16.09.04 – World championship pro boxing comes to Boston October 1 when former world title contender “Sucra” Ray Oliveira (46-9-2, 22 KOs) fights Hicklet Lau (19-11-2, 9 KOs) in the 12-round main event for the vacant International Boxing Union World welterweight title in “Bayside Brawl” at the Bayside Expo Center in South Boston.
Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. (CES), in association with Mohegan Sun and New England Ringside, presents “Bayside Brawl.” CES has signed an exclusive deal to promote boxing shows at the Bayside Expo Center.
“We’re excited about bringing world championship boxing to the Bayside Expo Center,” promoter Jimmy Burchfield said. “It’s so easy to get to for fight fans in the Providence and Boston markets. This is the first of many pro boxing shows we intend to have there in our new home for New England boxing.
“It’s fitting that Ray Oliveira, one of boxing’s true warriors, headlines our first show at the Bayside Expo Center. People love watching his non-stop action style of fighting. He holds punch stat records for most punches thrown in a fight. Ray’s been a world rated fighter for years, never backing away from any opponent, and he deserves another shot at a big-time fight. A victory against Lau should put him in that position once again.”
Oliveria, rated No. 2 by the NABF, fights out of New Bedford (MA). He is the former IBU world welterweight champion, as well as two-time ex-NABF super lightweight champion. Ray holds the only victory against WBA junior light welterweight champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris, as well as wins against former world title-holders Charles Murray (twice) and Vince Phillips.
“I feel better than ever,” Oliveira commented. “I’m back with my old trainer, Libby Medeiros, and I’ve been working hard to get in top shape for this fight. I’m like fine wine, better with age, and I’m ready for Lau. I just want one more big shot, but I have to beat Lau to get that opportunity. The monster is back!”
Lau, born in Cuba and fighting out of Miami, has been in against the iron of the junior welterweight and welterweight divisions during his eight-year pro career: Kermit Cintron, Cosme Rivera, Rafael Ruelas, Ben Tackie and Daniel Attah.
One of New England’s brightest prospects will fight In a special four-round attraction as unbeaten Providence cruiserweight Matt Godfrey (4-0, 2 KOs), former U.S. Nationals heavyweight amateur champ, faces Andrew “Came To Fight” Hutchinson, of New York City. “Matt’s had more than 200 amateur fights and many of them have been in the Greater Boston area,” Burchfield noted. “He has a lot of fans in this area and this is an opportunity for them to see how he’s progressed as a pro. We’ve already showcased him in Tampa, Missouri (Joplin), Providence and at Foxwoods. We believe Matt Godfrey is a special fighter with world championship potential.”
Coming off one of the best female fights of all-time against Jane Couch, former world light welterweight champion Jaime “The Hurricane” Clampitt (13-3, 5 KOs), of Narragansett (RI), is matched against WIBF No. 8 rated “Tiger Lady” Brenda Bell Drexel, of Texas, in a six-rounder.
Two South Boston fighters in six-round matches are super welterweight Martin “The Irish Assassin” Thornton (8-1-1, 3 KOs), originally from Galway, Ireland versus Khalif Shabazz, of Bellows Falls (VT), and Massachusetts light welterweight title-holder “Cocky” Kevin Watts (18-6, 7 KOs). Shabazz has fought world middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins and former world title-holder Julian Jackson.
Also scheduled on the undercard is unbeaten Peabody light heavyweight Wayne “Lights Out” Johnsen (4-0, 3 KOs) against Jerald Lowe, of Atlanta; South Boston super middleweight Joe “Sugar” Rea (1-0, 1 KO, 1 NC), originally from Northern Ireland and Philadelphia welterweight Phillip McCants (0-0-1) in separate bouts vs. TBA. (All bouts and fighters are subject to change.)
The Bayside Expo Center is located in South Boston, off I-93, close to the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Go to www.baysideexpo.com for more information.
Tickets, on sale now, are $125.00 Jimmy’s Platinum Club (limited), $100.00 VIP Ringside (limited), $50.00 Reserved, and $25.00 General Admission. To order or for more information call CES’ corporate office at 401.724.2253/2254 or visit its web site at www.cesboxing.com. Tickets are also available at TicketMaster (www.ticketmaster.com/617.931.2000) and Dave O’Leary’s Barber Shop (298 Grove St., Braintree – 781.843.9865).