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Founded by John and Tom D’Eri, Rising Tide Car Wash hires individuals with autism and teaches them job skills to help them on a path toward independent living. "As a society, we look at autism as a disability that requires sympathy, instead of a potentially really valuable diversity," says co-founder Tom D’Eri. Tune in to an all new episode of The Hero Effect on Saturday, April 8, at 10 a.m. ET/PT. For more on #TheHeroEffect, visit http://bit.ly/2eUW9Ax |
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The New Haven Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
and the
City of New Haven's Honorable Mayor Toni N. Harp
Invite you to a reception and networking event in celebration of friendship and solidarity for
International Women's Day and Women’s History Month.
Date: Wednesday, March 8
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: New Haven City Hall, Rotunda
165 Church Street, New Haven, CT
Who should attend: All Global Citizens
International Students, Professionals, Homemakers, and those concerned with global issues such as health, education, immigration, labor and economic equity.
This event is free and open to the public.
Light refreshments will be served.
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| Classic Entertainment & Sports CEO Jimmy Burchfield Sr. |
Twenty-five years in professional boxing is no small feat. At times, it's felt like an entire century, but we wouldn't trade this lifestyle, or these incredible experiences, for anything.
I've always felt boxing, whether you're a professional aiming for championship glory or a novice looking to vent frustrations on the heavy bag, demands respect, teaches accountability and breeds camaraderie among those who've stepped through the ropes.
To have done this as long as we have at Classic Entertainment & Sports is a testament to our longevity and will to compete. Much like those fighters who answer the bell, our job is to handle what life throws at us and continue punching, even when the sports hit back harder than expected.
Boxing can be a cruel, fickle game. Over the years, new promoters have burst onto the scene, only to fade away without ever leaving their mark, unaware of the relentless drama and deceit that often plagues the Sweet Science. Many great men and women have ventured into the deep end just to get their foot in the door or build a foundation.
We've never left.
Twenty-five years ago, we promoted our first event at the Rocky Point Palladium, a now-defunct landmark at the historic Rocky Point Park in Rhode Island, headlined by New Bedford, Mass., legend "Sucra" Ray Oliveira.
In 48 hours, we promote our first event of 2017 to kick off our year-long 25
th anniversary celebration and, in a small twist of irony, one of our featured bouts includes "Sucra" Ray's son, Ray Oliveira Jr., in his toughest test to date against undefeated Connecticut prospect Jose Rivera.
At CES, we pride ourselves on promoting a family-friendly environment for fighters past and present. Our entire staff, myself included, treats our fighters and their families with the respect they deserve. Once you join Team CES, you're part of our team for life.
Our reputation speaks for itself. We've developed and built champions from all over the world. We've brought fighters to the brink of stardom and beyond, including five-time world champion Vinny Paz and fellow Rhode Island icon Peter Manfredo Jr.
On Saturday night, we celebrate our past while looking toward our bright future; we're excited to present the next generation of championship talent, starting with our reigning UBF International and Northeast Junior Middleweight Champion Khiary Gray of Worcester, Mass., and stablemate Jamaine Ortiz, also of Worcester, an amateur star who competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials.
What has set us apart from others through the years is our commitment to not only building fighters from contenders into world champions, but challenging them to be at their best and to push themselves harder than any trainer or coach can push them. Our fighters fight
real fights. We've survived and thrived for a quarter of a century because we've perfected the delicate balance between developing our fighters the right way and providing our fans with a quality product that will keep them coming back for more.
We're not just interested in fleeting success. We want to build lifelong relationships with our fighters and fans, all of whom we consider family. Saturday night will be a celebration of our rich history with an eye on our remarkable present and even brighter future.
Promoters come and go, but those truly dedicated to making this sport great and keeping it alive and well in this current climate are the ones who will leave a lasting impression years, decades and even centuries from now.
We are honored to have served you, our loyal fans, for 25 years, and we genuinely could not have done this without you.
Here's to 25 more!
Much respect,
Jimmy
Photo courtesy of Will Paul
TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS BOXER Marqus Bates, left, seen here in his professional debut in September against Miguel Ortiz, returns to the ring Saturday, Feb. 4th, 2017 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., on CES Boxing's 2017 season debut in a four-round welterweight bout against debut Aaron Muniz of Providence. Bates dropped Ortiz in his debut fight, only to get stopped with 17 seconds remaining in the opening round.
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CES kicks off 2017 season and 25th anniversary celebration with a family affair Saturday at Twin River
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 1st, 2017) -- The advice Marqus Bates gave himself after losing his boxing debut in September could also apply to his young brother, a professional football aiming for championship glory this weekend in Houston.
"Be patient. Don't rush," said Bates, the Taunton, Mass., welterweight who returns to the ring Saturday at Twin River Casino. "If you just stick to the game plan, good things will happen and you'll get to where you want to be."
The lesson is an important one, and it applies both on the football field and in the boxing ring for the Bates family. Marqus Bates (0-1), who turns 31 in March, hopes to score his first win as a pro when he faces debut Aaron Muniz of Providence in a four-round bout on the undercard of CES Boxing's 2017 season debut. His younger half-brother, Trevor Bates, a 23-year-old practice squad linebacker for the New England Patriots, won't be at the fight to watch his brother in action because he'll be in Houston for Super Bowl LI the following day on Sunday as his team plays for its fifth title.
"It's going to be an awesome weekend," the elder Bates said. "He called me and said, 'Hey, bro, I can't make it,' and I'm like, 'I know! You're going to the Super Bowl! I don't want you here anyway! Bring back that ring!' It's been an exciting year for both of us."
Though he and his young brother talk to or text another almost every day -- or "if not every day, then every other day," Marqus says -- they hadn't seen much of one another this year because Trevor wound up in Indianapolis to start his rookie season, a seventh-round draft pick by the Colts. They promoted him to the active roster in October and he played in one game -- mostly on special teams -- before the Colts released him a week and a half later when injuries left them thin at other positions.
As if by fate, the Patriots came calling, offering the Westbrook, Maine, native and University of Maine standout a tryout before signing him to their practice squad in November.
"He called me one night at midnight and says, 'Bro, you won't believe it!' At first, I thought something was wrong," Bates recalled. "He told me, 'I'm coming home!' I lost it."
Though they grew up eight years apart and only lived together in Taunton for two or three years before Trevor moved to Maine with his mother, the two have remained close through adulthood, and while Marqus is the older brother, he looks to Trevor for inspiration in the same way his younger brother looks up to him.
"He's my motivation," Marqus said. "Seeing my younger brother make it to that level and doing so well, it's like, 'Wow.' It's very big for me. It's definitely part of my inspiration and motivation, especially for us to come up from what we went through."
Marqus says he and his brother get their athleticism from their father, a former standout running back at Taunton High School who eventually received a scholarship to play football at Bowling Green before transferring to Southern Maine to play basketball.
In addition to football, Trevor played basketball and baseball in high school. He's not on New England's active roster, so he won't play in Sunday's Super Bowl against Atlanta, but his role as a practice squad player is vital to the team's success. Practice squad players in the NFL are often tasked with emulating a particular individual on the opposing team to help the starters prepare for what they'll see on game day.
Their work does not go unnoticed; Bates was one of six Patriots named as a practice player of the week following the team's win over San Francisco and in December he received a raise from $6,900 per week to $18,000.
"He's definitely putting in that work," Marqus said. "I expect to see him on the active roster next year.
"He lives right in Foxboro, so he's not too far from me. I like to make sure his mind's right, make sure he's on the right path and sticking to doing what he's doing. He'll get to where he wants to get to. He just needs to be patient."
Marqus plans on taking his own advice Feb. 4th in his bout against Muniz. He debuted in September against Springfield, Mass., native Miguel Ortiz and came out firing, dropping Ortiz midway through the opening round, only to get knocked down himself later in the round. With Ortiz going in for the kill, referee Danny Schiavone stopped the bout with 17 seconds left in the round.
"I came out and established myself and took my time, and by me taking my time and doing what I know how to do, I was able to put him down early, but I got away from that when he got back up," Bates admitted.
"I didn't stick to the game plan. I wasn't patient. That comes with experience. I should've just went back and said, 'OK, I'm ahead on the cards. No need to rush,' but I went in for the kill, went in with my hands down and got into a firefight.
"Regardless of the referee stopping the fight with 17 seconds remaining, I put myself in that position. It was my fault. This time around, I'll be a lot more patient. I know I don't need to rush."
In addition to his head trainer, Brian Johnson, Bates also worked with New England legend "Sucra" Ray Oliveira, whose own son also fights on the undercard Saturday. The result of his first fight is something he'll think about until the next bell rings this weekend.
"It's a constant reminder. Since that fight, the next I was like, 'I can't have that.' I knew exactly what I did wrong as soon as I left the ring," Bates said. "I didn't beat myself up. I let it build me. That one loss on my record is always going to be that constant reminder. I'll never forget that. That's my motivation for every single fight."
With a new addition to his camp and a little extra motivation from his younger brother, who has a shot at earning a Super Bowl ring in his first NFL season, the last few months have been a whirlwind for Bates. This is shaping up to be a successful weekend for the entire family.
"To be on the card with all of these guys, it's an honor," Bates said. "I've got a two-headed monster right now, two great guys pushing me to my limit and wanting the best from me like I want from myself."
Tickets for Feb. 4th are priced at $47.00, $102.00, $127.00 (VIP) and $152.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Reigning Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast and International Junior Middleweight Champion Khiary Gray (14-1, 11 KOs) of Worcester, Mass., defends both titles against Brooklyn's Courtney Pennington (9-4-1, 5 KOs) in the eight-round headliner.
The Feb. 4th card features an additional title bout as New Haven, Conn., vet Josh Crespo (7-4-3, 3 KOs) faces unbeaten Timmy Ramos (4-0-1, 4 KOs) of Framingham, Mass., in a six-round bout for the vacant New England Super Featherweight Championship.
In a battle of unbeatens, Hartford, Conn., prospect Jose Rivera (2-0, 2 KOs) faces his toughest test to date in a six-round junior middleweight showdown against New Bedford, Mass., vet Ray Oliveira Jr. (6-0, 1 KO) and fellow undefeated prospects and decorated amateurs Jamaine Ortiz (2-0, 2 KOs) of Worcester, Mass., and Canton Miller (2-0, 1 KO) of Saint Louis, Mo., square off in a four-round lightweight battle.
Framingham's Julio Perez (4-1) ends his nine-month layoff in a four-round intrastate showdown against Salem vet Matt Doherty (5-3-1, 3 KOs), who returns to Twin River for the first time since July of 2015. Following a busy 2016 in which he fought six times in seven months, Worcester's Kendrick Ball Jr. (4-0-2, 3 KOs) faces Minneapolis' Kenneth Glenn (3-2, 1 KO) in a four-round middleweight bout and Providence junior welterweight Anthony Marsella Jr. (3-0, 2 KOs) faces 16-fight veteran Francisco Medel in just his fourth fight as a professional in a four-round bout. Junior welterweight Khiry Todd (1-0, 1 KO) of Lynn, Mass., battles Woburn, Mass., native Bruno Dias (0-2) in a four-round bout.
The Feb. 4th card will also feature another special CES Ring of Honor ceremony inducting famed boxing trainer Kevin Rooney, who worked with world champions Mike Tyson and Paz in his storied career.
Visit www.cesboxing.com, www.twitter.com/cesboxing or www.facebook.com/cesboxing for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Instagram at @CESBOXING.
-- CES --
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Thanks, Mayor Toni Harp for meeting with Marrakech CEO, Heather LaTorra and our awesome Vocational Rehabilitation team! #NHV #WorkIsEveryonesBusiness
more information about Marrakech, Inc. click link Marrakech Inc. - Embracing Human Potential Since 1971
Photo courtesy of Will Paul
MASSACHUSETTS HEAVYWEIGHT TYLER King is stepping on two week's notice to face Virginia's Keith Bell on the main card of "CES MMA 41" at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I., on Friday, Jan. 27th, 2017. The fight will air live as part of AXS TV's telecast beginning at 9 p.m. ET. King replaces Juliano Coutinho, who suffered an injury and was forced to withdraw from the card. King has won his last three fights and is predicting a fourth consecutive win next Friday following a heated exchange with Bell on social media nearly four months ago.
-- Some fighters get unnerved when they find out their opponent is injured within two weeks of fight night. Not Keith Bell.
"I was relieved," Bell said. "I went from fighting a stud to a bum."
Originally scheduled to face Juliano Coutinho on the televised main card of "CES MMA 41" next Friday at Twin River Casino, the Newport News, Va., native will now fight Massachusetts vet Tyler King in hopes of squashing a beef that began four months ago on -- where else? -- social media with a heated keyboard exchange between the two heavyweights.
The King-Bell bout is one of seven on the AXS TV portion of "CES MMA 41." Showtime is 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 27th, 2017 with the main card scheduled for 9.
Tickets for "CES MMA 41" are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com or www.cagetix.com/ces by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
The war of words between King and Bell (6-8, 4 KOs) began innocently enough on a congratulatory Instagram post by CES MMA in honor of heavyweight Pat Walsh, who had just scored a big win at "CES MMA 38." Bell inquired about fighting Walsh on the next card, but King intervened, claiming he'd take down Walsh and several other noteworthy heavyweights before adding Bell "isn't invited" because "I don't beat up fighters with under .500 records," a knock on Bell's 6-8 mark.
The grenade launched by King set off a day's worth of digs from both sides, but next Friday's fight truly didn't materialize until Coutinho was forced to withdraw from the card due to injury. When presented with the opportunity to settle the argument in the cage instead of online, both sides happily obliged.
"I don't even care about the opponent, but he opened his mouth, so he can get hurt," said King, who has won three in a row and last fought at Bellator 163 in November in a rematch against regional rival Josh Diekmann.
"I wanted to get another fight in. CES was in a rough spot with [Coutinho] falling out and they've been good to me, so I figured I'd return the favor. I don't stop training. I'm constantly just working on everything to get better. I went from a relaxed state of mind to, 'OK, we're going to war in 18 days. Let's do it.'"
Aside from their mutual disdain for one another, the only thing Bell and King have in common is they both fought Providence heavyweight Greg Rebello, who is also featured on the "CES MMA 41" main card. Nine months before he fought Rebello himself, Bell made the trip up north to help Rebello prepare for his fight against King in June of 2015.
"They told me to just put pressure on Greg and not really do anything else or have any skill," Bell quipped. "That's what I did to prepare Rebello for Tyler."
Rebello won the fight by third-round knockout and also stopped Bell in the opening round of their scheduled three-round bout last March. Since then, King has won his last three by submission, including the win over Diekmann -- his second win over the Connecticut native -- a victory against Eric Bedard in the rubber match of their epic trilogy and a win over Lorenzo Hood, whom Bell called "the biggest bust in MMA history."
"For him to say I fight bums, on January 27th, he's going to be woken up and not understand why he lost to a 'bum,'" Bell said. "I never talk like this, but he just brings it out of me. That's not going to change how the fight will go. His talking does nothing. At the end of the day, they will lock the cage door behind both of us. After all of that talking, then what?
"I've always been respectful. I've never been 'that guy.' I just don't think Tyler has any respect or he's just that punch-drunk and doesn't know any better, but he will know in [nine] days."
"I don't take easy fights," King countered. "If anything, this is a gift for CES. 'You want me to put this bum out of his misery? Sure, I'll do you a favor.'
"I do all my due diligence. I watch my film," King continued. "I saw the fight between him and Greg. He is not tough. He tapped to strikes. If you tap to strike, you are a bitch. There's no two ways about it. He can crack, I'll give him that, but he has nothing else. I have so many more tools in my toolbox. If he messes up once, he's in for a rude awakening."
King presents a much different challenge for Bell than Coutinho, whom Bell says is an all-around better fighter than King because of his expertise in the ground game. Next Friday's fight will be Bell's third with CES MMA. Each of his last 10 fights, win or lose, have ended in the first round.
"I'm at the point in my career where I'm only going to fight the toughest guys around," Bell said. "CES has given me a lot of opportunities where they normally wouldn't have to. I'm not a ticket-seller. I'm not from there. The only thing I offer them is they know I come to fight and they know I'll fight my ass off. It would mean a lot to me to win one for those guys for giving me the opportunities they've given me."
Bell has spent more time in recent months improving his cardio and his boxing. King remains unimpressed. The North Attleboro native and former NFL offensive lineman is in the midst of his longest win streak since 2013 and is confident he'll make it four in a row next Friday despite stepping to the plate on just two week's notice.
"In my last three fights, I've showed off some dynamic skills," King said. "It shows that any holes in my game have been filled in adequately. We just keep adding new wrinkles, new cracks, new holds, new submissions. With that being said, we're going to put on a display.
"I like to fight guys in the cage for money. This is my passion. I was up at 6 a.m. [yesterday] teaching Jiu-Jitsu, then strength and conditioning. Then I did some film work, took a nap, took on some more clients, taught some more classes. You know where I am right now? I'm driving down 93 South going to Connors MMA to do some sparring, then some more strength and conditioning, then I'm going home to sleep my life away and then tomorrow morning I'll do it over again. You know why? Because I'm ready for this."
The main event of "CES MMA 41" features reigning CES MMA Featherweight World Champion Matt Bessette (20-7, 5 KOs) of Stafford, Conn., defending his title against Missouri native Kevin Croom in a five-round. Rebello (20-7, 12 KOs) returns to face Minnesota's Danyelle Williams (8-4-1, 5 KOs) in a three-round bout. Also in the heavyweight division, Walsh (8-2, 3 KOs), a Stoughton, Mass., native, battles New Hampshire's Kevin Haley (6-3, 2 KOs) in an intriguing regional showdown.
The main card also features a flyweight bout between undefeated New Britain, Conn., vet Carlos Candelario (4-0, 1 KO) and fellow unbeaten Miguel Restrepo (4-0, 2 KOs) of Queens, N.Y., plus a bantamweight battle between Kody Nordby (7-4) of Woonsocket, R.I., and Illinois vet David Garcia (4-1, 2 KOs).
Nordby looks to continue his climb back to the top of the division following his loss to Andre Soukhamthath against the dangerous Garcia, who recently handed Rico DiSciullo his first career loss in September via submission at "CES MMA 38." Candelario makes his fourth appearance with CES MMA and first since "CES MMA 36" in June when submitted Roosevelt Archie via guillotine in the opening round of a scheduled three-round bout.
Fresh off his comeback win at "CES MMA 40" in November, East Providence, R.I., bantamweight Dinis Paiva (8-6, 5 KOs) faces Findlay, Ohio, vet Jordan Espinosa (8-4, 1 KO). Paiva ended a 13-month layoff in his last bout with a first-round knockout win over Zane Behrend and returns to the network television stage for the first time since his loss to Nordby in October of 2015.
Espinosa last appeared with CES MMA in 2014, but has since won five of his last six, including a victory over Rafael de Freitas at Legacy Fighting Championships 36.
The six-fight preliminary card includes a female flyweight bout between Bourne, Mass., native Sarah Click (1-1) and newcomer Maria Rivera of Framingham, Mass., plus a bantamweight bout between unbeaten Kris Moutinho (2-0) of Milford, Mass., and Fredericktown, Ohio, native Jason Rine (0-1). Fellow Ohio native Raymond Yanez (4-8, 1 KO) of Columbus battles Milford's Richie Santiago (2-0) and lightweight Connor Barry (2-0) of Stoughton faces New Jersey's Travis Foster (0-2).
In the flyweight division, David Baxter (3-1, 1 KO) of Bellingham, Mass., battles Pawtucket, R.I., vet Dan Cormier (4-6, 1 KO) and Quincy, Mass., light heavyweight Mike Rodriguez returns in a separate three-round bout.
Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/cesmma for more information, or follow CES MMA on Instagram at @CESMMA.
-- CES --
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Donald Trump First Interview as President | ABC News
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President Donald Trump will do first interview with “World News Tonight” Anchor David Muir since taking the oath of office to become the 45th President of the United States. “President Trump: The First Interview” will air during a one-hour primetime special on Wednesday, January 25 (10:00 – 11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC.
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All Photos courtesy of Will Paul
RHODE ISLAND JUNIOR welterweight Anthony Marsella Jr., seen here with CES Boxing president Jimmy Burchfield Sr. prior to his October bout at Twin River Casino, returns to the Lincoln, R.I., venue on Saturday, Feb. 4th, 2017 to face 16-fight veteran Francisco Medel in just his fourth professional bout. Marsella Jr. is coming off back-to-back first-round knockouts while Medel boasts a 10-6 record with six knockouts. The Marsella-Medel bout is one of 10 on the card, which is CES Boxing's 2017 season opener at Twin River.
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