Willcox puts his undefeated boxing record on the line Saturday night
By Cary Shuman
Shea is the son of Dennis Willcox and Kelly Willcox.
Shea Willcox is a two-time Everett High School Super Bowl football champion. This Saturday night in Medford, Willcox takes the next step in his rising boxing career at a professional event, ‘Glove at First Sight’ at The Great American Beer Hall.
Willcox sports a perfect record of 5-0 after defeating Lucas Alejandro Mignoni in a spectacular first-round knockout (TKO) Nov. 1 at Oceanside Events Center (formerly Wonderland Ballroom) in Revere.
Willcox, 23, will be squaring off against Angel Urena of Mexico, a 25-year-old boxer with seven knockouts among his 11 professional victories. Willcox has been campaigning in the lightweight division (135 pounds).
Contacted this week by telephone at his new training location at the Broadway Boxing Club in Saugus (formerly in the old Everett High School building where the roof is undergoing repairs), Shea reported, “My training has been going very well. I finished sparring sessions, and now we’re just sharpening up for the fight. I feel great. It’s probably the best I’ve felt yet going into a fight. I know I have a tough opponent, but we’ll be ready for whomever is in front of us.”
Shea’s professional training and managerial team consists of his father, Dennis Willcox, and Joe Ricciardi.
“I can’t thank my father enough for everything he does, and my coach, Joe, who is awesome,” said Shea. “They get their boxers ready, they keep us on the right track for everything, inside and outside the ring. And I want to give a shoutout to the third man in my corner and my other trainer, Michael Firicano.”
Shea Willcox played Pop Warner football in Everett and became a running back and safety for head coach John DiBiaso’s Crimson Tide. Shea helped Everett win two Super Bowls, playing on the same team with his brother, All-Scholastic quarterback Jake Willcox, who went on to excel at Milton Academy and Brown University.
Shea remains close friends with his former teammate, Anthony Norcia, one of Everett’s all-time great wide receivers who later starred at Merrimack College.
“We’re friends to this day,” related Shea. “Anthony is doing very well. He has a great job now. He has a daughter and she is my goddaughter.”
DiBiaso remembers Shea Willcox during the Super Bowl years.
“Shea was a tough football player. He played running back for us,” recalled DiBiaso. “He comes from a great family, with great parents, a great brother. I’m not surprised at all that Shea is having a successful boxing career.”
Dennis Willcox is looking for a big year ahead for his son, but the team is not overlooking Saturday’s fight.
“We’re all excited about this fight,” said Dennis Willcox. “Our goal is to fight 3-4 times in 2026 and step up as we go. We’re hoping that Everett will come out and support Shea [Saturday in Medford].”
The promoters for the boxing show are Nolan Brothers Boxing Promotions. The Nolan brothers, identical twins Matt and Mark, are lifelong Watertown residents born in Watertown. They are Middle School teachers by day, and gym owners and boxing coaches by night. The brothers are at the forefront of reviving Boston’s boxing scene from every corner of the sport. Also fighting on the card is Medford native “Iron” Greg Bono.
Tickets for the boxing show can be purchased on Eventbrite.com or at the door.