PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 24th, 2013) — You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in the sport of boxing as soft-spoken as middleweight prospect Thomas Falowo.
Not this week.
As Falowo (10-1, 7 KOs) prepares for his showdown against Jersey City’s Chris Chatman (10-2-1, 5 KOs) — his toughest test to date — Saturday night in the eight-round co-feature at Twin River Casino, the Pawtucket, R.I., native is fully aware he and Chatman could steal the show from headliners Rich Gingras and Vladine Biosse.
“No offense to Biosse or Gingras,” Falowo said, “but this fight could be the main event!”
He’s right.
The Falowo-Chatman showdown has all the makings of a throwback fight, reminiscent of the days when New Bedford’s Ray Oliveira used to break CompuBox records for punching volume. Neither fighter shies away from contact. Falowo’s sheer output has overwhelmed some of the region’s top middleweights, including Julio Garcia and Tylon Burris. Coupled with Chatman’s aggressive style, this figures to be a fan-friendly fight worthy of main-event status despite being somewhat overshadowed by the New England Super Middleweight Title bout between Biosse and Gingras in the main event.
“Game On,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, features six dynamic bouts, including the professional debut of highly-touted Groton, Conn., female bantamweight Marcia Agripino and the return of popular Woonsocket, R.I., super middleweight Joe Gardner (11-6-1, 1 KO).
“Hell, this fight should be pushed to the main event,” Chatman said. “I will definitely come out with the win, and I plan to win convincingly or with a knockout.
“There won’t be a point when I’m not in control. I will overwhelm Falowo. This is going to be a night to remember.”
Chatman has certainly earned the right to be confident. He actually debuted at Twin River in 2009 when he faced former U.S. Olympian and current undefeated junior welterweight prospect Demetrius Andrade of Providence in what turned out to be the toughest test of Andrade’s young career. At the pre-fight weigh-in, Chatman warned Andrade to “take heed” and promised a war. Andrade won by unanimous decision, though many felt the fight was much closer than the scores indicated. Some, including Chatman himself, actually felt Chatman won the fight.
“I have no malice toward Andrade. After all, he didn’t score the fight, so there’s no reason to be upset with him,” Chatman said. “What I remember most was his home town cheering for me.”
Chatman made such an impression on the Rhode Island crowd that he returned to Twin River two years later with a fifth-round knockout win over Rahman Yusobov.
“The fans cheered me coming and going,” Chatman recalled. “When news came that I was going to be on this next card, the responses were amazing, with a whole lot of, ‘I’m definitely coming to see that!’ Chris Chatman is a ticket-seller because I put on great fights for great people. I look forward to hearing from my fans in Rhode Island.”
Now Falowo will be challenged with defending his home turf; he’s fought eight of his 11 fights at Twin River with an impressive 7-1 record in those fights. Saturday will also be his first scheduled eight-round bout, which could put his stamina and conditioning – two attributes never in question with Falowo – to the ultimate test.
“I’ve been fighting for a couple years now and I’m finally at the point where I’m one of the featured fights,” Falowo said. “Every fight is important, but this is definitely a major one to me. This is a step up in competition, as well as the number of rounds, and I’m prepared for both.”
Added Chatman: “Thomas is a good guy. The last time I was in Rhode Island [in 2011] we chatted for a bit and he seemed likeable and respectful. I think he’s a great athlete, but only a good boxer. His athleticism carries him in a match to the point where keeping up at his pace will drown the average boxer. I won’t have that problem. I can keep up with that pace and even push it.”
The feel appears to be mutual; Falowo respects Chatman’s ability having seen him up close and personal — and having faced a common opponent in Yusubov, whom Falowo knocked out in four rounds — but it’ll be business as usual Saturday night.
“Chatman is a solid fighter,” Falowo said. “He’s strong and can box and has an aggressive, which, combined with my style, will make for a fan-friendly fight.”
The main event between Providence’s Biosse (15-2-1, 7 KOs) and Pawtucket’s Gingras (13-3, 8 KOs) will be for Biosse’s New England Super Middleweight Title, which he has successfully defended three times since winning it in 2010. Gingras, a former contestant on the reality television series The Contender, is aiming for his third consecutive win and his fourth in his last five fights.
Gardner will face Portland, Maine prospect Russell Lamour (4-0, 2 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight bout while Agripino will face Brooklyn’s Vanessa Greco (1-2-3). Providence super middleweight KJ Harrison-Lombardi (1-0) will make his Twin River debut against Boston’s Maceo Crowder (2-1) in a four-round bout. “Game On” will also feature the professional debut of Hartford light middleweight “Jabbin'” Joe Wilson Jr., who will battle Saul Almeida (0-2) of Framingham, Mass., in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets for “Game On” are $41.00, $76.00, and $126.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.shop.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
As an added bonus, Twin River and CES have teamed up to offer fight fans and VIP customers an exclusive offer with their ticket purchase. Show your ticket stub at the event, join the Twin River Rewards Club and get a free $25 Twin River gift card and two free tickets to a Twin River concert. CES has upped the ante by offering an additional $25 gift certificate to either Meritage or Chardonnay’s restaurant in Rhode Island with the purchase of a $126 Jimmy’s Club VIP ticket.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Game On.” Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)