After 5 years off, ex-welterweight to comeback four divisions higher

Edited Press Release: One of the toughest warriors of the years 1997-2005, “Sucra” Ray Oliveira is being brought back to the ring October 2nd by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc. (CES) after a five-year retirement. Having done his best work years ago at 140 and 147 pounds, the 41-year old Oliveira is being brought back as an opponent for light heavyweight Joey “KO Kid” Spina. The bout headlines CES' “Last Man Standing” card at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

“We’re excited to have Ray Oliveira’s comeback start on our ‘Last Man Standing’ show,” CES president Jimmy Burchfield said. “All of us are very happy to be back at Foxwoods, too. Ray was one of the most exciting fighters in the world, setting records on ESPN for most punches thrown. He is a fighter’s fighter who didn’t want to return against a soft opponent for an easy win. Ray wants to be tested and he will be against Joey Spina, one of the hardest hitting punchers, pound-for-pound, in boxing. It’s a crossroads fight for both of them. What’s Ray got left? That’s the key question. He fought most of his career at 140-147 and this fight is at 175. Spina was getting close to a world title shot but fighting to a draw last October hurt him.  He could use a win against a name opponent like Ray to push him higher up in the world ratings.”

Oliveira has always been an action-fighter throughout many, many wars, the kind of fights that take a permanent toll on most fighters. The slick boxer and defensive genius from New Bedford (MA) has defeated Vince Phillips, Saul Duran, Vivian Harris, Charles Murray (twice), and Tracy Spann, among the more notables, and also lost to world champions Ricky Hatton and Vernon Forrest and world titlists Jake Rodriguez and Zack Padilla.

Spina returns to the scene of his greatest triumph, which occurred back in 2006 at Foxwoods when “KO Kid” stopped Jesse Brinkley with a body shot in the 11th round of a fight Spina trailed. Spina, who is coming off of a 10-round draw last October against former world champion Lou Del Valle, also holds wins against former 154-pound titlist Carl Daniels, Jay Pina and Anwar Oshana

In an intriguing match-up on the undercard, David Bauza (5-0, 3 KOs), of Hartford, and Reynaldo Rodriguez (5-1, 2 KOs), fighting out of Woonsocket (RI), battle in the six-round co-feature.

“Ray and Joey aren’t the only fighters on this stacked card who find themselves at the crossroads, “Burchfield noted. “Billy Moffard hasn’t been in the ring for a long time. We also have some of the best young fighters in New England and two – David Bauza and Renyaldo Rodriguez -- are in against each other.”

Hometown favorite Karen Dulin (1-6, 0 KOs), a super bantamweight from nearby Mystic, meets Treasure Saunders (0-4-1) in a 4-round match. Also scheduled to fight against opponents to be announced are Hartford super lightweight Joseph “Chipper” Jones (4-0, 1 KO), Stamford (CT) light heavyweight Ahmad Mickens (1-0), Hartford welterweight Addy Irizarry (8-4, 2 KOs), Randolph (MA) heavyweight Billy “The Kid” Mofford, and New Haven super lightweight Edwin Soto (4-0-1, 2 KOs).

Tickets are available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253 or 2254) or Foxwoods (800-200-2882), going online at www.cesboxing.com or www.foxwoods.com, or in person at Foxwood’s box office.