CHICAGO, IL (July 28, 2010) Chicago based heavyweight contender Mike Mollo returns to action next Friday night, August 6th at the Windy City’s UIC Pavilion against veteran Franklin Lawrence in a special attraction eight round heavyweight battle.
The Mollo/Lawrence bout is part of a nine bout action packed card broadcast on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights and is presented by 8 Count Productions in association with Vega Boxing..
The 30 year old Mollo, 20-3-0 with 12 knockouts, is looking to follow-up his dominant eight round decision win over Billy Zumbrun this past March at the UIC Pavilion.
“I’ve been training in West Palm Beach , Florida since the beginning of June. Camp has been terrific but I’m really looking forward to coming home this Sunday. In the past I’ve fought quite a bit on the road, so it’s terrific to be fighting back in Chicago where I have so much support” said Mollo.
‘It’s a little difficult because I don’t know much about Lawrence except for his record, but I’m very confident that in the shape I’m in and the training that I’ve had that I’ll be successful.”
With the win over Zumbrun and the pending fight against Lawrence , Mollo is looking for a bigger fight on the horizon. “I’m ready for a top 20 heavyweight right now. The heavyweight landscape, particularly in the United States is wide open and I’m ready to go. But first is next Friday night and I’m looking to put on a sensational show.”
Fighting out of Indianapolis , the 34 year old Lawrence brings a record of 12-2-2 (7KO’s) into the bout against Mollo. In his last outing, he lost a very closely scored, hard fought battle to former world champion Oliver McCall in Las Vegas on August 21, 2009. The loss ended a ten bout unbeaten streak.
Headlining ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights will be a ten round welterweight showdown between undefeated prospect “King” James De La Rosa of Harlingen , Texas and Mexican veteran Michel “EL Bravo” Rosales.
The co-main event brings a ten round junior welterweight battle between Venezuela ’s Patrick “EL Elegante” Lopez and Prenice Brewer of Cleveland, Ohio .
Chicago prospects featured on the undercard appearing in separate bouts include junior welterweight Adrian Granados, welterweight Jaime Herrera, lightweight Antonio Avila, welterweight Genaro Mendez, light heavyweight Mike Jimenez and pro debuting junior welterweight Antonio Canas.
Advance tickets, starting at $31 are available through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com), the UIC Pavilion Box Office (312-413-5740) and the 8 Count Productions’ Office (312-226-5800).
Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7pm with the first bell at 8pm. The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine , just one block south of the Eisenhower Expressway. For further information, please visit their website at www.uicpavilion.com. The UIC Pavilion is now serving alcohol at all boxing events.
8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1998 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland.
Fighters currently under the 8 Count Productions banner include; super middleweight contender Donovan “DA BOMB” George, junior welterweight prospect Ivan Popoca, light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara, featherweight Jose Hernandez, welterweight Jaime Herrera and junior middleweight Luciano Perez.
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.