NEW BEDFORD, MA – Wilson “Ill Will” Mascarenhas (10-1, 4 KOs) returns to the ring for the second time in as many months on Saturday, when he meets Patrick “The Mallet” Okine (21-6-2, 18 KOs) at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino for the WBC USA Silver Super Lightweight Championship. The bout is the main event of “The Brawl at Bally’s,” a scintillating 7-bout card featuring many of the CES Boxing’s top prospects in competitive matchups. Tickets are available at CESFights.com, priced at $60, $80, $155, and $180.  Fans who can’t make it to Bally’s can catch the action for free on Swerve Combat TV. “It’s going great, man,” says Mascarenhas when describing his preparation for Saturday night’s bout.  “It’s the same routine, just turning it up a notch because it’s my first 8 round fight.  I’ve been stepping up my level of competition little by little, so my workouts are getting harder.  I just fought 2 months ago, which gives me the advantage, so there’s nothing to do but to keep the momentum going.” In February, the New Bedford resident made short work of Braulio Rodriguez at the same venue, stopping the savvy veteran after only one round.  The performance convinced CES Boxing founder Jimmy Burchfield, Sr. that Mascarenhas was ready for his first title. “Rodriguez was a strong puncher, but he didn’t end up catching me flush,” explains Mascarenhas.  “I believe that Braulio underestimated me a little bit because he probably thought that I’m a young kid with only 10 fights and he’s been in the ring with veterans and top prospects, so he came in there thinking that he was gonna take me out of there and it didn’t go as planned for him.” Indeed, Rodriguez had previously been in the ring with top jr. welterweight Ryan Garcia, former title challenger Chris “Pitufo” Diaz, and blue-chip prospect Ashton Sylve.  While Rodriguez was competitive in spots against Garcia and Diaz, he was completely blown out by Mascarenhas. “Honestly, I wasn’t too satisfied,” admits Mascarenhas of the bout.  “The fight didn’t last as long as I wanted it to.  I didn’t really get to show my skills.  I didn’t get to show my talent and what I’m made of.  At the end of the day, it’s the ref’s call and he decided to stop the fight after the first round.  It’s too bad, because we got right to it in round one.  It was becoming an interesting fight.  I just wanted to see what would have happened in the later rounds when I started warming up.” Speaking with Mascarenhas, one gets the sense that the 29-year-old craves the opportunity to dig deep in a fight and show the world what he can do against an opponent who is there to win.  The Portuguese native hopes that Okine will fit the bill on Saturday. “When you work so hard in training, you want to challenge yourself and see what it’s like to go into deep waters,” agrees Mascarenhas.  “I didn’t get a chance to do that against Rodriguez.  Maybe I’ll be able to do it with Patrick Okine.” In Okine, ‘Ill Will’ is facing a tough-as-nails Ghanian puncher who always comes to fight.  ‘The Mallet’ has 18 knockouts in 21 wins and has shared the ring with the likes of former world champions Lee Selby and Emmanuel Tagoe as well as contenders Jeremia Nakathila and Cletus Seldin. “I know that he’s a physically strong guy,” opines Mascarenhas of his opponent.  “He’s a little flat footed, but he’s a power puncher, so you can never count those guys out.  I know that he’s coming to fight, and that’s what I want because it builds confidence to know that I’m not having a walk in the park with my opponents.” In an era where top prospects are often fed cannon fodder for opponents, Mascarenhas is grateful that CES Boxing is giving him the opportunity to develop against hard-nosed veterans who will both test him and teach him something about himself. “Sometimes I sit back and see guys playing around with easy fights and I think, I just wanna go out there and get knock outs too,” laughs Mascarenhas.  “But then again, I’m glad that I’m getting built this way because I’m taking tough fights so that when the big fights get to me, it’s nothing new, there’s nothing I haven’t seen.” Wilson’s goal is not to just get a world title shot, but to be in a position to win that title when the opportunity arises. “I’m not saying it would be a walk in the park, but it’ll be something I’m used to,” elaborates Mascarenhas when envisioning fighting for a world title.  “I’m not going to have stage fright, I’m not gonna hesitate, I’m not going to be as nervous, so I’m glad I’m having these tough fights now so that when the time comes that I fight for a major title, I’m ready to win it.” But before Wilson takes that big step towards a world title, he must first overcome ‘The Mallet’ for the WBC USA Silver title.  It’s a task that Mascarenhas takes very seriously. “First and foremost, all glory to God because without Him, none of this would have been possible,” reflects Mascarenhas.  “And a big shout out to CES for even giving me this opportunity because two years ago, I wasn’t even supposed to be here.”   Mascarenhas is alluding to a stabbing incident he suffered at a post-fight celebration in 2022, when he almost lost his life and was afraid that his boxing career had suddenly come to an end. “I wasn’t even thinking about getting this type of shot,” admits Mascarenhas, who spent nearly a year in physical therapy to recover a full range of motion.  “Two years later, I feel like everything is starting to come together.  My mental, my physicality, I’m starting to be in the best shape of my life.  I’m fighting for the WBC Silver title, so it means a lot.  It’ll mean more after I have the title wrapped around my waist.  It’s big for me, but this is just the beginning.  We have more belts to go after.”    In what he hopes will be the first of many, Wilson’s title run begins on Saturday night at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino with the WBC USA Silver title on the line.    For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING. INFORMATIONCES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the East Coast.  Founded in 1992 by Jimmy Burchfield Sr., CES Boxing has promoted many world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, Chad Dawson and Ray Oliveira. CES Boxing has promoted such super fights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones Jr.”, “Mayweather vs. Gotti III” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

NEW BEDFORD, MA – Wilson “Ill Will” Mascarenhas (9-1, 3 KOs) returns to the ring this Saturday against wily veteran Braulio “El Chavo” Rodriguez (20-9, 17 KOs) in a 6-round welterweight contest.

The bout is the co-feature of a stacked ‘CES Boxing Homecoming’ card taking place at Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino on March 23. Priced at $60, $80, $155, and $180, tickets are quickly selling out, so make sure to visit CES Fights to purchase yours.  Fans who can’t make it to Bally’s can catch the action live and for free on Swerve Combat TV.

“I’m always looking forward to putting on a show,” says the New Bedford native of his tough assignment.  “I stay ready all year round, so it doesn’t matter who they put in front of me, I’m going to go in there and show my skills, ability, heart, and talent.”

In front of Mascarenhas on Saturday is an experienced foe who has shared the ring with the likes of 2-time world title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz, jr. welterweight star Ryan Garcia, and lightweight prospect Ashton Sylve.  Rodriguez is as savvy as they come, and he knows every trick in the book. 

“Rodriguez is a tricky opponent, but I’m ready for anything he brings,” says Wilson confidently.  “This is the best I ever felt mentally going into a camp, and physically I like to stay ready so that I don’t have to get ready. I’ve been locked in for several weeks now, so I’m looking forward to putting on a great show for the fans on Saturday night.”

When speaking with Mascarenhas, one gets the impression that the 29-year-old doesn’t take anything for granted in life.  After recovering from a brutal assault that took place in his hometown after one of his most impressive wins, Wilson has a deep understanding of how lucky he is to not just be able to box, but to simply live a normal life.

“I didn’t expect to be where I am today,” admits Mascarenhas, who was stabbed 4 times that night across his head, neck, back and shoulder.  “But here I am, and I’m excited, grateful, and blessed to be here.  I’m going to make the most of this.”

For Mascarenhas, living life to the fullest involves balancing fatherhood with a full-time job as a behavioralist at a school and his daily boxing training, conditioning, and physical therapy.  It’s a rigorous schedule, but one that Wilson feels grateful to be able to do on a daily basis.

“We’re working to get there,” laughs Mascarenhas when asked whether he plans to eventually make boxing his full-time job.  “Right now, boxing is not my full-time job but the way I do it, it’s as if it is because I put my all into it no matter what.  I work in the community, and I tell the kids all the time that sometimes in order to get where you need to be, you have to grind somewhere else.  They believe me because they see me do it.” 

While Mascarenhas gets a lot of satisfaction from working with the youth, the Portuguese native dreams of being able to dedicate himself fully to the Sweet Science.  Those dreams almost came tumbling down 2 years ago, but after 3 wins with 1 knockout since the attack and subsequent recovery, Wilson’s confidence in his abilities has grown.

“I’m getting better with every fight,” agrees Mascarenhas.  “With each outing, I’m feeling my injury less and less.  My right hand is coming out faster and I’m feeling much more comfortable.”

Wilson’s improvement has impressed CES Boxing so much that earlier in the month, they didn’t hesitate to renew their promotional pact with the welterweight prospect. 

“I want to give a big shout out to CES Boxing and Jimmy Burchfield for giving me the opportunity again,” says Mascarenhas, who would like to fight 2 more times in 2024 if successful on Saturday.  “As you know, boxing is a business and after sustaining injuries like that and having my character assassinated with speculation that my attack may have been gang related, I have to thank CES and Jimmy Burchfield for giving me another opportunity.   Now we we’re locked in, and I feel like we’re going to have great fights coming up and that’s the goal: stay busy, keep fighting, and keep climbing up the welterweight ranks.”

Wilson’s resurrection continues this Saturday night at Bally’s Twin River Casino against Braulio Rodriguez, but as the fighter points out, win, lose or draw, he plans to pursue his dreams and leave it all in the ring.

“When it’s all said and done, I don’t want to have any excuses,” says Mascarenhas.  “I don’t ever want to fail and say ‘oh, it’s because of this or that.’  That incident happened, it’s over and we’re moving forward.  This is where we are, and we’re going to stay in this path working hard and I’m going to keep blowing my opponents out of the water.”

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

INFORMATION

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

CRANSTON, RI – Since its inception in early 2022, “Rhode Wars” is designed to serve as a proving ground for the next generation of CES stars looking to join the list of past greats such as Vinny Paz and Peter Manfredo Jr. as well as current stars like Jamaine Ortiz.  

The ring is a truth machine, and the series is meant to weed out the true prospects from those who have more work to do in the gym.  Rhode Wars IV was no exception.  The show featured the CES debuts of two recent signings from legendary fighting families, the development of several New England prospects, and the pro debuts of two of Rhode Island’s own fighters.    

The event did not disappoint, as the bouts were evenly matched to the delight of the fans who came to support their local favorites at the packed Historic Park Theater in Cranston on a rainy Saturday night.  

Paulino annihilates Perez

In the main event of the evening, New London, CT’s Alejandro “El Abusador” Paulino stopped Colombia’s Jonathan Perez in the sixth and final round of a lightweight bout to improve his record to 13-0 with 11 knockouts.

‘El Abusador’ was in control of the bout from the opening bell, nearly dropping Perez with a left hook in the opening stanza.  A subsequent right to the body caused Perez’s gloves to touch the canvas, but referee Joey Lupino ruled it a slip.  Paulino continued landing at will in round 2, when a right to the head finally dropped Perez, who mustered up the will to beat the count and survive the round.

The knockdown appeared to wake up the Colombian, who responded in round 3 with several right hands of his own.  The shots did little to discourage Paulino, as the New Londoner returned to his dominant ways in rounds 4 and 5, stunning Perez repeatedly with laser straight right hands that left a welt under the Colombian’s left eye.   

Paulino continued looking for the knockout in round 6, and he finally found the opportunity he was seeking as he trapped Perez against the ropes and landed a combination that dropped the Colombian to the canvas.  Perez got up, but this time Paulino put a final exclamation on the night, ending matters with a follow up attack that caused referee Ricky Gonzalez to halt the bout at 2:20 of the round.  With the loss, Perez falls to 40-37 with 32 KOs.   

Mascarenhas makes triumphant return

In the co-feature, Wilson Mascarenhas shut out Ghana’s Benjamin Lamptey in a 6 round welterweight contest.  All three judges scored the bout 60-54 for the New Bedford resident.

‘Ill Will’ thrilled the raucous crowd, which included Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson, with his smooth boxing and rapid-fire combinations.  Many fans wondered whether Mascarenhas would show any ill effects from a stabbing he suffered shortly after his last outing in March 2022 that kept him out of the ring for 18 months.  

The New Bedford resident was able to quell any concerns in round 1, patiently working behind an educated jab and appearing to be the sharper of the two pugilists.

Wilson dominated rounds 2 and 3, landing crisp combinations to the head and body of the mostly upright and stationary Lamptey.  The Accra native looked to counter, but he was never able to mount much of an attack against the quicker Mascarenhas.  

With the crowd chanting “Ill Will,” the Portugal native upped the ante in rounds 4 and 5, walking Lamptey down with a stiff jab and firing combinations whenever his opponent’s back touched the ropes.  Mascarenhas moved the fight to the inside in round 6, ripping short hooks to the body and rights to the head as the bout came to a close.  With the win, Mascarenhas improves to 7-1 (2 KOs) while Lamptey drops to 13-10-2 (9 KOs).      

Walsh decisions Williams in a War

In the fight of the night, Brockton’s Kevin Walsh outlasted Orlando, Florida’s Marcello Williams over 6 rounds in a lightweight war.  The bout was a contrast in styles, as the sharper Walsh was forced to trade early and often with the wild and persistent Williams.

Williams pressured Walsh from the opening bell, launching haymakers to the head of the patient Walsh, who responded with a big uppercut midway through the round.  The fighters traded heavy leather in round 2, with Walsh sharply countering the Brazilian’s wild advances.  

Williams landed a left hook and an uppercut in round 3, but a big right hand from Walsh briefly halted his momentum.  Walsh wisely chose to box in round 4, but the relentless Brazilian caught him with a right hand that forced the Brockton native to fire back with a left uppercut and right hand at the bell.  

The bout continued to follow this pattern in round 5, with Walsh landing the crisper punches early on and Williams weathering the storm to land heavy shots in the second half of each round.

Sensing that the fight was up for grabs, Walsh came out firing in round 6, finally staggering an exhausted Williams with a left hook to the head.  The fighters again engaged in a back-and-forth war until the final bell. The judges scored the fight 59-55 (2x) and 58-56 for Walsh, who improved his perfect record to 9-0 with 4 KOs as the unrelenting Williams dropped to 4-18-1.   

One Legend continues, the other stalls as Duran Jr. decisions Florez and Hagler Jr. suffers a knockout defeat

Alcibiade “Robert” Duran Jr. (12-3, 9 KOs) impressed fans in his CES debut, pounding out a 6-round unanimous decision win over Colombian Luis Florez (26-27, 21 KOs) in a 6 round junior middleweight showdown.  

With mentor Vinny Paz looking on, the son of the legendary “Hands of Stone,” landed at will against the sturdy Florez, switching between orthodox and southpaw stances throughout the contest.

Duran came out as a southpaw in round 1, focusing on Florez’s body and countering well to the head.  A 3-punch combination staggered Florez in round 2, and Duran continued to land heavy shots to the Colombian’s head and body.  

Duran, who fights out of Pedro Diaz’s ‘Mundo Boxing’ gym in Florida, threw the proverbial kitchen sink at Florez, walking the Colombian down and nailing him with heavy left hooks and right hands in rounds 3 and 4.  

The game Florez took the punches well, but he was unable to mount a significant assault of his own.  Scores were 60-54 (2x) and 59-55.  After the fight, Duran stated that he’d like to drop down to the welterweight division, where he feels most comfortable.       

Leonardo Ledeira (3-8, 3 KOs) can tell his future grandchildren that he once beat the grandson of a legend, as the Revere, MA resident spoiled James Hagler Jr.’s (3-2, 1 KO) CES debut in a 4 round light heavyweight bout.  

Hagler Jr. hurt Ledeira to the head in round 2, but the Brazilian responded in round 3 with a ferocious body assault that badly hurt the Atlanta native.  

Hagler Jr., who lost over 30 pounds in training camp for this bout, did his best to weather the storm, but a final left hook to the body dropped him for the full 10 count and the bout was called at 1:08 of the round.  

“I had to lose too much weight ahead of this fight, and it took a toll on my body,” said a disappointed Hagler Jr.  “I’d like to come back quickly to make up for this loss.”  

Other Action:

In her pro debut, Melanie Costa (1-0) destroyed England’s Daisy Preston (0-6-1) in round 2 of a 4 round featherweight bout.  The Providence native swarmed Preston from the opening bell, ripping shots to Brit’s midsection as she pressured her taller opponent.  Costa ended matters in round 2, landing a series of heavy shots that crumbled Preston to the canvas.  The bout was called off at 1:32 of the round.  

North Providence’s Michael DiDino (1-0) also made his professional debut a successful one, winning a competitive 4 round decision over Joel Young (0-2) in a lightweight bout.  The pugilists traded combinations throughout the first and second rounds, with the Southpaw DiDino landing the sharper blows.  A right hook appeared to hurt Young in round 3, but the Beltsville, Maryland native was able to tie up long enough to clear his head.  The fighters fought on the inside in round 4, with Young pressuring DiDino, who was cut by an accidental headbutt.  After 4 rounds, scores were 39-37 (2x) and 40-36 for the North Providence native.         

In the opening bout of the night, Springfield, MA’s Calixto Cruz (2-0) shut out Scotland’s Kevin Traynor (1-2, 1 KO) over 4 rounds in a welterweight matchup.  Traynor looked to pressure Cruz in rounds 1 and 2.  He was able to trap Cruz along the ropes on a few occasions, but the Springfield native effectively fought his way out or spun Traynor to avoid any significant damage.  After a competitive first 2 rounds, Cruz began to focus on Traynor’s body in round 3, jabbing to the body before launching right hands to the head.  Calixto’s higher workrate was the difference in the bout, as he consistently landed combinations to the head and body while the Scotsman was limited to single shots.  Scores were 40-36 (3x).

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

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions on the east coast.  Founded by Jimmy Burchfield Sr. in 1992, CES has promoted several world class fighters, including Jamaine Ortiz, Juiseppe Cusumano, Hank Lundy, Vinny Paz, Peter Manfredo, Mariusz Wach, Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey, and Ray Oliveira.  CES Boxing has promoted such superfights as “The Thriller on Triller: Tyson v Jones” and “The Contender: Manfredo v Pemberton”.

Promising welterweight prospect Wilson “Ill Will” Mascarenhas is set to make his highly anticipated return to the ring against New Jersey’s Danny Murray on May 20th at the Historic Park Theater in Cranston, Rhode Island.  The contest is part of a stacked card promoted by CES Boxing.  

The bout will be the first for the 28-year-old Portugal native in 14 months.  The last time Mascarenhas was in the ring was in March 2022, when he shut out undefeated prospect Abraham Perez over six rounds.   

It was his second win in a promising year where Mascarenhas expected to fight 2 to 3 more times.  Instead, the New Bedford resident spent the next year recovering from multiple stab wounds suffered at his post-fight party – a serious attack that could have taken his life.    

“That night I went from experiencing the highest moment of my life to the worst moment of my life within a few hours,” states Mascarenhas.  

The traumatic incident occurred in his hometown of New Bedford, just hours after the team drove back from his bout in Warwick, RI.  

“We went back to New Bedford to celebrate,” explains Mascarenhas of the fateful night.  “I wanted to be around all my people.  So, we were celebrating and suddenly, I was being stabbed in the back.  I didn’t see it coming.  I felt the pokes, but I didn’t realize that I was being stabbed because my adrenaline was running.  Next thing I knew, my friends were grabbing me and telling me that I was bleeding.”  

Wilson’s friends were able to limit the bleeding by putting pressure on the wounds long enough for the ambulance to take him to the hospital, where he would spend the next few days.  

At the hospital, the fighter learned that he had been stabbed 4 times.  He had a broken scapula (shoulder blade) and suffered wounds to the back, neck, shoulder and head.  

While doctors told Wilson that he was lucky to be alive, they were pessimistic about his chances of ever lacing up a pair of boxing gloves again.  

“I saw myself falling into dark places, especially when doctors told me that they didn’t think I would be able to fight again,” recalls Mascarenhas.  “I tried not to focus on negativity, because it would almost take over me.”  

Instead, the fighter found solace in his team, his family, and certain friends who kept his spirits up.  One of his main sources of motivation was the upcoming birth of his daughter.

“Doctors told me that if the knife hit a major artery one centimeter away, I could’ve been paralyzed or dead,” states Mascarenhas.  “I looked at it like, God gave me another chance to move my fingers and to live.  My lady was pregnant, and my daughter would be born 4 months later, so I wanted to be fully recovered physically to be able to hold my daughter but also mentally and spiritually as a father.”  

Wilson used that inspiration to recover at an astonishing rate.  He left the hospital within 3 days and became active at home over the next few weeks.  Within a month, he was jogging and working out.  A few months later, he returned to the gym.

“I was in a lot of pain when I returned to the gym, but I kept pushing myself to the limit,” says Macarenhas.  “I tried to go against the grain to prove to myself that I could.  My mindset was: people are looking up to me and I can’t let them down.  I had to listen to myself and believe in my ability.  By the time I went to therapy, I was already able to do a lot of the movements they wanted me to work on”.  

Therapy consisted of hour-long sessions twice a week for a year that helped Wilson recover his range of motion and remove the tingling sensation he often felt in his fingertips.  

“The hospital and the doctors went above and beyond to help me get back in the ring, because that’s what I was stressing about,” laughs Wilson.  “They referred me to different specialists to make sure that I fully recovered.  I’m back today and I’m happy and excited to put on a show on May 20th.”

May 20 is a hugely important day for New Bedford’s Mascarenhas.  Ill Will wants a tough test and he believes that he will get one from Murray, who has almost double the amount of fights and has shared the ring with the likes of Elvis Rodriguez and several other undefeated prospects.  

“I’m excited and ready to go,” states the rejuvenated fighter.  “CES reached out to me with an opponent.  He’s had some tough opposition, so I know he’s coming to fight.  That’s what I wanted for my comeback, a tough test.  I owe it to myself.”

While doctors, boxing fans and pundits may have doubts about how the incident may affect Mascarenhas in the ring, Ill Will speaks with conviction about how he will respond to adversity on fight night.

“I don’t question myself anymore,” explains Mascarenhas.  “I lost my very first fight, I took a knee, and I came back with 6 straight wins.  I overcame this injury, that could’ve killed or paralyzed me.  Who would’ve thought that I’d be back to fight a year later?”  

Indeed, surviving and thriving after the near fatal assault has revealed more to Wilson about his character than any fight ever could.

“I feel like I won two fights that night, so that shows you the warrior that I am,” says Mascarenhas.  “I look at my life like, the worst has already happened, so I can accomplish anything.  Boxing is just me and another individual.  I know that I have the warrior mentality.  Now the question is, does my opponent?  

On May 20th, the world will find out.

Tickets for the May 20th event featuring Wilson Mascarenhas, Robert Duran Jr. and James Hagler Jr. at the Park Theater in Cranston, Rhode Island are on sale now and can be purchased online at cesfights.com or thepark.com.For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram 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.

Warwick, RI (March 16) – After successfully launching its new 2022 fight series in February, CES Boxing returns to the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Saturday, March 26 with Rhode Wars 2, featuring New England’s best and brightest up-and-comers.

Headlining Rhode Wars 2 is unbeaten featherweight Ricky Delossantos (10-0, 2 KOs) of Pawtucket, RI, in a six-round bout against power-punching Columbian veteran Yeison Vargas (18-9, 13 KOs) while super lightweight Wilson Mascarenhas (5-1, 2 KOs) stars in the co-main event in a six-round bout against undefeated Mexican challenger Abraham Perez (3-0, 2 KOs).

March 26 also features the Jimmy Burchfield Classic Invitational VI, an all-ages, separate-admission amateur boxing event beginning at 2 pm. Rhode Wars 2 follows immediately at 7 pm. Tickets for both events are available online at CESFights.com.

Delossantos’ return ends an eight-month layoff and is his first fight in his home state since August of 2019 when he defeated Yeuri Andujar at Ballys Twin River Lincoln. Vargas, the challenger, has scored knockouts in each of his last three wins, including a second-round knockout win over Jose Palacio on March 5 in Santa Marta, Columbia. Mascarenhas makes his second appearance of the year at the Crowne Plaza just five weeks after a sensational knockout win over southpaw Akeem Jackson at Rhode Wars in February.

Making his Rhode Island debut, lightweight Alejandro Paulino (8-0, 8 KOs) – a national amateur standout – of New London, CT, faces his toughest test to date in a six-round bout against 17-fight veteran Andrew Rodgers (6-9-2, 2 KOs) of Elkhart, IN. Within nine months of making his professional debut, Paulino has accumulated eight wins, all by knockout, and has yet to be pushed past the third round. The 29-year-old Rodgers is a worthy adversary, boasting back-to-back victories against previously-unbeaten Philadelphia lightweight Greg Outlaw and 10-1-1 Thomas Velasquez in Atlantic City.

Also fighting March 26, Providence, RI, heavyweight Tim Hatfield (3-0, 3 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line against fellow undefeated heavyweight Quintin Sumpter (2-0, 2 KOs) of Pittsfield, MA, and super featherweight Michael Valentin (6-1-1, 1 KO) of Providence makes his long-awaited return in an interstate showdown against Justin Morales (1-1) of New Bedford, MA, both in four-round bouts.

Italian junior middleweight Nicola Quarneti (5-2-1), whose United States was cut short in February due to an accidental headbutt, returns to the ring to face Rhode Island’s Keenan Raymond (1-1) in a four-round bout. Brockton, MA, super lightweight Kevin Walsh (5-0, 3 KOs) also makes his Rhode Island debut in a four-round bout.

Visit CESFights.com for more information. Updates on CES Boxing can also be found on Facebook in addition to Instagram and Twitter by following @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.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel Providence-Warwick is the first choice of those seeking the best in accommodations, convenience, service and sophistication in Rhode Island. A nine-time winner of the Intercontinental Hotel Group’s Torchbearer Award, one of the most prestigious accolades in the hotel industry, the Crowne Plaza Hotel has 266 guestrooms and 45,000 square feet of meeting space. Whether you’re a business traveler seeking respite from a long flight, a family on vacation visiting nearby Newport, a trade association holding its annual convention, or a young couple planning a wedding, the Crowne Plaza is ready to satisfy your every need. Located 10 minutes from downtown Providence and two miles from T.F. Green Airport on a spacious landscaped 17-acre site featuring abundant, free parking, the Crowne Plaza Hotel is prepared to treat you like royalty.

WARWICK, RI (February 15) – Wilson Mascarenhas (@illwill_) can hardly sleep these days. There’s a nervous energy as he prepares for the next big step in his professional boxing career this Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Mascarenhas, a native of Portugal who has lived in New Bedford, MA, since the age of 12, genuinely loves what he does in and out of the ring, so it’s understandable why one of boxing’s busiest fighters has a hard time settling down at night.

Fighting for the first time since he scored his first career knockout win in June, Mascarenhas (4-1, 1 KO) steps up to face Virginia southpaw Akeem Jackson (5-4, 5 KOs) (@action2xs) in the first six-round fight of his career Saturday at “Rhode Wars,” CES Boxing’s 2022 season opener.

“I’m excited,” said the 27-year-old super lightweight prospect. “I’m stepping up and getting out of my comfort zone. It’s an opportunity to give people more of what they want to see. I can’t wait to showcase my skills.”

One of New England’s fastest-rising stars – and, perhaps, most popular fighters – Mascarenhas keeps busy in his day job as a behavioral health case manager working with New Bedford youth from the elementary school level all the way through college to help them choose the right path in life. Right now, his primary focus is high school students; it’s a sense of pride for Mascarenhas to provide them with the guidance he didn’t have growing up.

“That definitely fuels my tank,” Mascarenhas said. “When I was younger, I was kind of all over the place trying to figure out my purpose. I didn’t have much of a father figure to lean on in life. I saw a lot of things growing up that I knew I didn’t want to go through. I wanted to take a different route. And I want the same for the students I mentor.”

Working with youth wasn’t always on Mascarenhas’ radar. At Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, he played several sports – including soccer, track, and wrestling, and also learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – while studying carpentry. Instead of entering the carpenters’ union after high school, he decided to continue to his education at Bristol Community College, where he briefly considered pursuing a career in sports medicine. Behavioral health eventually became Mascarenhas’ preferred path when he realized he could use his blossoming career in the ring to inspire others to chase their own dreams.

“I like what I do inside the ring and outside the ring,” Mascarenhas said. “I’m living my dream both ways.”

Whether in the ring or out in the field visiting schools, Mascarenhas’ energy is contagious. In just a short time, he’s become one of the region’s biggest draws, consistently bringing huge crowds wherever he fights. Back in June, while fighting outdoors under the bright, sweltering sun, Mascarenhas leaned on that support from his fans to get him over the hump midway through his battle with Connecticut’s Geoffrey Then. The end result was a sensational, third-round knockout win, the first stoppage of his career and his fourth consecutive win overall.

“As the heat started getting to me, I thought to myself, ‘This is what you prepared yourself for. This is what you signed up for.’ I knew I had to dig deeper,” Mascarenhas said. “I knew I had more in the tank. Having the crowd and the support behind me really boosted me and I was able to turn it up another notch. I knew I had it in me.”

While Mascarenhas has enjoyed nothing but success of late, his career got off to an inauspicious start in February of 2018 when he lost his debut to Miguel Ortiz of Springfield by unanimous decision. Mascarenhas fought hard and showed progress toward the finish, but lost every round on the scorecards. A setback like that can derail a fighter mentally, but losing actually Mascarenhas focus even harder. The possibility of dropping another fight no longer crosses his mind. Winning is the only option, and he’s continued to get better with each fight.

“I’m glad I took a fight like that in my first fight. It brought something out of me,” Mascarenhas said. “That’s something a lot of up-and-coming fighters won’t go through until they reach maybe their 10th fight, but I’m glad I experienced it early. I experienced defeat and didn’t like it one bit, so every time I get a fight now I have a different type of purpose.

“I don’t want to lose again. My hunger is different, my training is different, my self-drive is different – it brought a different type of ‘Ill Will’ out of me.”

Mascarenhas didn’t come this far to quit. There’s so much riding on each fight, whether it’s his own chase for championship glory, or the pressure being a positive role model for the students he mentors. Although he tasted defeat early in his career, Mascarenhas is now a proven winner both in and out of the ring. He’s promising an even stronger, more determined version of himself this Saturday as the quest for greatness continues.

“All of my opponents have been tough in their own way. It brings a different type of dog out of me,” Mascarenhas said. “I can’t wait for the 19th to see what this opponent brings out of me.”

Visit CESFights.com for more information. Updates on CES Boxing can also be found on Facebook in addition to Instagram and Twitter by following @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.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel Providence-Warwick is the first choice of those seeking the best in accommodations, convenience, service and sophistication in Rhode Island. A nine-time winner of the Intercontinental Hotel Group’s Torchbearer Award, one of the most prestigious accolades in the hotel industry, the Crowne Plaza Hotel has 266 guestrooms and 45,000 square feet of meeting space. Whether you’re a business traveler seeking respite from a long flight, a family on vacation visiting nearby Newport, a trade association holding its annual convention, or a young couple planning a wedding, the Crowne Plaza is ready to satisfy your every need. Located 10 minutes from downtown Providence and two miles from T.F. Green Airport on a spacious landscaped 17-acre site featuring abundant, free parking, the Crowne Plaza Hotel is prepared to treat you like royalty.