CES Boxing’s best and brightest invade the Bay State this week for an unforgettable St. Patrick’s Day Weekend extravaganza.
Stablemates Jimmy “Quiet Storm” Williams and Francis “Frank The Tank” Hogan face another in a highly-anticipated eight-round middleweight bout on the undercard of Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions Hollywood Fight Nights Boston show Thursday, March 16 at the Agganis Arena live on UFC FIGHT PASS®.
The card is headlined by undefeated Irish southpaw super welterweight “King” Callum Walsh putting his perfect 5-0 record on the line in a 10-round bout against Spanish challenger Leonardo di Stefano Ruiz. Williams and Hogan are two of three CES Boxing fighters on the undercard; unbeaten super featherweight Kevin Walsh of nearby Brockton returns fresh off a career-defining win in January to face New Jersey’s Andrew Bentley in a six-round bout.
Tickets are available through TicketMaster, online at AgganisArena.com, or the Agganis Arena box office. Fight fans can also stream the action live beginning at 7 pm ET with a monthly or annual subscription to FIGHT PASS.
The Williams-Hogan showdown pits one of CES’ longest-tenured fighters against one of its most recent acquisitions and highly-touted prospects.
A former college football player born in Plainfield, NJ, and raised in New Haven, CT, Williams (18-10-2, 6 KOs) joined the CES family in 2013 when he made his professional debut at the age of 26.
He first began boxing at 8 years old, but pursued football most of his life. Injuries derailed his football career following several tryouts with NFL team, so he returned to boxing in his mid-20s. More than a decade later, the now 36-year-old Williams continues to answer the bell against elite competition.
Since scoring an upset win over former world champion Yuri Foreman in 2021, Williams has faced highly-skilled Greg Vendetti, Tyrone James, Vito Mielnicki Jr., Luis Arias, and now the undefeated southpaw Hogan, who boasts an impressive 13-0 record with 12 KOs entering March 16.
The 22-year-old Weymouth, MA, native Hogan signed a promotional agreement with CES in the summer of 2022, bringing his impressive power and elite skillset to the region’s most sought-after promotion.
A third-year apprentice with the Iron Workers Local 7 Union, Hogan debuted professionally at 19 years old following more than 200 amateur bouts under the bright lights of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, scoring a knockout win to launch a streak of 10 consecutive wins by knockout to begin his pro career.
The 6-foot-2 Hogan is a unique blend of height and power, a rangy opponent with a quick jab and even quicker wit whose eccentric weigh-in outfits have become folklore amidst the pre-fight hysteria. Thursday is his opportunity to prove he’s ready for the next level of competition while the wily veteran Williams hopes he has enough left in the tank for one last run at championship glory.
The fast-rising Walsh (7-0, 4 KOs) returns Thursday fresh off the biggest win of his career January 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Originally scheduled to face Rhode Island rival Mike Valentin, Walsh was forced to pivot on short notice and square off against the taller, rangier Christian Otero of New York. The Brockton native aced the test with flying colors, sending Otero to the canvas in the opening round and holding on for a split decision win to capture the vacant New England Super Featherweight Title.
Walsh, 30, who fights out of the Cappiello Boxing and Fitness Gym in downtown Brockton, turned pro in 2021 following a short, but successful, amateur career and continues to climb the ladder among his peers in the 130-pound weight class after fighting at various weights early in his career. On Thursday, he faces the 37-year-old southpaw Bentley, a dangerous, slick competitor who has faced some of the top 126- and 130-pounders in recent years, including Pennsylvania’s Joshafat Ortiz and unbeaten Raymond Cuadrado.
