Hometown favorite Kendrick “Peppa” Bell, Jr. (21-1-3, 12 KOs) will see action on Saturday night, December 9th as he takes on Venezuela's Heber Rondon (20-5,13 KOs) in an eight-round light heavyweight match in Worcester, Massachusetts “Pandemonium at the Palladium 2”, presented by Granite Chin Promotions (GCP), will be streamed live on BxngTV.com Ball, age 31, is coming off a dominant eight-round unanimous decision over Oscar Riojas (28-16-3), also in Worcester. The Dec. 9th fight will be his sixth at the Palladium. “I like the Palladium,” Ball said. “I’m comfortable there because I’m right at home, only down the street from my house. I love fighting at home. It’s a great feeling to be in front of my city and every time I fight there, I feel more and more confident to say this is my city. I’ve put on a dominant performance every time I’ve fought there. and this will be my third title I’ve won in Worcester. I love fighting in front of my family and family, I still feel there are people in Worcester that haven’t seen me fight, so every time I fight here is definitely an opportunity for them to catch me and make them see why I say this is my city”
Rondon is a southpaw who has campaigned at 154 pounds and been in with Fernando Vargas Jr., Bek Nunmaganbet, Elvis Figueroa and Jose Armando Resendiz. Rondon is capable of upsetting his opponent. In 2020, Rondo won an eleven-round unanimous decision in Venezuela against 14-0 Brahian Jose Medina. “I know my opponent is a tough lefty,” Ball noted. “I fought a lefty in my last fight at Polar Park. Lefties are a little tricky, but I know how to adjust in fights and we’re going to work on fighting a lefty in training, so I’ll be ready.”
Ball is hoping an impressive win will open doors for him in terms of fights on a higher level outside of New England. He said, "This fight... definitely helps get my ranking up and attracts people to see me fight even more. I’m hoping this fight will open big doors for me for my next fight. I want to get a big money fight. It’s time I get my shot at a money fight. I’m 21-1-3 with 12 knockouts. My only loss came in 2018. I haven’t lost since and that says a lot. I’ve been active in the ring, so I deserve a money fight. A lot of people don’t know but in most of these fights, I haven’t made big money, close to nothing. I still have a regular job to survive. I struggle like everyone else if not more sometimes because my goal is to get the big money fights. That’s what I’m hoping for in 2024.”
Another Worcester fighter, junior middleweight Khiary“Too Sharp” Gray (17-6, 13 KOs), who will be fighting for the first time in two years, faces veteran Jimmy “The Quiet Storm” Williams (18-13-2, 6 KOs) in a six-round match that could steal the show. “Having Kendrick on the show was a no-brainer for me,” GCP president Chris Traietti commented. “The goal is to make this the biggest Granite Chin show to date and since the show is in Worcester, we had to put on some big names in Worcester. Kendrick and Khiary are on that list. The Palladium is going to be packed on December 10th and everybody there will get a chance to see Kendrick win his third professional title.”
The stacked “Pandemonium at the Palladium 2,” card also finds super middleweight Steve “The Savage” Sumpter (9-0, 7 KOs), of Pittsfield, MA., in action against an opponent to be determined.
Card subject to change. Additional fights and fighters will soon be announced. Tickets are on sale and available for purchase online at www.ThePalladium.net. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, first bout at 7 p.m. ET.
