Felix clashes with former reality star Lane for vacant CES MMA title next Friday
   
 PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 17th, 2014) -- The good thing about Julian Lane's drunken rant two years ago on The Ultimate Fighter is it's helped keep him relevant in a sport where many once-promising prospects find themselves on the side of a milk carton within a few years.

 
"Everyone wants to fight the douchebag with the Mohawk," he said.
 
That includes Providence lightweight Luis Felix, who'll face Lane for the vacant CES MMA title in the five-round main event of "CES MMA XXIV" scheduled for Friday, June 27th, 2014 at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.
 
Tickets for "CES MMA XXIV" are on sale now at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com or by phone at 401-724-2253/2254. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
 
A rugged, 5-foot-10 brawler from Mansfield, Ohio with a strong wrestling background, Lane (6-3-1, 1 KO) began his pro career in 2011 with four consecutive wins, including a first-round submission win over Joe Helland at Bellator 66, but he's more commonly known in mixed martial arts' circles for his antics on TUF: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson, the 16th season of the popular reality series.
 
The video of a visibly intoxicated Lane trying to initiate a fight with teammate Dom Waters before breaking down in tears quickly went viral, as did Lane's now infamous cries of, "Let me bang, bro!" to his other teammate Michael Hill, who tried to play peacemaker.
 
Lane lost his only fight that season and never got a contract offer from the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), but while most reality TV misfits disappear once their 15 minutes of fame expire (e.g., Angelina from Jersey Shore), Lane has achieved remarkable sustainability in a world where fighters come and go like seasons.
 
"I got a little drunk and acted crazy," Lane admits, "but that shit happens everyday out here.
 
"I'm sure people judge me based off of that, but I've had no problem getting fights. It's publicity. That's the way I look at it. The whole world knows who I am. It got my name out there and gave me exposure, whether it's good or bad. I just take it for what it is."
 
Lane insists he's a different fighter -- and a different person -- than the one audiences caught a glimpse of on TUF, and while his appearance on the show didn't pay immediate dividends, not getting the call at such a young age (just 23 at the time) might've been a blessing in disguise.
 
"That was only my first year as a pro," Lane recalled. "I feel like I kind of got ahead of myself, but everything happens for a reason. I didn't get the ticket to the UFC, but maybe I would've gotten there and lost three fights. Now I have time to prepare, so when I do get there I'll be ready."
 
Like everyone else in the MMA world, Felix (11-7, 4 KOs) has seen the video of Lane's meltdown on TUF and heard all the jokes, but what happened on the show has nothing to do with how Felix is preparing for the fight on the 27th.
 
After knocking out 63-fight veteran and former UFC standout Drew Fickett in March, Felix is another step closer to punching his own ticket to the big show in his seventh year as a pro, meaning every fight is bigger than the last.
 
"Nothing you do outside of fighting and training really comes into play once the fight starts," Felix said. "No matter how crazy you act, or pretend to be, or how nice some guys might be outside of the cage, it doesn't play into what you do once you're inside that cage.
 
"I don't judge him based on what he did on the show. That's more for the general public to enjoy."
 
Felix himself is a prime example of why one should never judge a book by its cover. Outside the cage, Felix is polite and relaxed, a humble, jovial star in a sport often overflowing with redundant machismo and arrogance, but once the bell rings, he's all business, tenacious and unrelenting in dissecting his opponent.
 
What's even more impressive is Felix's self-described ability to "flip the switch" when the pressure's on. In addition to Fickett, the Providence native has also beaten former TUF alumni Marc Stevens and Joe Proctor, cementing his status as the type of fighter who saves his best for the sport's biggest stage.
 
"I can't speak for everyone, but the cage is my comfort zone," Felix said, "and my current fight is always the biggest one. I like it. I enjoy that pressure. I thrive off it.
 
"It actually brings out a better fighter in me knowing how big the fight is. At times, I've fought down to the level of my competition. All these fights against guys who are supposed to be better than me, it's a mental thing. That's why I enjoy it."
 
Though he admits he doesn't pay too much attention to video, Felix has browsed the Lane library to get an idea of what he should expect on the 27th.
 
"When I see his style, I think of him more as a brawler," Felix said. "He's a tough kid. He can take a punch. Who knows what I'll see from him that day. There have been times where I haven't looked that great myself, so I can't judge him off that."
 
Lane shares Felix's general disinterest in studying video -- "Game plans usually don't work out how they're supposed to," he said -- but he watched enough to pick up on some of Felix's tendencies, particularly his use of the southpaw stance despite being a right-handed fighter.
 
"That means all of his power is in his right," Lane said, "so I don't have to worry about his straight left."
 
While Felix is often lauded for his exemplary high-school wrestling background, Lane notes that he, too, exceled on the mat as a teenager, wrestling in more than 800 matches.
 
"A lot of guys don't know that I'm a wrestler," he said. "I love fighting wrestlers, especially ones who like to stand up. Once they get hit, they resort to their wrestling, and that's what I like. I like to stand and bang. If they want to wrestle, that's their mistake."
 
Felix and Lane fighting one another for a title next Friday proves there are second chances in mixed martial arts. Both fighters have made their share of mistakes. Lane's have been well documented, but Felix dealt with his on his own, learning to treat the sport as a career instead of just a hobby and fighting with a renewed sense of purpose.
 
They're both chasing the same dream, and one of them will move another step closer on the 27th.
 
"I'm ready to get this belt," Lane said, "and hopefully get my ticket to the UFC, too."
 
"I'm preparing myself to face the best he has to offer come fight night," Felix added. "I have to prepare myself the same way."
 
The undercard of "CES MMA XXIV" features the Twin River debut of UFC vet Ricardo Funch (8-4, 4 KOs) of Ludlow, Mass., who'll face welterweight Brett Oteri (12-5, 1 KO) of Dedham, Mass.; and the return of Providence heavyweight Greg Rebello (17-5, 9 KOs), who'll take on Kennesaw, Ga., native Aaron Johnson (12-8, 1 KO). 
 
Also on the card, East Providence, R.I., vet Dinis Paiva (4-5, 1 KO) faces Joe Cushman (11-5, 3 KOs) of Bridgewater, Mass., in a featherweight bout; lightweight Andres Jeudi (6-2, 2 KOs) of Dorchester, Mass., battles Framingham, Mass., vet Saul Almeida (15-5); and female flyweight sensation Kaline Medeiros (2-3, 1 KO) of Fall River, Mass., faces Brigitte Narcise of Fairfield, N.J., in Narcise's pro debut.
 
Fan-favorite Willie Brown (2-0) of Meriden, Conn., returns to battle J.A. Dudley (6-11) of Plainfield, N.J., in a light heavyweight bout; Providence's Keenan Raymond (1-0) puts his record on the line against Dorchester featherweight James Murrin (1-0); featherweight Pete Rogers Jr. (1-1, 1 KO) of Norwich, Conn., faces Mike Lamm (0-1) of Newton, Mass.; and Providence vet Joe Reverdes (1-3) returns to battle newcomer Randy Campbell of Elizabeth, N.J., in a bantamweight bout.
 
--CES--

CES MMA’s 20thanniversary event airs Saturday on Comcast SportsNet New England
 
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 13th, 2014) – Comcast SportsNet New England will air a replay of CES MMA’s 20thanniversary show, “CES MMA XX,” beginning at 8 p.m. EST on Saturday, June 14th, 2014, CES MMA’s network television debut.
 
Held at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., on Dec. 6th, 2013, “CES MMA XX” featured bouts by featherweight champion Rob Font of Boston, who will debut with the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) in July; Woonsocket, R.I., bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath; unbeaten featherweight Charles Rosa of Boynton Beach, Fla.; Providence lightweight Luis Felix and East Providence, R.I., welterweight Nate Andrews with host and play-by-play announcer Michael Parente and color commentator Scott Rehm.
 
CSNNE, one of eight regional networks in the NBC Sports Group owned by NBCUniversal, serves eastern and central Connecticut, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island and is available on select cable providers and both DirecTV and Dish Network for satellite viewers.
 
CSNNE is available in Rhode Island in standard and high definition on Verizon (Ch. 77 SD/Ch. 577 HDTV) and Cox Communications (Ch. 55 SD/Ch. 727 HDTV) in addition to DirectTV (Ch. 630 SD/Ch. 630-I HDTV) and Dish Network (Ch. 419 SD/Ch. 5419). To find CSNNE on your local cable provider, visit www.csnne.com/channel-finder or www.cesmma.com for more information.
 
– CES –

From Executive Producer Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson comes the crime drama Power. James "Ghost" St. Patrick owns Truth, New York's hottest, up-and-coming new nightclub for the city's elite. When he's not at the club, he's kingpin of a lucrative drug network. Ghost wants to go legit but once you're in, it's hard to get out.

New Episodes Saturdays 9P ET/PT.

Power stars Omari Hardwick, Lela Loren, Naturi Naughton, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Joseph Sikora, Adam Huss, Andy Bean, Sinqua Walls, Enrique Murciano, Luis Antonio Ramos, La La Anthony and Diane Neal.

http://www.starz.com/Power

http://www.foxwoods.com/50cent.aspx

- BET delivers you a lesson in #HIPHOP like you've never had before. Pioneers, Icons, MCs, DJs, B-Boys, Graf ---- all the elements in this 4-Part HIPHOP Documentary. #TheMessage

Tune In on Wednesday, June 11th: 

In the 2nd installment of The Message, we take it to the South, talk the East Coast/ West Coast war and the G.O.A.T.S: Tupac and Biggie.

Nicki Minaj - Pills N Potions (Official)

Ray Allen's monster dunk in game 1 of the NBA Finals got us thinking about his vicious throwdowns in his younger days.

UNCASVILLE, CT -- In the main event at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, world-rated contender Henry Lundy took another step towards a long awaited world title shot by stopping the son of legendary Hall of Famer Pipino Cuevas, Gerardo Pipino Cuevas, Jr., at 2:23 of the second round.
 
Lundy, 138 lbs., Philadelphia, PA, stalked Cuevas, 138 ½ lbs., Mexico City, Mexico, from the opening bell and never let him get comfortable. The win brings Lundy’s record to 25-3-1, 12 KO’s, while Cuevas falls to 17-12, 15 KO’s.
 
“I am ready for anyone,” said Lundy. “135 is where I want to be but if I have to go up to 140 or even 147, I don’t care, I want a world title belt around my waist.”
 
World rated WIBA International champion Shelly Vincent, 122 ¾ lbs., New London, CT, returned to the ring for the first time in six months with a unanimous decision win over veteran former title contender Lakysha Williams, 122 ½ lbs., Philadelphia, PA. The win raised Vincent’s undefeated mark to 11-0, 1 KO while Williams falls to a deceptive 9-19-3, 1 KO record.

 In the most impressive win of his young career, Jimmy Williams, 152 ¼ lbs., New Haven, CT, scored an impressive first round knockout victory over cross-town rival Christian Lao, 152, New Haven, CT. The time of the stoppage was 1:57 and with the win, Williams upped his record to 6-0-1, 3 KO’s and added the Connecticut State Super Welterweight Title to his resume. Lao falls to 5-3-1, 2 KO’s.
BONUS FOOTAGE

 
World-rated female welterweight Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes, 144 ¼ lbs., Marshfield, MA, had her hands full with undefeated Althea Saunders, 140 ½ lbs., Atlantic City, NJ, in their six round fight. Both had their moments of success, and it was a very hard fight to score as neither landed any really telling blows. In the end the judges called it a draw, 58-57 Lopes, 58-56 Saunders and 57-57. The draw leaves Lopes with a record of 10-2-2, 1 KO, while Saunders suffers her first blemish at 3-0-1.
 
In his first fight in over a year, Kevin Cobbs, 183 lbs., Willimantic, CT, used his superior reach and conditioning to ward off the relentless charge of Willis Lockett, 189 lbs., Tacoma Park, MD, in their four round fight. Lockett landed some big shots, but Cobbs was able to answer back every time. In the end Cobbs walked away with the unanimous decision by scores of 39-37, 40-36 and 39-37. Cobbs’ record now stands at 8-1, 2 KO’s while Lockett falls to 13-14-5, 5 KO’s.
 
In the evening’s opening professional fight, Joe Wilson, 151 ½ lbs., Hartford, CT, and Ethan Pena, 153 lbs., Providence, RI, battled hard in their four round encounter, but in the end it was the slick boxing and defense of Wilson that won the judges over. Pena had success, especially to the body, but Wilson was the busier of the two in pretty much every round. Final scores were 39-37, 39-37 and 40-36. The win pushed Wilson’s record to 2-1, while Pena falls to 2-2, 1 KO.
 
The card was presented by Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports and the matchmaker was Ted Panagiotis. CES Boxing returns next Friday, June 6th at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, RI. That show is headlined by a New England light heavyweight championship fight between two former title challengers, Rich Gingras and Jaime Velazquez. Tickets are available by calling 401-724-2253 or visiting CESBoxing.com.
 
Amateur Results:
 
Anthony Marsella, Jr., Smithfield, RI – W3 – Scott Sullivan, New Bedford, MA
Gary Balletto, Jr., Providence, RI – W3 – Eric Anderson, New Haven, CT
Khiary Gray-Pitts, Worcester, MA – W3 – Ray Oliveira, Jr., New Bedford, MA
Miguel Teo, Marlboro, MA – W3 – Godfrey Campbell, New Haven, CT
Isaac Perez, Providence, RI - W3 – Danny Pena, Providence, RI

WATCH IT LIVE CLICK LINK BELOW

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/8436267

HOT 97 SUMMER JAM 2014 Concert ,Nicki Minaj, NAS, 50 Cent, The Roots, Trey Songz

ELM CITY EMPIRE PRESENTS SLICK RICK @ TALK OF THE TOWN, HAMDEN CT
(PHOTOS BY GOMIS OF
BUD MENCH MEDIA GROUP)
www.streetconnfinementphotos.ning.com

Photo by Kelly MacDonald
JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT JIMMY Williams of New Haven, Conn., right, will battle Christian Lao of nearby Meriden for the vacant Connecticut State Junior Middleweight Title Saturday, May 31st, 2014 at Mohegan Sun. Williams is 5-0-1 since turning pro in January of 2013 while Lao is coming off a draw and a win since his return to boxing in October.

Jimmy Williams always knew he and Christian Lao would cross paths at some point.
Christian Lao of Meriden, Conn., is coming off a win over fellow Connecticut native Joe Wilson Jr. in November. (CES photo by Kelly MacDonald)

As professional boxers from neighboring towns in Connecticut, they've fought on the same card before and have even sparred against one another. They consider each other friends.
 
Pleasantries aside, Saturday night won't be another run-of-the-mill sparring session when Lao and Williams step foot inside the same ring. This time, the fight counts. No headgear, no boundaries - just a throwback border war with more than state bragging rights on the line.
 
On Saturday, May 31st, 2014, Lao and Williams will face one another for the Connecticut Junior Middleweight State Title in the six-round co-feature of Classic Entertainment & Sports' pro-am boxing event at Mohegan Sun Arena, a fight several years in the making since Williams turned pro in 2013.
 
Tickets for the event are priced at $40, $65 and $125 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
 
"If I want to be the best in the world, I have to start in Connecticut," said Williams, a New Jersey native who now lives in New Haven. "Once I dominate here, I can move on to bigger and better things. The time is now.
 
"This is what you live for. To fight the guy next door, with all that pressure on you, it's what you dream of."
 
This will be an interesting contrast in styles between two fighters moving up in weight to meet at 154 pounds. A former college football player at Southern Connecticut State, Williams (5-0-1, 2 KOs) relies mostly on his power, while Lao (5-2-1, 2 KOs) is more of a finesse fighter who'd prefer to outbox his opponent rather than get into a slugfest in the middle of the ring.
 
"I'm more of a counterpuncher," Lao admits.
 
In recent fights, Lao has shown the ability to keep his distance and pick his spots, most notably in his win over fellow Connecticut native Joe Wilson Jr. in November. It's Williams who needs to prove he can handle an elusive opponent with fancy footwork. The last time he fought someone similar to Lao, he wound up with a draw against Atlantic City's Greg Jackson, a frustrating night for Williams, who failed to cut off the ring and impose his will.
 
"That's something I've worked on for hours and hours in the gym," Williams said. "I know guys want to avoid my power, so they'll try to outbox me. I need to be more physical and learn to trap guys in the corner."
 
"I move around on my toes, and I'm flashy, but I can mix it up and fight on the inside, too," Lao added. "His advantage is his body size. He's taller and longer. He likes to keep his distance."
 
Williams knows he needs to use his height and reach to keep Lao at the end of his jab while also being wary of Lao's ability to counterpunch. He also has to cut off the ring better than he did against Jackson. It's all part of a game plan he's been implementing beyond the border, spending his weekends for the past two months in Brooklyn sparring with unbeaten prospects Sadam Ali and Frank Galarza.
 
"To go into their backyard and spar, it helps me make a name for myself," Williams said. "I did eight rounds with Galarza the other day. They keep inviting me back. I got in the ring with Ali. These guys are hungry. They're at the point in their career that when they spar they give it their all. I've learned so much.
 
"I can't wait to show everyone what I've been working on these past few months."
 
For Lao, a Meriden native who trains under the guidance of East Hartford's Mike Conroy, it's about being the best in Connecticut once that final bell rings. He has a draw and a win since his return in October, erasing the memory of his lopsided loss to Gabriel Duluc in 2012, while Williams continues to climb the ladder in Connecticut following his win over Evincii Dixon in November, the same Dixon who fought Lao to draw a month before losing to Williams.
 
They knew they'd meet up at some point. They just never figured it'd be this soon.
 
"I'm really excited for this," Williams said. "I know some of his weaknesses and I know what he brings to the table, but I also know this will be a totally different fight.
 
"I'm ready for whatever he's got. I've seen him at his worst, and I've seen him get the best of me in sparring. I've got a good feeling. I'm going to adjust to whatever he tries to do."
 
Said Lao: "Once that bell rings, I'm here for business. I'm here to fight. It doesn't matter who it is. This is about proving who wants it the most. Who deserves to be in that spot, to own that belt and represent Connecticut? This will put my name out there. Who's the best in Connecticut? My name will pop up. That's what I want."
 
Saturday's main event features world-rated lightweight Hank Lundy (24-3-1, 11 KOs) of Philadelphia battling Mexican challenger Pipino Cuevas Jr. in a 10-round bout. Coming off back-to-back wins, Lundy is now ranked No. 9 in the World Boxing Council (WBC).
 
Lundy's 10-round fight against Cuevas Jr. headlines a dynamic card that also features the return of female bantamweight sensation Shelito Vincent and light heavyweight slugger Kevin Cobbs, plus the addition of an exciting amateur undercard replete with the region's most sought-after talent, including Gary Balletto Jr. and Ray Oliveira Jr., sons of two well-respected fighters who dominated the regional circuit at the turn of the 21st century.
 
Cobbs (7-1, 2 KOs), a veteran from Willimantic, Conn., will face Willis Lockett (13-13-5, 5 KOs) of Maryland in a four-round bout in Cobbs' first fight in more than a year, while Vincent (10-0, 1 KO) battles Philadelphia's Lakeysha Williams, a veteran of 30 fights, in a six-round bout. Also on the undercard, female welterweight Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes (10-2-1, 1 KO), a former world-title challenger, will face Althea Saunders (3-0-1) of Atlantic City in a six-round bout. In other regional action, Hartford's Wilson Jr. (1-1) faces Ethan Pena (2-1, 1 KO) of Providence, R.I., in a four-round bout.
 
On the amateur portion of the show, Oliveira Jr., a 165-pounder who trains out of On Point Boxing in New Bedford, Mass., will face Khiary Gray of Camp Get Right in Worcester, Mass. Also from Camp Get Right, 140-pounder Phil Davis will battle Cranston, R.I., amateur Javier Nieves of 401 Boxing, and Kendrick Ball Jr. of Worcester and Camp Get Right will face Edmond Worley of Lowell, Mass., in a 185-pound bout.
 
New Haven, Conn., middleweight Godfrey Campbell faces Miguel Teo of Marlboro, Mass.; and Smithfield, R.I., light welterweight Anthony Marsella Jr. battles New Bedford's Scott Sullivan. Balletto Jr., a middleweight also fighting out of Cranston, will face New Haven's Eric Anderson of Elephant In The Room Boxing Club. All amateur bouts are three rounds, unless otherwise noted.

 
                                                             -- CES --

Photo courtesy of Classic Entertainment & Sports
LIGHTWEIGHT HANK LUNDY of Philadelphia, Pa., who returns to the ring Saturday, May 31st, 2014 at Mohegan Sun against Pipino Cuevas Jr., has a long list of potential opponents in his quest for a world title, including title-holders Yuriorkis Gamboa, Richar Abril and Terence Crawford.

Regardless of race, creed or color, world-title challenger Lundy will face anyone to win the belt
 
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 21st, 2014) -- Philadelphia boxer Hank Lundy doesn't see colors when it comes to targeting a potential opponent for a world-title bout, except, perhaps, green, which he could make a whole of in his next big fight.
 
 
To paraphrase the self-proclaimed "Can Man" himself, Adrien Broner -- another possibility for Lundy -- "Anybody can get it!"
 
"If my mom wants to rumble, we'll rumble if the money's right!" Lundy said with a laugh.
 
Coming off a big win over Angelo Santana four months ago on Showtime's ShoBox: The Next Generation, Lundy (24-3-1, 11 KOs) is within earshot of his first world-title bout. He's ranked No. 9 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) among lightweights and has won back-to-back fights since losing to Viktor Postol in March of 2013.
 
The time is now, and a win next weekend against tough, Mexican challenger Pipino Cuevas Jr. at Mohegan Sun could set the stage for Lundy's most important, and most lucrative, fight against any of the current title-holders.
 
"I hope it's real soon," said Lundy, whose 10-round bout against Cuevas Jr. is the main event of Classic Entertainment & Sports' pro-am boxing card Saturday, May 31st, 2014.
 
"I've been dying to fight for a world title. I've paid my just dues. I've fought undefeated fighters. Everyone they've put in front of me, I've fought. I never ran from nobody. When my time comes, it better come soon."
 
Tickets for the event are priced at $40, $65 and $125 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
 
Cuevas Jr., the son of former welterweight world champion Pipino Cuevas with 28 fights under his belt and 15 wins by knockout, might be considered a small obstacle on Lundy's path to championship glory, but Lundy knows better than to look too for ahead.
 
In July of 2012, Lundy stepped into the ring against little-known journeyman Raymundo Beltran on ESPN2, putting his 22-1 record and No. 1 world ranking on the line. Lundy lost the bout by majority decision, costing him a shot at Antonio DeMarco's WBC title. DeMarco eventually lost it four months later to Broner while Lundy instead traveled to the Ukraine to face Postol, who beat him by unanimous decision to push him further out of the rankings.
 
Lundy's worked hard to get back into the championship picture at 135 pounds, beating former world-title challenger Olusegun Ajoseand Santana in back-to-back fights, so Lundy is taking nothing for granted next Saturday against the heavy-handed Cuevas Jr.
 
"With the Santana win and the win over Ajose, everyone started taking notice again," Lundy said. "This is a different 'Hammerin'' Hank you're seeing. I'm back on top.
 
"I feel better than ever. I'm ready to fight for a world championship tomorrow."
 
No one with a world title at 135 pounds has taken the bait yet, forcing Lundy to stay busy and press the issue with the sanctioning bodies by continuing to win and win decisively -- no risk, no reward, regardless of what's at stake with each fight.
 
"There are a lot of guys who think they can beat me, but won't fight me, so I have to keep taking fights like this against guys with records like mine where I can go in there and show them I'm a force to be reckoned with and I'm not going to be beat," Lundy said.
 
The list of names on his radar hasn't changed much, whether it's fighters he was supposed to face once before (Lucas Matthysse), fighters he's already beaten who now have world titles (World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Richar Abril), or those who've flown under the radar, until now, such as unbeaten World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Terence Crawford or interim WBA lightweight champ Yuriorkis Gamboa. The winner of the Gamboa-Crawford showdown scheduled for June 28th could decide Lundy's next opponent, pending the outcome of next weekend's fight.
 
Lundy wouldn't even mind taking a swing at Broner, a former sparring and training partner who recently came under fire for what the WBC deemed racially-insensitive remarks following his decisive win over Carlos Molina on May 3rd, a post-fight outburst Lundy felt sent the wrong message to boxing fans.
 
"I respect everybody," Lundy said. "When we get in that ring, it's war, but at the end of the day, I try to treat everybody as a human being in this world. We have so much negativity going on with race. Growing up, we got along with every color and race. I see no color. We're all people at the end of the day.
 
"The question isn't whether or not I'd fight him," he continued. "The question is whether or not he'd fight 'Hammerin'' Hank. Everyone knows what I'm about. I just finished camp with him, but at the end of the day it's about making money and getting to that next level."
 
With Broner now fighting at 140, and sometimes higher depending on the opponent, and Lundy trying to reestablish himself in the 135-pound division, a showdown between the two might never happen, but as long as Lundy continues winning in dominant fashion like the way he did against Santana, his time will come. The brash, outspoken Philadelphia slugger hopes it's sooner rather than later.
 
"I want that shot at a world title. You might even catch me at 147!" Lundy said. "At the end of the day, I'm a veteran in this game. I'm crafty. I'm ready to take these guys to a dimension different than anything they've ever seen before."
 
Lundy's 10-round fight against Cuevas Jr. headlines a dynamic card that also features the return of female bantamweight sensation Shelito Vincent and light heavyweight slugger Kevin Cobbs, plus the addition of an exciting amateur undercard replete with the region's most sought-after talent, including Gary Balletto Jr. and Ray Oliveira Jr., sons of two well-respected fighters who dominated the regional circuit at the turn of the 21st century.
 
Cobbs (7-1, 2 KOs), a veteran from Willimantic, Conn., will face Willis Lockett (13-13-5, 5 KOs) of Maryland in a four-round bout in Cobbs' first fight in more than a year. Also on the undercard, New Haven, Conn., junior middleweights Jimmy Williams (5-0-1, 2 KOs) and Christian Lao (5-2-1, 2 KOs) will battle for state bragging rights in a six-round bout; and female welterweight Aleksandra Magdziak-Lopes (10-2-1, 1 KO), a former world-title challenger, will face Althea Saunders (3-0-1) of Atlantic City in a six-round bout. In other regional action, Hartford, Conn., light middleweight Joe Wilson Jr. (1-1) faces Ethan Pena (2-1, 1 KO) of Providence, R.I., in a four-round bout.
 
On the amateur portion of the show, Oliveira Jr., a 165-pounder who trains out of On Point Boxing in New Bedford, Mass., will face Adam Paolino of Warwick, R.I. New Haven, Conn., middleweight Godfrey Campbell faces Miguel Teo of Marlboro, Mass.; and Smithfield, R.I., light welterweight Anthony Marsella Jr. battles New Bedford's Scott Sullivan. All amateur bouts are three rounds, unless otherwise noted.
 
- CES -