Chicago, IL, Tuesday, May 21, 2013–WBA Latin American Heavyweight Champion “Fast” Fres Oquendo (35-7, 23 KOs) will defend his title as well as vie for the vacant NABA Heavyweight belt against Derric Rossy (28-6, 14 KOs) during the 10 round main event at “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” on Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 PM at the The Venue inside of Hammond, Indiana’s Horseshoe Casino. Dynamic super middleweight Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez (10-0, 7 KOs) and equally exciting lightweight Frankie “Time Bomb” Scalise (6-1, 6 KO’s) are the co-features for the evening. Tickets start at $40.00 and are available at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or The Venue box office.
Oquendo is from Chicago, while Rossy hails from Medford, NY.
Supper middleweight Jimenez of Chicago, who remains undefeated after 10 fights, will face “King” David Thomas (10-4 8 KOs) of Evansville, IN in a six round bout. Comebacking lightweight Scalise, a proud product of Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, and Reymundo “The Prosecutor” Hernandez of Atchison, KS, a veteran of 19 professional fights, are scheduled to go four rounds.
Since its debut in 1991, Hitz Boxing has been the Midwest’s leading boxing promoter. Led by Bobby Hitz, who boasted a 21-4 record with 18 KO’s as a boxer, Hitz Boxing is the longest running boxing promoter in the Chicago area dating back to the bi-monthly boxing series the “Ramada Rumble,” held at the former Rosemont Ramada Inn. The organization currently promotes the wildly popular “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN and is the subject of “Hitz Boxing,” a reality show airing on YouTube which has amassed over 3 million views. Over the years the organization has produced matches that have included some of the top names in boxing such as James Toney, Antonio Tarver, Montell Griffin, Iran Barkley, Andrew Golota and “Fast” Fres Oquendo.
The $500 million Horseshoe Casino, a Caesars Entertainment Corporation property, just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago is the premier entertainment and gambling destination in Chicagoland. Where legendary gaming lives on, Horseshoe boasts more than 350,000 square feet with over 3,000 slot machines, over 100 table games, one of the largest poker rooms in the Midwest, and more. The Venue at Horseshoe Casino is proud to offer the ultimate concert and entertainment destination and premier experience in a flexible space that can hold up to 3,300 guests. Dining elegance is not overlooked and guests can choose from a variety of dining options including; Jack Binion’s Steak House which overlooks Lake Michigan and winner of the 2009, 2010, 2011 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and the May 2012 OpenTable Diners’ Choice award, around-the-globe variety at the Village Square Buffet, and a taste of Chicago at Benny’s Pub and Eatery.
For more information, please visit: www.chicagohorseshoe.com.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
