PROVIDENCE, R.I. (March 24th, 2014) — After batting drug addiction for more than nine years and nearly overdosing at the age of 25, Providence, R.I., middleweight boxer KJ Harrison-Lombardi will return to the ring Friday night to continue his remarkable turnaround.
Harrison-Lombardi’s story began more than two decades ago in Providence’s rough Smith Hill neighborhood, where his father urged him to take up karate and boxing as a way to defend himself.
At 13, Harrison-Lombardi (5-0-1) began a promising amateur career that included several regional titles, but soon found himself straying from the path, absorbed by a life on the streets partying, doing drugs and chasing women.
Tickets to Harrison-Lombardi’s 2014 debut on
Friday, March 28th at Twin River Casino are priced at $41, $76 and $126 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling 401-724-2253/2254, online at
www.cesboxing.com or
www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Players Club at Twin River. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
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The main event of Friday’s card features Jersey City, N.J., fan-favorite Chris Chatman (11-3-1, 5 KOs) battling The Contender Season 2 champion Grady Brewer (30-18, 16 KOs) of Lawton, Okla., in an eight-round middleweight bout, presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports.
Coming off a knockout win over veteran Arthur Saribekian in November, Cape Cod, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (7-1-1, 5 KOs) will look to stay on track against East Stroudsburg, Pa., heavyweight Glenn Thomas in a four-round bout while Springfield, Mass., welterweight Zack Rasmey (6-0, 3 KOs) takes on veteran Shakha Moore (11-19-3, 2 KOs) of Norwalk, Conn., in a six-rounder.
Louisiana cruiserweight Alvin Varmall Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs), who made his Twin River debut in February with a knockout win over Andre Ward, will return to face Devon Mosley (0-0-1) of Capitol Heights, Md., in a four-round bout and Chattanooga, Tenn., lightweight prospect Ryan Martin (3-0, 2 KOs) will face Justin Robbins (2-5, 1 KO) of Springfield, Ill., in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.