Boxing is making a return to Boston on Friday night at the Roxy. The card is being promoted by CES Boxing and will showcase an assortment of New England talent.
"There really hasn't been a quality card in Boston in a while, and that's just the reality of it," said Chris Traietti (8-1, 5 KO), a Quincy native fighting in the co-main event. "I mean whatever there is for local talent more or less is on this card."
At the age of 24, Traietti already has admitted that his career hangs in the balance.
"It's getting to the point where it's either make it or break it … start pressing them or it's time to find a new hobby," Traietti said. "I was plagued with inconsistency, both inactivity and when I got in [the ring]. Some of these fights, I just wasn't getting in shape for."
As an Iraq war veteran, Traietti has "learned to appreciate things a lot more" since being overseas and has found new appreciation for the sport of boxing, as well as the venue in which he will be fighting, saying "the atmosphere is great."
The Roxy has two floors, barely enough room for the ring and what seems to be a frothy group of boxing fans crammed in wall-to-wall. It is a perfect place to catch a local fight or perhaps even a first fight.
The main event pits undefeated Hank Lundy (16-0-1, 10 KO) of Philadelphia against Miami's Richard Abril (12-1-1, 6 KO). Lundy is only three fights removed from a fifth-round KO upset victory of previously undefeated Jason Cintron (11-1, 3 KO), who is the brother of Kermit. Lundy is an exciting fighter who is looking extend his knockout streak to five.
The rest of the bout sheet is filled with local fighters looking for support from the Boston area:
Super middleweight: Chris Traetti (Quincy, Mass.) vs. Eddie Caminero (Lawrence, Mass.)
Welterweight: Simeon Dunwell (Peabody, Mass.) vs. Josh Beeman (Providence, R.I.)
Middleweight: David Bauza (Hartford, Conn.) vs. Erix Quinteros (Atlanta, Ga.)
Light heavyweight: Maceo Crwoder (Boston) vs. Greg McCoy (New Haven, Conn.)
Junior Lightweight: Ryan Kielczewski (Quincy, Mass.) vs. Francisco Palacios (Stamford, Conn.)
Doors for the fight open at 6:30 p.m., and the first bout goes off at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, by visiting http://www.cesboxing.com/ or by calling 401-724-2253/2254.
