“Willie Pep Classic” Runs April 9th in CT

HARD HITTIN’ PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES DATE FOR “THE WILLIE PEP CLASSIC” PRO BOXING EVENT IN HARTFORD, CT.

MIDDLETOWN – “Hard Hittin’ Promotion” president Jacqueline Cartelli announced today that “The Willie Pep Boxing Classic” professional boxing show will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center on April 9th, 2011. “

I am happy to announce the first of hopefully many pro boxing shows that will showcase Connecticut based boxers,” Cartelli said. “What better ‘kick-off’ than a show to honor the best fighter (Pep) to ever come out of Connecticut.”

In an effort to bring boxing back to Hartford on a consistent basis, Hard Hittin’ promotions plans to put on a show every three months, reminiscent of the old time “Friday Night Fights” of yesteryear.

The Main Event of the evening will feature popular Hebron heavyweight Tony Grano, on the comeback trail following an upset TKO defeat to Nicolay Firtha in his last bout. Before that, Grano scored an upset of his own when he stopped previously unbeaten Travis Kaufmann in the third round on a Sho-Box televised card.

The Co-Feature on April 9th will feature a sure-fire WAR between two of Hartford’s most well known veterans, former IBF world lightweight title challenger Israel “Pito” Cardona (36-10) and Luis Maysonet (32-11). Maysonet has faced off with the likes of Thomas Daamgard, Ivan Robinson, Shannon Taylor and Hector “Macho” Camacho.

Cardona defeated Ivan Robinson via third round technical knockout and lost in his only title try against Paul Spadafora in 1999.

The featured undercard match will pit extremely popular unbeaten (5-0) up and coming super featherweight prospect Joey “Chip” Perez of East Hartford against former amateur star Charles Vanderveer of Brooklyn, New York. Perez is trained by former IBF world light heavyweight title challenger and 2009 Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee “Iceman” John Scully of nearby Windsor.

The April 9th card will showcase such local talent as featherweight prospect Danny Aquino (5-1) of Meriden, Connecticut's undefeated (5-0-1) welterweight Dominic DeSanto, Hartford (via Yonkers NY) lightweight Chazz McDowell and New Haven's unbeaten (5-0) junior lightweight Luis Rosa Jr.

Also featured on the undercard is Middletown's 1-0 light heavyweight Doug Cartelli, 180 pounds.

Willie Pickard, 154, of Middletown will be making his pro debut.
Tickets: $100 RINGSIDE, $80 PREFERRED SEATING, $60 RESERVED, $40 GENERAL ADMISSION. For tickets call: 860-402-4838 or The Lions Den @ 860-613-2394
Hall of Famer Pep, born Gugliermo Papaleo in Middletown, Connecticut in 1922, was a two-time world featherweight world champion who retired in 1966 after a twenty-six year professional career that saw him compile an amazing record of 229 wins against only 11 defeats and one draw. He had 65 knockouts to his credit.

Pep was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York 1990. He passed away on November 23, 2006 at the age of 84.