LINCOLN,
R.I. (July 18, 2012) – The strong gathering at Wednesday’s weigh-in for “Built To
Last” caught a glimpse of boxing’s bright future with a little
bit of swagger mixed in for good measure, just enough to provide some
post-Independence Day fireworks for Thursday’s highly-anticipated
event.
With
“Mr. Providence” Vladine
Biosse (13-1-1, 6 KOs) set to make his return to the ring fresh off his
groundbreaking win over Joey
Spina last month, Queens, N.Y., slugger Donte
Wiggins (1-0, 1 KO) stole some of his thunder yesterday at Twin River
Casino’s Catch A Rising Star Comedy Club, promising to make quick
work of his opponent, Kevin
Cobbs (4-0, 1 KO) of Burlington, Vt.
The
four-round light heavyweight bout between Cobbs and Wiggins, which
will be fought at 180 pounds, is one of eight fights on the card at
Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Built
To Last” show tomorrow night at the Event Center.
“You’ve
got some great fighters up here,” Wiggins said, “and then you’ve
got this intermission fighter. This is the guy they put in the ring
when they want dudes to get up and go to the bathroom.
“He’s
not getting a ‘W,’ he’s not beating me, and he’s not enjoying
his weekend. He’s going to end up in [the hospital] with cable TV
and everything. You can’t run anymore. I’m here now. You’re on
Facebook talking about how you’re a gorilla, and how you’re a
‘bully.’ I’m knocking him out in the first round.
“When
it’s over, CES will take back his contract and rip the stitching
off his shorts.”
Cobbs,
the more laid back of the two, simply said, “I’m just thankful
for all the people who’ve helped me get to where I am today. This
is going to be a great fight.”
The
show will be headlined by Biosse, who burst back onto the scene in
the highly-competitive super middleweight division by dominating
Spina in May. “Mr. Providence” will face Canadian veteran Mike
Walchuk (9-5, 2 KOs), who agreed to the fight on short notice. The main event
will be eight rounds.
“I
promise, like I always do, to bring my best,” Biosse said. “I
train hard and I don’t slack. This is real for me. I gave up a lot
in life to do this, and it means so much to me to take every second
of this seriously. I’ll make sure I shine for you.”
“You
guys know what he brings to the table,” Walchuck said of Biosse.
“To put your mind at ease, you should know I’m not just another
opponent who’s coming here to get trampled. I’m coming here to
win. I’ve got a lot of experience and I’ve been boxing for a long
time. I’m just thankful for this opportunity.”
The
co-feature will star a familiar face as Providence’s Matt
“Too Smooth” Godfrey (20-3, 10 KOs) makes a brief pit stop in the heavyweight division to
face veteran Jesse
Oltmanns (10-3, 7 KOs) of Bartonsville, Pa., in his first fight in front of
his hometown fans in five years.
“Matt
could’ve taken an easier fight,” Burchfield said. “I’ve seen
him work and I’ve seen him run, and I know he believes that from
his amateur status all the way up until what he’s done in boxing
has given him a second chance. He realizes this is the mountain he’s
got to climb and he’s got to make things happen.”
“I’m
really happy because it’s five years since I’ve had the
opportunity to fight in front of my home crowd,” Godfrey added.
“I’ve been a world tour of sorts. Some of my peers on this card
didn’t even have a pro fight the last time I was here. When Jimmy
asked me to be the co-feature I said, ‘Absolutely,’ but I told
him I didn’t want just another opponent; I wanted the meanest,
ugliest heavyweight we could find. Look at him – this guy’s
huge!”
Godfrey’s
plan is to stay at heavyweight for a few fights until he can find the
right opponent in the cruiserweight, which is where he’s had his
most success in his career, winning the North American Boxing
Federation (NABF) title in that weight class and fighting for a world
title two years ago in Germany.
“I’ve
got my wish,” he said. “Tomorrow is going to be a great night of
boxing.”
Added
Oltmanns: “Eight years ago, I would’ve stood up here and told you
what I killer I am. Those days are over. I love boxing. This sport
has given me a second chance. I thank Matt for giving me this
opportunity. He could fight anyone in the world. He didn’t have to
fight me. I’ll give it my all tomorrow. I hope to put on a show.
You guys will know who Jesse Oltmanns is after tomorrow.”
Tickets
for “Built To Last” are $40.00, $75.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can
be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com,
at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster
location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
Super
middleweights Keith
Kozlin (6-3-1, 4 KOs) of West Warwick, R.I., and Reynaldo
Rodriguez (6-4-1, 3 KOs) of Woonsocket, R.I., will look to settle the score in
a rematch from their fight last July, which ended in a draw, when
they face one another in six-rounder and Pawtucket, R.I.,
middleweight Thomas
Falowo (6-1, 4 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first loss in May when
he faces Rahman
Yusebov (8-8, 6 KOs) of Dallas in a six-round bout.
Benny
Costantino (7-1, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Dennis
Ogboo (6-5, 5 KOs) of Lexington, Ky., in a four-round middleweight bout. Lightweight Zack
Ramsey (1-0, 1 KO) of Springfield, Mass., will face Damon
Antoine (10-38-2, 5 KOs) of Akron, Ohio in a four-round bout and welterweight
newcomer Jansy
Rivera (0-0) of Providence (San Juan, Puerto Rico) will battle fellow
newcomer Luis
Cruz of Manhattan in a four-round bout.
Also
on the undercard, Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas
Falowo (6-1, 4 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first loss in May when
he faces Rahman
Yusebov (8-8, 6 KOs) of Dallas in a six-round bout. Benny
Costantino (7-1, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Dennis
Ogboo (6-5, 5 KOs) of Lexington, Ky., in a four-round middleweight bout.
Lightweight Zack
Ramsey (1-0, 1 KO) of Springfield, Mass., and welterweight newcomer Jansy
Rivera (0-0) of Providence (San Juan, Puerto Rico) will also be on the
undercard in separate four-round bouts. All fights and fighters are
subject to change.
(Twin
River has waived its 18+ rule for “Built to Last.” Anybody under
the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through
the West entrance.)
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