Clampitt, Gonzalez, and Balletto headline CES’ star-studded return to live action

Fans will be in attendance for the time in more than a year as CES Boxing returns with a huge outdoor spectacular to kick off the summer season live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.

On Saturday, June 19, CES brings live professional boxing to Rhode Island’s historic Cranston Stadium, the state’s most revered outdoor multi-sport complex, for a special matinee show beginning with preliminary bouts at noon followed by the live stream of the main card at 1 on FIGHT PASS. 
 
While the COVID-19 pandemic prevented fans from attending live combat sports events worldwide, CES is excited to welcome fans to Cranston Stadium on June 19. Sources report that this will be Rhode Island’s first outdoor boxing event since August 25, 1959 at Pierce Memorial Stadium in East Providence when former world light heavyweight title challenger Tony Anthony – who battled pound-for-pound great and Hall of Famer Archie Moore two years prior – knocked out Providence’s Bob Young in the eighth round of their scheduled 10-round bout

This is CES’ first event since a closed-door FIGHT PASS show in October and its first in front of a live audience since February of 2020 in Worcester, MA.

“No sport is more exciting than live, professional boxing, and absolutely nothing can replace the thrill and energy of fans in attendance creating the fight-night atmosphere our fighters deserve,” said CES Boxing president and CEO Jimmy Burchfield Sr. “This has been a long road for everyone in the sport, promoters and fighters included, but we’re confident the best is yet to come as we all finally return to doing what we do best.”
 
“We are grateful for the conscientious efforts of Governor Dan McKee, Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins and other state and local officials in re-opening business in Rhode Island. Most importantly, we are extremely thankful for our loyal fans who’ve stuck with us over the past year and a half. We promised we’d be back better than before and we guarantee 4th of July fireworks on June 19!” 

With the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the state of Rhode Island revising their COVID-19 guidelines in recent weeks, tickets will be available starting at $50 online at CESFights.com. The event will also include a moment of silence to honor those who have lost their lives to COVID-19. 

The June 19 matinee will feature a mix of CES’ top fan favorites and rising stars, including the highly-anticipated return of four-time world champion; Saskatchewan native; and Warwick, RI, resident Jamie “Hurricane” Clampitt (22-5-1, 7 KOs), who fights for the first time since 2013 in a six-round showcase against former WBC super featherweight champion Olivia Gerula (18-19-2, 3 KOs) of Ontario. 

Also fighting June 19 is Worcester, MA, featherweight and reigning WBC World Youth champion Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (14-3, 11 KOs), who recently faced Edward Vazquez in a show-stopping preliminary bout on the undercard of the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. event in November. 

Lynn, MA, welterweight Khiry Todd (10-1, 8 KOs) makes his long-awaited return, ending a 20-month layoff, and fellow welterweight Victor Reynoso (6-0, 5 KOs) of Providence puts his unbeaten record on the line in his first fight since November of 2019, both in separate six-round bouts. The undercard also features Mansfield, MA, welterweight James Perella (6-0, 4 KOs), who made his CES debut in October with a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Antonio Castillo, and the long-awaited return of Cranston light heavyweight Gary Balletto III (1-0, 1 KO), the son of New England boxing icon Gary “Tiger” Balletto. 

Charismatic fan favorite Mike “Bling Bling” Valentin (6-1-1) of Providence is also back in action, returning to the ring for the first time since battling regional rival Josh Orta in 2019. He joins undefeated Pawtucket, RI, featherweight Ricky Delossantos (9-0, 1 KO), who ends a 22-month layoff, and New Bedford, MA, super lightweight Wilson Mascarenhas (3-1), who is aiming for his fourth consecutive win.

Clampitt’s comeback figures to draw considerable buzz in boxing circles. The 44-year-old female boxing icon perfected her craft under the guidance of Burchfield. A pioneer in women’s boxing, Clampitt captured the first of her four world titles in 2003 with a unanimous decision win over Eliza Olson for the IWBF super lightweight crown and four years later dropped down to 135 pounds to defeat fellow icon Mia St. John for the IWBF lightweight title in 2007.

After retiring in 2010, Clampitt returned to the ring three years later at Twin River Casino Hotel and beat Dominga Oliva by unanimous decision. In 2019, she was among seven fighters inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame in Nevada. 

Gonzalez will headline the card as he looks to rebound from a narrow loss to Edward Vazquez for the vacant WBC USNBC featherweight title in November. Gonzalez and Vazquez stole the spotlight in the opener of the Tyson-Jones pay-per-view telecast, matching wits – and fists – for eight hard rounds. In 2019 as the co-main event of CES’ last show in front of a live audience, Gonzalez secured the youth title with a thrilling knockout win over the dangerous Yeuri Andujar in front of his hometown fans. A standout amateur, the 25-year-old Gonzalez competed in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Nevada before making his professional debut later that summer. 

Visit CESFights.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, visit ufcfightpass.com, or download the UFC app.

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