Boxing News: Friday Night Fights in Chicago

CHICAGO (July 11, 2005 – Dominic Pesoli's 8 Count Productions along with Bob Arum's Top Rank Incorporated and Miller Lite presents another installment of THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING as SOLO BOXEO DE MILLER/NIGHT OF THUNDER takes place at the Aragon Ballroom on Friday, July 15, 2005

Headlining the huge evening is a terrific twelve round featherweight bout between world-ranked veterans Hector Velasquez, 41-10-2 (30 KOs), of Tijuana, Mexico and Aldo Valtierra, 22-7 (12 KOs), of Mexico City.

Velasquez, ranked #10 by the World Boxing Council, is on a four bout winning streak including a stoppage of highly regarded Marcos Licona this past February. Velasquez also holds wins over contenders Ubaldo Hernandez, Guty Espadas and Armando Cordoba, as well as very tough decision losses to world champions Israel Vazquez, Rocky Juarez, Kevin Kelley and Orlando Soto over his illustrious twelve year career.

On April 8, 2001, the very tough Velasquez was involved in a brutal bout with current IBF champion Robbie Peden on an 8 Count Productions FOX Sports Net televised main event at the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, IL, a fight that was stopped in the ninth round due to a massive cut suffered by the hard-swinging Mexican from an accidental headbutt which resulted in a technical decision loss.

Valtierra looks to continue his winning ways as he comes off a ninth round stoppage of previously undefeated contender Ernie Zepeda on May 5, 2005, a bout dominated by Valtierra from start to finish as seen on ESPN2's Tuesday Night Fights boxing series.

Five years ago the extremely aggressive Valtierra was involved in a bloody slugfest with Antonio “Chelo” Diaz on an 8 Count Productions card at the Grand Victoria Casino which had the packed house on their feet from start to finish. Although dropping a very close decision, Valtierra earned the respect of the loyal Chicago boxing fans with his gutsy performance. In November of 2004, Valtierra returned to the 8 Count Productions ring losing a hard-fought decision to world ranked Steven Luevano at the Hawthorne Race Track on a SOLO BOXEO DE MILLER internationally televised card.

“This fight truly embodies the warrior spirit of boxing,” said promoter Dominic Pesoli. “Both of these guys, Velasquez and Valtierra, are known for being very aggressive – as our fans have seen before.”

The huge co-main event features Chicagoland's most popular fighter, “MACHO” Miguel Hernandez, 16-2 (9 KOs), as he looks to continue his winning ways by taking on tough veteran Kenny Kost, 9-1 (6 KOs), of White Bear Lake, MN in a ten round middleweight bout. Fan favorite Hernandez is riding a modest two fight winning streak including a terrific win over Jonathan J.J. Corn on April 8th at the Aragon Ballroom. Kost dropped a very tough six round decision earlier this year to 2004 Gold Medal Olympian Andre Ward, a bout in which Kost dropped Ward with a crushing left hook in the second round.

“He's a very tough guy,” said Miguel about Kost. “He almost had Ward beat. It should be a great fight. The huge crowd should see a real war between the two of us.”

The terrific undercard is anchored by a middleweight six round Chicagoland cross-town showdown grudge match between heavy handed Jimmy Gonzalez, 2-0 (2 KOs), and Michael “The Midnight Stalker” Walker, 7-0 (5 KOs) of Merrillville, Indiana's One in a Million Boxing. Although never having met in the amateurs, both prospects are looking to stamp themselves as the best young middleweight in the Chicagoland area.

Gonzalez has thrilled 8 Count Productions crowds with two devastating knockouts this year, and Walker has built a reputation in Indiana and Illinois for his all-out aggressive style.

“They really don't care for each other,” Dominic Pesoli said. “They weren't able to settle it in the amateurs so they're both throwing down the gauntlet on July 15th at the Aragon.”

This fight has been rescheduled from this past April due to a minor injury.

A special six round attraction features hot lightweight prospect Carney Bowman, 6-0 (3 KOs), of York, PA against Jamie Alvarado, 3-2-2 (2 KOs), of Fort Wayne, IN. Bowman scored a stunning first round knockout of Leroy Newton on April 22, 2005 at the 8 Count Productions SOLO BOXEO DE MILLER card at the Cicero Stadium. Alvarado is riding a three fight winning streak since his bout with Tommy Bach-Pyle, a four round slugfest which resulted in a draw on December 10, 2004 at the Aragon Ballroom.

Bach-Pyle, 2-0-1 (1 KO) of Buffalo Grove, IL returns to the 8 Count Productions ring on the huge undercard with a four round lightweight bout against hot Milwaukee prospect Mike Gonzalez, 1-0 (1 KO) in a scheduled four-rounder.

Rounding out the card will be a four round heavyweight bout between Carl “Iron Fist” Davis, 7-2 (6 KOs), of Evanston, IL and Joe Jackson, 6-7 (4 KOs), of Miami, FL.

Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now by calling 312-226-5800 or by visiting Ticketmaster online at www.ticketmaster.com. For additional information and to view the poster for this event visit www.8countproductions.com .

The Aragon Ballroom is located at 1106 W. Lawrence Avenue and 4800 North (near the corner of Lawrence Ave. and Broadway), 5 miles north of Downtown Chicago and 4 blocks west of Lake Shore Drive. For further directions, please visit their website at www.aragon.com

Miguel and Bernard Fernandez, President of the Boxing Writers Association of America will be special guests this week on KO CHICAGO RADIO, presented by Dominic Pesoli's 8 Count Productions, home of THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING. KO CHICAGO RADIO hits the airwaves every Wednesday at 5:30pm on WJJG AM-1530. Fight fans are encouraged to join in the lively 90 minute discussion by calling 708-493-1530. Miguel will discuss his upcoming bout with Kenny Kost on SOLO BOXEO DE MILLER from the Aragon Ballroom this Friday night. Fernandez, sports writer for the Philadelphia Daily News, has written about Bernard Hopkins during his career and will offer his unique perspectives and insights to this Saturday night's world middleweight bout between Hopkins and Jermaine Taylor.

KO CHICAGO RADIO is the only Chicagoland boxing radio show and features the finest discussion about national and local boxing news each week. Previous guests have included Fernando Vargas, Lamon Brewster, John Ruiz, Bob Arum, Angelo Dundee, Carl Moretti, Christy Martin, Rocky Juarez, Fres Oquendo, Joe Tessitore, Lucia Rijker, Calvin Brock, Christy Martin, David Diaz, Freddy Cuevas and Frankie Tafoya.

KO Chicago Radio features Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions, home of THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, Ken Fletcher, “Master of Ceremonies” at all 8 Count Productions events, Chicago's Boxing historian Marshall Christopher, Mikey DeSimone, as well as Bernie Bahrmasel, publicist for 8 Count Productions and Double B Publicity Inc.