'Cherry Bomb' Spars at Highland Park Gym

You might have seen him fighting on HBO and ESPN.

Twenty-nine-year-old Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry has been on the comeback trail and starts sparring Monday at the .

Cherry said he came to the United States from the Bahamas when he was 11-years-old and calls south Florida home. 

Business brought him to town. He’s getting use to the Chicago weather. He doesn’t do any roadwork outside. He runs on a treadmill.

“My goal is to wrap a world title around my waist,” he said. “I just want to fight the best and be considered the best.”

Local businessmen Patrick Doljanin and have signed on as Cherry’s management team. Cherry is staying with Falcon.

The comeback strategy

Doljanin said adjusting Cherry’s fighting weight would be key to a successful comeback.

“Edner walks around at 140 pounds,” Doljanin said. “The fact that he’s knocking people out at that weight tells me he’ll be even more dangerous fighting at 130 pounds.”

Doljanin said he is impressed with Cherry’s work ethic, the number of rounds he shadowboxes and hits the heavy bag.

Now it’s time to  

“Our mutual goal is to stay busy and fight for a 130-pound title within a year,” Falcon said. “(Cherry) will be busy and part of the elite tier of junior lightweights.”

Cherry also signed a three-year contract with Chicago’s 8 Count Promotions and will be fighting on the “Windy City Fight Night 21” show Feb. 24 at the UIC Pavilion.

“I don’t know who’ll I’ll be fighting next month,” Cherry said. “I’ll be ready.” 

Cherry has won four minor titles with a record of 28-6-2, 16 KO’s. He lost a decision in a bid for the WBC light-welterweight title against Timothy Bradley in 2008.

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