WORCESTER, MA (Friday, February 28) – Four Worcester fighters. Four knockouts. Four successful homecomings.
In front of a packed house at The Palladium in downtown Worcester, CES Boxing kicked off its 2020 schedule with a wild showcase of talent live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, highlighted by four hometown fighters earning knockout victories.
Unbeaten lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (13-0, 7 KOs), the reigning WBC World Youth Lightweight Champion, stopped hard-hitting Mexican Luis Ronaldo Castillo (22-6) in the main event while stablemate Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (14-2) dazzled in the co-feature with a knockout win over Yeuri Andujar (5-3) to capture the vacant WBC World Youth Featherweight Title.
Gonzalez became just the fourth Youth champion in CES Boxing history, joining an exclusive list that includes Ortiz, Matt Remillard and former pound-for-pound king “Bad” Chad Dawson. He and Ortiz, both of whom competed together at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials before turning pro, are now the only American-born WBC Youth title-holders.
Fighting for the first time since August, Ortiz kept his perfect record intact and lived up to his nickname, “The Technician,” picking apart the taller Castillo before two knockdowns in the second round ended the fight at the 2:11 mark. Ortiz, who entered ranked No. 15 in the NABF, expressed his desire to fight for a world title before the end of next year.
Gonzalez added the famed WBC Youth title to his resume in a thrilling showdown with Andujar, a smaller 126-pounder who bumped up in weight for the opportunity to bring a championship back home to Reading, PA. Andujar came out firing, turning the match into a slugfest early on, but Gonzalez used his jab, grew more comfortable as the fight wore on, and sent his opponent crashing through the ropes with a straight left hand early in the sixth round that put the wheels in motion for a monster finish.
Gonzalez finished the fight with a second knockdown at the 43-second mark to secure his second consecutive victory. CES Boxing is now the only promotion with two WBC Youth title-holders on its roster.
Also on the televised main card, fellow Worcester native Kendrick Ball Jr. (14-1-2, 10 KOs) made quick work of 50-fight veteran Ulises Jimenez (24-26-1) of Mexico City, clubbing his opponent with an overhand right that ended the bout 51 seconds into the opening round. Undefeated super welterweights Jalen Renaud (5-0) of Springfield, MA, and San Diego’s Laured Stewart (3-1) kicked off the broadcast with a spirited four-round battle with Renaud earning the win by majority decision, 39-38, 39-37, 39-37.
On the preliminary card, Worcester cruiserweight Jake Paradise (3-2, 3 KOs) kicked off the hometown frenzy with a second-round knockout win over Rogerio Dionizio (0-2), scoring multiple knockdowns before referee Kevin Hope waived it off at the 41-second mark. New Haven, CT, flyweight Marisa Belenchia (2-0) opened the event with a split-decision win over the game Shawna Ormsby (1-0).
Visit CESBoxing.com, Twitter.com/CESBoxing or Facebook.com/CESBoxing for more information, and follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.
INFORMATION
CES Boxing promoted its first event in 1992 headlined by future Champion Sucra Ray Oliveira. Over the years, CES has earned the reputation as the Heart and Soul of boxing with a rich history that includes the development of former U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada, plus Vinny Paz and Rhode Island legends Gary Balletto and Peter Manfredo Jr., both of whom rose to fame on The Contender reality television series. Through the years, Jimmy Burchfield Sr has earned several noteworthy awards, among them the NABF Promoter of the Year, and 2011 inductee into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.
UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 17,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV.
