By Joe Harrison

It was an evening packed with plenty of fireworks at Windy City Fight Night 22 as light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara (21-2, 12 KOs) dominated Byron Mitchell (29-10-1, 22 KOs) to earn a third-round TKO at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois. The event was presented by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, home of the best in Chicago boxing.

At the sound of the opening bell, Fonfara came out aggressively as he attacked the body and head of Mitchell. Fonfara proceeded to throw left-right combos upstairs followed by a series of hooks as he completely overwhelmed his opponent.

A pair of strong jabs along with a straight right hand dropped Mitchell midway through the round. Mitchell was able to beat the count, but he was still on wobbly feet as Fonfara quickly went back to work. After another series of left and right hooks, Mitchell was down again. Mitchell rose back to his feet as the bell ended the opening round.

In the second round, Fonfara continued his assault by swinging more left and right hooks. Mitchell tried to fight through and land hooks of his own, but Fonfara quickly put up his gloves to protect himself. Then Fonfara was back to throwing his jab followed by straight right hands.

Suddenly, Mitchell countered with a strong right hook. Unfazed by the punch, Fonfara continued his attack and Mitchell resorted to clinching until the round ended.

When the third round began, Fonfara went back to business as he threw out the jab and set up more straight right hands. The punches continued to find their mark and the end seemed inevitable. Then a left hook followed by a straight right hand and another left hook dropped Mitchell again as the towel came flying into the ring from Mitchell’s corner, ending the contest at the official time of 1:03. With the victory, Fonfara won the vacant USBO light heavyweight title.

Also on the card, middleweight contender Viktor Polyakov (11-0, 6 KOs) defeated Derrick Findley (18-8, 11 KOs) by a ten-round unanimous decision. After a slow start, Polyakov began to pound the body of Findley round after round. Findley was competitive throughout the contest, but Polyakov always answered found a way to answer back, whether it meant more strikes to the body or a straight right upstairs.

In the later rounds, Findley proceeded to search for openings, but was continuously on the receiving end of left hooks to the body and head. He eventually began to clinch and punch, a method that appeared to be more productive than his prior strategy.

During the final round, the boxers began to exchange in the middle of the ring. A moment later, Findley finally found a home for his overhand right, which struck the head of Polyakov. Findley landed his right hand twice more before the sound of the bell ended the bout. The scores were 99-91, 99-91, and 96-94, all in favor of Polyakov. Polyakov earned the vacant USBO middleweight belt with his win.

In addition, featherweight Raeese Aleem (2-0, 1 KO) defeated DeWayne Wisdom (2-3, 1 KO) by a four-round unanimous decision. Aleem served a beating to Wisdom as he repeatedly trapped him in the corner and continued his ambush.

Amazingly, Wisdom was never out of it as he persistently baited Aleem by allowing him to come closer, and unleashed a wild right hook in an attempt to turn the tide. Unfortunately for Wisdom, the hook would have little effect even when it did occasionally land. Wisdom still found a way to survive despite being out on his fight for majority of the final round. All three judges scored it 40-36 for Aleem.

In other results, middleweight Paul Littleton (3-0, 3 KOs) scored a second-round TKO over Guy Packer (4-36-2, 1 KO). The time of stoppage was 1:17.

Super flyweight Adan Ortiz won his pro debut by knocking out Ricky Lacefield (0-4) in the first round. The end came at 2:44.

Welterweight Chad McKinney won his pro debut by earning a four-round unanimous decision over Cliff McPherson (2-8-1, 1 KO). All three judges scored it 40-36 for McKinney.