FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ RETURNS IN CHICAGO ON FRIDAY, MAY 9TH‏

CHICAGO, IL- Popular bantamweight Francisco “EL NINO AZTECA” Rodriguez will return to action at BATTLE FOR PRIDE on Friday, May 9th at Cicero Stadium, as he takes on Columbian veteran Angel Priolo, it was announced today by Dominic Pesoli, President of 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.

Tickets for BATTLE FOR PRIDE may be purchased in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions box office at 312-226-5800. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie, just minutes from the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways. Doors for this event will open at 7:00pm with the first bell at 8:00pm.

The 23 year old Rodriguez, 11-2 with seven knockouts, is looking to rebound after the second round stoppage loss of his most recent bout with Andre Wilson on February 15th at Cicero Stadium. Prior to that fight the Chicago fan favorite had won four in a row.

Said Pesoli, “Francisco has continued to improve and was on a nice roll leading up to the fight with Wilson. He was winning that fight and boxing great when he got caught towards the end of the second round. To his credit, he was back in the gym right afterwards and is looking to get back in the winner’s column on Friday, May 9th.

Priolo is a very tough experienced veteran from Columbia and has faced many world class fighters which makes this a solid fight for Francisco.”

Priolo, a native of Barranquilla, Columbia, brings a record of 30-6 with twenty knockouts into the bout with Rodriguez, which is his second consecutive Chicago appearance. His last bout at Cicero Stadium was a battle with highly regarded prospect Abner Mares on April 20, 2007, a fight won by Mares with a sixth round stoppage.

His twelve year career also includes battles with former world champions Jorge Arce, Brian Viloria, Irene Pacheco and Francisco Tejador.

The main event at BATTLE FOR PRIDE features Chicago fan favorite and Season 3 contestant on ESPN’s The Contender, “MACHO” Miguel Hernandez, 20-7 (10KO’s) in a cross-town showdown against fellow Chicagoan “SUPERMAN” Derrick Findley, 10-2 (6KO’s) in a middleweight bout.

In a special feature attraction bout, hard hitting, Chicago based Irishman Henry “THE WESTERN WARRIOR” Coyle, 6-1 (6KO’s) will face veteran Ben Aragon, 7-9-2 (5KO’s) of Billings, Montana in an eight round junior middleweight scrap.

The undercard will feature popular Chicago prospects as super bantamweight Eric Estrada, 3-0 (1KO) faces Ronnie Howell, 1-1 of Cincinnati and lightweight Gadiel Andaluz, 2-0 (KO’s) battles fellow undefeated prospect Jose Mandujano 2-0 (1KO) of Detroit, Michigan, each in four round bouts.

The weigh-in for the BATTLE FOR PRIDE event will take place on Thursday, May 8th at 7pm at Team Doctors Chiropractic Treatment and Training Center of Champions located at 6432 S. Pulaski on the South Side of Chicago. Further information can be obtained at www.teamdoctors.org.

BATTLE FOR PRIDE, an outstanding evening of world class boxing is presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING and Octavius James’ One In A Million Incorporated along with Miller Lite, TCF Bank and AeroMexico, the premier travel source to Mexico.

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 for this event or for more information on 8 Count Productions and JABB Boxing Gym, please visit www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxinggym.com

CREATING CONTENDERS SINCE 1998
Bernie Bahrmasel, Publicist/8 Count Productions
www.8countproductions.com

CHICAGO'S 8 COUNT PRESENTS BATTLE FOR PRIDE ON FRIDAY, MAY 9TH HEADLINING; Chicago natives “MACHO” Miguel Hernandez and “SUPERMAN” Derrick Findley

CHICAGO, IL, World class professional boxing returns to Cicero Stadium on Friday, May 9th as Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING and Octavius James’ One In A Million Incorporated present BATTLE FOR PRIDE, an action packed evening headlined by an eight round middleweight cross-town showdown between Chicago natives “MACHO” Miguel Hernandez and “SUPERMAN” Derrick Findley.



Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions box office at 312-226-5800. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie, just minutes from the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways. Doors for this event will open at 7:00pm with the first bell at 8:00pm.

Hernandez, a popular participant of the Season 3 season of ESPN’s The Contender boxing reality show, is currently a member of the Cicero Police Department. In his only televised bout on The Contender, he lost a very close five round decision to Wayne Johnsen which was broadcast on September 25, 2007.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting again in Cicero; I’ve met many great people since I started working in the community, especially kids in grade school and high school and their parents.” Hernandez is a constant fixture in Cicero, also running a Friday evening youth boxing program at Manor Park for students ages 6 to 15. He is also the proud parent of three boys, the oldest of which is twelve year old Josh, who is also a boxer.

Since turning pro in 2003 with very little amateur experience, Hernandez has impressively compiled a record of 20-7 (10KO’s), which includes a ten round decision over Ryan Davis on February 10, 2007 in Coral Gables, Florida. Hernandez captured the World Boxing Council United States Middleweight Title with the win. His career also includes battles with former world champions Yory Boy Campas and Raul Marquez.

Findley brings a record of 10-2 with six knockouts into the bout with Hernandez. The Chicago area native is currently riding a four bout winning streak since losing a decision to 2004 US Olympian Gold Medalist Andre Ward on November 16, 2006. In his most recent bout, Derrick dropped Nathan Martin twice earning a second round stoppage on February 1, 2008 at the Star Plaza Theater in Merrillville, Indiana.

This will be Findley’s second bout at Cicero Stadium, having battled Jorge Gonzalez in a hard fought six round war on February 17, 2006

The co-main event at BATTLE FOR PRIDE will feature the return of bantamweight prospect Francisco “EL NINO AZTECA” Rodriguez. The 23 year old Rodriguez, 11-2 with seven knockouts, is looking to rebound after the controversial stoppage loss of his most recent bout with Andre Wilson on February 15th at Cicero Stadium.

The undercard will feature prospects super bantamweight Eric Estrada, 3-0 (1KO), lightweight Gadiel Andaluz, 2-0 (KO’s) and popular Irish hard hitting middleweight Henry Coyle, 6-1 (6KO’s) in separate bouts.

More information on the undercard will be announced shortly.

The weigh-in for the BATTLE FOR PRIDE event will take place on Thursday, May 8th at 7pm at Team Doctors Chiropractic Treatment and Training Center of Champions located at 6432 S. Pulaski on the South Side of Chicago. Further information can be obtained at www.teamdoctors.org.

Along with 8 Count Productions and One In A Million Incorporated, the BATTLE FOR PRIDE is presented by Miller Lite, TCF Bank and AeroMexico, the premier travel source in Mexico.

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.jabbboxinggym.com

CREATING CONTENDERS SINCE 1998

Bernie Bahrmasel, Publicist/8 Count Productions