PROVIDENCE– Former world heavyweight title challenger Charles Shufford plans to get his career untracked and him back into the heavyweight mix with an upset of 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada in their 10-round, co-main event headlining the “Champions of Tomorrow” pro boxing show, January 25 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
WBC Youth featherweight champion Manuel Perez defends his title against Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard in the other 10-round, co-feature on “Champions of Tomorrow,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. it will be taped live and air on Saturday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m. on CN8 and will also stream online at http://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.
Las Vegas-based Shufford (20-7-1, 9 KOs) is a man of many diverse talents. He fought Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO title in 2001, extended present WBC Interim heavyweight champ Samuel Peter the full distance in 2004, holds a victory against former world champion Lamon Brewster, and fought a draw with another ex-world title holder, Kelvin Davis. Shufford has acting experience having portrayed George Foreman in the movie, “Ali,” and he’s been the bodyguard of the stars for the past four years at The Palms in Las Vegas.
“I had a lot of fun doing the movie with Will Smith,” Charles said. “I got to travel to Africa, too. I work in security at The Palms. I’ve guarded Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Koby Bryant and so many other stars. I love working for the Maloof brothers (owners of The Palms as well as the Sacramento Kings). They’re cool. They walk the floor every night. They’ve been very good to me, working around my schedule so I have time to train when I have a fight.”
Estrada (10-1, 2 KOs), the Providence native now rated No. 10 in the NABO, has vowed to knock Shufford into retirement. “The kid is quick and fast,” Shufford noted, “but I am, too. I’m taller, stronger and have a longer reach than him. I’ve learned from my recent losses that I can’t lay back. If I don’t work, he’s going to beat me, but I’ve been in with everybody and he doesn’t worry me. I need to be myself and put it all on the line. I’m looking for a big win in January and then line-up some fights to show everybody what I can really do.
“I have to stay busy so I’ll have my timing and sharpness. I had long layoffs because I’m too risky (of an opponent) in some ways. I’m not fighting for titles and I’m too good to be an opponent. I know I can fight but I’ve been rusty my last few fights. I have to put it all together because I feel I’m a good enough fighter to beat anybody on any given day.”
Manchester (CT) favorite Remillard (11-0, 7 KOs) has been inactive since suffering a wrist injury that required surgery after he won the WBC Youth super featherweight on September 23, 2006. He’s aching to fight Perez (11-3, 2 KOs), who captured the WBC Youth title in his last fight on November 10 via a unanimous 10-round decision against Victor Barela.
Unbeaten cruiserweight prodigy and 9-time U.S. amateur champion, Aaron Williams (15-0-1, 11 KOs), takes on former world kick boxing champ Manu Ntoh (17-13-1, 10 KOs) in an eight-round battle of cruiserweights.
New England fans have waited a few years for the light heavyweight showdown between Iraqi War-veteran Chris Traietti (7-0, 4 KOs) and “Irish” Joey McCreedy (5-1, 4 KOs) and it’ll finally happen Jan. 25 in a scheduled six-round bout. Throwback middleweights Richard “Bobo” Starnino (8-2-1, 1 KO), of Providence, and New Bedford’s Eric Pinarreta (1-1, 1 KO) bring an old-fashioned border war brawl into the ring.
Also on the undercard in four-round bouts are unbeaten Rhode Island super middleweight Angel Camacho, Jr. (8-0, 4 KOs) against Terrance “TJ” Jones (10-10, 6 KOs), vastly improved Hartford light welterweight Addy Irizarry (3-1, 2 KOs) meets Tonya Gallegos (4-6, 2 KOs), undefeated Brockton super middleweight Manuel Antonio Lopes (4-0, 1 KO) faces John “The Baptist” Michael Terry, and recent University of Connecticut graduate Brian Macy, a poker card dealer at Foxwoods, makes his pro debut versus Pete Guthy (1-1-1, 1 KO) in a match-up of young super middleweights. All bouts and fighters are subject to change.
Former world title contender “Sucra” Ray Oliveira will be inducted into the CES Ring of Honor in a ceremony during the “Champions of Tomorrow.” Unbeaten heavyweight contender “Baby” Joe Mesi (36-0, 29 KOs), promoted by CES, will make a special presentation to Oliveira.
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 - http://www.cesboxing.com/) or Foxwoods (1.800.200.2882/www.foxwoods.com). Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at
7 PM/ET.
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