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Redemption Tour: New-look Cusumano ready to put the past behind him June 24

Posted by Bud Mench Media Group -BMMG on June 23, 2022 at 8:30
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Juiseppe Cusumano
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Sicilian heavyweight Cusumano returns to Bally's Twin River June 24 with a new camp and a new outlook on his future in boxing
 

Lincoln, RI – The new Juiseppe Cusumano doesn’t like to look back too much at the old Juiseppe Cusumano

Juiseppe 2.0 is a leaner, stronger, more determined version of the old model, not the same Cusumano who barely lasted two minutes against Daniel Dubois in August.

Fight fans can expect fireworks Friday, June 24 at Ballys Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort when Cusumano (19-4, 17 KOs) unveils a never-before-seen rendition of himself in an eight-round bout against Brazilian heavyweight Irineu Beato Costa Junior at Summer Splash, presented by CES Boxing.

His long-awaited return to Ballys, where has hasn’t fought since 2019, caps a busy training camp in which the 6-foot-4 Cusumano spent the majority of time away from his residence in Danville, VA, and instead trained everywhere from Costa Rica and Tampa to Connecticut and New York.

Summer Splash also features Warwick, RI, resident Jaime "Hurricane" Clampitt battling Texas lightweight Miranda "El Alacrana" Reyes, plus the Ballys debut of unbeaten super middleweight and 6-foot-2 southpaw Francis Hogan of Weymouth, MA. Tickets are available at CESFights.com.

When Cusumano lost to Dubois on Showtime, a lopsided bout in which the "Sicilian Nightmare" hit the canvas three times before referee George Nichols stopped the fight, the 34-year-old heavyweight considered walking away from the sport. He had already begun thinking about life after boxing, using his payout from the Dubois fight to purchase a gym in anticipation of running his own fitness boxing courses.

But, in a plot twist straight out of Hollywood, Cusumano had a change of heart. He knew his performance against Dubois didn’t reflect who he was as a fighter or how much he had progressed under the guidance of promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. To quote a certain well-known fictional Italian boxer, there was "still some stuff in the basement." He had to make one more run at not only competing for a world title, but showing boxing fans there’s more to him than what they saw that fateful night in August.

"I told Jimmy, ‘That’s not me,’" Cusumano said. "I had only six rounds of sparring before that fight. I was in out of the gym. I had a lot of personal issues going on. And the whole world saw me like that. It eats me alive.

"It would’ve been different if I was ready and I went through a war and lost a close fight, but I wasn’t mentally ready – or really ready in any regard. I’ve got to get back on Showtime and show what I really have in my blood and in my heart.

"I won’t be a happy man if I don’t do what I’ve got to do. Then I’ll sit back and say, ‘Oh, I could’ve done that, but I didn’t.’ At least now if anything happens in my career that messes me up, I’ll know I gave it all I’ve got. No regrets."

After taking some time off to recover and reflect on his mistakes – and pray, Cusumano said – he received a call from the manager of unbeaten Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang inviting him to spar for two weeks in New Jersey. That turned into a three-week stay with Zhang’s camp in Tampa, this time with Cusumano participating in every minute of every workout, not just the sparring sessions.

"As soon as I finished camp there, I knew I didn’t want to go back home," Cusumano said.

As luck would have it, he then received a call from an associate in Costa Rica inviting him to fly south for a makeshift "boot camp" training in the jungles and mountains, often running eight miles a day in brutal conditions.

"The training I did there was unbelievable," Cusumano said. "It got me out of my comfort zone – way out – and it felt to me like when I got past that zone, I got lost. Now you’re in a different world and you’re still pushing. That’s what you need in fights. You have to get out of your comfort zone."

After Costa Rica, Cusumano reached out to his promoter, who then set him up at Champs Boxing & Fitness in Danbury, CT, under the guidance of coach Dave McDonough. Cusumano has been at Champs for the last four weeks, traveling back and forth to New York to spar with the likes of WBO world light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. and Connecticut heavyweight Cassius Chaney.

"I’m really proud of myself," Cusumano said. "You have to make tough decisions in life. I could’ve stayed home, ran the gym, worked a 9-to-5, but I knew I had already made a name for myself and hadn’t even put 100% into it. I never traveled and got the work like I should have. I didn’t stay consistent. I went back home, fooled around, got sidetracked. Now I’m making the sacrifices necessary to achieve this dream."

Cusumano still has family in Virginia, including his 12-year-old son, a budding southpaw baseball star who cranked three home runs in his last game. Being away from loved ones is difficult, but Cusumano knows if he doesn’t give it his all now, he’ll regret it later in life. This is the version of himself he always dreamt he could be.

"This is what I needed. I needed to be around boxing and be around good sparring. That’s what I was missing," Cusumano said. "Now, if I get a call and people need work, I’m there. That’s what I should have been doing all along."

Full fight details for Summer Splash are available online. For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.
 
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Healthy and healed, Gonzalez ready to conquer featherweight division Saturday, January 21 as CES Boxing opens it's 2023 season

Posted by Bud Mench Media Group -BMMG on January 13, 2023 at 7:00
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Fresh off a 13-month layoff, featherweight star Gonzalez is rested and ready to make his mark among the sport's best January 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena
Irvin Gonzalez Jr.
 

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Uncasville, CT – Bad news, featherweights: Irvin Gonzalez Jr. is back and finally healthy as he enters his prime.

 The Worcester, MA, native returns to the ring for the first time in 13 months on Saturday, January 21 as CES Boxing opens its 2023 season with Winter Brawl at Mohegan Sun Arena.

 The 26-year-old Gonzalez (15-3, 11 KOs), a decorated amateur who competed in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, made one of the most difficult, yet beneficial, decisions of his career in 2022 when he sat out the entire year to fully recover from two major surgeries.

 In January of 2022, doctors repaired an elbow injury that had been bothering him for years. In April, he had surgery on his hand, another setback that all but derailed his chances of fighting again before the end of the year. The surgery on his elbow was his third; the difference this time was he didn’t halt the recovery process to rush back into the ring.

 The end result is a healthier, happier, and well-rested Gonzalez who is mentally and physically ready to make his move in the 126-pound division.

 "This is the first time I’ve been injury-free in a long time," Gonzalez said. "In the past when I had injuries, there was always a worry in the back of my mind that something would go wrong. Now I don’t have to worry.

 "I took the time to heal completely and mentally I’m in such a better placed now. I’m going into my prime years fully healed."

 A fully-healed Gonzalez in his mid-20s could be a game-changer in the featherweight division. At his peak, Gonzalez breezed through his weight class, turning pro at the age of 20 and winning his first 12 fights. After signing with CES in 2019, Gonzalez began his resurgence with back-to-back knockout wins, including a thrilling victory over Yeuri Andujar to capture the WBC Youth title in February of 2020.

 Then the pandemic hit, which kept Gonzalez inactive for nine months until he starred on the undercard of the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones extravaganza, narrowly losing to Edward Vazquez in what may have been the fight of the night.

 Gonzalez was supposed to return the following summer at CES’ groundbreaking outdoor show in Rhode Island, but the elbow injury flared up, forcing him to withdraw from his scheduled WBC USNBC title bout. Against Adan Ochoa. Gonzalez remained on the shelf until December of 2021 when he beat the dangerous Yeison Vargas in Orlando, another 13-month layoff between bouts.

 The obvious goal in 2023 is to be more prolific and remain as active as ever, perhaps enough to line up a major opportunity before the end of the year. Gonzalez fought four times in 2019, but has also stepped in the ring three times in the last three years.

 "I want to come out this year on a major note. I want fight after fight after fight," Gonzalez said. "Hopefully, I get the fights I need to get back to where I’m supposed to be and by the end the year hopefully be in the conversation for something big."

 The injuries were as big a setback mentality as they were physically; a skilled athlete his entire life, Gonzalez played football, baseball, and soccer and ran cross country in high school, but never suffered physical ailments until he dove deeper into boxing – the sport he chose to pursue over the others. Having boxed since the age of 8, the sudden inability to perform at his best was a bitter pill to swallow for Gonzalez.

 "It definitely got frustrating, especially after the first surgery," he said. "When I had to go back a second time knowing it wasn’t fixed, that was tough from a mental standpoint. You try to tell yourself you’re not injured, but I knew I had to get right physically."

 With the surgeries behind him, Gonzalez could be one of boxing’s breakthrough stars in 2023. The journey begins January 21 in what might be the biggest fight of Gonzalez’s career – a new lease on life in the squared circle with the much-needed peace of mind to succeed.

 Winter Brawl is headlined by heavyweight "The Sicilian Nightmare" Juiseppe Cusumano (21-4, 19 KOs) facing "The Hungarian Hammer" Istvan Bernath (10-1, 8 KOs) in the 10-round main event and the long-awaited return of Stamford, CT, light middleweight Chordale Booker (17-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round showcase against 37-fight veteran Angel Hernandez (17-17-3, 11 KOs).

 The event also features super featherweight Alejandro Paulino (11-0, 9 KOs) putting his undefeated record on the line in a six-round bout against Ryizeemmion Ford (8-3, 6 KOs) and undefeated welterweight Josniel Castro (9-0, 7 KOs), a Boca Raton, FL, native who’s fought his entire pro career in New England from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, facing one of his toughest tests to date in a six-round showdown against Quebec native and Boston resident Mitch Louis Charles (6-3-2, 3 KOs).

 For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING.

INFORMATION

CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020.

Mohegan Sun Arena is one of the busiest Arenas in the United States and is ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and VenuesNow. Mohegan Sun Arena finished 2021 with its first "#1 Indoor Arena" ranking for its capacity in the world according to Pollstar and VenuesNow, ranked among the top 10 venues in the United States regardless of size based on ticket sales, and was named "2021 Innovator of the Year" by Celebrity Access for its ViacomCBS residency.  In recent years, the award-winning venue has also been the "#1 Casino Venue in the World," "#1 Social Media Venue in the World" and a seven-time national award winner for "Casino of the Year – Arena" by the Academy of Country Music. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit MoheganSun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.
 

–CES–
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Bigger, stronger O'Neil ready for middleweight division

Posted by Bud Mench Media Group -BMMG on October 26, 2015 at 16:30
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motionmailapp.com

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Photo courtesy of Will Paul
MIDDLEWEIGHT CHUCK O'NEIL (above), seen here landing a left hand against Dominique Steele in their June bout at Twin River Casino, will move up from 170 pounds and fight in the middleweight division at 185 beginning Friday, Oct. 30th, 2015 when he battles Daniel Vizcaya on the nationally-televised main card of "CES MMA XXXI" at Twin River. O'Neil enjoyed tremendous success at welterweight, even winning CES MMA's 170-pound title, but is hoping to benefit from being stronger and more energetic at 185. 
With no more weight cuts or loss of energy, O'Neil ready to make CES MMA debut in 185-pound division

LINCOLN, R.I. (Oct. 26th, 2015) -- It's fight week and Chuck O'Neil isn't sweating the small stuff.
 
In fact, he's not sweating at all now that he's moving up from 170 pounds to 185 to fight in the middleweight division, which means no exhausting weight cuts, no more trips to the sauna and no additional stress heading into Friday night's nationally-televised bout against Daniel Vizcaya on the main card of "CES MMA XXXI" at Twin River Casino.
 
The difference in O'Neil's appearance and demeanor is noticeable, especially among the clients he works with as a personal trainer at Snap Fitness in Raynham, Mass., less than an hour from his hometown of Bourne.
 
"They all say I'm a fun-loving, good-natured person," O'Neil said, "but they're like, 'You know, usually fight week you're so down and miserable and you're not having fun.' Now I'm still smiling and everything.
 
"I feel good. I've got muscle still on my body. I haven't been eating away at muscle for the last six weeks. I'm walking at a very comfortable weight. This weight cut should be way easier. I feel good. I'm exciting going into Friday to actually feel good and see what I'm able to do with that kind of performance."
 
Some fighters switch weight classes for different reasons. Sometimes it's a strategic move aimed toward taking advantage of a particular skill set (size, strength, speed, etc.). Sometimes it's about money, seeing as though some weight classes are more densely populated than others, thereby offering more lucrative opportunities for big-time TV dollars.
 
Asked why he chose to move from welterweight to middleweight, O'Neil made it perfectly clear "it was all about the weight cut," blaming some of his recent sluggish performances -- even fights he won -- on being physically exhausted come fight night.
 
"I was cutting a tremendous amount of weight," he said. "I was able to rebound my weight back up, but I was just feeling worse and worse every time I was doing it, killing myself to get there. Like I said, my body wasn't actually working properly, so after that last fight, it was time for me to be done at 170 pounds.
 
"I walk around lean at 205. Getting down to 170 was a six-week process, dieting down to 188 getting completely shredded and then cutting 18 pounds of water in the last day and a half, I wasn't doing very well."
 
His boxing coach, Dave Keefe, and even some of his stablemates, including Providence's Eric Spicely, suggested he make the change while he's still in his prime at the age of 30.
 
"Diamond Dave said it best: 'You can own a Maserati, but if you don't have the gas to drive it, what's the point?'" O'Neill said.
 
"There are definitely going to be bigger guys and stuff. I'll come out there and this guy might be a little bigger than me, but I've gone from being an extremely big 170-pounder to being a good-sized 185er. Eric Spicely is always saying, 'Dude, you're stupid for ever going down to 170. You look so big now.'
 
"I'm not worried about it. I train with big guys all the time. Strength-wise I'm a pretty strong guy, so I'm going to be able to deal with that. As far as punching power goes, I'm going to be able to crack. We'll see if he can handle it."
 
Credit the improved technique to Keefe, who taught O'Neil that the secret to tremendous knockout power is often more brains than brawn.
 
"When I first came to him, straight up, his words were, 'You hit like a bitch.' I'm like, 'I thought I hit hard!'" O'Neil said. "I was just pushing punches for so long because I had muscle, but it doesn't mean I know how to box, so now I'm turning punches over and everything and he says, 'Power is an MFer.' If you've got power, that can change a fight in a second. Being able to have more than just power in the right hand has been a big help, too."
 
Vizcaya (8-3, 2 KOs) figures to be a worthy adversary and an appropriate first test for O'Neil in the middleweight division. The Aurora, Ill., native has won five of his last six fights, albeit over a four-year stretch, including a victory over Jack Hermansson at Bellator 84 in 2012.
 
Looking to rebound from his June loss to Dominique Steele in which he lost his CES MMA Welterweight Title, O'Neil now knows it's mind over matter. He should be at his physical peak come Friday, no excessive fatigue from a torturous weight cut. The rest is up to him.
 
"I don't ever look past the fight I have in front of me," O'Neil said. "That's all my mind is set on right now, Friday and dealing with this guy here and taking care of business. It's really big in my mind to go out there and not only perform and win, but to get a finish, to go out there and make a statement that, 'OK, this is my new division and this is where I belong.'"
 
Tickets for "CES MMA XXXI" on Friday, Oct. 30th, 2015 are priced at $50.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and available for purchase online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254, or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
 
The vacant CES MMA Welterweight Title is on the line in the main event as Plymouth, Mass., vet Chip Moraza-Pollard (10-8, 5 KOs) battles Sao Paulo, Brazil native Gil de Freitas (17-5, 6 KOs) in a five-round bout.
 
Also on the main card, Providence, R.I., heavyweight Greg Rebello (18-6, 10 KOs) faces Syracuse, N.Y., vet Mike Mucitelli (7-2, 1 KO); Woonsocket, R.I., native Andre Soukhamthath (8-3, 4 KOs) returns in a bantamweight bout against Carlos Galindo (10-3, 3 KOs) of Woburn, Mass.; and bantamweight Dinis Paiva (7-5, 4 KOs) of East Providence, R.I., looks to extend his four-fight win streak against Cumberland, R.I., vet Kody Nordby (4-3).
 
Providence middleweight Eric Spicely (7-0, 2 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line in his toughest test to date against Charlotte, N.C., vet Aaron Johnson (13-9, 1 KO) and Remo Cardarelli (5-2) of Milford, Mass., makes his CES MMA debut in a flyweight bout against New York native Darren Mima (6-4, 1 KO).
 
The preliminary card includes a flyweight bout between Carlos Candelario (1-0) of New Britain, Conn., and Jesse Gutierrez (1-1) of West Roxbury, Mass., in addition to a middleweight bout between Buck Pineau (0-1) of Ashland, Maine and Berkley, Mass., native Pat McCrohan, who is making his professional debut. Flyweights David Baxter (1-0) of Bellingham, Mass., and newcomer Brandon Warne of Ovid, N.Y., battle in a three-round bout and featherweight Shane Manley (2-2) of Cortland, N.Y., battles Taylor Trahan (5-3) of Littleton, N.H.
 
For more information on "CES MMA XXXI" visit www.cesmma.com, follow @CESMMA on Twitter and Instagram and "like" the official CES MMA Facebook fan page.
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Revitalized Lundy ready for his title shot

Posted by Bud Mench Media Group -BMMG on October 26, 2015 at 16:30
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Photo courtesy of Will Paul
WORLD-RATED PHILADELPHIA lightweight Hank Lundy (right), seen here after scoring a knockdown this past weekend during his win over Carlos Winston Velasquez at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, is now the reigning WBC Continental Americas Champion and is in search of his first world title shot after 32 professional fights. The win Saturday marked Lundy's return to the 135-pound division after a brief stint at junior welterweight. Lundy hopes to unify the 135-pound world title and ultimately take another shot at 140.
Lundy ready to 'reclaim his throne' in 135-pound weight class after capturing vacant title Saturday

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 23rd, 2015) -- With a triumphant return to the lightweight division this past weekend at Mohegan Sun, Hank Lundy made his point loud and clear.
 
"I'm back. 'Hammerin'' Hank is back at 135," said Lundy, who stopped veteran Carlos Winston Velasquez in the fifth round of their scheduled 10-round bout Saturday to capture the vacant Word Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas Lightweight Title.
 
"I mean business. And when I get in that ring with you, don't think it's going to go the whole 10 or 12 rounds. I'm going to knock you out. I'm reclaiming my throne at 135."
 
Forgive Lundy's bravado, but Saturday was not only a victory in the ring, the 26th of his pro career and 13th by knockout, but also a victory in the court of public opinion, where Lundy took a beating in January after failing to make the 135-pound weight limit in a scheduled bout against Petr Petrov, a fight he accepted on just eight days' notice.
 
With more than eight weeks to prepare for Velasquez, Lundy had no such trouble shedding the weight, clocking in at 134, though he thinks he might've been even lighter than what the scale indicated.
 
"The commissioner, he stopped at 134. I think I came in at 133," Lundy quipped.
 
"Like I told everyone, if you give me the right amount of time, I can make 135."
 
Credit this resurgence to Lundy's steely determination and the guidance of fellow Philadelphia boxer, Bernard Hopkins, the longest reigning middleweight world champion of all-time and the oldest fighter to ever win a world title, who helped Lundy put the past behind him and instead focus on what he needed to do to ensure it wouldn't happen again.
 
"I took it from Bernard and he actually talked to me about that situation. Everybody came down on me, but he said, 'Hank, the key thing is staying ready so that you won't have to get ready,'" Lundy said. "What I took out of that is preparing myself and keeping my weight down, staying 10 pounds away from my fight weight."
 
While some fighters lose a bit of power when dropping to a smaller weight class, Lundy has actually maintained his strength, as evident by the two knockdowns scored in the Velasquez fight. The weight makes no difference, Lundy said, as long as you execute.
 
"It's more about technique, the leverage from your punches and the whole thing about it, carrying the punching power you have to make sure you make weight correctly that way you won't be drained or anything," he said. "I'm still punching like I punched at 140."
 
Lundy has bounced between both divisions over the past five years, chasing the bigger paydays and the national television spotlight at 140, but now his goal is to reclaim the No. 1 spot at 135, where he sat in 2012 before a stunning loss to journeyman Raymundo Beltran.  
 
"I'm hungry," Lundy said. "One thirty five, that's where I started my quest and that's what I'm looking forward to doing. I started my quest at 135 and I'm back there. I want to win the world titles. I want to unify them and the move up to 140. My mission is to clean up 135 and I'm going to do it."
 
Who's next? The sky's the limit. Jorge Linares currently holds the WBC world title. Unbeaten Terry Flanagan owns the World Boxing Organization (WBO) crown. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) title is currently vacant. Lundy could lobby for a shot at a world title now or continue to fight his way to the top. Either scenario is feasible.
 
"Listen, I'm ready to go right now," Lundy said. "If they call me right now, I'm ready. I don't need no tune-up. Like I said, in my career I've been matched tough. There's no hype about me, 'Hammerin'' Hank, where you really have to find out to see if I'm what they say I am. I am what I am. I'm hungry. I'm determined. I'm that bad-ass that people talk about who comes into your hometown and beats you."
 
The journey back to No. 1 won't be easy. Nothing has. Lundy has built his career taking the tough fights, the fights others didn't want, traveling everywhere from Mississippi to Montreal to the Ukraine to answer the call. In 32 pro fights, he's fought in front of his hometown fans in Philadelphia just six times, never truly afforded the luxury of padding his record in his own backyard like so many other fighters.
 
When Lundy refers to himself as a "throwback fighter," it's a valid comparison. There's only one "Hammerin''' Hank, which is bad news for fights fans and good news for the rest of the lightweight division. With Saturday's win at Mohegan Sun, the 135-pound weight class has officially been put on notice. Philadelphia's fighting pride is back.
 
"I was always matched up tough," he said. "Nothing was ever easy. Most of these guys that you see now, they get a lot of soft touches, whereas a guy like me, I'm proven. When you talk about 'Hammerin'' Hank' and you look at my career, there were no soft touches. That's why when you ask me about the world title shot, or do I need a tune-up, no, because I've been fighting tough since I was in the pro game."
 
-- CES --
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Confident Campbell ready for breakthrough performance

Posted by Bud Mench Media Group -BMMG on March 30, 2016 at 14:00
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Photo courtesy of Kelly MacDonald
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BOSTON FLYWEIGHT JOHNNY Campbell (left), seen here in a 2013 bout against Matt Doherty, returns to CES MMA on Friday, April 1st, 2016 at The Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino when he faces Pennsylvania native Matt Lozano on the main card of "CES MMA 34," airing live on AXS TV. Lozano, an 8-fight vet, is a late replacement for Rodrigo Almeida, who withdrew after suffering an injury in training camp

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 29th, 2016) -- You'd think a last-minute change of opponent would unnerve a fighter, or, at the very least, provide a minor annoyance when it occurs so close to showtime.

 
Johnny Campbell doesn't seem to mind. Rodrigo Almeida, Matt Lozano -- they're just roadblocks on his path to stardom.
 
"Opponents are only a minor detail," said the Boston-based flyweight, who stars on the AXS TV main card of "CES MMA 34" Friday night at Foxwoods Resort Casino's Fox Theater.
 
"The man looking in the mirror is my only real opponent. I'm ready for war of all kinds."
 
Campbell (11-7, 5 KOs) was originally supposed to face fellow Massachusetts native Almeida, but was forced to switch gears two weeks out when Almeida suffered an ankle injury. Some minor chest-bumping ensued between the two via social media, but Campbell quickly put it behind him and instead began focusing on his new opponent, Lozano (5-3, 1 KO), a 27-year-old Reading, Pa., native with amazing big-fight experience.
 
Five of Lozano's eight pro fights have occurred with either Bellator, Legacy or the World Series of Fighting, three of the most recognized promotions in mixed martial arts.
 
Campbell insists there aren't many differences between Rodrigo and his new opponent, therefore consolidating his training leading up to the fight, but that might not even be the biggest hurdle he needs to overcome by Friday. This will be Campbell's first fight on national television. He appeared at WSOF 20, but starred on the prelims, not the main card.
 
Cambell acknowledges his opponent is "hungry" -- "hungry enough to jump on a tough fight on short notice," he said -- but doesn't expect any of that to be a factor once the bell rings.
 
"Hunger isn't the key here, necessarily," Campbell said. "I'm going to be cool, calm and calculated. This is my time. I was born for these moments. He will crumble."
 
The tough-talking Campbell has never been one to back away from a tough fight. After losing to Matt Doherty in his first appearance with CES MMA back in 2013, he won his next six fights, including victories over regional standouts Kody Nordby, who recently challenged for the CES MMA Bantamweight Title, and Billy Giovanella.
 
Up next was his WSOF debut in April of 2015, which ended in a unanimous decision loss to New Yorker Darren Mima, who recently appeared at "CES MMA XXXI." Campbell jumped right back in later that year against two-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) vet Tateki Matsuda. Friday's fight against Lozano is not only a chance to end a minor two-fight skid, but a major opportunity to showcase his ability on a network synonymous with helping fighters get the exposure they need.
 
"The mindset for this one is 100 percent I'm blessed to be doing what I love in front of a huge audience on the biggest stage of my career," he said. "I'm going in with the focused intention of winning, not because I have to, but because I deserve this.
 
"I've sacrificed and given back and now I'm taking what's mine. My notoriety. My money. My fame."
 
Getting to the next level is sometimes all about being in the right place at the right time. Campbell, if need be, could look directly at his most recent opponent, Matsuda, who made the jump to the UFC at a modest 10-5 when Dustin Kimurasuffered an injury in advance of UFC Fight Night 50.
 
Anyone on Friday's card could be next, including Campbell or Lozano, making this a big, but perhaps short, night, especially with Campbell predicting major fireworks.
 
"Knockout finish, second round," Campbell said matter-of-factly. "I will land big shots and he will wilt."
 
Tickets for "CES MMA 34" are priced at $40.00, $60.00 and $100.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesmma.com, www.ticketmaster.com orwww.foxwoods.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or 800-200-2882, or at the Fox Theater Box Office. All bouts are subject to change. Showtime is 7 p.m. ET.
 
The five-round main event of "CES MMA 34" features the return of reigning CES MMA Welterweight Champion Chris Curtis (13-4, 5 KOs) of Cincinnati, who defends his title for the first time in a rematch against Philadelphia's Nah-Shon Burrell (12-6, 8 KOs), one of five televised bouts on the AXS TV Fights main card.
 
Curtis and Burrell fought one another in October of 2010 with Curtis winning by unanimous decision, Burrell's first loss in three pro fights. Burrell won his next six, including three in a row with Strikeforce before the promotion was bought out by the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC).
 
The main card of "CES MMA 34" also features a middleweight bout between Calvin Kattar (14-2, 6 KOs) of Methuen, Mass., and Cortland, N.Y., vet Kenny Foster(11-10, 1 KO), a seven-time Bellator vet. Kattar last fought in 2013, beating Gabriel Baino for his sixth consecutive win, and is also remembered for defeating Saul Almeida at CES MMA's "Real Pain" pay per view event in Providence in 2012. The 5-foot-8 Foster boasts win over Lester Caslow and Eric Larkin and also went the distance against 30-fight vet Anthony Morrison at Bellator 108. 
 
Heavyweight Steve Skrzat (8-7, 7 KOs) of Burrillville, R.I., faces Rollinsford, N.H., vet Kevin Haley (4-3, 1 KO). Also on the main card, Ludlow, Mass., lightweightLeon Davis (7-3, 1 KO) faces Lorawnt-T Nelson (7-4, 5 KOs) of Arvada, Colo.
 
Skrzat returns to CES MMA for the first time since 2011 having resurrected his career with wins in three of his last four bouts while Davis aims for his fifth win with CES MMA following recent victories over Jimmy Davidson and Andres Jeudi. 
 
The "CES MMA 34" preliminaries feature four exciting bouts, including a middleweight showdown between unbeatens Carlos Candelario (2-0) of New Britain, Conn., and Syracuse's Luay Ashkar (2-0), plus the professional debuts of bantamweight Geoffrey Then and Michael Maldonado, both fighting out of Danbury, Conn. Then battles Merab Dvalishvili (1-2, 1 KO) of Long Island, N.Y., and Maldonado faces Stoughton, Mass., native George Nassar (1-0). The prelims also feature a light heavyweight bout between Cape Cod's Matt Thompson (19-10, 7 KOs) and Anton Berzin (3-1) of Philadelphia. The 29-fight veteran Thompson appeared for CES MMA in 2014 and defeated Eric Bedard via submission.
 
Visit www.cesmma.com, www.twitter.com/cesmma or www.facebook.com/ces.mmafor more information and use the hashtag #CES34 to join the conversation.
-- CES --
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Felix, Johnston ready to face toughest tests of their careers at CES MMA XXII

Posted by Bud Mench Media Group -BMMG on March 3, 2014 at 15:00
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Undefeated Melrose, Mass., heavyweight John Johnston will put his record on the line against former UFC vet Josh Hendricks for the vacant CES MMA title on Friday, March 14th, 2014 at "CES MMA XII" at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. (CES photo by Ian Barnard)

                                               

Monday, March 3rd, 2014

CES MEDIA ALERT

Felix, Johnston ready to face toughest tests of their careers at CES MMA XXII 

                  
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Providence's Luis Felix will take on established UFC veteran Drew Fickett in a three-round lightweight bout Friday, March 14th, 2014 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. (CES photo by Ian Travis Barnard)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 3rd, 2014) -- "CES MMA XXII" will be a judgment night of sorts for two of the region's brightest stars as they prepare for a challenge unlike any other.

 

Hard-hitting heavyweight John Johnston will put his undefeated record on the line against a former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) contender for CES' vacant title and lightweight Luis Felix will face one of mixed martial art's most polarizing figures Friday, March 14th, 2014 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I.

 

Tickets for "CES MMA XXII" 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.

 

Now 5-0 with five knockouts following another win in January, Johnston will battle 37-year-old Ohio native Josh Hendricks (19-9, 5 KOs) for CES MMA's vacant heavyweight title in a five-round bout. This is a major step up for Johnston, the Melrose, Mass., native, who has yet to fight past the second round in any of his previous five bouts. The furthest any opponent got was 46 seconds into the second round back in September of 2011, and that one ended in typical Johnston fashion when the big heavyweight put a bloodied, battered Shaun Durfee to sleep for good with a hard right cross.

 

Like Johnston, Hendricks rarely goes the distance -- just twice in 21 bouts -- but his experience in the cage might be the biggest hurdle Johnston has to overcome. Hendricks has been fighting professionally since 2002. His career peaked between 2005 and 2007 when he won 10 of 11 bouts, nine of them ending in the first round, to earn a spot on the UFC 91 undercard in 2008. The thrill wore off quickly with a first-round knockout loss to Gabriel Gonzaga, but Hendricks has remained active by fighting at least once a year over the past five years, including a win over Bellator contender and Connecticut native Josh Diekmann at Twin River in 2011.

 

In addition to his five knockout wins, Hendricks' impressive resume includes 12 wins by submission. Only two of his 21 fights have gone the distance -- both wins -- setting the stage for what could be a dramatic finish when he faces Johnston on the 14th.

 

For Felix (10-7, 3 KOs), his lightweight showdown against Arizona's Drew Fickett (42-20, 3 KOs) represents another opportunity to beat a UFC vet while moving one step closer toward reaching the same goal in his own career.

 

The Providence native already owns wins over Joe Proctor and Marc Stevens and tends to fight his best on the biggest stage, but Fickett is a rare breed, a sturdy veteran with more than 60 fights on his resume before his 35th birthday.

 

Fickett's remarkable efficiency, which includes seven fights under the UFC umbrella and bouts with Strikeforce, Dream and King Of The Cage, is even more impressive considering his past troubles in and out of the cage. Fickett battled alcoholism for several years, but has since rededicated himself to mixed martial arts and is looking to make one more run to the top.

 

Experience will be on his side. Among his most impressive bouts are a split-decision win over former UFC title contender Kenny Florian in 2004 before Florian's UFC debut and a split-decision win over fellow Strikeforce and UFC vet Dennis Hallman in 2003. Fickett is also the first fighter to beat UFC lifer Josh Koscheck, submitting Koscheck via rear-naked choke at UFC Fight Night 2 in 2005.

 

At his best, Fickett is one of the top lightweights in mixed martial arts. Thirty-one of his 42 wins have come by submission and he's only gone the distance 13 times in 62 bouts.

 

But Felix rarely wilts under the pressure. Working with Rhode Island-based boxing coach Vic Fagnant and former CES MMA lightweight champ Mike Campbell, who has helped with strength and conditioning, Felix expects to be the strongest he's ever been when he returns on the 14th. Since losing to Joe DeChaves in October of 2010, a loss that dropped his record to 5-6, Felix has won five of his last six bouts. The turnaround began with the win over Proctor, the Quincy, Mass., native who went on to star on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter: Live and has since been a fixture on UFC undercards. 

 

Several undercard bouts at "CES MMA XXII" could steal the show, including the highly-anticipated middleweight bout between UFC vet Thomas Egan (7-4, 6 KOs) of Dorchester, Mass., and Plymouth, Mass., veteran Chip Moraza-Pollard (7-6, 4 KOs) a former Reality Fighting and Bellator contender. Egan, born and raised in Kildare, Ireland, starred on UFC 93 in Ireland.

 

Looking to keep the momentum going from his win over Chris Woodall in November, former TUF vet Chuck O'Neill (12-6, 4 KOs) of East Bridgwater, Mass., will battle Dade City, Fla., welterweight Roger Carroll (13-10) in a three-round bout. Caroll has won 11 bouts by submission.

 

Also on the undercard, rising featherweight star and Johnson & Wales alum Charles Rosa (6-0, 3 KOs) of Boynton Beach, Fla., will return to Twin River for the fourth time in a three-round bout against Philadelphia veteran Brylan Van Artsdalen (9-9, 1 KO), an eight-time Bellator veteran.

 

Marshfield, Mass., featherweight Brendan Fleming (3-2) will take on Baltimore's Robert Sullivan (3-1); fellow featherweight Josh LaBerge (8-4, 3 KOs) of Fall River, Mass., will battle Philadelphia's Steve McCabe (6-14, 5 KOs); Tommy Venticinque (0-1) of Warwick, R.I., will face Rick Rivera of Springfield, Mass., in a welterweight bout; and Winthrop, Mass, featherweight Kyle Bochniak (1-0) will aim for his second win of the year when he faces Marius Enache (1-2) of Philadelphia. 

 

-- CES --
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