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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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 CES photo by Ian Barnard
'SWEETBREAD' DINIS PAIVA, a featherweight from East Providence, R.I., will fight for the 10th time in his career and the 10th time under the guidance of CES MMA when he faces Joe Cushman Friday, June 27th, 2014, at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. Paiva is looking to even his record with a win and crack the Top 5 in the regional rankings by the end of the year.

Cool, confident Paiva brings new approach to the cage in 10th professional bout
  

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 25th, 2014) -- If you were taken aback when you first heard Dinis Paiva was fighting for the 10th time under the guidance of CES MMA Friday night at Twin River Casino, you weren't alone. Even Paiva himself can't believe it.
 
"It's been a phenomenal three years since I made my pro debut and it's gone by just as fast as I can remember my first fight ending - a minute and 16 seconds with a TKO," said Paiva, who'll face Joe CushmanFriday night on the undercard of "CES MMA XXIV" at Twin River. "That's how it's felt these past three years."
 
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.
 
Time certainly flies, as the old adage says, but time's also stood still now and then for Paiva (4-5, 2 KOs), who's admittedly had his share of ups and downs in mixed martial arts.
 
After winning his aforementioned pro debut in June of 2011, Paiva went on to lose his next three fights, including a discouraging disqualification loss to Clifford Moulton, a fight Paiva dominated until he inadvertently kneed his opponent to the head while Moulton still had a hand on the canvas.
 
Paiva then closed out 2012 with back-to-back wins against Josh Lange and Gilvan Santos to even his record before losing the next two to Kin Moy and Robert Sullivan. With only three wins and five losses, the East Providence, R.I., native made the toughest choice of his career, leaving lifelong trainer Mat Santos to work with Mike Gresh and his team at the Cape Cod Fighting Alliance.
 
"Behind closed doors, the people who had seen me fight knew it was in my best interest," Paiva said. "My manager Keith [Allen], who has been with me my entire career since I was an amateur, was the first guy to propel me to go work with these other guys.
 
"No matter who you are, even if you're the greatest champion in the world, you can always continue to learn and always continue to progress without forgetting your roots. I never will."
 
With a new approach physically and mentally, "Sweetbread" opened 2014 with an impressive knockout win over Franklin Isabel and is now stepping in the cage against the savvy Bridgewater, Mass., veteran Cushman (11-5, 3 KOs), a fight that could help Paiva achieve his goal of becoming a Top 5 fighter in the featherweight division.
 
"[Cushman] is ranked No. 5 in the northeast, so this would be an upset in some peoples' eyes," Paiva said. "There are even some people who think I'm the big dog coming in. I consider myself the underdog. I like that. It takes the pressure off me. I've got everything to gain and nothing to lose."
 
The mental approach is half the battle for Paiva, who never takes a shortcut with his conditioning or physical preparation. He was so dedicated during this camp that he even declined to have a piece of cake on his birthday on May 26thdespite the fact it was a month before Thursday's weigh-in.
 
"A lot of people would've looked past it and said, 'What's the big deal?' but a lot gets put into this," Paiva said. "I've been going balls to the wall for weeks."
 
Not only is Paiva certain he's a better fighter now than he was three years ago - or, for that matter, in January - he's convinced he's a much better fighter than his record indicates, a byproduct of the elite competition in the northeast.
 
"To be honest, I kind of like having the record I have considering where I'm trying to get," he said. "People who know the sport and have been around it for a while and have watched my career know I'm not a 4-5 fighter. The guys with the losing records are the hungriest. They're the ones you should fear the most.
 
"I've progressed a lot," Paiva continued. "I've evolved and changed a lot as a fighter, especially during this last camp, and it'll show in this next fight. I think Joe is expecting to see the old 'Sweetbread.' With what shows in videos and what he's expecting, he's going to be caught off guard. I'm nowhere near where I used to be."
 
Three years and nine fights later, the secret to Paiva's unabashed confidence is perspective.
 
"The thing is I never really lost big, or at least I feel that way. I feel like I haven't had anyone really come in and knock my head off my shoulders, so to speak," he said.
 
With a major milestone on deck, and perhaps more in the future, Paiva controls his own destiny, and the road to featherweight supremacy begins Friday at Twin River.
 
"I've overcome a lot of adversity," he said. "Every fight is different. It's always a 50-50 chance no matter who you are. Guys get caught. Things happen.
 
"This division is one of the deepest in the northeast. I feel I'm neck and neck with the best competition. It's all about evolving and maturing in the cage, and I'm doing that as my career progresses. I'm more professional about it. I'm a lot more headstrong and profound. It's the way things need to be now."
 
The main event of "CES MMA XXIV" features Providence lightweight Luis Felix (11-7, 4 KOs) facing Julian Lane (6-3-1, 1 KO) for the vacant CES MMA title in a five-round bout.
 
UFC vet Ricardo Funch (8-4, 4 KOs) of Ludlow, Mass., will make his CES MMA debut on the undercard when he faces welterweight Brett Oteri (12-5, 1 KO) of Dedham, Mass.
 
Also on the card, Providence heavyweight Greg Rebello (17-5, 9 KOs) will take on Kennesaw, Ga., native Aaron Johnson (12-8, 1 KO); 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--

No stage too big for ‘Mr. Providence’ as southpaw super middleweight preps for Showtime bout

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 27th, 2014) – Fighting on a major network in front of a worldwide audience might be unnerving for someone who doesn’t know any better, or someone who has never faced the music on boxing’s biggest stage.

 

Vladine Biosse (15-2-2, 7 KOs) actually looks forward to the pressure of the bright lights and adoring eyes. It’s brought out the best in the Providence, R.I., southpaw, whether it’s the two big wins he scored early in his career on ESPN2, or his showcase victory over former world-rated contender and hometown rival Joey Spina, a fight few thought he had a chance to win.

 

Tomorrow night, Biosse will get another opportunity to shine in front of millions when he faces his toughest test to date against undefeated Michigan super middleweight J’Leon Love (16-0, 9 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Showtime’s ShoBox: The Next Generation telecast at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y., presented by Mayweather Promotions.

 

“This is the best,” Biosse said. “This is where I want to be. A fight like this puts you on the pedestal. The network is saying, ‘Look, we think you belong here, so show us you belong here.’

 

“The chance to do that with millions watching is awesome. This is what I’ve been working for my entire athletic career, whether it’s boxing or football.”

 

The 31-year-old Biosse, born in Cape Verde, is what the boxing world would consider a late bloomer. He originally played soccer and football as a standout athlete at Hope High School in Providence and went on to play college football at the University of Rhode Island before a knee injury ended his career. He soon took up boxing and began his professional career at the age of 27 following a short run in the amateurs.

 

He rose through the rankings quickly, winning his first six fights – four by knockout – before showcasing his talents on an ESPN Friday Night Fights undercard in 2010, dazzling the viewing audience with a dominant win over Joey McCreedy. Biosse ran his record to 10-0 before another date on FNF, this time knocking out veteran journeyman Tim Connors in the fifth round.

 

The pressure doesn’t faze him; facing Spina as the prohibitive underdog in 2012, Biosse pieced together what many still consider his most impressive performance, out-boxing the veteran slugger to win the fight decisively on all three scorecards.

 

While Love presents a much more formidable challenge, the sheer thrill of fighting in front of a worldwide audience might be enough to push Biosse to new heights.

 

“Some people get jitters and they’re itching and scratching before a big fight. I get excited,” Biosse said. “It brings out the best in me knowing I’m about to face a test like this.”

 

The only blemish on Love’s record is a no contest against Gabriel Rosado in May in which his split-decision win was later overturned after Love tested positive for a banned diuretic. He returned in December to face former world-title challenger Lajuan Simon and won by sixth-round knockout.

 

“He’s a great boxer, and I take nothing away from him, but that’s what I see him as – a boxer,” Biosse said of Love. “If you put pressure on him, he folds. That’s what I’m looking to do.”

 

Biosse hasn’t fought since July when he and fellow Rhode Islander Rich Gingras battled to a majority draw. His last win was in May by unanimous decision against Philadelphia veteran Latif Mundy. A win Friday against the unbeaten Love would undoubtedly put Biosse in the conversation among the sport’s rising super middleweights.

 

“This is a great opportunity to showcase my talent and show people who I really am,” Biosse said. “I couldn’t wait. Once the opportunity was presented to me, there were no ifs, ands or butts about it. It wasn’t a question of, ‘Why?’ but ‘When?’ The only thing I wonder is why it didn’t come sooner.”

 

The payday is certainly as appetizing as the opportunity, but Biosse isn’t making the jump just to cash a lucrative paycheck. He’s coming to win, no matter the odds.

 

“I could be making money anywhere else. I’m not one of these guys running around the neighborhood broke wondering whether I’m coming or going,” he said. “I’m not doing this because I need a few dollars. I’m alright. My life is good.

 

“This is a great opportunity for my career and to showcase my talents at the highest level.”

 

The undercard of Friday’s event features hard-hitting super middleweight prospect Badou Jack (16-0-1, 11 KOs) facing veteran Derek Edwards (26-3-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout. Biosse is the second fighter promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports to fight the main event on Showtime in as many weeks; last Friday, Philadelphia’s Hank Lundy dominated in a unanimous decision win over Angelo Santana on ShoBox: The Next Generation.

 

– CES –

Johnston-Hendricks heavyweight title bout set for next CES MMA next month at Twin River
 
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 8th, 2013) – AXS TV’s Inside MMA announced Friday that undefeated Melrose, Mass., heavyweight John Johnston will fight for the vacant CES MMA championship March 14th, 2014 at Twin River Casino against former Ultimate Fighting Championships veteran Josh Hendricks.
 
The 6-foot-4 Johnston (5-0, 5 KOs) is fresh off his fifth knockout win in as many tries after stopping William Baptiste just 1 minute, 49 seconds into the opening round of their scheduled three-round bout Jan. 24th courtesy of a vicious head kick that sent both fighters crashing to the canvas.
 
Training out of Sityodtong in Boston, Johnston has yet to fight past the second round, winning four of his five professional bouts by first-round knockout. Facing Hendricks (19-9, 5 KOs), a Mansfield, Ohio native, will be a major step up for Johnston. The first and only time he fought at Twin River, Hendricks submitted Josh Diekmann via triangle choke in the opening round of their heavyweight bout, one of Hendricks’ 12 career submission victories.
 
Between 2005 and 2007, Hendricks amassed an impressive streak in which he won 10 of 11 bouts with one no contest, earning him a spot on the UFC 91 card in November of 2008 in Las Vegas, where he lost to Gabriel Gonzaga.
 
The March 14th card will also feature the return of Bourne, Mass., welterweight Chuck O’Neil (12-6, 4 KOs); Providence lightweight Luis Felix (10-7, 3 KOs) and Boynton Beach, Fla., welterweight Charles Rosa (6-0, 2 KOs), a graduate of Providence’s Johnson & Wales University. For more information or to pre-order tickets, visit www.cesmma.com.
 
– CES –