Wach KOs Mcbride, Ayala wins title‏

Wach KOs Mcbride, Ayala wins title‏;
By Michael Natalino
All photos by Keisha Morrisey

Friday evening, June 29th, 2011, Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports lived up to its commitment of “keeping the class in boxing” with an old-school fight card that showcased a wide variety of gifted fighters. All of the combatants lived up to their potential, producing a night of theatre that left boxing fans in awe.

Undefeated Heavyweight Mariusz Wach (25-0, 13 KOs) of Bergen, NJ, lived up to his reputation as one of the most viable forces in the Heavyweight division, with his fourth-round destruction of Kevin McBride (35-10-1, 29 KOs) of Brockton, MA, that earned him the vacant WBC International Title. Wach, calm, cool, and collected from the opening bell, consistently hit McBride with left jabs and right hands to the body. The only demonstration of offense from McBride that seemed to impact Wach was a right-hand followed by an elbow that caused blood to spew out of Wach’s ear. This injury only seemed to anger Wach, who retaliated with a vicious over-hand right that knocked McBride unconscious at 2:25 of the fourth round. This knockout kept McBride on the canvas for minutes after the fight, forcing him to be carried out of the arena on a stretcher.

In the final bout of the evening, New Haven, Connecticut’s Elvin Ayala (24-5-1, 11 KOs) continued his winning streak with a masterful display of ring generalship against Darrick Fendley (18-6, 11 KOs) of Gary, Indiana. Early on, the allusive Ayala never allowed the durable Fendley to get close enough to land punches of any significance. In the later stages of the fight, where it seemed as if Findley was beginning to find range, Ayala opened a cut over his opponent’s eye, and began to pour on blistering over-hand rights and combinations keeping Findley even further at bay. For his efforts, Ayala picked up a unanimous ten-round decision, along with the WBC USNBC Title.

In opening action, Worcester, Massachusetts’s Jose Torres stepped in the ring to make his pro-debut against last minute replacement Josh Harris (8- 5, 6 KOs) of Akron, Ohio. From the opening the bell, Torres initiated the action, peppering Harris with stiff jabs, followed by several crushing right hooks and a vicious body attack. Torres continued this non-stop onslaught the majority of the four rounds, continuously wobbling Harris throughout the bout. In the end, Harris’s methodical pressure and experience turned out to be too much for the green Torres to handle. Harris landed a massive hook at the end of the fourth, which instantly floored Torres, forcing the referee to bring the fight to a halt at 2:23 of the round.

In Welterweight action, Jonathan Vazquez (4-0-1, 3 KOs) of New Bedford, MA, and Agustine Mauras (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Lawrence, MA, had the opportunity to resume their amateur rivalry in a Rock em’, Sock em’, Somebody’s 0 must go battle. Mauras put the pressure on early, swarming Vazquez with consecutive punches to the body, along with left-hooks to the head. Vazquez countered effectively with upper-cuts and body shots of his own. Midway through the fight, just when it looked as if Mauras’ pressure was about to take control, Vazquez responded with straight right hands that snapped Mauras’ head back. The conclusion would be two fighters standing toe-to-toe, with the ending result a majority four-round draw with scores of 39-37, 38-38, and 38-38.

Edwin Soto (7-0-1, 3 KOs) of New Haven, CT, kept his undefeated streak intact with an impressive TKO victory over Michael Denby (3-11-4, 2 KOs) of Felton, DE. Soto assumed control from the beginning, landing numerous punches to the body and head, until the final blow, a crunching left hook to the liver, forced the halt at 2:26 of the third round.

Super Middleweight Greg McCoy (3-3, 1 KO) of New Haven, CT, ended his losing streak with a hard fought unanimous decision over Ralph Johnson (0-2) of Worcester, MA. Johnson’s awkward style confused McCoy in the early stages of the fight, even staggering him at times. Midway through the third, McCoy began to find success with right-hand body shots that stopped Johnson in his tracks. These shots allowed McCoy to rally in the fourth, assuring a unanimous four-round victory.

Also in Super Middleweight action, Keith Kozlin (6-2-1, 4 KOs) of Warwick, RI, and Reynaldo Rodgriguez (5-2-1, 2 KOs) of Woonsocket, RI, squared off in a match that was a candidate for “fight of the night”. The first two rounds resembled a game of chess, with each fighter trying to set up the other. The action began to heat up in round number three, with both fighters landing precise left hooks. The action would ignite even further in the fourth, when both fighters hit the canvas within twenty-seconds of each other, but managed to regroup, standing toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring before the bell sounded. The intensity of this fight, along with the strong will these fighters demonstrated, brought the crowd to its feet, but left the judges confused. The result...a six-round majority draw, with scores of 40-36, Kozlin, and 38-38 from the two other judges. This decision left the fans and fighters craving a rematch.

As we moved on to the Middleweight division, Thomas Falowo (4-0, 4KOs) of Pawtucket, RI, made short work of Russ Niggemeyer (2-3, 2 KOs) of Hilliard, Ohio. Falowo boxed aggressively in round one, forcing Niggemeyer to bob-and-weave, never able to mount any offense. In round two, Falowo would close the gap early, knocking Niggemeyer to the canvas in the opening of the round. As Niggemeyer tried to get back to feet, he stumbled back down to the canvas, forcing the referee to stop the fight forty seconds in.




The flashy pride of Poland, heavyweight Artur Szpilka (7-0, 5 KOs) of Wielczka, Poland, showed a dazzling display of speed and power, dismantling David Williams (6-5-1, 2 KOs) of Philadelphia, PA, at 1:53 of the first round. The Polish fans in attendance went wild as they saw their native son knock his foe to the canvas. There is no doubt that this young, knock-out sensation has a bright future in boxing ahead of him.

In a special attraction, former multi-world champion, Jose Antonio Rivera (41-6-1) of Worcester, MA, used his cagey veteran skills to out-box and out-class the game Paul Mpendo (7-8-4, 3 KOs) of Portland, Oregon, in battle of Light Middleweights. Rivera started off slow, allowing Mpendo to appear to be in the fight, but by round six, it was apparent that he was in complete control, as his body-shots and over-hand rights landed with precision and power. Rivera walked away with a unanimous eight-round decision, earning scores of 79-73 and 80-72.

It is unforgettable nights of boxing such as these that keep a century-old profession alive and well in today’s fast changing world.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

McBride predicting victory on the 29th; ‘I’m the champ!’ Confident McBride predicting victory against undefeated Wach on the 29th

The man who ended Mike Tyson’s reign atop the heavyweight division six years ago is threatening to put an end to another promising career before it has a chance to blossom.

Clones, Ireland veteran Kevin McBride (35-9-1, 29 KOs) might be considered the heavy underdog on Friday, July 29th, 2011 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., but he’s predicting another major upset against undefeated Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach (24-0, 12 KOs) in the main event of “Heat Wave,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports in association with Global Boxing Promotions.

The two are fighting in the 12-round main event for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight title, a belt once held by former world champions John Ruiz, David Tua, Oleg Maskaev and Oliver McCall, along with current heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.

“I’m here to win,” McBride said Thursday at the Global Boxing Gym during the third leg of CES’ east-coast publicity tour. “God bless him – he’s undefeated and he has 24 wins, but I’m the champ. I’ve got more knockouts than he has wins.

“He better watch out. I know I’m still the underdog like I was against Tyson, but I feel I have the punch that can be the equalizer against anyone in the world.”

McBride is so confident he’ll win the title, he’s even gone as far as to plan his next move.

“I’m saving the fireworks for the 29th,” he said. “After I beat him, I’d like to fight [undefeated prospect] Tyson Fury and then take my shot at a world title.”

Even after beating Tyson in 2005, McBride never got a shot at world title before retiring two years later. Six months after his comeback fight in October of 2010, McBride fought former cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek for the North American Boxing Organization (NABO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) International heavyweight titles, but lost a unanimous 12-round decision.

“He got tired of running around the ring because Adamek wouldn’t fight him!” Burchfield said.

A win over Wach on the 29th would bring McBride one step closer to a shot at that elusive world title.

“He’s worked real hard,” said McBride’s manager, Jerry Quint. “He’s putting his heart and soul into this fight.”

For Wach, the stakes are equally high; with a perfect 24-0 record, he’s now ranked 13th in the WBC and is on the cusp of a major title fight if he can get past McBride next Friday.

“This fight means a lot to me. It can open a lot of doors, or those doors could be closed,” Wach said. “I’ve spent the past three months putting in endless hours training. The plan is in place; I just hope he doesn’t break my plans for the future.”

“This is what boxing needs,” Burchfield added. “Someone is going to get knocked out. There is no doubt about that.”

Wach, who last fought on Feb. 19 in a knockout win over Jonathan Haggler, has benefited from the tutelage of trainers Juan and Carlos De Leon, who are known throughout boxing for their work with undefeated heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi.

“He’s a lot like Mesi,” Carlos De Leon said. “I feel as though I have a future heavyweight champion on my hands.”

Next week’s WBC International heavyweight title bout between Wach and McBride is one of two title fights at Mohegan Sun; Former world-title challenger Elvin Ayala (23-5-1, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., will face Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-10, 28 KOs) of Hartford for the vacant WBC United States National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title, a title once held by former world champions Paul “The Punisher” Williams and Lamont Peterson.

The undercard includes New Haven welterweight Edwin Soto (6-0-1, 2 KOs) battling Michael Denby (3-11-4, 2 KOs) of Felton, Del.; and undefeated heavyweight Artur Spzilka of Poland (5-0, 3 KOs) facing Philadelphia’s David Williams (6-4-1, 2 KOs). Cruiserweight Jose Torres of Springfield, Mass., will make his debut against fellow newcomer Pedro Rivera of Southbridge, Mass.; super middleweight Greg McCoy (2-3-1, 1 KO) of New Haven will fight in a separate four-round bout against Worcester’s Ralph Johnson (0-1); and super middleweight Keith Kozlin (6-2, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Woonsocket’s Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round intrastate showdown. The special attraction on July 29th will be an eight-round light middleweight bout featuring Worcester, Mass., veteran and former three-time world champion Jose Antonio Rivera (40-6-1, 24 KOs) against Paul Mpendo (7-7-4, 3 KOs) of Oregon. Junior welterweight Agustine Mauras (1-0, 1 KO) of Lawrence, Mass., will face rival Johnathan Vazquez (4-0, 3 KOs) of New Bedford, Mass., in a rematch of their amateur bout three years ago. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Business is boomin’ Unbeaten prospect Falowo putting in long hours both in and outside the ring

Pain reliever by day, pain administrator by night.

Working double duty as a pharmacy technician for CVS and a professional boxer for Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, 22-year-old middleweight prospect Thomas Falowo (3-0, 3 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., is quickly becoming a household name among New England’s most loyal fans, many of whom have been following the sport religiously since the glory days of Vinny Paz and Peter Manfredo Jr.

Quiet by nature, but raucous inside the ring, the 6-foot-1 Falowo already has three knockout victories since making his professional debut in November of 2010, and will put his perfect record on the line against Russ Niggemyer (2-2, 2 KOs) of Ohio in a four-round bout July 29th, 2011 at the Mohegan Sun Arena on the undercard of “Heat Wave,” presented by CES in association with Global Boxing Promotions.

Falowo’s two-day trip to Mohegan Sun will be a welcomed reprieve from his usual hectic schedule, which includes work from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at CVS five days a week, followed by training at Peter Manfredo Sr.’s gym in Pawtucket from 5:30 to 7:30; on four of those five days, Falowo squeezes out another hour and a half of running before finally heading home at 9 o’clock – a routine that keeps him in impeccable shape, but leaves little time for a social life.

“Work, train and then watch Netflix or surf Facebook – it’s a busy schedule, but it works,” Falowo said.

Though he doesn’t plan on leaving his job at CVS anytime soon, boxing is Falowo’s true passion. His uncle introduced him to the sport as a teenager when he took Falowo to an amateur boxing show at Balletto’s Gym in Johnston, R.I., that featured Demetrius Andrade of Providence, who went on to star in the 2008 Olympics.

“I was immediately hooked,” Falowo said.

Falowo eventually joined Manfredo’s Gym, which is within walking distance from where he grew up in Pawtucket, and began working under the tutelage of Manfredo Sr., who guided Falowo through 60 amateur bouts and helped him earn runner-up honors at the New England Golden Gloves and USA Boxing New England tournaments. While Falowo was just beginning his amateur career at 15, other Rhode Island-based fighters such as Jason Estrada and Matt Godfrey were putting in long hours at Manfredo’s in anticipation of their pro debuts, so Falowo always had plenty of guidance along the way.

“That was a blessing,” he said. “You see first-hand how a fighter progresses through life and you learn right away what it takes to be a professional.”

As for his full-time job as a pharmacy technician, that happened by accident.

“I basically just went with someone to take the test so they wouldn’t be alone,” he said. “I ended up passing. She didn’t.”

Shortly thereafter, Falowo landed a job at CVS’ Customer Care Center in Woonsocket, R.I., where his responsibilities include sending requests to doctors, answering phone calls for the pharmacy and providing assistance with prescription refills. The Customer Care Center in Woonsocket services stores in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and New Jersey, and CVS is the second-largest pharmacy chain in the United States behind Walgreens.

Having a full-time job outside of boxing has provided Falowo with some much-needed stability; after graduating in 2006 from Shea High School in Pawtucket, where he played football and ran track, Falowo changed jobs – and majors – several times over the next three years. He spent two and a half years at Rhode Island College, first studying to become a nurse before pursuing a career in physical education. He also worked at McDonald’s and the Nike store at the Wrentham Village Outlets in Massachusetts to help save money. Through it all, his ultimately dream was to become a professional boxer, something he realized as far back as his high-school days.

“I always liked contact sports,” Falowo said. “When I found boxing, it was the perfect fit.

“When I played football, I wasn’t the greatest, but I just loved the physical aspect of it – even playing special teams, where I could run down the field at full speed and hit somebody.”

The dream of boxing professionally has now become a reality. After just three fights, Falowo linked up with Burchfield and signed a multi-year promotional agreement in hopes of becoming Rhode Island’s next world champion. July 29th will be Falowo’s first official fight under the CES umbrella.


“Only time will tell how great he can be,” Manfredo Sr. said. “He’s always well-conditioned. The more he fights, the better he gets. Can he win the big one? We don’t know that right now. We’ll have to wait and see how he develops as a pro.

“He’s a good student and a fast learner, and he’s still working on a lot of stuff. I want to see him win a world title eventually, but I also want to take my time with him because he’s so young. He throws a million punches per round – that’s what I like most about him. He’s always in great shape and has a strong chin; he just keeps getting better.”

Any setbacks suffered along the way won’t be for a lack of effort; Falowo’s work ethic is as good as it gets – so good, in fact, that it even made a believer out of his father, a Nigerian immigrant, who originally wanted his son to pursue a different career.

“As an amateur, he was against me boxing,” Falowo said. “He would always ask me when I was going to quit. When I turned pro, he realized I was more serious. He lives across the street from me now, so he sees me when I come home late from running. He sees the work I put into it, so it makes him more comfortable.”

The next step is making a believer out of his mother, who has attended only one fight – Falowo’s debut win over Odias Dumezil at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. – since her son turned professional six months ago.

“She had a hard time watching,” Falowo laughed. “She went to the casino to play slots and told me to call her when it was over.”

The rest of the boxing world has caught on, captivated by Falowo’s extraordinary volume of punches and overwhelming range, which helps him dish out punishment without taking too much abuse in return. Since his first fight in November, he’s learned to box more on the outside without sacrificing his output, a deadly combination that makes him one of New England’s most feared middleweights.

“My greatest strengths are my endurance and my heart,” he said. “When I fight, you can see how hungry I am. Ever since I was young, I always had a lot of energy, and back in my pre-teen football days, I was always known for being in shape, but a lot of it is mental.

“Even if I’m tired – and I’ve been tired in fights – I know the opponent is just as tired as I am, if not more, so it helps push me. So much of what we do is mental. Putting all those hours into the gym mentally prepares you. You’re thinking, ‘I’ve put in all this work and ran all these miles before, so I know I can do it again.’”

Falowo’s days of working overtime probably won’t last forever – “When boxing gets to the point where it demands more time from me, I won’t be able to work full-time,” he said – but until he reaches the next level, his job at CVS continues to provide stability while serving as a constant reminder of what he hopes to achieve in professional boxing.

“I know I want to be a world champion,” he said. “How I get there remains to be seen.”

“Heat Wave” features two championship bouts – a 12-round showdown between Kevin McBride (35-9-1, 29 KOs) and Mariusz Wach (24-0, 12 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight title, and a 10-round intrastate battle between Elvin Ayala (23-5-1, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., and rival Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-10, 28 KOs) of Hartford for the vacant WBC United States National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title.

The undercard includes New Haven welterweight Edwin Soto (6-0-1, 2 KOs) battling Michael Denby (3-10-4, 2 KOs) of Felton, Del.; undefeated heavyweight Artur Spzilka of Poland (5-0, 3 KOs) facing Philadelphia’s David Williams (6-4-1, 2 KOs), and New Bedford, Mass., welterweight Johnathan Vazquez (4-0, 3 KOs) taking on Agustine Maurus (1-0, 1 KO) of Lawrence, Mass.

Cruiserweight Jose Torres of Springfield, Mass., will make his debut against fellow newcomer Pedro Rivera of Southbridge, Mass.; super middleweight Greg McCoy (2-3-1, 1 KO) of New Haven will fight in a separate four-round bout against Worcester’s Ralph Johnson (0-1); and super middleweight Keith Kozlin (6-2, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Woonsocket’s Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round intrastate showdown. Also, former “The Contender” reality television star Jeff Fraza (17-3, 10 KOs) of Haverhill, Mass., will face Pawtucket, R.I., light middleweight Eddie Soto (12-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout. The special attraction on July 29th will be an eight-round light middleweight bout featuring Worcester, Mass., veteran and former three-time world champion Jose Antonio Rivera (40-6-1, 24 KOs). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

Against all odds Former three-time champion Jose Antonio Rivera continues improbable comeback July 29th

Ex-champ Rivera joins lineup at Mohegan‏; After winning close to 40 fights in 15 years and capturing three world titles, Jose Antonio Rivera suddenly reached a point in his career he never thought he’d see three decades ago when he first put on a pair of gloves at 8 years old.

“Boxing wasn’t fun anymore,” said the former three-time world champion from Worcester, Mass.

Weighed down by personal problems outside of the ring, Rivera hit the wall in 2007 when he lost his World Boxing Association (WBA) light middleweight title to Travis Simms. He announced his retirement shortly thereafter, only to attempt a brief comeback 10 months later that left him with an injured hand.

This time, it appeared Rivera (40-6-1, 24 KOs) was done for good, but the former welterweight and light middleweight title-holder proved you can’t keep a champion down for long, making his second comeback in May with a unanimous decision win over Luis Maysonet at the Palladium in Worcester.

Only three months removed from his 38th birthday, Rivera now has his sights set on a much bigger prize as he prepares to continue his comeback Friday, July 29th, 2011 on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Heat Wave” show at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Rivera will fight in a special eight-round light middleweight attraction on a show that features two championship bouts – a 12-round showdown between Kevin McBride (35-9-1, 29 KOs) and Mariusz Wach (24-0, 12 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight title, and a 10-round intrastate battle between Elvin Ayala (23-5-1, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., and rival Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-10, 28 KOs) of Hartford for the vacant WBC United States National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title.

“I’m trying to push myself and test myself to see how much I have left in the tank,” said Rivera, who was born in Philadelphia and also lived in Puerto Rico before moving to Worcester as a teenager. “My goal is to get back into world-championship form.

“I want to ease my way into a couple of fights this year and by next year hopefully I’ll be knocking on the door of another big fight. … You’re only as old as you feel.”

Asked how old he feels, Rivera said, “Twenty-eight, both mentally and physically.”

How he feels mentally is arguably more important right now than how Rivera feels physically, especially considering the internal problems that derailed his career four years ago. His first comeback attempt in 2008 ended with a win over Clarence Taylor, but Rivera admits he still would’ve walked away again even without the subsequent hand injury because his “mind wasn’t right.”

“The injury was just the icing on the cake,” he said. “That gave me a more convenient excuse to retire, but the truth is I was still dealing with a lot of personal stuff, too.”

The idea of returning to the ring a second time was always in the back of his mind during his retirement phase, but Rivera didn’t pull the trigger until he knew he was mentally ready.

“I had to type up all the loose ends in my life,” he said. “As soon as everything was good, I said to myself, ‘OK, now is the time.’ Being mentally prepared is the key. I don’t care how strong you are. You could be a beast in that ring, but if you’re not mentally ready, then it all goes out the window.

“That’s what got me to take some time off. Everything going on in my life was affecting my performance and my career.”

On May 20th at the Palladium, Rivera proved he made the right decision with a convincing win over Maysonet, a Hartford native who entered the bout with 32 wins, including 25 by knockout. The former world champion struggled early, but settled into a groove later in the fight after solving Maysonet’s game plan. Rivera captured an eight-round unanimous decision, 79-73, on all three scorecards.

“I didn’t expect him to try to outbox me,” Rivera said. “He seemed hesitant to move inside. We trained for a brawl, and I had to adjust midway through the fight. His style kind of threw me off a little. By the time I warmed up in the sixth, seventh and eighth rounds, I was unloading on him.

“To tell you the truth, it went by so quickly. When I went back to my corner after the eighth round, the referee came to me and said the fight was over. I asked if he had quit and the referee said, ‘No, that’s eight rounds!’”

Rivera’s next bout on July 29th will go a long way toward determining whether his dream of winning a fourth world title – he captured the WBA light middleweight and welterweight titles, in addition to the International Boxing Organization (IBO) welterweight title – is a realistic premise or an improbable fantasy. One thing that’s certain is Rivera views his age as an advantage, not a roadblock, as he aims to follow in the footsteps of legends George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins, who beat the odds to win world titles at the ages of 45 and 46, respectively (Hopkins accomplished the feat by beating Jean Pascal the night after Rivera’s comeback win over Maysonet).

“A lot of people knock it, and that’s fine because it just gives me more motivation, but the great thing about being an older fighter is I bring a lot of experience to the ring,” Rivera said. “I know my body. Conditioning has always been the key to my success, and it’s one of the main reasons I became champion, but some of my losses were a result of overtraining when I was younger; I left it all in the gym. The things I took for granted back then are things I no longer take for granted anymore. That’s what makes it enjoyable.”

Rivera’s having fun again, and that could be bad news for the elite fighters in the 154-pound division.

“I just want another chance at a title fight, whether it’s the WBC, WBA or IBO – any of them,” Rivera said. “This is a great opportunity for me, and I’m excited to be on this card. I’ve always wanted to fight at Mohegan Sun and now I’ll have that chance. I’m just thankful Burchfield was able to make it happen.”

The undercard of “Heat Wave” features Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (3-0, 3 KOs) facing Russ Niggemyer (2-2, 2 KOs) of Hilliard, Ohio; New Haven welterweight Edwin Soto (6-0-1, 2 KOs) battling Jose Duran (6-5-2, 3 KOs) of Sarasota, Fla.; undefeated heavyweight Artur Spzilka of Poland (5-0, 3 KOs) facing Philadelphia’s David Williams (6-4-1, 2 KOs), and New Bedford, Mass., welterweight Johnathan Vazquez (4-0, 3 KOs) taking on Agustine Maurus of Lawrence, Mass., in Maurus’ debut. Cruiserweight Jose Torres of Springfield, Mass., will make his debut; super middleweight Greg McCoy (2-3-1, 1 KO) of New Haven will fight in a separate four-round bout; and super middleweight Keith Kozlin (6-2, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Woonsocket’s Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round intrastate showdown. Also, former “The Contender” reality television star Jeff Fraza (17-3, 10 KOs) of Haverhill, Mass., will face Pawtucket, R.I., light middleweight Eddie Soto (12-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

McBride faces long odds against undefeated Wach‏

Six years ago, Kevin McBride stood in front of a pack of skeptical reporters and promised to hit Mike Tyson so hard the former undisputed heavyweight champion would feel like he was hit by the “whole of Ireland.”

Fans and experts scoffed, but McBride delivered, ending Tyson’s career with a sixth-round knockout that remains one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

As he prepares for his latest test July 29th, 2011 against undefeated Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach, McBride – now 38 – is channeling the same swagger he brought to the ring six years ago Tyson, again looking to land a blow powerful enough to reverberate through the streets of his native Clones, Ireland.

“Hopefully, I can connect,” McBride said, “and the Irish will be singing again.”

Three months removed from a unanimous decision loss to former cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek, McBride (35-9-1, 29 KOs) will face Wach (24-0, 12 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight title in the 12-round main event of “Heat Wave,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. McBride’s bout against Wach is one of two title fights on July 29th; Elvin Ayala (23-5-1, 11 KOs) of New Haven, Conn., will battle former two-time world champion Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-10, 28 KOs) of Hartford in the 10-round co-feature for the vacant WBC U.S. National Boxing Council (USNBC) middleweight title, a belt once held by former world champions Paul Williams and Lamont Peterson.

Once again, McBride faces long odds; Wach is a shade taller at 6-foot-7 ½ and is also seven years younger than his opponent. Originally from Krakow, Poland, Wach now trains in North Bergen, N.J., under the tutelage of Juan and Carlos De Leon, who are famous for their work with undefeated heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi.

Though he’s admittedly unfamiliar with the WBC International title and its illustrious history – Wladimir Klitschko, Oliver McCall and John Ruiz are among a prestigious list of former champions – McBride is well aware of what a victory could mean as his career draws to a close. More than half of the fighters who’ve won this belt have gone on to win a major world title, and the winner on July 29th might get an opportunity to add to that list.

For McBride, it’s now or never; despite beating Tyson, he’s never fought for a major world title. After getting knocked out by Andrew Golota in 2007, he took three years off before returning to the ring last summer against journeyman Zack Page. McBride hasn’t had much success in his comeback, winning only once in four tries within the past year, but he knows it only takes one punch to shock the world and take his career to new heights.

“Every fighter has a dream,” McBride said. “I want to be the second Cinderella story of this century. Everyone counted out [former two-time world heavyweight champion] George Foreman [against Michael Moorer in 1994] and he came back and won a world title when he was 45 years old.

“Foreman proved the last thing that leaves you is your power. I don’t have any particular strategy; I’m just trying to catch him on his chin and prove I’m a better fighter. Don’t leave your seat too quickly, because anything can happen at any given second.”

Ranked No. 13 in the WBC, Wach – who recently signed a multi-year promotional agreement with CES in association with Global Boxing Promotions – began working with the De Leon brothers six weeks ago in hopes of becoming a more versatile boxer, not just a puncher with exceptional power.

“The De Leon brothers have been a great addition to my team,” Wach said. “The experience they have between them has given me a new dimension to my arsenal. Juan has helped improve my power by getting me to commit more to my punches. Carlos [a former four-time cruiserweight champion] has fought so many great fighters and has a world of wisdom to impart; it’s a great honor to have him with me. It’s also comforting to know that whatever situation arises, both men in my corner will have the answers waiting for me.”

“He’s learned a lot,” Juan De Leon said. “Whoever has seen him in the past, he looks nothing like he did eight weeks ago. What I’ve been doing is making sure he uses his distance. He’s tall, has a good jab, has tremendous power, footwork, flexibility – he has everything. My job is to put it all together.

“He was built to throw punches,” he added, “but now we’ve taught him how to move and how to cut off the ring. We’ve taught him to use every inch of the ring. He knows when to push and when to step back. He knows what to do when feels a little tired. When either my brother or I say something, he delivers right away. We’ve got a great team here and we’re excited about the opportunity of having a future world champion on our hands.”

Before he focuses on a world title, Wach must first deal with McBride, who has proven he can excel in the underdog role. The 6-foot-6 slugger became the youngest super heavyweight in Olympic history when he represented Ireland in the 1992 Summer Games, competing amongst a field that included former world-title contender Larry Donald and semifinalist Brian Nielson, who won the International Boxing Organization (IBO) heavyweight title in 1996.

“McBride isn’t the fastest fighter, but he’s very tough and smart,” Wach said. “I'm used to facing tall opponents, but what makes this fight different is that McBride has a lot of experience and doesn't give up easily. He took very strong punches from Mike Tyson and never gave up and never quit when Tomasz Adamek was out-boxing him, so I know I'm in for a good challenge.”

Unlike McBride, Wach understands the significance of the WBC International title and has one eye toward the future as he prepares for July 29th. The Klitschkos – both Wladimir and WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko – are waiting in the wings for whichever contender dares to challenge them next.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to fight for this title, because it brings me one step closer to a fight with one of the Klitschko brothers for the world title,” Wach said.

“I want the opportunity to fight the best in the world, but I know I must earn it first, and this is part of that. This belt is essential to my heavyweight championship dreams coming true. All the great fighters have won belts like this one before facing the legends of their day. The legends of my day have won this belt, and so will I.”

Whether or not Wach succeeds depends on McBride’s ability to land his trademark knockout punch. McBride isn’t interested in trying to outbox the taller, rangier Wach on July 29th; his goal is to connect squarely on the chin, perhaps with a blow strong enough to make an entire country feel the aftershock.

“He better watch out,” McBride said. “I’m going to go in there and take care of business. I fight with no fear. This guy is undefeated – God bless him – but I’m not here to lose. I’ve got 29 knockouts, so I must be doing something right.

“This is a great opportunity, and wherever there’s an opportunity, there’s a chance.”

The undercard of “Heat Wave” features Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (3-0, 3 KOs) facing Russ Niggemyer (2-2, 2 KOs) of Hilliard, Ohio; New Haven welterweight Edwin Soto (6-0-1, 2 KOs) battling Jose Duran (6-5-2, 3 KOs) of Sarasota, Fla.; undefeated heavyweight Artur Spzilka of Poland (5-0, 3 KOs) facing Philadelphia’s David Williams (6-4-1, 2 KOs), and New Bedford, Mass., welterweight Johnathan Vazquez (4-0, 3 KOs) taking on Agustine Maurus of Lawrence, Mass., in Maurus’ debut. Cruiserweight Jose Torres of Springfield, Mass., will make his debut against Orion Sistrunk (5-25-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia; super middleweight Greg McCoy (2-3-1, 1 KO) of New Haven will fight in a separate four-round bout; and super middleweight Keith Kozlin (6-2, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Woonsocket’s Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-2, 2 KOs) in a six-round intrastate showdown. Also, former “The Contender” reality television star Jeff Fraza (17-3, 10 KOs) of Haverhill, Mass., will face Pawtucket, R.I., light middleweight Eddie Soto (12-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

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A Tribute to Tony Petronelli May 20 in Brockton

BROCKTON– Former world title challenger Tony Petronelli will be honored for 40 years of dedication to boxing May 20 at Joe Angelo’s Café in Brockton.

Petronelli was co-managed and co-trained by his father, Pat, and uncle, Goody, the same combination that handled world middleweight champion “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler. Tony (42-4-1, 22 KOs) captured the NABF, United States and New England light welterweight titles during his seven-year pro career (1972-79).

A bevy of boxing dignitaries are scheduled to attend the May 20th tribute including Tony Demarco, “Irish” Micky Ward, Kevin McBride, Vito Antuofermo, Goody Petronelli, Paul Poirier, Beau Jaynes, Mike Pusateri and Doug Pendarvis. Veteran trainer Pit Perron will serve as master of ceremonies.

Petronelli made his pro debut July 27, 1972 in Portland (ME), knocking out Jose Pagan Rivera in the opening round. Later that year, Tony fought at the old Boston Garden on the Emile Griffith-Joe DeNucci undercard, defeating Ivelaw Eastman by 6-round decision.

Highlights of Petronelli’s career include a New England title-winning performance in 1972 against Carlos Garcia (DEC12) in Brockton and a successful title defense the following year versus Beau Jaynes in Boston, five U.S. light welterweight championship victories – Petronelli headlined a 1974 show at the Boston Garden against Johnny Copeland and Hagler fought in the co-feature – and NABF title belt winning fight in 1976 off a 12th round knockout of Gaetan Hart. Tony was stopped in the third-round of his only world title shot in 1976 by Wilfred Benitez for the WBA light welterweight championship.

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