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01/15/2005 Archived Entry: "Morua Outhustles Crayton, Mobley Wins Decisively over Hernandez!"
Morua Outhustles Crayton, Mobley Wins Decisively over Hernandez!
By Juan C. Ayllon at ringside
Morua (R) bounces a hard right off of Crayton's head
(Chicago, IL): Lest anyone forget how cold and unforgiving the weather can be in Chicago, following unseasonable warmth just days ago, a cutting wind and a stinging 10 degree Fahrenheit freeze reminded those outside that Chicago’s one tough and brutal, son of a gun town. Inside the caldron of a boxing ring ensconced in Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom, fighters found that their experience here can be equally unforgiving and impartial.
In the main event, light welterweight Arturo Morua fought an inspired battle and ultimately emerged victorious against gritty James Crayton, while Chicago middleweight favorite, Miguel Hernandez, caught more than usual and absorbed what had to be a difficult loss against cross-town rival, Shay Mobley.
MORUA VS. CRAYTON:
A sense of great anticipation hung in the air as the crowd awaited the commencement of 8 Count Production's/Top Rank's "Aragon Rumble." Arturo Morua (138 lbs., 20-6-1, 13 KO’s) entered the ring to thunderous applause as a handler waved a Mexican flag overhead. His opponent, James “Too Sweet” Crayton (140 lbs., 33-19-2, 19 KO’s) calmly circled the ring, head down while Morua bounced on his toes in his corner.
Morua opened round one throwing a couple jabs; he bounced on his toes and landed a left hook to the body. Aggressive from the beginning, Morua ripped a hook to the midsection and a right to the head. Meanwhile, Crayton followed his busier opponent about the ring, hands held high. Morua opened up with four and five punch flurries. Crayton returned a flurry of his own and was warned to keep his punches up. Morua pounced, then retreated on his toes with Crayton following. Three punches and out. A low blow from Crayton followed. Crayton landed a jab and a pair of rights. Morua responded with a couple potent rights and lefts of his own.
Strains of “Meheeco, Meheeco,” roundly vibrated the facility at the beginning of round two. The ref told Morua’s corner to wipe the excessive Vaseline—a large gob, actually—from his face. Then Morua attacked with jabs, rights and uppercuts. Crayton flurried back. Morua landed a right, then a one-two. Crayton smiled. Morua caught a right to the head coming in. Crayton stalked. Turning him, Morua unloaded on Crayton, whose back was against the ropes. Morua continued out-punching his opponent, landing a jarring right and a volley of lefts and rights that had Crayton covering, and then staggered at the ropes. Morua landed a sweeping right. The two traded in close. Crayton landed a hard combination to the body, followed with a hard combo that mostly missed as Morua ducked. A spirited exchange, followed by a smacking counter to the body by Morua terminated the round.
Round three, Morua started with two crisp jabs and a right, then a right left right. Morua increasingly measured Crayton. Crayton stormed back driving Morua to the ropes, but Morua spun out and thudded retaliatory blows. A lead right staggered Crayton. Crayton landed a hook to the body. As Morua unloaded, Crayton landed a marginally low blow to the body, drawing a warning from the ref. Fierce infighting followed; then a single uppercut by Morua. Crayton continue to pursue behind a high guard. He landed a big right to the head and followed up with hard blows. The two exchanged fierce shots, Crayton knocking Morua back into the ropes. Morua and he exchanged furiously after the bell.
Crayton digs a hard right to Morua's body
In round four, Morua peppered with jabs and Crayton landed right and left hooks to the body. The crowd erupted again with cheers of “Meheeco, Meheeco,” as Morua circled and slugged. Spinning out of a corner, Morua landed a big right—and caught one—as he backed away. Hard hooks landed to the body by Morua. The two exchanged body blows, with Morua landing a potent right that knocked Crayton back a step or two.
Crayton landed a right that turned Morua’s head. More infighting. Crayton landed a right and right uppercut. Morua circled and jabbed. A low blow by Crayton, then a burst of blows by Morua followed from a myriad of angles. Morua remained extremely busy while Crayton seemed content to pick his shots. Crayton countered, but a smiling Morua swarmed as the bell tolls, landing a right hook afterwards for good measure.
In round five, Crayton landed a jab and caught about six punches as he advanced behind a high guard. Laughing, Crayton followed, but caught more for his efforts. A lead right by Crayton missed. A snapping left hook by Morua went. Crayton landed a pair of hooks to the body, then a right uppercut to the body and caught a one-two from Morua. The rate of exchanges slowed down a bit, as they now came in successions interspersed with maneuvering and resetting. Morua rained several blows, but caught a couple as he backed across the ring. He was landing about two or three to every punch thrown by Crayton. Crayton landed a slapping hook to the body at the bell.
Round six, Morua circled, and jabbed as Crayton pursued. Crayton landed a hard punch. Morua landed a hard right. Crayton pressured. Crayton landed a single right to the head. Morua turned out and reengaged. Crayton landed a hook to the body and a right to the head, then another right. Morua got up on his bicycle. Crayton landed a big right and caught one in return. Morua leaned on the ropes and held as Crayton banged away.
Morua appeared to be tiring from all the activity, punching and bouncing on his toes. Crayton landed a huge right to the head, drawing a large collective gasp form the crowd. Morua landed a series of rights and lefts punctuated by a potent right. Crayton drove Morua back and landed another heavy right near rounds end.
Round seven, Crayton shuffled forward as Morua circled on is toes, peppering. Yet, Crayton did not seem bothered as much by Morua’s blows and continued moving forward and throwing with malevolence. Morua flurried, turned and countered. Morua landed about four punches in a row; then backed away. Still the busier puncher, Morua hit and held. Morua landed a couple hooks over the top. Unhurt, Crayton continued to stalk and land compact shots in close. Morua opened up with quick salvoes and backed up. He snapped Crayton’s head back with uppercuts as Crayton sought to press matters at rounds end.
In round eight, Crayton landed a hard lead right. Morua landed a crisp one-two counter, then flurried with lefts and rights in short bursts. Crayon pressured and was warned for using his head in close. Crayton landed a couple shots to the head and Morua smacked a hard left hook to the body. Crayton chased a circling Morua. Morua was bleeding from a cut high on his scalp. Crayton peppered with a combination, punctuated with a hard right uppercut. Crayton appeared to be coming on as Morua circled; he landed a couple hard blows to the body. Morua countered hard up top. The two exchanged briskly as the bell rang. This was a close round.
Morua(L) lands a hard left hook to Crayton's face
Morua started round nine with a gob of Vaseline on his hairline by the cut area on his scalp. As Crayton pressured, Morua batted Crayton about the head, catching him coming forward repeatedly. Crayton landed a right hook to the body. Morua landed three crisp shots to the head. Crayton landed a hard right as Morua comes off the ropes and some hard shots in close to the body.
Bleeding form the scalp again, Morua continued to spear Crayton as he advanced, snapping his head with a left hook. Morua snapped Craytons’ head back again with a three-punch combo terminating with a solid right. Crayton simply reset and came back at Morua. The two exchanged hard shots. Crayton landed a pair of heavy rights on Morua, who countered at the bell with a right of his own.
As the tenth and final round began, Morua landed five punches to Crayton’s head, popped him well with a couple others, and danced out. Crayton landed a hard hook to the belly, prompting Morua to tie momentarily. On his bicycle, Morua peppered. Crayton landed a big right, but Morua bounced about and fired back with a fusillade of punches. In close Crayton bounced a hard uppercut and a left hook to the head. Morua double jabbed him and planted a solid right. Crayton kept coming forward. Morua pounced, but Crayton momentarily repelled him with a right uppercut. As the crowd chanted, “Meheeco,” the two swapped spiritedly.
Morua seemed to have the edge, as usual in output. The ref warned Crayton to keep them up. Morua landed a couple, backed off and flurried again, landing big swinging hooks. The two swung heartily toe-to-toe as the final bell rang, Crayton seeking to return after the bell. After the ref intervened, the two embraced.
The scores were 95-95, 97-93 twice for Morua, resulting in a majority decision for Arturo Morua.
Mobley (R) lands a hard straight left on Hernandez' chin
HERNANDEZ VS. MOBLEY:
In the co-main event, “Macho” Miguel Hernandez (160 lbs., 14-1-0, 9 KO’s) fought a gutsy fight but came up short versus a sharper Shay Mobley (160 lbs., 7-4-1, 2 KO’s), whose record was deceptive. In a rough and tumble, hard hitting affair in which both fighters did their share of grabbing and holding, Mobley was simply the better man tonight. He landed more cleanly and with greater effect, hurting Hernandez and seemingly on the cusp of a stoppage victory on an occasion or two. By comparison, Hernandez appeared somewhat flat and struggled to get his shots off effectively.
A favorite son of this fighting crowd, Hernandez’ introduction drew resounding cheers throughout the arena as he was introduced with his beloved boys in tow.
In round one, Mobley landed a right to Hernandez’ side. Hernandez missed with a hook over the top. Carefully sizing each other, the two sparred from a distance. Mobley landed a left to the body. Mobley landed a spearing jab at rings center. Hernandez probed with a couple jabs then missed with a big right hook as the two fell into a clinch. The two exchanged briefly at rings center before Mobley drove Hernandez to the ropes. As the crowd changed, “Macho, Macho,” Mobley pressed. Moments later, Mobley landed a pair of rights to Hernandez’ head and a hook in close. This was clearly Mobley’s round.
Round two began as Hernandez landed a left before being pushed into the ropes by Mobley. At rings center, Hernandez threw a four-punch flurry. The two exchanged as the ref warned Hernandez to keep them up. Hernandez landed a couple lefts to the body and a right to the head. Hernandez landed a good right to the head. Mobley landed a hard right after Hernandez missed a hook. The two slugged at rings center, then Mobley drove Hernandez to the ropes. Mobley appeared to win another round.
Mobley (L) attacks with gusto
In round three, Mobley landed three hard jabs and a jarring left hook that sent spray flying off Hernandez head. He landed another right catching Hernandez coming in. The two were warned for rough housing tactics. Hernandez landed a little but Mobley returned two or three in return. Holding close, the two swapped punches. Hernandez had his head rocked back as Mobley swarmed with both hands and Hernandez held on. In close, the two exchanged in a little hitting and holding. Hernandez and Mobley traded in close, swapping hooks. Hernandez landed a right after the bell. The crowd seemed to sense an upset in the making as fans desperately told Macho to get going.
As round four got underway, Mobley landed hard rights that had Hernandez holding. This drew a warning from the ref for excessive holding. Mobley tore into Hernandez on the ropes. In turn, Mobley drew a warning for grabbing behind the neck.
Mobley circled. Hernandez drove Mobley to the ropes. Then Mobley traded places as the two exchanged furiously. Again, Hernandez pressured as Mobley appeared arm weary. The crowd chanted “Macho, Macho”. Mobley landed a straight left. More confident, “Macho” stalked Mobley and winged several haymakers that Mobley ducked under.
Although Hernandez appeared to be coming on, the more effective aggression appeared to belong to Mobley this round.
Before round five, Hernandez’ manager, Sam Colonna was heard to shout, “I want you to fight, damn it!”
In close, Hernandez responded as Mobley held. Hernandez landed a good overhand right hook and caught return fire that included a rabbit punch; Mobley received a warning. Hernandez initiated more, but was countered. The two exchange hard shots: a looping right in close by Hernandez is followed by a hard return by Mobley; two hard body shots by Hernandez, a hard return to the head by Mobley. Some close infighting. Hernandez hit with his right as Mobley held his left. Hernandez kept his head in close to Mobley's chest and fired away, and then was warned for using his head by the ref. Mobley knocked Hernandez back with a right as the bell rung.
Mobley and Hernandez fight at rings center
Round six, the two traded in close. "Macho" drove a hard short right to the heart in close. The two exchanged at close quarters. Hernandez landed a hard left hook, a right and then a low blow, which drew a warning from the ref. Mobley landed a right to the hip. Hernandez landed a right hook over the top as Mobley held on. A right uppercut followed as the two exchanged in close at the bell with Mobley landing a stunning right hook that nearly dropped Hernandez and had him holding on.
Again, Colonna shouted to Hernandez, “You’re smothering yourself…you first!”
Mobley charged out in round seven as Hernandez grabbed. Mobley bounced on his toes and sought to time Hernandez. He landed a left hook and a right. Mobley fired at Hernandez against the ropes, but Hernandez willed his way out, then trapped Mobley in a corner, teeing off on him. Hernandez landed a big right. Mobley returned the favor, rocking Hernandez with follow up blows along the ropes. A couple rights rocked Hernandez as he stumbled forward into the ropes.
Appearing on the verge of a stoppage victory, Mobley teed off on Hernandez in a corner as the crowd went berserk. Recovering, Hernandez stood at rings center. He took a right to the hip then was pushed to the ropes. Mobley landed a hard right hook to the side. Pressing in, Hernandez slapped punches on Mobley. This was a huge round for Mobley.
Mobley initiated the eighth and final round with a ripping right to the head. Hernandez landed his own right moments later. Mobley speared him with two big jabs and then unloaded on Hernandez in a corner as Hernandez held on. His back to the ropes again, Hernandez absorbed blows, then circled out. Mobley landed a left hook that turned Hernandez head. Hernandez landed a couple uppercuts. Mobley mocked as he danced in again, then attacked. Hernandez landed a right hook as Mobley sought to pick his spots. Mobley landed a right near rounds end.
The fight was scored 78-74 twice and 79-73 for Marvelous Shay Mobley.
Commenting on the fight afterwards, popular Chicagoan middleweight David Estrada said, “Mobley came in shape today, Hernandez didn’t have snap in his punches. But then again, he was hurt; he had the flu. You’ve got to understand that his ribs were hurt. When you’re sick a week before the fight and you’ve got hurt ribs, you can understand why he had no snap. Mobley’s not a pushover despite his record! Nowadays people think because you’re ten and eight they can walk all over you, but all it takes is one punch. You always have to be in shape.”
“I love Miguel. He’s my guy. Styles make fights. Maybe because I knocked him [Mobley] out, he thought that this was going to be an easy fight, but it’s not necessarily true. A better shape Mobley came in. Who knows what would have happened if he [Hernandez] came in shape. You’re still my champion. You learn from these types of fights. Things happen for a reason. I’m 6-3. But I’m no walkover, People may think I’m a walkover; but they’re in for a surprise! I should be 9-0.” Estrada plans on fighting next in February or March.
MOLINA VS. LYNCH:
Super welterweights Carlos Molina (153.5 lbs., 4-0-1) and Joseph Lynch (153.5 lbs., 4-0-0) entertained with a free-swinging slugfest, with Molina ultimately prevailing in the scorecards.
Lynch (foreground) pounds the body while Molina (above and against the ropes) hits Lynch over the top
The two dispensed with pleasantries early on in round one as the two swung hard with both fists. Molina landed a hard right over Lynches head. Lynch landed a hard right, only to catch a couple hard rights in return. Molina was warned for hitting with a forearm. The two teed off on one another. Molina landed a hard left hook off Lynch's jaw. Boring in, Lynch landed a right to the head. Molina landed a trio of hooks to the head and Lynch dug a couple shots to the body at rounds end. Molina seemed to have a slight edge.
In round two, Molina landed a pair of shotgun jabs and followed with heavy lefts and rights. Lynch slugged right back. Molina appeared more accurate with his placement of shots. Lynch landed a couple rights and a hook to the body. Molina drilled a hard right lead to the head. Molina landed a long right to the head and a left hook as Lynch bore in on him along the ropes. Eschewing the jab, Lynch pressed in behind, swinging hard, and was warned for a kidney shot by Referee Podgorski.
Round three began as Molina landed a pair of hard jabs, received counters and landed hard hooks. Lynch waded in and slung hard shots with reckless abandon, catching hard hooks and a right to the head. Turning Lynch, Molina covered as Lynch sought to bomb his adversary out. Catching Lynch with an uppercut, rights and hooks, he fought his way out of a corner. At ring’s center, the two exchanged.
However, Lynch had the busier hands and it was Molina fighting back in spurts. Lynch caught a half dozen punches to the head; his head snapped back a couple times from blows as Molina ducked, covered and countered smartly. Molina appeared to be out-boxing and out-pointing, although the higher volume of punches by Lynch kept it close.
Round four, Molina jabbed and caught a right. Pressing, Lynch caught some potent rights and lefts to the head. Nonplussed, Lynch kept pressing, but continued catching more than he was landing. Molina landed a chopping right to Lynch’s head, then covered as Lynch sough to counter. Lynch landed a hard right, but also caught about thee other blows in return. Catching most of the blows on elbows and gloves, Molina forced Lynch to retreat. Shaking his head affirmatively with relish, Lynch sought to land, then regrouped. Molina was landing by far the greater preponderance of effective blows.
Starting off round five, Lynch caught a pair of stiff jabs and pressed in winging ward right and left hooks. A left uppercut popped Lynches head up, but Lynch merely sailed into Molina with both hands. Boxing smartly and handling the blows that landed well, Molina blocked most blows; then he tore into Lynch with both fists. Once again, forcing Molina back, Lynch swung for the fences and lost his mouthpiece from a return blow in the process. After his mouthpiece was reinserted, Lynch pressed, catching, but also swinging with malice forethought. Lynch’s head took a great deal of abuse he pressed forward seeking to stop his antagonist.
In the sixth and final round, Molina landed lefts and rights that stirred the crowd as Lynch swung wildly, ever moving forward. Molina was warned for holding behind Lynch’s head. Lynch ganged a couple shots to the body and caught another to the head in return. Landing a rare jab, Lynch caught a right-left-right combination, and another left to the head; another right-left followed. He caught a big left hook to the head, and still pressed forward!
A hard right snapped Lynch’s head back. Another right knocked Lynch into to the ropes. Lynch was staggered by a series of blows to the head as he never the less closed out the round strongly.
The scores were 58-56 twice, 59-55 and for a unanimous decision for Molina.
FIGUEROA VS. HAYDEN:
In a rousing four round war, lightweight Rita Figueroa (134 lbs., 1-0-0, 1 KO) showed her moxxy edged in edging tough customer Sarina Hayden (134 lbs., 0-1-1).
Figueroa (R) rocks Hayden
In round one, Hayden began jabbing, then opened up, while Figueroa stalked; her hands were the busier and more accurate of the two, landing in combination.
Pressuring, Figueroa landed several solid rights. A right hook over the top seemed to start a slide for Haden as Figueroa gained momentum, driving Hayden back hard with both fists. A pattern emerged that would follow throughout the fight: Hayden would start strong, but Figueroa would storm back, the two fought tooth and nail and Figueroa would wrest control as Hayden faded.
In round two, Hayden threw freely as she retreated. She landed several hard shots that drew gasps form the crowd. Meanwhile, Figueroa stalked and landed some heavy shots, rocking Hayden a couple of times. This was a case of a freer swinging Hayden versus a heavier handed and pressuring Figueroa.
Hayden opened round three with a hard flurry, drawing blood from Figueroa’s nose. Figueroa banged in some very heavy rights over the top. Hayden surged back with some heavy shots of her own. Figueroa drove Hayden to a corner with heavy rights and repeatedly rocked Hayden who appeared tired and on the verge of getting stopped. A heavy right at rounds end rocked Hayden’s head back on the ropes.
Round four opened as Hayden drove Figueroa to the ropes with a vicious two-handed assault. After being broken from a clinch on the ropes, Figueroa returned the favor, driving her back to rings center. Resuming the attack, the two exchanged lustily. Figueroa landed hard rights over the top and appeared t be winning a war of attrition. Trapped momentarily on the ropes, Hayden escaped as Figueroa pursued. Once again, Figueroa appeared on the cusp of a stoppage victory, as she pummeled Hayden. Giving all she had, Hayden backed Figueroa up at rounds end.
The fight was scored 39-37 for Hayden, and 39-37 twice for Rita Figueroa.
HOLIFIELD VS. MEDINA:
Switch-hitting middleweight Ottu Holifield (158 lbs., 1-0-0) dominated and outclassed Allen Medina (159 lbs., 0-3-0) in a clinic.
Holifield(L) stuns Molina with a straight left
In the first stanza, Holifield landed a heavy lead right, then landed a double right hook. Medina landed a lead right and recoiled from a heavy lead right return. Jabbing, Holifield landed a right hand. Pressuring, Holifield snapped Medians head back twice. A heavy left to the ribs, then later a straight left landed by Holifield. Medina countered with a small flurry.
Round two, Medina started off the round with a lead right, but had his head snapped back by two straight lefts. Medina threw hard to keep an advancing Holifield off him, as he appeared to step up his attack. He stumbled from a heavy blow, regrouped and circled. Another big right landed by Holifield and yet another. A right uppercut and a series of hard punches underscored his superiority. Medina landed a lead right, gaining him freedom from a corner. A right uppercut followed by a right hook on the ropes preceded a potent series of flurries at rounds end by Holifield.
In round three, Medina sought early to gain some respect behind a series of jabs and rights. Holifield drove some hard lefts to body and head in return. A huge left stunned and dumped Medina on the ropes. Recovering, Medina fought to stave off Holifield’s surge. As Medina was out of danger, Holifield took a breather, thus allowing isolated combinations by Medina. Driving back Medina with single hard jabs, Holifield pushed. Holifield landed a big right over the top near rounds end.
In round four, Medina fired a series of rights and lefts as Holifield retreated, then pursued. Holifield landed a straight left to the body. The best round for Medina by far, Median peppered with a vengeance. Holifield landed a large right to the head and resumed one and two punch combinations to Media, who flurried back. Holifield landed a beautiful three-punch combination as he pecked away at Medina. Seeking to close out strongly, Holifield opened up, but was mostly blocked by Medina’s flailing arms as he countered.
Holifield won a unanimous decision by scores of 40-36 all.
Tafoya (R) attacks Bunkholt as Fres Oquendo looks on and talks with the CBZ's Juan Ayllon (just right of the ref's foot at ringside).
TAFOYA VS. BUNKHOLT:
Featherweight Frankie Tafoya (126 lbs., 2-0-0, 1 KO) had his way in a scintillating bout versus tough Clarence Bunkholt (126 lbs., 4-2-0, 2 KO’s). In round one, Tafoya rocked Bunkholt with jarring shots and appeared momentarily on the verge of a TKO. However, but Bunkholt held on and survived the storm.
As rounds two and three progressed, Tafoya rallied while his opponent sought to swarm him. Tafoya seemed to have a relatively easy time landing the right hand as the two swapped blows at a spirited pace, Tafoya boxing better. By round three, it appeared just a matter of time before it was stopped. In the end, Tafoya landed a pair of left hooks to the body; as the ref interned to stop the slaughter, Bunkholt collapsed. 2:33 into round three.
Fres Oquendo (R), at ringside here with Juan C. Ayllon, says that Tafoya will make a good pro
During the Frankie Tafoya bout, world heavyweight contender, Fres Oquendo, joined this writer at ringside, observed, and chatted. Observing the bout with great interest, Oquendo said, “I’ve been seeing him [Frankie Tafoya] since he was a little kid, since he was 7 years old. He’s basically one of my alumni. When he was coming up starting, I was in the US Boxing team. It looks like he can have a successful pro career.”
RODRIGUEZ VS. BLAIR:
In his pro debut, hard swinging super bantamweight Francisco Rodriguez (117.5 lbs.) electrified the audience with his fiery, nonstop aggression against LeShawn Blair (118.5 lbs., 2-5-0). Blood streaming from a cut sustained in an incidental clash of heads in round one, he nearly stopped Blair as he bludgeoned him to the canvas and pummeled him in a corner for about a minute straight before letting up; Blair covered and countered as best he could and survived the round.
After free-swinging exchanges at the beginning of round two, Blair went down and was issued a standing count. Catching Blair on the ropes again, Rodriguez’ pounced. Trapped in a corner, Blair fought back hard, landing a hard right and forcing Rodriguez to back off. Rodriguez landed a big right and knocked Blair into the ropes face first. The bell sounded moments later.
Rodriguez nearly drives Blair through the ropes
In round three, the two engaged in heavy swap sessions. Rodriguez half punched, half pushed Blair through the ropes and was cautioned for pushing. After the two traded blows, Rodriguez pushed Flair to the canvas and was warned again.
Trapping Blair on the ropes again, Rodriguez pounded. Backing up to rings center, the two swapped freely. After a moments respite, Rodriguez banged away again. The skirmishes grew more intermittent. Rodriguez dominated throughout.
In round four, Rodriguez snapped Blair’s head back. After an apparent knockdown, the ref waived it not a knockdown. Banging Blair about the head, Rodriguez rocked him but good! Blair’s slipped into an impromptu rendition of the splits as he hung on for dear life. Rodriguez forcibly pushed Blair down; the ref again ruled it a non-knockdown, but stopped the bout moments later at 34 seconds into the fourth round.
AFTERMATH:
Rex Grossman at left
Sitting at ringside with his sister, the Chicago Bears’ quarterback, Rex Grossman, joined junior welterweight contender David Diaz, heavyweight contender Fres Oquendo and the CBZ's Juan Ayllon for a photo. Commenting on the fights, he said, “Oh I just love coming to a boxing event like this, it’s intoxicating and exciting.”
Indeed it is. In fact, it’s enough to thaw the most jaded Chicago sports fan fresh from a harsh Midwest winter’s frost and get them screaming on their feet as fast as you can say “boxing, Chicago style!”
A closeup of Rodriguez, who in fighting through a bloody cut on his head, epitomized
the fighting spirit demonstrated by the fighters tonight in Chicago
From left to right: Fres Oquendo, Juan Ayllon, Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman
and David Diaz
CBZ and local fan favorite, Rita Figueroa
with Juan C. Ayllon
Photos by Tom Glunz
