CES Boxing: Ray Oliveira Returns To Face Joey Spina At 175

Former world title challenger “Sucra” Ray Oliveira returns to the ring October 2nd for the first time in more than five years against world rated light heavyweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina, headlining the “Last Man Standing” card, in Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

“Last Man Standing” is being presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES), in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino.

“We’re excited to have Ray Oliveira’s comeback start on our ‘Last Man Standing’ show,” CES president Jimmy Burchfield said. “All of us are very happy to be back at Foxwoods, too. Ray was one of the most exciting fighters in the world, setting records on ESPN for most punches thrown.

“He is a fighter’s fighter who didn’t want to return against a soft opponent for an easy win. Ray wants to be tested and he will be against Joey Spina, one of the hardest hitting punchers, pound-for-pound, in boxing. It’s a crossroads fight for both of them. What’s Ray got left? That’s the key question.

“He fought most of his career at 140-147 and this fight is at 175. Spina was getting close to a world title shot but fighting to a draw last October hurt him. He could use a win against a name opponent like Ray to push him higher up in the world ratings.”

Oliveira, 42, has always been an action-fighter and is also a 3-time world title challenger. The slick boxer and defensive genius from New Bedford (MA) is a former IBU welterweight, NABF light welterweight and New England lightweight champion.

“Sucra” has defeated Vince Phillips, Saul Duran, Vivian Harris, Charles Murray (twice), and Tracy Spann, among the more notables, and also fought world champions Ricky Hatton, Vernon Forrest, Jake Rodriguez and Zack Padilla.

Spina returns to the scene of his greatest triumph, which occurred back in 2006 at Foxwoods when “KO Kid” stopped Jesse Brinkley with a vicious body shot in the 11th round of a fight Spina trailed.

Brinkley challenges IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute for the world title October 15. Spina, who is coming off of a 10-round draw last October against former world champion Lou Del Valle, also holds wins against former world champion Carl Daniels, Jay Pina and Anwar Oshana in an intriguing match-up of promising prospects, David Bauza (5-0, 3 KOs), of Hartford, and Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-1, 2 KOs), fighting out of Woonsocket (RI), battle for the vacant EBA New England Super Middleweight Championship in the 6-round co-feature.

“Ray and Joey aren’t the only fighters on this stacked card who find themselves at the crossroads, “Burchfield noted. “Billy Moffard hasn’t been in the ring for a long time. We also have some of the best young fighters in New England and two – David Bauza and Renyaldo Rodriguez — are in against each other.”

Hometown favorite Karen Dulin (1-6, 0 KOs ), a super bantamweight from nearby Mystic, meets Treasure Saunders (0-4-1) in a 4-round match. Also scheduled to fight against opponents to be announced are Hartford super lightweight Joseph “Chipper” Jones (4-0, 1 KO), Stamford (CT) light heavyweight Ahmad Mickens (1-0), Hartford welterweight Addy Irizarry (8-4, 2 KOs), Randolph (MA) heavyweight Billy “The Kid” Mofford, and New Haven super lightweight Edwin Soto (4-0-1, 2 KOs). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $40.00, $60.00 and $100.00, are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254) or Foxwoods (800-200-2882), going online at www.cesboxing.com or www.foxwoods.com, or in person at Foxwood’s box office.

For more information contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Foxwoods Resort Casino (www.foxwoods.com). Doors open at 6:00 PM/ET, first bout at 7:00 PM/ET.