Hartford, CT (March 29) – Fifteen exciting bouts, two nights, one exciting weekend of combat sports at the Connecticut Convention Center.
CES MMA and CES Boxing invade Hartford this weekend for back-to-back events at the Convention Center, beginning this Friday with CES MMA 67 live on UFC FIGHT PASS® and concluding Saturday with a full day of boxing that features the amateur Jimmy Burchfield Invitational Classic VIII at 2 pm followed by a pro card at 7.
Tickets for both events are available online at CESFights.com. CES 67 begins Friday at 8 pm ET with play-by-play announcer Michael Parente (@MichaelParente); color commentator Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon), a 27-time UFC vet; and FUN 107 on-air personality and cageside correspondent Madelyn Levine (@maddieonair). Headlining is a five-round, all-Connecticut, world championship showdown between current CES MMA welterweight champion Billy Goff (6-2, 4 KOs) of Groton and Hartford’s Justin Sumpter (8-4, 2 KOs) for the vacant CES MMA World Middleweight Title.
The following night, East Hartford super lightweight Mykquan Williams (16-0-1, 7 KOs) makes his long-awaited homecoming in an eight-round showdown against New Jersey’s Tyrone Luckey (15-16-4, 11 KOs) and Springfield, MA, featherweight Joshua Orta (8-0, 4 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line against the dangerous Jayron Santiago (8-8-1, 5 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in the six-round co-main event.
The 48-hour Convention Center showcase continues what has been a busy spring for the region’s No. 1 combat sports promotion. Goff, who steps in Friday on short notice after ex-UFC vet Eric Spicely suffered in an injury during training camp, recently won the vacant welterweight title earlier this month at CES 66 in Rhode Island and now jumps up a full weight class to challenge Sumpter, a two-time Bellator and UFC vet making his fifth appearance with CES. Sumpter aims for his first world title while Goff is attempting to join Matt Bessette as the only CES fighters to simultaneously hold two world titles in different weight classes.
Also fighting Friday, bantamweight Johnny Lopez (12-5, 6 KOs) battles Azjavkhlan Baatar (7-6, 4 KOs) of New Mexico and Springfield’s Pat Casey (8-4, 2 KOs) faces Ithaca, NY, vet Armus Guyton (5-2, 3 KOs) in a welterweight showdown.
Russian light heavyweight Yuri Panferov (1-0), who lives and trains in North Haven, faces pro debut Mus’Aub Baiyina of Rochester, NY, and unbeaten West Haven lightweight Eddy George (4-0, 4 KOs) puts his perfect record and knockout streak on the line against Emiliano Calderon (1-1, 1 KO). The main card also features longtime Bellator vet Mike Kimble (3-3, 2 KOs) making his long-awaited CES debut in a lightweight bout against Tristan Lindi (2-3, 2 KOs) of Medford, OR. Full fight card details are available online.
While Williams has fought at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun Casino 12 times in his career, Saturday is his first in his hometown and his first overall since January of 2021. Luckey, a veteran of 35 fights, has won two of his last three and has bouts against top prospects Frank Martin, Bryan Flores, Jerry Perez, and Jamaine Ortiz on his resume.
In the co-main event, Orta faces one of his toughest tests to date. Santiago returns to New England following an upset victory in November over fellow New England featherweight Nathan Martinez, who entered the bout 7-1.
Springfield welterweight Jalen Renaud (7-0, 3 KOs) returns in six-round bout to face longtime upset specialist and Lancaster, PA, vet Evincii Dixon (10-28-2, 5 KOs), whose recent stretch includes wins over unbeaten Marcel Rivers and undefeated Detroit native Joseph Bonas. Dixon makes his fifth appearance with CES and first since 2019.
Also fighting Saturday, fast-rising super featherweight Isaiah Cruz (2-0, 1 KO) of Springfield faces New Jersey’s Tyriek Gainey (0-2) in a four-round bout and super middleweight Jahvel Joseph (5-0, 2 KOs) of the Bronx faces unbeaten Vero Beach, FL, native Zachary Albornoz (1-0) in a four-round special attraction. Undefeated Hartford bantamweight Angel Gonzalez (8-0, 6 KOs) returns in a six-round bout, his second appearance with the promotion and first since September.
For the latest on CES events and fighters, visit CESFights.com. For exclusive content, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @CESBoxing and @CESMMA and on Facebook at Facebook.com/CESBoxing or Facebook.com/CESMMA.
