PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Feb. 12th, 2019) — The numbers don’t lie: Next weekend’s showdown between Jamaine Ortiz and Ricardo Quiroz may not only be the biggest fight of the year at Twin River Casino Hotel, it might be the biggest, most important bout in the venue’s decade-long history.
Ortiz of Worcester, Mass., and Quiroz of Oxnard, Calif., put their unbeaten records on the line Saturday, Feb. 23rd, 2019 for the vacant WBC World Youth Lightweight Championship in one of three scheduled title bouts in next weekend’s CES Boxing season opener.
Since the Event Center opened its doors to boxing in 2017, CES Boxing has promoted 54 events at the mecca of New England boxing, and the eight-round world-title showcase between Ortiz (9-0, 4 KOs) and Quiroz (10-0, 5 KOs) marks the 27th time two undefeated fighters have faced one another.
Among the most notable occurrences, Philadelphia’s Hank Lundy, 10-0 at the time, battled 7-0 Esteban Almarez in 2008; a year later, reigning WBO world champion Demetrius Andrade of Providence put his 7-0 record on the line against soon-to-be Rhode Island fan-favorite Chris Chatman, who was 4-0 at the time; and in May of 2017 Ray Oliveira Jr., 7-0 entering the fight, faced Maine’s Casey Kramlich, who boasted an unbeaten 6-0-1 record.
Ortiz-Quiroz is a cut above.
In addition to fighting for the prestigious WBC Youth title, the two boast more combined wins (19) than any of the previous undefeated fighters who faced one another in Twin River’s illustrious history. There’s no comparison: Ortiz-Quiroz is worth the price of admission as two of the sport’s brightest stars in the 135-pound division battle for the right to call themselves champion in a fight that will undoubtedly change the career of whoever comes out on top.
Tickets start at $47 and are available online at www.cesboxing.com or www.showclix.com, or by phone at 401-724-2253. Ortiz-Quiroz also makes history as part of the world’s first ultra-high definition, high dynamic range event — also known as 4K — streaming live via VIVE Network TV. The VIVE app is available on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Play (Android TV), iOS, Roku and all smart TVs. Visit https://tickets.vivetv.network to purchase. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
“There is no bigger fight in New England than this one,” CES Boxing president Jimmy Burchfield Sr. said. “In our 27 years of promoting combat sports, I haven’t looked forward to a fight as much as I’m looking forward to this one.
“Jamaine Ortiz is as talented a fighter as you’ll find in New England. No one works harder or has a brighter future. He has a tough road ahead of him on the 23rd. Ricardo Quiroz comes from a true fighting city in Oxnard. He trains in one of the best gyms in the world. We know the pedigree of fighters who claim Oxnard as their home and we know what to expect when he steps into the ring next weekend.
The history of the WBC Youth title is well-documented, as is CES Boxing’s history at the renowned Twin River Event Center. In its 55th event at the Lincoln, R.I., venue, the promotion may have put together its best fight card to date. In addition to Quiroz-Ortiz, the lineup features two more title bouts, plus the long-awaited return of Providence female featherweight sensation Shelly Vincent (23-2, 1 KO), who steps into the ring at Twin River for the first time in three years.
Vincent battles Hungary’s Edina Kiss (15-9 KOs) in an eight-round rematch of their 2015 bout, which Vincent by majority decision. Female super bantamweights Marcia Agripino (3-1-1) of Ledyard, Conn., and Boston’s Amanda Pavone (6-0, 2 KOs) face one another in an eight-round bout for the vacant New England Championship and hard-hitting heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano (17-2, 15 KOs) battles “Brutal” Brendan Barrett (7-1-2, 5 KOs) of Ventura, Calif., for the National Boxing Association (NBA) World Heavyweight Title in an eight-round special feature.
Also on the undercard, Taunton, Mass., welterweight Marqus Bates (5-2, 3 KOs) faces Jair Ramos (5-2-2, 2 KOs) of Waterbury, Conn., in a six-round bout and super lightweight Nicholas Briggs (2-0, 2 KOs) of Worcester puts his unbeaten record on the line against Andy Aiello (1-1-1) of Bridgewater, Mass., in a four-round bout. Unbeaten Pawtucket, R.I., super featherweight Ricky Delossantos (6-0, 1 KO) returns in his toughest test to date against U.S. Army National Guardsman Javar Jones (7-1, 2 KOs) of Indianapolis.
Providence junior middleweights Victor Reynoso (2-0, 2 KOs) battles 1-0 John Williams of Baton Rouge, La., who scored a knockout win in his pro debut in August, while fellow unbeaten junior middleweight Lamont Powell (2-0, 1 KO) of Providence faces 29-year-old Kenneth Chery (1-1, 1 KO) of Montreal, Quebec. Likewise, Providence lightweight Michael Valentin (4-0, 1 KO) returns from a one-year layoff to face Philadelphia’s Christopher Burgos (1-3-1, 1 KO) in a four-round bout and decorated New York City amateur Arnold Gonzalez makes his long-awaited professional debut in a four-round super lightweight bout against Falls Church, Va., veteran Stacey Anderson (0-4).