Remillard & O’Connor lead New Englanders on loaded Spadafora-Ponce card
NABO & NABF Featherweight Champion Matt “ Sharp Shooter” Remillard and 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Alternate, Danny O’Connor, lead a host of talented New Englanders into the ring Nov. 20 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The top-to-bottom loaded card, present by Mike Acri Boxing Promotions, in association with Mohegan Sun, is headlined by junior welterweight Paul “The Pittsburgh Kid” Spadafora (44-0-1, 18 KOs), the former IBF Lightweight Champion fighting in New England for the first time, against Argentina-invader Diego Jesus “El Camicero” Ponce (19-5-3, 3 KOs) in the 10-round main event.
Remillard (22-0, 13 KOs), who lives in nearby Manchester (CT), is rated No. 5 by the WBO, as well as No. 6 by the WBC and WBA. The talented 24-year-old will be fighting close to home once again (7-0, 5 KOs at Mohegan Sun) against Cuauhtemoc Vargas (15-4-1, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
“It’s always fun for me to fight at Mohegan Sun,” Remillard said. “It’s a beautiful place and I’m looking forward to fighting there again in front of my family, friends and fans. Spadafora was one of the fighters I loved watching when I was coming up. I like his style. I really respect promoter Mike Acri for putting me on his card. He had to wait for me to get approved to fight. A lot of other promoters wouldn’t have waited but he kept his word.
“I’m also looking forward to fighting on the same card as Danny O’Connor. We’ve sparred together a few times and Danny’s style is exactly like Spadafora’s. My stable-mates, Chip (Perez) and Addy (Irrizarry) are fighting on this card, too. I need to win and win impressively to close the show (year) in style and get closer to where I want to get – world title shot. I want to close out the year with a bang.”
O’Connor (13-0, 3 KOs), an undefeated junior welterweight from Framingham (MA), was supposed to fight Nov. 19 in his hometown, but the show was cancelled and the popular Irish-American landed on the Spadafora-Ponce card. He is matched against his original opponent, Humberto Tapia (15-15-1, 8 KOs), in an 8-round bout.
Hometown favorite, welterweight Addy Irizarry (8-4, 2 KOs), faces her stiffest test against IFBA Welterweight Champion and former U.S. Amateur Boxer of the Year, Jill Emery (9-4, 3 KOs), in a 6-round, non-title fight. Irizarry, a correctional officer from Hartford, has won her last two fights.
Boston super middleweight and former amateur standout, Mark “The Italian Bazooka” DeLuca (7-0, 5 KOs), puts his unbeaten record on the line against an opponent to be determined in a 6/8 round match.
Also fighting on the undercard in 4-rounders are Fall River (MA) junior middleweight Dustin Reinhold (3-1, 2 KOs) vs. TBA, undefeated Hartford lightweight Joseph “Chip Perez (4-0, 1 KO) vs. Ronnie Peterson (3-4, 1 NC, 3 KOs), Worcester (MA) heavyweight Keith Bianchini (1-0, 0 KOs) vs. Antonio Robertson (0-2), and Youngstown (OH) lightweight prospect Chris Hazimihalis (3-0, 3 K)s) vs. TBA.
Tickets, priced at $30.00 (general admission), $45.00 (reserved) and $75.00 (ringside), are available to purchase at the Mohegan Sun box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000. Doors open at 6 PM/ET, first bout at 7:30 PM/ET. For more information got on line to www.MoheganSun.com.
