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Linenfelser To Get Tough Test Tonight

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By EDDIE DANIELS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - So, this is what happens when one steps up his level of opponent.

Ridgewood grad "Bazooka" Joe Linenfelser will step into the ring today in Loves Park, Ill., against "Fearless" Fernando Hernandez.

Sure, Hernandez is 38 years old, but age isn't the only area in which Fernandez is more advanced.

The 19-11-2 fighter beat Frankie Randall for the vacant NABA light middleweight belt, and also beat Epifanio Mendoza, who fought Chad Dawson last year for Dawson's WBC light heavyweight belt. Hernandez also has been in the ring against Mikkel Kessler, the former WBA and WBC super middleweight champion.

Here's the catch: It's a world title kickboxing match.

Oh, and Hernandez is a two-time kickboxing champion.

Linenfelser, now living in Rockford, Ill., hasn't dropped his dreams of boxing glory. He is just getting into the ring wherever he can.

"We're testing Joe without taking a chance of harming his pro boxing record," said his father, Jeff Linenfelser.

It sounds strange, but it allows Joe Linenfelser (6-0-1, 5 KOs) to get serious ring experience against a proven veteran.

"It's going to be a war," Jeff Linenfelser said. "They're going to be getting their kicks in real quick and then they're going to stand and bang."

Joe and Jeff said they have caught a glimpse of what could happen in sparring sessions with former Hernandez opponent Bruce Rumbolz, who lost a split decision to Hernandez in June 2007.

Earlier this week, Joe Linenfelser caught Rumbolz with an uppercut that broke his surgically repaired nose.

That ended the sparring session and forced another boxer to step into the ring, and Joe also dominated against him.

"It makes me a lot more confident in the fact that I'm going to win," Joe Linenfelser said. "I saw the guy whose nose I broke fight Fernando, and when they fought I thought the guy I sparred won. I've been doing those for 13 or 14 years, and I have pretty good eyes for things, and I was sitting ringside. It doesn't get any better than that."

Although the 19-year-old Linenfelser has not signed with a promotion company, that doesn't mean folks aren't watching with interest.

"Banner Promotion's Art Pelullo is looking at him, he's in charge of all the ESPN stuff, and Emanuel Stewart and I have stayed in close contact," Jeff Linenfelser said. "Emanuel wants Joe to come up in August to live up at his place in Detroit and work with him. Also, Evangelista Cotto trainer and uncle to Miguel Cotto has made lots of contacts with Joe's manager, and they want him to come down there and live in Puerto Rico at their place. So he's got some people who are interested in him."

The group has also been talking to Pete Fernandez of Tampa's Starfight Productions to join a card at the A La Carte Event Pavilion in the near future.

Until then, Linenfelser is left with texting friends in the New Port Richey area and pounding on sparring mates until his next trip to Florida.

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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