.JPG)
By Trish Kilcullen & Pete Heintzelman – Photos by Pete Heintzelman, What better time than Now. What better place than Foxwoods.
Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, Connecticut, have lined up Saturday night fights, like the days of old, when actual fighters – throw back fighters, – come back to the Mecca of Northeast boxing venue, namely the famed Foxwoods Theatre, at the casino’s Mashantucket, Connecticut forum, which has seen so many fantastic historic fights in its time.
This beautiful venue, without a bad seat in the house, packs a sell-out crowd of 1,600 seats. All to be filled by fight night. Mark our word. And who wouldn’t want to see the main event, matching Joey “KO Kid” Spina (25-1-2, 17 KO’s), of Providence, Rhode Island and the resurrection of a New England legend, “Sucra” Ray Oliveira (47-11-2, 22 KO’s), who hails from Fall River, MA..
Are you kidding? Between them, a record of 72 wins, and 12 losses? How can you go wrong? Get your tickets now, is the best advice we can give. You heard it first on EastSideBoxing. A pre-fight presser was held on Tuesday of this week, at the Ladder 133 Bar & Grill, in Providence, Rhode Island, to formally announce the “Last Man Standing” card.
Ray Oliveira, whose last fight was in 2005 at the Hampton Beach Casino, in New Hampshire, against Emmauel Augustus, said he wanted to come back, because he missed boxing. Now a few days shy of 42 years old, and having fought the likes of Ricky Hatton, Vernon Forrest, Vivian Harris, Vince Phillips, Ben Tackie and Elio Ortiz, Oliveira has renewed his desire – a desire to grab 50 wins before retiring his dog-eared leather gloves.
“I miss the crowds,” Ray said. I told Jimmy I wanted to fight again, and he said, if I can gain medical clearance, he would let me fight. So I did.” And Jimmy said, “who do you want your first comeback fight against, and I said “I’ll fight anybody!” But I thought a minute longer , and said, “Joey Spina.”
“No tune up fights for Oliveira”, said the promoter, “I love these two guys; they have been with me from the start.” “I’m craving to hear the crowd,” said the senior fighter. I’m going to give myself a birthday present: a win! I’m older, I’m better, I’m better looking, and 1,600 fans will see that when they come to the fight!
“I have a lot of respect for Ray,” said an irritated Spina, “but he picked the wrong guy.” Spina has a 60% plus knock out record. Ray may be smaller in stature, but he
may have bigger . . . well. And time will be the judge of that.
“I didn’t think this would come about”, said Richie Cappiello, of CES Boxing. “The younger and big KO guy against the smaller, fresher guy. It makes for an intriguing main event.”
“This is a dream fight, where two fighters with different styles, both successful in their careers, and who could dream of a harder puncher than Spina, pitted against a super boxer, who set world records for number of punches thrown in a bout,” added Burchfield.
The undercard includes the most promising Vladine Biosse (8-0, 4 KO’s, from Providence, RI, who is fast becoming a NewEngland fan favorite, along with David Bauza 5-0, 3 KO’s, of Hartford, MA, Edwin soto, 4-0, 2 KO’s of New Haven,
CT, and Derek Silveira, 1-0-1, of Stamford, CT, all against fighters to be named shortly.
The Foxwoods Resort Casino’s Fox Theatre, is located in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Tickets are priced at $40, $60, and $100, and are available for purchase by calling CES Boxing (401-724-2253) or by going on line at www.cesboxing.com or www.foxwoods.com, or in person at Foxwoods’ box office. Door open at 6:00 p.m EST, and the first bell rings at 7:00 p.m. EST.