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Ring under stars: Punch-Out at Polar Park boxing card Aug. 4 takes shape with local fighters on slate

rich garven, telegram & gazette
·4 min read

WORCESTER — Kendrick “Peppa” Ball Jr. was a member of one of the many constructions crews that built Polar Park leading up to its opening in May 2021.

Three months later, the light heavyweight was back at the 9,508-seat ballpark along with fellow Worcester boxers Jamaine Ortiz and Irvin Gonzalez to throw out first pitches prior to a Worcester Red Sox game as they were honored by the Triple-A baseball team as Hometown Heroes.

Soon, Ball will add boxing to his Polar Park memories when he meets veteran Mexican southpaw Oscar “Moustro” Riojas in the eight-round main event of a pro and amateur card laced with talent on Friday, Aug. 4, in Punch-Out at Polar Park.

Spectators watch Worcester boxer Kendrick Ball Jr.'s workout session in front of Polar Park to promote the upcoming Aug. 4 card at the home of the WooSox.
Spectators watch Worcester boxer Kendrick Ball Jr.'s workout session in front of Polar Park to promote the upcoming Aug. 4 card at the home of the WooSox.

“It’s exciting,” said Ball, who’ll enter the ring with a 20-1-3 record that includes 12 wins by knockout. “I’m excited about it, but I don’t know how I’m going to feel once I finally get to walk out there. Might get a little nervous.

“Like, it’s a whole different scene, being out here on the field. But it’s something I’ve been looking forward to, and I’m just glad I’m part of this and the main event on the card.”

The evening event, which will include nine pro bouts and a slate of amateur fights to honor legendary local trainer Carlos Garcia, is being put on by Chuck Shearns, who heads up Shearns Boxing Promotions, and Kendrick Ball, the owner of Camp Get Right.

Rob Degaetano of Douglas, left, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe, gets a hand putting on his gloves from Keno Luna of Worcester, as he prepares to work out in front of Polar Park to promote the Punch-Out at Polar Park card on Aug. 4.
Rob Degaetano of Douglas, left, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe, gets a hand putting on his gloves from Keno Luna of Worcester, as he prepares to work out in front of Polar Park to promote the Punch-Out at Polar Park card on Aug. 4.

The Shearns-Ball tandem and Polar Park officials signed off on the show in early May following months of negotiations. It’s believed to be the first outdoor boxing event that involves professional fighters in the history of New England’s second-largest city.

“It went from, ‘We’re really doing this, it’s really happening,’ to the point where now we have to put together an event,” Shearns said Thursday from outside Polar Park during a promotional event. “(Right now) we’re focused on fights, we’re focused on media.

“We have nine pro fights and … the card came together, honestly, probably better than I thought it would. Ticket sales have gone well. It’s a lot of work for me and a lot of work for Ken.”

Shearns said he speaks multiple times a day with Hannah Butler, vice president of special events for the WooSox, as “there are just so many moving parts” to pull together a show that will see the ring set up on the field behind home plate and, because it’s outdoors, has a rain date scheduled for Aug. 5.

Worcester Police Officer Neal Sullivan, left, works out in front of Polar Park with Worcester's Kendrick Ball Jr. to promote the Aug. 4 boxing card at the event.
Worcester Police Officer Neal Sullivan, left, works out in front of Polar Park with Worcester's Kendrick Ball Jr. to promote the Aug. 4 boxing card at the event.

“It’s definitely a partnership and a bit of a learning curve,” Shearns said. “Ken and I have never done a show this big, let alone outside. … So there has been some learning curves and some bumps in the road, but we’ve all worked together and made it through it.”

In addition to Ball, the card will include a trio of local fighters in super featherweight Phil Davis of Worcester; light heavyweight Neal Sullivan, who works in his hometown as a Worcester police officer; and welterweight Robert Degaetano of Douglas, who’ll be making his pro debut.

Heavyweights Sean Pey of Providence and Quinton Sumpter of Pittsfield, who are a combined 13-1 with 11 knockouts, will meet in the co-feature event, while undefeated super featherweight King Kevin Walsh of Brockton (9-0, 4 KOs) will take on Davis.

And Melanie “Pit Bull” of Norton, a police officer in her hometown, is sure to a fan favorite in a female super bantamweight bout.

Mitchell Geher, 7, of West Newton, admires the three championship belts held by Worcester's Kendrick Ball Jr. while watching boxers working out last week in front of Polar Park.
Mitchell Geher, 7, of West Newton, admires the three championship belts held by Worcester's Kendrick Ball Jr. while watching boxers working out last week in front of Polar Park.

“I think it’s a really good card,” Ball Sr. said. “We have a bunch of exciting fights, good matchups. Something to get the crowd on its feet. Everybody who is on it can fight.”

Tickets are priced at $205 for field VIP, $155 for VIP (rows 1-4 in sections 5-11), $75 for home plate reserved seating, and $45 for reserved seating. They can be purchased online at polarpark.com/boxing, at the Polar Park box office or by calling (508) 500-8888.

Ten percent of all sponsorship deals will be donated to the WooSox Foundation, with Shearns and Ball Sr. requesting those funds be directed toward charities that support mental health. Sponsorship inquiries should be emailed to shearnsboxingpromotions@gmail.com.

—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichGarvenTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Punch-Out at Polar: Boxing card Aug. 4 featuring local fighters takes shape