IBF Cruiserweight Champion Steve “USS” Cunningham (24-2, 12 KOs) will put his belt on the line against Yoan Pablo Hernandez (24-1, 13 KOs) in Neubrandenburg, Germany on October 1. Boxing-online.com has caught up with the 35-year-old American ahead of his third fight for Team Sauerland.
Q: How has the preparation been going?
USS: “Everything has been going great, I’m feeling good and looking forward to the fight. I’m always in the gym, even without a fight scheduled, and I always have the top cruiserweights on my radar.”
Q: Hernandez is a tough fighter. He is also a southpaw. Have you already fought other southpaws? Have you had a special preparation for this fight?
USS: “Yes, I have fought other southpaws in my career, and I used to spar with Chris Byrd as an amateur and pro. I have no problems with fighting southpaws.”
Q: You have already beaten all four reigning world champions. Looks like Hernandez is one of the biggest names out there that you have yet to beat?
USS: “I believe him to be the best challenger for me right now. I think he is a good fighter and will bring a good fight. I want to put on a great fight for the German fans and would love for it to be the fight of the year.”
Q: You defeated mandatory challenger Enad Licina in your last fight in April. But you said you were not entirely happy with your performance?
USS: “Our initial fight date was changed and we travelled back to America for a short period to resume camp. When I returned to Germany the week before the fight, I had caught the flu. I spent the first three days in bed and was not feeling well at all. I was determined and even though I knew I wasn’t 100%, I felt confident that my best at that time would be enough. And thank God it was. I felt drained during the fight, I really could not push the way I wanted to and trained to. But prayer, faith and hard work brought me through.”
Q: Your clash with Hernandez will also be a clash of two top trainers – Naazim Richardson and Ulli Wegner…
USS: “They are both great trainers. I know 100% that brother Naazim Richardson is the best trainer for me. He works equally as hard as I do in preparing for a fight and I trust him in the ring to tell me what needs to be done. Wegner is a great trainer too, his work speaks for itself. Two great trainers, two great fighters, it’s going to be a GREAT fight.”
WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT 19, THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD, CHICAGO’S UIC PAVILION
CHICAGO, IL (September 19, 2011) This Friday night, September 23rd, Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions presents WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT 19, an action packed eight-bout card of world-class professional boxing at Chicago’s UIC Pavilion.
Advance tickets for WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT 19, priced at $36 for reserved floor seats and $31 for general admission can be purchased through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com), the UIC Pavilion Box Office, (phone 312-413-5740) and the 8 Count Productions Office (312-226-5800.)
Headlining WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT 19 will be a sensational light heavyweight battle between Chicago’s Polish Prince, Andrzej Fonfara and hard-hitting veteran Jose “Seek and Destroy” Spearman of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Since turning professional five years ago, the 23-year-old Fonfara, a native of Warsaw, Poland has thrilled Chicago sports fans and drawn huge legions of “loud and proud” fellow countrymen.
Sporting a record of 18-2-1 (9KO’s), Fonfara recorded his sixth straight victory on May 20th, brutally stopping Anthony Russell in the seventh round, defending his WBO NABO Light Heavyweight Title.
The much more experienced Spearman, 28-17-5 (11KO’s), has faced numerous world champions and contenders over his fifteen year career including Lucian Bute, Sebastian Demers, Brian McGee, Bronco McKart, Carlos DeLeon Jr. Lujuan Simon, Mean Joe Greene and Anthony Hanshaw.
In the six round co-main event at WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT 19, popular Chicago welterweight prospect Jaime “The Truth” Herrera, 6-1-0 (4KO’s) will challenge veteran Robert “The Wolf” Jones, 8-9-1 (3KO’s) of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Just 22 years old, the good-looking Herrera has impressed Chicago fight fans with his terrific boxing skills and fan friendly style. He returns to the ring following a sensational third round knockout of Eric Draper on May 20th.
As has been the case at each of Herrera’s bouts, all at the UIC Pavilion, a huge contingent of Chicago’s Mexican American community will be out in force with their full support.
Last year Jones scored a huge victory, knocking out highly regarded contender Pete Cantu in the third round at The Palace of Auburn Hills, outside of Detroit.
In a six round special feature attraction, hard-hitting Ukrainian middleweight prospect, Viktor Polyakov, 8-0-0 (6KO’s) will return to the Chicago fight scene for the first time since 2008 against Cleveland’s Romaro Johnson, 11-4-1 (6KO’s).
WINDY CITY FIGHT NIGHT 19 will also see four of Chicago’s finest newcomers in separate four round bouts.
Super bantamweight Sergio Montes De Oca, 4-1-0 (1KO) will face off against hard-hitting Antwan Robertson, 7-6-1 (5KO’s) of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Super bantamweight Juan Carlos Fernandez, 1-0-1, challenges St. Louis based Jamal Parram, 4-3-1 (4KO’s).
Cruiserweight Dimur Ortuz will make his pro debut against the Motor City’s Covan Graham, 0-1-0.
Featherweight Jeremias Correa, 2-0-0 (1KO) will also see action against an opponent to be announced.
Rounding out the card, Tacoma, Washington prospect Mike Gavronski, 2-0-1 (2KO’s) and Chicago’s Gerald Taylor, 4-2-1 (2KO’s) will see action in a four round super middleweight bout.
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 George, light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara, junior welterweight prospects Ivan Popoca, Adrian Granados and Ramiro Carrillo along with welterweights Achour Esho and Jaime Herrera.
For more information on 8 Count Productions please visit their new website, www.8countproductions.com. Follow them on Twitter at 8_Count and Facebook at “8 Count Productions”.
Doors open at the UIC Pavilion 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.
PANTHER PROMOTIONS “FUTURE SUPERSTARS” GOES HOLLYWOOD WITH DREAM WORKS FILMS!!!!
Hollywood, FL, September 19, 2011—Fight week is upon us as Panther Promotions proudly returns to The Seminole Hard Rock Live this Friday for their second South Florida boxing extravaganza. Local media are welcome to attend the final press conference scheduled for Wednesday, September 21st at Bongos Cuban Café beginning at 12 noon. The scheduled eight-bout card features Bahamian-born former NABA lightweight champion Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry (28-6-2, 16 KOs) against former International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight king Eric “Mighty Mouse” Aiken (16-8-1, 12 KOs) in the ten-round main event.
Aiken stepped in late last week to “save the day” when original headliner Daniel “The Prophet” Attah pulled out due to lower-back pain. The co-main event showcases local Miami southpaw welterweight Damian “Devo” Frias (18-4-1, 9 KOs) squaring off opposite Henry Crawford (22-1-1, 9 KOs) in another ten-rounder.
Other notable undercard bouts include Bronx-born female flyweight Marisol Miranda (4-4, 1 KO) versus Chantel “Gorgeous Babe” Cordoba (8-2-1, 3 KOs) of Colorado in a six-round battle. Undefeated Kronk gym light middleweight Tony Harrison (3-0, 3 KOs) makes his first South Florida appearance in a four-round duel against an opponent to be announced. Texas welterweight Jermall Charlo (7-0, 3 KOs) takes on lanky Eric Draper (4-5, 1 KO) in a six-round affair. Super-featherweights Aaron Chavez (2-2) and Larry Yanez (2-3) go toe-to-toe for four rounds. Light welterweight Juan “Pancho” Copado (1-0, 1 KO) squares off against Tommy Bryant (2-2-1) in another four-rounder while Brooklyn light middleweight Cletus Seldin (2-0, 1 KO) returns to The Hard Rock to face Clarence Booth (2-0, 1 KO) in his four-round slugfest.
Panther Promotions is going Hollywood and proudly announces their cross-promotional venture with Dreamworks Films for the upcoming boxing film “Real Steel”, starring Hugh Jackman premiering October 7th. Dream Works found Panther Promotions to be a good partner to launch their Florida premiere since the up and coming promotional company is committed to providing a solid platform and positive exposure to the many talented young boxing prospects that have not had opportunities knocking on their doors.
“Boxing has been seeing tough times with our fans because the fight fans want solidly matched fights and to see fighters other than the same big names we have been hearing about for years – they want to see real action and compelling matches”, said Harold Weston, President of Boxing Operations. “Panther Promotions is elated that Dream Works became interested in our brand and style of boxing and is doing this cross promotion with us,” added Weston.
As part of that promotional partnership, Panther will have at least one of the life-size studio robots that were in the movie on display at the Hard Rock Live the day of the fight and in actual attendance during the fight. They will also be holding a raffle for the fans in attendance for their October 7th premiere of “Real Steel”, and will be providing some giveaways to those in attendance. Dream Works will also have 1 or 2 HP Computer gaming stations for interactive play. Photo opportunities are available.
Movies: http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/1302-sugar-ray-leonard-shows-hugh-jackman-the-ropes-for-real-steel
Sports: http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/style-points/201105/sugar-ray-leonard-teaches-some-robots-keep-it-real
One very real life-size fighter also in attendance will be the incomparable eight-time world champion Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns. Also known as the “Motor City Cobra,” Hearns will treat fans and media to his unique perspective on the legendary fights that defined a generation.
One of those battles included Panther Promotions boxing director Harold Weston. Weston gave Hearns a tough challenge during their 1979 welterweight battle. Weston expects this crop of prospects to live up to the potential of prior generations and encourages fans and media to enjoy the rich sampling of boxing talent here in their own backyard.