As surreal as it must be for Worcester native Kendrick “Peppa” Ball, Jr. (20-1-3, 12 KOs), he will headline the first boxing event hosted at Polar Park – where he helped build the ballpark — on the August 4th (Aug. 5 rain date) “Punch-Out at Polar Park” Pro-Am card, presented by Shearns Boxing Promotions (SBP) in conjunction with Kenrick Ball’s Camp Get Right Boxing, in in Worcester, Massachusetts. (photo by Emily Harney)
Back in 2020, Ball’s first union job was as a construction worker building Polar Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate Worcester Red Sox (WooSox), voted as the best minor league baseball park in America. A share of the proceeds will be donated to local charities.
“When I first started working at Polar Park,” Ball, Jr. explained, “it was just a dirt field. I saw the blueprint and it looked cool, but I couldn’t imagine it would look like it does today. It’s so weird being there now. It brings back memories and I picture myself working there in different spots. Two years later, my dad (head trainer Kendrick Ball, Sr.) is promoting the first boxing show there with Chuck (Shearns). I’ve thrown out the (ceremonial) first pitch three times at Polar Park and now I’m headlining the first boxing show there. Life is weird sometimes.
“Some people had been talking about boxing there back then and I wanted to headline. I think I deserve it as the biggest ticket seller in Worcester. It really hasn’t hit me yet that I’m headlining the first outdoor show in Worcester boxing history and the first boxing ever at Polar Park. But my main focus has been on my opponent. I know it’s big. I hope people understand the magnitude of this historic boxing event.”
Ball takes on Oscar “Moustro” Riojas (28-16-3, 16 KOs), of Mexico, in the eight-round main event. Riojas has become a gatekeeper, of sorts, having fought the likes of Carlos Gongora, Joseph Ward, Diego Pacheco, Vladimir Shiskin, and Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, among the more notables.
“I know my opponent is a lefty and very tough,” Ball added. “Mexican fighters are known for their toughness. I’ve fought two lefties in the second half of my career. It’s going to be a real challenge for me.
“I’m hoping this fight will lead to a big payday. I think I deserve it; I have 20 wins as a pro. I haven’t had that big payday yet. This is what I love and why I’m chasing the big money. But I’m really only focused right now on winning and giving a good performance.”
The co-featured event has “Don’t Play” Sean Bey (7-0, 7 KOs), fighting out of Stoughton (MA) by way of Providence, throwing down with Pittsfield (MA) heavyweight Quintin Sumpter (6-1, 4 KOs) in a potentially explosive eight-round bout. Bey is a cancer survivor who was a celebrated amateur: four-time New England Golden Gloves Champion, Northeast PAL Regional titlist, and Ringside World silver medalist. Sumpter was a football player who started in boxing relatively late, albeit quickly developing into a New England Golden Gloves (Novice) Champion.
Undefeated Brockton super featherweight “King” Kevin Walsh (9-0, 4 KOs) puts his untarnished pro record on the line against local favorite, Philp Davis (3-5-2, 0 KOs), in a six-rounder that promises fireworks.
Four-time National Golden Gloves Champion Melanie “Pitbull” Costa (1-0, 1 KO), a police officer in Norton (MA), meets Brazilian super bantamweight Kalinda Walkiria De Carvalho Faria (1-0) in a four-round match.
Puerto Rican welterweight Josniel “TG” Castro (9-1, 7 KOs), fighting out of Boca Raton (FL but with a strong New England fan-base, meets his Argentinian opponent, Jorge “Tomatito” Martin Garcia (13-11-1, 3 KOs), in a six-round bout.
Also fighting on the undercard, each in four-round fights, are pro-debuting Douglas (MA) welterweight Robert Degaetano vs. Michael “Titan” Taylor (1-5), Worcester police officer Neal Sullivan (0-0-1) vs. Brazilian welterweight Michael Medeiros (0-4), pro-debuting Dorchester (MA) lightweight Tevin “The Hitman” Regis vs. Joshua Zimmerman (0-10), and Johnson (RI) super middleweight James Maner (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Framingham’s Saul “The Spider” Almeida (1-17-4, 1 KO).