Cranston, R.I., welterweight boxer Nick DeLomba has a new team in his corner as he prepares for his first fight of the year Friday night at Twin River Casino. The Gary Balletto protege is 2-0 since turning pro last year. (CES photo by Ian Travis Barnard) By Michael Parente PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 20th, 2014) – Getting motivated to fight and actually stepping through the ropes and trading blows with an opponent has never been a problem for Cranston, R.I., welterweight Nick DeLomba.
“I’ve always had structure in the gym,” DeLomba said, “but I never had it in my life.” With a new team in his corner, DeLomba (2-0) has finally found that much-needed balance between boxing and life outside of the gym, putting the 24-year-old welterweight on a collision-course with greatness in a region littered with talented 147-pounders. Getcha bracket ready folks! It's that time of the year, March Madness baby! Bringing the madness to the WBOB air waves are your usual cast of characters of Michael Parente and Kevin Aherne with Ryan Fox behind the boards. Joining them this week are Brendan McGair of the Pawtucket Times and Woonsocket Call to discuss the red hot PC Friars and their chances in the tournament. Then you have Dan Soden joining in the second hour to talk about some NFL Free Agency, including how the once frugal New England Patriots decided to open up their check book and spend big time. To take a quote from the great Dick Vitale, this show is a Dipsy-doo Dunk-a-roo! Jersey City, N.J., light middleweight Chris Chatman, right, will face The Contender Season 2 champion Grady Brewer in the main event Friday, March 28th, 2014 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. Chatman is 2-1 in his career at Twin River, including a win over fan-favorite Thomas Falowo in July. (CES photo by Kelly MacDonald) PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 18th, 2014) -- As far as out-of-town fighters are concerned, Chris Chatman has had so much success at Twin River the casino might want to consider adding his name to the deed. The hard-hitting fan-favorite from Jersey City will return to his second home Friday, March 28th, 2014 when he faces The Contender alum Grady Brewer in the eight-round middleweight main event of Classic Entertainment & Sports' upcoming professional boxing card at the Event Center.
The event also features the return of Cape Cod, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (7-1-1, 5 KOs); unbeaten Providence middleweight KJ Harrison-Lombardi (5-0-1); welterweight Nick DeLomba (2-0) of Cranston, R.I., and undefeated Springfield, Mass., welterweight Zack Rasmey (6-0, 3 KOs). After 20 years of waiting, Bryce Cotton and Co. bring the Big East Title back home to Providence College. Ryan Fox----@Spider_Fox87 The year was 1994. The average price of gas of Rhode Island was under 90 cents, Buddy Cianci was in his third year as Mayor of Providence and in the process of cleaning up the city. That year was also the last time the Providence College (PC) Friars were in the Big East Title Game.
Michael Parente
Nobody saw the kick coming. Especially Drew Fickett. Facing the toughest test of his career, Providence’s Luis Felix delivered what might be the Knockout of the Year Friday, knocking Fickett unconscious with a rear leg kick to the neck in the opening round of their main event bout at “CES MMA XXII” at Twin River Casino. The 34-year-old Fickett (42-21) entered Friday’s main event with 62 fights under his belt, including seven with the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), but Felix (11-7, 4 KOs) has a knack for rising to the occasion and he did so again Friday with his sixth win in seven fights and his third against a former UFC vet. The end came rather unexpectedly at the 2-minute, 29-second mark of the opening round. With the two lightweights standing toe-to-toe, Felix feigned a left hook and as Fickett momentarily dropped his right hand, Felix unloaded with a left kick that struck Fickett just below the right ear. Fickett crashed to the canvas and referee Kevin MacDonald immediately stopped the bout. Dan Soden
I’m not clairvoyant so picking winners and loser in free agency thus far is the equivalent of picking red or black at the roulette table at 2 in the morning. I could be right, but chances are whatever I think I know will change come opening day. It took 20 years but the Friars are back in the Big East Tournament Title Game Ryan Fox ---@Spider_Fox87 It’s that time of the year for Big East fans, the Big East tournament. However this year’s tournament will be without the familiar faces of ghost pasts (Syracuse, UConn, Louisville, etc.). But then again, if you’re a Providence College (PC) Friars fan then the time is now to get that Big East crown. Going into the Big East Tournament, the Friars needed to win the tournament or at least have a strong showing to make a case to make it to the Big Dance in March.
Travis Barrett
I’m not comfortable with this. Not at all. I know what my eyes tell me — that the Bruins have won seven straight games entering this weekend, won the second game of three back-to-back stints in the month of March already, and are among the NHL’s hottest teams since the Olympic break. Frankly, it’s a bit unsettling. The (pre-2004) New England sports fan in me is searching for a reason to hate: Something — anything — to be miserable about with this hockey team right now, but it’s just not there. Even the media-created “The Bruins Were The Biggest Loser At The NHL Trade Deadline” headline is laughable just over a week after the fact. Losers, schmoozers. They’ve haven’t lost since the deadline passed. How good have they Bruins been? Here’s a list: By Michael Parente Providence College did its part Thursday, beating St. John’s in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden, and also got a little help from an unlikely source in Seton Hall University. Shortly before the Friars and Red Storm tipped off, the 8th-seeded Pirates upended No. 1 Villanova, setting up another old-school Big East semifinal showdown Friday night in the Big Apple. Needing a win to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive, the 4th-seeded Friars survived a rare off-night from Bryce Cotton and instead rode the hot hand of Josh Fortune to a 79-74 win over the 5th-seeded Red Storm, all but ending St. John’s chances of earning an at-large bid to the Big Dance. Fortune finished with a season-high 24 points while Cotton shot just 1-for-10 and failed to hit a 3-pointer on four attempts. It's Wednesday and you know what that means. It's time for some Psycho Sports, the Hump Day Edition. Michael Parente and Ryan Fox dish out the hot sports takes as they talk some NCAA Tourney Talk with Brendan McGair of the Pawtucket Times. Then in the second hour, WBOB hockey guru Travis Barrett joins the duo to talk some Bruins (GO Bs GO!). But things get serious as Parente and Fox talk some #NFLFreeAgency including the big moves the Broncos made and the big non-moves the Patriots made. Plus a special appearance by the Pal towards the end to wrap things up and bring it all home. |
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