The CBZ Newswire

Mike "Hollywood" Jimenez Hits Antwun Echols with an Uppercut En Route to a Third Round Stoppage

by Kerstin Broockmann

Photos by Scott Dray

HAMMOND, IN, November 21, 2012 — A few years ago, most of the young professionals on tonight’s Hitz Boxing’s Fight Night at the Horseshoe Casino card were making their marks at the Chicago Golden Gloves. In a Thanksgiving Eve show at the Venue, some faced stern tests and others began or continued their succesful professional careers. In the disappointing main event, Hollywood, California’s (via Shuya, Russia) former WBC Youth Heavyweight Champion Andrey Fedosov faced former NABA Light Heavyweight Champion, veteran “Rockin’” Rodney Moore, back in the ring for the first time since 2005. Chicagoans Dimar Ortuz and and Terry Martin put their 0′s on the line to square off against each other in a bout that promised, but did not deliver, fireworks. Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez faced veteran Antwun Echols, whose former power has clearly been eclipsed  by years. Former Golden Gloves Champions Simon Buettner and Adan Ortiz stayed perfect in their respective weight classes in two entertaining bouts. Jimmy Murphy and Jonathan Manos began their professional careers on the same day, as they had their amateur careers, and both stopped their opponents in the second round, though in very different fights. Rounding out the card were pugnacious lightweight Frank Scalise, heavyweights Josh Clark and Brian Houston in an exciting battle, welterweight Genaro Mendez demonstrating explosive power, up and coming Chicago-based middleweight Donatas Bondorovas outgunning hometown fighter David Thomas, and Pacquiao sparring partner Abdulai Amidu against perennially hopeful and overmatched Clifford McPherson.   (continue reading…)

Main Event: Andrey Fedosov 226 lbs. vs. Rodney Moore 226 lbs.

Dimar Ortuz 192 lbs. vs. Terry Martin 189 lbs.

Mike Jimenez 170 lbs. vs. Antwun Echols 161 lbs.

Frank Scalise 135 lbs. vs. James Owens 133 lbs.

Jimmy Murphy 145 lbs. vs. Andrew Kato 149 lbs.

Simon Buettner 174 lbs. vs. Fred Thomas 167 lbs.

Brian Houston 206 lbs. vs. Josh Clark 223 lbs.

Jonathan Manos 158 lbs. vs. Bill Finn 160 lbs.

Adan Ortiz 121 lbs. vs. Salvador Perez 121 lbs.

Genaro Mendez 145 lbs. vs. Agustin Cicero 145 lbs.

Donatas Bondorovas 161 lbs. vs. David Thomas 162 lbs.

Abdulai Amidu 146 lbs. vs. Clifford McPherson 149 lbs.

By Kerstin Broockmann

Photos to be added later

HAMMOND, IN, August 18, 2012 — Hitz Boxing presented another Fight Night at the Horseshoe this evening at The Venue in Hammond. The evening’s bouts showcased the young and old(er) of Chicago’s boxing community, including a fight for the “over 40″ World Senior Boxing Council Championship between Middleweights Mike Kurzeja and Gerald Taylor. Headlining was Fres Oquendo, keeping busy in a bout Philadelphia’s Robert Hawkins. Undefeated Ghanaian Welterweight Abdullai Amidu (19-0) was unfortunately unable to make his Horseshoe Casino debut after his opponent withdrew too late to find a substitute. Local up-and-coming boxers Paul Littleton and Dimar Ortuz successfully stepped up against quality competition in crowd-pleasing wars, while more seasoned fighters David Martin III and Johnny Lewus found themselves in deeper waters than anticipated against opponents whose records belied their skills. Simon Buettner and Frank Scalise made short work of their hapless opponents. It was an evening of entertaining and occasionally explosive scraps.

Light Heavyweight Simon “The Punisher” Buettner (176 lbs) of Carpentersville, IL, entered the ring with a record of 1 win by knockout and no losses against Mukwonago, Wisconsin’s Mike “The Sandman” Reiter (172 lbs.), looking to get his first win after two losses. Buettner easily outclassed his older opponent, who, after a strong start, had no answers for Buettner’s sharper, harder punches. Buettner established himself behind the jab and quickly drove Reiter into the ropes, where a volley of body punches and hooks led to Reiter apparently taking a knee. Moments later, a right hook to the body, led to Reiter once again going down. He beat the count, only to find himself back on the ropes. Buettner continued the onslaught with hooks to the head and body shots, and a left hook buckled Reiter’s knees for the third time. Once again, Buettner attacked, driving his opponent to the ropes where another left hook dropped Reiter for the fourth and final time. Referee Kurt Spivey mercifully called a halt to the action at 2:16 of the first round, giving Buettner the TKO and improving his record to 2-0, 2 KOs. (continue reading…)

Damon Antoine (R) can't hide from Henry Coyle (L)

by Kerstin Broockmann

photos by Scott Dray

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL, June 21, 2012 — Despite the disappointing absence of the scheduled co-main event between fan favorite Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez and Indianapolis stalwart Mustafah Johnson, Hitz Boxing put on an exciting weeknight event for fight fans at the Belvedere Ballroom this evening. Though there were a few controversial decisions, the boxers definitely came to fight, even if some of them were stopped before they thought they’d had a chance to do so. Henry Coyle shook off some ring rust against the over-matched but durable Damon Antoine in the Main Event. Elijah McCall settled in to use his growing ring smarts to overcome his larger opponent in two. Locals PJ Cajigas and Simon  Buettner entered the professional boxing ring for the first time with mixed results. Mexican ring warriors Sergio Montes de Oca and Salvador Perez once again lit up the ring with a non-stop battle. Henry Coyle hopes to defend his WBF Light Middleweight Title later this summer in Ireland, and it will be interesting to see how the young boxers on the card fare as they continue their careers. Perez and Montes de Oca certainly proved themselves worthy of another look.

Montes de Oca (L) closes on Perez

In what was definitely the fight of the night, up and coming Chicago Super Bantamweight Sergio Montes de Oca (120 lbs., 6-1-1, 1 KO) and Campeche, Mexico’s Salvador Perez (120 lbs., 2-1-2, 1 KO) got the evening off to a rousing start in a return engagement of their explosive February 18, 2012, battle, which Montes de Oca won on all scorecards, but certainly not without being tested by his tough adversary. Once again, the two boxers wasted no time in getting to work, with Perez landing some hard blows to the body while being countered by hooks to the head. Montes de Oca landed the first flurry, but this only seemed to motivate Perez, who redoubled his efforts with a mix of body shots and uppercuts that made their mark on the local fighter. A low blow sent Perez to his knee late in the round, but both fighters never backed down throughout. It was hard to call the non-stop action, with both fighters doing their share of damage, but Montes de Oca seemed to win on ring generalship. (continue reading…)

Mike Jiminez (right) and Mustafa Johnson (Tom Barnes photo)

 Promoter: Hitz Boxing

Venue: The Belvedere Banquet in Elk Grove, Illinois

 Michael Jimenez 169 vs. Mustafah Johnson 161

Henry Coyle 155 vs. Damon Antoine 154

Simon Buettner 175 vs. Jadell Wells 180

Elijah McCall 229 vs. Travis Fulton 241

Sergio Montes De Oca 120 vs. Salvador Perez 120

PJ Cajigas 181 vs. Gerald Taylor 176