Decorated U.S. amateur boxer Angel Gonzalez, Jr. to make pro debut on “Fight Night In Framingham” card

“Fight Night In Framingham”, the first pro boxing event ever in Framingham, is being held for the benefit of Fighting Life, an after-school youth boxing and academic empowerment program, available 100-percent free of charge, to students beginning in elementary school through high school education.

Gonzalez hasn’t fought in three years, since he moved from his native Hartford, CT to Florida. “It took me a while to settle in after I moved to Florida,” Gonzalez explained. “I’ve been going to a gym and now I’m on track and coming back to turn pro. I have the talent for bigger and better things.”

The 26-year-olldf super flyweight had a 45-6 amateur record, highlighted by three New England Golden Gloves, two Ringside National and 2014 National PAL championships.

The problem for Gonzalez, though, is finding appropriate opponents, especially where he was a standout amateur. Right now, he’s still without a signed opponent, largely because there are so few 115-pound boxers in America outside of California and the Southwest. “Most super flyweights are from Mexico, Japan, or other foreign countries,” Gonzalez said. “It doesn’t matter to me who I fight. I can slug or box, depending on my opponent. If he’s taller, I’ll fight on the inside; if shorter, I’ll box from the outside. I’ll adjust to my opponent. My best punch is my right. It’s solid and deadly.”

“I’ve offered this fight to guys with 5 to 10 fights and after consideration,” promoter Chuck Shearns explained, “they have declined to fight Angel. These lower weight classes can be hard enough to match, never mind against Angel. What you find is that these smaller guys need to step up their competition earlier than other weight classes, because it’s simply a smaller pool of fighters. We will see what Angel has very early in his career.”

Two unbeaten pro “graduates” of the Fighting Life Boxing Program, super featherweights Timmy Ramos (5-0-2, 5 KOs) and Nelson “Chino” Perez (2-0, 2 KOs), will be in action, respectively, in the main event and co-featured event.

Ramos, fighting out of Framingham, was a two-time New England Golden Gloves champion as an amateur. He is in the 6-round, main event against super Carlos Marrero, III (2-3-1), of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Perez, who comes from nearby Marlboro, MA, is another New England Golden Gloves champion, who will be fighting Indianapolis lightweight DeWayne Wisdom (7-52-2, 3 KOs) in the 6-round. co-featured event. Perez faces

Boston heavyweight Tracey Johnson (4-7-6), whose brother is past Olympian and reigning WBO super middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade, faces Larry “Hitman” Pryor (11-22-5, 5 KOs) in a 6-round bout.

Albania-born super middleweight Kastriot “Slaughterhouse” Xhema, fighting out of Greenwich, CT, makes his pro boxing debut against Framingham favorite, Brazilian-born Saul “The Spider” Almeida (0-10-3, 20-11 in MMA) in a 4-round battle of mixed-martial-arts fighters.

Revere, MA super middleweight Jarel “Sandman” Pemberton (3-0, 1 KO), also a past New England Golden Gloves champion, faces Leandro Silva (2-3, 2 KOs) in a 4-rounder.

Also fighting on the undercard in 4-round matches, is Southbridge, MA welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (6-1, 3 KOs) vs. Tyrone “Hands of Stone” Luckey (9-12-4, 7 KOs), Worcester, MA super featherweight Ranse Andino (1-1) vs. Henry Garcia (0-5-1), of New Bedford, MA.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets prices are $75,.00 ringside (rows 1-3), $60.00 (seated), $45.00 standing room, and VIP tables (of 10) for $1000.00 and may be purchased HERE, at UpperKuts gym, or from any of the local fighters on the card.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first fight at 7 p.m. ET.

Street Light Ventures is the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors include Bernardi Auto Group, East Coast Herbalist, Tecate, Ashwood Advisors LLC and A Affordable Insurance.