The CBZ Newswire

Latoria (left) slugs in close as Gutierrez covers.

HAMMOND, IN, February 18, 2012 – Saturday night’s Hitz Boxing’s “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” at the Horseshoe Casino proved to be a night of high energy, heavy hitting, and daunting speed, which made for a great experience.

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Saturday, February 18, 2012 at the Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, Indiana

Promoter: Hitz Boxing

4 rounds
Chris Singleton (134.8) vs. Eddie Corrona (137) 

4 rounds
Brian Houston (212.2) vs. Thomas Boose (209.2)  (continue reading…)

HAMMOND, IN, February, 9, 2012 — The undercard of Hitz Boxing’s “Fight Night at the Horseshoe” series, scheduled for Saturday, February 18, 2012, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, has been announced and a strong group of local fighters are scheduled for intriguing battles.

In support of headlining undefeated welterweight prospect Alanbek Kozaev (19-0, 6 KOs) of Vladikavkaz, Russia and newly signed Cleveland-based junior welterweight prospect Prenice “Greatness” Brewer (16-1-1, 6 Kos) will be: unbeaten heavyweight slugger Dave “Diesel” Latoria (9-0, 5 KOs), who will face Oak Lawn, Illinois native Ed “The Iron Man” Gutierrez (15-10-1, 6 KOs) in a heavyweight six; popular local super middleweight Mike “Hollywood” Jimenez (5-0, 3 KOs) taking on Bruce “The Rage” Rumbolz (22-23-2, 15 KOs) of Sterling, Illinois; talented Lafayette, Louisiana, lightweight Chris Singleton (3-0, 2 KOs) versus pro debuting Nebraska resident Eddie Corrona; nearby Chesterton, Indiana, heavyweight Philip Triantafillo (1-0, 1 KO) doing battle with fellow Indiana resident Calbert Lewis making his pro debut; Chicago junior welterweight Genaro Mendez (3-1-1, 2 KOs) vs. Beloit, Wisconsin’s Josh Rodriguez (2-6, 1 KO); and the debut of Omaha, Nebraska-based former amateur heavyweight star (and newest member of the Hitz Boxing stable) Brian Houston in a surprisingly stern first test for his first time out against Chicago’s Felix Abner (3-2, 2 KOs). (continue reading…)

HAMMOND, IN, August 21, 2011 — On the non-televised undercard of the Hitz Boxing in Association with Banner Promotions’ Fight Night at the Horseshoe ESPN Friday Night Fights event on Friday, August 19 at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, former world champion Montell “Ice” Griffin (50-8-1, 30 KOs) of Chicago notched his landmark 50th professional victory with a hard-fought unanimous decision over former world title challenger Deandrey Abron (15-10, 10 KOs) of Youngstown, Ohio. The two light heavyweights traded bombs throughout, but Griffin had the faster, more accurate hands. The scores were 80-72 x 3.

Secret Service agent and undefeated super middleweight Mike “Cujo” Kurzeja (5-0-1, 4 KOs) of Chicago fought his usual back-and-forth war on his way to a highly entertaining unanimous decision (40-36 x 3) over Sydney Ohio’s Jeremy Wood (1-4, 1 KO). Kurzeja’s aggressive style always makes for a good tussle and give respect to Wood, who clearly showed up with winning on his mind. (continue reading…)

David Diaz (L) and Hank Lundy square off just before Lundy scores the final knockdown

Report by Kerstin Broockmann

Photos by Scott Dray

HAMMOND, IN, August 19, 2011 — Hitz Boxing and Banner Promotions teamed up with ESPN’s Friday Night Fights to showcase three bouts between older, more experienced boxers looking to stay in the elite, and younger, stronger rivals hoping to use them as stepping stones to their own future careers. On the card were three Olympians, Chicago’s Montell Griffin and David Diaz and Demetrius Andrade. Diaz, 35, faced 28-year-old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native “Hammerin’” Hank Lundy, a decorated amateur in his own right before embarking on his pro career, amassing a professional record of 20-1-1 (his only loss coming to John Molina), with 10 KO’s before proving his mettle by putting his NABF Lightweight title on the line against the far more experienced challenger Diaz. Demetrius Andrade had been considered one of the best prospects for a professional career of the 2008 Olympians, but has encountered some criticism for the level of competition he has encountered in his first 13 bouts, all of which he won. His decisive win against the 40-year-old but still dangerous Contender Season 2 winner Grady “Bad Boy” Brewer might allay some criticism, but Andrade’s defensive style, while effective, is proving a hard sell for casual boxing fans who prefer a less studious approach to earning a victory.  The undercard featured some entertaining scraps as well, including Montell Griffin’s bout against former contender Deandrey Abron, who had no answer for Griffin’s ring experience and I.Q. Griffin perhaps had the most successful evening of the Olympic trio, notching his 50th win by schooling his younger opponent in the old-school tricks of the trade that made him a champion.

The first bout featured featherweights Evgeny Gradovich (10-0, 6 KO’s, 126 lbs.)of Russia, now based in Arapahoe, North Carolina, squaring off against Providence, Rhode Island’s veteran Robert “Don’t Lose” Da Luz (16.2 lbs.). In the first round, Gradovich avoided most of Da Luz’s probing jabs to head, while directing combinations to body and head at his opponent, frequently backing him into the ropes.  Da Luz’s low left hand left him open to some sharp right hooks. While Gradovich clearly outworked Da Luz, Da Luz continued to launch sporadic attacks and seemed unfazed by Gradovich’s offense. (continue reading…)