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Category Archives: ShoBox
It’s Fight week for July 17 ShoBox Fight at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
4 TITLES ON THE LINE
6 UNDEFEATED FIGHTERS
COMBINED RECORD OF EIGHT TELEVISED FIGHTERS: 125-4-4, 75 KO’s
Antoine Douglas – Istavan Szili in 10-round Middleweight main event for IBO Intercontinental Title
Derrick Webster battles Arif Magomedov for NABO Middleweight title
Adam Lopez – Eliecer Aquino for WBA FEDELATIN and WBC Interim Latino Super Bantamweight title
Jerry Odom to battle Samuel Clarkson in opening bout of televised quadruple-header
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bethlehem, PA (July 14, 2015)–Fight week is here for Friday Night’s big ShoBox: The New Generation card at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.
Promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with King’s Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Main Events, the event will feature three title bouts with a total of four titles on the line.
In the main event, Antoine “Action” Douglas (17-0-1, 11 KO’s) of Burke, VA. takes on Istvan Szili (18-0-2, 8 KO’s) of Basel, Switzerland for the vacant IBO Intercontinental Middleweight title.
Derrick Webster (19-0, 10 KO’s) of Glassboro, NJ battles Arif Magomedov (15-0, 9 KO’s) of Chekhov, Russia for the vacant NABO Middleweight title scheduled for 10 rounds.
Adam Lopez (12-0, 6 KO’s) of San Antonio, TX takes on Eliecer Aquino (17-0-1, 11 KO’s) of Higuey, DR for the WBA FEDELATIN and WBC Latino Super Bantaweight titles in a fight scheduled for 10-rounds.
Opening up the telecast will be an 8 -round Super Middleweight clash between Jerry “The Kings Son” Odom (13-1, 12 KO’s) and Samuel Clarkson (14-3, 8 KO’s) of Cedar Hill, TX.
The off-television card will be stacked with future contenders.
In 6-round bouts:
Lavarn Harvell (14-1, 7 KO’s) of Atlantic City, NJ will take on an opponent to be named in a Light Heavyweight bout.
Rob Brant (15-0, 9 KO’s) of Minnesota will battle Ernesto Berrospe ((10-7, 5 KO’s) in a Middleweight bout.
In 4-round Bouts:
Christopher Brooker (3-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will fight Botirsher Obidov (1-0-1) of Florida in a Super Middleweight battle.
Ricky Nuno (1-0) of Bethlehem, PA will fight pro debuting Tim Kunkel of PA in a Jr. Middleweight bout.
Manny Folly (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will battle Jose Garcia (0-2) of Puerto Rico in a Super Bantamweight fight.
Samuel Teah (5-1, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will take on Raymond Velez (3-7) of Albany, NY in a Lightweight bout.
Oscar Bonilla (3-1-2, 2 KO’s) of New Haven, CT will box Bienvenidio Diaz (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ in a Lightweight bout.
Below is the fight week schedule for the July 17th televised Quadruple header form the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and will be televised live on Showtime’s ShoBox: The New Generation.
Thursday, July 16th
5:00 PM—Weigh in — at the Vision Bar at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem (On scales at 6 PM)
Friday, July 17th
6:00 Doors Open
7:00 1st Bout
10:00 Showtime Broadcast begins
Tickets are priced at $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster and www.ticketmaster.com
GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Champion John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris,undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad, lightweight Oscar Bonilla, Heavyweight Natu Visinia, Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell and Jr. Lightweight O’Shanique Foster to the GH3 Promotions stable.
SHOWTIME SPORTS® & CBS SPORTS TO OFFER ROBUST LINEUP OF FIGHTS AS PART OF UNIQUE WEEKEND OF BOXING
ShoBox: The New Generation: Friday, July 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Premier Boxing Champions on CBS: Saturday, July 18 at 4 p.m. ET/1p.m. PT
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: Saturday, July 18 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
NEW YORK (July 13, 2015) – SHOWTIME Sports® and CBS Sports will offer an action-packed weekend of fights spanning three different boxing series beginning with ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, July 17, and concluding with a special afternoon-evening PBC on CBS doubleheader and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader from the same venue on Saturday, July 18.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will air live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from the Don Haskins Arena at the University of Texas El Paso and the PBC on CBS broadcast will originate just hours earlier from the same arena, live on CBS Sports at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.
ShoBox: The New Generation will kick-off the weekend action on Friday live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from Sands Casino Hotel in Bethlehem, Pa., as the prospect-oriented developmental series celebrates its 14th anniversary with a quadrupleheader featuring six undefeated prospects squaring off.
“SHOWTIME Sports and CBS Sports are excited to offer fans an unprecedented weekend of boxing featuring at least nine fights, including two world championships and a world title eliminator,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “From boxing’s biggest stars on our SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING franchise and undefeated prospects on our critically acclaimed ShoBox series, to working with our colleagues at PBC and CBS Sports, we are the destination for fight fans this weekend.”
In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event, Mexican superstar Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (48-2-1, 32 KOs) will aim for redemption as he returns to the ring with a new trainer in a lower weight class. The former middleweight champion will take on fellow Mexican brawler Marcos Reyes (33-2, 24 KOs) in his first fight with renowned trainer Robert Garcia in a 10-round super middleweight bout.
Also on SHOWTIME, a pair of top bantamweights will put their undefeated records on the line as Puerto Rican Olympian McJoe Arroyo (16-0, 8 KOs) takes on Arthur Villanueva (27-0, 14 KOs) for the vacant IBF Bantamweight World Championship. In the opener of the tripleheader, undefeated 140-pound contender Amir Imam (17-0, 14 KOs) will take on veteran Fernando Angulo (29-9, 16 KOs) in a 10-round eliminator to become the No. 1 mandatory challenger in the WBC.
PBC on CBS will take center stage earlier that afternoon with an action-packed doubleheader. In the 12-round main event, Irish champion Carl Frampton (20-0, 14 KOs) will defend his Junior Featherweight World Championship against Mexican contender Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. (25-1-2, 15 KOs). In the PBC on CBS co-main event, heavyweight contender Chris Arreola (36-4, 31 KOs) will take on Frederic Kassi (18-3, 10 KOs) in a 8/10-round bout.
ShoBox: The New Generation will kick-off the weekend on Friday with a quintessential ShoBoxcard matching well-regarded prospects in some of the toughest tests of their careers.
In the main event, Antoine Douglas (17-0-1, 10 KOs) will face Istvan Szili (18-0-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout, while a pair of undefeated prospects, Derrick Webster (19-0, 10 KOs) and Arif Magomedov (15-0, 9 KOs), square off in the 10-round super middleweight co-feature.
Also on the ShoBox telecast, Adam Lopez (12-0, 6 KOs) will meet fellow undefeated prospect Eliecer Aquino (17-0-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout and once-beaten prospect Jerry Odom (13-1, 12 KOs, 1 NC) will face Samuel Clarkson (14-3, 8 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight matchup.
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About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
BLUE-CHIP PROSPECT SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO TAKES ON ELVIN AYALA ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION TRIPLEHEADER
Plus, Undefeated Ievgen Khytrov Returns Against Nick Brinson in Co-Feature and Knockout Artists Regis Prograis and Amos Cowart Clash In Telecast Opener
Live On SHOWTIME ® Friday, August 7 At 10 p.m. ET/PT
From Bally’s Atlantic City
NEW YORK (July 9, 2015) –Boxing returns to the Ballroom at Bally’s Atlantic City on Friday, Aug. 7 with an exciting ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader featuring the return to the series of Ukrainian blue-chip middleweight prospect Sergiy Derevyanchenko (5-0, 4 KOs, WSOB: 23-1, 7 KOs) as he faces his toughest test to date, former world title challenger Elvin Ayala(28-6-1, 12 KOs) of Reading, Pa. This crossroads battle is scheduled for eight rounds in the middleweight division and will be televised live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).
In the co-feature, Derevyanchenko’s stablemate, red-hot prospect Ievgen Khytrov (10-0, 9 KOs) of Krivoy Rih, Ukraine squares off against upset-minded Nick Brinson (17-3-2, 7 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y., in an eight-round middleweight matchup.
Opening the ShoBox telecast, undefeated knockout artists Regis Prograis (14-0, 12 KOs) of New Orleans, La., and Amos Cowart(11-0-1, 9 KOs) of Leesburg, Fla., will clash in an eight-round junior welterweight showdown.
The card is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc.
“I have been preparing for this fight for over a month now and still have another five weeks of camp left; everything is going according to plan,” said Derevyanchenko. “I can’t wait to showcase my skills to the world on Aug. 7 as the main event. I’m truly thankful to Al Haymon and my promoters DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions for giving me this opportunity.
“Ayala is an experienced and proven contender and, without a doubt, my toughest opponent to date. That being said, there is no doubt in my mind that I will come out victorious from this battle.”
“I never really understood till now that this is what I do,” said Ayala. “The fight life is the life I chose. It’s why I was born into a broken home. It’s why I’ve been broke since I was born, because the only place you can go from the bottom is either six feet deeper or up, I used to believe that I was doing this for my family and those close to me, but now I truly believe I’m doing this just for me. You will see that hunger and desire when I step into the ring on Aug. 7.”
“This will be my third time fighting on the ShoBox series this year, and I am looking to put on my most spectacular performance yet,” said Khytrov. “Every time I step into the ring, I am looking to showcase that I’m one of the best up-and-coming fighters in all of boxing. I have been training like never before and promise another sensational victory.”
“I’ve got too much experience for this guy and will dictate the fight and back him up,” said Brinson. “Amateur experience means nothing when you take this kind of step up. He will be fighting a true 160 pounder for the first time and he will understand what it is like to be bullied. I can’t wait to get in the ring.”
“Boxing is a dangerous and vicious sport and I want to prove that I am one of the most dangerous, and vicious fighters out there,” saidPrograis. “I must test myself against dangerous and vicious fighters. This fight is such a test; DiBella Entertainment promotes us both [my opponent and I], therefore, it goes without saying that Cowart has talent. This fight is an opportunity for us both, but someone will have to begin again. I expect it to be a competitive fight, but I will do what it takes to win. I am looking to move forward.”
“To be on national television and to showcase my talents and my will to win on a major network like SHOWTIME is a dream come true,” said Cowart. “This will be my second fight under the DBE umbrella and I would like to thank my promoter Lou DiBella and my manager Roy Cruz and the entire team at OPB for giving me this opportunity. I am looking forward to a tough fight against Regis Prograis, but most importantly, I’m looking forward to giving boxing fans what boxing is missing, an absolute war. There will be no running in this fight, exactly the type of fight I dream of every time I step into the ring.”
SHOWTIME is excited to come back to Bally’s Atlantic City, whereShoBox: The New Generation series originated over 14 years ago with a main event battle of undefeated lightweights featuring Leo Durin vs. Martin O’Malley. Durin won the clash with a ninth round TKO and went on to become the first of 62 fighters to date that have appeared on the series and have gone on to win world championships.
“Atlantic City, the Entertainment Capital of the Jersey Shore, andShoBox: The New Generation, the premiere host for live events, have long had the reputation for producing some of the world’s best-known fights and we are excited to welcome this match on Aug. 7 at Bally’s,” said Kevin Ortzman, President of Caesars and Bally’s Atlantic City. “Since our last boxing match, Bally’s has opened Guy Fieri’s Chophouse, Buca di Beppo, and most recently, we debuted a brand new gaming and live entertainment space at the Wild Wild West, which will be the perfect experience for the boxing community both before-and-after the fights.”
“Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Ievgen Khytrov are two of the elite prospects in all of boxing and the future of the middleweight division,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Elvin Ayala is an experienced contender coming off of an impressive upset over previously undefeated Ronald Gavril. Nick Brinson has never been in a bad fight and is a veteran of ShoBox, having scored an upset victory over Jorge Melendez on the series. The opening bout between Regis Prograis and Amos Cowart is a can’t-miss battle between two undefeated, young punchers.”
As an amateur, Derevyanchenko compiled an astonishing 390-20 record and represented his native Ukraine at the 2008 Olympics. He also won a bronze medal at the 2007 Amateur World Championships and competed in the World Series of Boxing, where he posted a 23-1 overall record and was the 2012 WSB Team Champion and 2011 and 2012 WSB Individual Champion. Derevyanchenko’s rise up in the world rankings is expected to be meteoric and anything less than a world championship would be a disappointment.
In Ayala, Derevyanchenko will meet his toughest and most experienced opponent to date. Ayala is 8-1 in his last nine bouts, with the lone loss coming against fellow middleweight contender and world title challenger Curtis Stevens. Ayala is coming off back-to-back upset victories in 2015, with the first coming over 27-1-1 Aaron Mitchell in January, and then earning an impressive eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeatedRonald Gavril (13 -1 ) in his most recent bout. Ayala knows he cannot afford another loss in his career if he is going to get another crack at a piece of the middleweight championship and is looking to derail Derevyanchenko’s championship goals when they meet onAug. 7.
Known as the “Ukrainian Lion”, Khytrov has been on a tear since turning pro in December 2013. Hailing from Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, but now living and training in Brooklyn, N.Y., Khytrov, like his stable-mate Derevyanchenko, was a phenomenal amateur, accumulating a 480-20 record. His amateur career culminated with a trip to the 2012 Olympics, where he was one of the favorites to win gold, but dropped a highly questionable decision to eventual gold medalist Anthony Ogogo.
Incredibly active as a pro, Khytrov notched six victories in 2014, including first-round knockouts over once-beaten prospects Willie Fortune and Louis Rose. Khytrov has not let off the gas in 2015, having already picked up three impressive wins, all on national TV, with two coming under the ShoBox banner.
In Brinson, Khytrov finds himself facing yet another tough opponent who has fought top competition for much of his career. Brinson is 8-2 in his last 10 bouts, with the losses coming against top undefeated prospect Dominic Wade and Olympian and recent world title challenger Andre Dirrell.
Both Khytrov and Brinson hold victories over Puerto Rican contender Jorge Melendez.
The opening matchup of the night between fellow knockout artists Regis Prograis and Amos Cowart is the exact type of matchup that the ShoBox series has been built on. The bout features two young, hungry, exciting and explosive undefeated prospects looking to burst onto the scene in both of their national TV debuts. Both fighters have devastating power in each hand and fight in very similar seek-and-destroy styles. Neither fighter is expected to take a step back for as long as the fight lasts.
The 26-year-old Prograis has knocked out eight consecutive opponents and is fully confident that Cowart will be victim number nine. Cowart, on the other hand, feels that Regis’ come-forward style will only spell disaster for his foe. Cowart is coming off his most impressive victory to date this past April when he scored a dramatic come-from-behind knockout over previously undefeated Anthony Burgin.
Tickets for the event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc., are currently on sale and are priced at $120 and $60. Tickets can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by visitingwww.ticketmaster.com.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the first bout scheduled to start at7:00 p.m. ET.
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About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 62 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.
Antoine Douglas – Istvan Szili for WBC Latino and IBO Intercontinental Middleweight titles to headline on ShoBox, July 17 at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
Derrick Webster to take on Arif Magomedov for NABO Middleweight title
Adam Lopez – Eliecer Aquino for WBA FEDELATIN and WBC Interim Latino Super Bantamweight title
Jerry Odom to battle Samuel Clarkson in opening bout of televised quadruple-header
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bethlehem, PA (July, 9, 2015)–On Friday, July 17 at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, Antoine Douglas (17-0-1, 11 KO’s) of Burke, VA. will defend his WBC Latino and vie for the vacant IBO Intercontinental Middleweight title when he takes on Istvan Szili (18-0-2, 8 KO’s) of Frenkendorf, Switzerland in a bout that will headline a televised quadruple-header on Showtime’s ShoBox: The New Generation.
The fight is scheduled for 10-rounds.
The show is promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with King’s Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Main Events.
In the televised co-feature, Derrick Webster (19-0, 10 KO’s) of Glassboro, NJ will take on Arif Magomedov (15-0, 9 KO’s) of Russia in 10-round battle for the NABO Middleweight title.
In another title clash, Adam Lopez (12-0, 6 KO’s) of San Antonio, Texas will take on Eliecer Aquino (17-0-1, 11 KO’s) of Higuey, Dominican Republic in a 10-round Super Bantamweight bout for the WBA FEDELATIN and WBC Interim Latino titles.
The opening bout will pit Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom (13-1, 12 KO’s) of Washington, DC and Samuel Clarkson (14-3, 8 KO’s) of Ceder Hill, TX in a bout scheduled for 8-rounds.
Some of the best talent in the country will be on display on the non-televised undercard as scheduled to appear will be undefeated Rob Brant (15-0, 9 KO’s) of Minnesota taking on an opponent to be named in a 6-round Middleweight bout.
Natu Visinia (11-1, 9 KO’s) of Clinton, IL. will rematch Jon Bolden (7-10-1, 5 KO’s) of New York, NY. in a 6-round Heavyweight bout.
Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell (14-1, 7 KO’s) of Atlantic City, NJ will take on an opponent to be named in a bout scheduled for 6-rounds.
Super Middleweight Christopher Brooker (3-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will fight Botirsher Obidov (1-0-1) of Florida in a 4-round bout.
Super Bantamweight Manny Folly (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA will square off with Gabriel Braxton (2-10, 1 KO) of Redwood, GA. in 4-round bout.
Lightweight Samuel Teah (5-1, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA. will box Raymond Velez (3-7) of Albany, NY in a 4-round bout.
Lightweight Bienvenidio Diaz (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ will fight Oscar Bonilla (3-1-2, 2 KO’s) of New Haven, Connecticut in a bout scheduled for four rounds.
Also on the card will be a 4-round Jr. Middleweight bout between Ricky Nuno (1-0) of Bethlehem, PA taking on Tim Kunkel.
Tickets are priced at $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster and www.ticketmaster.com
1st Bout is 7 PM with the Showtime broadcast beginning at 10 PM ET.
GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Boxcino 2015 Jr. Middleweight Champion John Thompson, Jr., undefeated Welterweight Jerrell Harris,undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad, lightweight Oscar Bonilla, Heavyweight Natu Visinia, Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell & Jr. Lightweight O’Shanique Foster to the GH3 Promotions stable.
SIX BOXERS RISK THEIR UNDEFEATED RECORDS IN SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION QUADRUPLEHEADER FRIDAY, JULY 17, LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
Antoine Douglas Faces Istvan Szili In Main Event
On The 14th Anniversary Of Prospect Developmental Series,
Live At 10 p.m. ET/PT
Telecast Jump-Starts Big Weekend of Fights on SHOWTIME and PBC on CBS
NEW YORK (June 30, 2015) – The popular and respected prospect-oriented developmental boxing series ShoBox: The New Generationwill celebrate its 14th anniversary on Friday, July 17, with a quadrupleheader live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) featuring eight promising boxers with a combined record of 125-4-4 with 1 No Contest and 75 knockouts.
Six of the fighters competing at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pa., are undefeated and will risk their perfect records against each other, including headliners Antoine “Action” Douglas (17-0-1, 11 KOs), of Washington, D.C., and Istvan “The Prince” Szili (18-0-2, 8 KOs), of Frenkendorf, Switzerland, who will clash in a 10-round middleweight bout.
In two clashes of unbeatens preceding Douglas-Szili, Derrick “Take It To The Bank’’ Webster (19-0, 10 KOs), of Glassboro, N.J., faces Russia’s Arif “Mayhem’’ Magomedov (15-0, 9 KOs) in an 10-round 160-pound scrap and Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (12-0, 6 KOs), of San Antonio, tangles with the Dominican Republic’s Eliezer “The Little Assassin” Aquino (17-0-1, 11 KOs) in an 10-round super bantamweight bout.
Which of the unbeatens will keep their unblemished records intact?
Since it premiered on July 21, 2001, 125 fighters – and counting – suffered their initial defeats on ShoBox.
The opening eight-rounder will match hard-hitting once-beaten Jerry“The King’s Son” Odom (13-1, 1 NC, 12 KOs), of Washington, D.C., against Samuel Clarkson (14-3, 8 KOs), of Cedar Hills, Texas, in a super middleweight tussle.
The four-fight telecast will jump-start an action-packed weekend on SHOWTIME and CBS Sports that will feature three different boxing series. It concludes with a day-night Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader from the Don Haskins Center at UTEP in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, July 18.
Douglas, 23, Odom, 22 and Lopez, 24, appeared on the March 13ShoBox from Westbury, N.Y. Douglas, making his third start on the network, registered a sixth-round TKO over Thomas LaManna; Odom, in his second ShoBox start, scored a first-round TKO over AndrewHernandez; and Lopez won his ShoBox debut with a second-round knockout over Pablo Cruz.
“Part of the strength of Shobox is watching fighters develop after multiple viewings,’’ ShoBox expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood said. “In the cases of Douglas, Odom and Lopez, they’re at different stages of their careers but we’ve seen them before and we’re anxious to see how they develop.
“Douglas seems the furthest along of the three, but he survived a roadblock when he drew with Michel Soro [an eight-rounder that was part of the 200th ShoBox telecast on July 25, 2014] and he’s rebounded strongly. He remains one of the most exciting prospects to watch.
“Odom is a legitimate puncher. In his last fight he erased the one blemish in his career and at 22 years old he’s in the infancy of what promises to be a top-level career.
“Lopez looked polished in his ShoBox debut and we’re all looking forward to seeing him grow.’’
Douglas was a top-notch amateur who made it to the 2011 U.S. Olympic Trials. He’s been extremely active since going pro in October 2012. He fought twice in 2012, nine times in ‘13 and six times in ‘14.
Douglas pitched a shutout in his 12th pro start, winning his ShoBoxdebut and knocking out one of his opponent’s teeth in an entertaining but one-sided eight-round decision over previously unbeaten Marquis Davis (8-0-2 going in) in January 2014. He’s won four in a row since boxing a 10-round draw with former world title challenger Soro (23-1-1 going in) on July 25, 2014, on ShoBox.
An excellent boxer-puncher with good skills, movement and punching power, Douglas has gone the full 10-round distance one time, the full eight-round distance one time and six full rounds four times.
Wise beyond his years due to a tough upbringing, Douglas grew up in Washington D.C., the product of a broken home. He moved around various foster homes in his early years. “I come from a troubled childhood, born prematurely to a drug addicted mother,” he said. “They told my mom I wouldn’t grow to be a fully functional human, I wouldn’t be able to walk, talk, move or speak.’’
Douglas didn’t see much of his father, who flitted in and out of his life.
Szili, 32, is making his United States and ShoBox debut. A five-year-pro has fought the majority of his fights in Switzerland, Italy and Hungary. He captured the Universal Boxing Federation middleweight title with a sixth-round TKO over Mathias Zemski in his last fight on Aug. 30, 2014, in Switzerland.
A multiple medalist during a longtime amateur career (1997-2005), Szili turned pro in October 2009. A determined, well-conditioned sort who is best known for his left straight shot-right hook combination, he sums up his life in and out of the ring simply:
“What I do, I do it in 100 percent and I never give anything up,’’ he said.
Webster, 6-foot-4, 33-year-old, hails from a fighting family. His uncle,Tim Witherspoon, is a former heavyweight world champion and his cousin, Chazz Witherspoon, was a former heavyweight contender. This will be his debut on ShoBox.
A highly touted southpaw, Webster got a late start in boxing and had limited amateur experience. He won his pro debut on a four-round split decision in May 2009 before proceeding to build his career on devastating knockouts and a quick tongue. He’s always willing to hype himself and his fights.
Webster’s won two in a row by knockout, including a fifth-round TKO over William Johnson last May 29.
Magomedov, 22, who recently signed with Kathy Duva’s Main Events, is ranked in the Top 10 at 160 pounds by the WBA (No. 2), WBO (No. 6) and WBC (No. 8). He’ll be appearing for the first time on ShoBox and this is his third consecutive bout fighting in the United States.
A pro since January 2013, he went 8-0 that year and 5-0 in 2014. In his last outing, the steadily improving Magomedov registered one knockdown en route to a 2:37, first-round TKO over Darnell Boone onMay 22 in Las Vegas. Last April 2, he won his stateside debut with a lopsided eight-round decision over veteran Derrick Findley in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Lopez was born in Phoenix but grew up in Los Angeles. An aggressive counter-puncher trained by former two-time world champion Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez, he’s won two consecutive fights since dropping Cruz, unquestionably his toughest foe to date, two times in the second round of a match stopped without a count at 1:35 of the session.
This will be the fourth fight of the year and the second scheduled eight-rounder for Lopez, a top amateur before going pro in February 2012. In his last outing a four-fight knockout streak ended when he had to settle for a shutout six-round unanimous decision over Miguel Tamaya lastMay 15.
“I’m more of a boxer, a counter-puncher,’’ Lopez said. “I make them miss and I make them pay. But I feel I’ve got good power. I can take a guy out with either hand. But I’m very economical. I don’t really waste punches. I like to make every punch count, and every punch that does count is going to hurt the guy.’’
Aquino makes for exciting fights; his slugfests with Jonathan Arias in February 2009 and Norberto Jimenez in May 2013 were candidates for Fight of the Year in the Dominican Republic. He’s also making his United States and ShoBox debut after campaigning exclusively in his native Dominican Republic since turning pro in February 2007.
A crowd favorite on the Caribbean island because of his Mike Tyson-like bobbing-and weaving attack style, the cocky, confident Aquino has won three in a row, all by knockout, since boxing to a fifth-round technical draw with Jimenez. Aquino’s last seven victories have all come inside the distance.
In his last start, Aquino retained his WBC Fecarbox 115-pound title with a third-round TKO over Racci Rosa on Sept. 27, 2014. Aquino was ahead 20-18 on all the scorecards when the bout ended at 1:35.
Odom, a top amateur and 2012 National Golden Gloves Champion at 178 pounds, is a big puncher who makes for exciting scraps. He had a 12-fight win streak end on Jan. 9, 2015, when he was disqualified in the fourth round for continuing to punch and land shots after he’d droppedHernandez with a flurry of punches. The crowd booed, but Hernandez was clearly down.
In the rematch on ShoBox, Odom hurt Hernandez early with a right behind the ear. He trapped Hernandez along the ropes, continued to land clean shots and the ref stepped in and stopped it at 2:47.
In his ShoBox debut, Odom recorded two knockdowns — in the fourth and seventh rounds — en route to stopping previously undefeated Vilier Quinonez (8-0 going in) in the seventh round on July 25, 2014.
Clarkson, a 24-year-old southpaw making his ShoBox debut, has won four straight and seven out of eight. He is 2-0 in 2015. In his most recent fight he scored a sixth-round TKO over Jay Williams last April 3. Clarkson’s most noteworthy victory came two outings ago when he took an eight-round split decision over former world title challenger Cedrick Agnew last Feb. 20.
A two time Texas Golden Gloves State Champion at 175 Pounds and Police Athletic League National Champion at 175 pounds, Clarkson logged knockout victories in five of his first six fights after turning pro in August 2011.
The event is promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, Main Events and King’s Promotions.
In the July 18 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event, Mexican superstar and former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (48-2-1, 32 KOs, 1 NC,) will try to regain his winning ways when he meets Mexico’s Marcos Reyes (33-2, 24 KOs) in a 10-round 168-pound match.
The live SHOWTIME telecast (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) will include a 12-rounder for the vacant IBF Super Flyweight World title between unbeatens McJoe Arroyo (16-0, 8 KOs) of Puerto Rico and Arthur Villanueva (27-0, 12 KOs) of the Philippines.
Just hours earlier from the Don Haskins Center, PBC on CBS (live at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT) will offer a terrific doubleheader. In the main event, undefeated British superstar Carl Frampton (20-0, 14 KOs) will make his U.S. debut when he defends his IBF Super Bantamweight World title against Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez Jr. (25-1-2, 15 KOs). The co-main event will feature exciting heavyweight Chris “The Nightmare”Arreola (36-4, 31 KOs) against an opponent to be determined.
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Mike Arnold producing and Rick Phillips directing.
About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 58 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.
SHOBOX SHUFFLE DOMINIC WADE-SAM SOLIMAN IN MAIN EVENT, TWO NEW FIGHTS ADDED TO SHOBOX TRIPLEHEADER
Unbeaten Erickson Lubin Will Face Ayi Bruce in Co-Feature,
Heavyweights Oscar Rivas and Jason Pettaway Clash
In Telecast Opener; Jamel Herring Fight Is Cancelled
After Opponent Oscar Cortes Comes In Overweight
Weights and Boxers’ Final Thoughts For
ShoBox:The New Generation Tomorrow/Friday, June 26,
At 10:35 p.m. Live on SHOWTIME® From Little Creek Casino
Click HERE To Download Photos
Credit: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
SHELTON, Wash. (June 25, 2015) – The ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader tomorrow, Friday, June 26, live on SHOWTIME (10:35 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Wash., will feature promising undefeated middleweight prospect Dominic “Lights Out” Wade (17-0, 12 KOs), of Washington, D.C., against Sam “King” Soliman (44-12, 1 NC, 18 KOs), of Melbourne, Australia in the 10-round main event.
But the scheduled co-feature between unbeaten lightweight and former Marine and 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Captain Jamel Herring (11-0, 7 KOs), of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Mexico’s Oscar Cortes (25-2, 13 KOs) was cancelled Thursday when Cortez came in overweight. Armed Forces Network will air the ShoBox telecast despite the Herring-Cortes fight getting scrapped.
“I’m very disappointed that I didn’t get to fight,’’ Herring said. “I was really looking forward to it. I’ll be back in the ring in no time and I will continue my march of becoming a world champion one day.”
The new co-feature will pit unbeaten promising Erickson “The Hammer’’ Lubin (10-0, 7 KO’s) of Orlando, Fla., against Ayi Bruce (23-9, 15 KO’s) of Albany, N.Y., in a super welterweight scrap. The telecast opener will match heavyweights Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (16-0, 11 KOs), a Montreal-based Colombian, and Jason Pettaway (17-2, 10 KOs), of Camp Lejeune, N.C. Both fights are slated for eight rounds.
Wade, who’ll take on the toughest opponent of his career when he steps up in class to face the vastly more experienced former world champion Soliman, also came in heavy. He weighed 162.5 pounds on his first attempt. When he returned to the scale, he weighed 161 pounds. Soliman, tipped the scale at 161.4 pounds, on his first attempt.
Southpaw Lubin, 19, a sensational amateur, will be making his ShoBoxdebut and 11th start since turning pro in November 2011. He weighed 152.4 pounds. Bruce, who has fought top prospects throughout his career but is coming off a lengthy layoff, weighed 151.4 for the super welterweight bout. In the heavyweight match added to the telecastThursday morning, the physically strong and powerful Rivas, a former international amateur standout, weighed 244 pounds. Pettaway, who is looking to regain his winning ways after losing his last start, tipped the scale at 222.
What the fighters said Thursday:
DOMINIC WADE
“For me this is a big step up in class. Soliman is a very experienced fighter; I definitely don’t look at him as just some 41-year old who still fights. He’s a spoiler. He’s the kind of fighter that is difficult to look good against because he’s so awkward. I expect him to jump and throw punches and then hold, but I’ve trained to control him from the outside with my jab.
“I feel like it’s time for a real test. It’s time to see where I’m at. I could have fought easier, but I’ve been working hard at the gym and this is the time for me to start moving toward a world title shot.
“Going 10 rounds with Nick Brinson [in his ShoBox debut in June 2014] was a good learning experience. I thought I was going to stop him for sure, probably early, but he was tougher than I thought. He surprised me. Nothing Soliman will do will surprise me and I am 100 percent ready for Friday.’’
SAM SOLIMAN
“The right knee that I hurt against Jermain Taylor is 100 percent. I’ll be wearing a brace but it is nothing I’ll be thinking about. I had four months of rehab, but I’ve been injury-free in the seven months since.
“As a former kickboxer, I have been in a million wars, so this wasn’t even the worst injury I’ve ever suffered. You can’t compare it to what I went through as a kickboxer so I feel great. There are no mental fears or anything.
“I don’t want to be a stepping stone for anybody. I feel his promoters and advisors made a mistake in picking me. I still have plenty of fight left. They could have picked a lot of other fighters if they were looking to make a name for Wade.
“For me to still be fighting has nothing to do with age or special genes. It’s all about how you live your life.
“Wade is a good boxer, a smart kid who will try and keep you at bay. But I’ve fought 30-40 guys with that style. He’s talented and I don’t want to take anything away from him, but you need to have some tough fights. I know they see me as their ticket to a world ranking, a 41-year-old former champion. But they picked the wrong guy.’’
ERICKSON LUBIN
“I’m just here to fight. This is my first time on SHOWTIME and I’m really looking forward to it.
“I feel like my career is going just great. I fought a lot last year and hope to fight four-five times this year. I want to be labeled as a contender real soon, so I just keep fighting. I can fight at super welterweight or welterweight with no problems weigh-wise.
“I’m in a good division. I’ve been watching all the young guys. I feel I could fight any of them now, but I know I have to be patient. Still, if I had my way, I’d fight every month if I could.
“I’m still learning, of course, but I know I am getting there. I feel one of my greatest strengths is my ability to make adjustments. If one thing isn’t working I can adjust it to something totally different.’’
AYI BRUCE
“I can box or slug and have faced some tough guys. I’ve been off but that’s because a couple of fights fell out on me. I feel really strong and very prepared.
“Lubin is only 19. I’m going to show him my experience in the ring. I’ve fought lefties before so that will not be a problem.
“I’m coming to fight. I’m coming to win. I need to win. On Friday, I’m going to be the teacher and he is going to be the pupil. I’ll be taking him to school.’’
OSCAR RIVAS
“This is a great opportunity for me fighting on ShoBox. I want America to see me, I want to show the people what I’ve got. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time.
“I’m strong, but I think I’m a better boxer than people expect. I feel I have a lot of ability. All that international amateur experience made me well-rounded. I’m not just a pressure guy. I’ve got good movement and I throw a lot of combinations with speed.
“I’m happy with the way my career is going. They’re taking their time with me but I feel I’m ready to step up against tougher opposition. At 6-foot-1, I’m short for a heavyweight but I’m a tough fighter for guys taller than me.
“There has never been a heavyweight champion from Colombia. To become the first is a great motivation for me.
“I look forward to fighting the biggest names in the division. I’ve been waiting for the time and the time is now to move up. I feel I’m going to be a part of the heavyweight dance for a long time.
“But I’m not underestimating Pettaway. I look at him as a complete boxer who can take a punch and has good speed and power.’’
JASON PETTAWAY
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime, what I have been working for my whole life. I feel like this is a big step up for me, but it is also a big step up for him. I don’t think he has ever fought anybody as good as me.
“I know that a lot of people haven’t heard of me, but a win on Friday, and a couple more right after that, will put me right in the thick of the heavyweight mix.
“I’m definitely in great shape. I’m improving and getting more comfortable with each fight. I think nerves and fighting under the big lights has cost me before, but I’m over that now.
“I am really looking forward to fighting a guy like Rivas.’’
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox blow by blow with boxing expertSteve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as ringside analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Tickets for “Little Creek Brawl VII” from Skookum Creek Event Center start at $20 and are available online at www.little-creek.com or by calling1.800.667.7711. Doors will open at 5 p.m. PT, with the first fight tentatively set to begin at 6 p.m. Live coverage will begin at approximately 7:35 p.m. local time (PT).
For more information about Little Creek Casino Resort and its full line-up of upcoming acts that includes Paul Rodgers, Trace Adkins, Dwight Yoakam, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, YES and Toto, please call 800-667-7711 or visit online at www.little-creek.com
Antoine Douglas takes on Istvan Szili to headline ShoBox on Friday, July 17 at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
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Plus Derrick Webster – Arif Magomedov; Adam Lopez – Eliecer Aquino & Jerry Odom – Samuel Clarkson on televised quadruple header
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Bethlehem, PA (June 12, 2015)–On Friday night, July 17 undefeated Middleweight Antoine “Action” Dougas will headline a televised quadruple header when he takes on fellow undefeated Istvan Szili in a 10-round bout from the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and will be televised on Showtime’s acclaimed ShoBox: The New Generation (10 PM ET)
The show is promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, Main Events and King’s Promotions.
In the 10-round co-feature, it will be a battle of undefeated Middleweights as Derrick Webster will fight Arif Magomedov.
In an 8-round Super Bantamweight bout, Adam Lopez will take on fellow undefeated Eliecer Aquino.
Opening the television portion of the card will be Super Middleweight Jerry Odom(13-1, 12 KO’s) who will take on Samuel Clarkson in a bout scheduled for 8-rounds.
Douglas of Burke, Virginia has a record of 17-0-1 with 11 knockouts. He will be making his second consecutive appearance on ShoBox and fourth overall. He is coming off a 6th round stoppage over previously undefeated Thomas LaManna on March 13 in Westbury, New York. Previously he has victories over former world title challenger Luca Messi (37-9-1), Marquis Davis (8-0-2) & Colby Courter (4-0). He is currently ranked number-14 by the WBA. He also has a win over spoiler Don Mouton and a draw with highly regarded former world title challenger Michel Soro. Soro just scored a stirring knockout of Glen Tapia.
Szili (18-0-2, 8 KO’s) of Frenkendorf, Switzerland will be making his American debut. Szili has been a professional for six years and has fough some good opposition in Europe. In his last bout, Szili won the UBF Middleweight title with a 6th round stoppage over Mathias Zemski (13-1) on August 30 in Zurich, Switzerland. Szili also has wins over Jetmir Kuqi (6-0), Dzmitriy Lubachkin (18-2) and Aliaksandr Sushchyts (1-0-1).
Webster of Glassboro, New Jersey has a record of 19-0 with 10 knockouts. He will be making his national television debut. The southpaw is coming off a 5th round stoppage over William Johnson on May 29 in Memphis, Tennessee. Webster has a 22 second knockout over Obodai Sai (23-1).
Magomedov of Chekhov, Russia has a record of 15-0 with 9 knockouts. He is coming off an impressive 1st round stoppage over the upset specialist Darnell Boone on May 22 in Las Vegas. Magomedov won the Russian Middleweight title with a 1st round stoppage over Marat Khuzeev. He added the UBO Intercontinental Middleweight title with a 2nd round stoppage over Thomas Mashali (9-1-1). He continued to win titles as he won the WBA Fedlatin Middleweight Title with a 3rd round stoppage over previously undefeated A;ex Theran (16-0). In his next bout, he won the WBA Intercontinental Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Patrick Mendy. On October 24, 2014, Magomedov added the WBO Youth Middleweight and WBO Asia Pacific Middleweight crowns with a 10-round unanimous decision over Michael Zerafa (15-0). Magomedov is currently ranked number-10 by the WBC and number-6 by the WBO.
Lopez of San Antonio, Texas has a record of 12-0 with 6 knockouts and is making his 2nd ShoBox appearance. In his first appearance, he scored an explosive 1st round stoppage over previously undefeated Pablo Cruz on March 13 in Westbury, New York. Since then, the 24 year-old Lopez has racked up two wins with the latest being a 6-round unanimous decision over Miguel Tamayo on May 22 in Corona, California.
Aquino of Higuey, Dominican Republic has a record of 17-0-1 with 11 knockouts. The 8 year veteran has racked up some titles in his undefeated resume. He won the Dominican Reoublic Super Flyweight championship in just 6th fight. He captured the WBA Fedecaribe Super Flyweight title with a 10-round unanimous decision over Juan Guzman (18-3). He later won the WBC FECARBOX Super Flyweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over former world title challenger Omar Soto. Aquino is coming off a 3rd round stoppage over previously undefeated Rayci Rosa (5-0) on September 27, 2014 in La Romana, Dominican Republic.
Odom of Bowie, Maryland has a record of 13-1 with 12 knockouts. The 22 year-old is making his 2nd consecutive ShoBox appearance and 3rd overall. In his last bout, he avenged his only blemish when he stopped Andrew Hernandez in one round. That fight took place on March 13 in Westbury, New York. The bout was a rematch of their controversial fight that took place on January 9 when Odom was disqualified. In Odom’s previous ShoBox appearance, he scored an exciting 7th round stoppage over Villier Quinonez (8-0) on July 25, 2014 in Verona, New York.
Clarkson of Cedar Hill, Texas has a record of 14-3 with 8 knockouts. He has won four in a row. In his last outing, Clarkson scored a 6th round stoppage over Jay Williams on April 3 in Irving, Texas. Clarkson scored the biggest win of his career on February 20 when he won an 8-round split decision over former world title challenger Cedric Agnew (27-1). The 24 year-old Clarkson has quality wins over Izaac Cardona (9-1). Chad Trahan (7-0), Kenneth McNeil (3-0) and Thomas Falowo (6-0).
“This is a stacked show and when you look at the combined record it is 125-4-4 with 75 knockouts. I want to thank Showtime and especially Gordon Hall for recognizing the talent in our company. I also would like to thank the Sands for hosting this event. We have made tremendous strides in the last year. We at GH3 Promotions will continue to our upward trajectory as we will be working with the bigger companies in the business like Main Events and Greg Cohen Promotions. Working hand and hand with them can only help one another in the future. I am looking to showcase all of my top prospects on this card in putting them in competitive bouts,” said GH3 Promotions Vito Mielnicki.
“I want to thank Dennis Porter and Ronald Sims who have everything in place in camp with our stable in Virginia. They keep our guys hungry and working hard. With GH3 Promotions and Kay Koroma, we are very happy with the way we are moving our fighters strategically. We are looking for bigger and better things.”
A loaded undercard will feature some of the best prospects on the East Coast.
Lavarn Harvell (14-1, 7 KO’s) of Atlantic City will take part in a 6-round Light Heavyweight bout.
In 4-round bouts:
Rickey Nuno (1-0) of Bethlehem, PA will take on Tim Kunkel of Pennsylvania in a Jr. Middleweight bout.
Seeing action against opponents to be named will be Super Middleweight Christopher Brooker (3-0, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia; Lightweight Samuel Teah (5-1, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia and Super Bantamweight Manny Folly (4-0, 3 KO’s) of Philadelphia.
Ticket Information will be announced shortly.
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Derrick Webster Confident of Victory Heading into July 17 ShoBox Battle with Arif Magomedov
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UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT PROSPECT DOMINIC WADE TAKES ON TOUGHEST CHALLENGE OF HIS CAREER IN FORMER WORLD CHAMP SAM SOLIMAN FRIDAY, JUNE 26 ON SHOWTIME®
ShoBox: The New Generation Tripleheader
Live At 10:35 p.m. ET/PT From Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash.
“My time has arrived…I’m ready for the next level.” – Dominic Wade
“My road to regaining the world title begins on June 26 against Dominic Wade.” – Sam Soliman
NEW YORK (May 27, 2015) – Young undefeated middleweight prospectDominic “Lights Out” Wade will take on the toughest opponent of his career when he faces former world champion Sam “King” Soliman in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, June 26, live on SHOWTIME from Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash.
Wade (17-0, 12 KOs), of Washington, D.C., and Soliman (44-12, 1 NC, 18 KOs), of Melbourne, Australia, will clash in the 10-round middleweight main event of the TGB Promotions tripleheader. In other televised bouts, former Marine and 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Captain Jamel“Semper Fi” Herring (11-0, 7 KOs), of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and 19-year-old former amateur standout and unbeaten super welterweight Erickson “Hammer” Lubin (10-0, 7 KOs), of Orlando Fla., will be featured against opponents to be determined in separate bouts.
If triumphant, Wade will begin to transition from promising prospect to legitimate contender in his quest to become the next ShoBox graduate to win a world championship. To date, 61 ShoBox alums have captured world titles.
While Wade is unbeaten, Soliman is vastly more experienced, having competed in four world championship fights. He held the IBF Middleweight World Championship before suffering a debilitating knee injury and losing via unanimous decision to Jermain Taylor in his first title defense last October. Soliman, who was leading on the judges’ scorecards at the time of the injury, will make his first start since losing the 160-pound title.
“This is a great opportunity for me to face a former world champion,” Wade said. “While he’s more experienced I truly believe my time has arrived and I plan to show the boxing world that I’m ready for the next level.”
“I know what it takes to be a world champion, the sacrifices needed to endure, the battles that need to be won. My road to regaining the world title begins on June 26 against Dominic Wade,” said Soliman.
“We’re very excited to work once again with the terrific SHOWTIME and Little Creek Casino Resort teams on this exciting fight card,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Wade vs. Soliman is an excellent cross-roads bout. Additionally, Lubin and Herring are two of the best prospects in boxing.”
Wade, 25, will be making his 2015 debut and third appearance on the network. In his first ShoBox fight – and first 10-rounder — he stepped up in class and won a close but clear decision over Nick Brinson in June 2014. The aggressive-minded 5-foot-11½-inch Wade, a top amateur before going pro in March 2009, is 6-0 with four knockouts since returning to the ring in February 2013 after a two-year layoff due to promotional problems.
A well-conditioned, power puncher who is steadily ascending in the world rankings, Wade’s four stoppages have come inside two rounds (one in the first, three in the second). Wade, who had over 160 amateur fights, is coming off a second-round TKO over Eddie Hunter last Dec. 20, in Shelton.
The 5-foot-8½-inch Soliman keeps a relentless, almost non-stop pace and delivers punches from odd angles. Tough and durable, Soliman can be very awkward and he is always well-conditioned. This combination makes Soliman a very difficult fighter to face. He went 0-2 in WBA 168-pound world title fights before dropping a notch in weight to capture the IBF Middleweight World Championship with a decisive 12-round decision over Felix Sturm in a rematch on May 31, 2014.
The 41-year-old Soliman, who lost the title in his first injury-marred defense against Taylor, is 9-1-1 with one No Contest since May 2008. A former kickboxing world champion, Soliman has been knocked out just once – in 2007 by then WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony Mundine. The veteran has had a successful yet unusual 18-year career that began with a four-round fight but then followed with three straight 12-rounders (all went the distance) in three different weight divisions over a period of five months.
The 5-foot-10-inch Herring was the 2012 United States National Champion at 141 pounds and captained the 2012 U.S. Olympic Games boxing team. The 29-year-old turned pro in December 2012 and has remained active since with five fights in 2013 and four in 2014. Herring, who will be making his ShoBox debut, is making his second start of this year, coming off a lopsided eight-round decision over Hector Marengo in March.
Herring served nine years in the Marine Corps including two tours of duty in Iraq. The Long Island native enlisted about a year after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Herring considered giving up the sport multiple times, particularly after the death of his infant daughter, Ariyanah, due to sudden infant death syndrome in 2009 – three years to the day before the Olympic Games opening ceremony in London. But he was persuaded by coaches and teammates to stick with it.
At 19 years of age, Lubin is one of the youngest boxers to appear onShoBox (Francisco “Panchito” Bojado, at 18, was the youngest.). Lubin is a heralded blue-chip prospect who will be making his ShoBox debut and 11th start since turning pro in November 2013. A southpaw with good punching power, skills and movement, Lubin will be making his third start this year and his fourth scheduled eight-round bout.
Lubin had a remarkable amateur career. He was the 2013 National Golden Gloves champion at 152 pounds, the 2012 National PAL Champion at 141, the 2012 Junior Olympic National Champion at 138 pounds and the 2011 National Junior Olympic Champion at 132 pounds.
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox blow by blow with expert analyst Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as ringside analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Tickets for “Little Creek Brawl VII” from Skookum Creek Event Center start at $20 and are available online at www.little-creek.com or by calling1.800.667.7711. Doors will open at 5 p.m. PT, with the first fight tentatively set to begin at 6 p.m. Live coverage will begin at approximately 7:35 p.m. local time (PT).
Previously hosting boxing events broadcast on SHOWTIME, the 22,500-square-foot Skookum Creek Event Center provides unrivaled sightlines and acoustics for a televised fight. Boxing fans staying the weekend at the resort’s well-appointed rooms and suites may also complete their experience with a round of golf at world-renowned Salish Cliffs Golf Club, a treatment at Seven Inlets Spa or Vegas-style gaming on the casino floor.
For more information about Little Creek Casino Resort and its full line-up of upcoming acts that includes Paul Rodgers, Trace Adkins, Dwight Yoakam, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, YES and Toto, please call 800-667-7711 or visit online at www.little-creek.com
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About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 61 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.