8 Count Boxing: Hernandez vs. Martinez Added to “Warriors Collide”

Chicago based junior lightweights Jose Hernandez and Juan Carlos Martinez will meet in the ten round co-main event on Saturday, September 26th.

Presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, the event at Chicago ’s UIC Pavilion is headlined by a lightweight showdown between former world champions David Diaz and Jesus Chavez.

Said Pesoli about the Hernandez/Martinez matchup, “Along with the main event, this is a classic Chicago fight. Both Jose and Juan Carlos are very popular in Chicago and both will have their legions of fans at the UIC Pavilion on fight night. A win truly sets up a much bigger fight for either guy so there’s a lot at stake for Jose and Juan Carlos.”

Fighting out of Round Lake Beach, IL, the 33 year old Hernandez brings a record of 22-4 with fourteen knockouts into the battle with Martinez. In his last bout, he battled twelve rounds with world title challenger Rocky Juarez, losing a close unanimous decision on May 5, 2007.

The bout with Juarez was the co-main event at the Pay Per View record setting event headlined by the junior middleweight world title bout between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas .

Prior to the bout with Juarez, Hernandez scored a crushing eighth knockout of highly regarded undefeated prospect Jason Litzau on HBO’s Boxing After Dark on December 16, 2006 in Miami, FL.

The 27 year old Martinez, a native of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, has amassed a record of 16-11-1 (7KO’s), since turning professional six years ago. In his last Chicago appearance on May 29, 2009, Martinez won a ten round decision over Jaime Sandoval, a repeat of his win over the fellow Chicagoan in 2007.

Martinez followed the Sandoval win with a six round battle against heavily hyped prospect Rafael Guzman in New York City on the undercard of the Miguel Cotto vs. Joshua Clottey welterweight world title bout on June 13th.

Although Martinez was seemingly a clear cut winner, the bout was awarded to Guzman, a split decision which brought boos from the packed house, amidst looks of disbelief from ringsiders.

Tickets are priced at $151, $101, $76, $51 and $31, and are available through Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com the UIC Pavilion Box Office (312-413-5740) and the 8 Count Productions Office (312-226-5800).

Doors on the evening of the event will open at 7pm with the first bell at 8pm. The UIC Pavilion is located at 525 S. Racine , just one block south of the Eisenhower Expressway. For further information, please visit their website at www.uicpavilion.com

The UIC Pavilion is now serving alcohol at all boxing events.