Jimmy Burchfield Sr walks his talk

By James Blears

Jimmy Burchfield Sr, who created and leads CES-Classic Entertainment and Sport, is a living legend in New England, the United States and the World.

In thirty-four years of Boxing Promotion, Jimmy has built a reputation for effort, vision plus applying elbow grease, resulting in achievement and success. The man walks his talk. His word is his bond, his handshake seals the deal with honesty and he delivers!

A prime example of this can be seen when Jimmy explains how he came to promote the November 2020 ‘’Thrller on Triller’’ Tyson Vs Jones fight. Jimmy says it as it is, explaining: ‘’it`s all about relationships and doing what you say you`re going to do. When I tell you that I`m going to do something, it`s my plan and I give you my word. We try to do everything the right way and we try to have the place sold out, so the casinos will invite us back.

‘’I`ve been given the title of the hardest working promoter in Boxing. I believe that I am and I love it. The motivation is when I get a young fighter. The hardest part of being a fighter is the beginning of the career. They are fighting four rounds, then six, eight and ten. It`s a tremendous challenge to make this happen.

‘’I believe it`s like bringing up a child. Only a parent can understand this. You are watching your child crawl, walk and talk. It`s a process. Not everyone is going to be a world champion, but they try like hell!

‘’The first thing I ask when a fighter signs with us, is why do you want to be a fighter? And if they say anything less than I want to be a world champion, I`m not going to sign them. And then, I ask them if they`re willing to make the sacrifices, because as a promoter I make sacrifices every day of my life.’’

Jimmy has a powerful lineup of fighters in CES. They include four times world champion in two divisions Jamie ‘’The Hurricane Clampitt, four times National Amateur champion who has now turned professional Amelia Moore, Police officer Melanie Costa, who fights like a mini- Mike Tyson and Kazakh fighting marvel Nikolay Shvab.

More than three decades ago, Jimmy was bitten by the Boxing Bug and developed Boxing Fever. It`s been in his system ever since. He was running Jimmy Burchfiled`s highly successful Classic Restaurant in New Providence. And on any given day, you could see boxing greats, namely Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and a whole galaxy of stars dinging there.

Jimmy who in his youth boxed himself, was also a cornerman and a referee. He became a Boxing Judge and then an international Boxing Judge, going round for round all around the world. But on returning from a trip to Germany, he came to a conclusion, which would change his life and destiny forever. He recalls:

‘’No disrespect to the promoters I had seen. Some were good, while others were mediocre and some were bad. I said to myself…you know what? I can do a better job than anything I`ve seen and I`ve seen the best.

‘’So, I relinquished my Judgeship and I got my promoter`s licence and in my first event at Rocky Point Palladium, Warwick, Rhode Island, I lost twenty-eight thousand dollars! When I was going home that night, I thought to myself oh, I wonder if I can get my Judgeship back again. But I said NO… I`m a fighter and I will continue to promote. I`m going to make this happen!

‘’I learned a lot of stuff from that first event. Now this is my thirty fourth year doing this and let me tell you, I`ve basically seen it all. I`ve seen everything you could possibly see. There are a lot of disappointments. But, it`s been a wonderful experience. Everyone has to be working together to get it done and I`m so lucky to have an absolutely fantastic team.

‘’As a promoter and adviser, you`ve got to build relationships. We also have to move along with social media and technology and all the things which are happening, so as to stay on top of everything.’’

Another example of building reputation via relationships is Jimmy signing promising fighters. Nikolay Shvab from Kostanay, Kazakhstan who is currently 12-0, with seven big KO`s. He is training in the famous 5th Street Gym in Miami, where Angelo Dundee used to coach Muhammad Ali, and Nikolay asked about who could promote him. Without a moment of hesitation, the Chief Trainer there immediately recommended Jimmy. Nikolay will be fighting Toka Khan on February 22nd at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino.

On February 15th Jimmy Burchfield`s CES is promoting two Silver USA WBC championship bouts at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino and then on February 22nd, they will be promoting three more Silver USA WBC title fights at the Foxwoods. Two of the biggest casinos around…not five miles apart.

Jimmy enthuses: ‘’These really dynamite fights.’’ He picks out to look out for Rashidi Ellis vs Jose Angulo for the WBC USA Silver welterweight belt at the Mohegan. Also, on the same bill, Ricky De Los Santos defending his WBC USA Silver featherweight belt for the first time. Ricky is 12-1 and is from Providence. His opponent will be undefeated Kevin Walsh 15-0, 8 KO`S from Brockton, Mass.

Then at Foxwoods Francis Hogan from South Boston defending his WBC USA Silver middleweight title against Khairy Gray from Worcester, Mass. On both occasions at each Casino venue, best to take the advice of the legendary actress and Diva Bette Davis who in the film All About Eve, archly advised: ‘’Fasten your seatbelts. It`s going to be a bumpy night.’’

In describing this, Jimmy so does and does so, with the enthusiasm of a young man. At eighty- three he still has the energy, vitality, verve, drive and dedication. He`s a truly remarkable man, who counts loyalty at the top of his list of attributes.

Outside boxing business hours, Jimmy`s most famous fighter Vinny Paz was a passenger in a horrific car accident, in which he suffered compressed and fractured vertebra in his neck. Jimmy joined the family at the hospital where he stayed two nights before going home. Vinny who had to wear a halo brace attached to his skull, was told he`d never fight again. But incredibly, he defied the odds and returned to the ring thirteen months later to resume his career, twice defeating ‘’Hands of Stone’’ Roberto Duran!

When Vinny suffered a horrific tongue injury and his tongue was hanging by a thread, Jimmy was there again at the hospital and just as well, because when Vinny`s father saw the terrible and gory extent of the injury, he fainted into Jimmy`s arms. To Jimmy, his male and female fighters are like sons and daughters. Nothing is more important than family.

During his career Jimmy has earned and won armfuls of awards: Twice NABF Promoter of the year, inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame, The Italian-American Hall of fame, The Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. But his proudest moment was when World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman awarded him the WBC Lifetime Achievement Award and a famous Green and Gold Commemorative Belt.

Jimmy says: ‘’Of all the awards and I`ve had some tremendous ones, this belt brings a smile to my face every single day. When I`m talking to a fighter I put the belt on my desk. The WBC Award and Belt…that is my Special.’’