterweight Title. The next challenge is Vendetti, 31, a hard-nosed, workman-like fighter whom Williams respects for his willingness to fight anyone, a characteristic both have shared throughout their careers.

“Greg is a true warrior and he comes to fight, just like myself,” Williams said. “This fight will bring out the best in me. It’s going to be a night to remember.”

Vendetti, a former plumber, is best described as a throwback fighter, one who charges his opponent from the opening bell and never lets up. In his first appearance with CES in 2017, Vendetti bullied the favored Khiary Gray to earn a majority decision win and capture the vacant New England Super Welterweight Title.

The win helped catapult Vendetti to the next level and the opportunities he kept coming. First, he cleaned up the 154-pound weight class in New England, toppling regional rivals Casey Streeter and Derek Silveira. A year later, he earned another big break on ESPN, upsetting favored Japanese standout Yoshihiro Kamegai. Vendetti continued to work hard, even after a loss to Michel Soro in 2018, and, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, got the call all fighters dream of – an offer to fight for a world title on national television.

In August of 2020, Vendetti faced one of the sport’s pound-for-pound top fighters, Erislandy Lara, for Lara’s WBA and IBO World Super Welterweight Titles. Vendetti lost the fight on the scorecards, but gained respect and notoriety for giving the highly-regarded Lara everything he could handle for 12 rounds, something few thought was possible. Even Vendetti himself said entering the fight, “When I hear the odds and I hear people’s opinions that I’m going to get killed … I would say the same thing if I were them.”

Furthermore, few could’ve predicted Vendetti would get the opportunity to face a fighter like Lara on that kind of stage when he finished a pedestrian 4-2-1 in his first seven fights, including a draw and a loss to journeyman Antonio Fernandes. To keep his composure, Vendetti continued to follow the advice of his longtime trainer Joe Ricciardi: “Work hard, and things can happen.” A lot has happened in the past eight years for Vendetti, and now he faces another New England rival on the road in his home state – just another day at the office. Simply put, Vendetti said, “My plan is to win.”

The undercard features seven more excited bouts, including the Nutmeg State debut of the 30-year-old southpaw Booker, who aims to improve his record to 17-0 following an impressive win in November against Sanny Duversonne. Booker has made a steady living on the road, upsetting Juan De Angel at the Barclays Center in 2019 live on FOX and four months later chopping down Wale Otomoso by a wide margin on FOX Sports 1.

Also on the card, undefeated super bantamweight Angel Gonzalez (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, who now fights out of Florida, returns to New England in a tough six-round matchup against Dominican Republic-born challenger Juan Gabriel Medina (12-7, 11 KOs).

Featherweight Nathan Martinez (6-1, 2 KOs) of New Britain returns from a two-year layoff to face Mexican challenger Francisco Dominguez (7-11-1, 1 KO) in a six-round bout. Making his professional debut, Providence, RI, heavyweight and former college football standout Timothy Hatfield makes his professional debut in a four-round bout against Ohio’s Kaleb Slaughter (1-2-1).

Returning for the first time since 2019, New Haven super lightweight Carlos Perez (1-0) battles newcomer Tyriek Gainey of Paterson, NJ, in a four-round bout and Ramon Caraballo of New Britain makes his professional debut against Montreal’s Samuel Lajoie-Dery (1-0, 1 KO). Friday’s card also features the Connecticut debut of female welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman (0-1), a Columbia, CT, native, in a four-round bout against “Scary” Christina Barry (1-7) of Manitoba, Canada.

Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on FacebookInstagramTwitter at @CESBOXING. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, visit ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.

–30–

 

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.

UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC 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. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combat 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, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.

Opened in 2005, the Connecticut Convention Center is the Northeast’s most ideal location for trade shows, conventions, business meetings or any occasion demanding a dramatic riverfront setting. Overlooking the Connecticut River, the Center is situated in the heart of downtown Hartford’s Front Street District – a rapidly expanding entertainment hub teeming with new restaurants, bistros and entertainment venues. Limitlessly functional and endlessly customizable, the 540,000 square foot Connecticut Convention Center is the largest convention facility between New York and Boston. The Center combines ample meeting space – including 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000 square foot ballroom and 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – with visually stunning touches, creating the ideal backdrop for any event.




Jimmy Williams’ career revitalized after defeating Yuri Foreman

BOSTON (July 1, 2021) – Former college football star, super welterweight boxer Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams, recently defeated his first world champion, Yuri Foreman, and the veteran New Haven, Connecticut fighter’s boxing career has been revitalized.

This past March 6th, Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs) was originally supposed to fight Foreman, who withdrew after the weigh in due to sickness. Williams stayed in training camp, took a stay busy fight, and continued preparing for Foreman.

Williams won an 8-round majority decision against Foreman (35-4, 10 KOs) two weeks ago this Saturday in Atlanta for the vacant Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) International and American Boxing Federation (ABF) USA super welterweight championships.

Williams dropped Foreman twice in the sixth round and won the decision by judges’ scores of 77-73, 77-73, 75-75. “Thirty-seconds more and I think I would have stopped him,” Williams said.

Foreman, fighting out of Brooklyn, captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight World title in 2009, when he won a unanimous 12-round decision versus defending champion Daniel Santos (32-3-1). Williams and Foreman sparred many years ago at the Joe Grier Boxing Academy in Patterson, New Jersey.

Jimmy Williams action.jpg
Foreman, fighting out of Brooklyn, captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight World title in 2009, when he won a unanimous 12-round decision versus defending champion Daniel Santos (32-3-1). Williams and Foreman sparred many years ago at the Joe Grier Boxing Academy in Patterson, New Jersey.

“I’ve been chasing him a long time,” Williams noted. “I stayed in camp when our fight was canceled, took a confidence-building fight, and stayed ready for Yuri. He is a good boxer, not a brawler, and he was in tremendous shape. Yuri’s very intelligent in the ring and fighting him was a good learning experience for me. For example, he was working behind his jab to try and get me to lunge. I had to think more in the ring against him.

“I’m sure he was disappointed after the fight, but he’s a world champion who was in against Miguel Cotto and two of his other losses were to world champions (Cotto and Erislandy Lara). This was a huge opportunity for me. I’m excited about my career again. We’ll wait and see what fights are ahead for me.

Williams was a standout cornerback at Southern Connecticut State University who was invited to several NFL tryout camps. He came close to making the cut with the then-Oakland Raiders. “Quiet Storm” has been promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) since he turned pro in 2013.

“This is Jimmy’s biggest win of his career,” Williams’ manager Ryan Roach (Fighter Locker) commented. “He just opened a lot of doors for himself. I’m proud of him, he worked hard. He made the sacrifices champions make. Taking out a name like Yuri Foreman is why fighter’s go to work every day. We are working on his next fight date now. Stay tuned, ‘Quiet Storm’ fans.”

Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers include California super flyweight Rocco “So Cal Kid” Santomauro (21-1, 6 KOs), Troy, NY ABF American West super lightweight Ray Jay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (12-0, 9 KOs), Toronto, Canada welterweight West Haven, CT UBO International ABF USA super welterweight Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams (18-5-2, 6 KOs), super middleweight “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (7-0, 4 KOs), super bantamweight Daniel “G.D.F.E.” Bailey, Jr. (6-0, 4 KOs), lightweight Leonel de los Santos (3-0, 3 KOs), a 2-time Dominican Republic Olympian, Boston featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr. (1-0, 1 KO), pro-debuting Dominican Republic welterweight Juan Solano, and Salt Lake City, 2016 Brazilian Olympic silver medalist Yuberjen Martinez, Brazilian Olympian Jorge Vivas, Colorado super middleweight Marvin “Too Much” Cordova, Jr. (23-2-1, 12 KOs), West Palm Beach, FL light heavyweight Robert Daniels, Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs), Utah brothers, super lightweight Ignacio Chairez (8-0-1, 5 KOs) and lightweight Gabriel Chairez (4-0-1, 2 KOs).

INFORMATION:

WEBSITE: fighterlocker.com, punch4parkinsons.com

FACEBOOK: /fighterlocker

TWITTER: @RoachRyan

INSTAGRAM: @RyanRoach82

ABOUT FIGHTER LOCKER: Established in 2019, Fighter Locker is a comprehensive sports agency that manages professional boxers. Fighter Locker also helps to brand boxers by finding their voice with a 100-percent customized service. Fighter Locker does not really believe in working models. It believes in partnership optimization models in motion.

Fighter Locker uses four creative steps because it believes in “the foundation is everything”: 1. wisely conceived, 2. creatively restrained, 3. Proudly judged, 4. sharply targeted.




Fresh off his biggest win, “Quiet Storm” Williams enters new prime

New Haven, CT (June 25, 2021) – It’s easy to dismiss a fighter after an unexpected loss. It’s easy to suggest he or she should move on, call it a career, and count their blessings while figuring out what to do with the rest of their life.

For Jimmy Williams, boxing is life. It’s what he’s done best since he was a teenager growing up in New Jersey. And even when he gave up on it for a few years to play college football and take his shot at the NFL, boxing was waiting for him with open arms again when an injury ended his dream of playing professionally.

Boxing has been Williams’ launching pad for success over the past eight years, so when he took an unexpected loss against a journeyman challenger in December, the 34-year-old New Haven, CT, veteran never flinched. While others whispered that this might be the end of his career, Williams continued to press forward. The outcome that night was irrelevant; two months removed from a devastating knockout loss to Brandun Lee, Williams needed that fight in December to prove he still had something left in the tank.

Six months later, Williams is back atop his perch, looking ahead to the next great challenge – and peering back at those who doubted – following the biggest victory of his career.

The proud father of twin boys and longtime truancy officer at West Haven High School is the new reigning Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) Super Welterweight Champion after defeating former world title-holder Yuri Foreman by majority decision this past weekend in Atlanta. Williams bloodied Foreman in the third round and floored him twice in the sixth en route to a 75-75, 77-73, 77-73 win, toppling a once dominant champion with 39 professional bouts and 35 wins under his belt, by far the most accomplished, respected opponent Williams has faced in his long career. Williams improved to 18-5-2 with the win.

There’s no way to underscore what this means for the “Quiet Storm.” Six months ago, Williams looked like a fighter with one foot out the door after losing in Mexico to 11-23-2 Esteban Villalba, by no means in the same conversation with a fighter like Foreman. Now Williams is on top of the world again in what he calls his true “prime,” all for one simple reason – he believed when others doubted. Can a 34-year-old challenger in the competitive super welterweight division still chase his dream of winning a world title? Why not? Williams has proven nothing is impossible.

“This is a dream come true,” said Williams, who has spent his entire career since the age of 26 under the guidance of promoter Jimmy Burchfield and CES Boxing. “Once this opportunity presented itself, I knew I had to take it. I knew a fight like this would bring out my world-class kills. I knew I had to be ready to go.

“Yuri Foreman, that’s a big name in boxing. People looked at me like I didn’t stand a chance. Even Foreman’s camp, I’m sure they looked back at my losses and how I lost and thought this was a fight they should win. On paper, it looked like a great fight for Yuri, but it was everything for me, and I showed why.”

The irony is this fight was originally scheduled to take place in Louisville, KY, in March, further back during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. Williams spent his camp working for the first time with Rhode Island-based trainer Brian Johnson, at first commuting back and forth from New Haven to Providence before living out of a hotel during the final weeks before the fight to cut down on his travel. Everything was coming together perfectly; Williams felt a new sense of purpose under Johnson, whom he considered a father figure – Williams lost both of his parents during his teen years – and even back then spoke about being in his prime despite having eight years under his belt.

Then the unthinkable happened. Foreman, who felt ill leading up to the bought, tested positive for COVID at the weigh-in, forcing the promoter to postpone the fight. In boxing, postponements and promises of a make-up date often turn into cancelations, and with Foreman having just turned 40 not knowing what his future would bring, Williams wasn’t sure he’d get this opportunity again.

As fate would have it, the bout was, in fact, rescheduled for this past weekend fairly early in the process, so Williams didn’t lose much time between the end of his first camp and the start of the new one. Then fate intervened again. With Johnson unable to accompany Williams to Atlanta for the fight, Williams was forced to find a new home to finish his camp with a little more than a week to go before fight night. He decided upon Champs Boxing Club in nearby Danbury – the home of several pro fighters, including Omar Bordoy, Mike Marshall, Vinnie Carita, and Geoffrey Then, among others – and met with trainers Tommy Smalls and Dave McDonough, both of whom welcomed him with open arms. Their motto – “You give us 100 percent, and we’ll give you 150 percent.”

Smalls and McDonough weren’t just opening their doors to let Williams ride out the rest of his camp. They traveled this journey with him, watching film, implementing new techniques, and providing the necessary guidance to help Williams get over the hump. He worked hard and they worked even harder. On fight night, it all clicked – something that doesn’t always happen when working with a new team on short notice. When Williams had to weather an early storm between rounds, Smalls and McDonough kept him calm and focused in the corner, and Williams responded with a championship performance, catching his second wind in the sixth round to score the two knockdowns that ultimately won him the fight.

“They prepared just like I did, so I was prepared,” Williams said. “I was little nervous deep down, but once I got to Champs, I was like, ‘OK, this is going to work.’ It just felt like we were all on the same page.

“Putting [Foreman] down twice in the sixth, that was the turning point. In my head, I knew I was up, so I just had to box and use my skills. I knew he would try to land a big shot to even it up, so it was a mental game at that point, but I believed in my skills and my willpower. I learned a lot about myself.”

As for what’s next following his big win in Atlanta, Williams promises to remain patient and make the smart choice. He’s found a new team at Champs, proving chaos can often be a blessing in disguise. Williams overcame a lot to get to this point – losses in the ring, heartbreak at the weigh-in, even unexpected turmoil right before fight night. Doubt him again and he’ll just continue to prove there’s no expiration date on guts and perseverance.

“This win definitely gets me back in the mix,” Williams said. “I feel like I’m in my prime now. The football, everything else, that’s behind me. I’ve grown as a fighter. I’m experienced and feel like I’m at my peak now.”

Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on FacebookInstagramTwitter at @CESBOXING.

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.




New-look Williams aims for career revival Saturday in Louisville

Providence, RI (March 4, 2021) – Nearly 20 years ago, Jimmy Williams, then a young, promising amateur boxer from Plainfield, NJ, honed his craft under the guidance of renowned trainer Joe Grier at Grier’s gym in nearby Patterson.

Though the two never worked together when Williams eventually turned pro in 2013, Grier’s tutelage has had a lasting impact on Williams’ career. Grier not only gave Williams his nickname, “The Quiet Storm,” he also gave him the opportunity to spar against some of his other top pupils, including a then 19-year-old Yuri Foreman, a decorated amateur about to make his own debut within the next year.

On Saturday night, Williams and Foreman renew acquaintances at the Kentucky Center for African Americans in Louisville in an eight-round bout for the vacant American Boxing Federation USA Super Welterweight Title, part of a stacked, 12-fight lineup in the hometown of “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali.

Saturday’s main-event showdown is an intriguing crossroads bout for two fighters who’ve traveled considerably different paths in their pro careers and would otherwise be considered a random pairing were it not for their inadvertent link to Grier. While Foreman is aiming to recapture old glory at the age of 40, Williams brings a whole new vibe to Kentucky this weekend in hopes of revitalizing a career that has hit a standstill since he last tasted victory in 2018.

“This is my opportunity to get back on track,” William said. “I take nothing away from Yuri. He’s a world champion and you can’t knock his skills, but I will always jump at the opportunity to fight someone who’s been there and done that.”

“Jimmy has been with us from Day 1 and we haven’t left one another’s corner since,” said CES Boxing president and Williams’ promoter, Jimmy Burchfield Sr. “There is no one who works harder or deserves this opportunity more than him. Like I tell all of our fighters, if you put in the work and effort, we will be with you until the end, and I’m excited to see where the rest of this journey takes Jimmy. We’re confident the best is yet to come.”

Few fighters at the age of 34 with more than 20 pro bouts under their belt would consider themselves in their “prime,” but Williams is a firm believer that a change of scenery can lead to a new beginning. The first five years of his career provided stability most fighters could only dream of – a solid management team, consistent trainers, and a well-rounded support system anchored by Burchfield, his first and only promoter. Not surprisingly, William surged to a 14-0-1 record and captured the WBC USNBC title as a welterweight before suffering his first pro defeat.

The last two years have lacked the balance that defined the early part of his career. Relationships with the people in his inner circle took on a strict business approach, forcing Williams – who lost his father to cancer at a young age – to search elsewhere for someone he could connect with on a more personal level. After Williams’ last fight in December, his promoter suggested he work with Brian Johnson, a Rhode Island-based trainer and manager whom Williams already had a decent rapport with.

Understanding the importance of the Foreman fight and what it could do in terms of putting him back on the right path, Williams decided to go all in; during the latter half of his training camp, he lived out of a hotel near his new gym to avoid the long commute between West Haven and Providence and to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. Being away from his wife and twin sons has been difficult, but Williams is confident the sacrifice and commitment will yield a big payoff in the end. This is the best he’s felt in years, both physically and mentally, and he attributes most of it to his connect with Johnson, whom he’s described as a “father figure.”

“When I lost my father at a young age, I felt like I never really grew up as a man,” he said. “Everything I learned was through trial and error. I’ve always looked for a ‘father figure’ in my trainers, but it was always just business. Brian and I can talk for hours. Now I’m growing as a man.

“I’m talking different, my swag is different – everything I wanted for myself when I first came into this game, I’ve got now. Brian’s like the father I never had. That’s why I call him ‘Pops.’ I respect everything he brings to the table.”

All positive vibes aside, there’s still the formality of having to face a hungry, ex-world champion Saturday night in what might be the most important fight of his career. The connection to Grier is a small part of what makes this fight so intriguing. Foreman, now 40 and fighting for just the second time in four years, worked with Grier for more than a decade after he turned pro; Grier was the one who famously threw in the towel during the eighth round of Foreman’s 2010 loss to Miguel Cotto when Foreman tripped and tore his ACL, only to have referee Arthur Mercante allow the fight to continue until Foreman got stopped by a body shot in the ninth.

Grier, as Williams remembers, showed similar compassion even back when Williams was an amateur. When Williams fought in the New Jersey Golden Gloves, Grier had commemorative jackets made for the entire team. Unable to attend the celebration, Williams received his jacket at a later date. When Grier finally presented it to him, it had “Quiet Storm” stitched onto the sleeve, unbeknownst to Williams, who had no idea at the time the nickname would stick with him throughout his career.

As pros, Williams and Foreman have enjoyed much success; Foreman, a 5-foot-11 Israeli right-hander and ordained rabbi since 2014, amassed an amateur record of 75-5 and rose to prominence in 2009 when he captured the WBA world super welterweight title from Daniel Santos, became Israel’s first world champion boxer. The loss to Cotto occurred just seven months later, leaving Foreman with a badly-damaged knee and swirling questions about his future in the sport. He fought sparingly over the next decade and appeared to be done for good following a 2017 knockout loss to Erislandy Lara in his attempt to recapture the WBA title, but he returned in December with a win over journeyman Jeremy Ramos, launching what he believes is another run at a world title after catching his “second wind.”

Where does Williams fit into the puzzle? The West Haven resident, who works full-time as a truancy officer in his city’s school district, firmly believes Foreman is looking past him, especially since Williams has lost four of his last five, including a surprising loss to Mexican journeyman Esteban Villalba in December.

As Williams puts it, “When you go to Mexico to fight, people know you aren’t going there to lose. When [Foreman] saw that, he probably thought, ‘Jimmy’s done,’ but I’ve got a lot left.”

The loss, while still a blemish on his record, might’ve actually been a blessing for Williams. Going the distance just two months after a brutal knockout loss to Brandun Lee reaffirmed his belief that the journey is far from over.

“That trip changed my whole life,” Williams said. “Win, lose, draw – it didn’t matter. I just needed the confidence to know I fully recovered from the previous fight and could finally put it behind me.”

Whether or not Williams can turn back the clock Saturday night may very well determine his next move. A win over Foreman proves there’s still a lot left in the tank and perhaps a light at the end of the tunnel as he enters what he feels is his “new” prime. Having sparred with the likes of reigning WBO world middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade and new stablemate Marqus Bates, Williams’ confidence – and comfort level – is at an all-time high. The “Quiet Storm” is back.

“The weight is off my shoulders now,” he said. “The gyms in the gym, they’re hungry just like me. I never had a team to train with before. It was always just me in the gym. I never had the motivation of seeing other guys work at it, picking one another up. It’s given me a whole new level of understanding and confidence.”

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

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.




Jimmy Williams finally gets his world title fight

BOSTON (March 2, 2021) – New Haven (CT) super welterweight boxer Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams will finally get what he calls “his world title fight” this Saturday night against former world champion Yuri Foreman in an 8-round bout for the vacant American Boxing Federation USA super welterweight championship, at the Kentucky Center for African Americans in Louisville, Kentucky.

Foreman (35-3, 10 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super welterweight World title in 2009, when he won a unanimous 12-round decision versus defending champion Daniel Santos (32-3-1).

“We sparred back when I was a kid when I trained at the Joe Grier Boxing Academy in Patterson, New Jersey,” Williams explained. “Joe was the one who gave me my nickname, ‘Quiet Storm.’ Yuri is a true world champion. I basically have come from nowhere to share the ring with a world champion. What we’re doing is what boxing is all about. It’s not about age; he’s 40 and I’m 34. Age doesn’t mean anything. I’m not a top dog, which is probably why they offered me the fight, but I’m a real fighter who will be in with a world champ. This is my world title fight! Win, lose, or draw, I’ll be fighting a world champion. I’m not scared of anybody. It’s not about money, it’s who I am, and I always step up to the challenge. This is going to be a great fight.”

Williams (16-5-2, 5 KOs) is proud to be one of the rare football players who has succeeded in boxing. He was a standout cornerback at Southern Connecticut State University and invited to several NFL tryout camps. He came close to making the cut with the then-Oakland Raiders.

“I’ve always been a boxer at heart,” Williams said, “so football was easy for me. It was great getting calls from NFL scouts. I walked away from football for boxing. I’m a former Division 2 college football player fighting a world champion. I knew when it was time to leave football, but I’m not ready to leave boxing yet. I don’t need to box. I’m educated, work in the community, and I’m a father. I’m blessed to be boxing and I’ll know when it’s time to hang up my gloves.”

Williams didn’t box until after his mother, Belinda, was murdered in 2008 and her case remains unsolved. He lost his father to cancer.

“This fight for Jimmy is by far the biggest of his career,” Williams manager Ryan Roach (Fighter Locker) remarked. “It’s a must win to get him back on track. He knows what he has to do. He made a move to Veloz Boxing in Rhode Island and he’s a different fighter from what he was in his last two fights. Just being around ‘Boo Boo’ (world champion Demetrious Andrade) and those guys there has Jimmy where he needs to be for this fight.”

Williams has been promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES) since he turned pro in 2013.

“We have a close relationship,” Burchfield commented. “I turned him pro, got him on national television a few times, and even attended his wedding. I’m very proud of him. He’s been tremendously loyal to CES as we have to him. This is a great opportunity. He didn’t hesitate a minute to take this fight. He has a new trainer, Brian Johnson, and Jimmy has been driving bad and forth from New Haven to Providence to train. I think he’s in the top shape of his life, because he knows the importance of this fight. He deserves to have this opportunity.

Something special about his fight this Saturday night against Foreman for Williams, an African American, is fighting at this venue (Kentucky Center for African Americans) in the hometown of his hero, Muhammad Ali.

“I’m paying homage to all people who’ve lived my dream,” Williams remarked. “It is what I represent. We’ve lost a lot of people in the last year. Fighting in Louisville is big for me because it’s the home of ‘The Greatest,’ Muhammad Ali. I look at Ali more for his character and what he stood for than his boxing. He stood for something and lost the prime of his career because of it. I try to be like him in terms of who I am. He gave me the confidence be who I want to be in life. I’ve read every book about him. I refuse to give up like Ali. I’m a throwback fighter.”

Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers includes California super flyweight Rocco “So Cal Kid” Santomauro (20-1, 6 KOs), Troy, NY ABF American West super lightweight Ray Jay “The Destroyer” Bermudez (12-0, 9 KOs), super middleweight “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (6-0, 4 KOs), U.S. Army super bantamweight Daniel Bailey, Jr. (2-0, 1 KO), lightweight Leonel de los Santos (2-0, 2 KOs), a2-time Dominican Republic Olympian, pro-debuting Boston featherweight Troy Anderson, Jr., pro-debuting Dominican Republic welterweight Juan Solano, and Salt Lake City, Utah brothers, super lightweight Ignacio Chairez (7-0-1, 4 KOs) and lightweight Gabriel Chairez (3-0, 2 KOs).

INFORMATION:
WEBSITE: fighterlocker.com, punch4parkinsons.com
FACEBOOK: /fighterlocker
TWITTER: @RoachRyan
INSTAGRAM: @RyanRoach82

ABOUT FIGHTER LOCKER:
Established in 2019, Fighter Locker is a comprehensive sports agency that manages professional boxers. Fighter Locker also helps to brand boxers by finding their voice with a 100-percent customized service. Fighter Locker does not really believe in working models. It believes in partnership optimization models in motion.

Fighter Locker uses four creative steps because it believes in “the foundation is everything”: 1. wisely conceived, 2. creatively restrained, 3. Proudly judged, 4. sharply targeted.




Conwell Knocks Out Toussaint in 9

Charles Conwell remained undefeated by stopping Wendy Toussaint in round nine of their scheduled 10-round junior middleweight bout at The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Conwell caught Toussaint with a vicious uppercut that may have broken Toussaint’s nose in the 9th round that made him take a knee for the 10-count at 2:42.

Conwell, 154 lbs of Cleveland is now 13-0 with 10 knockouts. Toussaint, 153 lbs of Huntington, NY is 12-1.

“I think this was a good fight for my first fight back, getting the ring rust off, but at the end of the day we got the job done,” said Conwell, a 2016 U.S. Olympian. “The game plan going in was to break him down round by round, go to the body until we got him to where we wanted him. I give my performance a C-plus, there were a lot of things I could have done better. I’m going to get back in the gym and continue to work hard to become the champion I know I can be. I’ll fight anybody next, but I really want an ex-world champion or ex-title challenger so I can get the championship rounds under my belt. Then it’s on to a world title.”

Bocachica stops Flaz in 1

Janelson Figueroa Bocachica stopped Nicklaus Flaz in round one of their scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

In the opening round, Bocachica dropped Flaz with a perfect left hook to the chin. Later in the round, it was another hard left hook that put Flaz down again. Three more hard punches later, Flaz went down, and the fight was stopped at 2:43.

Bocachica, 146 1/2 lbs of Detroit is now 16-0 with 11 knockouts. Flaz, 146 1/2 lbs of Puerto Rico is 9-2.

“I came in and they said he wanted to brawl, and as soon as he did, the fight was over,” said Bocachica, a Detroit native, who like Flaz is of Puerto Rican descent. “The game plan was to showcase my boxing. I didn’t get to do that but I’m happy either way. I’m not shy calling out guys, but I’m trying to be respectful to the best in my division. I’m here, so bring them on. One-hundred forty-seven [pounds] is mine. It was easier than I thought, I’m not going to lie. But I didn’t think it was going to be hard.”

Lee takes out Williams in 1st

Brandun Lee remained perfect by dismantling Jimmy Williams in the opening round their eight-round welterweight bout.

In round one. Lee dropped Williams with a combination that was followed up by a left. Seconds later it was a right hand that sent Williams to the canvas. Then it was a huge right that sent Williams viciously down over the bottrom rope, and the fight was stopped at 1:34.

Lee, 144 lbs of La Quinta, CA is 20-0 with 18 knockouts. Williams, 143 3/4 lbs of New Haven, CT is 16-4-2.

“I’m blessed with the natural power and that’s what the fans saw from me tonight – I’m here to entertain the fans and seek and destroy,” said the 21-year-old Lee. “The game plan was to go in there and do what I do best, which is to destruct anything that is in my way. When I fought last fall on SHOWTIME for the first time in Texas I felt like we rushed it too much. And back in March on SHOWTIME I felt like we waited too long. So I think this fight was perfect. We hit it right on the money, not too fast and not too slow.”




Former college football player Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams accepts challenge to fight 19-0 Brandun Lee – “I will give Lee his first loss!”

BOSTON (October 5, 2020) – “Quiet Storm” planning a Perfect Storm!

Former Southern Connecticut State University football player Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams is looking forward to shocking the boxing world this Wednesday night (Oct. 7), when he takes on undefeated, blue-chip prospect Brandun Lee (19-0, 17 KOs) on ShoBox: The New Generation, airing live on SHOWTIME from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Lee vs. Williams was originally scheduled for September 19, but it was pushed back until Oct. 7, and will be contested at a 145-pound catchweight. “It’s been a plus to have more time to prepare,” Williams spoke about the change of date. “This is a big fight for me, and the extra time was only a few weeks. I’ve stayed sharp.”

The 33-year-ol Williams (16-3-2, 5 KOs), fighting out of West Haven, Connecticut, was a cornerback in college who, as an undrafted player, was invited to NFL tryouts as a free agent by the Raiders, Chiefs, Colts and Falcons.

Promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports (CES), Williams will be making his debut as a member of manager Ryan Roach’s growing Fighter Locker stable.

“I think this is a great opportunity for Jimmy, Roach added. This is a big fight for us and a must win. Jimmy is up for the challenge. We’ve been waiting for this call. He has been working hard every day with his trainer, Dave Forsyth.

“This is our first fight together as a team and I am really looking forward to it. I know Brandun is special, but he hasn’t seen anything like Jimmy before, and he will stop this kid in the later rounds.”

Williams is a decisive underdog versus Lee, a rising star whose goal is to become the first world champion of Korean dissent. The 21-year-old Californian was a highly decorated American amateur: 3-time U.S. National Silver Gloves, 2013 PAL National and 2015 U.S. National Juniors champion. However, he’s never fought past four rounds and Williams will attempt to extend the gifted Lee, taking him into deep water in hopes of making him gas.
“I’m honored to fight on Showtime,” Williams said. “I never thought I’d have this opportunity in my career. My whole life I’ve been the underdog. I love the challenge and that’s what made me who I am today. I overcome things.

“I thank God and my promoter, CES and Jimmy Burchfield, and my manager, Ryan Roach. I’m truly blessed. This is going to be a great fight and I will give Lee his first loss.”
Williams will be fighting for the memory of his mother, Belinda Jordan Williams, who was strangled to death in 2008, and the case remains open.

Fighter Locker’s growing stable of gifted boxers also includes a talented Ukrainian trio of North American Boxing Association (NABA) super welterweight title holder Stanyslav Skofokhod (19-2, 16 KOs), word-rated welterweight Karen Chukhadzhian (16-1, 7 KOs) and super lightweight Zoravor Petrosyan (9-0, 4 KOs). Other Fighter Locker stablemates include Dominican Republic welterweight Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu (23-6-1, 21 KOs), the former IBF Youth World super lightweight champion, Lynn, MA super welterweight Khiry “TNT” Todd (10-1, 8 KOs),Dorchester, MA welterweight Gabriel Duluc (15-3, 4 KOs), Troy, NY super lightweight RayJay Bermudez, Toronto, Canada welterweight Jeff “The Trouble 1” Tabrizi (8-3, 7 KOs), Englewood, CO super featherweight Jesus Vasquez, Jr. (6-0,2 KOs), Auroraa, CO super middleweight “The Amazing” Shawn McCalman (4-0, 2 KOs) plus Irish National champion Paul Ryan, a welterweight in the pro ranks, and U.S. Army super bantamweight Daniel Bailey, Jr., who will both be making their pro debuts.

INFORMATION:
WEBSITE: fighterlocker.com, punch4parkinsons.com
FACEBOOK: /fighterlocker
TWITTER: @RoachRyan
INSTAGRAM: @RyanRoach82




Rested, rejuvenated Williams steps up in class to face unbeaten Lee on Showtime

West Haven, CT (September 1) – The “Quiet Storm” has endured every drought and downpour life can throw at you during his high-profile, seven-year career in professional boxing. Now Jimmy Williams faces his toughest to date, a fight that, if victorious, could lead to bigger and better opportunities.

The West Haven, CT, resident and veteran welterweight makes his Showtime debut next Wednesday, October 7 live from Mohegan Sun Arena in a televised showdown against hard-hitting, undefeated, 21-year-old Brandun Lee (19-0, 17 KOs), a La Quinta, CA, native and one of boxing’s brightest prospects.

The eight-round Williams-Lee bout, which will be contested at a catch weight of 144 pounds, opens a three-fight telecast beginning at 9 pm ET and presented by Premier Boxing Champions in association with CES Boxing, one of five remaining events scheduled for 2020 at Mohegan Sun that will air live on Showtime. The October 7 event is headlined by a 10-round showdown between unbeaten middleweights Wendy Toussaint and Charles Conwell, both of whom boast 12-0 records. Williams’ opponent, Lee – a former three-time National Junior Golden Glove champion – has won his last 10 fights by knockout dating back to 2018.

“It’s an honor to fight on this stage,” Williams said. “I’m prepared. I was born for this.”

Williams (16-3-2, 5 KOs) – promoted by the legendary Jimmy Burchfield Sr., and CES Boxing – faces another tall order next Wednesday against the electrifying Lee, though it’s merely par for the course in what has been a tumultuous journey both in and out of the ring over the past decade and a half. Born and raised in Plainfield, NJ, the 34-year-old Williams began boxing at the age of 8, introduced to the sport by his uncle, but he found his calling on the gridiron, where he starred as a defensive back at Southern Connecticut State.

Though boxing was his first love, Williams didn’t step through the ropes again until after his mother, Belinda, was murdered in 2008, a case that remains unsolved to this day. Williams also lost his father due to cancer. Belinda had always dreamt her son would become a fighter, so, to honor her memory, he stepped away from football following a series of injuries and instead picked up where he left off with boxing, making his professional debut in 2013.

Williams’ career in the ring has featured a number of highlight-reel finishes and right-place, right-time moments. Earmarked as the swing bout in his debut – otherwise known as the bout that gets pushed in front of the TV cameras in the event of an early finish – his knockout victory over Noel Garcia made it onto the NBC Sports telecast, giving fight fans an early glimpse of Williams’ irrepressible talent. Two months later – again as the swing bout – Williams found himself on ESPN2, outworking Ray Younger by decision to improve to 2-0. In February of 2015, once again at Mohegan, Williams earned another spot on ESPN2 and flattened regional rival Eddie Caminero, a knockout that landed on the network’s weekly Top 10 highlight reel.

The pressure of the bright lights? That’s not a factor for Williams, whose pro career was essentially “born” on network television, so it’s only fitting that his biggest, most difficult challenge will meet a similar fate in front of millions of watchful eyes on Showtime’s global platform. Physically, Williams feels great; 34 might as well be 24, and he’s almost a year – 361 days, to be exact – removed from his last bout, allowing his body to recover from the usual wear and tear associated with constant training and weight-cutting.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has changed the landscape of professional boxing with fighters showcasing their craft in front of empty arenas, provided a small silver lining for Williams, who used the quarantine to spend more time with his family.

Equally important was the opportunity to “reset” mentally and focus on what lies ahead. He has fought his entire career under Burchfield’s guidance, winning 14 of his first 15 bouts and reaching the pinnacle in 2017 by capturing the WBC USNBC Welterweight Title. Though he may have discovered the proverbial fountain of youth during his time away from the sport, the reality is this may be Williams’ to climb the ranks and land the signature bout that eludes so many talented fighters. Perhaps this is the aforementioned signature bout.

In any event, Williams – with no hesitation – is stepping back into the fire next Wednesday on an a rather unusual, unconventional platform, fighting just a stone’s throw from his home in Uncasville, CT, but without the rabid fan base that usually follows him to every arena. What may seem odd from some might just be what the doctor ordered for the unflappable Williams, whose journey in professional boxing has been anything but conventional.

“He’s a great fighter,” Williams said of Lee, “but we’ll see what he’s made of October 7.”

Visit CESBoxing.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter 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.

Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), was created for television by Haymon Sports, LLC, in January 2015. PBC is a boxing series that returns the sweet science to its rightful place atop the sports pantheon. Featuring today’s best and brightest stars in their toughest, most anticipated bouts, Premier Boxing Champions is broadcast and streamed live on SHOWTIME, FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes. PBC takes boxing back to its roots. This is boxing, pure and simple, where what’s brought to the fight, mentally and physically, is what determines who goes home the winner, and who just goes home. Bouts featured within the PBC Series are promoted by licensed promoters, with each bout in accordance with applicable regulatory rules and regulations.

A world at play and a world to its own, Mohegan Sun, created in 1996 by the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut in partnership with Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, is one of the world’s most amazing destinations with some of New England’s finest dining, hotel accommodations, retail shopping, live entertainment and sporting events. Boasting two unique casinos, Mohegan Sun is also host to the Kids Quest/Cyber Quest family entertainment facility, two luxurious spas, world-class meeting facilities, a state-of-the-art Poker Room as well as three major entertainment venues with seating from 350 to 10,000. People from across the globe come to see live concerts with some of today’s top headliners, along with major sporting events including Mohegan Sun’s very own WNBA team, the Connecticut Sun and lacrosse team, the New England Black Wolves.