Reid vs Coleman, Cauthen vs Ortega Headline Double Championship Fight Card

21.03 - Promoters Art Pelullo/Banner Promotions and Bobby Hitz/Bobby Hitz Boxing Promotions, Inc., will present a sensational double championship fight card on Friday, March 28, 2003, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel O'Hare, located at 6600 N. Mannheim Road in Rosemont, Illinois. The fights will be telecast live on ESPN2's "Friday Night Fights."

Pelullo and Hitz are teaming up again only 13 days after their exciting world championship fight card on March 15 in Chicago. A crowd of 3,325 was on hand at the UIC Pavilion that night to see WBA-WBO 130-pound world champion Acelino Freitas of Brazil retain the titles with an electrifying third-round knockout victory against Juan Carlos Ramirez of Mexico.

MAIN EVENT - 12 ROUNDS, WELTERWEIGHTS - NABF TITLE
Champion TEDDY REID, 20-5-1, 14 KOs, Adelphi, Maryland, vs
Challenger PAT COLEMAN, 29-8, 20 KOs, Rockford, Illinois

The main event will feature two power-punchers - North American Boxing Federation welterweight champion Teddy "Two Gun" Reid, 20-5-1, with 14 knockouts, of Adelphi, Md., will make his first defense of the title against comebacking former contender Pat "Cat" Coleman, 29-8, with 20 knockouts, of Rockford, Ill.

Reid is currently ranked No. 17 by the WBC. After holding the NABF and USBA 140-pound titles, he moved up the 147-pound division last year and won the NABF title last June.

Coleman is making a comeback - tough and talented, he proved in the mid-1990's that he could compete at boxing's top levels and was a world-ranked contender, but distractions outside of the ring and periods of inactivity hampered his career. He returned to the ring last September after 13 months off, and has won two fights in a row.

CO-FEATURE - 12 ROUNDS, SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS - NABF TITLE
Champion TERRANCE CAUTHEN, 22-1, 7 KOs, Newark, New Jersey, vs
Challenger ROBERTO ORTEGA, 17-6-2, 13 KOs, Miami, Florida

North American Boxing Federation super lightweight champion Terrance "Heat" Cauthen, 22-1, with 7 knockouts, of Newark, N.J., will make his first defense of the title against Roberto "El Surdo del Oro" Ortega,17-6-2, with 13 knockouts, a native of Colombia living in Miami, Fla.

Cauthen, a former amateur star and 1996 Olympic bronze medalist, is making the first defense of the title he won last September. He has won seven fights in a row since his only loss.

Ortega,"The Golden Lefty," is usually considered the underdog in his fights, but has impressive upset wins against prospects Lemuel Nelson (25-5-1), previously undefeated Henry Bruseles (16-0), and Manuel Rodriguez (13-1).

Also…
Super welterweight contender Angel "Toro" Hernandez, 25-3, with 16 knockouts, a native of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, now living in Chicago will also be featured on the card against an opponent to be announced. A former NABF super welterweight champion with one successful defense, Angel is currently rated IBF #8, WBA #11, WBC #14.

An exciting lineup of supporting bouts will be announced. All bouts subject to change without notice.

Doors open at 7:30 P.M., first fight at 8:00 P.M. Central Time.