PROVIDENCE (August 6, 2007) – Some of the top, young boxing talent in New England will serve as strong support Friday night (August 10) for Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey, WBC rated No. 2 cruiserweight, and his unbeaten stable-mate Aaron Williams in the main event and co-feature, respectively, on Takin’ It To The River,” part of “The Budweiser Night at the Fights” series at Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, Rhode Island..
“Takin’ It To The River,” promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., will be taped live and air Saturday night (Aug. 11) at 7:00 PM/ET on CN8, The Comcast Network and Cox Sports Television.
Godfrey (15-0, 9 KOs), also ranked No. 4 by the IBF and No. 6 by the WBA, risks his high ratings as well as am impending world title shot by fighting dangerous Derrick “D-Train” Brown (13-2-3, 11 KOs), who is trained by women’s boxing great Christy Martin, in the main event for Godfrey’s NABF championship belt. The unbeaten Providence cruiserweight also is the reigning NABA, USNBC and WBC Continental Americas title holder.
Nine-time U.S. national amateur champion Williams (13-0-1, 9 KOs), fighting out of Las Vegas but in his new adopted home of Rhode Island/New England, faces Jeff Brownfield (9-6, 4 KOs) in the co-feature.
In a pair of much anticipated four-round bouts, exciting Providence light heavyweight Jarrod Tillinghast (9-0, 3 KOs) meets Earl Doe (2-1, 2 KOs), while Providence crowd favorite Richard “Bobo” Starnino (8-2-1, 1 KO) tangles with New Bedford (MA) super middleweight Eric Pinarreta (1-1, 1 KO), trained by former junior welterweight star “Sucra” Ray Oliveira.
The “Young Guns” take center stage on the rest of the undercard with Marshfield (MA) light heavyweight Manuel Antonio Lopes (2-0, 1 KO), fighting out of Brockton and legendary trainer Goody Petronelli in his corner, against Lonnie Bowen in his pro debut; Whitman (MA)-born light heavyweight Mark “The Italian Bazooka” DeLuca (2-0, 2 KOs), representing the same famed North End of Boston that once produced former world welterweight champion Tony DeMarco, takes on Worcester’s Juan Aguire in his pro debut; Russian middleweight Andrey Nevsky (2-0, 2 KOs), now living in Hyannis (MA) and fighting out of Worcester (MA), versus Rakeen Carter (0-0-2); New Hampshire cruiserweight Rich Gingras (2-0, 2 KOs), 2006 Ringside World amateur heavyweight champion, also is scheduled to fight on the card against an opponent to be determined. All bouts and fighters are subject to change.
U.S. amateur boxing star Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, of Providence, will be honored during the show as the first amateur inducted into the prestigious CES Ring of Honor, joining members Vinny Paz, “Irish” Micky Ward, Marlon Starling, “El Gallo” Jose Antonio Rivera, “Iceman” John Scully and the late trainer Johnny Duke. U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) will make a special presentation to Andrade.
Tickets for “Takin’ It To The River” are priced at $35.00, $45.00, (Bronze), $65.00 (Silver), $100.00 (Gold) and $150.00 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club) and may be purchased by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going on line at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Twin River Event Center (100 Twin River Road, Lincoln), RI), or any TicketMaster location. Contact CES (401.724.2253/2254/www.cesboxing.com) or Twin River Event Center (877.82.RIVER/ www.twinriver.com) for more information. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7 PM/ET.