Unbeaten junior welterweight prospect Mike Alvarado will battle Jesus “CHUY” Rodriguez in the ten round main event at CELEBRATION, an outstanding evening of world class professional boxing on Friday, February 15th at Cicero Stadium presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions and Bob Arum’s Top Rank Incorporated..
CELEBRATION marks the 10th anniversary of Chicago’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.
Tickets for CELEBRATION are available in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions offices at 312-226-5800. 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.
The Denver based Alvarado brings a record of 19-0 (13KO’s) into battle against the Salinas, California native Rodriguez, 17-2 (5KO’s). This will be Alvarado’s fourth Chicagoland appearance in the last year, the past three being broadcast on SOLO BOXEO TECATE.
In his most recent local battle, the heavy handed Alvarado knocked out Jorge Alberto Padilla in the eighth round at the Congress Theater on August 24, 2007. Prior to that, the 27 year old prospect knocked out Francisco Campos on June 8, 2007 and won a majority decision over Carlos Molina on February 16, 2007 at Cicero Stadium. The back and forth war with Molina had the packed house on their feet for the duration of the fight.
Rodriguez is riding a nine bout winning streak, most recently taking a decision over previously unbeaten Omri Lowther on October 19, 2007 at Raley Field in Sacramento, California, a bout broadcast on SHOBOX. The winning streak also includes wins over Hector Alatorre, Carlos De La Cruz and Freddie Barrera.
The full fight card for CELEBRATION is;
Mike Alvarado vs. Jesus Rodriguez, ten rounds, junior welterweights
Alejandro Perez vs. Jorge Cardenas, eight rounds, super bantamweights
Francisco Rodriguez vs. Andre Wilson, eight rounds, bantamweights
Andrzej Fonfara vs. Francisco Rincon, six rounds, junior middleweights
Freddie Cuevas vs. TBA, six rounds, middleweights
Ivan Popoca vs. TBA, four rounds, junior welterweights
The open to the public weigh-in will be held at 7pm on Thursday, February 14th at Club Aquarius, 2459 N. Pulaski on the Northwest side of Chicago.
Along with Chicago’s 8 Count Productions and Bob Arum’s Top Rank Incorporated, CELEBRATION is presented by TCF Bank, Tecate Beer and AeroMexico, Mexico’s premier airline travel headquarters. The SOLO BOXEO TECATE broadcast will be viewed in 42 US markets and 70 foreign countries.
The Master of Ceremonies for CELEBRATION will be Lupe Contreras, the internationally recognized voice of Latino boxing.
8 Count Productions was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1998 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.