CES signs Paul Delgado

28.06 - PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. announces the signing of former New Bedford (MA) amateur star, welterweight Paul Delgado (7-2-1, 2 KOs), to a promotional contract.

Delgado, 27, lives and fights out of Atlanta. He has won his last two fights, including an 8th-round split decision against previously unbeaten (8-0) Wilmer Torres at Mohegan Sun in his last action (June 3), and four of his last five matches.

“I’m excited about being part of the CES team,” Delgado said. “A couple of friends from back home in New Bedford, Ray Oliveira and Jason Pires, are my stablemates again.”

Delgado was 46-4 as an amateur, including numerous regional and state championships, highlighted by the Southern New England Golden Gloves title in the open and novice divisions.

“I had a long layoff, nearly two years, due to managerial problems,” Paul noted. “I was looking for a New England promoter, somebody close to New Bedford where I have a following and family living there, who also promotes a lot of television fights to get on. Jimmy Burchfield puts on a lot of ESPN2 shows and signing with him is a great opportunity for me.”

“I’ve followed Paulie’s career for quite a while, knowing we couldn’t do anything until now,” Burchfield added. “I’ve always imagined him as part of the CES Team and I’m happy and enthused to have him joining fighters he knows from New Bedford, Ray and Jason. Paulie is working with some good people in Atlanta. We’re looking forward to working with them to give Paulie an opportunity to be a champion.

“His losses were as an opponent - fighting in somebody else’s backyard - because he didn’t have anyone protecting him. Now he has all of the protection he’ll ever need. We can’t wait to see him step into the ring wearing CES colors. Just watch what we’re going to do together in terms of his career.”

Delgado is scheduled to make his CES debut August 1 on an ESPN2 Friday Night Fights card, headlined by Richie “The Mountain” LaMontagne versus “Cowboy” Dale Brown, at the Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach (NH).