On Saturday night, Shearns Boxing Promotions presented the first professional boxing show ever in Framingham, Massachusetts, at the Sheraton Hotel.
The main event saw local super lightweight Nelson “Chino” Perez (4-0, 2 KOs), fighting out of neighboring Marlborough, has to overcome the awkward style of “Outlaw” Ryan Venable (2-9, 0 KOs), which included several rounds of obvious frustration. Perez settled down nicely and took the fight to Venable, flooring him in the third and again in the sixth, en route to a six round unanimous decision. Scores were 59-53, 59-53, 59-53.
In the co-featured event, undefeated super welterweight prospect Josniel “TG” Castro (6-0, 3 KOs) continued to show steady improvement. He set up his punches well, effectively threw crisp combinations, and controlled the pace throughout, peppering Las Vegas journeyman Rynell Griffin (8-48-2, 2 KOs) with constant punches to the head and body. Castro’s intense pressure paid off in the third, when Griffin went down twice from powerful body shots. Another body shot sent Griffin to the mat in the next round and referee Tom Clark immediately waved off the fight.
Undefeated New Haven (CT) Elvis Figueroa (8-0, 5 KOs) was on a mission in his first action in more than two years. His relentless attack on Dallas veteran Larry “Slo Mo” Smith (12-50-2, 8 KOs) led to a third-round stoppage. After a Figueroa assault at the end of round two, Smith took a knee at the end of the second, and his corner threw in the towel early in the following round.
In a fight between pro-debuting heavyweights, Sean Evans (1-0, 1 KO), of nearby Shrewsbury (MA), needed only 49-seconds to take out Levi Guimareas (0-1) with a straight right. Guimareas beat the count, but he was in no condition to continue.
New Haven super featherweight Felix Parrilla’s long-awaited pro debut was worth the wait as the 21-year-old floored Sidell Blocker (1-12-1) mere seconds into the opening round with a left hook. Blocker took a beating in the second round, hitting the canvas once again, and between rounds the fight was halted on the advice of the ring physician. Parrilla is a 3-time New England Golden Gloves Champion, as well as 2018 National Golden Gloves silver medalist.
Puerto Rican welterweight Jeffrey Torres (8-1, 4 KOs), fighting out of New Haven, battered a game Jader Alves de Oliveira (0-13) all around the ring until a perfectly placed left hook closed the show with only seconds remaining in the opening round.
Brazilian Rodrigo da Rocha (1-0, 1 KO) won his pro debut in style, dropping Leonard Ladeira (0-7) twice in the first and two more times in the second, the latter coming off a sweet left-right combination from which Ladeira was unable to beat the 10-count. The fight was contested at a 185-pound catchweight.