QUINCY, MA – Granite Chin Promotions (GCP) has announced the signing of Everett (MA) junior welterweight “Showtime” Shea Willcox, a 2024 New England Golden Gloves Champion, to an exclusive promotional contract. He is scheduled to make his pro debut on September 13th on a GCP show in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
The 22-year-old Willcox, who was a member of two Everett High’s Super Bowl, Division One, football championship teams, was also selected as the “Most Outstanding Boxer” at this past February’s New England Golden Gloves Championships. He also was a 2018 Rocky Marciano Tournament Champion.
“I’ve got the experience and me and my team (his father/manager/assistant trainer Dennis Willcox and head trainer Joe Ricciardi) believe I’m ready to go pro,” Shea explained. “It’s time! I felt ready last year, but we wanted to fight in the Golden Gloves again. We met with (promoter) Chris (Traietti) and signed with him. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him. He fought and knows the game. And he’s a good guy.
“The pros are a little different from the amateurs – weight cutting and pace of fights – but in my favor. You can pick your shots, unlike the amateurs, and take your time setting up punches. There are only three rounds in the amateurs. “It’s always been my dream to turn pro and I’m looking forward to it.”
“Signing the best local talent is something Granite Chin has always strived to do and that is exactly what we are doing here by signing Shea,” promoter Chris Traietti said. “He has real national level experience that will help in his development in the pro game. He has a great team around him, which will make working with him exciting.”
Willcox trains at the City of Everett-owned Broadway Boxing “free” gym, located on the second floor of old Everett High School, which is operated by Ricciardi and Dennis Willcox. Two fighters who train at Broadway Boxing, James “Pitbull” Perkins and Kenny “Lionheart” Larson, are Shea’s new GCP stablemates. 2024 National Golden Gloves Super Heavyweight Champion, Congo-native Gilbert Kabamba and Junior Nationals qualifier Malik Johnson are also Broadway Boxing products.
“Shea beat the best 147-pounders, he’s strong and has been boxing for nine years,” Dennis noted. “The time is now for him to turn pro. We’ve done business with Chris with Kenny and Perk. Chris is a straight-up boxing promoter. We took the deal he offered and now it’s up to us. Shea will train hard, and we can sell tickets. We have a big family and lots of friends. They went to the Golden Gloves five weeks in a row. We like Chris. He fought and knows what it takes. Shea has had a pro style since he was young. He has plenty of time to improve in and out of the ring.”
“I’m a boxer-puncher,” Shea described his style. “I can be slick but sit down and punch, too. I can buckle down. I loved watching Micky Ward fight and I have a good left-hook to the liver. I want to go as far as I can in boxing, hoping for big fights. I’m going to stay in the gym and remain consistent.”
The future is now for “Showtime” Shea Willcox.
INFORMATION:
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