REVERE — With fan cheers and bell rings, it was fight night inside of the Oceanside Events Center (formerly the Wonderland Ballroom) Saturday night.
Lynn’s James “Pitbull” Perkins (main event) and Everett’s “Showtime” Shea Willcox highlighted the “Oceanside Prize Fights” card, presented by Granite Chin Promotions.
After three hours of hooks and hollering, both fighters got the job done in front of an approximate 800 people.
Perkins (14-3-1, 9 KOs) – a throwback brawler, former St. Mary’s hockey player, and gravedigger by day – defeated Anthony Andreozzi (7-5) via split decision, capturing the World Boxing Council (WBC) U.S.A. Silver Light Heavyweight Championship.
“It was definitely awesome to win this belt. As far as my performance goes, I don’t know – I thought I could’ve done a lot better,” said Perkins, who added he could’ve thrown his right hand more, “but, hey, he’s a tough guy and he came to fight. I was just waiting a little too long, waiting to pull the trigger.”
But at times, that trigger was on-point, on-target, and as advertised.
Perkins (172.5 pounds) landed a hard right cross in the first round, then smelled blood in the sixth before connecting with a powerful left hook.
With toe-to-toe brawlers inside of a small square, “nothing really surprised” the 32-year-old Perkins.
“I, kind of, figured this was how the fight was going to go,” he said. “He got my respect on that fight, for sure.”
In his go-to black trunks, Perkins enjoyed the home cooking of the crowd.
“It was awesome – it took me about 15 minutes to get here,” he said. “The atmosphere of the crowd, man, it was great. So many of my friends were here and my family.”
In junior welterweight action, 23-year-old Willcox (4-0; 2024 New England Golden Gloves Champion) took down Aldimar Silva (22-29) via unanimous decision.
After walking out to “Dirty Water” by The Standells, Willcox recorded a knockdown in each of the first two rounds.
It was smooth sailing from there in his first six-round bout.
“I can always do better, but I’m pretty happy with my performance. We didn’t want to get sloppy because he’s a veteran,” said 137-pounder Willcox, a member of two Everett High Super Bowl teams. “He’s a tough guy and kept getting up. It was a good opponent at this point of my career.
“It’s the stuff I dream about. I used to always imagine fighting close to home – in front of everyone.”
Perkins and Willcox are both trained by Joe Ricciardi out of Broadway Boxing Club in Everett.
