HOLLYWOOD JIMENEZ GUNNING FOR A HAPPY ENDING AGAINST ANTWUN ECHOLS

Chicago super middleweight prospect Mike "Hollywood" Jimenez (7-0, 4 KOs) has seemed to have all the tools in his first seven pro fights. Blessed with natural showmanship, decent punching power and an ever-growing army of loyal fans, Jimenez has been a world beater at the preliminary levels of his career. Now it's time to start finding out if he really is a world beater. The 25-year-old will take a significant step up on Thanksgiving Eve at Hitz Boxing's "Fight Night at the Horseshoe" boxing event on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, when he faces three-time world title challenger Antwun Echols (32-18-4, 28 KOs). "I'm ready. I feel confident," said Jimenez, "I've been working hard in the gym. I understand it's a step up but I'm ready for the challenge. I think I can take this guy out." For a fighter with just seven pro fights, even a shop-work Antwun Echols is handful. While Echols has suffered most of his losses in recent years, they were all against top-flight opposition and before eventually winning, many of these fighters first found themselves on the floor courtesy of Echols' well-known power. "I heard the name and got excited. I welcome the opportunity. He's fought top guys like Bernard Hopkins and he used to be number one contender. I talked it over with my trainer/manager Pete George and we think it's the right move. We've been trying to take it the right speed, but I feel like I'm ready for this level of a challenge. He's a big name and he's super experienced and I've definitely seen him fight before. He's real technical and throws hard punches. He's game and he'll be ready to bring it, but I'm going to force my will on him. I'm going to put it all together and show everybody I can do this." Jimenez claims that while he's been a fan of the all-action Echols in the past, on fight night, he will be looking to make a statement. "I'll come in there and pump my jab like I always do at first, feel him out for a bit, then start getting my shots off. I'll have to pick my shots and use my skills to take this guy out." So what would a victory over Echols mean? "I've been thinking about it a lot and it'd be a huge accomplishment for me to say I beat somebody like that. Definitely something I can talk about for a time to come. Not everybody gets to fight in a fight like this. I'm definitely excited about it." ### In the night's eight-round main event, Hitz will unveil his new heavyweight contender, Andrey Fedosov (22-2, 18 KOs) the former WBC Youth Heavyweight Champion from Shuya, Russia. In his Horseshoe debut, Fedosov will face comebacking former NABA Champion "Rockin" Rodney Moore (17-6-2, 7 KOs) from Houston, Texas. In the co-featured bout, Chicago cruiserweight Dimar "Strongman" Ortuz (5-0, 3 KOs) will be taking on UFC veteran and fellow undefeated Terry Martin (5-0, 5 KOs) in a heavily hyped local grudge match. In another notable six-round encounter, Chicago (via Lithuania) middleweight slugger Donatas Bondorovas (15-3-1, 4 KOs) will take on Evansville, Indiana's "King" David Thomas (10-2-2, 8 KOs). The huge undercard (12 bouts are scheduled in total) will also feature Pacquiao sparring partner and undefeated knockout sensation Abdulai "The Classiq" Amidu (20-0, 17 KOs) also going six. In four-round fights will be Frankie "Time Bomb" Scalise (4-1, 4 KOs), Genaro Mendez (4-1, 3 KOs), kickboxing and Golden Gloves champ Simon "The Punisher" Buettner (2-0, 2 KOs), Russell "Rocky" Fiore (6-2-1, 6 KOs) and, making their pro-debuts, "Irish" Jimmy Murphy and Jonathan Manos.     Complete match-ups will be announced shortly. The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make their boxing shows a Las Vegas-style night of boxing that Chicago-area fans don't have to get on a plane to enjoy.       The Horseshoe Casino has an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities -- and is just 20 minutes from Downtown Chicago. Tickets are priced at $90 Ringside & $40 Orchestra and available at all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com. Please Note Early Start Time: On fight night, doors open 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00. All bouts are subject to change.

Martin vs. Ortuz Clash Heating Up in Hammond

While very few of his comments can be printed verbatim, it is an understatement to say that undefeated cruiserweight boxer Terry Martin is upset with his next opponent, Dimar "Strongman" Ortuz. The heavy-handed Martin (5-0, 5 KOs) will face fellow undefeated Chicagoan Ortuz (5-0, 3 KOs) in a "can't miss" eight-round clash on Hitz Boxing's "Fight Night at the Horseshoe" boxing event on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 21, 2012, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. A well-respected MMA fighter in addition to his thus-far perfect boxing career, Martin is known as an easy-going person outside the ring... but Ortuz's pre-fight comments have him boiling over. "I can't wait till the fight. I'm going to hurt this dude bad," he seethed. "He's been talking trash about me." When calm enough to explain, Martin says what bothers him is Ortuz's assertions that he got the better of him when they sparred in the past. "Yes, we sparred together wearing 18-oz gloves. Now we're fighting for real in some 10-oz gloves and we'll see who gets the best of who. It's going to be a lot different. I'm going to destroy him. I'm going to hurt him bad with every punch I land. He got the best of me? What the %&*$ is he talking about?" But that's not the only thing Ortuz said that Martin isn't happy about. "He's also been saying his trainer (Sam Colonna) is my old trainer. That's not true either. I trained at his gym for a while, but he was never my trainer. Sam never even worked pads with me. I don't know what he's dreaming about. Maybe he's having imaginations?" Martin says he's especially ready for this fight and nothing can stop his destruction of Ortuz that night. "I've worked my ass off and I'm ready to go. I'm 100%. This will be my first fight where I'm not cutting twenty pounds the week of the fight. I won't be weak and my endurance will be excellent. I'm ready to go in there and bang." Even Martin says he's surprised at how irritated he is with Ortuz. "I never talk like this. I'm gonna f$%& this dude up. I can't wait to settle this with him. He better think before he speaks next time." ### In the night's eight-round main event, Hitz will unveil his new heavyweight contender, Andrey Fedosov (22-2, 18 KOs) the former WBC Youth Heavyweight Champion from Shuya, Russia. In his Horseshoe debut, Fedosov will face comebacking former NABA Champion "Rockin" Rodney Moore (17-6-2, 7 KOs) from Houston, Texas. In another notable six-round encounter, Chicago (via Lithuania) middleweight slugger Donatas Bondorovas (15-3-1, 4 KOs) will take on Evansville, Indiana's "King" David Thomas (10-2-2, 8 KOs). The huge undercard (12 bouts are scheduled in total) will feature such popular local names as promising super middleweight prospect Mike "Hollywood" Jimenez (7-0, 4 KOs), who will go six rounds, and Pacquiao sparring partner and undefeated knockout sensation Abdulai "The Classiq" Amidu (20-0, 17 KOs) also going six. Also featured will be four-round fights for Frankie "Time Bomb" Scalise (4-1, 4 KOs), Genaro Mendez (4-1, 3 KOs), kickboxing and Golden Gloves champ Simon "The Punisher" Buettner (2-0, 2 KOs), Russell "Rocky" Fiore (6-2-1, 6 KOs) and, making their pro-debuts, "Irish" Jimmy Murphy and Jonathan Manos.     Complete match-ups will be announced shortly. The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make their boxing shows a Las Vegas-style night of boxing that Chicago-area fans don't have to get on a plane to enjoy.    The Horseshoe Casino has an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities -- and is just 20 minutes from Downtown Chicago. Tickets are priced at $90 Ringside & $40 Orchestra and available at all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com. Please Note Early Start Time: On fight night, doors open 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00. All bouts are subject to change.

Spectacular Thanksgiving Eve Boxing Event Planned for Final Hitz Boxing 'Fight Night at the Horseshoe' of the Year on Black Wednesday, November 21

Promoter Bobby Hitz of Hitz Boxing will continue his yearly tradition of doing a boxing event on Thanksgiving Eve with his final "Fight Night at the Horseshoe" instalment of the year on a very special date: Wednesday, November 21, 2012, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. Packed with local and international talent, Hitz's remarkably popular Horseshoe shows never fail to deliver on action or old-school boxing glitz. Add in the fact that his annual Black Wednesday galas are "the place to be" in the Chicago every year on that day and a very special evening of world-class professional boxing is assured. In the night's eight-round main event, Hitz will unveil his new heavyweight contender, Andrey Fedosov (22-2, 18 KOs) the former WBC Youth Heavyweight Champion from Hollywood, California, via Shuya, Russia. In his Horseshoe debut, Fedosov will face comebacking former NABA Champion "Rockin" Rodney Moore (17-6-2, 7 KOs) from Houston, Texas. Also scheduled for battle that night are a couple of undefeated area cruiserweights who love to mix it up, as Chicago's Dimar "Strongman" Ortuz (5-0, 3 KOs) will return from his sensational victory over formerly undefeated Donta Woods at the last Horseshoe event to face UFC veteran and power-punching slugger Terry Martin (5-0, 5 KOs), also from Chicago. Given their styles and in-ring ferocity, the rugged pair is scheduled for six, but a distance fight is highly improbable. In another notable six-round encounter, Chicago (via Lithuania) middleweight slugger Donatas Bondorovas (15-3-1, 4 KOs) will take on Evansville, Indiana's "King" David Thomas (10-2-2, 8 KOs). The huge undercard (12 bouts are scheduled in total) will feature such popular local names as promising super middleweight prospect Mike "Hollywood" Jimenez (7-0, 4 KOs), who will go six rounds, and Pacquiao sparring partner and undefeated knockout sensation Abdulai "The Classiq" Amidu (20-0, 17 KOs) also going six. Also featured will be four-round fights for Frankie "Time Bomb" Scalise (4-1, 4 KOs), Genaro Mendez (4-1, 3 KOs), kickboxing and Golden Gloves champ Simon "The Punisher" Buettner (2-0, 2 KOs), Russell "Rocky" Fiore (6-2-1, 6 KOs) and, making their pro-debuts, "Irish" Jimmy Murphy and Jonathan Manos.     Complete match-ups will be announced shortly. The high-class atmosphere and luxurious surroundings the Horseshoe has to offer make their boxing shows a Las Vegas-style night of boxing that Chicago-area fans don't have to get on a plane to enjoy.          The Horseshoe Casino has an intimate, comfortable venue with luxurious seats, a spectacular gaming area, free parking, exquisite food and all the amenities -- and is just 20 minutes from Downtown Chicago. Tickets are priced at $90 Ringside & $40 Orchestra and available at all Ticketmaster outlets and ticketmaster.com. All bouts are subject to change. On fight night, doors open 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00.

2004 U.S. Olympian Jason 'Big Six' Estrada Ready and on call for big shot

Headlines Nov. 10 in Providence

2004 U.S. Olympian Jason "Big Six" Estrada PROVIDENCE (October 26, 2012) - Thirty-one-year-old Jason "Big Six" Estrada (19-4, 5 KOs) has been patiently waiting the past two years for his last shot at the big-time. The 2004 U.S. Olympian, fighting out of Providence, is preparing to headline the November 10th "Big Things" card at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. Estrada fights veteran Galen "Bad Boy" Brown (38-20-1, 23 KOs) in the eight-round main event, presented by Big Six Promotions, on the "Big Things" show featuring many of New England's favorite boxers. Estrada has won his last three fights against Alex Gonzales, Dominique Alexander and Joseph Rabotte, while the battle-tested Brown has fought former world champion Hasim Rahman, world title challenger Mariusz Wach, and former Russian titlist Andrey Fedosov. "I'm trying to work my way back into position for a big fight," Estrada explained. "It's a   lot better staying active instead of just training, which gets boring after a while. I'm hoping to get a call if an opponent falls out in a big fight or if somebody hears my name and he wants a challenge. I'm staying busy. I'm not in a situation where I can call the shots. Guys today pick their opponents, waiting to get a fight against one of the Klitschko brothers." Today, Estrada is much different from the highly-decorated U.S. amateur boxer who turned professional nearly eight years ago. He has changed his style back to the way it was when he was boxing in the Junior Olympics, plus he's healthier than he's been at any time since his amateur days. "I sat down with my father (and head trainer Roland Estrada) and we changed my style a lot, back to what it was when I was fighting in the JO's," Estrada said. "When computer scoring came to the amateurs, I had to win points and did that by boxing. It was easy but that style doesn't work in the pros. I made a transition the past two years to sit on my punches and hurt guys. It just took a little time to get there. Everything was new for me when I turned pro. "I'm healthy now, too. Fighting as a pro, my body hurt all the time. I had elbow, foot and other issues that are all cleared up. I've become more patient, picking my shots better. I learned that boxing is a marathon, not a sprint, and I'm smarter today. I'm only fighting eight, 10 and 12 round fights now. "I'm not fighting past 35, so the clock's ticking, faster and faster. I'm waiting for my opportunity. It has to come before long. I've been working two years like this, staying busy and ready. Once I get that chance, I'm going to snatch it. I've become a professional fighter." Unbeaten Pawtucket (RI) junior welterweight Diego Periera (7-0-1, 2 KOs) faces veteran Bryan "The Brick" Abraham (6-14-2, 6 KOs) in the six-round co-feature. A solid six-round bout has been added to the card matching a pair of unbeaten junior welterweights, Gabriel Deluc (6-0, 1 KO), of Boston, and Waterbury's (CT) Jair Ramos (3-0-1, 2 KOs). Scheduled to fight on the undercard in four-round bouts are Providence junior welterweight Josh "Bam Bam" Beeman (4-11-3, 2 KOs) vs. Carlos Hernandez(3-2, 2 KOs), Hyannis (MA) heavyweight Jesse Barbosa (4-1-1, 3 KOs) vs. TBA, Hyannis light heavyweight Paul Gonsalves (4-2, 3 KOs) vs. Ahmad Mickens (1-2-1), former Irish National amateur champion Michael McLaughlin (2-1-1), fighting out of Boston, vs. Robert Hunt (0-2), of Hyannis, Providence middleweights Kevin Harrison and Pubilo Pena make their pro debuts fighting each other, Springfield super middleweight Reinaldo Graceski (2-0) vs. Michael Mitchell (0-1), and Portland, Maine middleweight Russell Lamour in his pro debut vs. TBA. All fights and fighters subject to change. Tickets, reasonably priced at $40.00, $60.00 and $100.00, are available to purchase by calling Big Six Boston at 1.617.312.5059, Big Six Providence at 1.401.241.3490(RI), going on line at www.bigsixentertainment, com or www.ticketmaster.com, and at the Rhode Island Convention Center box office. Doors open at 6 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

Past Olympians Jason 'Big Six' Estrada & Robert Alfonso in action Nov. 10 in Providence

Presents BIG THINGS Featuring 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason "Big Six" Estrada Nov. 10, 2012 ● R. I. Convention Center ● Providence, RI

2008 U.S. Olympian Jason "Big Six" Estrada PROVIDENCE (October 16, 2012) -- "Big Things" features a pair of highly-decorated heavyweights, 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason "Big Six" Estrada (19-4, 5 KOs) and 2008 Cuban Olympian Robert Alfonso in his pro debut, on November 10 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. Longtime Providence favorite Estrada faces veteran Galen "Bad Boy" Brown (38-20-1, 23 KOs) in the eight-round main event. Estrada has won his last three fights against Alex Gonzales, Dominique Alexander and Joseph Rabotte. Brown has been against former world champion Hasim Rahman, world title challenger Mariusz Wach, and former Russian titlist Andrey Fedosov. "We're very happy to cap our first year as a promotional company with the 'Big Things' card on November 10th," Big Six Entertainments president Artie DePinho said. "We've brought back entertaining, competitive boxing to Providence. Jason is getting closer and closer to a big fight. He's making some noise in the heavyweight division. Jason has developed into a more complete fighter, showing improved power that complements his great boxing skills. Alfonso's pro debut, the return of top prospect Toka Kahn-Clary, and an undercard made up of fan favorites complete a solid top-to-bottom card." The 25-year-old Alfonso is a 6' 4", 220-pound 2007 & 2008 Cuban National champion, who captured gold medals at the 2008 AIBA World Cup and 2009 Pan-American Games. He fights an opponent to be determined soon in a four-rounder.                     Also fighting on the "Big Things" card against opponents to be determined are Top Ranked-signed Pawtucket (RI) lightweight Clary (2-0, 2 KOs), a 2010 National Golden Gloves champion, in a four-round bout, as well as unbeaten Pawtucket (RI) welterweight Diego Periera (7-0-1, 2 KOs) in the six-round co-feature. Scheduled to fight on the undercard in four-round bouts are Providence welterweight Josh "Bam Bam" Beeman (4-11-3, 2 KOs) vs. Robert Hunt (0-2), of Hyannis (MA), Hyannis heavyweight Jesse Barbosa (4-1-1, 3 KOs) vs. TBA, Hyannis light heavyweight Paul Gonsalves (4-2, 3 KOs), of Harwich (MA), vs. Ahmad Mickens(1-2-1), former Irish National amateur champion Michael McLaughlin (2-1-1), fighting out of Boston, vs. TBA, Providence middleweights Kevin Harrison and Pubilo Pena make their pro debuts against each other, and Springfield super middleweight Reinaldo Graceski (2-0) vs. Michael Mitchell (0-1). Tickets, reasonably priced at $40.00, $60.00 and $100.00, are available to purchase by calling Big Six Boston at 1.617.312.5059, Big Six Providence at 1.401.241.3490(RI), going on line at www.bigsixentertainment, com or www.ticketmaster.com, and at the Rhode Island Convention Center box office. Doors open at 6  p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.