Oliveira-Ortiz May 2 on national television

Oliveira-Ortiz & LaMontagne-Mateen at Foxwoods

01.04 - PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Two of CES’ brightest stars, welterweight “Sucra” Ray Oliveira and cruiserweight Richie “The Mountain” LaMontagne, will be shining May 2 on national television.

Boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield, president of Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., announced today that its May 2 nationally televised ESPN2 show at Foxwoods Resort Casino will be headlined by the 12-round International Boxing Union world welterweight championship fight between Oliveira (44-8-2, 21 KOs) and Elio “El Chingo” Ortiz (24-4, 19 KOs). LaMontagne (27-4-1, 22 KOs), rated No. 9 by the World Boxing Council, will be in the 10-round co-feature against Ernest “M-16” Mateen (27-9-3, 9 KOs) for the vacant IBU cruiserweight title.

Oliveira, of New Bedford (MA), will be defending his IBU title for the first time. He is the former NABF and IBF light welterweight champ, as well as the ex-New England lightweight title-holder. Oliveira is rated No. 3 by the NABF and No. 8 by the USBA.

“We’ve finally found a comfortable weight for him at 147 pounds after all of the years he struggled fighting at 140,” Oliveira’s promoter, Jimmy Burchfield, commented about Ray. “He was always known for his record number of punches thrown and landed in matches, not his punching power. But with new conditioning to fight as a welterweight, he’s knocked out both opponents at 147.”

Oliveira’s illustrious career includes victories against former world champions Vince Phillips and Charles Murray (twice), as well as current WBA super lightweight champ Vivian Harris. Five of Ray’s eight career defeats have come at the hands of former world champions or top 10 contenders such as Vernon Forrest, Reggie Green, Jake Rodriquez, Ben Tackie and Zack Padilla.

“This kid is one of the most talented welterweights out there,” Burchfield noted. “He’s fought everybody and anybody put in the ring with him. Ray deserves to fight the best; he’s earned that. We’re not taking this fight lightly, but I want to get ‘Sucra’ a title shot after this against (Corey) Spinks, (Ricardo) Mayorga, any of the top 147-pounders. Or if (undisputed junior welterweight champion) Kosta Tszyu wants to step up to welterweight, like we’ve been hearing, let him take on R

Ortiz, 28, comes from Coro, Venezuela. He is the Bolivariano and WBA FEDECENTRO welterweight champion. IBF No. 5 rated Omar Weiss, who fought a 10-round draw with Oliveira in 2001, suffered his first career loss in his 29th pro fight to Ortiz via a 10th-round TKO in 1998. Elio has fought some of the best welterweights in the world. He went the distance in a loss to Sharmba Mitchell for the WBA light welterweight championship in 1999 and was stopped in 10 by pres

LaMontagne was supposed to fight former world champion Uriah Grant for the IBU cruiserweight crown this past February, but a cut suffered over Richie’s eye late in training camp cancelled the match. Mateen’s last fight, ironically, was a ninth-round technical decision win against Grant for the USBO title. He also fought a third-round technical draw against No. 1 ranked O’Neil Bell and holds wins against New England favorites such as Joe DeGrandis, John Scully (twice) and Drake Thadzi

“This is another big opportunity for Richie fighting on national television,” Burchfield noted. “But we definitely want (WBC champion Wayne) Braithwaite. That’s the guy we’re gunning for. I just visited Richie in Everett (MA) and four weeks away from the fight and he’s like a rock.”

All bouts and fighters are subject to change. Five more bouts will be on the undercard. For ticket information call CES’ headquarters at 401.724.2253/401.724.2254, visit its Web site at www.cesboxing.com, or contact the Foxwoods box office at 800.200.2882.