Friday, January 22nd & Saturday, January 23rd in The Shops Concourse at Mohegan Sun
This weekend Mohegan Sun is hosting open workouts in The Shops at Mohegan Sun concourse with professional boxers Peter Manfredo Jr., 33-6-0 (18 KOs), of Providence, RI, Adelita Irizarry, 6-3-0 (2 KOs), of Hartford, CT and Joseph “Chip” Perez, 2-0-0 (1KO), of East Hartford, CT to preview the exciting Friday Night Fights event in Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, January 29th. 
A boxing ring will be setup in The Shops Concourse at Mohegan Sun and there will be three sparring sessions; one on Friday and two on Saturday. Friday’s session will take place from 1:00pm – 3:30pm and will feature all three fighters; Manfredo Jr., Irizarry and Perez.  Saturday’s afternoon session will take place from 12:00pm – 3:00pm and will feature Irizarry and Perez.  Saturday evening’s session will take place from 7:00pm – 9:00pm and will feature only Peter Manfredo Jr.  The workouts are free and open to the public.  Media are also encouraged to attend. 
Headlining the January 29th event, Peter Manfredo Jr. will face off against Matt “The Predator” Vanda in the ten-round main event for the NABF Super Middleweight Title.
 
The twenty-nine year-old Manfredo, 33-6-0 (18 KOs), is coming off a brutal first-round stoppage of veteran Ronald Weaver on November 5th in Cockeysville, Maryland. Earlier in 2009, Manfredo stopped Walid Smichet with a devastating knockout in the seventh round on April 18th at the Casino Montréal in Quebec, Canada.
 
In addition to his second place finish in the premiere season of NBC’s The Contender, Manfredo has faced world-class competition throughout his career, with many of his biggest wins coming in the New England area.
The co-feature on January 29th is a featherweight showdown between Hartford’s Matt “The Sharp Shooter” Remillard and Dominican Rafael Lora in a ten round battle for the NABF Featherweight Title. The bout is a rematch of their action-packed September 19th bout, won by Remillard in a controversial fourth round stoppage, which Lora hotly disputed.
In a special attraction bout, hard hitting fan favorite, Adelita Irizarry makes her return to Mohegan Sun in a six round welterweight bout. A native of Hartford, Irizarry, 6-3-0 (2 KOs), won a four-round unanimous decision over Yvonne Reis on August 29, 2008 in her last bout at Mohegan Sun Arena.
 
Also making his return to the ring is popular junior lightweight newcomer Joseph “Chip” Perez.  Twenty-three year-old Perez won his pro debut on September 19th with a terrific four-round unanimous decision over Juan Zuniga. In his most recent bout Perez, 2-0-0 (1KO), stopped Lewis Crews on December 19th.