Home Boxing News Vinnie “American Nightmare” Carita boxes in his own unique way

Vinnie “American Nightmare” Carita boxes in his own unique way

Photo credit: Emily Harney/Rivera Promotions Entertainment

Once-beaten Vinnie “American Dream” Carita is preparing in an entirely different way than all other fighters on the October 28th “New England Future 4” card, the fourth and final 2017 installment of the popular professional boxing series, “New England’s Future”, to be held at the DCU Center (Exhibition Hall) in Worcester, Massachusetts.

“New England’s Future 4” is presented by Rivera Promotions Entertainment (RPE), which is owned and operated by retired three-time, two division world champion Jose Antonio Rivera and his son, Anthonee (A.J.) Rivera.

“I am happy to have a dedicated, hard-working boxer like Vinnie Carita headlining our boxing event on Saturday, October 28th at the DCU Center,” promoter Jose Antonio Rivera said. “He is a perfect example of why my son, A.J., and I started RPE. We want to be able to help boxers grow their careers and create a platform for them to get bigger and better opportunities.”

A former WBU Americans and IBU North American cruiserweight champion,Carita (16-1-1, 15 KOs) will take on Bolivian heavyweight champion Saul “El Fenjx Asesino” Faraff (64-23-3, 56 KOs) in the eight-round main event.

Carita, fighting out of Pembroke (MA), will move up in weight once again to fight another foreign opponent. In the world of boxing, not only does Carita fight, he’s his own promoter, manager, trainer and matchmaker. Outside of the ring, Carita is a fulltime court officer in Brockton (MA), as well as a part-time security contractor for the Department of Defense (DOD).

Although his incredibly busy schedule leaves little, if any, downtown to relax, Carita thrives because he’s so dedicated, disciplined and driven. He starts each day at 4 a.m., running or doing cardio exercising, works his day job, and hits the gym to train between 9-10 p.m. on a regular basis for a scheduled fight. When he’s had some free time to travel, Vinne has gone to New York, Philadelphia and even Montreal for quality sparring.

He started boxing at seven, when he first walked into a gym, and captured a Southeast Regionals Golden Glove title but, at 14, only boxed sporadically, until he turned pro at 20. “I definitely have a passion for boxing,” the 32-year-old confessed. “I’m a boxing fanatic. If I’m not training, I’m watching fights, live or on television. It’s my love. Boxing will always be part of me and when I finally hang up my gloves, I want to be a referee, so I can still be in the ring, and have the best seat. I don’t want to judge. Bigger guys last longer than smaller fighters. I want to continue doing this until by late thirties, maybe early forties.

“I fell in love with the cruiserweight division when I saw the (Vassily) Jirov-(James) Toney fight (at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut). The cruiserweight division is hot right now with the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS). (Oleksandr) Usyk could win the tournament, unifying all four major belts, and then move up to heavyweight. That could be good for me if I was one of the eight fighting for one of the four vacant (major) titles. I’ll look for the right fights until then, against guys who’ve been around and maybe competed for world or regional titles, like my next opponent (Faraff), who is the WBC Latino heavyweight champion.”

Carita, who occasionally is forced to fight as a heavyweight as he will against Faraff, will still weigh in around 200-205 pounds. He walks around at 208 and usually weighs in at 194-196 for his cruiserweight fights. “I have no plans to compete as a heavyweight,” he said. “I’ve fought some heavyweights and it looks better for me to go the distance, or stop, guys much bigger than me. I try and pick the right guys to advance my career.”

Why has Carita fought so many opponents from countries all over the world? Networking. His job with the DOD, before he started working as a court officer, found him traveling around the world. Wherever he went – South Africa, Dubai, Northern Ireland, etc. – he worked out at boxing gyms and made invaluable connections, establishing working relationships with many managers and matchmakers who he’s remained in contact with throughout his pro boxing career.

Because he trains himself, Carita only has one regular person working his corner, Pittsfield (MA) court officer John Felix, who he first met when they were drill instructors at the academy. Carita adds a cut-man for his fight but he tends to keep things lean and mean, even in his corner.

Nobody knows better or appreciates more what promoter Jose Antonio Rivera accomplished when he was world champion working full-time as a court officer in Worcester.

“To work full-time, raise children, train to be a world-class fighter and become world champion three times speaks volumes about Jose,” Carita commented. “Now, he’s promoting and putting guys like me on his shows.”

“I understand perfectly how hard and demanding his schedule is working a fulltime job as a court officer and training to try to achieve his goals of fighting for and winning world championship,” Rivera added. “I am glad Vinnie has chosen to give RPE an opportunity to be able to help him get closer to achieving his dream.”

In the co-featured event, Hartford’s (CT) popular Richard “Popeye The Sailor Man” Rivera (3-0, 2 KOs) meets Hansen Castillo (0-2) in the four-round bout to be contested at a 180-pounds catch-weight.

The “New England’s Future 4” undercard features many of the best and most popular N.E. fighters, unbeaten East Hartford (CT) welterweight and 2016 N.E. Golden Gloves champion, Anthony Laureano (5-0, 3 KOs), who meets welterweight Clifton Rashad Thames (3-2-1), of Oklahoma City, in a six-round fight.

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga makes his pro boxing debut in a four-round bout versus Washington D.C. heavyweight Alando Pugh (1-10-1, 1 KO).

Other undercard fights, all four-rounders, include two-time national champion and hometown favorite, Bobby “BH3” Harris III (1-0), vs. Troy “Omar KO Artist” Artis (3-7-1, 2 KOs), 2014 N.E. Golden Gloves champion Adrian “Tonka” Sosa (4-0, 3 KOs), fighting out of nearby Lawrence (MA), vs. veteran Norwalk (CT) welterweight Shakha Moore (12-23-3, 2 KOs), New Haven (CT) Edwin Soto (10-2-2, 4 KOs) vs. Anthony Everett (1-6). of Lawrence, at a 150-pounds catch-weight, three-time USA Boxing Nationals champion Elvis Figueroa (2-0, 1 KO), of New Haven (CT), vs. Anthony Bowman (11-63-2, 3 KOs). Southbridge (MA) junior welterweight Wilfredo “El Sucaro” Pagan (2-0) vs. Oscar Diaz (0-12), of Hartford, and Danbury (CT) junior welterweight Omar Bordoy, Jr. (2-0) vs. Alan Beeman (0-15), of Providence.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $75.00 (ringside) and $45.00 (general admission), are on sale and available to purchase at the DCU Center box office, www.dcu.centerworcester.com, by contacting Jose Rivera ([email protected]/508.864.6954), AJ Rivera
([email protected]/774.272.2269) or any of the fighters

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., first bout 7:00 p.m. ET.