Pro Boxing back in Dorchester

Former Contender finalist returns to the ring!

South Side Promotions in association with Mark Vaz Boxing returns for the second time this year to the Dorchester National Guard Armory in Dorchester, Massachusetts on July 16th with former “Contender” competitor Tim Flamos going toe-to-toe with veteran Darren Whitley for the vacant state cruiserweight title.

“We had a great show last time,” said promoter/boxer Chris Traietti referring to the April 16th show at the Armory which was the first professional boxing card for 2011 in the State of Massachusetts. “The fights were great, we sold out twenty minutes after the doors opened, and everyone left happy. As long as we can stick with the same formula and keep the local fighters busy, we’ll keep going.”

Flamos (28-6-1, 8 KOs), a corrections officer at the Plymouth County House of Corrections, has had a fine career to date, but lost to Felix Cora during the finale of the Contender (February 2009) in his last fight.

“I hate to go out with a loss,” said Flamos.  ”I’d like one more fight before I hang it up, and go out with my hand raised.”

Although Whitley has an unimpressive record of 13 wins and 7 draws against 24 losses, boxing insiders appreciate that he is a more talented fighter than his record reflects.

A good rule of thumb is that if a fighter has a lot of draws, particularly if they are all on the road and in other guy’s hometown, then you can assume the fighter was probably on the wrong end of some close decisions.  Coincidentally, all of Whitley’s draws were on the road.

“Both me and my brother Derek had some bad breaks,” said Whitley.  ”We took fights wherever and whenever, and ended up on the wrong side of a lot of decisions in fights we would have won. I don’t plan to let the judges take this one from me.”

The co-feature will also be the co-promoter.  Chris Traietti (9-2, 5 KOs)  - the partner in South Side Promotions  -  will fight Scott Domenech (1-0) of nearby Worcester in a light-heavyweight matchup.

In a four-round female welterweight bout, Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes (4-1, 1 KO)  -  who is a full-time law student at Suffolk University  -  will face pro debuter Kate Aversa, who was 2-0 as an amateur boxer and has a 5-0 record in amateur Muay Thai.

Derek Silveira will put his 4-0 record on the line against tough journeyman Noel Garcia in a six-round junior middleweight matchup.

Houston Crayton will try for his first win as a professional in a light heavyweight scrap with regional MMA 170-pound champ Paddy “Thunder Kitten” Thompson.

Dan Powers (2-0) of Claremont, New Hampshire will face James Owens (4-4) of Milwaukee. Owens is one of two fighters to go the distance with rising star Rances Barthelemy.

Pro debuters Luis Felix and Chris Gilbert square off in a four-round jr. middleweight bout/

Heavyweight Keith Bianchini (2-0) from Worcester, MA will encounter Randy Smith of Cortland, NY.  Bianchini, who first stepped into a boxing gym four years ago to get in shape and decided to have one pro fight to “see what it was like” won a unanimous decision and decided to have another go at it. During his annual physical, some concerns were discovered and he was subsequently diagnosed with cancer. After a year of treatments, Bianchini was back in the gym with a clean bill of health.  He recently won an exciting fight in his hometown of Worcester. The full-time corrections officer plans to continue to fight, looking to show that a diagnosis of cancer is not a death sentence, but another challenge to triumph over adversity.

Tickets are still available at $25 standing room, $35 open seating, and $50 reserved ringside. For information, contact 617 645-3177.

July 7th, 2011

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