Fighting on just two and a half weeks notice, “Mr. Providence” Vladine Biosse fought to a draw Friday night in “THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPITAL” against “The Pride of Providence” Peter Manfredo Jr. at Twin River Casino.
The Manfredo-Biosse main event headlined a nine-fight card promoted by CES Boxing. Manfredo (40-7-1) returned for the first time since announcing his retirement in November and 2013 while Biosse (15-7-3), replacing the injured Angel Camacho Jr., snapped a five-fight losing streak in his first fight since July.
The left-handed Biosse gained the early momentum in the first half of the fight, out-boxing Manfredo and keeping him off balance with his southpaw stance. Manfredo fought back in the later rounds and appeared to hurt Biosse down the stretch, but Biosse fought effectively off the ropes and kept his composure over the final two rounds.
Judge Don Trella scored it 77-75 in favor of Biosse, Clark Sammartino had it 78-74 for Manfredo and Glenn Feldman had it even at 76-76.
As he’s done throughout his entire career, Worcester, Mass., junior middleweight Khiary Gray (13-0, 10 KOs) dazzled the Twin River crowd with another electrifying knockout, stopping Florida’s Quentin Willis (10-4-2) with a vicious left hook at the 1:41 mark of the second round to defend his Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Northeast Title.
Unlike his last fight in February, which went 10 rounds, Gray came out firing and put Willis on the canvas early in the first round with an overhand right. Willis survived the round, but walked right into the left hand midway through the second and never made it back to his feet.
Not to be outdone, Cranston, R.I., junior welterweight Nick DeLomba (9-1) rebounded from his first career loss and dominated previously unbeaten Worcester native Freddy Sanchez (7-1) by unanimous decision, 59-55, 58-56, 60-54, to capture the vacant New England Title.
Fighting for the first time since September, DeLomba looked sharper than ever, boxing on angles and simply out-working Sanchez, nearly stopping his opponent in the fourth and fifth rounds. Sanchez showed tremendous heart, lasting all six rounds, but never looked comfortable and couldn’t gain any momentum against the slick-boxing DeLomba in what was DeLomba’s most impressive win to date.
Also on the undercard, New Haven, Conn., welterweight Jimmy Williams (11-0-1) remained unbeaten in a 59-54, 59-54, 60-53 unanimous decision win over St. Petersburg, Fla., vet Manny Woods (15-5-1).
Williams knocked Woods to the canvas with a right hand in the opening round and continued to outbox his opponent over the final five rounds. Woods tried to make a late charge, but ran out of gas in the fifth and sixth as Williams cruised to victory, his second at Twin River and first since December.
In one of the most highly anticipated fights on the undercard, Holyoke, Mass., junior welterweight Mohamad Allam (3-1) avenged his September loss to Stoughton, Mass., vet Travis Demko (4-1) and handed Demko his first career loss, winning Friday’s rematch by unanimous decision, 58-58, 58-56, 59-55.
One half of the Worcester contingent on Friday’s card, Kendrick Ball Jr. and Jamaine Ortiz, each won convincingly in their professional debuts on “THE BATTLE FOR THE CAPTIAL” undercard.
Ball (1-0, 1 KO), the son of trainer Kendrick Ball Sr., made quick work of super middleweight Tunde Odumosu (0-1) of Providence, knocking Odumosu cold with a hard overhand left at the 1:46 mark of the opening round while the junior welterweight Ortiz (1-0, 1 KO) overwhelmed Maine’s Josh Parker (0-3-1). Ortiz came out swinging from the opening bell, eventually burying Parker in his own corner with a flurry of punches, causing Parker to quit due to a jaw injury at he end of the opening round.
The first upset of the night occurred in the opening bout as Providence’s Cido Hoff (1-0-1), in just his second pro fight, swept all four rounds in a unanimous decision win over the previously unbeaten Julio Perez (4-1) of Marlborough, Mass. Hoff applied the pressure from the opening bell while the usually active Perez, who hadn’t lost a single round in his previous four wins, couldn’t keep pace. Hoff earned his first career win after fighting to a draw against decorated amateur Timmy Ramos in his pro debut.
In a battle of accomplished junior welterweights, Issouf Kinda of the Bronx (18-3) handed Springfield, Mass., vet Zack Ramsey (7-1) his first career loss by a narrow majority decision, 58-56, 57-57, 58-56. Sammartino and Feldman scored it 58-56 while Eddie Scunzio had it a draw.