The fight night lineup keeps getting stronger in anticipation of CES Boxing’s long-awaited return to Mohegan Sun Arena.
Summer Heat, scheduled for Saturday, August 20 and promoted by CES Boxing, features the top fighters in the northeast showcasing their talents in one of the region’s preeminent combat sports venues, headlined by 6-foot-6 heavyweight Cassius Chaney from New London, CT, facing Troy, NY, veteran Shawn Miller in the 10-round main event.
The most recent addition to the card is unbeaten super featherweight sensation Alejandro Paulino, also of New London, battling dangerous Bronx, NY, vet Brandon Idrogo in a six-round bout that could steal the show on what is an already stacked fight card. The co-main event features hard-hitting Sicilian heavyweight Juiseppe Cusumano facing the 6-foot-3 Dennis Ventura of Lynn, MA.
Summer Heat kicks off at 7 pm ET. Tickets are available online at CESFights.com, MoheganSun.com, or through the Mohegan Sun box office. August 20 marks CES’ first show at Mohegan Sun Arena since October of 2015, renewing a long-standing partnership between the region’s top combat sports promotion and one of the world’s foremost entertainment venues.
Paulino figures to be one of the region’s top attractions for years to come, eventually with the pedigree to headline a major show in the northeast. Next weekend, he faces his toughest test to date against the 24-year-old Idrogo, who boasts six wins – all by knockout.
A former New England Golden Gloves Champion and National Golden Gloves semi-finalist as an amateur, Paulino makes his third appearance with CES. In his first fight with the promotion, he recovered from an early knockdown to defeat Andrew Rodgers by unanimous decision. He returned in June to earn his ninth career knockout win, beating Aldimar Silva in just 54 seconds.
Paulino trains under the guidance of Big Sox Boxing Academy’s Roland Estrada, the father of former Olympian and heavyweight contender Jason “Big Six” Academy. Paulino have another familiar face in the arena next Saturday as his girlfriend, pro welterweight Stevie Jane Coleman of nearby Columbia, fights on the undercard in a four-round bout against Jesenia Rivas of Denver.
Fresh off his comeback win in June, Cusumano now faces the upset-minded Ventura, who boasts three wins by knockout. After a loss to Daniel Dubois a year ago, Cusumano relocated his entire training camp, earned his 20th professional win by knockout two months ago, and is now exclusively training out of Champs Boxing & Fitness in Danbury, CT, under the guidance of coach Dave McDonough.
Also at Summer Heat, undefeated Irish super middleweight Francis Hogan of Weymouth, MA, battlingCleotis Pendarvis of Lancaster, CA, in six-round bout; Stoughton, MA, heavyweight Sean Bey putting his perfect record and knockout streak on the line against Dallas’ John Shipman in a four-round bout; and lightweight Jonathan de Pina of Boston batting New York’s Christian Otero in a six-round bout; and rising welterweight prospect Gary Balletto III of Cranston, RI; battling Niagara Falls’ newcomer Jeremiah David Austin in a four-round bout.
Unbeaten Springfield, MA, welterweight Jalen Renaud, middleweight James Maner of Providence, RI; and New York City super middleweight Jahvel Joseph also appear on the card in separate bouts.
