CHICAGO, IL (January 20, 2009) Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, has once again stacked the deck to present “NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION”, an evening of world class professional boxing set for this Friday night, January 23rd at Cicero Stadium. Thursday night, Lazo’s Tacos at 2009 N. Western, will host the public weigh-in for “NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION” at 7pm. Fight fans are encouraged to meet and greet their favorite fighters..
“We’ve got a terrific card this Friday night; it truly will give fans an opportunity to continue to gauge the progress of Chicago’s finest prospects. Ivan and Eric will look to continue their winning ways and Andrzej will look to bounce back from his loss in July. Also we’ve got two newcomers; Ryan Smedick who’s looked great in his first two fights and Willie Hernandez is making his pro debut” said Pesoli.
“Each one of these guys will be challenged and we’ll see which ones are able to rise to the occasion. Our fans come because they know they’ll see action packed fights and Friday night will be no exception” continued Pesoli who will celebrate this 11th year of promoting Chicago’s finest professional boxing shows next month.
Advance tickets for “NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION”, starting at $30, can be obtained in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions office at 312-226-5800. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie in Cicero . Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7pm with the first bell at 8pm.
The full NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION card is as follows;
Ivan Popoca vs. Daniel Garcia, six rounds, junior welterweights
Eric Estrada vs. Steve Cannell, six rounds, super bantamweights
Andrzej Fonfara vs. Terrence Wilson, six rounds, super middleweights
Ryan Smedick vs. Tyson Schwieger, four rounds, welterweights
William Hernandez vs. Quincy Johnson, four rounds, featherweights
“NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION” is presented along with Miller Lite, TCF Bank, Jack Daniels and EL Jimador Tequila.
TCF is a Wayzata, Minnesota-based national financial holding company with $16.4 billion in total assets. The company has 453 banking offices in Minnesota , Illinois , Michigan , Colorado , Wisconsin , Indiana and Arizona , providing retail and commercial banking services, and investments and insurance products. TCF also conducts leasing and equipment finance business in all 50 states.
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.
To view the seating chart and poster for this event or for more information on 8 Count Productions and JABB Boxing Gym, please visit www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxing.com
Egan confident Sweeney will pass tough French exam
Jonny Stapleton
Tony Averlant has been confirmed as Michael Sweeney’s opponent for his first ever fight on a World Championship under card, and the Mayo fighter’s manager Tommy Egan believes pairing Sweeney with the French fighter not only proves they hold world title aspirations for the powerful light heavyweight but they are building a quality boxer rather than just an impressive boxing record.
In modern day boxing a lot of fighters are handed easy fights creating would be essentially a boxing record illusion. Egan and Sweeney’s trainer, the legendary Sean Manion, however, want to ensure ‘The Storm’ builds solid fighting foundations so he won’t collapse when he faces a World Championship test.
Pitting Sweeney against French fighter Averlant, who has lost three of his ten professional fights, in France with a French referee is certainly a risk but one which Egan is willing to take to progress a talent he believes can challenge for World Championship honors within two and a half years.
Egan, who has recently signed an agreement with Banner Promotions, which he believes, will revolutionise Irish boxing, claims he wants to test his fighter and ensure he progresses a step further up the boxing ladder every time he enters the ring.
“We have a lot of faith in Michael Sweeney and pitting him against Tony Averlant in France proves that. He will fight a French fighter on his home turf in front of his home fans and with a French referee. That will prove to be a test, but one which we think he will pass. He is working hard with his fellow westerner and one of Ireland’s greatest ever boxers Ros Muc’s Sean Manion and he will be ready and prepared for this fight. We want to test him every time he gets in the ring. There is no point in giving him easy fights because it will not help achieve his long term goal of reaching the very top. We are not building a record here we are building a world class fighter. We want to progress him as a fighter and this fight will be another step toward a world title shot just over two years down the road,” Egan explained before claiming the Mayo pugilist has been given a great opportunity with a fight on the under card of Cristobal Cruz and Cyrill Thomas’s IBF Featherweight World Title bout.
“Michael has a great opportunity to impress. His fight will be broadcast live on Canal+, on American television and most likely on Irish Television. If he does do well he will benefit from the Banner Promotions Tommy Egan Promotion deal and get quality fights leading to World title shots.”
Darwish Brothers Knockout Promotions 1/22 Show to be Broadcast by GoFightLive
East Rutherford, NJ- Darwish Brothers Knockout Promotions is proud to announce that their January 22 show at the Meadowlands Sheraton Hotel in East Rutherford, NJ will be broadcast online by GoFightLive.tv .
Fans interested in viewing the entire seven-fight card entitled “Knockout Night” can simply visit www.gofightlive.tv and stream the event live at the affordable price of $4.99 .
The weigh-in for the event is scheduled for 6 PM at the Meadowlands Sheraton Hotel in East Rutherford, NJ. The Meadowlands Sheraton Hotel is located at 2 Meadowlands Plaza. The event is open to all members of the media as well as fans.
“We are very excited to be able to broadcast this Darwish Brothers event live throughout the world,” say Wally and Hani Darwish. “The fans are the most important part of our shows. We don’t just put on boxing shows, we put on boxing events. The fans are in for a real treat on Thursday.”
Providing musical entertainment is the world-famous DJ Absolut from the most prominent hip hop station on the planet, New York’s Hot97. And to help remind everyone which round is next, 18 of the most beautiful women in the tri-state area will serve as ring card girls and greeters.
“We’re going to have an amazing after-party open to all attending fans at Lace of Wayne,” the Darwish Brothers said. “It just goes to show that when you come to a Darwish Brothers show, you know you’re going to have a great time.”
Still, the Darwish Brothers have cut no corners when it comes to the boxing action.
Newark’s Alex “The Brick City Bullet” Perez will be headlining the event, looking to improve upon his unblemished 9-0 (6 KO) record. It won’t be easy though, as he faces the toughest test of his young career in Rochester, NY’s Russell Jordan. Jordan, with a record of 15-6 (10 KO), holds an edge in level of competition, having faced the likes of Luis Collazo, Sergio Martinez and James Kirkland in recent years.
Perez has earned his stripes working as a sparring partner for Miguel Cotto, Joel Julio and Felix Sturm and was a top-rated amateur with numerous tournament wins. This southpaw vs. southpaw shootout has “war” written all over it.
In the co-featured bout, Armenian knockout artist Archak “Shark Attack” TerMeliksetian, 16-7 (13 KO) of Fairview, NJ will go to battle with Trenton’s Joshua “Poison” Onyango,14-16-1 (11 KO). TerMeliksetian, a former 4-time Brazilian national amateur champion, has built a reputation as a highly entertaining fighter due to his never-say-die attitude, earning himself a loyal fanbase. Onyango, originally from Kenya, has given tough battles to many world champions and top contenders, including Paul Williams, Carlos Quintana and Yuri Foreman.
Noriko Kariya, 9-3-1 (2 KO) of Jersey City,NJ is primed to become one of female boxing’s breakout stars. Her next assignment is tough Nancy Bonilla of Camuy, Puerto Rico. Kariya, the younger sister of NHL legend Paul Kariya, is a two-fisted banger who is never in a boring fight.
Victor Valenzuela, 4-0 (1 KO) from Passaic, NJ will resume his string of rugged challenges as he faces Daniel Lorenzana, 4-3-1 (2 KO) of Miami, FL by way of Ciales, Puerto Rico in a four round featherweight matchup. As an amateur, Valenzuela accumulated 275 wins with 150 wins by way of knockout, including ten national tournament titles. In Lorenzana’s 8 fights, his opponents have had a combined total of two losses.
In an intriguing heavyweight matchup, Tyyab Beale, 1-1 (1 KO) of Jersey City will face Dwayne McRae, 3-0 (3 KO) from Laurel, Maryland. Beale, who won the New Jersey Golden Gloves heavyweight title in 2007, is no stranger to taking tough fights early in his career; In his pro debut, Beale faced the highly decorated amateur star Nagy Aguilera.
Paterson cruiserweight Elvin Sanchez, 1-0 (1 KO) will face Baltimore, MD’s Hannibal Otey. Sanchez won the New Jersey Golden Gloves title in 2007 after being a star wrestler in high school. Sanchez is managed by the legendary Lou Duva and trained by the venerable Joe Grier.
And rounding out the card is the pro debut of Danny Valle, who will be facing Jose Ortiz of Jersey City, NJ.
This event is sponsored in part by Gold’s Gym of Teterboro, Martial Maxx of Teterboro, Lace of Wayne and Platinum Dollz of Clifton.
Tickets, priced $100 for Ringside and $50 for Reserved, are on sale now and almost sold out. For more information on Knockout Promotions, visit http://www.darwishbrothers.com . For ticket purchase information and other inquiries, call (973) 339-9611. The Sheraton Hotel is located at 2 Meadowlands Plaza in East Rutherford, New Jersey.