CES Announces Huge July Fight Card Schedule

July is shaping up to be another historic month for the hardest-working promotional firm in combat sports.

Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports is promoting three professional boxing shows in a span of eight days next month, starting Thursday, July 19th at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I., continuing Saturday, July 21st at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and culminating with a nationally-televised event Friday, July 27th at the Resorts Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights.”

Each show features a major headliner, with super middleweight Vladine Biosse (13-1-1, 6 KOs) of Providence, R.I., starring in the eight-round main event at Twin River, followed by two title defenses from reigning World Boxing Council U.S. National Boxing Council (WBC USNBC) middleweight champion Elvin Ayala (25-5-1, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., on July 21st and current North American Boxing Federation (NABF) lightweight champion and No. 1-ranked “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy (22-1-1, 11 KOs) of Philadelphia on July 27th.

“In boxing, it’s all about quality, not quantity, but we’ve achieved both with these three dynamic events in July,” Burchfield said. “Each show is its own entity.

“The summer kicks off on the 19th when ‘Mr. Providence’ Vladine Biosse returns to the ring fresh off his historic win over Joey Spina in May. Our Thursday Night Fight Series at Twin River has been a tremendous success and a mid-week staple for fight fans in Rhode Island.

“Two nights later, we invade Connecticut with ‘The Lycan’ Elvin Ayala, another fan-favorite, defending his title in front of what will we be a packed house at the majestic Mohegan Sun Arena.

“Last, but not least, we’re honored to bring ESPN and ‘Hammerin’’ Hank Lundy to the beautiful Resorts Hotel & Casino on the 27th. Hank is now the No. 1 lightweight in the world and the most sought-after fighter on national television. All three cards have something for everybody, and we’re thrilled to bring you into each of our homes as your No. 1 summer destination in July.”

Lundy’s 10-round title defense against dangerous Mexican warrior Raymundo Beltran (25-6, 17 KOs) of Phoenix, Ariz., is the nationally-televised main event at Resorts and the centerpiece of Burchfield’s “Title Wave” show, which also features area fighters from New Jersey and Pennsylvania on the undercard.

For Ayala, July 21st could be his toughest test to date as he faces Jesus Gonzalez (27-2, 14 KOs) of Phoenix in the 10-round main event of “The Fire Within.” Both fighters have been hot of late, with Gonzalez having won nine of last 10 bouts and Ayala, now training under the guidance of Marshall Kauffman in his hometown of Reading, Pa., having won five consecutive fights since 2010, placing him at No. 20 in the WBC middleweight rankings.

Biosse is looking to keep the momentum going following his dominant performance against Spina on May 24th. “Mr. Providence” won unanimously on all three scorecards, earning his first victory in four fights and earning bragging rights in Rhode Island’s highly-anticipated intrastate showdown. Biosse will star in the main event of “Built To Last,” the third installment of the 2012 Twin River Casino Thursday Night Fight Series.

The undercards on all three shows are stacked with local talent, including Long Island, N.Y., light heavyweight Joe Smith Jr. (10-1, 10 KOs), unbeaten light middleweight Thomas Lamanna (8-0, 5 KOs) of Millville, N.J., Philadelphia bantamweight Miguel Cartagena (5-0, 3 KOs) and Atlantic City welterweight Anthony Young (5-0, 2 KOs) at Resorts on the 27th.

At Twin River on the 19th, Biosse will be joined by former world-title contender Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (20-3, 10 KOs), who will face Jesse Oltmanns (10-3, 7 KOs) of Bartonsville, Pa., in the six-round cruiserweight co-feature. Super middleweight Kevin Cobbs (4-0, 1 KO) of Burlington, Vt., will battle Donte Wiggins (1-0, 1 KO) of Queens, N.Y., in a four-round bout and Keith Kozlin (6-3-1, 4 KOs) of West Warwick, R.I., will face Woonsocket, R.I., super middleweight Reynaldo Rodriguez (6-4-1, 3 KOs) in six-round rematch of their draw from July of 2011.

Middleweight Thomas Falowo (6-1, 4 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., lightweight Zack Ramsey (1-0, 1 KO) of Springfield, Mass., middleweight Benny Costantino (7-1, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., and newcomer Jansy Rivera of Providence will also be featured on the undercard.

Joseph “Chip” Perez (8-1, 2 KOs) of East Hartford, Conn., will face Philadelphia’s Frankie Trader (8-1, 2 KOs) in the six-round super featherweight co-feature at “The Fire Within.” Unbeaten female bantamweight Shelito Vincent (3-0) of Providence will aim for her fourth consecutive win while super middleweight Tylon Burris (2-0, 2 KOs) of Hartford, Conn., faces Queens veteran Borngod Washington (3-11, 1 KO) in a four-round bout.

Jair Ramos (2-0, 1 KO) of Waterbury, Conn., will take on Boston’s Gabriel Duluc (5-0, 1 KO) in a light welterweight battle of unbeaten and welterweights Antonio Marrero of Hartford and Saul Almeida of Framingham, Mass., will make their professional debuts against one another in a four-round bout. Lightweight Christian Lao (4-1, 2 KOs) of New Haven will also return to the ring and heavyweight Donnie Palmer of Boston will make his professional debut, both in separate four-round bouts.

Tickets for “Title Wave” are $40, $65, $75 and $125 and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com
or by calling 401-724-2253/2254.

Tickets for “The Fire Within” are $40, $65 and $125 and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com
or by calling 401-724-2253/2254.

ickets for “Built To Last” are $40, $75 and $125 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com , at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location.