Uncasville, CT – Elijah Pierce established himself as a legitimate contender in the super bantamweight division Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena in what was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career.

Headlining CES Boxing’s Championship Jackpot card on Spectation Sports, Pierce struck gold with a unanimous decision win over former world-title contender Tramaine Williams in the 10-round main event to capture the vacant WBC Silver Super Bantamweight Championship – a title Pierce held last October until he was stripped by the WBC for failing to defend the crown.

This time, Pierce (17-2) figures to be more active as he attempts to parlay last night’s win into a major opportunity in the 122-pound weight class. Williams (20-2), the 30-year-old New Haven, CT, native and hometown hero in last night’s main event, heads back to the drawing board after what turned out to be a nightmarish weekend in and out the find; Williams missed weight on Friday and was subsequently denied the opportunity for the belt, then got overwhelmed in the middle rounds Saturday, leading to just the second loss of his pro career.

Pierce, the Oklahoma City native who’s promoted by ex-fighter Tony Jeter, fell behind early on the scorecards as Williams used his speed and aggressiveness to swipe the first three rounds. Then Pierce’s size and strength took over. At 5-foot-8, Pierce is a much bigger super bantamweight than most of his peers. Williams, by comparison, is only 5-4, and that difference in height made the difference in the middle rounds once Pierce developed his rhythm. The taller, stronger Pierce – he entered the fight with 14 knockout wins in 18 pro bouts – simply walked down Williams rounds 4, 5, 6, and 7, backing Williams against the ropes and unloading with effective two- and three-punch combinations.

Williams rebounded nicely toward the end of round 8, but couldn’t build on the momentum over the final two rounds. Pierce was simply too strong and too dominant down the stretch.

In the co-main event, Stamford, CT, super welterweight Chordale Booker (19-1, 8 KOs) brought home the vacant WBC USNBC title with a fourth-round knockout win over Ghana native Daniel Aduku (15-3-1), knocking Aduku face-first through the ropes with a stiff left hand that prompted referee Johnny Callas to stop the bout. After suffering his first career loss in April of 2022, Booker has now won back-to-back fights and earned his first title in last night’s co-feature

Also at Championship Jackpot, Springfield, MA, super welter Anthony Velazquez (12-0-1) fought to a majority draw with Rashid Stevens (6-1-2) of Gardena, CA, and Texan Dominique Griffin (5-3-2) scored a unanimous decision upset win over previously-unbeaten super bantamweight Carlos Venagas Nunez (6-1) of Port Chester, NY, who was making his CES debut.

Fast-rising super lightweight prospect Mike Kimbel (2-0, 2 KOs) of Waterbury, CT, continued to tear through the region, knocking out Pawtucket, RI, native Dahvon Shelton (1-2) with a hard overhand right in the first round of their scheduled four-round bout. Kimbel is now 3-0 in 2023, including a win in mixed martial arts at CES 72 in March.

Welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman (5-1, 2 KOs) of Columbia, CT, won her fifth consecutive fight via first-round knockout when Sarah Click (1-4-1) of Bourne, MA, was unable to continue due to a leg injury and Poland’s Slawomir Bohdziewicz (1-0, 1 KO), who now lives and trains in Stamford, won his pro debut with a second-round knockout win over debut Max Weslei Da Silva (0-1).

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

Mohegan Sun Arena is one of the busiest Arenas in the United States and is ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the United States regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the award-winning venue has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven-time national award winner for “Casino of the Year – Arena” by the Academy of Country Music. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit MoheganSun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call th

Uncasville, CT – The stakes have never been higher as two of boxing’s brightest stars go for gold at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Championship Jackpot, presented by CES Boxing, features two prestigious title bouts as both the WBC Silver bantamweight and super welterweight belts are up for grabs Saturday, April 22, 2023.

Super bantamweight Tramaine Williams of New Haven, CT, faces Oklahoma City’s Elijah Pierce in the 10-round main event for the vacant 122-pound strap while Stamford, CT, super welterweight Chordale Booker battles Daniel Aduku of Accra, Ghana, in the eight-round co-main event for the vacant 154-pound title.

Tickets for Championship Jackpot are available online at CESFights.com or MoheganSun.com or at the Mohegan Sun box office. First bell is 6 pm ET.

The event also features the highly-anticipated return of several Connecticut standouts, including female welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman of Columbia, featherweight Nathan Martinez of New Britain, electrifying super lightweight Mike Kimbel of Waterbury, East Hartford welterweight Jeff Gonzalez, and pro debut cruiserweight Slawomir Bohdziewicz, a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion.

Nicknamed “The Mighty Midget,” the 5-foot-4 southpaw Williams (20-1, 6 KOs) steps back into the ring for the first time since August with the opportunity to add another title to his trophy case. In 2019, he captured the USBA and NABO super bantamweight titles in a win over Yenifel Vicente, which led to a 2020 world championship showdown against undefeated Angelo Leo, also at Mohegan Sun.

Williams last appeared for CES in June of 2019, defeated Neil John Tabanao by unanimous decision, and faces a tall order April 22 against the dangerous Pierce (16-2, 14 KOs), a hard-hitting 5-foot-8 southpaw best known for wins over unbeaten prospects Irvin Gonzalez and Jesse Garcia. Pierce last fought in November in his hometown of Oklahoma City and stopped Juan Carlos Pena in the second round of a scheduled six-round bout, capping a wildly-successful in which he won all five of his bouts to extend his win streak to seven in a row.

Booker steps back into the ring April 22 hoping to collect his first piece of championship hardware – the same belt once held by pound-for-pound great Canelo Alvarez in 2020 – following a win over tough veteran Angel Hernandez at CES’ Winter Brawl event at Mohegan on January 21. Having successfully rebounded from his first career loss in April of 2022, Booker faces the 33-year-old hard-hitting Aduku (15-2-1, 11 KOs), who will make his United States debut less than a month after his most recent win in his home city of Accra.

Managed by Paul Guarino of PG Sports, the 31-year-old Booker is confident he’s entering his prime years despite getting a late start on his professional career; he started boxing at the age of 19 and turned pro five years later at 24. The unwavering support of his fans has been a major source of motivation. Booker fought in his home state of Connecticut for the first time in 2021 and has since been a fixture under CES with April 22 marking his third appearance with the promotion in his last four fights.

On the Championship Jackpot undercard, unbeaten super welterweight Anthony Velazquez (12-0, 11 KOs) of Springfield, MA, battles California’s Rashid Stevens (6-1-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout and Port Chester, NY, super bantamweight Carlos Vanegas Nunez – one of the newest members of the CES stable – makes his promotional debut in a six-round bout against Irving, TX, native Dominique Griffin (4-3-2, 2 KOs).

With both a professional boxing and a professional mixed martial arts bout under his belt in 2023, the fast-rising Kimbel (1-0, 1 KO) returns to the squared circle April 22 in a four-round bout against Pawtucket, RI, super lightweight Dahvon Shelton (1-1), who steps back into the ring for the first time since 2018. Coleman (4-1, 1 KO) puts her four-fight win streak on the line in a six-round bout against 14-fight veteran Josefina Vega (9-5, 4 KOs) of Ecuador.

Fresh off a win on March 25, Gonzalez (2-0) returns to his home state to battle Providence’s Yeison Berdugo, an experienced Muay Thai fighter for Lion Fight Promotions who is now making his professional boxing debut. Martinez (7-2, 2 KOs), a dynamic featherweight prospect, returns for the first time since November of 2021 when he faced Puerto Rico’s Jayron Santiago Lopez, while Ofacio Falcon (9-0, 6 KOs), an undefeated super featherweight from the Bronx, makes his promotional debut April 22.

A Western New England Golden Gloves and New England Golden Gloves champion in 2022, Bohdziewicz faces Max Weslei Da Silva of Woburn, MA, in a four-round bout.

For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

Mohegan Sun Arena is one of the busiest Arenas in the United States and is ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first “#1 Indoor Arena” ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the United States regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named “2021 Innovator of the Year” by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the award-winning venue has also been the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven-time national award winner for “Casino of the Year – Arena” by the Academy of Country Music. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit MoheganSun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.

Prescott, Arizona (July 25, 2022)–On Friday night , August 12th, former world champions Tevin Farmer and Mickey Bey will finally square in a 10-round lightweight bout. The fight will take place at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott, Arizona.

The outstanding night of boxing can be seen live on Pay-Per-View at RedemptionPPV.com

The fight has successfully been rescheduled after the event was moved from Ghana to Dubai. The show had to be postponed after the President of Dubai passed away.

The show is promoted by Bigger Than Life Entertainment and Sports Sweet Science Boxing in association with Indie Pro Sports. Tevin Farmer and Bey Brothers Boxing.

Farmer, 31 of Philadelphia has a record of 30-5-1 with six knockouts. Farmer won the IBF Super Featherweight title on August 3, 2018 with a 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Billy Dib. He went on to make four successful defenses over James Tennyson, Francisco Fonseca, Jono Carroll and Guillaume Frenois. In his last bout, Farmer dropped his belt to Joseph Diaz Jr. on January 30, 2020. Farmer also has wins over Angelo Ward (1-0), Tim Witherspoon Jr. (6-1-1), Tyrone Luckey (4-1-1)l, Camilo Perez (9-0, Noel Echievarria (11-1), Emanuel Gonzalez (14-0), Viktor Chernous (15-1-1), Angel Luna (10-0-1), Daulis Prescott (30-2, former world champion Gamaliel Diaz, Ivan Redkach (19-1-1), and Dardan Zenunaj (12-2).

Bey, 39 of Cleveland, Ohio, is 23-3-1 with 11 knockouts. A ring veteran of 17 years, Bey won the IBF Lightweight title with a 12-round split decision over Miguel Vazquez on September 13, 2014 in Las Vegas. He dropped the title when he lost a split decision to Rances Barthelemy on June 3, 2016. Bey also has wins over Rashad Ganaway (10-1-1), Alejandro Rodriguez (12-3), Jose Herrera Garcia (32-5) and Naim Nelson (12-0). In his last fight, Bey lost a split decision to current undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos on December 14, 2019 in New York.

A stacked undercard will feature Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson (11-0, 7 KOs) of Baltimore taking on Tyi Edmonds (14-4, 9 KOs) of Meridian, Mississippi in a eight-round super middleweight bout.

Keenan Carbajal (23-3-1, 15 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona fights Belmar Preciado (21-5-1, 14 KOs) of Barranquilla, Colombia in an eight-round featherweight affair.

Mohammed Aryeetey (7-0, 5 KOs) fights Jeronil Borres (11-7-1, 6 KOs) of the Philippines in an eight-round flyweight bout.

Tramaine Williams (19-1, 6 KOs) of New Haven, Connecticut will square off with Jetro Pabustan (31-9-6, 9 KOs) of The Philippines in a super bantamweight fight.

Daniel Hilton (2-0, 2 KOs) of Prescott Valley, Arizona will look to thrill his hometown fans when he battles Isaac Sifuentez (0-5) of Texas in a four-round junior middleweight bout.

More bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets range from $35-$250 Findlaytoyotacenter.com

Angelo Leo won the vacant WBO Super Bantamweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Tramaine Williams at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Williams got off to a good start as he was crisp with his counter left hook. He controlled the action for the first three rounds. Leo started to come forward in the middle rounds as he effectively worked the body.

That tactic slowed down the quick Williams as Leo continued to work on the inside and pound away at the body of Williams with left hooks. Leo occasionally came upstairs, but by the championship rounds, Williams output had slowed to pedestrian status.

Leo outlanded Williams 248-196 including 102 to seven to the body.

Leo of Albuquerque, NM won by scores of 118-110 and 117-111 twice and is now 20-0. Williams of New Haven, Connecticut is 19-1.

Angelo Leo

“It feels good. It still hasn’t sunk in yet, it just feels surreal. The first few rounds I was just feeling him out, getting his timing, getting the feel of him. I felt him kind of loosening up and breaking down, and that’s when I started putting the pressure on him a little more.

“That was the key factor in this fight, the body work and the pressure. I’m pretty sure Albuquerque is celebrating tonight. I think they have four world champions, because you can’t exclude Holly Holm. You have Johnny [Tapia], Danny [Romero], Holly and now me. There’s four champions in that city and I think I’ve made history there.

“At first, the first couple hours after the opponent change I was a little disappointed. But then I was like, ‘Hey this is what I came here to do.’ I came here to win a world title and that’s exactly what I did. When I set my mind to it, I do it.”

Raeese Aleem stopped Marcus Bates in round 10 of their scheduled 12-round super bantamweight rematch.

Aleem dominated the fight as he punished Bates to the body and began working his way upstairs. In round 10, Bates was complaining of an injured right hand. Later in the round, Aleem landed two crushing lefts as Bates turned away and referee Gary Rosato stopped the bout at 2:18.

Aleem, 121 1/4 lbs of Las Vegas is 17-0 with 11 knockouts. Bates, 121 1/4 lbs of Washington, DC is 11-2-1.

“It did help me facing Bates again only because I knew some of his tendencies, but that was still a while ago. He’s a top fighter so he could have come at me a number of different ways. I was just prepared.

“I didn’t know his hand was hurt. I thought he was juts shaking it just to try to get me to look at it and distract me. I didn’t worry about it.

“I would love to fight either the winner of the main event or any current world champion – Akhmadaliev has two of the belts. Brandon Figueroa, Rey Vargas, or the winner of this one. It doesn’t really matter who but I want the strap.”

Joe George scored a vicious 9th round stoppage over Marcos Escudero in a scheduled 10-round light heavyweight bout.

Escudero seemed to be winning the fight as he was out throwing and out-landing George, much like their first fight that took place in November.

In the final seconds of round nine, George landed a vicious uppercut that sent Escudero crashing to the canvas, and the fight was stopped at 3:00.

George, 174 1/4 lbs of Houston is now 11-0 with seven knockouts. Escudero, 173 1/2 lbs of West Palm Beach, FL is 10-2.

Joe George

“I was setting him up with the jab to the body, I had him leaning over a little. I was shooting the right uppercut, some landed and some didn’t. I wanted him to get comfortable and relaxed, and that’s exactly what he did. He was relaxed and I slipped over and just shot it. He gave it to me and I had to take it. It put him down.

“The result is self-explanatory. I don’t have to say nothing. I’m willing to fight whoever next. One fight at a time and I’ll be prepared for whatever’s on the way.”

Vacant WBO Junior Featherweight World Championship – 12 Rounds

Angelo Leo – 121 lbs.

Tramaine Williams – 121½ lbs.

Referee: Harvey Dock (Union, N.J.); Judges: Don Ackerman (West Oneida, N.Y.), Glenn Feldman (Avon, Conn.), Don Trella (Noank, Conn.)

WBA Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator – 12 Rounds

Ra’eese Aleem – 121¼ lbs.

Marcus Bates – 121¼ lbs.

Referee: Gary Rosato (Hazel Township, Pa.); Judges: Steve Weisfeld (River Vale, N.J.), Tom Schreck (Albany, N.Y.), Glenn Feldman (Avon, Conn.)

Light Heavyweights – 10 Rounds

Joe George – 174¼ lbs.

Marcos Escudero – 173½ lbs.

Referee: Dan Schavoine (Wethersfield, Conn.); Judges: Tom Carusone (Hebron, Conn.), Don Trella (Noank, Conn.), Steve Weisfeld (River Vale, N.J.)

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ABNER MARES TO JOIN SATURDAY’S ANNOUNCE TEAM

Four-time world champion and Olympian Abner Mares will join this Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® announce team. Mares will work alongside the most experience and decorated boxing team in television including host Brian Custer, play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo and four International Boxing Hall of Famers Al Bernstein (analyst), Jimmy Lennon, Jr. (in ring), Steve Farhood (scoring), and Jim Gray (ringside reporter).

The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is four-time Emmy award winner David Dinkins, Jr. The director is Bob Dunphy, son of legendary Hall of Famer Don Dunphy. The pair has been guiding this flagship sports series since its inception in 1986. In addition, Raúl Marquez and Alejandro Luna serve as expert analysts in Spanish on Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

Bilingual and personable, the 34-year-old Mares will provide expert analysis gathered from a future Hall of Famer career that continues after 16 years and has included 11 world title fights (7-3-1). In 2010, Mares established himself as an elite-level fighter with six consecutive wins against world champions over the next two and a half years. He won the IBF bantamweight world title in 2011 and made one successful defense before moving up in weight and winning the WBC super bantamweight (122 pounds) world title in 2012.

“As a fighter, I’ve had memorable fights on SHOWTIME, including earning my fourth world title belt against Jesus Cuellar,” said Mares. “It’s an honor to call the action for fans from the other side of the ring. As an active fighter, I’m looking forward to being part of the return of world championship boxing as a member of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING team, especially calling the two important 122-pound fights, a division I know a lot about.”

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Saturday’s fights are presented by Premier Boxing Champions and promoted by TGB and Mayweather Promotions in association with Kings Promotions. The main event is promoted in association with New World Sports and Warriors Boxing. 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

NEW YORK – July 29, 2020 – Undefeated contender Tramaine Williams will step in to face fellow unbeaten Angelo Leo for the vacant WBO Jr. Featherweight World Championship in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING this Saturday, August 1, (live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Williams replaces Stephen Fulton Jr., who tested positive for COVID-19 on the test provided by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation and was removed from the 122-pound title bout versus Leo.

Undefeated Ra’eese Aleem will now face 122-poundcontender Marcus Bates in the co-main event in a 12-round WBA Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator. Aleem had previously been scheduled to fight Williams, before Williams moved into the main event to fight Leo.

The 26-year-old Leo (19-0, 9 KOs) fights out of the Mayweather Promotions stable and will look to become the first world champion from his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico since Johnny Tapia. He will now seek the title against another unbeaten opponent in the 27-year-old Williams (19-0, 6 KOs). Williams represents his native New Haven, Connecticut and shot up the WBO rankings by defeating Yenifel Vicente in July 2019.

The 30-year-old Aleem (16-0, 10 KOs), who hails from Muskegon, Michigan, has continued his winning ways since beating Bates in 2018, adding five victories to his ledger. The 26-year-old Bates (11-1, 8 KOs) is currently ranked No. 7 by the WBA and hails from Washington, D.C. He will look to avenge his lone loss in this rematch against Aleem.

“Extensive protocols have been put in place to catch this very possibility and they’ve proven so far to be effective,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “We are supporting Stephen and his team as they self-quarantine off property and we will help with any medical assistance if needed.

“Fortunately, Williams was ready to move into the spot in the main event, which remains a battle of unbeaten young super bantamweights. In addition, Marcus Bates was in excellent shape and answered the call to face Aleem in a title eliminator. He is an aggressive super bantamweight who will make the most of this opportunity. I expect him to be on everyone’s radar after Saturday night.”

Fulton and his team never entered the closed system set up at Mohegan Sun for this week’s event. Upon arrival to the property, they and all fighters were tested and quarantined until their individual test results came back. There are no other positive tests to report at this time.

Before arrival to Mohegan Sun, Team Fulton and all of this Saturday’s fight teams had been tested multiple times over a period of weeks leading up to the event. Team Fulton was tested six times prior to arrival, from June 25 through the most recent test he took on July 23 before traveling to Connecticut. All of those tests came back negative. Today’s result was the first positive test for Team Fulton.

Saturday night’s triple-header on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING also features rising light heavyweight prospects Joe George (10-0, 6 KOs) and Marcos Escudero (10-1, 9 KOs) opening the telecast with a 10-round rematch of their November ShoBox showdown that saw George win a narrow-split decision.

Uncasville, Conn. – July 29, 2020 – Boxing is back on SHOWTIME and five fighters taking part in Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® tripleheader participated in a media availability on Wednesday to discuss the bouts Presented by Premier Boxing Champions and taking place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Philadelphia’s 122-pound rising star Stephen Fulton Jr. will headline Saturday’s tripleheader (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) against talented, fellow undefeated contender Angelo Leo of the Mayweather stable in a marquee 12-round matchup for the vacant WBO junior featherweight world title.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast features Tramaine Williams, of New Haven, Conn., clashing with Las Vegas-based Ra’eese Aleem in an intriguing, 50-50 matchup between talented, undefeated prospects in the co-featured bout and a light heavyweight rematch between Houston’s Joe George and Argentina’s Marcos Escudero that opens the telecast.

Here is what the fighters had to say on today’s call. Due to a scheduling conflict, Fulton was unable to participate.

ANGELO LEO

“This is something I’ve worked my whole life for, so my preparation has been the best I’ve ever had, both physically and mentally. This is the day I’ve been waiting for and I have to seize the opportunity.

“Floyd was in the gym with me a couple of times giving me pointers and helping work through my game plan. His wisdom combined with my trainer’s knowledge really meshed together for me. Floyd just told me to just stay calm, treat it like any other fight and do what I do best. I know the mental strength that Floyd has, and I’ve learned from it. I’ve learned from the best.

“I definitely expect to be able to hurt Fulton. He talks a lot about how he’s fought a lot of undefeated fighters, but if you look closely, he’s been hurt before. I just want to make that point clear that he’s not untouchable.

“This would be a great win for my hometown of Albuquerque. We haven’t had a champion since Johnny Tapia and to become a champion after him would mean a great deal to me and to the city.

“It’s possible he’s overconfident. He’s been talking a lot, and I know he has to have confidence, but I think he’s a bit overconfident. I don’t really get effected by his talk or people thinking I’m the underdog. I’m just focused on the job.

“As far as not having fans in the arena, I don’t think it will have an effect on this fight. It’s like sparring but more intense. I’m the type of fighter that if I smell blood, I’m going to go for the kill.

“Being in Las Vegas was probably the best move I made in my career. I’ve seen Fulton’s style in the gym and it’s nothing I’m not prepared for. I’ll adapt in the ring and make my adjustments. Ultimately, I’m going to come out with the victory.

“I just need to vary up my attack. I have good footwork to get on the inside. My head movement is strong, and all of that is going to be key in this fight. I think he has some trouble with fighters who move backwards against him, so I’m going to use my boxing too. We’re prepared for anything we need to do in there.”

TRAMAINE WILLIAMS

“It’s a bit of an unusual situation but I take every fight as if were just another day in the gym or another sparring session, so this will be nothing different. As boxers, as fighters, as humans, we just have to adapt. No excuses, whatever comes our way we’ve got to figure it out and that’s what I’m going to do on Saturday. I’ll adapt to no crowd and you guys may hear me talk a little bit in the ring.

“My preparations changed a bit because of the social distancing and you want to be careful with who you interact with. If you’re sparring with a select few guys, you want to make sure those guys are practicing social distancing as well. It was kind of hard to get a lot of people to spar with because you want to be careful.

“I prepared for Aleem the same way I prepare for every fighter. I stay focus and try to prepare for 10 or 12 rounds, whatever the fight may be, and focus three minutes at a time. He’s a little awkward. You never want to underestimate anyone so I’m treating him like he is a world champion.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll take him to deep waters, and deep waters doesn’t mean the seventh, eighth, or ninth round -deep waters means the third round and he’s still got seven to go.

“Aleem is much different from my last opponent (Yenifel Vicente) because he’s a cleaner fighter. You can tell he’s a respectful opponent and he comes from a good boxing lineage in Detroit. He’s a lot different from Vicente, who came in there just swinging for the fences and looking to land a lucky shot. I had him frustrated so maybe he was looking for an out or try to distract me but Aleem will be much different from that.

“If I win this fight, I definitely think a title shot could be next against the winner of Saturday’s main event. Or I would fight Figueroa or [Murodjon Akhmadaliev]. I’ve been ready for all of these guys. I should have already been in the position that Fulton and Leo are at right now, fighting for a world title.”

RA’EESE ALEEM

“I feel like my win over Adam Lopez was definitely a big upset. I feel like I made a big statement and I want to make another big statement on Saturday night. As far as that being my TV debut, there was no extra emotion behind it. I was completely confident in myself and just ready to go in there and do what I do.

“The super bantamweight division is a very stacked division. It’s tough because a lot of the champions have been champs for years. The big money fights are there, they just need to be made and right now is the perfect time to make those fights because we have to give the fans what they want. I’m ready for the big fights right now.

“This is a huge opportunity for me to catapult myself into the top spots. It’s going to raise me in the rankings and even if my next fight isn’t for a world title fight, I’m going to be next. It’s a huge opportunity and I’m really looking forward to it.

“Leo and Fulton are both great fighters so to be able to see them up close is great because I want to fight both of them. Either one, it doesn’t matter. Whoever wins, that’s who I want. I have to show up and show out because just winning isn’t good enough for me. I have to dominate and that will really solidify what I’m about.

“Tramaine Williams is a really smart fighter. He has really fast hands, fast feet. I think my biggest advantage going into this is he’s never fought a fighter like me. I just have to be cautious. I don’t believe he’s a big puncher but I have to be cautious of his skill and his boxing IQ. I don’t feel like he’s faced a real dog. Somebody who is showing up to win, somebody who has faster hands and feet than him.

“I’m telling myself I have 10 rounds to knock him out. You can expect a lot of action from me on Saturday night. I don’t think my opponent really wants a lot of action, but I definitely want to get him out of there. But I’m going to let it come to me, I’m not going to just go in there and force it. It will come, though. It won’t go the distance. I’m prepared to go the distance but my ultimate goal is to get him out of there.”

JOE GEORGE

“I’m in better shape for this fight compared to our first fight. We’re working on fighting off of the ropes better and fighting in the center of the ring more effectively.

“A knockout is always good, but I like to take it one round at a time. If the knockout comes, it comes, and we’re going to take advantage. I’ve been dropping fighters in camp, so the chance of a knockout is pretty high.

“He was an okay opponent. He had a chin and was in shape. His punches weren’t effective though. I made sure my punches landed and I hurt him a few times, I just couldn’t really finish him.

“This fight will be different because I’m going to work off the ropes more instead of letting him gain momentum with his punches. Last fight was just him being really active and having a good chin -that’s all that stopped him from getting knocked out. If I was in  better shape, I could have finished him. If I get the opportunity this fight, I’ll finish it.

“I expect to see a slight difference in Escudero. If you change trainers, then you should have made some changes. I had a good hard camp and whatever he brings, I’ll be ready for it.

“Some people think that Escudero won, and that’s their opinion. But I knew what I was doing. He wasn’t effective. I think just by me being on the ropes it made some people think that I was losing. But for me, I’m very comfortable fighting on the ropes.

“I didn’t really spar with people my weight in camp, it was either with heavyweights or guys who are lighter. The lighter guys helped with my speed and the heavyweights helped with my power. It worked out perfectly and I got the best of both worlds.

“My manager Trent Williams is a young athlete so he knows how this goes. He knows the things to do and what to say. You never see him angry or frustrated, the only time he’s aggressive is when he’s training or on the field. His work ethic is incredible and that’s motivation in itself. He’s a great role model and I learn a lot from watching him.”

MARCOS ESCUDERO

“Everyone saw what happened in the first fight. I believe I did enough to get the win, but it is what it is. I’ve changed my team and am working with Kevin Cunningham now and that is going to make the biggest difference heading into this rematch. Everyone is going to see a different fighter than the first fight on Saturday night.

“With Coach Kevin we’ve watched the tape of the first fight over and over again. We knew we needed to take care of little details, be more effective and that we couldn’t leave it up to the judges. I have to be more intelligent in my game plan and change my angles. I think those were the most important things we worked on.

“Obviously we plan to bring the fight to George and make it entertaining. I know that I have enough power to make sure it doesn’t go to the cards. That’s what we’re looking for.

“I’ve known Kevin for a while. He’s worked with a lot of world champions and I’ve seen how different it is to have a strong team on my side. To be a great fighter you need to have a great team supporting you.

“I’m much more confident heading into this fight than the last one. He knows that he lost the fight. I know that I did enough work to get the victory. Now in the rematch, I’m going to show my confidence in the ring. My only goal is to beat Joe George. I am working toward becoming a world champion, so I had to get this rematch settled before anything else. After Saturday night, we’ll keep moving forward.”

QUINCY, Mass. (March 25, 2019) – Undefeated New England prospects Tramaine “The Mighty Midget” Williams and Anthony Marsella, Jr. have been added to an already loaded “Riot at The Rim” card, featuring three title fights, on Friday night, April 12, at The Rim in Hampton, New Hampshire.

“Riot at The Rim”, a presentation of Granite Chin Promotions (GSP), will be headlined by an eight-round New England welterweight title fight between former New England welterweight champion Derek “The Surgeon” Silveira (15-2, 8 KOs), fighting out of Salem, MA, and Travis “The Outlaw” Demko (8-1, 1 KO), of Stoughton, MA, for the vacant N.E. Welterweight Championship.

“We’re excited to add two of the most talented boxers in New England, Tramaine Williams and Antony Marsella, Jr., to the best top-to-bottom card Granite Chin has ever promoted,” promoter/ fighter Chris Traietti said. “We’ve made a planned effort to upgrade our shows in 2019. Not only do we have many of the most talented and popular New England boxers on this card, we have three title fights, topped by Derek Silveira and Demko for the vacant New England Welterweight Championship.”

Tramaine WilliamsCourtesy of ROC Nation Sports.
The 26-year-old Williams (16-0, 6 KOs), fighting out of New Haven, CT, is a former 10-time national amateur champion, who will be fighting battle-tested Mexican Ernesto “Monito” Guerrero (31-26, 21 KOs). He was ranked among the top 10 featherweights in the world, but his inactivity, fighting only in 2018, cost him his ranking. The slick southpaw last fought this past February, stopping 32-8 Jose Alfredo Rodriguez in the opening round. Williams is promoted by Roc Nation.

“How many fighters can say they’ve been through half of what I’ve endured? Add that to continuing to fight at a high level and dominate the way I have, and I promise you the answer is none,” Williams commented. “I’m looking forward to carrying on the way I have. Stay tuned as the story continues.”

“Tramaine is on a fast track mission to keep busy and then get his world title shot as soon as possible,” said Roc Nation Sports boxing promoter Dino Duva. “This April 12th fight continues that mission. I want to thank my old friend Chris Traietti with providing this slot for Tramaine. It’s always a pleasure to work with him.”

Marsella (11-0, 5 KOs), 24, is a rising welterweight prospect out of Providence, Rhode Island. Another celebrated N.E. amateur boxer, Marsella became the International Boxing Association (IBA) champion in his last action, when his opponent, 10-3 Jorge Rodriguez, was unable to answer the bell for the fourth round last November 21. Marsella, who is part of the Mayweather Promotions stable, will go against Engleberto “Guarura” Valenzuela (11-15, 3 KOs), of Mexico.

Quincy, MA- based Traietti (27-4, 21 KOs), an Iraq War veteran and college graduate, is the reigning New England cruiserweight champion. He meets Brazilian knockout artist Gilberto “El Magico” Matheus Domingos (22-10, 20 KOs), a former Brazilian light heavyweight champion, in the 10-round co-featured event for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) FECARBOX cruiserweight title.

WBC Latino cruiserweight champion Vinnie “American Nightmare” Carita (19-1-1, 18 KOs), a court officer in Brockton (MA) who lives in Pembroke (MA), takes on Brazilian fighter Claudio “Quexado” Morroni (8-4-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round bout for the vacant ABF Colonial Atlantic Cruiserweight Championship.

Undefeated welterweight prospect Omar Bordoy (7-0, 2 KOs), of Danbury, CT, fights Frenchman Roman Tomas (7-2, 1 KO), now living in Brooklyn, NY, in a six-round match.

Gloucester, MA middleweight “Handsome” Henry Gedney (2-0, 1 KO) is matched with New Jersey’s Darryl “Dreamking” Bunting (3-5-2, 1 KO) in a four-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard is Lynn, MA welterweight Khiry “TNT” Todd (7-1, 5 KOs) against his Mexican opponent, Francisco “El Mono” Medal (12-16, 8 KOs), in a six-rounder.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Ticket prices are $60.00, $45.00 and $35.00 and available to purchase online at www.TicketRiver.com (search word: Riot at the Rim).

Doors open at 7 p.m. ET, first bout scheduled at 7:30 p.m. ET.

INFORMATION:
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