Caleb Truax (left), Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Minnesota’s own version of last man standing has been going strong over the last year and “Golden” Caleb Truax isn’t going to miss his chance at entering the mix. The last 13 months have been filled with the best MN fighters going after each other in an effort to separate from the rest. Well, April 23 will be the next installment of  BIG MN vs MN fights. “Golden” Caleb Truax(14,0) will be taking on one of Minnesota’s most dangerous punchers in Phil “The Drill” Williams (11,3). Truax took some time to answer a few questions about his fight with The Drill as well as some other topics below.

 
M….I know you had to take a little time away from boxing because of the cut you suffered in your last fight in November, how are you feeling?

 
Truax….I feel great! I’ve had plenty of time to prepare for this fight and have had no problems with my eye. I’m ready to get busy!

 
 
M….Your fight with Kerry Hope was great! What are your thoughts on that fight now?

Truax….I think it was a great learning experience for me. I had to push myself in a hard 10rd fight with a good opponent.

 
M….I have become accustom to seeing your name on various magazines and websites, how does it feel to be getting some out of state attention?

Truax….I don’t pay too much attention to all that stuff. It obviously helps with exposure but you know what they say, don’t read your own headlines.

 
M….Last I heard, your fight with Phil Williams will be at 164lbs max, what weight do you see your future at in boxing?

Truax….Middleweight

 
M….There are a few fighters here in Minnesota who have a large vocal following. You are one of those guys, what do you think has helped you get such great fans?

Truax….Well alot of those people you hear screaming at my fights aren’t my fans, they’re my friends I grew up with who still support me today. As far as my fans go I think I’m just a people person. I’m very approachable and treat people with respect and I get that respect and support in return.

 
M….I have heard rumbles from fans who would like to see you fight Matt Vanda. I know you guys not only share a gym, but also have the same trainer, is this a fight that just cant happen?

 
Truax….Matt is a great dude and has helped me tremendously with my career, that being said, I think its a fight that could happen soon. We’ve talked about it with one another and both agree that if it makes $$$, it makes sense.

 
M….Your fight with The Drill was on many fans wish lists, were you involved in making it or were you told he was the man you would be fighting?

Truax….I wanted a big in-state fight and Kost and Kolle didn’t work out and we knew Phil would step up so Tony G put it together.

M….What are your thoughts on Phil Williams? Will he be the biggest puncher you have been in with to date?

Truax….I have nothing but respect for Phil because thats all he has shown me. I know his power is nothing to under estimate and I guess we’ll see on the 23rd if he’s the most powerful I’ve been in with.

 
M….What sort of fight are you expecting April 23?

Truax….I expect to control the fight. This is my 1st fight fight in a while in which I know exactly what to expect coming in. No opponent changes, plenty of film to watch. I’ve prepared well and am ready for Phil.

 
 
M….Do you have your sites set on any road fights in the near future?

Truax….Right now we are building up steam here in MN and trying to grow my fan base so I don’ mind if I have more fights here at home. I definitely would like to get back on the road in the near future though.

 
M….How would you describe your relationship with your trainer Ron Lyke?

Truax…..(Ron-manager, Tom Halstad-trainer, Jim Maurine-cutman)

I have a tight relationship with my entire team. I have been with everyone I am with today since day 1. I think its rare in boxing that a fighter trusts and is friends with his entire team. Ron is my manager and I trust him to lead my career in the right direction as he has so far. Tom Halstad is my trainer and I feel the same way about him. Along with my cutman/punching bag Jim Maurine and promoter Tony G, we are all ready to take this thing to the next level.

 
M…. Where do you expect to see yourself a year from now in your boxing career?

Truax….Unbeaten and becoming a household name in MN sports.

M…. Thanks for giving us some time, is there anything you would like to add?

Truax….Thank you for your time and to all my friends and fans: thank you and come check me out April, 23 at the Saint Paul Armory. It will be a great fight!

“Golden” Caleb Truax vs Phil “The Drill” Williams, Friday, April 23, St. Paul Armory.

Here are some prior interviews we have had with Caleb Truax.

4-1-09 Caleb Truax

9-19-09 Caleb Truax

Good Friday Night Fights – Grand Casino Hinckley: April 2, 2010

By: Laura Zink

Photos by SnapLocally.com

Ah boxing…one of life’s great opportunities to relish the thrill of the unexpected…

The fights at Grand Casino Hinckley on Friday gave us a taste of the unexpected. There were tough fights fought rougher than ever expected; there were fights that were electrifying and shorter than projected, and there were rematches with outcomes more convincing than previously contested. Let’s just put it this way, almost everyone there that night, from the fighters, to the fans, to the promoters, to the Casino itself – we were all in for a night full of surprises.

To kick things off, middleweights Tyler Hultin and Tim Taggart both knew that they were getting into a tough fight. Having battled it out in the amateurs, both fighters were aware of the other’s talents.

“I knew that he was a tough fighter,” Hultin said about Taggart. “He was one of those natural athletes that you know that he is going to be strong no matter what.”

“I knew that it would be a battle coming into it,” Taggart said about fighting Hultin.

Both of the men were coming in to the fight looking to make a decisive statement about their skill and toughness, and both had a clear plan about how that statement would be made. They went to war to try to prove that point – Hultin using his boxing skills, and Taggart using his size and strength.

“I was definitely trying to get a signature out of it,” Hultin commented about his intentions for the fight. “I wanted to make a stand that I am going to be a force to reckon with. So I put the time and energy into the training and learned some totally new stuff. And it was working great. Going in there, I knew what I had to do. Not all of it worked, but a lot of it did.”

“Well,” Taggart said with a short laugh, “it wasn’t the whole plan to keep it active like that. Once we got in there emotion took over. I should work on that a little bit. But going through it, it was a lot about heart. I couldn’t let him beat me in my own town. I had to go all out. I went all out.”

And as the rounds went on, endless barrages of punches in bunches ensued from both sides. The crowd was electrified by the performance until the final round where both went at each other, Taggart against the ropes and both men tossing everything they had left at each other at close range until the bell.

“For the first round, I was definitely wanting to come up the middle, keep it tight with defense, tight arms in and throw straight down the middle,” Hultin explained. “And I was. I was making him miss. It was working. So then I got some encouragement from my corner to come out a little more wide and tee off and mix it up with a lot more punches. Everything that they told me to do was working. I felt that the first two rounds were great. The third round was questionable for me – just with the way that I was feeling and getting tagged with a couple of punches. In the fifth and final round, I thought that there was no question that I outscored and outpunched…everything.”

“His punches, he didn’t hurt me very much,” Taggart commented. “That first one maybe, there was a kind of shock, kind of like ‘Oh, ok.’ But his punches didn’t hurt me. I think I hurt him though. I think he felt my punches for sure, especially my jab. I was snapping them out there pretty good and connecting them very well. I think he felt mine a little bit more than I felt his.”

And after all of that hard work, the fight was declared a draw, a decision clearly unexpected by both fighters.

“Obviously the outcome was definitely a shocker for me,” Hultin said. “As a fighter, when I was fighting him, I maybe gave him one round that I felt that he over-edged me on. Other than that, I was doing great. I was doing what I was told. I was landing clean shots. And I thought my defense was at the top. I got head-butted a few times, but other than that… His punches weren’t that effective, so I don’t know how they were scoring it as they did. It was definitely one of those things that I have to go back to and watch the fight and maybe see what other people were seeing that I didn’t. But I am happy with the fight. I want to thank Tim Taggart for taking the fight with me.”

“I mean, after the fight, I was tired and exhausted…and I was still a little mad about the draw,” Taggart said.” I thought it could have went my way. But now, I am feeling happy about it. The fans have come up to me and said, ‘Wow. That was a hell of a fight.’ I mean, that’s who it’s for. Yeah, it can advance my career, too, but these guys are the ones we fight for. I am glad. I am proud. I was in there and had that kind of a fight. I think that we will probably fight again in the future if management goes well. That was a fight worth seeing again, I believe.”

The next unexpected chain of events happened not because of a fight, but in spite of one. After considerable effort by the Midwest Sports Council and the Grand Casino Hinckley to stage what may be the biggest selling fight in Grand Casino boxing history, the unthinkable happened – the ring collapsed.

Creaked, shifted, bowed, and fell in with fighters Dan Copp and Dion Tierney still in the ring awaiting their decision. It seemed as if April Fools’ Day came one day late this year for Minnesota boxing. And as the ring announcer called Don Tierney winner by spilt decision over Dan Copp, Gary Eyer, who was warming up for the next fight of the night, got the following surprising news…

“Yeah, they just came into there and they were like, ‘The ring collapsed. It’s going to be awhile,’” Eyer said. “Everybody just looked at each other all quiet. And they were just like, ‘Go look for yourself.’ I had to get my gloves off and put on a shirt and just, I went to check it out…just like everybody else.”

By the time everybody else was out there, the ring had a concave center. The staff at the Grand Casino worked fervently under the ring to try to bring the canvas back up. They brought in cement blocks to stabilize the ring posts, hauled in heavy stage boards to create an unshakable platform for the ring to rest on, they brought in wood planks to reinforce the base. They fought with the ring, trying to rebalance it, re-raise the center, and flatten out the bows and bumps on the canvas to provide a safe and stable surface for the fights to continue. And while they worked to try and save the fights, Eyer returned to his dressing room to regroup and refocus.

“It messed things up a little bit,” Eyer explained. “I was psyching myself up getting mean, and then all of a sudden the ring collapsed, and I had to get nice again. It’s not easy. I think what helped was that there was a TV in the dressing room and the guys turned it on and we watched Friday Night Fights in there. That calmed everybody down.”

And when Eyer came to the fight, he was intending to use the fight with Patraw as an opportunity to win a match by a more lengthy display of skill, throwing the crafty combinations he had been training himself to utilize in this bout. But as he was finally able to go out to fight, he had the following things on his mind…

“When I was jumping up and down in the corner getting warmed up, I felt a real loud noise and I thought that it was collapsing again,” Eyer said. “But then it got strong again. I was kind of shocked a little bit. And then the bell rang, and just…they got me a little paranoid back in the dressing room that I can’t win a decision, so I just blanked out and went crazy.”

Brad Patraw (left) Gary Eyer (right), Courtesy SnapLocally.com

In round 1, Patraw started off the bout as the aggressor, using his jab and even sneaking in a stiff right uppercut that sent Eyer’s head flipping back.

“I know that he started out with a good jab,” Eyer commented, “and then he threw a good right uppercut. It got me square on the chin and I was like, ‘Ooo, I’m gonna be in a good fight.’”

Eyer responded to Patraw’s uppercut with a right hand that sent Patraw back onto the canvas. And even though it was a good shot, the result was still a surprise to Eyer.

“I hit him with a right hand, just a little right hand, and then it ended up hurting him and I just stayed on him,” Eyer explained. “I was kind of surprised. I didn’t think I put everything in it. But it got him and for some reason it just hurt him.”

Both fighters exchanged until a left and a right from Eyer caused Patraw to almost fall rear-first through the ropes, a circumstance which earned him his second 8 count. Patraw, mouthing “What the f*$k?,” was seemingly under the impression that he did not understand why he was being given an 8 count.

“There should have been no standing 8 count,” Patraw stated after the fight. “He gave me a standing 8 count for no reason at all when he specifically said before we fought that there were no standing 8 counts. We are not amateurs. Let me fight. If I am exchanging punches, I should be able to exchange punches. You don’t come and stop it. You stop it if I am on the damn ground. It is as simple as that. That is all I have to really say.”

But whatever kind of 8 count it was, Patraw was hurt in that first round. After that round, the fight did not last much longer. Patraw did his best to turn the tide at the beginning of round two, but his legs just didn’t seem to be under him anymore. At 1 minute and 16 seconds into round 2, Eyer landed 2 right hands that sent Patraw back on wobbly legs. The ref stepped in and called the fight and Partaw, enraged, protested the stoppage. And Eyer was a bit surprised that Patraw was so surprised at the outcome.

“I was thinking ‘Why didn’t they just stop it after the first round?’” Eyer commented after the fight. “I mean, he was pretty hurt. Why didn’t the corner stop it or the ref? I was a little shocked there. He wasn’t going to recover. I wasn’t going to give him a chance at all. It was going to be like that every second of every round until he was gone.”

And in another surprise that night, Hector Orozco staged a convincing upset over Jeremy McLaurin. Orozco proved to fans not only is he willing to take on stiff competition, he can beat them, too.

Hector Orozco, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

“I only have 16 fights overall,” Orozco explained. “I only had 5 amateur fights. In our gym, we don’t take slouches. The best way to improve is to improve fast. I know I am pretty young, 22, but before I get old I want to reach the top as quick as I can. And the only way that you can do it is take on the best. What’s the point of taking on guys that you can easily knock out?”

“I am feeling as confident as hell,” Orozco said. “I mean I am already improving from the last Jeremy fight to this Jeremy fight, I improved a lot…in only a two month span. I am ready to improve a lot more now. I am still going to take on the best. I am going to be a better boxer. Everyone thinks that I am just a brawler, but actually you are going to see a boxing brawler. And I am just going to improve and take on the best. You are only going to get better by taking on the best. And I am not scared of the best. I am not scared to take a punch from one of the best. I would actually like it to see how good they really are. The only way to find out is to get in the ring with them. All you are going to see from me is improvement and more exciting fights. I am never going to give you a boring fight ever.”

But with all of the surprises that night, there was one fighter whose night went almost exactly to plan – that fighter was Minnesota State champ, Andy “Kaos” Kolle.

“We worked on that ever since the first fight,” Kolle explained about his game plan with Vanda. “That is the way that I should have fought him the first fight. I have proven that I can fight with Matt Vanda and box with Matt Vanda. I opted for the fighting route and made it hard on myself the first time. This time, I was like, ‘I am going to do my best and box smart and keep it out.’

And the fight did go almost exactly to plan, Kolle using his jab and straight 1,2’s which tagged Vanda and stifled many of Vanda’s plans to land a right hand, left hook on Kolle. Kolle outboxed Vanda so convincingly that Vanda himself took the last 10 seconds of round 10 to hug Kolle and congratulate Kolle’s on his victory.

Kolle and Vanda, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

“I think he definitely used his jab a little bit more,” Vanda said about his fight with Kolle. “I think he was more cautious early on. He didn’t want to get caught maybe, but he boxed good. And he fought the last couple of rounds good. I give him all the credit in the world. He kept fighting. And it takes a man to fight me two times. Most people wouldn’t do it. It takes a man to get into the ring with me two times. And I will give him all of the respect in the world because he knew that I wanted to knock him out, and I tried, and I couldn’t do it. He’s a tough, tough kid. My hat’s off to him. Whatever he’s got in the future, I hope he does good. We’re done. Me and him are done. I feel good about it though.”

And what’s next for Vanda? Any surprises in store for fans in the future?

“Ah….you know….I don’t know what’s up after that. That might be it,” Vanda said in the side room after the fight. His face turned serious and he took a brief pause.

“Just kidding HAHAHAHAHA!” Vanda laughed. “I fight ‘til I can’t fight no more. I might take a little time off. I fight so much, it don’t really matter. But I will be back in there sooner or later. Right now, I am drinking Jack Daniels and getting ready to have a good time tonight. Whatever. I don’t give a f*$k!”

So maybe some of the events at the Grand Casino were unexpected, but, hey, that’s boxing. That night all of the fighters and the Grand Casino proved that boxing is about adapting to the unexpected and fighting it out for the fans. We were given a hell of a show last Friday night and everyone worked together to pull it off. Heck, what would the fights be without the thrill of the unexpected?

Photos by SnapLocally.com

Vanda (left) Kolle (right), Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Hinckley Grand Casino hosted another night of great boxing action. There was all out war between Tyler Hultin and Tim Taggart, Hector Orozco stunned the crowd with a huge upset, Gary Eyer showed to be a beast at 126, and Andy Kolle added more proof to why most people have him as one of Minnesota’s finest and somebody who should soon be making a splash on the national scene. Oh yeah, and the ring came crashing down two fights into the night. I heard reports that last night was the largest selling boxing event Hinckley Grand Casino has had and the volume of the fans during Eyer/Patraw and Kolle/Vanda sure seem to attest to that. Below is a quick rundown of last nights events. Laura Zink will also have a report coming later today or tomorrow with more pictures and comments from some of the fighters.

Tyler Hultin Draw Tim Taggart (D48,47Hultin/48,47Taggart/48,48) - Probably the fight of the night. Andy Kolle was right when he predicted that you wouldn’t want to close your eyes for even a second in this one. This fight started with bad intentions in every pop, both guys were seemingly looking for the home run from the get-go. As the fight progressed both fighters seemed to find their fight. Taggart was sticking to trying to overpower with almost every shot while Hultin was using superior boxing skill. During round 4 Hultin went for the fences and the force of his swing put him on his backside and was ruled a slip. As rounds 4 and 5 went on both fighters lost much of the zip on their punches but were still working hard. I had the fight 3 rounds to 2 in favor of Hultin but had no problem with it being ruled a Draw. Great fight.

Copp (left) Tierney (right) Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Don Tierney over Dan Copp (SD40,36Tierney/40,36Copp/39,38Tiernery) - This was a back and forth fight with Donny Drama using better boxing skill and stiffer shots to win the day. It was not a pretty fight but both guys went after it even as they were lacking in strength and stamina towards the end.

Eyer (right) landing a huge right, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Gary Eyer over Brad Patraw (TKO 1:16 2nd) -” Take my breathaway” , That was Eyer’s entrance music for this night and thats just what he did to the fans and Patraw. For the time that it was going on, it was all action. Eyer looked very strong at his new weight and put Patraw down three times in the one and a half rounds they fought. Patraw landed some good shots of his own but Eyer was just overpowering. Some fans were disappointed with the stoppage as was Patraw and his trainers, but talking to several ringside officials, they agreed with the stoppage stating a fighters safety comes first. All action while it lasted, fun fight. It will be interesting to see what is next for Gary “Take My Breath Away” Eyer.

Hector Orozco

Hector Orozco over Jeremy McLaurin (UD60,54/58,56/59,55) - To me, this fight looked a lot like their first bout and add two rounds. Orozco looked even more smothering this time and would not stay out of McLaurins face. Many were surprised that like the last fight McLaurin did not use his big height and reach advantage, but in talking with McLaurin it seems Orozco never gave him an opportunity to get that distance. The fight was Hector Orozco stalking McLaurin around the ring for 6 rounds. Jeremy McLaurin did land some big shots but not enough and not nearly enough of the jab. Great win for Orozco.

Andy "Kaos" Kolle, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Andy Kolle over Matt Vanda (UD99,92/97,93/99,92) - Andy “Kaos” Kolle left little doubt last night as to who the best middleweight in the state is. He not only retained his title but almost won every round on many peoples scorecards. I had it 9 rounds to 1 or 8 rounds to 2, to be fair a couple rounds were close. The fight was not like Kolle/Vanda one, Kolle was a machine that fired in straight hard lines and Vanda could never get it figured out. To Vanda’s credit, he was there all night long eating and throwing punches. Most of the fight was Vanda trying to work through Kolles defence while Kolle was shooting a great jab and hard straight lefts. By the last few rounds Vanda’s corner was yelling for the KO as they knew Kolle was way ahead on the scorecards. After the fight Kolle stated his wish to campaign at 154 nationally but also understanding that givin his size, and southpaw stance it is still an uphill climb. Id love to see Kolle get an opportunity with a John Duddy or Julio Cesar Chaves Jr but I’m not too sure if they would be willing to step in with him.

MSC, RDS, and Hickley Grand Casino worked together again to put on a great show even with a ring collapse.

Matt Vanda/Andy Kolle Courtesy Walters Photography, all rights reserved

Its only days away, the showdown between Minnesota’s middleweight champ Andy “Kaos” Kolle and Matt Vanda April 2 at Hinckley Grand Casino. There have been several big MN vs MN showdowns, but few live up to the hype. Vanda/Kolle 1 did more than live up to the hype, it was a fan friendly war in the ring with Kaos coming away with the win and in his words “a great time.”  I have yet to talk to anybody who was not entertained by the first installment of the fight. Kolle/Vanda 2 should be all that and more. Vanda has much to prove after Manfredo as well as just needing another good win to stay in the mix nationally. Kolle has much more to lose in this fight; he already has a win against Vanda, he is the Minnesota middleweight champ, he is coming off of three impressive KO’s.  But the bottom line is this, Kolle/Vanda 2 has all the makings for the biggest event of the year. Neither Kolle or Vanda are going to back down from anybody and that includes each other. No matter who you are pulling for, this fight should please. Below is a recent conversation we had with Andy “Kaos” Kolle.

M….After having that huge victory over Bonsante and following it up with another great KO of Shuler, was it hard watching guys like Vanda and Truax having all those fights in 2009?

Kolle….Yes, very hard. Especially after winning that fight against Bonsante, we really wanted to ride that out, and were hoping to be able to do that nationally, unfortunately that’s not how it worked out. It is what it is.

M…. Why do you think it has been difficult to get some national fights?

Kolle…. I’m the type of fighter right now that without that big money backing, its high risk low reward for them to fight somebody who has been knocking people out.

M…. Do you see any big fights coming to the twin ports in the near future?

Kolle….I honestly don’t know about that, that’s Chucks business. Too much political stuff that I don’t get in to.

M….A lot of guys seem to be very hands-on as far as career path and active in helping to pick out who they fight next, how involved are you in that process or do you let Chuck Horton do most of that?

Kolle….I will let him know if there is somebody Id like to fight. But just like with Bonsante and Vanda, Chuck will bring up the name and I will say yes.

M….One of the really cool things I have been able to see over the last year and a half is the growth in skill and physicality of some of Minnesota’s boxers. You are one those who really has grown both physically and mentally. Can you share some of what you have been doing?

Andy "Kaos" Kolle, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Kolle….

I take this job very seriously, its my life. I wake up in the morning and I have a workout routine I go through. Its different every day, Kettle Bells, Tire slams, unconventional kinds of stuff, and then I go to the gym for a few hours in the afternoon and do my running at night, running the hills of Duluth. Over the last year and a half I have really taken my mind out of everything else and concentrated on boxing. Ever since that Paul Williams fight I have wanted to come back and make a statement in a major way.

M….Do you workout everyday of the week? Are there any days you take off?

Kolle….Sundays, 4 days a week strength, 5 days a week boxing, 6 days a week running and Sunday I don’t do anything. I think rest is also very important.

M….Your last fight against Pat Coleman was at First Ave in MPLS, how did it feel to have such crowd support in the twin cities?

Kolle….It felt awesome. It was a smaller show, club show, but it was awesome knowing I had the whole crowd that was backing me, not just the crowd thats been following me for years but new people as well. It felt good.

M….Most people were quite impressed with you in your last fight against Coleman. Did you feel any ring rust getting in there?

Kolle….No, I didn’t feel any ring rust at all. I stay active even when I don’t have a fight, I’m always working out and sparring.

M….How did it feel fighting Coleman? To me it almost seemed like he was willing to just stand in his shell and maybe just get through the night?

Kolle….He seemed like he was just trying to survive. He had a good guard and would get in his shell, that’s why I had to do a few things different and get him to open up.

M….Coleman’s corner kept yelling for him to through the right. Is that something you heard, were you trying to draw him in?

Kolle….Thats just basic boxing 101 from a trainer that didn’t have any idea what he should do. That’s the first thing to tell a right-handed fighter who is fighting a southpaw.

M….154, that is a weight we had talked about a year ago, is it just really hard to find fights there right now?

Kolle….Also when we talked about that I told you unless its a Minnesota fight, then I will defend at 160. Last summer I was ready to fight at 154 but my opponent came in way over. I still weighed in at 155.

M….So the plan is to stay at 154 for national fights?

Kolle….That’s what I want. I feel that is the size for me on the national level. Those guys are big, even look at the size Pat Coleman was in my last fight.

M….Matt Vanda, what comes to mind?

Kolle….He is the type of fighter that fans like to see. He has proven himself and he has that fan base for a good reason, he gives them what they want. Even on the national level, he’s been beaten, but he always shows up.

M….There are those who see this as a high risk low reward type fight. Why this fight and why now?

Kolle….After our last fight, I told him I would give him another. He has earned that rematch with what he has done since then. I gave him my word.

M….Does the fact that Vanda lost almost every round to Manfredo make this fight hard from the standpoint of what you have to do to make it worth it?

Kolle….No, Ive just got to beat him and it really doesn’t matter how you do it. Styles make fights and Manfredo has a different style than I do and John Duddy has a different style than I do and so on. My goal is to win every round I fight, but I don’t have to, I just need to win more rounds than him. I would like to take him out, but my goal is to win.

M….Speaking of some of those guys Vanda has had the good fortune to get in the ring with, Manfredo, Duddy, Chaves Jr., Would you like the chance to get in there with them and how different would the outcomes be?

Kolle….I would love to get in the ring with Duddy or Chaves. They have talked about fighting at 154 and I would love to do it. We had an offer for Duddy but his team decided they didnt want it.

M….Given that the names we mentioned were unable to take Matt out, does that give you added motivation for the KO and do you think that would get you more national exposure?

Kolle….It would maybe open eyes but probably close some checkbooks.

M….There are those who think you are trying to avoid Caleb Truax, I don’t think either of you are avoiding the other, but what are your thoughts?

Kolle….There is no part of me avoiding Caleb Truax, I would fight that kid anytime and anywhere. Now he’s fighting Phil. I am ready for you Caleb anytime you want it.

M….So its just been that there has not been a date, contract, money or any details ever hammered out?

Kolle….To be honest I dont know all the ins and outs. All I know is after the Target Center show I came in the ring and asked for Matt and Caleb. Matt came to the table first. Caleb had a cut I think. Im not saying Caleb’s scared. We both have managers and guys that take care of our fights. I am ready to fight him any time.

M….Andy Kolle vs Matt Vanda to many people is the biggest fight out there in Minnesota, how do you see it?

Andy "Kaos" Kolle, Courtesy Walters Photography

Kolle….

I do believe it is the biggest fight in Minnesota right now, I have the belt for Minnesota and he brings one of the biggest challenges. You know going to a Vanda fight you will get your money’s worth and you know I am going to bring it every time too. Two guys who are not afraid to throw punches, you wont see lulls in action like you do in some others.

M…. As a guy who likes to go after it himself, is it extra exciting to fight a guy like Vanda who you know will bring it?

Kolle….That first fight with Vanda was the most fun I have ever had in the ring, just going at it, throwing all caution to the wind, that was a blast. That probably wasn’t the way I should have fought him, but it was my first big fight and I wanted everyone to know I am right here too. That’s another reason I wanted that rematch because that first one was a blast.

M….I have watched your first fight with Vanda many times, and every time I have you winning on points pretty clearly, but there are some Vanda fans who just don’t see it that way. How do you feel about that victory?

Kolle….The fans that say he won that fight are the same ones who feel he won the Garr fight. They are good fans and they are sticking up for their boy, but I won that fight. When I watch it I think I maybe lost two rounds, one being the round Igot knocked down.

M….There has been much talk about the one knock down from your fight with Vanda, tell us about it.

Kolle….. It was the first time I had been down so I took my time getting back up. I’ve seen fighters to eager to get off the mat only to get hit again. I took my time and dominated the rest of that round and fight.

M….Matt Vanda has had big wins against Phil Williams, Ted Muller, and Tocker Pudwill in the last 12 months. Do you think Vanda is better today than the guy you fought a couple years ago?

Kolle….Yeah, that is another reason for the rematch. He has gotten better and earned it. That’s what I want, I want a challenge. I have gotten better since our fight, I don’t want the same Vanda I fought two years ago, I want the challenge of a better Vanda.

M….What makes Vanda better today?

Kolle….I think he is a lot stronger and more comfortable in the ring. He is more of a polished pro now.

M….Most people who have fought Vanda talk about how tough he is to get down. Does that play on your mind at all, make you want to take him out that much more?

Kolle….Everybody wants to be the first guy to put somebody down. That’s not really my thoughts on this fight, get the win and move on.

M….How many fights would you like to have this year? Or are you more to the point of just wanting quality fights?

Kolle….I’d rather have quality fights than number of fights. 5 fights in a year is a pretty stacked schedule for someone who is fighting 10 rounders all the time.

M….After Vanda, would you like to continue to clean up the state or would you like to begin to again test the national waters?

Kolle….I have big dreams. I would like to fight outside of Minnesota and help establish this thing our boxing has going here. If your from New York or California you don’t want to be the best in your state, you want to compete with the best from all over.

M….So you are more than ready to go on another promoters card from New York or Vegas as long as it is a well matched opportunity?

Kolle….Like I said, I would love to fight guys like Duddy or Chaves Jr.

M….Any thoughts on Phil Williams vs Caleb Truax?

Kolle….I don’t really know, I think its going to be who gets to who first. I don’t know that it will go the distance. I am pulling for Truax to win it.

M….You have already said you would fight Truax, what about Williams if he were to win?

Kolle….Absolutely, if Williams can come in and make 160. That’s the same with Truax, its 160lbs.

M….What are your thoughts on Gary Eyer vs Brad Patraw?

Kolle….Im excited for that fight. Gary goes for it every time, and from what I have seen of Brad, he isn’t afraid of throwing punches either. That should be a fun one while it lasts, but I don’t expect it to make the distance.

M….The battle of your buddies, Tyler Hultin vs Tim Taggard. I know you’re friends with both guys, but how do you see this fight?

Kolle….That’s a tough fight for me, Tyler has been my boy for a long time and Timmy has become a friend of mine, he lived with me for a while. The only thing I can say about that fight is you are not going to want to blink. It will be all out while it lasts.

Phil Williams, Courtesy of SnapLocally.com

 This event is now April 23

Originally it was planned for Truax to meet Williams April 10, but now it has been moved to the 16th with the St Paul Armory being the venue.

April has some really exciting fights lined up for us, what match-up will make for the best fight?

Andy Kolle vs Matt Vanda 2 ? State Middleweight Title fight

Caleb Truax vs Phil Williams?

Gary Eyer vs Brad Patraw?

Javontae Starks vs Bobby Kliewer?

Jeremy McLaurin vs Hector Orozco 2?

April 2 in Hinckley looks to be getting more stacked by the minute. The card as it stands has; The Minnesota Middleweight Title fight Andy Kolle (20,2 Champ) vs Matt Vanda (42,10), Gary Eyer (7,0,1) vs “Bad” Brad Patraw (6,1) Eyer will be going down to Patraw’s weight for this one, Jeremy McLaurin (7,0) vs Hector Orozco (1,5) in a rematch of a very close fight, Tyler Hultin (1,0) vs Tim Taggart (3,2,1), Javontae Starks (3,0) and Jamal James (0,0) will also be featured in separate bouts. All bouts subject to change.

Gary "Stone Cold" Eyer ready to unload.

VS

"Bad" Brad Patraw

“MSC/RDS Card In Hinckley to Have Large Duluth Presence”

The Midwest Sports Council/RDS Boxing card taking place at Grand Casino Hinckley features one of the most anticipated rematches in Minnesota history as Duluth’s Andy “Kaos” Kolle defends his state title for the first time in a middleweight fight against Matt “The Predator Vanda.” 

Andy Kolle (left), Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Fight fans from the Twin Ports will not only have Kolle to cheer on as undefeated Duluth lightweight “Stone Cold” Gary Eyer has recently agreed to appear on the card against an opponent to be named.  Also appearing on the card will be Fergus Falls, Minnesota’s Tyler Hultin who also fights out of Horton’s Gym in Duluth.  Hultin has verbally agreed to fight Tim Taggart of Hinckley, MN in a 5 round bout at 160 lbs.  Taggart, as many will remember, fought out of Horton’s gym for a brief period two years ago.

MSC matchmaker Cory Rapacz said, “We’re very excited to be featuring this much talent from the Twin Ports on this card.  We all know Andy Kolle’s talent, but I think the fans are going to get a real good show with the Hultin vs. Taggart fight as well.  I think Tyler is next in the line of great Minnesota fighters to come out of Fergus Falls.  Zach Walters had a fantastic career, Kolle is on top of the state right now and it’s obvious that Hultin has the type of charisma and talent to follow in their footsteps.”

Gary Eyer (right), Courtesy SnapLocally.com

With rumblings of a potential fight between Gary Eyer and undefeated Minnesota lightweight Jeremy McLaurin flying around the state, the two will be featured in separate bouts on this card.  “These two will definitely fight.  It makes a ton of sense to happen this year, but right now it’s not something either side is wild about.  They’re both coming off real tough fights and I think they each want one more bout before going head-to-head.  Both will be featured in good fights on the card and we’ve already had preliminary discussions about them possibly meeting in Duluth in either the late Spring or early Summer.”

Jeremy McLaurin lands to the body, Courtesy of SnapLocally.com

Andy Kolle and Tyler Hultin will unofficially kick off press for April 2nd’s show when they square off in an 8 round public workout this Thursday night at Grandma’s in Duluth at the end of the “USA vs. Canada” Golden Gloves card.  Rapacz said, “What a great way to unofficially kick off promotion for this thing!  Anyone who has ever worked out with Andy Kolle knows he will not take it easy on Hultin.  I’m going to do my best to make the trip up there to support this show.  It doesn’t hurt that one of Minnesota’s most exciting fighters, Gary Eyer, is going to see some action either!”

The rest of the card in Hinckley will feature rising prospect Javontae Starks in his first six round bout, amatuer star Jamal James in his pro debut and many more fights.  The final card should be finalized in the coming days.  “This is the start of some great things.”  Rapacz said.  “We’re hoping this is the start of a great working relationship with Chuck, Carinda and everyone at Horton’s Gym.  Issues we’ve had in the past have been worked out and we’re all moving forward.  Already this year we’ve seen Andy Kolle’s return to the Twin Cities and we’ve already had discussions of Javontae Starks’ debut in the Twin Ports.  I think this is a real exciting time to be a fan of Minnesota boxing.”

 Photos by SnapLocally.com, click here to see more combat photography

Fight Report – February 5^th 2010 at First Avenue in Minneapolis

“Fights Won and Fights to Come”

By: Laura Zink

Andy "Kaos" Kolle, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

At First Avenue Night Club in Minneapolis last night, a capacity crowd filled the club not for rocking, but for socking in the venue’s first ever professional boxing card. Like the venue, which seemed a promising new location for fights, the fights themselves inaugurated this new venture with fights won and the promise of bigger fights to come.

Pat “the Cat” Coleman took a beating from Andy “Kaos” Kolle in the main event of the evening. Though Coleman played the part well in his pre fight antics, telling the crowd with a big smile that they are going to see how “Damn, he cold! You watch!”, when the bell rang he was all about defense. Round after round Kolle had to try to break through the guard of Coleman who kept his forearms cradled around his head almost the entire bout. Kolle tried straight shots to break through the middle, hooks to the body to bring the arms down, and hooks to the head to work around it, but the guard, for the most part, stayed up and prevented any serious power shots from getting through.

Kolle landing on Coleman, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

In round three, however, Kolle found a brief opening during a mid-round lull to land 2 straights and a left which sent Coleman back a bit, wobbling as he stepped backward into the center of the ring with his arms down. Similarly in round four, Kolle landed another sizable left which caused Coleman to fold over forward, resulting in a tangle which made him slip onto his hands and knees. As he lifted himself up, he made protests to ref Nelson from a bloody mouth full of red teeth. By the end of the round the doc was in Coleman’s corner checking his left eye which, similarly, had its white completely infused with blood as well. It was clear that Coleman’s sight was in serious jeopardy. Still, Coleman continued on into round five, but he suffered more of the same, Kolle working in more combos to the head, which again, made Coleman wobble mid-round. Yet, Coleman did not go down for good until he returned to his corner after round five. With ring doc again standing over him and examining his eye, he told ref Nelson that he could not continue due to a lack of sight. Just as the bikinied ring card girl made her final turn around the ring to announce round six, the fight was called and Andy Kolle stood on the corner ropes the victor.

“Yeah, he had good defense,” Andy told the ring announcer after the fight, “He got in that shell all night so it was hard to land good shots….He knew how to protect himself and stay alive.”

“And from what I understand,” the ring announcer returned, “The fight is now signed, sealed and delivered, it’s a rematch coming up in the spring. You will be fighting Matt “The Predator” Vanda.”

“I look forward to fighting Matt,” Kolle said and pointed a finger out into the crowd. “I see Matt over there. He’s a good guy. I love that guy. It was a tough fight. It’s a fight that the fans want to see, and I just want to give the fans what they want.”

“My guess is that you are expecting the same tough rugged fight that you had the last time,” the announcer continued. “Would you approach this fight any differently? I am sure that you have changed as a fighter, and so has Matt.”

“I am a lot smarter now,” Kolle responded. “Back then, that was early in my career. I went to war with him, and I shouldn’t have done that. But I fought his fight. And this time, we are going to come with something different…and it is going to be my fight.”

The co-main event of the evening had a similar ring as the main event - the principal fighter looking forward to the bouts to come. The manifestation of the fight, however, was markedly different than the main event. Where Kolle had to work though getting past a surviving fighter’s defense, Javonte Starks got to practice his defense against an ever-coming, ever-throwing Alex Gonzalez.

Starks started the bout with 2 jabs which ignited an explosion of punches from Gonzalez. Gonzalez attempted to use the barrage as a way to move Starks from one end of the ropes to another. But Starks, cool and collected in the pressure, used the flurries as an opportunity to show his catching skills, shifting and moving through one shot to the next and making almost none of Gonzalez’s shots land cleanly. After the barrage, Gonzalez was clearly gassed, so Starks took the reins. Walking Gonzalez down, Starks landed one head shot which bent Gonzalez over, another shot which punched Gonzalez down more, and 3 more which made Gonzalez kiss canvas and caused the ref wave off the fight in 2 minutes and 51 seconds of the first round.

“I was practicing my defense,” Starks told the announcer after the fight, “catching punches. I wanted to please the fans a little bit so I let it go a little longer than it should have.”

Starks then took a moment to remind fans that the more fights he has, the better the competition will be in the future.

In the prelims, Jeremy McLaurin faced a seriously tough fight with Hector Orozco. From the millisecond the bell rung, Orozco exploded into a barrage of head shots. McLaurin, looking somewhat surprised, moved back and tried to get some distance and range so that he could start landing. It didn’t happen. Orozco, sensing that his pressure tactics were overwhelming any opportunity for McLaurin to throw, kept up the pace the entire round, barreling in with looping shots and, once in, closing the distance by stuffing his head into McLaurin’s chest and hitting the body until they tangled and had to be separated by the ref.

McLaurin landing a big body blow, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

By round two, cries could be heard from ringside screaming at McLaurin to “JAB!! JAB!!! JAB JEREMY!!” But the well-wishers admonitions could not turn the tide as Orozco kept up his stifling pace and made McLaurin work more on moving than finding his usual clean shots. The pressure built more as round three wore on because fans, knowing that this was a four round fight, clearly felt that McLaurin had to pick up the pace in order to gain some leverage with the judges. And while round three was much closer that the previous two, clearly something spectacular needed to happen if McLaurin were to win the fight.

This spectacle happened in round three with a terrible right hand from McLaurin. The punch sliced into Orozco’s eye and opened a gash right under his eyebrow. The cut began to open more and bleed, bleed, bleed into his eye as it began to swell shut toward the end of the final round. Ref Nelson called Orozco over to the doctor for an examination. As the doc’s face became more concerned and his questions became more intent, Orozco began to plead with the doctor to let him continue…but alas for Orozco, the fight was called in1 minute and 41 seconds into the 4^th round due to the injury, making McLaurin the winner.

“I’ll keep fighting,” Orozco told me outside the venue after the fight, “You are going to see me again.”

And in previous bouts, it seems that there are other things that boxing fans will get to see again. After knocking out William Bellcourt in a mere 1 minute and 55 seconds of the first round, Antwan “Lil Superman” Robertson agreed to a rematch with “Bad” Brad Patraw.

As Robertson was about to make his exit, Patraw hopped up into the ring. As the crowd booed, Patraw took the mic and, with a smile on his face, looked at Robertson and said, “All I gotta say is I’m looking for my rematch.”

Antwan Robertson, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Playful in spirit, Robertson stomped his foot hard on the canvas in a theatric of mock shock.

“You got it!” Robertson said, “You gave me a shot. You beat me, and I beat you. Let’s do it!”

Both fighters smiled and exited the ring as the crowd cheered the idea of a rubber match between two fighters who collided both in the amateurs and now what will be the third time in the pros.

And finally, in the kick off of the evening, the crowd was treated to a double-header of quick knockouts. After slamming into Andrew Kato and causing him to flop over head first on third rope in round one, Don Tierney knocked out Kato in 21 seconds of the second round. And for the first bout of the evening Jose Hilario got a lightning fast KO victory over Joe Negron in a mere 41 seconds of round 1.

Photos by SnapLocally.com, click here to see more combat photography

Kolle (left) and Vanda, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

The Midwest Sports Council, RDS Company, and First Avenue Nightclub put on a fun night of fights. The place was packed with vocal fans. Although it turned out to be a short night of fights due to stoppages, it only seemed to add to the excitement among screaming fans. There were two announcements made regarding Minnesota state champions defending their titles. “Bad” Brad Patraw entered the ring after Antwan “Little Superman” Robertson won his fight and challenged him to a rematch for the state belt. After Andy “Kaos” Kolle won his fight they announce April 2 will bring on Kolle/Vanda 2. Aside from all of the big knock-downs, announcements and KO’s, the fight of the night belonged to Jeremy McLaurin and Hector Orozco. Below is a quick run-down of last night’s events. Laura Zink will also have a report later today.

Jose Hilario over Joe Negron (KO 41 seconds into the first round) - Hilario attacked and KOed Negron with a huge left hook. KO of the night.

Don Tierney punches Kato through ropes, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Don Tierney over Andrew Kato (TKO 21 seconds into the second round) - Tierney was the slicker and faster fighter. While Kato was throwing and for the most part missing with big shots, Tierney was moving and landing shots of his own, putting Kato on the mat two times in the first round. The second round started with a mad rush by Tierney that did not subside until the fight was stopped 21 seconds into the second round.

Antwan Robertson, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Antwan Robertson over William Bellcourt (TKO at 1:55 of the first round) - Robertson was just too fast with his jab and movement for Bellcourt. Superman landed hard clean shots at will until the fight was stopped.

McLaurin (left) and Orozco, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Jeremy McLaurin over Hector Orozco (Dr stopped the fight at 1:41 of the fourth and final round due to cut above Orozco’s eye caused by a right hand.) - This was the fight of the night. It reminded me a little of Eyer/Cortez. Orozco brought the pressure and big shots for much of the fight. Most observers had Orozco up by two rounds going into the third. McLaurin seemed to come alive in the third round using his length and superior boxing skills but Orozco was still able to land his shots and muscle McLaurin around a bit, very close round. The fourth round looked a lot like the third with McLaurin probably winning it up until a right hand from McLaurin caused a cut above Hectors left eye that the Dr deemed too serious to allow the fight to go on. Nice come-back win for McLaurin and a very tough break for Orozco.

Javontae Starks, Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Javontae Starks over Alex Gonzalez (TKO at 2:51 of the first round) - The fight began with Gonzalez in his pro debut firing nonstop for most of the first half of the round. Though he was firing, little was hitting the always calm, cool, and collected Starks. When he wanted to, Starks opened his guard and landed monster punches whenever he desired. My last note before the stoppage was that it looked almost as though Starks was toying with Gonzalez until the ref stepped in and stopped things.

Andy Kolle (left), Courtesy SnapLocally.com

Andy “Kaos” Kolle over Pat Coleman (Coleman quit after the fifth round claiming he could not see) - This fight in a nut shell was Kolle throwing and Coleman standing in his guard. As the fight progressed Kolle began to get clean shots through Colemans guard by nailing the body and moving upstairs. All rounds showed Kolle throwing shots at Coleman as he back him through all portions of the ring. Although Kolle had him wobbled on a few occasions, Coleman only hit the mat in the fourth. The end of the fourth and through the 5th was Kolle throwing 1 2, 1 2, 1 2, and following up with 5 and 6 punch combos. It was clear after the fourth round that Coleman was beginning to have trouble seeing as the constant slam of Kolle’s lefts and rights were beginning to blind him. After the fifth round was over Coleman told his corner he could not see and the fight was stopped. This leads us to what may become the event of 2010, Andy Kolle vs Matt Vanda, April 2.

Matt Vanda/Andy Kolle Courtesy Walters Photography, all rights reserved

This coming Friday, February 5, brings the return of Kaos for his first fight since last June. Pat Coleman (29,15) is set to be the man opposite of Kolle (19,2). From all indications this should be a tune-up fight for bigger things in the upcoming months. It is not so secret that a showdown between Kolle and Vanda seems to be in the works for as soon as this coming March. Though Vanda lost convincingly this past Friday there are no signs that it has changed any plans. The fact of the matter is that Vanda is still one of the top Middles in Minnesota. Team Kolle may get to choose who they defend their Minnesota title against but from all I have spoken to, nobody is pounding down the door to fight a 6 foot 1 inch south-paw with huge KO’s in his last two fights. This leaves Minnesota fight fans with an opportunity to watch the second installment of Kolle/Vanda and I don’t think you will hear too many  complain about that.

Aside from the return of Andy Kolle, this card is loaded with some of Minnesota’s top young prospects. Jeremy McLaurin (6,0), Javontae Starks (2,0), Jose Hilario (1,0) and Minnesota Champ Antwan Robertson (5,1,1) will all be showcased this Friday at First Ave Nightclub.