On Friday night, November 7th at 7:00 PM, live and direct from Cicero, Illinois, comes People’s Champ Boxing’s inaugural fight card; titled New Blood.
New Blood (also titled Sangre Nueva for our Hispanic friends) represents much more than just a designation for new, exciting talent such as former New York City Golden Gloves Champion/undefeated junior featherweight prospect Juan ‘Baby Tito’ Dominguez; it serves as a clarion call from and homecoming for young promoter Mike Leanardi.
The Las Vegas-based ‘Chicago Mike’, a former writer for www.braggingrightscorner.com, is coming back to his hometown of Chicago to give back to the historical boxing scene which gave him so much for over 20 years. And what better place to do it than the very-nearby suburb of Cicero?
Says Leanardi: “I’m really pleased to be welcomed into the town of Cicero; a town that already has a great boxing tradition and I’m looking forward to giving the local fans something new.”
Cicero Stadium, a site known for its intimate size and ability to attract the most rabid of fans while frequently hosting various local sporting events, plays host once more to exciting Chicago boxing as People’s Champ makes its Windy City debut; a harbinger of great things to come from an exciting new concept in local promotions. “I am excited to bring some New Blood into the Chicago boxing scene and People’s Champ Boxing events are going to take boxing into a different direction beginning with this show. This won’t be your father’s fight card; this is going to be an event,” continues Leanardi.
As far as Chicago boxing promotions are concerned, several have come and gone so, ostensibly, there is an expected pressure to be successful so Leanardi’s first event has to be extra-special. Six fights have been scheduled featuring the Dominican Republic-born, Brooklyn, New York-based Dominguez, 2-0, in a four-round featherweight contest and lightweight Juan Pablo ‘El Torito’ Contreras, 7-0 (5), making his United States debut in a separate six-round contest.
No stranger to The Windy City, from competing in the World Amateur Championships in 2007, light heavyweight Ismayl Sillakh, 4-0 (3), comes into town for a six-round contest. In only four professional outings, the international amateur standout has already crossed the nation as well as the pond for opponents. The 23-year old Ukrainian certainly knows a thing or two about spanning the globe to take on the best; as his amateur experience teaches us. Now, as a pro, Sillakh wants to do the very same in order to becoming a well-rounded and successful professional. Returning to Chicago is certainly a step in the right direction.
Local heavyweight Isaac Ruiz will also challenge Lance Gauch, super middleweight Roman Polak faces Lafayette, Indiana native, Tony Dewey and Jaime Rodriguez will do battle in a lightweight attraction.
In a four-rounder, a fighter worth growing with, Stan ‘The Man’ Martyniouk will also take part in the evening’s raw revelry. Martyniouk, 4-0 (1), an Antelope, California native who was born in Estonia, comes from boxing stock (and belief in having a good, strong education) and his amateur accolades are broad. After winning multiple golds while a 2005 member of Team USA, a bronze medal at the National Golden Gloves tournament in 2007 and a third straight U.S. regional title, Stan debuted professionally in October 2007; ripping out four wins.
In addition, former IBF junior lightweight titleholder/The Contender: Season Two finalist Steve ‘Two Pound’ Forbes, fresh and rested from his recent challenge for the WBC welterweight title, will be in attendance; enjoying the evening’s action and hanging out with the fans. If that’s not enough, tickets start at a very affordable $25.
And at the very least, in the immortal words of PCB’s fearless CEO, ‘Chicago Mike’: “There’s going to be great fights, cold beer, hot girls and good music. What else more could you want?”
People’s Champ Boxing Presents New Blood
Friday, November 7, 2008, First bell at 8:00 PM; Doors open at 7:00 PM
Cicero Stadium
1909 S. Laramie
Cicero, Illinois 60804
Tickets: $25-General Admission, $50-Floor, $100-Ringside
Tickets can also be purchased in advanced at www.peopleschampboxing.com
For more information, please contact Coyote Duran at coyoteduran@peopleschampboxing.com.