10.12.06 – Undefeated lightweight prospect Brandon Rios will return to Chicago to battle Humberto Tapia in the eight round co-main event at CHRISTMAS BRAWL on Friday, December 22nd at Cicero Stadium, it was announced today by Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions. CHRISTMAS BRAWL, another evening of world class professional boxing, is presented by 8 Count Productions along with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Incorporated and Miller Lite along with TCF Bank..
Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie, just minutes from the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways. Doors for this event will open at 5:30pm with the first bell at 6:30pm. Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale in advance by calling 312-226-5800.
Rios and Tapia are both coming off huge SOLO BOXEO televised wins on October 13th from Nogales, Arizona. Rios won a sixth round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Texas prospect Elias Lopez. Tapia came out on the winning end of a terrific eight round war with Ramon Montano.
The 20 year Rios, 13-0 (10KO’s) is trained by former lightweight champion Roberto Garcia and calls La Colonia Gym in Oxnard , California his home base. On July 15, 2005, Rios stunned the packed Aragon Ballroom crowd with a brutal first round knockout of Jaime Alvarado. Since that knockout Rios has become a staple of SOLO BOXEO with six of his last seven fights being broadcast on the popular Friday night series.
Tijuana , Mexico native Tapia, 10-3-1 (6KO’s), also 20 years old, thrilled the crowd at the Palo Duro Golf Club in Nogales by coming from behind to beat Montano on the October 13th show.
Said Pesoli, “This is an outstanding matchup between two young guys who have proven themselves as prospects to watch. I’ve seen both of them and it’s obvious that our fans are in for a great fight at CHRISTMAS BRAWL from both of these warriors.”
CHRISTMAS BRAWL is headlined by the Chicago debut of Puerto Rican super lightweight Jose Miguel Cotto, brother of welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, as he battles tough Mexican veteran Miguel Angel Huerta in a ten round bout.
The full fight card is as follows:
Jose Miguel Cotto vs. Miguel Angel Huerta, super lightweights, ten rounds
Brandon Rios vs. Humberto Tapia, lightweights, eight rounds
Rudy Cisneros vs. TBA, junior middleweights, six rounds
Francisco Rodriguez vs. TBA, super bantamweights, six rounds
Jorge Gonzalez vs. Richard Pearson, junior middleweights, six rounds
Donovan George vs. William Johnson, super middleweights, six rounds
Louis Turner vs. TBA, six rounds, middleweights
Gustavo Palacios vs. TBA, welterweights, four rounds
The Master of Ceremonies for this event will be the internationally recognized voice of Latino boxing, Lupe Contreras.
The weigh in for this event will be held on Thursday, December 21st, at 7pm at Club Aquarius, 2459 N. Pulaski on the northwest side of Chicago .
8 Count Productions was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1997 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland. In 2003, Pesoli along with former featherweight contender Mike Garcia opened JABB Boxing Gym, a 6,000 square foot venue dedicated to the finest Chicagoland boxers of all talent levels.
To view the seating chart and poster for this event or for more information on 8 Count Productions and JABB Boxing Gym, please visit www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxinggym.com