Findley Defeats Hernandez in “Battle for Pride!”

By Jacob Chavez
Photos by: John Booz

Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions and Octavius James’ One In A Million Boxing Inc. teamed up to put on a terrific event that brought big time boxing back to the Cicero Stadium in Cicero, IL on Friday night. The fight card, which was billed as the “Battle For Pride,” featured a cross-town battle between Chicago’s Miguel “Macho” Hernandez (20-8-0, 10 KOs), whose notoriety was earned from his appearance on the third season of the popular reality TV boxing series “The Contender”, against the up and coming Derrick “Superman” Findley (11-2-0, 6 KOs) of Gary, IN.

Findley has gained significant interest and has Midwest boxing insiders talking not just because of his boxing skills, but also because of his very muscular build as well. After his experience on “The Contender,” Hernandez needed a win to get his career back on track. In the end it was youth over experience as Derrick Findley controlled the fight en route to an eight round unanimous decision over Miguel Hernandez by a comfortable margin.
“Superman” walked into the ring to a shower of boos from the vast amount of Hernandez supporters in the audience. He would silence them however later in the evening as he battered Hernandez over the eight round contest.

Hernandez climbed onto the apron in good spirits but appeared soft around the midsection once he took off his robe. Regardless he took the initiative at the sound of the bell and pumped numerous jabs at Findley. Hernandez has been known to have crafty footwork and waste movement. For the first moments of the round, it seemed as though those skills would serve him well against Findley, but “Superman” opened up with a minute into the round and got Hernandez’s attention with a stiff one-two combination.

Findley became even more aggressive in the second by connecting with more straight punches to the head of his opponent and finished them off with heavy left-hooks to the body. The warrior in Hernandez looked to make him pay, but he was being beaten to the punch. Aside from that, Hernandez appeared a bit sluggish and unable to offset the pressure from Findley.

The third showed more success for Findley. Hernandez tried to show that he was very much willing to get hit and land his own blows, as he pounded on his chest and stomach in a taunting manner. Findley stuck to his game-plan without being swayed by his opponent’s tactics as he pumped straight punches to the head and targeted the body of Hernandez.

He further battered Hernandez in the fourth by tagging him with a combination upstairs that caused blood to flow freely from his nose. The doctor was soon asked to analyze Hernandez, but this only motivated him to dig deep and try to rally as he was now fighting with an extreme sense of urgency.

As the fight progressed, Findley showed his own tricks in the ring by taking a half a step back and countered the charging Hernandez. He resorted to this tactic more as the fight progressed and as Hernandez further fatigued.

By the latter rounds, Findley was dominating the fight by connecting with very accurate combinations to the head of his adversary. To his credit, the warrior in Hernandez never wavered in spite of the increasing flow of blood from his nose. Findley simply proved too determined and fought a very smart and efficient fight. The judges scored it 79-73 and 80-72 twice, all for Findley.

Rodriguez Stops Priolo!

Bantamweight Francisco Rodriguez (12-2-0, 7 KOs) got back in the winning column by scoring a very impressive third round TKO win against hard-hitting veteran Angel Antonio Priolo (30-6-0, 20 KOs).

Both fighters started off with a stiff jabs. They both shared a similar body frame with a good reach. Rodriguez showed a very impressive adjustment since his last fight, one that proved to be the difference. He displayed very good accuracy and power, but appeared more cautious when trading on the inside.

Rodriguez delivered his attacks and did not leave himself open nor got carried away, which has been the case in some of his past bouts. Nearing the end of the round, the punishment to the body and constant attacks from Rodriguez took its toll on Priolo, as he was forced to take a knee just before the bell sounded.

The second proved worse for Priolo. He was very game and managed to tag Rodriguez with his own shots to the head, but Rodriguez packed more of a punch and was relentless with his attacks. Once again, just before the bell, Priolo went down courtesy of a left-hook to the head. He got up but found and finished off the round with himself in trouble again.

The constant assaults showed no signs of seizing, as Rodriguez pounded the body and dropped Priolo again. This time around referee Gerald Scott analyzed Priolo closely and stopped the fight. The time was 2:23 of round three.

Coyle Destroys Aragon!

Super welterweight Henry Coyle (7-1-0, 7 KOs) delivered a tremendous beating en route to a third round stoppage of journeyman Ben Aragon (7-10-2, 5 KOs).

Both fighters came out throwing heavy leather but Aragon soon slowed and Coyle capitalized, staggering Aragon several times with solid combinations to the head and body. The right-cross was a particularly good weapon that landed almost at will for Coyle.

In the second, Coyle came out with punishing attacks again and dropped Aragon with an assault to the head finished with a right to the body. Aragon got up but continued to take a beating.

Coyle proved too much for Aragon again in the third, as the punishment became overwhelming and he was unable to defend himself against Coyle’s onslaught. To his credit, Aragon tried to fight back, but he was out on his feet midway into the round while pinned in the corner. Just as he went down again, referee Pete Podgorski stopped the beating and awarded the fight to Coyle. The end came at 1:18 of round three.

Estrada Stops Carrizales

Super bantamweight Eric Estrada (4-0-0, 2 KOs) kept his undefeated record intact by scoring a second round TKO against Tim Carrizales (4-8-1, 3 KOs). Estrada imposed his will from the start and had Carrizales in a very defensive mode throughout.

In round two, after receiving numerous body shots, a left-hook to the stomach dropped Carrizales. He got up but soon another left to the body found its mark and he went down again in severe agony. Referee Gerald Scott stopped the fight immediately. The official time of the stoppage was 1:58 of round two.

Andaluz Decisions Mandujano!

The first fight of the even was a slugfest between featherweights Jose Mandujano (2-1-0, 1KO) and Gadiel Andaluz (3-0-0, 2 KOs). Andaluz issued Mandujano his first defeat, winning by way of majority decision after four rounds.

Mandujano looked to trade on the inside early on. He managed to connect with various shots. Andaluz however used his height well and countered more effectively during the second half of the round.

Mandujano applied more pressure in the second but a one-two combination to the face opened up a cut over his left eye. Mandujano came out with a sense of urgency in the second, pressuring and putting more hard combinations together. He hurt Andaluz midway into the round with a left-hook. Later in the same round, Andaluz returned the favor with a right uppercut.

Andaluz rallied in the fourth with quick combinations and by tying up the tiring Mandujano. The judges scored it 38-38, and 39-37 twice for Gadiel Andaluz.