Vladine Biosse doesn’t have time to sit back and reflect on his huge win over Joey “K.O. Kid” Spina in May.
He’s too busy getting ready for the next challenge, one he hopes will move him another step closer toward achieving his ultimate goal of winning a world title.
“I’m just trying to continue on my path,” said the Providence, R.I., native, who will headline Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Built To Last” professional boxing event Thursday, July 19th, 2012 at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I.
“I’m going to be a world champion. It’s not that I want to be one or hope to be one – I’m going to be a world champion, and that’s it. I’ve put too much into this sport to stop now.”
The win over Spina on May 24th – a convincing, unanimous-decision victory in front of a sold-out crowd at Twin River – erased any doubt as to whether or not Biosse (13-1-1, 6 KOs) has the ability to be a legitimate contender in the super middleweight division. Under the tutelage of head trainer Orlondo Valles and former title contender Ray Oliveira, Biosse out-boxed Spina from start to finish, putting “Mr. Providence” back on the map after a year-long stretch in which he had just one victory in three tries.
“In my mind, I never left the map,” Biosse said. “Never once did I say to myself, ‘Damn, I lost it!’ or ‘I’ve lost a step and need to get it back.’ Maybe some people doubted, but I always knew my ability. To me, I’ll always be on the map and I’ll always be working. This fight definitely solidified a lot of things and cleared up people’s minds.
“I had no doubt about that fight,” he continued. “We watched Joey’s fights from beginning to end and knew he couldn’t go the distance or last too long in the fight, so, knowing my strength is my conditioning and my ability to stay fresh from start to finish, our plan was to stay away from his punching power and use my strengths to my advantage. It was a great strategy all across the board, from my coaches to my management. It really paid off.”
The nickname “Mr. Providence” has never seemed more fitting for Biosse than it does now considering he just dismantled one of the city’s most prolific fighters. With the sting from his first and only career loss last year finally having dissipated, Biosse can now focus on the future, which looks brighter than ever. Looking to capitalize on the surging momentum both in and outside of the ring, Biosse is wasting no time as he prepares to step to the plate again less than two months after the biggest victory of his career.
“We’re going right back to the drawing board,” Biosse said. “We don’t take too much for granted. You can’t get a big head. You just have to stay humble and get right back to work. Nothing is going to come easy for me after this, so it’s right back to the same hard work I’m used to – the same work I’m supposed to be putting in.
“This makes me even hungrier. I could be the guy they call for that big fight, but the only way to do that is to stay humble and keep working hard.”
Biosse also has peace of mind knowing his lifelong promoter, Jimmy Burchfield Sr., will be in his corner for the long haul after he and Classic Entertainment & Sports recently finalized a contract extension, keeping “Mr. Providence” in the city that has adopted him as one of its most celebrated athletes.
“To have a team around you that you can trust and that you know will take you where you need to be without any questions is important,” he said. “No matter what you’re looking to do, they’re on the same page as you are. That’s one of the keys in this game, and in every other sport as well.”
While Biosse’s goal of winning a world title remains a constant, the path he’s chosen to take has changed within the past year following his loss to Denis Grachev in May of 2011. The reigning New England Super Middleweight Champion has managed to stay aggressive while choosing his opponents carefully, a delicate balance he and his team maintained beautifully in the recent win over Spina.
There’s more and more at stake each time he steps into the ring, so Biosse is careful not to bite off more than he can chew, but there’s also an inherent pressure to win now while he’s still in his prime. That leaves little time for reflection – only time to keep working on that goal of winning a world title.
“The lesson I learned from losing was, ‘Don’t try to be too much of a macho man,’” Biosse said. “You have to learn and be smart, because this is a business.
“You can’t just shoot for the stars; you shoot for the moon so that you still have the stars to land on if you miss. I’ve learned not to try to take it all in one shot. This game is like a ladder. You step up, step up, step up, but every now and then you have to stay on that one step until you figure it all out.”
Tickets for “Built To Last” are $40.00, $75.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
Providence’s Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey (20-3, 10 KOs) will face Jesse Oltmanns (10-3, 7 KOs) of Bartonsville, Pa., in the six-round cruiserweight co-feature while super middleweights Keith Kozlin (6-3-1, 4 KOs) of West Warwick, R.I., and Reynaldo Rodriguez (6-4-1, 3 KOs) of Woonsocket, R.I., will look to settle the score in a rematch from their fight last July, which ended in a draw.
Also on the undercard, light heavyweight Kevin Cobbs (4-0, 1 KO) of Burlington, Vt., will battle Queens’ native Donte Wiggins (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round bout and Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (6-1, 4 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first loss in May when he faces Rahman Yusebov (8-8, 6 KOs) of Dallas in a six-round bout. Benny Costantino (7-1, 4 KOs) of Warwick, R.I., will face Dennis Ogboo (6-5, 5 KOs) of Lexington, Ky., in a four-round middleweight bout, and lightweight Zack Ramsey (1-0, 1 KO) of Springfield, Mass., and welterweight newcomer Jansy Rivera of Providence (San Juan, Puerto Rico) will be featured in separate four-round bouts. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
