GLEASON’S GYM: THE PLACE FOR BOXING ARTWORK
GLEASON’S GYM: THE PLACE FOR BOXING ARTWORK
I’ve been an artist my entire life. There’s actually never a time in my thirty-three years when I don’t remember creating artworks in one form or another. Crayon to pencil, then colored pencils and chalks, to expensive pens and computer screens, and finally landing on my current medium of choice: acrylic paints.
My love of boxing is what gave me the idea to paint boxers. I had never really given it much thought, although I’ve collected boxing memorabilia for about ten years now. Obtaining autographs from my favorite boxing celebrities and dignitaries has always given me a real thrill, but when I started having the boxers autograph one-of-a-kind paintings that I, myself, created. . . well, the sky became the limit. I can often be the one seen at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY carrying a stack of canvases around the grounds, chasing one legendary fighter or another for their coveted Sharpie acknowledgments. Over the years, the computer room of my house has become something of a sloppy boxing art museum. I never really had a place to showcase them, except for the Hall of Fame. Well, that all changed a couple of months ago when I read on www.cyberboxingzone.com about an all-boxing art show being held at the world-famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn. I’d never really been much further east than Syracuse, so this would be uncharted territory, but I simply HAD to be part of this. Finally, a group of other boxing artists! A support group, of sorts, for my sometimes insane desire to paint famous fighters. I couldn’t wait to get there!
I made the drive, along with “Sharon”, which is the name bestowed upon a clever little GPS device by it’s owners, the Holmes family. Jimmy Holmes, the former middleweight champion of Indiana, was to travel along with me, but his wife, Renee, needed some minor surgery, so I was on my own. Twelve hours of driving through heavy rain and fog gave way to some of the greatest sights I’ve ever seen, like the various tunnels of Manhattan and Brooklyn, as well as the Statue of Liberty. “Well and good,” I thought. “But Gleason’s is my destination.”
When I arrived early Saturday morning, and I walked across that fabled floor, I thought about all the blood and sweat that had been spilled there over the years. “My God. . . Mike Tyson trained here. “ And Riddick Bowe, and Emile Griffith, and Jake LaMotta, and so on and so on. Hell, even Hillary Swank trained here for the “Million Dollar Baby” role that scored her an Oscar! The floors were weathered, the barely-red walls were peeling and scarred, and the equipment was well-worn. What a truly GORGEOUS gym, and a perfect setting for an all-boxing art show!
I was in good company. Right off the bat, I met up with Jami Taback, from Kew Gardens Hills, NY. She was a delight to speak with, and her paintings spoke for themselves. Jami works with disadvantaged youths in her area, and paints them during their “skill building” boxing lessons. Her use of colors and textures were outstanding, and her image of a group of boxers had the appearance of a stone pictogram on an ancient wall. She explained that it was an intaglio print, and that she fashioned it after prehistoric images she’d seen over the years of combatants staging battles. Truly great stuff! See her various paintings and paper sculptures at www.jamitaback.com.
Next I met a young lady named Jill (I never did get her last name) who was a professional muralis, but also did highly-detailed pencil drawings of her favorite boxer, “Irish” John Duddy. Great detail in these drawings, and she really nailed the expressions that fighters often have when they throw and receive punches. Check her out at flickr.com/photos/matamuros13.
Anna Drastik’s work is described as “fashion designer + textile artist”. One thing is for sure. . . the work she had displayed on this day was different, to say the least. Toy children, wrapped in various multi-colored fabrics, staged to appear as if they were about to engage in a boxing match, entitled “Clash of the Titans” was near the entrance to the gym. Everyone who milled around the art show was drawn to it, and it got more than a glancing look from most that passed by. Anna’s work can be seen in more detail at www.annadrastik.com.
While I didn’t see much boxing influence in his work, Martin Bridge’s art is extremely visually appealing. His found-object sculptures have nothing to do with comfort, as they are mostly endowed with loud colors and spikey nails jutting out of them. Somehow, he makes these elements work for him, and I must admit, while Bridge’s work might not be for everyone, there is a large market for edgy work such as this. Check out his cutting edge creations at www.martin.ritualarts.org.
Vanessa Chakour’s work had a definite “dream-state” quality to them, complete with mystically-geometric images, explosive color choices, and entire visuals completely comprised of words. This is NOT artwork that you casually pass by! Everyone I saw in Chakour’s area stopped to get a closer look at the tiny words and phrases she used to create the various depths of color, contrast, and tone. Her Muhammad Ali piece, for example, was entirely configured using quotes from the great man over the years of his boxing career. See more of her work at www.vanessachakour.com.
Photographers were also rampant at the Gleason’s Art Show. Ruben E. Reyes showcased several images that stirred the pot a bit with their boxing visuals. One in particular, a closeup of a fedora hat, being worn by a spectator as the shadow or silhouette of a boxer stands ominously in the background, was the most interesting. All black and white, the tones and textures speak for themselves, and force the viewer to feel like they are in the gym, as well. Reyes’ work can be viewed at www.rubenreyesphoto.com.
Another photographer showcasing their wares was Marlon Gonzalez, who chooses to travel to various live boxing events and photograph epic modern-day battles. His black and white image of Ricardo Mayorga and Felix Trinidad was my personal favorite, because they weren’t engaged in the fight yet. They were still squaring each other up, and the intensity of the anticipation of the first bombs to be thrown are truly felt in this shot. This was a fight that I remember watching with unblinking eyes, and I recall waiting and waiting for them to start unloading, and this photo really captures the anxiety I was feeling before the fight began. You can see all of Marlon’s photos on his website, www.marlongonzalez.com.
And then there’s me. I mostly paint portraits of fighter’s faces, but have done some full-body images as well. I use untraditional colors to convey the tones I want to achieve, something I picked up from the MASTER of boxing art, Mr. LeRoy Neiman. But I consider my work to be much more Pop Art than Fine Art. First I make a detailed drawing of the fighter in pencil, then I condense tones into their basic levels with the help of Adobe Photoshop. I then project the new image onto the canvas, and “get to paintin’!” My work has included images of Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Lamon Brewster, Floyd Patterson, Shannon Briggs, Roberto Duran, Oscar de la Hoya, and Manny Pacquiao, among many others. Lots of these are one-of-a-kind personally autographed paintings, signed by the fighter(s) in the image. My work is viewable at www.facebook.com under my name, Chris Guzman. Just request friendship, and I’ll accept.
Special thanks go out to Mr. Bruce Silverglade, of Gleason’s Gym, Brooklyn. His hospitality to all of us artists is greatly appreciated. He even took the time to show me around the legendary gym, showing me lockers to current superstars Zab Judah and Paulie Malignaggi, who are, presently, training at Gleason’s. Find out all about this hallowed ground at www.gleasonsgym.net.
So, you ask, did I enjoy my time at Gleason’? Well, I drove 24 hours (roundtrip). . . and I’m going back next year, if that answers your question.
GLEASON’S GYM BROOKLYN is located in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, NY at 77 Front Street, and the telephone number is (718) 797-2872.
Chris Guzman has hosted The Bolo Punch Boxing Hour since 2002.
Miller Lite to Host $500 Round Card Girl Contest For “Radisson Rumble” @ Langels
Photos From The Last
Knock Out Round Card Girl Contest
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Shaun George Signs Promotional Deal with Dibella Entertainment
Light-Heavyweight contender Shaun George is “excited” to announce that he has inked a promotional deal with Dibella Entertainment. George will retain his former promoter, Donna Duva-Brooks, as his adviser. George is ranked #8 by the WBC and #13 by the IBF.
George, 17-2-2 (8 KO) is coming off his biggest win to date, a ninth-round TKO over future Hall of Fame inductee and two-time heavyweight champion Chris Byrd in May.
“The Byrd fight was an eye-opener for what I’m capable of, but it’s not everything I can do,” says the Brooklyn native now training out of Northern New Jersey. “I want to prove that I’m the best in the world and to be the best, you have to beat the best. Signing to Dibella will bring me the opportunities to get the bigger fights I need.
“All I should be worrying about is fighting and with this great team, I can focus on working my way towards a world title.”
“I’m thrilled to work with someone who I’ve not only known and respected for a long time,” says promoter Lou Dibella, “but someone who has his career on the fast track. He had a terrific victory over Chris Byrd, I think he has established himself as one of the best light-heavyweights in the world. This is his time and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
“Working with Dibella Entertainment puts Shaun in the best possible position because this will help him land big network fights,” says Donna Duva-Brooks. “He has a tremendous upside and now we’re just working on raising his rankings with the sanctioning bodies.”
George is aiming at a November return, possibly against Glen Johnson. If that match can’t be made, Dibella says that George will fight a stay-busy fight geared towards landing a major bout in the early part of next year.
George has been calling Glen Johnson out for more than a year but it wasn’t until recently that the fight became a realistic possibility.
“I want the fans to understand why I’m calling his name. I’m calling him out because no one wants to fight him. I respect the man as a fighter, he deserves to be ranked number one across the board. He has never ducked anyone but the champions and contenders are ducking him. That’s why I want this fight. I want to do what Antonio Tarver, Chad Dawson and Roy Jones Jr. couldn’t do, and that’s knock him out. I’ll fight the man toe-to-toe if I have to, it doesn’t matter. The outcome will be the same, I will win.”
Adds Dibella, “He’s in the prime of his career and we anticipate a great ride over the next few years.”
Contact Info
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Boxing Buzz Media
boxingpublicity@gmail.com
Walker Set For The Rematch On “Radisson Rumble” From ESPN
Michael Walker (r) connects with a big right to the head of Antwun Echols.
September 3, 2008 (Merrillville, In)- On Friday October 3rd, Michael “Midnight Stalker” Walker (18-1, 12KOs) returns to action at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza as he battles Antwun Echols (31-8, 27KOs) in a rematch from their epic main event on ESPN 2’s Friday Night Fights in February. Their first meeting resulted in a draw and Walker has every intention of erasing that blemish off his record. Since their first encounter, Michael Walker suffered a hard fought unanimous decision loss at the hands of David Lopez on Solo Boxeo. The Chicago native is excited about fighting once again in front of the loyal One In A Million Boxing fans who have supported him for years.
“This is the biggest fight of Michael’s career. There’s no denying the magnitude of the rematch against Antwun Echols. He knows he has to come back and put on a dazzling performance in order to remain a top middleweight contender. Despite taking the fight on only a couple weeks notice, Michael put forth a tremendous effort against David Lopez who is an extremely talented fighter. Walker has been entrenched in one of the most intense training camps he has ever been a part of. I have no doubt that on October 3rd at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza the world will see the best Michael Walker ever. I also have no doubt we will see the best Antwun Echols ever. Together, both Walker and Echols are sure to produce a middleweight war. “Said One In A Million Inc. CEO Octavius James”.
Last August, Michael Walker picked up one of the biggest wins of his career when he defeated Dante Craig on the undercard of the Diaz/Morales PPV card. The Chicago native thrilled the nearly 10,000 hometown fans at the Allstate Arena as he knocked out the former Olympian in round 2. He is no stranger to a fight of huge implications.
Michael Walker having met Antwun Echols once before knows he must bring his best on October 3rd in their rematch. The Chicago native is preparing for more of the back and forth action he encountered in their first meeting.
Pictured left: Walker and Echols first high intensity bout ended in a draw.
Walker is working with an array of sparring partners that are pushing him to the limit, so he can be at his absolute best come October 3rd. The “Midnight Stalker” knows a win over Echols can propel him to mega fights with some of the top contenders in the middleweight division. Michael Walker senses the time is now for him to make a big splash in the middleweight division. One thing is for certain the fans in attendance are going to see one tremendous fight between two world-class middleweights.
Radisson Hotel @ Star Plaza is conveniently located at I-65 & US 30 in Merrillville, IN.
Ticket prices are $100 VIP $75 VIP ringside $50 ringside $30 general admission.
Tickets for the “Radisson Rumble” can be purchased online at www.Ticketmaster.com any Ticket Master location or by calling 312-559-1212, 219-791-1234 or 866-438-7372
For more information on the “Radisson Rumble,” visit us at: www.OneInAMillionBoxing.com
TAVORIS CLOUD RAINS ON GONZALEZ’S PARADE!!!
HARD EIGHT 8COUNT PROMOTIONS ARAGON BALLROOM, CHICAGO, ILFRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2008
I was always told to never use the word “never”. But in this case, no other word will do. I have NEVER been to a bad boxing event hosted by Dominic Pesoli’s 8Count Promotions. Anyone in the Chicagoland area could learn a thing or two about running a successful promotion by watching the daily actions of Pesoli, who has been bringing competitive boxing events to the area for many years. ESPN has noticed, and on this night, the FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS crew from ESPN2 made the trip to cover the event, with Joe Tessitore and Shannon Briggs calling the blow-by-blow analysis from ringside. Briggs, the former two-time heavyweight champion of the world, would be filling in for fan favorite Teddy Atlas, who is in Beijing, China with the USA Boxing team. ZAID ZAVALETA UN. DEC6 JOSE NAVARETTE (136 lbs)
What an exciting, rip-roaring opening fight! Wall to wall action, both men in trouble at various points. . . why couldn’t THIS fight have been televised?
It certainly deserved to be. Punching machine Zavaleta (Lyons, IL, 17-4) took on powerhouse Navarette (Chicago, IL, 12-17) in an all-action war from bell to bell. The only problem with this fight is that it wasn’t long enough. Zavaleta’s body attack thumped throughout the entire Aragon Ballroom, and Navarette’s left hooks simply couldn’t miss. Of the two, 
however, Zavaleta had the better combinations, landing an unanswered 8-punch combo in the second round, much to the delight of the near-capacity crowd. Navarette had more success in the third and fourth round, bloodying Zavaleta’s nose with his full-blown attacks with his opponent against the ropes. In fact, Zavaleta was nearly at his mercy on the ropes, but in full command anywhere else. The fight ended with Zavaleta being the forward-moving aggressor, and the judges scored the bout 
60-54, 59-55, and 59-55, all for Zavaleta. The scorecards, admittedly, didn’t tell the entire story, but the cheers from the crowd did, as both combatants were hoisted on their respective trainers’ backs to receive the glory they deserved.(136 lbs) What an exciting, rip-roaring opening fight! Wall to wall action, both men in trouble at various points. . . why couldn’t THIS fight have been televised? It certainly deserved to be.
CARLOS MOLINA UN. DEC8 DONALD CAMARENA (147 lbs) 
The lone blemish on the record of Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. is the draw he received when he first fought Carlos Molina (Appleton, WI, 12-4). should have been an indicator as to the warrior ethic of Molina, who lost a mere majority decision to Chavez a few months later. On this night, his opponent would be Camarena (Arvada, CO, 18-5), and both fighters wanted this victory badly. Molina kept his steady, cautious pace until such time that he could get inside, unleashing his killer body attack. His 1-2 combos were just crushing Camarena, whose best rounds were 4 and 7 with his constant pressure. Molina’s chin was impressive, and it served him well as he received a unanimous decision of 79-73, 79-73, and 78-74.
TAVORIS CLOUD TKO10 JULIO GONZALEZ 
This is the fight that brought ESPN2, along with throngs of fans, to the Aragon Ballroom. Tavoris Cloud (Tallahassee, FL, 19-0, 18 KO’s) is truly a superstar in the making. Heavily muscled, incredibly quick, and being noticed by RING Magazine as part of the future of the lightheavy picture, Cloud already has the look of a champion. But on this night, his opposition would be Gonzalez (Huntington, CA, 41-6), who had, quite simply, “been to the dance before”. Gonzalez had a huge experience advantage over Cloud, with wins over Julian Letterlough, David Telesco, Glen Johnson, Montell 
Griffin, and even gave Dariusz Michalczewski his first professional loss back in 2003. His only losses came from Zsolt Erdei, Clinton Woods (twice), and Reggie Johnson. Oh, yeah. . . he also lost to Roy Jones, Jr. back in 2001, but can that REALLY be held against him? The fight between Cloud and Gonzalez would be youth against experience, speed against a granite chin, and it simply would not disappoint. Heck, even the legendary flag-waver Tomas Mendoza, with his distinctive moustache and bald head brought Gonzalez to the ring, if that was any indication of the scope of this fight.The 
chin that had never before been stopped was truly tested on this night, as Cloud unleashed an attack on it like Gonzalez had probably not seen since his fight with Letterlough (2001). Cloud’s abilities are taking shape nicely, and when he’s attacking, not many men are going to have the ability to withstand it. For the first four rounds, we were treated to a show of Cloud’s abilities; landing power shots while moving forward OR backward, killer rips to the body, and powerful uppercuts and hooks to the head. Then, in round five, Gonzalez turns the tide a bit, landing some power shots of his own. Cloud seemed a bit confused, but not hurt, as if he were asking himself, “How is this man still here?” We had only just begun to ask ourselves that from ringside, but Gonzalez was on his way to winning his first round of the fight when Cloud decided he had tasted enough of Gonzalez’s experience, and rocked his opponent in the corner, nearly ending the fight in the process. Gonzalez was on shaky legs, but to his credit, had lots more fight left in him.
After eating around 40-50 clean headshots in round six, Gonzalez came back in the seventh to clearly win his first round of the night. Was Cloud pacing himself, or out of gas? Cloud wasn’t attacking like he was before, but Gonzalez’s left eye was becoming a purple plum. Staggered throughout rounds eight and nine with renewed energy from Cloud, Gonzalez’s legs were all but gone entering the tenth. But then, all of a sudden, the referee stopped the fight at 2:50 of round 10. No standing eight. No knockdowns. Just. . . stopped. It begs the question, what did the referee see in round ten that he hadn’t already seen for six prior rounds? Gonzalez was upright, still throwing shots, and Cloud was looking better than ever. So why not allow Cloud to score a “real” knockout, which was probably a round away from happening? I hate to see a crowd boo a referee’s decision after a golden performance like Cloud’s, but that’s just what happened. In the end, Cloud stays undefeated, and can now say he’s the only man to have stopped Julio Gonzalez. 
With this IBF lightheavy eliminator under his belt, Cloud lays claim to the sanctioning body’s number one contender spot. But what will this translate into for Cloud? Chad Dawson and Antonio Tarver have their IBF title fight coming up, and neither will want to fight a young, undefeated lion like Cloud. His time will come, undoubtedly, but we’ll have to wait and see. For now, let’s let Tavoris Cloud bask in the glory of the biggest win of his career. He deserves at least that.
THERON JOHNSON DEC4 WILLIAM WILLIAMS 
This was an interesting fight to watch, if for no other reason than to see the difference in how 230 pounds can 
be spread throughout one’s body. Johnson is tall and lanky, whereas Williams is short and heavily-muscled. Both had a devil of a time getting to one another, but Johnson (Chicago, 2-1) had slightly better success in this four round affair over Williams (Jackson, MI, 1-1). After a slow start, an accidental clash of heads energized both fighters in the third, but made 
them both a bit timid to engage in the fourth. Johnson was awarded a split decision with scores of 40-36 and 39-37, with one judge awarding it to Williams, 39-37.Williams (Jackson, MI, 1-1).
Other action of the night included:
JOHNATHAN SUAREZ (Burbank, CA, 2-0-2) fought to a majority draw against GUADALUPE DIAZ (Chicago, 4-4-2) in their 147-lb clash. (Burbank, CA, 2-0-2) fought to a majority draw against GUADALUPE DIAZ (Chicago, 4-4-2) in their 147-lb clash.
NICHOLAS CASAL (Las Vegas, NV, 18-3) scored an exciting TKO in the fifth round with a left uppercut over the very game JESUS ZEPEDA (Shelbyville, IN, 16-7) in a 141-lb fight.(Las Vegas, NV, 18-3) scored an exciting TKO in the fifth round with a left uppercut over the very game JESUS ZEPEDA (Shelbyville, IN, 16-7) in a 141-lb fight. .
Special thanks goes out to Dominic Pesoli’s 8Count Promotions, especially Bernie Bahrmasel, for issuing Bolo Punch the credentials to cover this event. This is one promotion that really pays attention to details, like utilizing a venue as unique as the Aragon Ballroom, with its vintage Latino styles and charms, as well as live mariachi musicians treating the audience to outstandingly lively music. All in all, a GREAT night at the fights. Like I said, they NEVER disappoint
STEELYARD BRAWL HITS GARY IN A BIG WAY!!!
STEELYARD BRAWL
One in a Million Boxing, Inc.
US STEELYARD/Railcats Stadium, Gary, IN
August 2, 2008
Once again, Octavius James’ One in a Million Boxing, Inc. brought a fantastic Vegas-style boxing show to Northwest Indiana, only this time, they made history on their fifth anniversary commemorative event. Tonight’s fights were held at the Railcats Stadium, also known as the US Steelyard in Gary. Never before has this stadium seen any sporting event not involving mitts, balls, and bats. Gloves, mouthpieces, and trunks were center stage, and the impressive crowd showed their interest during each of the competitive fighting events.
HENRY COYLE TKO2 ALLEN MOORE 
First up was Henry Coyle (8-1, 8 KO’s), fighting out of Chicago by way of County Mayo, Ireland. Henry really packs the house in Chicago and Cicero, Il. . . and on five days notice contributed to the crowds on this night, as well. His opponent was sorely overmatched Allen Moore (Indianapolis, 1-4, 1 KO), who dictated the pace in the first, but must have been unaware of the fact that Coyle often takes the first round “off” to feel out his opponents. After Moore came out for the second round, hoping to continue as he did in the first, Coyle showed that he was simply waiting his turn. Setting Moore up with the jab, Coyle unleashed a picture-perfect straight left hand that put Moore down hard on the canvas. He rose at the count of eight, but was still stumbling, forcing referee Kurt Spivey to call a halt at 1:29 of Round 2. MARKUS THOMPKINS (ND3 from blood) DERRICK HILL 
Thompkins (Michigan City, IN, 3-0) fought a rather even first round in a battle of junior welters against Hill (Indianapolis, 0-1 in debut), albeit for an accidental headbutt that Hill got the worst end of. Thompkins pulled away in the second round with his sharp combinations as Hill spent most of his time showcasing facial features, attempting to show the crowd that he wasn’t hurt. After some more blistering action in the third, the blood streaming from the face of Hill prompted referee Eric Fetzer to have the doctor take a closer look, and on the doctor’s advice, stopped the action at 0:26 of Round 3. Due to less than four rounds being completed at the time of the stoppage, the fight was ruled a No Decision.
JOSH CROUCH (KO4) ALONSO PERDOMO 
Crouch (Chicago, 1-0, 1 KO), fighting in his professional debut, started things out right for himself, with a crowd-pleasing knockout. Taking on Perdomo (Mishawaka, IN, 0-2) there were less than ten rounds of pro experience between the two, but Crouch didn’t show it. While he still has work to do (who doesn’t?) his style will be difficult for others to deal with. Odd angles, forward-plodding, and strong uppercuts led the way for Crouch’s success against Perdomo. Crouch’s body attack nearly ended the fight during the third round, but to Perdomo’s credit, he lasted another entire round before the referee was forced to stop the fight after a hard knockdown at 2:59 of Round 4. We, at Bolo Punch, expect great things from Crouch.
MICHAEL PARKER KO1 ERIC CRITTENDON 
The night’s lone heavyweight event was also one of the night’s shortest fights. Parker (Highland, IN, 6-0, 5 KO’s) simply manhandled Crittendon (Clinton, MO, 2-6, 2 KO’s). It should be noted that both fighters came to the ring wearing pink boxing gloves, to call attention to One in a Million’s commitment to breast cancer research. Tall and strong, Parker made short work of the Missouri native, receiving three standing eight counts from referee Kurt Spivey. Technically put, Crittendon was hungry, and Parker was a willing “soup kitchen cook”, dishing up as much leather as his opponent could stomach. Being brought up slowly, Parker’s skills are developing nicely. His size and abilities will make him a worthy adversary in the heavyweight division for years to come.
ED OCHOA TKO1 RALF FRANKLIN
Ochoa (Hobart, IN, 5-0, 5 KO’s) stood in the ring with Franklin (Indianapolis, 0-4). They recieved their instructions from referee Eric Fetzer together. They both went to their respective corners, awaiting the bell. The bell rang, and they took their steps toward one another to begin their fight. Unfortunately, that is all the action we can report on, because after taking two steps towards Ochoa, Franklin fell awkwardly on his left knee, writhing in pain. Not one punch was thrown, not one exchange, not one ANYTHING. Just a badly twisted knee, and a lot of question marks. Since Franklin couldn’t physically continue, and the bell had already started the contest, Fetzer had no choice but to rule this fight a TKO at 0:11 of Round One. Let’s hope we never see anything like this again, since Ochoa really is a shining star in this promotion. His jab is lethal, and his combos are plentiful. I just hope I’ll be able to actually SEE some of his skills the next time he fights. EVETTE COLLAZO UN. DEC 4 KERRI HILL 
Collazo (Chicago, 4-0, 2 KO’s) had quite a hill to climb with Kerri Hill (Little Rock, AR, 1-11, 1 KO), who enjoyed a seven inch height advantage over the shorter, stockier Collazo. That is, however, the only thing Hill enjoyed about this match, which showcased the tenacity of Collazo to the fans at the Steelyard. Collazo found a nice home for her inside shots between Hill’s hugely wide punches. While she’s technically sound, she will always have to deal with height differentials, but on this night, she had no trouble whatsoever. She skated to a hard-fought but easy unanimous decision (40-36 on all three cards). JERMAINE WHITE TKO2 REGGIE NASH 
Jermaine White is on a roll. After being derailed by phenoms Anthony Peterson (RTD 3) and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (TKO 4), his focus is back where it belongs. He is trying to
get back into the limelight, and with performances like this, it shouldn’t take him long at all. White (Merrillville, IN, 17-3, 9 KO’s) overpowered Nash (Grand Rapids, MI, 9-20, 2 KO’s) with his speed and agility paired with deceivingly potent punching power. White owned the action in the first round, but turned it to full force in the second, where his killer body attack sent Nash to the canvas three times. The fight was stopped late in the second round, and ruled a TKO victory for White./font>
MARY MCGEE TKO2 TONYA GALLEGOS
“Merciless” Mary McGee is the brightest jewel in the crown that is One in a Million. After knocking out Tawnya Freeman in October of last year for the NABC Women’s Lightweight Title, McGee (Gary, IN, 15-0, 9 KO’s) has 
racked up three more victories against tough competition. On this night, her opponent was Gallegos (Denver, CO, 5-8, 2 KO’s). McGee’s style tonight was interesting, but highly effective. She stood straight up, allowing Gallegos to pound away on her gloves and forearms, awaiting her chance. Once she got that chance, she took it all the way. Never in a boring fight, McGee owned the action in the first round, forcing a standing eight count. The second round was no different for Gallegos, who had to deal with the speed and power of McGee, who sent her to the canvas after another standing eight, only this time referee Kurt Spivey had seen enough. The fight was called at 1:53 of Round 2.
Afterwards, I had the opportunity to ask Mary what her plans were for the near future. She responded that she’d like to defend her title outside of Indiana, since to this date, she hasn’t fought outside of her native state. She clearly has no fear of any opponent. She explained that her war with Rita Figueroa in 2006, which ended in a no contest due to an accidental headbutt, still weighs on her mind as unfinished business. A lingering injury on the part of Figueroa has kept the rematch at bay, but McGee isn’t interested in waiting around. She has since become ranked ninth worldwide in the women’s lightweight division, and would like a shot at anyone in the top ten, including Ramona Kuehne and Jessica Rakoczy. Until then, the name Kristy Follmer keeps coming up, and if the fight can be made, McGee is ready. Also, a date with former world champion Mia St. John has been rumored to be in the works. Whomever Mary McGee faces next, just remember what you’ve been told. She’s never in a boring fight, and she always finds a way to win, usually in grand fashion.
Special thanks goes out to Ocatavius James and everyone on staff at One in a Million Boxing, Inc., especially Ray Flores. Special thanks also goes to Mr. George Rogge of Rogge Insurance (www.roggeinsurance.com), whose continued support makes The Bolo Punch Boxing Hour possible.
Photography credits: Emil “Soda Popinski” Kegebein (All of his photography from this and countless other events can be viewed at www.smugmug.com using the keyword Leg Up Photos.)
Polish Pride Hits Chicago!
As always, Dominic Pesoli’s 8COUNT PROMOTIONS brought a real scorcher of a night of fights. These were broadcast LIVE on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights, and the flood of proud Polish flags informed all of us in attendance that this night would be truly memorable. It did not disappoint.
Piotr Wilczewski TKO2 Thomas Reid
Wilczewski’s jab was the deciding factor of this fight. He simply couldn’t miss, and Reid couldn’t do anything to stop it. It was so accurate and so fast, it was just a matter of time until Wilczewski would use it to land the proper punch. It happened right at the end of the second round, as Reid eats a big right hand, and referee Gerald Scott calls the fight at 2:59 of round 2.
SUPERMAN KO’s FONFARA!Derrick Findley TKO2 Andrezej Fonfara
Talk about a fight with a lot riding on it! Both of these fighters have already “ruled the roost” on a local level, and both came into this fight looking to break out of that mold and move to a national level with exposure on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. Well, Findley did just that, and in a big way.
The first round was actually going Fonfara’s way, as the Polish warrior used his superior jab to keep Findley away from him, actually forcing Findley to stumble backwards on one occasion.
But the second round was very different than the first. Findley realized that Fonfara’s shots couldn’t hurt him. And that’s when the big bombs started landing for the Gary, IN native. Rights and lefts, from all angles, to the body and to the head. . . it seemed like everything the heavily-muscled Findley threw ended up landing. Towards the end of the round, Findley landed a huge right hand that sent Fonfara onto the seat of his pants, warranting a count by the referee. Fonfara got up in time, but Findley was already on to bigger, better things in his mind. A barrage of unanswered shots sent Fonfara down a second time, but it happened AS the bell rang to end the round. Well, we just learned two weeks ago from Chazz Witherspoon’s fight with Chris Arreolla that the cornermen are not to climb up onto the mat until the referee ends the round, regardless of whether or not the bell has rung. Findley’s handlers are lucky they weren’t disqualified, as the referee rightly waved off the fight, declaring Derrick Findley the winner.
With all the Polish flags being waved everywhere in the packed Chicago Aragon Ballroom, One in a Million promoter and manager, Octavious James said, “Well, it’s sorta like fighting Fonfara in Poland. But we’ve been here before. Findley’s last fight was against Hernandez in Cicero, which is pretty much all Latino. The scary thing about Derrick is that he’s only 24 years old. We don’t even know what he’s capable of yet. One thing is sure, though. . . he’s ready. You all say that tonight.”
It happened. Amidst a sea of Chicago Polish flags, and with Andrew Golota sitting ringside, Derrick Findley knocked out the taller, faster Fonfara at the end of the second round. For those who may have thought that Findley was merely a muscle-bound journeyman, just ask Fonfara what HE thinks about Findley’s abilties.
WACH IS ONE TO WATCH!
Mariusz Wach TKO7 Eric Boose
Now THIS is a big man worth watching! His name is Mariusz Wach, and all I can ask is, where has he been? For seven rounds, he moved like a spry lightheavyweight, not like a man who is 261 lbs, 6 ft 7in. But that’s exactly how big he is. And Eric Boose, while he held in there as long as he could, was simply overmatched. For six rounds, Boose did all he could to stay away from the big man’s power right hand, but in round seven, Wach lowered the boom on his opponent, landing an unofficial ringside count of 30 unanswered shots to the head and body of Boose, forcing the referee to stop the action at 1:53 of round seven. 
Wach is really more than just another big man. He’s able to adapt to his opponent, and still score thrilling knockouts. We’ll be watching the giant Pole, and the heavyweight division officially, now, gets a true warning from Mariusz Wach. He’s coming.
ADAMEK WINS, BUT DOESN’T THRILLTomasz Adamek TKO 0:01 RD8 Gary GomezAdamek was the main event on this ESPN2 Friday Night Fights event, but his fight was far from the most exciting. He was simply in there with a man who couldn’t possibly beat him. Adamek is responsible for some thrilling victories in fights with Paul Briggs and O’Neil Bell, latter of which got him the cruiserweight belt he proudly wears around the ring. But Gary Gomez? All I need to say is that someone thought Gomez was the number one contender, so Adamek did his job. His job was to win, and possibly get in some rounds of “good work”. 
Well, what we saw was Adamek getting rounds, and waiting until the seventh round to really show Gomez his best stuff. Once he did, Gomez chose to not leave his corner for round 8, prompting the referee to wave the fight off. Next for Adamek? Who knows, now that David Haye has moved up to heavyweight. There is a fight for him, though, if he wants a unification match with Cunningham, who is primed and “ready to go” with the Polish champion. I can’t wait to see if this fight happens.
Gerald Taylor UD8 Walter Foster
Deividas Nekrasas KO1 Quinton Smith***Special thanks to Dominic Pesoli, Bernie Bahrmasel, Octavius James, John Taylor, and George Rogge for a truly remarkable night of boxing. This report comes to you directly from ringside, written by Chris Guzman. Photography by Emil Kegebein.
KID DIAMOND ADDED TO CHICAGO THRILLER!!!
CHICAGO, IL (June 15, 2008) World ranked lightweight contender Almazbek Raiymkulov aka KID DIAMOND has been added to the action packed FEARLESS professional boxing event, presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, set for this Friday night, June 20th at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom.
Raiymkulov will battle THE LION, Leo Martinez over eight rounds as part of the outstanding fifty round/seven bout card of world class professional boxing.
Tickets for FEARLESS are on sale now through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster) and the 8 Count Production offices at 312-226-5800. The Aragon Ballroom is located at 1106 W. Lawrence Ave. Doors for this event will open at 5:30pm with the first bell at 6:30pm.
Riding a five bout winning streak Raiymkulov brings a record of 25-1-1 with fourteen knockouts to his Chicago debut. He is coming off a twelve round split decision victory over Miguel Huerta on June 14, 2007 in Rochester , New York .
A member of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games representing his native Kyrgyzstan , now living in Las Vegas , Nevada , Raiymkulov’s seven year professional career includes a draw with world champion Joel Casamayor and notable wins over Lamar Murphy (TKO-5), Koba Gogaladze (TKO-6), Jairo Ramirez (TKO-7) and Emanuel Augustus (UD-10). His only loss was to world champion Nate Campbell (TKO-10) on October 1, 2005.
Riaymkulov is currently world ranked #10 by ESPN, #9 by the WBO and # 13 by the IBF.
TAVORIS CLOUD fighting JULIO GONZALES August 8!!!
CHICAGO, IL (JUNE 7, 2008) The highly anticipated showdown between unbeaten light heavyweight Tavoris Cloud and former world champion Julio Gonzalez will take place on Friday, August 8th at Chicago ’s Aragon Ballroom and will be broadcast on ESPN2, announced Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING, who will promote the event along with Chicago- based A TEAM Management.
The Cloud/Gonzalez twelve round bout is an IBF title eliminator to fight Champion Antonio Tarver.
Said Pesoli, “Tavoris has thrilled the fight fans in Chicago over the last couple of years with his skills and bone crushing KO’s and has become somewhat of a Youtube legend as we’ve posted his fights there. We’re very happy to work with ESPN2 on his televised debut to show the world what we believe; Tavoris Cloud is a future world champion.
This bout has “Fight of the Year” written all over it. Gonzalez is a very tough Mexican warrior who has been in numerous world class battles over his career. He’s a former world champion who has beaten the likes of other champions including Glen Johnson and Dariusz Michalczewski.”
Continued Pesoli, “I remember Gonzalez’s war with the late Julian Letterlough in 2001 that was also broadcast on ESPN2. It was an outstanding back and forth battle in which they each were knocked down a couple of times. At that end of the year, many of the boxing writers named it their “Fight of the Year”—we anticipate this fight to be a similar type of war given their styles.”
Neither Cloud nor Gonzalez will have to look far for each other—their both true all action fighters and the fans should see a world class battle from the opening bell,” added Pesoli.
The 26 year old Cloud of Tallahassee, Florida, brings an unbeaten record of 18-0 with seventeen knockouts into the battle with Gonzalez. Most recently he destroyed Mike Wood in the first round on March 28, 2008 in front of a packed Aragon Ballroom. In his most explosive outing which took place on August 24, 2007, Cloud, cut badly from a head butt in the fourth round, devastatingly knocked out Jose Luis Herrera in the fifth round at Chicago’s Congress Theater.
With explosive power in both hands, world class skills, a granite chin, his no nonsense attitude in the ring and his “close the show style”, Cloud has become a must see for Chicago fight fans over the last two years. He has knocked out all nine of his opponents over this period, typically in breath taking fashion.
A native of Guerrero Negro, Mexico , now residing in Huntington Beach , California , the 31 year old Gonzalez sports a record of 41-5 with 25 knockouts. He is coming off a very close split decision loss to former world champion Reggie Johnson on February 23, 2008 in Lake Charles , Louisiana . Along with battles with Johnson and Michalczewski, he has also fought world champions Roy Jones Jr., Clinton Woods (twice), Montell Griffin, and Zsolt Erdei.
This will be Gonzalez’s second Chicago appearance having knocked out Kenny Bowman in the third round on April 11, 2003 at the DePaul Athletic Center .
Ticket information for this fight along with a full undercard will be announced in the very near future, said Pesoli.
Bernie Bahrmasel
Publicist/8 Count Productions
TONIGHT’S BOLO PUNCH GUEST. . . NATE CAMPBELL!!
Tonight, exclusively on Bolo Punch Boxing Hour, our special LIVE guest will be the Unified Lightweight Champion of the World, “The Galaaxy Warrior” NATE CAMPBELL!! 
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