 Michael Parente Not every fighter scraps the entire playbook following a loss. Some just stay the course. So when Thomas Falowo stepped back into the ring February for the first time since losing to Chris Chatman in 2013, it was as though nothing had changed. No new game plan. No major adjustments. Just the same win-at-all-costs relentless approach Falowo always brings to the table on fight night. "After a loss, people think that's when it's time to go back to the drawing board [but] I felt I looked better [against Chatman] than I did in my last fight," Falowo said. With no hitch in his step, Falowo (11-2, 7 KOs) made quick work of Jaison Palomeque in February, winning by a bizarre disqualification in the third round of a fight Falowo dominated from the opening bell, and now the Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight will return for his second fight of the year against 24-fight veteranJose Ramirez of New Mexico in a six-round bout Friday, June 6th, 2014 on the undercard of CES Boxing's "Unstoppable" card at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I. "I plan on being a lot more active [in 2014]," Falowo said. "This will be my second fight. I hope to get at least two more this one and end the year 4-0." With trainer Peter Manfredo Sr. in his corner, anything is possible for Falowo. The loss to Chatman -- the first eight-round bout of Falowo's career -- appears to have been nothing more than a minor bump in the road. After disposing of Palomeque, Falowo now has seven knockouts among his 11 wins, an important statistic as he attempts to break into the middleweight rankings and possibly earn some national airtime in the near future. "It was a must-win for me, especially since it was directly after a loss," Falowo said of his fight against Palomeque. "I've seen too many fighters fall into the opponent category after back-to-back losses, but I don't plan on losing again anytime soon." If he gets through 2014 unscathed, Falowo could soon find himself in contention for a regional title, either in the North American Boxing Federation (NABF), North American Boxing Association (NABA), or another regional sanctioning body with ties to a major organization. The key is stepping up to face bigger, better competition within the next year, which he says he's ready for. "I've never turned away from a tough fight," Falowo said. "It's about that time to take it to the next level where the belts and TV time comes into the picture." With more wins comes more opportunities, and, as Falowo said, he's only as good as his last fight, so the emphasis now is to win and win convincingly every time he steps into that ring. This is a big year that could lead to big things down the road. "Every time I'm under the lights, I'm there to make a statement," Falowo said. Tickets for "Unstoppable" are priced at $41, $76 and $126 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Players Club at Twin River. All fights and fighters are subject to change. The main event of "Unstoppable" features the heavy-hitting Rich Gingras (13-4-1, 8 KOs) of Lincoln, R.I., battling veteran Jaime Velazquez (11-6-2, 2 KOs) of Central Falls, R.I., in an eight-round bout for the vacant New England Light Heavyweight Title. The undercard features the return of Hyannis, Mass., heavyweightJesse Barboza (8-1-1, 5 KOs), who will face Jamal Woods (4-11-3, 4 KOs) of Forrest City, Ark., in a four-round bout. Barboza has won four consecutive fights since 2013, including a unanimous-decision win over Glenn Thomas in March. Unbeaten Boston heavyweight Donnie Palmer (4-0-1, 4 KOs) will fight John Orr (1-3) of Kansas City, Mo., in a four-round bout. Also on the undercard, Springfield, Mass., super middleweight Mike Rodriguez (0-1) will face veteran On'Rey Towns (0-4) of Wilson, N.C., and Willimantic, Conn., light heavyweight Kevin Cobbs (8-1, 2 KOs) will return to the ring just six days after his latest win to take on 17-fight veteran Borngod Washington of Queens, N.Y. |
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