Venegas – Ricon Head Boxing Undercard in Chicago

With the first three shows of 2006 producing excellent action packed televised co-main events, Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions’, home of the best in Chicago boxing and Bob Arum’s Top Rank Incorporated along with Miller Lite and TCF Bank are proud to announce further details of this Friday night’s SOLO BOXEO De Miller Madness In March event on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom.

This week’s co-main event features two welterweight prospects as Chicagoan Gilbert Venegas, (9-1-2, 6 KO’s) battles Mexican Francisco Rincon, (10-3, 5 KO’s) now fighting out of Dallas, Texas in a scheduled eight round bout.

Speaking about the co-main events that have taken place recently on the 8 Count Productions events, Pesoli said, “The feedback we’ve received from our fans that come to the fights, the networks, those watching at home and the local and national media has really been great. Our matchmaker Jerry Alfano does a fantastic job making our entire shows competitive and exciting and we’ve really seen some exceptional matches in the co-main events.”

“Just this year we’ve had Raul Martinez stop Andres Ledesma in the eighth and final round after suffering a bad cut. Later in January, Jose Hernandez and Antonio Escalante fought a terrific Corrales/Castillo like fight over ten rounds that many of the media guys thought was an early candidate for ‘Fight of the Year’. Last month Luciano Perez’s original opponent fell out and Jerry brought in Carson Jones on short notice and they had a terrific battle with Luciano stopping him in the sixth.”

Continued Pesoli, “This Friday night is another great matchup. Gilbert and Francisco have very similar records, both are highly skilled and very tough guys. And there’s a great deal at stake which is what boxing really needs more of. Fighters with solid records, taking risks and willing to fight other tough guys in order to move up in the rankings. Just like Carson Jones and Antonio Escalante, Rincon shows that he is willing to test himself by coming to Chicago to fight Venegas.”

The main event of MADNESS IN MARCH features Chicagoland’s most popular boxer, 1996 Olympian David Diaz, (29-1-1, 16 KO’s) will face Silverio Ortiz, (16-8, 7 KO’s) of Merida, Mexico in a ten round lightweight battle.

In a special St. Patrick’s Day attraction, undefeated Chicagoland fan favorite and Illinois State Light Heavyweight Champion “IRISH” Mike Nevitt, 11-0, (5 KO’s) will battle Jesse Sanders, 14-4-2 (13KO’s) of Oskaloosa, Iowa in a six round bout.

The Aragon Ballroom is located at 1106 W. Lawrence Avenue on the north side of Chicago. Doors for this event will open at 6pm, with the first bell scheduled for 7pm. Tickets starting at $25 are available in advance by calling 312-226-5800.

The full bout lineup is

David Diaz vs. Silverio Ortiz Jr. ten rounds. lightweights
Gilbert Venegas vs. Francisco Rincon, eight rounds, welterweights
Tavrois Cloud vs. Terrence Jones, eight rounds, light heavyweights,
Mike Nevitt, vs. Jesse Sanders, six rounds, light heavyweights
Jose Manuel Ortega vs. Gonzalo Bonilla, six rounds, junior welterweights
Rita Figueroa vs. Eva Lidia Silva, six rounds, lightweights
Barbaro Zepeda vs. Miguel Angel Figueroa, six rounds, featherweights
Wilton Honirio vs. TBA, four rounds, super featherweights

The Master of Ceremonies for this event will be the internationally recognized voice of Latino boxing, Lupe Contreras.

To view the seating chart and poster for this event or for more information on 8 Count Productions and the 6,000 square foot JABB Boxing Gym, please visit…
www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxinggym.com