Boxing News Boxing News
World super middleweight challenger “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo, Jr. returns to the ring March 14, headlining “Rumble at the River,” against Shane “The Irish Hitman” Benfield, in an Italian-Irish themed pro boxing show at Twin River Events Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
“Rumble at the River,” part of “The Budweiser Night at the Fights” series at Twin River, is promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc., in association with Twin River, Budweiser and Tournament of Contenders.
Manfredo (28-5, 13 KOs), star of The Contender I television reality series, fights Benfield (17-1, 9 KOs) in the 10-round main event. Coming off of a 10-round loss by decision to former world champion Jeff Lacy on the Mayweather-Hatton pay-per-view card, Peter hopes to rebound against Benfield, who dropped a 12-round decision in his last action to DeAndrey Abron for the NABO belt that Manfredo once held.
IWBF lightweight champion Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt (18-4-1, 7 KOs), fighting out of Cranston (RI) defends her crown against battle-tested Belinda “Brown Sugar” Larcuente (23-20-3, 9 KOs), the GBU junior welterweight title-holder from New York City, in the 10-round co-feature. Clampitt is a 3-time world champion, while 20 of Larcuente’s last 21 bouts, dating back nearly five years, have been against world champions.
“St. Joseph’s (March 19) is a very important Italian holiday as St. Patrick’s Day (Mar. 17) is for the Irish,” promoter Jimmy Burchfield said. “We decided to promote an Italian-Irish themed show on the preceding weekend of the two holidays.
“We’re happy and excited about this concept and plan to make it an annual event at Twin River. Even though we have a lot of Italian and Irish fighters on this card, some matched against each other, we’ll also have a few other ethnic groups represented and it’ll all add up to a great night of boxing.”
In the chief supporting bout on the undercard, Stoughton (MA) cruiserweight Chris McInerney (9-1-1, 6 KOs) faces former New England title-holder Tim “The Hammer” Flamos (19-4-1, 7 KOs), of Brockton, in a six-round bout of a rematch McInerney won by sixth round TKO last December.
Unbeaten Russian middleweight Andre Nevsky (3-0, 3 KOs), of Worcester (MA), meets his toughest test to date in a four-round bout versus Eric Pinarreta (2-1, 2 KOs), of New Bedford (MA). USBA No. 4 super middleweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina (20-1-1, 15 KOs), of Providence; light heavyweight “Irish” Joey McCreedy (6-1, 4 KOs), of Lowell (MA); unbeaten Lynn (MA) flyweight Isander Beauchamp (3-0) and Providence junior welterweight Diego Pereira making his pro debut are also on the card against opponents to be determined. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Manfredo, Spina, Flamos and Pinarreta are on Team Italy; Benfield, Clampitt, McInerney and McCreedy comprise Team Ireland.
Tickets for “Rumble at the River” are priced at $35.00 (ADA stage seating only), $40.00, $50.00, (Bronze), $75.00 (Silver), $100.00 (Gold) and $150.00 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club) and may be purchased by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going on line at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Twin River Event Center (100 Twin River Road, Lincoln, RI), or any TicketMaster location. Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Twin River Events Center (877.82.RIVER/ www.twinriver.com) for more information. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Rumble at the River.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied at all times by an adult and they must enter through the West entrance.)
