CES Boxing: “Man Of Steel” Ray Oliveira Gets Honored At Foxwoods

Former world title contender “Sucra” Ray Oliveira will be inducted into the CES Ring of Honor in a special ceremony during the “Champions of Tomorrow” pro boxing show, January 25 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada fights former world heavyweight title challenger Charles Shufford and WBC Youth featherweight champion Manuel Perez defends his title against Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard in 10-round, co-main events headlining the “Champions of Tomorrow” card.

Promoter Jimmy Burchfield, president of Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), established the CES Ring of Honor in 2005 in order to pay respect to inductees for their special accomplishments and contributions to New England boxing. Charter members include 5-time world champion Vinny “The Pazmanian Devil” Paz, former WBA and WBC welterweight title-holder Marlon “Magic Man” Starling, and 3-time The Ring Fighter of the Year (2001-2003) participant “Irish” Micky Ward. Other CES Ring of Honor members include former 3-time world champion “El Gallo” Jose Antonio Rivera, world light heavyweight contender “Iceman” John Scully, famed Connecticut trainer Johnny Dukes, and 2008 U.S. Olympian Demetrious “Boo Boo” Andrade.

“We very happy to honor Ray Oliveira, one of the greatest New England fighters of all-time,” Burchfield said. “Ray was never in a boring fight. He was a tremendous defensive fighter and non-stop boxer who broke all records for most punches thrown in a fight. ‘Sucra’ Ray certainly deserves to be in the CES Ring of Honor for what he’s meant to New England boxing.”

Oliveira (47-11-2, 22 KOs), a product of New Bedford (MA), captured numerous title belts during his 15-year pro career that started in 1990: IBU welterweight, 2-time NABF super lightweight, IBF Intercontinental and New England light weight. Ray defeated world champions such as Charles Murray (twice), Vince Phillips and Vivian Harris. Most of his losses were to world champions, including Ricky Hatton, Vernon Forrest, Reggie Green, Ben Tackie, Zack Padilla and Jake Rodriguez. Oliveira had good “whiskers,” too. He had never been stopped and only floored twice until his last two fights.

“Champions of Tomorrow,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., will be taped live and air on Saturday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m. on CN8 and will also stream online at www.CN8.tv. Following the broadcast, the show will be available ON DEMAND to Comcast Digital Cable customers for at least one week. “Champions of Tomorrow” will also air on Cox Sports Television on February 1 at 8:30 p.m.

Estrada (10-1, 2 KOs), the Providence native now rated No. 10 in the NABO, is coming off of his most impressive victory as a professional, when he put former NABC and NABC Americas heavyweight title-holder James Northey (11-2, 8 KOs) to sleep in the fourth round of their October 12 fight. Las Vegas-based Shufford (20-7-1, 9 KOs), who fought Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO in 2001, holds victories against former world champion Lamon Brewster, Elieser Castillo and Jimmy Thunder.

Perez (11-3, 2 KOs) fighting out of Denver by way of Honolulu, captured the WBC Youth title in his last fight on November 10 via a unanimous 10-round decision against Victor Barela. Manchester (CT) favorite Remillard (11-0, 7 KOs) has been inactive since suffering a hand injury that required surgery after he won the WBC Youth super featherweight on September 23, 2006.

Unbeaten 9-time U.S. amateur champion Aaron Williams (15-0-1, 11 KOs) tangles with upset-minded Sameh Elashry (6-4, 2 KOs) in an eight-round battle of cruiserweights.

The much-anticipated New England light heavyweight showdown between Iraqi War-veteran Chris Traietti (7-0, 4 KOs) and “Irish” Joey McCreedy (5-1, 4 KOs) will finally take place in a scheduled 6-round bout. Middleweights Richard “Bobo” Starnino (8-2-1, 1 KO), of Providence, and New Bedford’s Eric Pinarreta (1-1, 1 KO) will meet in an old fashioned border war.

Also on the undercard in four-round bouts are popular Hartford light welterweight Addy Irizarry (3-1, 2 KOs) against Tonya Gallegos (4-6, 2 KOs), unbeaten Brockton light heavyweight Manuel Antonio Lopes (4-0, 1 KO) meets veteran Anthony Cannon (4-8, 1 KO), recent University of Connecticut graduate Brian Macy, a card dealer at Foxwoods who lives in Ledyard, makes his pro debut against Donyell Dukes (0-4).

Tickets for “Champions of Tomorrow” are priced at $40.00, $65.00 (Silver), $100.00 (Gold) and $150.00 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club). Two VIP Presidential Suites are also available (call CES for details as well as sponsorship opportunities). To purchase tickets or for additional information contact CES (1.401.724.2253/2254 – www.cesboxing.com) or Foxwoods (1.800.200.2882/www.foxwoods.com). Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.