CHICAGO, IL (March 23, 2009) Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, has planned an outstanding evening of world class professional boxing set for this Friday, March 27th at the UIC Pavilion for it’s inaugural WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT event..“As we start our 12th year, the most important thing for 8 Count has always been the loyal support we’ve maintained from boxing fans in the Chicagoland area..
With our new downtown series, WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT, we wanted to ensure right from the start that fans would be presented with a great night of boxing which they’ve come to expect from us through the years” said Pesoli. “The depth and quality of this card continues the commitment we’ve long maintained to the Chicago fight fans.”
This Friday night’s event will be the first in the new home of 8 Count Productions at the Chicago downtown arena, the UIC Pavilion.
“The UIC Pavilion is a world class arena and we’re very happy to call it our new home. Chicago fight fans will really enjoy seeing fights in a first class downtown venue” said Pesoli.
Highlighting the nine bout card is a ten round Chicago showdown between middleweight fan favorites, “MACHO” Miguel Hernandez, 20-8-0 (10KO’s), and Luciano “EL GALLO MICHOACANO” Perez, 16-9-1 (14KO’s) for the WBF Americas Middleweight Title.
The eight round co-main event features Irish fan favorite Henry “THE WESTERN WARRIOR” Coyle, 9-1-0 (8KO’s), taking on Cincinnati’s Dave Saunders, 9-6-0 (6KO’s). The immensely popular Coyle has won seven in a row and is looking towards another great performance in front of his growing legion of Chicago Irish fight fans.
Featured in a six round bout is the return of the “POLISH PRINCE” Andrzej Fonfara, 11-2-1 (3KO’s) who will battle Milwaukee veteran Kendall Gould, 11-13-1 (6KO’s). The 21 year old Fonfara bounced back from his first loss last summer with a six round decision over Terrence Wilson on January 23rd.
Chicago fan favorite, junior welterweight Rita “LA GUERA” Figueroa, 10-0-0 (3KO’s), will battle Lynnwood, Washington’s Tammie Johnson, 3-2-0, in a six round battle. Figueroa, long known as amongst the toughest women in boxing, returns to the ring completely recovered from a shoulder injury.
Former amateur standout and highly regarded lightweight prospect, Danny Williams, 7-0-0 (5KO’s) of St. Louis, Missouri, will square off in a six round bout against Fort Wayne, Indiana’s Jose Guzman, 5-1-0 (4KO’s). This will be Williams’ third bout in Chicago, most recently winning a terrific six round war against Barbaro Zepeda on December 12th.
In a six round middleweight bout, Cameroon’s Foster Nkodo, 2-0-0 (1KO), will face St. Louis native Lamar Harris, 5-0-1 (3KO’s).
Chicago featherweight Juan Bailon, 3-1-0 (1KO) will return to action against Grand Rapids, Michigan veteran, Marsay Buggs in a four round bout.
Newcomer Sergio Montes De Oca, 1-0-0, of Chicago will battle in a four round super bantamweight bout against Atlanta, Georgia’s David Cano, 0-3-0.
Opening the evening’s card will be a four round super middleweight attraction between pro debuting Mike Kurzeja of Chicago and Lafayette, Indiana’s Tony Dewey, 0-0-1.
Advance tickets, starting at $31, for “WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT” are now on sale through the UIC Pavilion Box Office (312-413-5740) and through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).
The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine, at the corner of Harrison and Racine in the West Loop area of Chicago. Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7pm with the first bell at 8pm.
Further details, including directions to the UIC Pavilion, can be obtained through their website at www.uicpavilion.com
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.
For more information on 8 Count Productions and JABB Boxing Gym, please visit www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxing.com
Al Bernstein Previews Bradley-Holt Fight
A preview of the Tim Bradley-Kendall Holt junior welterweight championship match is among the highlights of the Al Bernstein Boxing Channel (ABBC) in the next several weeks. The ABBC can be seen at www.ibnsports.com. For more on this match and other Showtime boxing events log on to www.sports.sho.com.
The April 4th Bradley-Holt match, to be shown on Showtime Championship Boxing at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times in the United States, pits two champs in a title unification fight. “These two men have recently become champions and they want to prove they are the best in this division and so this should be an exciting and competitive fight, which is the standard on Showtime Championship boxing.” said Al Bernstein. The Bradley-Holt preview on the ABBC includes Al’s keys to victory for the fight.
Other upcoming ABBC highlights include:
*More great boxing action from the Seminole Warriors boxing library. Another great video-on-demand /pay-per-view doubleheader
will be available for only $2.99 on March 31. When these fights are ordered, the customer can watch them over and over for up to
a year. “The interest in these fights has been tremendous and in the weeks to come we will be expanding our video fight offerings,” said Al Bernstein.
*Coverage by Al and the IBN team of the March 30 press event for the Manny Pacquaio-Ricky Hatton May 2 bout.
*A comprehensive preview of the April 11 Paul Williams-Winky Wright match at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.
LYNCHBURG’S SCOTT “CUJO” SIGMON VOWS TO CLEAN UP THE GARBAGE IN BOXING STARTING WITH TORIS “THE BULL” BREWER ON APRIL 11TH AT THE LYNCHBURG ARMORY!
Lynchburg, VA’s Scott “CUJO” Sigmon (5-1, 2KO’s) calls himself “Boxing’s Uncrowned King and Savior” and has been called the Real Life Rocky Balboa and The Man That Loves To Fight. “I will be World Champion” Sigmon says giving a look that lets you know he is 100% serious. “I am what boxing needs. A fighter who loves to fight and loves the sport of boxing. And I take it personally when these so called fighters like Toris Brewer fight bum, after bum, after bum and get an inflated record like he’s got at 14 and 2. I’ve already gone on record and called Toris a bum months ago. I told my Promoter to do whatever it took to get me the fight with Brewer. Toris signed the contract and I can’t wait for April 11th. As long as boxing has fighters like Toris Brewer fighting, boxing is sick, it is diseased. Toris Brewer is the disease and I am the cure! You will see on April 11th!”
Asked if Toris Brewer’s record of 14 wins, 2 losses, and 6KO’s gives him any cause for concern Sigmon replies, “Have you been listening to me? Everything I’m telling you I mean. I don’t lie, I’m speaking the truth. He’s a bum and I’m going to expose him on April 11th. I’m going to knock him out. There is no way he can go 8 rounds with me. I’m in great shape. I spar 15, 20 rounds at a time with great sparring partners. I do more roadwork than anybody in boxing. I’m ready to fight right now! If I get a call and somebody tells me Toris is down the street then I’ll meet him in the street and I’ll whip him! He’s got it coming to him! Toris Brewer is garbage and April 11th is trash day and I’m taking out the garbage!”
Upon further review, Brewer’s record of 14 wins, 2 losses, and 6KO’s reveals a quality win over respected DC area light heavyweight Carlos Jones, a fighter known as a spoiler in local boxing circles. “He’s talking about me and who I’ve fought. Who has he fought?” says a disgruntled Brewer. “Jones ain’t no chump. He’s better than the guys he beat. If he thinks I’m coming all the way up there to get whipped he’s flat out wrong. I’m coming up there to whip a dog! I’m going to beat him like a dog! He ain’t nobody!”
The Co-Main Event of the evening features a solid cruiserweight matchup between Waynesboro, VA’s “EL GUERRO” Juan Carlos Robles (12-2, 5KO’s) and Huntington, WV’s Pearl Dotson (7-2, 4KO’s). Robles’ most recent outing saw him score an impressive victory over the talented Francois Ambang. “I’ll be ready for this guy on April 11th” says Robles. “I’ve been training hard and I’m in great shape. I’m not looking past him but after I beat him I want Bobby Gunn and that title and ranking he has.” Gunn is currently ranked #15 in the world according to the World Boxing Council and is the current USNBC Cruiserweight Champion. But in order to get to Gunn, Robles has to cope with a rough customer in West Virginia’s Pearl Dotson. Dotson hails from a boxing family and is considered one of the best cruiserweights in the region.
Charlottesville, VA’s “WAR TIME” George Rivera (10-4, 3KO’s) takes on Long Island, New York’s Michael “THE GODFATHER” Corleone, a veteran of 35 professional fights and the former IBO World Champion as well as a former World Kickboxing Champion. “I’m working hard and staying active” says Rivera. “I want to continue to improve each time I fight and I want to fight as often as possible.”
In addition, Roanoke, VA’s Dwayne Davis will be taking on Palm Bay, Florida’s Richard Grant in a middleweight battle. In another middleweight bout, Roanoke’s David Novia will be tangling with Richmond’s Christian Brinkerhoff. Also, Roanoke’s David Hopkins will be taking on an opponent to be determined in a junior welterweight fight.
Tickets are on sale now at www.MajorLeagueBoxing.com and start at only $25 in advance for General Admission Bleacher Seats. 1st Row Seats are $55 in advance and 2nd Row Seats and Back on The Floor Level are $35 in advance. Tickets are $10 more at the door, so please buy early and save! Tickets are also on sale at The Jamerson YMCA in Lynchburg, VA and Buffalo Wild Wings on Wards Road in Lynchburg.