CES photos by Will Paul
Gray issues stern warning to challenger Sippio-Cook in advance of Sept. 18th UBF title bout
WORCESTER, Mass. (Aug. 27th, 2015) – Austin, Tex., junior middleweight Kenton Sippio-Cook thinks Khiary Gray should’ve done his homework before agreeing to fight him Friday, Sept. 18th, 2015 at Twin River Casino.
“Somebody in Khiary’s team either got lazy with their work in finding an opponent, or really just doesn’t care about Khiary,” Sippio-Cook said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Gray (8-0, 6 KOs), speaking publicly for the first time at Wednesday’s press conference at Rocky’s Sports Bar in his hometown of Worcester, Mass., insists this is no last-minute cram session as he prepares to lock horns with Sippio-Cook (6-2, 4 KOs) for the vacant Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast Junior Middleweight Title in the six-round co-feature of “Mayhem,” presented by CES Boxing.
“I don’t care what he says. He’s going to feel a left hook, body, or head. After that, he’s just going out,” Gray said. “I’m excited for it. I’ve been waiting for it.”
This will be Gray’s first six-round fight, whereas Sippio-Cook has boxed six full rounds three times already and recently went the distance with Wes Capper in a scheduled eight-round bout in May. While Gray has been incredibly in 2015, having already fought five times, none of those fights went past the first round as Gray knocked out each opponent, raising questions as to whether or not he’ll have the stamina to fight six full rounds, if it lasts that long.
Gray, however, insists it’s no issue, referencing his second pro fight last September in which he boxed four full rounds with the game Sergio Cabrera, a fight he won unanimously on the scorecards.
“I could’ve went six or eight rounds,” Gray said. “I’ve sparred 10, 13 rounds before. This is going to be no different.”
This fight also represents Gray’s toughest opponent to date. Though he’s coming off a pair of losses, the 24-year-old Sippio-Cook has stepped up the level of competition in recent fights; his last three opponents have a combined 22-3 record.
The showdown between Gray and Sippio-Cook is one of two title fights on the card, which also includes the 10-round main event between Rhode Islanders Rich Gingras (15-4-1, 9 KOs) of Lincoln, the reigning New England Light Heavyweight champion, and unbeaten challenger Angel Camacho Jr. (14-0, 4 KOs) of Providence.
Tickets for “Mayhem” are priced at $40.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and available for purchase online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
The undercard features several new faces, highlighted by Stoughton, Mass., junior welterweight Travis Demko (3-0, 1 KO), who makes his Rhode Island debut against Mohamed Allam (1-0) of Holyoke, Mass., followed by Worcester junior middleweight Andy Gonzalez (1-0, 1 KO), who battles 6-foot-4 southpaw Antonio Allen of Philadelphia in Allen’s debut. Both are four-round bouts.
New London, Conn., heavyweight and Peter Manfredo Sr. protégé Cassius Chaney (3-0, 2 KOs), a former two-time amateur national champion, and Bronx, N.Y., light heavyweight “Fly” Mike Marshall (1-0, 1 KO), also make their Rhode Island and Twin River debuts in separate four-round bouts.
Cranston, R.I., junior middleweight Jon Smith (2-0, 1 KO) ends a two-year layoff in a four-round bout against Rodrigo Almeida (1-2) of Woburn, Mass., and Framingham, Mass., junior welterweight Julio Perez (1-0) returns to face newcomer Pedro Martinez Jr. of Mooresville, N.C., in a four-round bout.
For more information on “Mayhem” visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBOXING on Twitter and Instagram and “like” the official CES Facebook fan page
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