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Chatman sets off early fireworks in advance of July 17th bout

Published

9 years ago

July 3, 2015

Chatman on July 17th Twin River showdown: ‘I will massacre Biosse’

LINCOLN, R.I. (July 2^nd, 2015) – A fight nearly two years in the making will finally come to fruition Friday, July 17^th, 2015 as super middleweight Vladine Biosse faces Chris Chatman in the main event of CES Boxing’s “Rhode To Redemption” show at Twin River Casino.

Those familiar with Chatman’s no-nonsense, outspoken bravado know the Jersey City native is never one to mince words. The 5-foot-8 southpaw guarantees a win over “Mr. Providence” in a fight he’s lobbied for since his most noteworthy victory at Twin River, a 2013 split-decision win over hometown favorite Thomas Falowo.

“I’m going to fuck Vla up, plain and simple,” Chatman said. “This is personal for me, and I need to thank Vla, actually, because it’s been a while since I’ve had this rage in me. I’ve always had a love for the sport I’m in, but it’s been a while since I’ve had that fire that’s burning, that killer instinct.

“Right now, you throw sportsmanship out the window. This is going to be a fight. It’s not even going to be a fight. I’m going to massacre Vladine.”

“I’m not about to talk trash,” Biosse countered. “Ever since I’ve been doing this, I’ve never talked trash about anybody. That’s just my motto. One thing I’ll say is I work hard and bring the best out of myself. Whoever my opponent is that night, I’m going to work harder than you and bring better work than you.

“It’s your job to top that. If he can top that, props to him, but I doubt it.”

The 10-round super middleweight main event headlines another stacked card for CES Boxing, featuring eight exciting bouts and a special ceremony in which former Providence Olympian Jason Estrada will be inducted into the CES Ring of Honor.

Tickets for “Rhode To Redemption” are priced at $40.00, $100.00 and $125.00 (VIP) and available for purchase online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The bad blood between Biosse (15-6-2, 7 KOs) and Chatman (12-5-1, 5 KOs) stems primarily from online chatter via social media, culminating in a chance meeting between the two while Biosse was in New Jersey participating in a training camp.

“I’m at the mall with my son and Vlad shows up. He walked up to me and I said, ‘Man, who are you?’ because I’m not making the connection that it’s Vladine Biosse because Vladine Biosse lives all the way in Providence, Rhode Island,” Chatman said.

“I said, ‘Man, what the fuck you want?’ and he says, ‘Listen, I just want to let you know I’m down here for a camp.’ I knew that was bullshit because if they’re looking for a middleweight southpaw I’m the first motherfucker they should be looking at anyway.

“I told him, ‘I apologize for things getting out of hand, but I want to fight you, so when’s it going to happen?’ He said, ‘I don’t know …’ and started talking about managers and this and that. That pissed me off. I had to swallow my pride for the sake of my son. If it weren’t for my son, that fight would’ve happened on the street.”

Biosse acknowledges he and Chatman crossed paths, but denies ever refusing a showdown in the ring.

“I approached him because of the things he was saying online about me,” Biosse said. “If he was an honest man, he’d say the same thing. He apologized to me and said it was just for the fans and that he does what he does to hype the fight.

“I spoke to him about not mentioning my name in his beef because I’m not an internet fighter. If you want to fight me, we’ll make it happen. I told him, ‘As far as right now, you’re not on my level. You have to get a few wins to get on my level.’”

“If he’s a real man, he’ll speak the truth.”

Finally, on July 17^th, the Biosse-Chatman feud will end between the ropes, where it was destined to end all along. A fixture at Twin River since his first appearance in 2009, Chatman owns a lifetime 3-2 record in Rhode Island and will be fighting at the same venue for this second time this year, whereas Biosse is returning to familiar territory for the first time since a majority draw against Rich Gingras in 2013.

“I really appreciate my fan base,” Biosse said. “If people love what you do and follow and support what you’re doing, there’s nothing that makes you feel better. When people heard ‘Mr. Providence’ is back, they told me, ‘We’re coming to support you and show some love,’ and, ‘We’ve been waiting on you.’ It feels great. It gives me that motivation.

“I’ve got to put on a show for these people. They love me and love what I do.”

Stylistically, facing Chatman will be a difficult task. The diminutive southpaw likes to work on the inside and has been known to break down his opponents to the body, but Biosse is confident now that he’s reunited with his original trainer, Orlondo Valles, who actually trained Gingras when Gingras and Biosse fought one another in 2013.

“Orlondo is always sharp with what he does, and I could feel the difference after the first week,” said Biosse, who acknowledged he and Valles are also working with trainer Paul Andrade in preparation for this bout. “I was like, ‘Damn, I’ve been slacking a little bit.’

“After the first week, things picked up,” he continued. “It’s been great ever since. I’ve got my timing and rhythm back as a boxer, the way I used to fight. With the things I learned from Paul, putting that together with what Orlondo does, I’m on a different level.”

For Chatman, it’s now or never, an opportunity to seize the moment in a fight he’s coveted since his gradual rise from familiar out-of-towner to sudden fan-favorite in Rhode Island. The emotions are running high, but he remains focused on the task at hand.

“I’m aware of that and need to keep that aspect in check, but I’ve got a blood lust for this fight. For whatever reasons he shut this fight down, it’s happening now,” he said.

“This is very emotional for me because this is no Facebook, jibber-jabber shit. You came to my home. I honestly thought he’d ring my doorbell, I don’t think he had the balls to do it at the moment of truth.”

Never one to back down from a tough fight, Chatman considers himself the eternal underdog, willing to fight anyone anywhere at any given time.

“He has all the advantages on paper,” Chatman said. “He’s heavier. I’m already coming up in weight and then he decided to go up in weight. If anything, I should be asking for a catchweight. But I’m going to do what I do. I’m going to come in and beat his sluggish, fat ass from post to post.”

“He comes to fight,” Biosse acknowledged. “He doesn’t box. He fights. He comes forward. I hope he does on the 17^th. I hope comes forward and fights. That’s exactly what I want from him.”

“Rhode To Redemption” also features a dynamic, six-round welterweight co-feature between undefeated Nick DeLomba (7-0, 1 KO) of Cranston, R.I., and Union City, N.J., southpaw Juan Rodriguez Jr. (12-2, 5 KOs), plus the long-awaited return of unbeaten Worcester, Mass., junior middleweight Khiary Gray (7-0, 5 KOs) in a six-round bout.

The undercard features several regional rivalries, starting with a four-round junior middleweight bout between Harford, Conn., vet Joe Wilson Jr. (3-2) and Andy Gonzalez (1-0, 1 KO) of Worcester, Mass., and a four-round heavyweight rematch between Jean Pierre Augustin (4-0-1, 2 KOs) of Lawrence, Mass., and Solomon Maye (1-4-1, 1 KO) of New Haven, Conn. The two fought to a draw in April.

Also on the undercard, Framingham, Mass., super lightweight Julio Perez makes his pro debut against Boston’s Rafael Francis (0-4) and New Bedford, Mass., welterweight Scott Sullivan (1-1, 1 KO) returns to face Providence’s Angel Valdez (0-2), both four-round bouts. Lawrence, Mass., lightweight Jacob Solis (1-0) will make his Twin River debut and fight for the first time since 2012 when he faces Salem, Mass., vet Matt Doherty (2-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round bout.

For more information on “Rhode To Redemption” visit www.cesboxing.com, follow @CESBOXING on Twitter and Instagram and “like” the official CES Boxing Facebook fan page.

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Three Punch Combo: What’s in the Cards for Spence, Kell Brook, and Cotto?

Published

8 years ago

May 28, 2017

Matt Andrzejewski

THREE PUNCH COMBO: Errol Spence Jr. scored an impressive knockout victory against Kell Brook on Saturday to take Brook’s IBF welterweight title. Both fighters now face interesting possibilities as they move forward in their respective careers.

Spence, who entered the fight with a lot of questions, not only showcased his tremendous skills but proved he has a very good chin as well as the willingness to dig deep when needed. He is without a doubt a future superstar in this sport. With momentum strong right now, he would be wise to be as active as possible even if not landing one of the big names his next time out.

I sense that Spence’s advisor, Al Haymon, will in fact get him back in the ring this summer. One name I would speculate as an opponent is Adrian Granados. Coming off a debatable loss to Adrien Broner, Granados has earned another shot at a top fighter. Granados is not a big puncher, but will put forth a good effort. The translation here is that he is someone that can be sold to the public as an opponent for Spence while bigger names are lined up, and also someone against whom Spence can in all likelihood look impressive once again.

After a summer tilt, I would expect to see Spence back in action towards the end of the year in a more substantial fight. Keith Thurman will still be on the mend at this point, recovering from elbow surgery, so that fight is out until next year. But Haymon has plenty of other welterweights and one that I suspect he steers toward Spence will be Lamont Peterson. Peterson is a name and has a belt. He also has a stated desire to want one of the big names next along with the payday that it would command. With Thurman out, this would seem the likely immediate path for Spence as such a fight would draw plenty of attention and be easy to sell.

As for Brook, he is going to need an extensive rest before restarting his career. He suffered a beating as well as an eye injury in September against Gennady Golovkin and then suffered another beating as well as injuring his other eye against Spence. After a rest, expect to see a tune- up bout followed by a massive fight in the UK against Amir Khan. The Khan fight has always been big and one of the reasons it has not been made is that it could frankly be made anytime with it still being a very significant event. Considering where both fighters are presently in their respective careers, the timing seems right for it to happen sooner rather than later. They both get a big payday and the winner gets well positioned for another big payday in what is a loaded territory at welterweight and junior middleweight.

Errol Spence Jr. and Kell Brook gave us a great fight on Saturday. While their career paths will head in different directions, expect to see both involved in big events once again down the road.

Miguel Cotto’s Future

Miguel Cotto announced this week that he would be returning to the ring on August 26^th to face Japanese brawler Yoshihiro Kamegai for the vacant WBO junior middleweight championship. Cotto, who split from his promoter Roc Nation last week, will work with Golden Boy Promotions for this fight which will be televised by HBO.

This is an interesting development in the career of Cotto. Reportedly HBO had not been interested in televising the proposed Kamegai fight unless it received assurances from Cotto that it would lead to a bigger fight to be televised by the network. Also, Golden Boy’s involvement in the promotion signals that they could be involved in Cotto’s future. Obviously, this would mean the opponent for a big fight for Cotto would come from under the Golden Boy banner.

The obvious choice for Cotto’s big fight opponent is David Lemieux. Lemieux has been chasing a fight with Canelo Alvarez. However, with Alvarez deciding to go after Gennady Golovkin, Lemieux gets left on the outside looking in. In need of a big fight for Lemieux, Golden Boy saw an opportunity with Cotto having been previously negotiating the Kamegai fight with Roc Nation. A fight between Cotto and Lemieux makes sense for both as Cotto wants a name who isn’t a slick boxer and Lemieux wants a big fight with the payday it commands as well as the opportunity to put a signature win on his resume to bolster his future ambitions.

But I also think Golden Boy has another potential plan for Cotto. Golden Boy’s main cash cow, Canelo Alvarez, is in a high risk, high reward fight with Golovkin in September. There is no rematch clause if Alvarez wins and, of course, a win by Alvarez cements him as a mega star in the sport. He will be eyeing a return in May 2018 during Cinco de Mayo weekend. With momentum behind him, Alvarez would be wise to seek a name opponent to further boost the event. A rematch with Cotto would not only do huge business but keep the momentum going. For Cotto, it would be a chance to avenge the loss from 2015 to Alvarez and give him one massive payday as his career nears a conclusion.

Miguel Cotto is determined to close his career out with something big and it appears likely he will get his wish.

Kudos to Golden Boy

When Golden Boy announced its new series on ESPN this winter, I was cautiously optimistic in the fights they would produce. I must say that the matchmaking thus far on this series has been superb and is getting even better with some recently announced cards. These are the types of televised shows the sport needs to generate some badly needed positive buzz.

On June 17^th, Pablo Cesar Cano takes on Fidel Maldonado in a junior welterweight contest. This fight is not only very evenly matched but can’t be anything except a slugfest given the styles of the two fighters. Cano is a high pressure fighter who is willing to exchange to get his own punches home. Maldonado has the ability to box, but often gets drawn willingly into wars. In 2015, he had a back and forth shootout with Amir Iman in a fight that got some talk in fight of the year chatter. As a matter of fact, round three was probably round of the year that year. Maldonado has a tendency to fire back when he gets hit and with Cano’s style Maldonado is going to get hit a lot. This one is guaranteed action and a perfect fight for television.

About two weeks later, Golden Boy returns with another ESPN card featuring a high stakes junior featherweight contest between Randy Caballero and Oscar Negrete. Caballero is an undefeated former bantamweight belt holder and is a very skilled boxer puncher. Negrete, also undefeated, has shown much improvement inside the ring in his last few contests. The styles of these two should mix well to provide an entertaining fight. It is also evenly matched, and with so much at stake we should see the best of both men inside the ring.

One point I harp on a lot is the importance of good matchmaking, especially in televised fights. Golden Boy is doing an excellent job so far with their new ESPN series providing high quality, well-matched fights. The boxing public is taking notice and Golden Boy deserves much praise in delivering excellent events for the fans.

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel.

IBF welterweight title

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George Foreman Youth Center in Houston Hosts Amateur Event

Published

8 years ago

October 10, 2016

The Sweet Science

George Foreman Youth Center – -Starting with the ring of the bell on October 22nd, local area boxers will be fighting for a spot to represent the Gulf Coast Region at the USA Boxing National Championships & in International Travel.

Weight categories will include: Pee Wee 8-9, Bantam 10-11, Intermediate 12-13, Juniors 14-15, Youth 15-16, & Elite 18-40 in both Open and Novice divisions. Winners will represent the Gulf area at the 2016 USA Boxing Elite, Youth and Junior National Championships to be held in Kansas City Missouri December 4-10, 2016. This tournament is a sanctioned event through USA Boxing the National Governing Body of Amateur Boxing and is a feeder to National and Olympic recognition.

The George Foreman Youth and Community Center was founded 32 years ago in 1984 by Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-time heavy weight champion George Foreman. The GFYCC is dedicated to providing a safe and secure location for youth to participate in sports and after school activities.

“This year for the first time in Houston boxing history, we are developing an elite international youth boxing team,” said George Foreman, IV. “The team will be selected for the sole purpose of training and traveling to other countries to gain experience on an international platform and promote cultural diplomacy! Utilizing grant and donor funding this team will be representing the George Foreman Youth and Community Center and will be announced Saturday October 22, at the Gulf Region’s Boxing Championship. The team will be reviewed by my father, 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-Time Heavyweight Champion, George Foreman Sr. The first international trip for this new Houston team is scheduled for Jan. 2017.”

Doors open for the Gulf Gloves Championships on Saturday October 22nd at 11:00 am with announcements and the presentation of the colors by the United States Army Houston Recruiting Command Baytown Beaumont Company at 12:45 pm. The national anthem will be performed by the internationally acclaimed Houston Brass Quintet! Boxing will begin at 1:00 pm. Championship finals will begin at 1:00 pm on Sunday October 23rd.

Media open workouts for Houston amateur standout boxers will be held Wednesday October 19th at the George Foreman Youth and Community Center at 2202 Lone Oak Road Houston, Texas 77093 at 4:00 pm.

Confirmed attendees for interviews will be:

George Edward Foreman IV: Son of 2 Time Heavy Weight Champion, President of Foreman Public Relations

Marlen Esparza: 2012 Olympic Games Bronze Medalist, 2014 Amateur World Champion, 2006 & 2016 Amateur World Championships Bronze Medalist, Nine-Time USA Boxing National Champion.

Rocky Juarez: 2000 Olympic Games Silver Medalist, 1999 Amateur World Champion, WBC Silver Featherweight World Champion.

Raul Marquez: 1988 Amateur World Championships Bronze Medalist, 1992 Olympic Games Quarter-finalist, IBF Light Middleweight World Champion.

Frank Tate: 1984 Olympic Games Gold Medalist, IBF Middleweight World Champion, NABF Light Heavyweight Champion.

Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz: WBA Lightweight World Champion, WBO Lightweight World Champion, WBA Super-Lightweight World Champion, IBF Lightweight World Champion.

“Sweet” Reggie Johnson: WBA Middleweight World Champion, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion.

In addition to many Houston area professional boxers and Gulf Boxing Association alumni. Event is sanctioned by USA Boxing – Gulf LBC: 16-25-14268

George Foreman Youth Center / Check out more boxing news and videos at The Boxing Channel.

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Press Releases

Michelle Corrales-Lewis Named New CEO of NV Boxing Hall of Fame

Published

8 years ago

October 5, 2016

Miguel Iturrate

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 5, 2016) – The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (NVBHOF) a non-profit charitable organization which donates to boxing-related causes, is happy to announce Michelle Corrales-Lewis as its new CEO/President. Respected boxing announcer, Rich Marotta, who founded the NVBHOF in 2012, steps down after devoting years of his life to get the organization off the ground.

With a number of boxing greats already inducted, which include world champion fighters, judges, coaches and promoters, the NVBHOF has rapidly established itself as prestigious group not only here in Las Vegas, but around the world. The NVBHOF has multiple fundraising events throughout the year, helping local boxing organizations fulfill their goals to keep boxing alive within the community.

“I took this organization as far as I could and I’m very comfortable where it is at today,” said Rich Marotta. “Michelle is on the scene in Las Vegas, has a myriad of contacts, both in business and with the boxing community, especially the fighters, and is more than ready to completely run the company. She is incredibly capable and has been an indefatigable agent for growth of the NVBHOF the past three years, taking on additional responsibilities each and every year. It brings me great pleasure to announce her as the new CEO of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.”

After serving as the NVBHOF Chief Operating Officer for many years, Michelle Corrales-Lewis, is thrilled at her new position within the organization.

“It’s an honor to be chosen as the new CEO of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame,” said Michelle Corrales-Lewis, widow of former multiple world champion and 2013 NVBHOF inductee, Diego Corrales. “Rich Marotta did a fantastic job building the organization from ground up. His immense work ethic is a great example of how I plan to continue the vision he set forth. My goal is to find a home for the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, one where fans from all around the world can visit on regular basis. The boxing community is filled with wonderful people that we will honor as inductees each year. I’m truly grateful for the wonderful opportunity that has been presented to me by my dear friend Rich Marotta.”

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