24.09 - Promoter Bobby Hitz presents over 2600 pounds of heavyweight action Friday, September 27 at the Ramada Hotel O'Hare in Rosemont, Illinois. The main event features Joey DeGrandis and Ernest "M-16" Mateen for the USBO Cruiserweight Championship. Six heavyweight bouts follow including big men Jim "Steel Chin" Strohl of Decatur, Canada's former Super Heavyweight Olympian Art Binkowski and former Cuban National Team member Roberto Valdez. Also on the card, undefeated Chicago heavyweight prospects Ed Guttierez and Mike Mollo.
In addition, Hitz hosts a 4 round women's exhibition bout between Chicago's Cece Barraza and Buffalo Grove's Renee Neri.
Main Event- USBO Cruiserweights Championship- 12 rounds
Joey DeGrandis, Boston/Chicago (30-5, 13 KOs) vs Ernest Mateen, (25-9-3, 9 KOs)
- DeGrandis is in a well documented war-of-words with Boston's John "Ice Man" Scully. DeGrandis refers to Scully, who has already lost twice to Mateen, as "The Stalker" and hopes that an early KO of Mateen will finally prove to Scully that he has no business being in the ring with DeGrandis.
Jim Strohl, Decatur, IL (24-1, 20 KOs) vs Chris Thomas, Chicago, IL (10-3, 9 KOs)
Heavyweight contender Jim Strohl, fighting for the third time under the Hitz banner, looks forward to winning impressively and moving up to world class level of competition.
Art Binkowski, Canada (3-0-1) vs Quinton Osgood, St. Paul, MN (8-11-1)
2000 Canadian Olympic Super heavyweight Binkowski looks forward to fighting in Chicago for the third time because of the tremendous support shown him by Chicago's large Polish community.
Mike Mollo, Chicago, IL (6-0, 4 KOs) vs Louis Parker, Omaha, NB (1-0)
Ed Guttierez, Chicago, IL (4-0, 4 KOs) vs Jessie Tucker, Omaha, NB (3-3-1, 1 KO)
Roberto Valdez, Havana, Cuba (1-0) vs Brian McIntyre, Omaha, NB (1-3)
Valdez was a member of the famed Cuban National Boxing Team alongside Juan Carlos Gomez and Elecier Castillo. He and 7 friends fled Cuba on a raft made of inner tubes, eventually arriving in Miami. Now training in Milwaukee with Cirillo Morel, the 27 year old, 6'2" and 240 pound Cuban is a prospect worth getting an early look at.
Special Women's Exhibition- Bantamweights
Cece Barraza, Chicago, IL (0-0) vs Rene Neri, Buffalo Grove, IL (0-0)
All bouts subject to change without notice.
Tickets: $100, $75, $50 and $35 at 630/295-9800 Doors open at 7:30pm. First bout at 8 pm.
