Road to recovery pays dividends for Providence middleweight Harrison-Lombardi

Michael Parente

  
After batting drug addiction for more than nine years and nearly overdosing at the age of 25, Providence, R.I., middleweight boxer KJ Harrison-Lombardi will return to the ring Friday night to continue his remarkable turnaround.

Harrison-Lombardi's story began more than two decades ago in Providence's rough Smith Hill neighborhood, where his father urged him to take up karate and boxing as a way to defend himself. 
 
At 13, Harrison-Lombardi (5-0-1) began a promising amateur career that included several regional titles, but soon found himself straying from the path, absorbed by a life on the streets partying, doing drugs and chasing women. 

A near-death experience in 2008 and a chance reunion with his former boxing coach brought Harrison-Lombardi back to the sport he loved, but not before more setbacks along the way. Read more about his remarkable recovery in this exclusive interview.  

Tickets to Harrison-Lombardi's 2014 debut on Friday, March 28th at Twin River Casino 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 Friday's card features Jersey City, N.J., fan-favorite Chris Chatman (11-3-1, 5 KOs) battling The ContenderSeason 2 champion Grady Brewer (30-18, 16 KOs) of Lawton, Okla., in an eight-round middleweight bout, presented by Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports.

Coming off a knockout win over veteran Arthur Saribekian in November, Cape Cod, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (7-1-1, 5 KOs) will look to stay on track against East Stroudsburg, Pa., heavyweight Glenn Thomas in a four-round bout while Springfield, Mass., welterweight Zack Rasmey (6-0, 3 KOs) takes on veteran Shakha Moore (11-19-3, 2 KOs) of Norwalk, Conn., in a six-rounder.

Louisiana cruiserweight Alvin Varmall Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs), who made his Twin River debut in February with a knockout win overAndre Ward, will return to face Devon Mosley (0-0-1) of Capitol Heights, Md., in a four-round bout and Chattanooga, Tenn., lightweight prospect Ryan Martin (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Justin Robbins (2-5, 1 KO) of Springfield, Ill., in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

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