World-Ranked Adam Lopez Risks Perfect Record Against
Roman Reynoso In Main Event Live ntawm 10 p.m. THIAB/PT
Tickets on Sale At Foxwoods Resort Casino
TSHIAB YORK (Lub rau hli ntuj 29, 2016) – The popular, prospect-orientated boxing series, ShoBox: Tshiab Tiam celebrates its 15th anniversary with a quadrupleheader on Friday, Lub Xya hli ntuj 22, nyob rau SHOWTIME (10 p.m. THIAB/PT, ncua nyob rau hauv lub sab hnub poob ntug dej hiav txwv) los ntawm Foxwoods Resort Twv txiaj yuam pov nyob rau hauv Mashantucket, Conn.
Nyob rau hauv lub 10-round ntsiab kev tshwm sim, undefeated top 10-ranked Adas "Butter" Lopez (15-0, 7 Kos) of Phoenix faces Roman Ruben Reynoso (18-1-1, 7 Kos) of Argentina in a bantamweight bout. Super middleweights Ronald Ellis (12-0-1, 10 Kos) of Lynn., Loj., thiab Julius Jackson (19-1, 15 Kos) ntawm St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, will collide in the eight-round co-feature.
Ob yim-rounders yuav nyob ib puag ncig tawm cov plaub-sib ntaus telecast. O'Shaquie Foster (10-1, 7 Kos), txiv kab ntxwv, Texas, raws li Rolando Chinea (12-1-1, 6 Kos), ntawm Lancaster, Penn., in a featherweight scrap and undefeatedKhiary Gray-Pitts (13-0, 10 Kos), of Worcester, Loj., will be opposed by fellow unbeaten Ismael Garcia (10-0, 4 Kos), ntawm Vineland, N.J., by way of Pahokee, Fla., in the super welterweight opener.
Tickets for the GH3 Promotions event are priced at $45, $75 thiab $150 and can be purchased by phone from the Foxwoods Resort Casino at800.200.2882 lossis hauv online ntawm www.foxwoods.com.
Since its premiere on July 21, 2001, 67 boxers who’ve appeared onShoBox went on to become world champions; the most recent,Rau’Shee Warren. An additional 75 fighters who appeared on ShoBoxhave fought for a world title.
Testament to the ShoBox mission statement and to the competitiveness of the fights – prospects are matched against their toughest opposition to date – 150 fighters have suffered their first loss on the developmental series.
Lopez, Ellis and Foster fought on GH3’s Feb. 19 ShoBox at Atlantic City. Lopez and Foster triumphed; Ellis boxed a draw.
Adam Lopez vs. Roman Ruben Reynoso: 10-round bantamweight bout
The steadily improving Lopez, now trained by Houston-based Ronnie Shields, will be making his fourth ShoBox start since March 2015. In his first three, he defeated previously unbeaten prospects (combined record: 44-0-2) on each occasion.
Kawg Feb. 19, the 5-foot-7, 25-year-old Lopez captured a career-best, highly competitive 10-round decision over Mario Muñoz (16-0-1) of Mexico. Lopez survived a nasty cut over his right eye to win by the scores of 98-92 ob zaug thiab 97-93. In his other fights on ShoBox, Lopez won a (then personal-best) 10-round majority decision over DominicanEliecer Aquino (17-0-1) Lub Xya hli ntuj 17, 2015, and by second-round knockout over Pablo Cruz (11-0) on Lub peb hlis ntuj 13, 2015.
Regarding his upcoming fight against Reynoso, Lopez said, “Everything is good. I’m starting to turn up my sparring. I have switched trainers to Ronnie Shields nyob rau hauv Houston. I see a lot of improvement since my last fight.
“Reynoso is a good fighter from Argentina. He is in Canada now, so I am sure he is getting good sparring there. He is kind of wild, but guys like that are hard to fight because you don’t know where the punches are coming from, but we will be prepared for anything.”
Born in Phoenix and raised in Los Angeles, Lopez moved to San Antonio at 15. Nws mus 125-23 in the amateurs and won six national championships before turning pro at 21 nyob rau hauv Lub ob hlis ntuj 2012.
The 25-year-old Reynoso brings a 10-fight winning streak into his United States and ShoBox debut. A five-year pro, the South American lightweight champion fought his initial 18 fights in Buenos Aires before winning his last fight and lone start this year on a decision over Cristian Arrazola kawg Tej zaum 20 nyob rau hauv Canada. Reynoso’s lone defeat came in his fourth fight.
“Everything is going well in training camp,’’ Reynoso said. “We know that Lopez is tall for 122 pounds and he has good hand speed. He has a good name and we will try to learn more in the next few weeks.
“This is a big opportunity for us and we will do our best. This is a big fight and we know we have to win. Nrog ib tug yeej, we would hope to get a world title opportunity.’’
Ronald Ellis vs. Julius Jackson: Eight-round middleweight bout
Ellis gets an immediate opportunity to regain his winning ways after taking a sizeable jump up in class and boxing an eight-round draw with hard-hitting Jerry Odom nyob rau hauv nws Feb. 19 ShoBox debut. A spirited, close contest throughout was scored 78-74 for Ellis and 76-76 apiece. The draw snapped a four-fight-knockout streak for Ellis, who’s won all 10 of his knockouts inside two rounds (eight in the first) since turning pro in 2011.
“This is going to be another coming out party for me,’’ the 5-foot-11, 25-year-old Ellis said. “The last fight was a draw. I had some problems with my hand, but I’m back and this is a step for me. Hopefully he comes to fight. I hope he brings it 100 percent because I am bringing 200 feem pua.
“I am glad to be on ShoBox dua. I showed the fans a little bit in my last fight. They can expect the same thing but a little bit more on Lub Xya hli ntuj 22.''
Jackson is making his second ShoBox pib. In his debut – and initial go in the U.S. – the older brother of John and son of former two-division world champion Julian “The Hawk” Jackson registered two knockdowns en-route to a ninth-round TKO over Jonathan Nelson (19-2, 10 Kos) on Dec. 20, 2014.
Much like Ellis, Jackson is also getting a quick-fix chance to redeem himself and get back on the winning track. Tab sis, unlike Ellis, Jackson losthis most recent fight. His perfect record and 19-fight winning streak ended when he lost by second-round TKO to now top-rated super middleweight contender Jose Uzcategui kawg Oct. 6.
“I’m looking to redeem myself and come out with a win,’’ said the 6-foot-2 Jackson, uas puv 29 rau Aug. 1. “This is my second ShoBox fight and I’m excited to get back to let the world see my talent. I’m getting better, my training has been good. I expect to be in with another really good fighter. It should be a great fight.’’
A 2008 Olympian for the Virgin Islands and a pro since January 2009, Jackson is fighting for the third time in a row in the U.S.
O’Shaquie Foster vs. Rolando Chinea: Eight-round featherweight bout
O’Shaquie (pronounced “oh-SHACK-ee”) Foster is making his third appearance on ShoBox. Kawg Feb. 19, he began to live up to expectations when he rebounded from a sub-standard performance in his ShoBox debut (an eight-round decision loss to Samuel Seah nyob rau hauv Kaum ib hlis 2015) to register a seventh-round TKO over previously undefeated Lavisas Williams (8-0-1).
Foster, 22, dropped southpaw Williams four times – in the second, third, fourth and seventh rounds. Three of the knockdowns appeared to result from a push, but Williams’ gloves touched the canvas each time so they went into the books as knockdowns. After the final knockdown in the seventh, the fight was stopped at 52 vib nas this mus rau hauv lub round.
“Everything is going good,’’ Foster said. “I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning. I am in the best shape of my life. Chinea has a good jab and I know he will be in a good shape.
“Ever since I moved to Virginia to train, my conditioning, mentality and confidence has gone way up and that was the difference from my first fight to my last fight on ShoBox. Rau Lub Xya hli ntuj 22, I will be even that much better.’’
A highly decorated amateur standout, the 5-foot-8½ inch Foster advanced to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials where he lost to unbeaten pro prospect, Yauxej "Jo-Jo" Diaz. Ua ntej ntawd, Foster was a 2010 NPAWG National zus, a five-time Ringside National Champion and two-time National Junior Golden Gloves Champion.
Chinea, a 5-foot-8, 25-xyoo-laus, yog ua nws ShoBox debut. After going pro in November 2011, nws mus 10-0-1 before losing an eight-round decision to Ismail Muwendo nyob rau hauv lub Plaub Hlis 2015. He’s won two straight since, including a six-round decision over previously undefeatedLadarius Miller (ces 9-0) nyob rau hauv nws cov nag sib ntaus rau Feb. 16.
“I treat every opponent the same,’’ Chinea. “I give everything I got and I leave it all in the ring. I know Foster was a good amateur. I know he can box and I know he has some pop.
“This is the moment I’ve dreamed about since I started boxing at 14. My main goal is to tune out the crowd and win. I want to be a main event fighter on SHOWTIME and this is the first step.’’
Khiary Gray-Pitts vs. Ismael Garcia: Eight-round super welterweight bout
Grey-Pitts, 23, will be boxing on ShoBox rau thawj lub sij hawm. Ambidextrous with quick hands and feet, Gray-Pitts turned pro in June 2014. He fought three times that year, eight times in 2015 (8-0, 8 Kos, seven in the first, one in the second) and this will be his third fight in 2016.
“I’m very excited,’’ Gray-Pitts said. “Now I get to showcase my skillset to the whole world. It’s something I’ve been waiting for. There’s still more that people haven’t seen yet when it comes to me. Now I get to see what I have the ability to do. I’m able to block [the crowd] out.
“The more pressure there is, the more relaxed I am. I don’t know a lot about my opponent, but it doesn’t matter as long as I go in there and get done what I need to get done.”
The 5-foot-9 Gray-Pitts is coming off a second-round knockout overQuinton Willis kawg Tej zaum 13. In his outing before last, the previous Feb. 19, won a 10-round decision over Eduardo Flores.
Garcia, 29, has fought sporadically since turning pro in March 2010, although he’s been more active in the last 14 lub hlis. He fought in May and October in 2015 and won his one start this year on a six-round split decision over Carlos Garcia kawg Lub peb hlis ntuj 18. Garcia’s initial seven fights took place in Atlantic City, the last three in Philadelphia.
“It is my television debut, and everything we have been working on in my first 10 fights we will put together for this fight,’’ Garcia said. “This is SHOWTIME. Being on ShoBox is a long time coming for me. It’s what I’ve dreamed about since I started boxing. It’s his TV debut as well so I know he will be on top of his game. We will be preparing 100 percent for that and then some.
“I have seen a little of Gray-Pitts on tape. This will be my toughest test, as I will be his toughest test. When you have 13-0 sib ntaus sib tua 10-0, it will be a good fight.’’
Barry Tompkins yuav hu rau ShoBox txiav txim los ntawm ringside nrog Steve Farhood thiab yav tas los lub ntiaj teb champion Raul Marquez will serve as expert analysts. Lub executive tsim kom yog Gordon Hall nrog Rich Gaughan ua thiab Rick Phillips directing.