CHICAGO, IL (September 9, 2008) Cicero Mayor Larry Dominick and 8 Count Productions President Dominic Pesoli met this morning at the Mayor’s office to discuss “LIBERTY”, the upcoming world class professional boxing card set for Friday, September 19th at Cicero Stadium. Said Pesoli, ‘We’re very happy to return to Cicero as part of their huge Mexican Independence Day festivities. Mayor Dominick and his team have done a great job within the community to celebrate with the festival, parade and fireworks and we’re very happy to be part of it..
We’ve put together a terrific show of first rate professional boxing and we’re looking forward to an outstanding evening with boxing fans from Cicero and the rest of the Chicagoland area.”
Tickets for “ LIBERTY ”, presented by 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, along with Budweiser, TCF Bank, Aero Mexico, Jack Daniels, EL Jimador Tequila, Grossinger Auto Group, ABT Electronics and New York Jewelers, are on sale in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions office at 312-226-5800. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie . Doors for this event will open at 7pm with the first bell scheduled for 8pm.
Headlining the “ LIBERTY ” card is an eight round junior welterweight bout between Sonora , Mexico ’s Ramon Montano and Bayamon , Puerto Rico native Mike Gonzalez.
The 26 year old Montano, now living in Las Vegas , NV , sports a record of 15-5-2 since turning professional five years ago. Most recently he battled then WBC Lightweight Champion David Diaz on March 15th in Las Vegas , losing a hard fought majority decision. Other notable names on his record include world ranked Dmitriy Salita (DRAW-8) and Americo Santos (W-SD8).
The heavy handed Gonzalez, 10-4-1 (9KO’s) now based in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , splashed onto the local boxing scene three years ago and quickly ran off a string of eight wins, all by knockout.
Most recently Gonzalez has fought against some of the best prospects in boxing, losing hard fought battles to Jorge Teron and Joel Torres both in their hometown of New York City . In his last local fight, Gonzalez devastatingly knocked out Jaime Alvarado in April 2007 at the PAR-A-DICE Casino in East Peoria , IL .
The co-main event features the return of Chicago fan favorite Luciano “EL MICHOACAN” Perez taking on Puerto Rico ’s Devin Lopez in a junior middleweight bout.
Perez, 15-8-1 (13KO’s), returns to Cicero Stadium where he has fought successfully twice before, a third round knockout of John Vaughn in March 2007 and a SOLO BOXEO televised knockout of Carson Jones in February 2006.
Two years ago, Perez battled fellow Mexican Francisco Rincon at the Aragon Ballroom in one of Chicago most action packed fights in recent years. The blood filled war, featuring continuous power shots from both warriors, was won by Perez as he rallied to win the fight in the last two rounds.
In his last major bout, Perez battled former world champion Carlos Baldomir at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon , California , losing a highly disputed ten round majority decision which was also broadcast on SOLO BOXEO.
Lopez, now fighting out of Hammond , Indiana , brings a record of 7-3-1 (6KO’s). He had won three in a row before being stopped by Aaron Pryor Jr. earlier this year.
In a special feature attraction, Noe Perez, brother of Luciano, will make his professional debut. The nineteen old amateur standout will battle local favorite Nick Arellano in a scheduled four round lightweight bout. Perez was the 132 pound 2008 Chicago Golden Gloves champion.
Also featured at “LIBERTY” is a six round light heavyweight bout between Chicagoan Gerald Taylor, 4-0-1 (2KO’s) who will look to continue his winning ways against Davenport, Iowa’s Jeffrey Osborne Jr., 5-11-2 (2KO’s) in a scheduled six round bout. Taylor is coming off a four round unanimous decision win over previously undefeated Walter Foster on July 11th at the Aragon Ballroom. In Osborne’s last bout he knocked out Courtney Buck in the second round on August 15th in Somerset , Wisconsin .
Opening the show, Chicago based fighters Miguel Angel Figueroa and Jeff “THE BIG FROG” Curran will battle in a four round bout.
More information on this card will be announced shortly.
The public weigh-in for “ LIBERTY ” will take place at TCF Bank/ Melrose Park at 1440 W. North Ave. at 7pm on Thursday, September 18th.
World Boxing Council Speaks Out on Bradley vs. Cherry
From WBC President Jose Sulaiman:
“The World Boxing Council has tried by all means, and on several occasions, to reach an amicable agreement with the state boxing commission of Mississippi, as we have done with all other boxing commissions in the United States, for the exclusive WBC super lightweight world title fight between champion Timothy Bradley Jr. and challenger Edner Cherry, as well as for the WBC final elimination fight in the featherweight division between Elio Rojas and Hector Velazquez, which are scheduled to be held on September 13 in Biloxi, Mississippi.
“The WBC retains the exclusive rights of its officially registered trademark – World Boxing Council, WBC – as well as the WBC championship accolade, and on most occasions the WBC reaches amicable agreements with exemplary reciprocity with the boxing commissions in the U.S.A. who are hosting WBC title fights, as in the rest of the world. Without exception, the national boxing commissions of other countries, where we have the closest mutual cooperation and friendship, absolutely accept the WBC appointments of ring officials as well as the WBC rules and regulations in a mutual agreement.
“However, on this occasion the boxing commission of Mississippi has emphatically refused to accept WBC participation. Consequently, the WBC cannot agree to sanction any official WBC world title fight or elimination fight of our organization under these circumstances, as it would be an infringement or violation of the law by using the WBC championship accollade that belongs exclusively to the WBC, without whose approval no fight should be held using our name.
“The WBC has respectfully, amicably, and very humbly contacted the Mississippi commission requesting their change of position, hoping to find their collaboration and reciprocity by extending us the courtesy of accepting the appointment of at least two WBC neutral judges, appointed in mutual agreement, while accepting the appointment of two local officials, as it is customarily done in most states in the United States. Very unfortunately, they have refused and rejected all WBC participation.
“The WBC Board of Governors and I cannot be responsible for any verdict resulting from local officials whose names we don’t even know as of today, and are not registered in the WBC by any boxing commission. Consequently, the WBC has decided to buy three ringside tickets for three judges of the highest certification who are registered in the WBC by specific boxing commissions and appointed by the WBC, and these judges will provide the final and official result for the world of boxing for the WBC world championship fight and elimination fight.
“The WBC will respect the scoring of the Mississippi commission due to their right to do so in their state, but it will not count for the WBC world championship recognition or in the final elimination fight. We truly regret to have been forced to take this action and we would give anything to obtain friendship, mutual reciprocity and an agreement with the local commission, which extended to us no acceptance, nor courtesy for even a conversation.
“We will respect any decision rendered by the local commission, but it will not have any effect on the WBC in regards to the recognition of the winner of the world championship fight and the final elimination fight. The WBC wishes to express our respect and friendship to absolutely all of the boxing commissions of the United States which have been examples of equality, understanding, and mutual respect to the rights of the institutions.
“As the WBC highly respects and has a very good understanding with the Association of Boxing Commissions, we would expect and accept their participation to find a solution that repects the dignity and rights of our organation, with our will to fully cooperate. Otherwise, the WBC will respect, absolutely, the scoring of the three judges appointed by the WBC sitting in the audience.
“We hope that all of the boxing commissions of the United States, with which we have had excellent relations and mutual cooperation, will understand our position. We also hope that the ABC, with which we also have very good relations, will understand and participate as a mediator for an agreement to be reached that will respect the dignity of the WBC.
“May the best man in the ring be the best on the scorecards, with one to become WBC champion of the world and the other the official challenger.”