By Joe Harrison

At the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, middleweight Luciano Perez (17-9-1, 15 KOs) scored a 5th-round TKO over Miguel Hernandez (20-9, 10 KOs) in front of 3,171 fans at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. With the victory, Perez earned the vacant WBF All-America’s Middleweight Title in the scheduled ten-round bout. The event, Windy City Fight Night, was promoted by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions.

From the start of the opening bell, Perez kept the pressure on Hernandez while the back and forth chants of "Mexico" and "Puerto Rico" were going back and forth from the fans. Throughout the round, Perez was the busier fighter and more accurate puncher as Hernandez remained in defensive mode. It was becoming apparent that Perez was by far the hungrier fighter.

In the second round, Perez continued his attack while Hernandez had difficulty developing an attack. A right hand from Perez staggered Hernandez as the end seemed to be growing closer. Perez proceeded to outwork his opponent for the remainder of the round.

During the third round, Perez delivered a brutal assault to Hernandez, landing punches up top and to the body. Then a left hook sent Hernandez to the canvas. Hernandez beat the count, but the punishment only continued for the rest of the round.

It was more of the same in the fourth as Hernandez did little to keep Perez from moving forward. Although Hernandez was beginning to throw a few more punches, he was still being pummeled by Perez.

By the fifth, Hernandez was beginning to make a fight out of his affair with Perez. Then another left hook sent Hernandez down. Hernandez was allowed to continue, but Perez was right back on him. Perez battered Hernandez against the ropes until the bout was called off at the 2:59 mark.

In the co-main event, jr. middleweight Henry Coyle (10-1, 9 KOs) beat down Dave Saunders (9-7, 6 KOs) on route to a 2nd-round TKO in a bout scheduled for 8 rounds. In the first round, Saunders connected to the face of Coyle but was on the receiving end of some brutal body punches from Coyle’s right hand.

In the 2nd round, Coyle proceeded to stalk Saunders around the ring. Saunders was stunned from taking a right hand to the face and staggering into the ropes. Saunders was given a standing eight count and was still wobbly. Clearly in no condition to continue, the bout was brought to an end at the official time of 41 seconds.

Also on the card, jr. lightweight Danny Williams (8-0, 6 KOs) scored a 1st-round TKO over Jose Guzman (5-2, 4 KOs). Williams came out swinging and sent Guzman to the canvas twice with his left hook. After the second knockdown, the bout was called off at the 2:58 mark.