Shelito Vincent dominates Christina Ruiz at Twin River

Vincent beats Ruiz & 6 Supporting Bouts

The Revival 
ringside report

words and pictures by Alex Pierpaoli

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New Englanders emerged from hibernation to a rainy, foggy but finally, milder Friday evening at Twin River Casino for the first CES Boxing card of 2015, headlined by regional favorite and rising sensation, Shelito Vincent in a ten rounder against Christina Ruiz. With a unanimous decision win, Shelito Vincent picked up the vacant IBA Women's 122 pound title, defended her UBF Title and delivered exactly what her enthusiastic supporters came out for; action.

Making her first trip through the ropes since November 7th, 2014, Shelly Vincent of Providence, RI, scaled 122lbs against Christina Ruiz of San Antonio, Texas, 121.5lbs. After a cautious first, things heated up in the second with Vincent's quicker hands inside Ruiz's wide shots.

Absent was Vincent's typical body attack but she made excellent use of the left hook, cracking Ruiz with doubles and triples as the rounds progressed. Ruiz showed the wit and toughness of a veteran but her punches were too wide and Vincent was often able to land inside their arc. At the end of ten rounds the officials saw it 98-92 and 97-93 twice all in favor of Shelito Vincent. 

Vincent improved to 14-0 (1) and Ruiz fell to 7-8-3 (4). In Shelito Vincent CES Boxing has a good developing prospect that delivers on the thrills, here's to hoping she finds an opponent who brings out her best.

In the chief supporting bout Angel Camacho Jr of Providence, R.I., 168lbs dominated the dedicated and durable Chris Chatman of Jersey City, N.J., 166lbs. Camacho Jr maintained a disciplined effort against Chatman, keeping the stronger, brawler outside and trying to force his way in behind power punches. Chatman's best moments came when he landed sporadically but Camacho's straight punches kept Chatman out of range and largely ineffective. In the fifth Camacho hurt Chatman momentarily, but in the sixth Chatman rallied and fought his best round of the night. Afterwards the scorecards were 58-56, 60-54 and 59-55 all in favor of Angel Camacho Jr who improved to 14-0 (4) while Chatman dropped to 12-5-1 (5).

Heavyweight protege of Vinny Paz, Jean Pierre Augustin of Lawrence, MA, 217lbs was lucky to emerge with a draw in an embarrassing 4 rounder versus 226lbs, Solomon Maye of New Haven, CT.
Hurt early by several big bolts from Maye, Augustin switched into survival mode, retreating straight back and repeatedly crumpling to the canvas, almost falling through the ropes in response to what

appeared to be typical heavyweight clinching or grappling. It would have been completely appropriate for Ref. Joey Lupino to deduct a point from Augustin in the final round when he sat back through the ropes for what must have been the sixth time.
At the end, the scorecards read 39-37 for Solomon Maye, overruled by two absolutely mystifying scores of 38-38 resulting in a majority draw. Immediately Augustin and Paz heard it from the crowd and when Solomon Maye stood on the bottom rope in a neutral corner and raised his arms he turned their boos to cheers and they acknowledged him with loud applause. Augustin is now 4-0-1 (2) and Maye leaves Rhode Island at 1-4-1 (1).

Nick DeLomba of Cranston, R.I., 145 ½lbs stopped Joe Wilson Jr of Hartford, CT, also 145 ½lbs, in 3 spirited rounds. Wilson boxed a good first round, landing well behind the jab and setting a fast pace. In round two DeLomba found the range and hurt Wilson with a left right that put him down with less than twenty seconds to go. Ref. Steve Smoger let Wilson continue and the bell rang with DeLomba swarming Wilson with shots to the head and body.  In the third DeLomba smelled blood and Wilson's improved form shown in round one was gone and he'd squared up with DeLomba slugging it out. DeLomba puts him down again and Smoger takes a long look before letting it continue. DeLomba is opening up with both hands when the white towel from Wilson's corner arcs towards the ring, landing on the referee's shoulder. Smoger steps in at 2:59 of the 3rd giving DeLomba his very first kayo victory, now 7-0 (1) while Joe Wilson Jr drops to 3-2.

Khiary Gray-Pitts of Worcester, MA, 159lbs, stopped 162lbs, Greg McCoy of New Haven, CT, in order a minute after a long left hook folded McCoy in half and made him touch the canvas and stagger forward but was never down. As McCoy regained his balance along the ropes on the opposite side of the ring Gray-Pitts was already after him and with McCoy's back partially turned away, Ref. Joey Lupino overreacted, stepping between them and halted the action. No doubt McCoy was stunned, but perhaps calling a knockdown and giving McCoy the mandatory eight count may have given him a moment to recover. There was not even a minute gone in the fight. Whatever. Gray-Pitts looked good in what little there was, he's got very quick accurate hands and obviously some pop. With the win Gray-Pitts improved to 6-0 (4) while McCoy dropped to 3-5-1 (1).

Briam Granado of New Bedford, MA 1-1 (1) weighed in at 140 ½ and faces Freddy Sanchez of Worcester, MA, 140lbs, got right to work behind a jab and a busy offense in round one. Sanchez tagged Granado repeatedly, keeping Granado on the defensive and absorbing overhand lefts and scooping rights to the chest and chin. In the second Granado was cut around the left eye by a short chopping right by Sanchez. Seconds later a speedy left hook from Sanchez badly rung Granado's bell and to his credit Granado stayed upright and fought back on rubbery legs till the bell.
Sanchez picked up where he left off in round three and Granado was under fire again and taking punishment, though never as badly hurt as in round 2, when he turned to Ref. Steve Smoger and helped up his hands in a gesture of "That's it, I quit." Sanchez recognized it right away and grinned, drawing his own glove across his throat in a gesture of finality and turning away in celebration. While Smoger took several fractions of a second longer to recognize Granado's surrender and halt the bout at 1:51 of round 3. There were some boos but the bulk of Granado's many fans in attendance were silent as he goes to 1-1 (1) as a prizefighter. Freddy Sanchez rose to 4-0 (3).
  

In the opening bout of the night, Luis Felix of Providence, R.I., 157lbs, gave Ray Oliveira Jr of New Bedford, MA, 157 ½lbs, a good challenge in a bout that looked a little closer than the scorecards suggested. Though Oliveira landed more frequently and pressed the action, Felix connected with hard clean punches in each of the 4 rounds. The officials saw it 40-36 and 39-37, twice, all in favor of Oliveira who moved to 4-0 (2). Luis Felix dropped to 0-5.