TalkingBoxing Interviews
Talking Boxing with JIMMY BURCHFIELD
WED June 15, JULIUS STECKER - Jimmy Burchfield is the face of New England Boxing as the president of the popular Classic Entertainment & Sports. CES has been putting on great fight cards for numerous years now and if you have ever had the privilege to attend one of their quality cards, you will know that there isn't an empty seat or an upset fan in the audience.
Every fight card is jam packed with talent, excitement and something for all fight fans. TalkingBoxing.com recently caught up with Jimmy Burchfield to get his feelings on his upcoming fight card othis Friday night, June 17th.
TalkingBoxing: Tell everybody about the upcoming event on June 17?
Jimmy Burchfield: We’re tremendously excited out our new Franchise series traveling around New England. This is our first show in the series called “Providence’s Prime Time Fights”, in Down City at the All-New Theatre at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Jim McCarvel at the Rhode Island Convention Center, Larry Lepore at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center and their staffs are working together with CES and we couldn’t have done it without their support. More importantly, people are going to see some exciting fighters with Joey Spina and Matt Godfrey on top, a U.S. Olympian [Jason Estrada], two of the best female fighters in the world [Jaime Clampitt and Missy Fiorentino], a great prospect [Matt Remillard] and our two newest Team CES members [Les Ralston and Eddie Soto].
TalkingBoxing: I recently did a piece on Scott Pemberton in regards to how major networks have not given him the opportunity at a big money fight, so my question is who will he be fighting next, and why do you think he has been so avoided? [Pemberton Q&A]
Jimmy Burchfield: I don’t think he’s being avoided, but that’s a good question. We want Scott to fight for the world title. Don Majeski has been talking to WBC officials. Scott wants the WBC belt. I don’t understand why any television network wouldn’t want to show Scott Pemberton. He’s a warrior, a blue-collar type fighter. Scott’s one of the most exciting and hardest hitting punchers in boxing. It looks like the WBC may want some sort of a box-off between Otis Grant, Eric Lucas and Cristian Sanavia. The mandatory (Markus Beyer) isn’t due until March, 2006.
Nobody can take Scott’s No. 1 away, so we have to make a decision whether to go into this or maybe take another fight as early as July. Scott won’t back away from anybody. He’s willing to fight any of those three top contenders if everything is right. We’ll stay active and remain No. 1. Scott deserves the money and we’re working hard to get the television networks to do it. The fans deserve to see Pemberton in a big fight.
TalkingBoxing: There’s a lot of buzz about Chad Dawson and now that Jermain Taylor is getting a shot, when do you think Chad will be ready for the same?
Jimmy Burchfield: There are two things for Chad right now. We lost a purse bid to Don King to fight James Obedi Toney for his WBC Continental title. Chad’s the mandatory and King has 90 days from winning the purse bid to produce the event. On the same token, Chad could fight for the NABF middleweight title. He’s the number one contender. We’re worked hard to get Chad into this position.
TalkingBoxing: Tell us about your other fighters, specifically Jason Estrada, Matt Godfrey and Joey Spina.
Jimmy Burchfield: Jason Estrada is our first Olympian. He has a lot to prove, but we think he’s a future world champion. The knock against him was that he didn’t have enough power, but his last opponent was taken out of the ring on a stretcher.
Matt Godfrey just missed making the US Olympian Team. He has it all. We feel that he’s going to climb the ladder quick as a cruiserweight and eventually he’ll become a heavyweight. This is Matt’s first co-feature and he’s in tough with Jermal Barnes.
Joey Spina is one of the hardest punchers, pound for pound, in boxing today. He kept the power he had at light heavyweight and brought it down to super middleweight. I’ve never seen Joey in better shape and he’s learning how to box from his head trainer, former world light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. We’ll see where Joey is in this his first main event against a former world champion, Carl Daniels.
TalkingBoxing: Recently Peter Manfredo, Jr. finished runner up at The Contender. Tell us what that meant to New England boxing and what it meant to his career?
Jimmy Burchfield: Not only was it great for New England boxing, it was great for boxing all over the world. TV ratings may have been a little disappointing, but The Contender was real hot in New England. Peter’s marketability is unbelievable. A little girl, 6 or 7, asked me the other day if I’d get her Peter’s autograph. We’ll be honoring Peter at our June 17th show. He’ll be there rooting for his partners, Estrada and Godfrey. They all started boxing together when they were eight.
TalkingBoxing: You have two other guys under your promotion now, Les Ralston, who lost only once to Contender Champion Sergio Mora, and Matthew Remillard. Tell everybody about these prospects.
Jimmy Burchfield: Ralston’s a good looking fighter. He’d love to fight Mora again. Les guarantees he’ll beat him in a rematch. The problem was he never had anybody fighting for him. He has CES now. I want to give him two or three fights and bring him home to Buffalo for a big fight. I’m smiling just thinking about Matt Remillard. He has it all and really wants it. He lives for boxing. Matt’s a featherweight with a big punch. The rap was he couldn’t punch, but he can really punch. Just ask either of his two pro opponents.”
TalkingBoxing: Also what happened to Gary Balletto? Is he retired now?
Jimmy Burchfield: Gary spoke on behalf of Joey Spina, who lives in Las Vegas, at our press conference announcing the June 17 show. They are dear friends and two of the hardest hitting punchers in boxing. Gary is just so busy as a business and family man right now. He owns three different businesses and makes good money. He doesn’t need to box. He has two children and another is on the way. It’s one thing to be in the gym working out and another to be sparring. I’ve left it to Gary; he’s one of my dearest friends.
If and when he’s ready, we’ll go big. His last fight against Vargas was one of the highest ratings on ESPN2 in a long time. Let’s just say I don’t think you’ve seen the last of Gary Balletto.
TalkingBoxing: And what about Ray Oliveira? He’s been around the world and fought for the best the sport has to offer. What about his plans?
Jimmy Burchfield: Ray’s coming back July 8th headlining an ESPN2 show at Hampton Beach (NH). It’s going to be a terrific show and I want to thank promoter Sal LoNano for giving us this opportunity. Ray has so much ring generalship and experience. When he’s on, he’s tough to beat, and Ray’s serious about this fight. He’s gone to training camp. It’s going to be a big fight against a tough guy in Emmanuel Augustus. Hopefully, Ray will win and we’ll be able to get him a big money fight.
TalkingBoxing: In closing tells us what fight fans can expect from future CES promotions?
Jimmy Burchfield: I believe we have some big-time prospects. I’m more enthusiastic now than I’ve ever been about CES. These kids are going to help us pull way from the pack. These kids train hard and have some great trainers like Peter Manfredo, Jr., who trains Estrada, Godfrey and Missy Fiorentino. We’re thrilled to be working with CN8, The Comcast Network and Cox Sports on this series.
I have to thank Jim McCarvel, Larry Lepore and Bob Lauro, and Providence City Council President John Lombardi for helping us put this together. We also expect to be doing shows with ESPN2, Showtime and HBO. Vinny Paz has passed the torch and CES is building new champions.
