The connection between Worcester Massachusetts' rich boxing tradition and today's new generation of hometown boxers is champion "El Gallo" Jose Antonio Rivera, who will be headlining his "Quest For 50" on Friday night, June 14th, at the Worcester Palladium. In his 50th professional fight, 46-year-old Rivera (42-6-1, 25 KOs) takes on MMA specialist Travis "Sweet Feet" Scott (19-5, 5 KOs as a boxer) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in the eight-round main event at The Palladium. Worcester's rich boxing history dates back to nearly a full century and includes Canadian import,welterweight and middleweight world champion Lou Brouillard (100-31-2, 57 KOs - 1928-1940). Ohter early figures in the cuty's historyninclude 1928 Olympic bronze medalist Harry Devine (39-17-4, 6 KOs - 1928-1943) and New England welterweight titlist Leo Sawicki (42-53-8, 16 KOs - 1939-1949).

 

Rivera represents the 1992-2011 Worcester Wave in which he captured the IBO title and the WBA regular title at welterweight and WBA junior middleweight championship. Others top local fighters in this era includes four-time national amateur champion and heavyweight prospect Bobby Harris (20-2-1, 13 KOs / 1993-1999) and Rivera's current head trainer, New England middleweight champion Sean "The Irish Express" Fitzgerald (29-2-2, 11 KOs).

 

In addition to Rivera, Worcester will be represented by four current Worcester fighters competing on the card: New England middleweight champion Kendrick "Peppa" Ball, Jr. (12-1-2, 8 KOs), Massachusetts' heavyweight hopeful Owen Minor (1-0, 1 KO), welterweight Eslih Owusu (1-0) and featherweight Philip Davis (1-1-1).

 

Other top contemporary Worcester boxers who are not fighting on June 14th include veteran cruiserweight Edwin "La Bomba" Rodriguez (31-2, 20 KOs), lightweight Jamaine Ortiz (11-0, 6 KOs), and super featherweight Irvin Gonzalez (12-1, 9 KOs).

 

"Worcester can be and is becoming one of the most active boxing areas in the country," co-promoter Chuck Shearns said. "There are no less than four boxing gyms here within 5 miles of each other and many professional and amateur boxers throughout our city. Many of them have developed into world-class talents. As the city continues to support shows like June 14th, which features five local fighters, Worcester will continue to be known for boxing and its boxers."

 

Ball has been added to an already solid card vs. Honduran Juan Celin Zapata (6-14-2, 4 KOs) in a six-round, super middleweight bout. In four-round bouts, Minor meets Alejandro Santiago (0-4), Owusu squares off with Springfield, MA veteran Jose Angel "KO" Ortiz (5-13-1, 2 KOs), and Davis is matched against Henry Garcia (0-2-1), of New Bedford, MA.

 

Also on the card, an All-Massachusetts showdown finds Boston welterweight Gabriel DuLuc (14-3, 4 KOs) replacing yhr injured Khiry "TNT" Todd to face New Bedford's Ray Oliveira, Jr. (8-2, 1 KO), the son of New England boxing favorite "Sucra" Ray Oliveira, in the six-round, co-feature that could easily steal the show...

 

Danbury, CT welterweight Omar "The Beast" Bordoy, Jr. (7-1, 2 KOs) plans to bounce back from his first pro loss versus Tyrone "Hands of Stone" Luckey (9-10-3, 7 KOs) in a six-round bout...

 

Brooklyn's Sidney "Keelo" Mccow (6-8, 3 KOs) and Augustine "Ruthless" Mauras (6-5-3, 3 KOs), of Lawrence, MA, throw down in a six-rounder for the vacant New England junior welterweight title...

 

Other four-round undercard bouts include the pro-debut of Providence lightweight Elijah Peixoto vs. Bronx lightweight Danny Morales (0-8); Hartford junior welterweight "The Special One" Sharad Collier (1-0-1, 1 KO), a two-time N.E, Golden Gloves champion, vs. Anthony Everett (1-7), of Lawrence, MA, and the pro debut of Methuen, MA lightweight Luka Lannuccilli vs. Peruvian Carlos Galindo (1-10).

 

Tickets are on sale and available to purchase at www.ThePalladium.net.