Tag Archives: Istvan Szili

ANTOINE DOUGLAS DEFEATS ISTVAN SZILI WITH THIRD ROUND TKO IN MAIN EVENT OF SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION QUADRUPLEHEADER

 

Arif Magomedov and Adam Lopez Remain Unbeaten,

Clarkson Beats Odom On Upset Of The Night

 

Watch Replay On Tuesday, July 21, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME®

 

Click HERE To Download Photos

Credit: Rosie Cohe / SHOWTIME®

 

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (July 18, 2015) – ShoBox: The New Generation celebrates its 14th anniversary with an action-packed card. Undefeated middleweightAntoine “Action” Douglas (18-0-1, 12 KOs) of Washington D.C. finished offIstvan “The Prince” Szili (18-1-2, 8 KOs) of Frekendorf, Switzerland with an impressive third round TKO in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation, Friday, July 17 from Sands Casino Hotel in Bethlehem, Pa. The event was televised live on SHOWTIME.

 

Both Douglas and Szili, had strong starts. Douglas exploited his reach advantage and strong right, while Szili showcased a few good combinations. However, Douglas showed dominance throughout the round by outlanding Szili 18-to-one in jabs.

 

Szili tried to wear Douglas down, but the 22-year–old Washingtonian countered the Swiss’ attempts with great combinations and strong rights. Douglas knocked Szili down with a left hook and two big rights with less than 10 seconds to go in the second, but Szili pulled himself together to finish the round. “The Prince” never fully recovered and Douglas used his speed and powerful jabs to deliver two more knockouts causing the stoppage just 29 seconds into the third round.

 

Tonight was a team effort and I’m really proud of us. I rely on my team to help me move forward and continue to be successful,” Douglas said. “I will return again to fight under the SHOWTIME banner soon.

 

“I worked him [Istvan Szili] off the jab and once I caught him a few times, I was able to give him the combinations. After that my power punches kicked in and you saw the result of that.”

 

Douglas is an active fighter, making this his fourth win in a row since his draw with Michel Soro in July 2014. For Szili, this was his first time fighting in 11 months.

 

“I wasn’t able to show what I was capable of doing. I had a great sparring camp and looked tremendous going up against world champions, so I’m not sure what happened,” Szili said. “Once I was hit in my ear, I lost my balance.

 

“Loses happen. Some of the best people have been beat before. Now I have to decide if I will come back or retire after this but I would love another chance to show what I can do.”

 

“This is the fourth time Antoine Douglas has fought on ShoBox, and I thought [Istvan] Szili would give him more trouble. I thought Szili would try to take him into the later rounds, but Douglas was much faster, much quicker on his feet. Szili made him look really good because Douglas was able to do whatever he wanted,” said Boxing Historian and SHOWTIME analyst Steve Farhood.”I’ve seen Douglas four times now, three wins and one draw and every time I take away the same thing: I want to see him again.”

 

In the co-feature, Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster (19-1, 10 KOs) of Philadelphia, Pa. suffered his first loss against fellow unbeaten, 22-year-old Arif Magomedov (16-0, 9 KOs) of Glendale, Calif. by way of Russia in a one-sided 10-round middleweight matchup.

 

Magomedov impressed the crowd by outboxing the 33-year-old southpaw with poise and aggressiveness. He fought on the inside, pressuring Webster and dictating the pace of the fight. Webster struggled to adapt to his opponent’s style, but picked up the rhythm in round four only to be outboxed by Magomedov in the following rounds. Despite Webster being knocked down twice (seventh and tenth) the victory for the Russian wouldn’t come by way of knockout but by the judges’ scorecards. Magomedov won by unanimous decision 99-89, all three judges.

 

“I thought I would knock [Derrick] Webster out but I could tell he was prepared. Because of his height, I was surprised by how easy it was to get inside. In the end, I did what I was supposed to do. I did what we prepared to do in the gym – get inside. The ref did a good job of letting us fight on the inside.”

“Only time will tell where what’s in store for me next. I still have a lot of learning to do.”

“I was very prepared for the fight but due to my stomach virus and fractured ankle, I wasn’t 100 percent health wise. This was also my first time at 160 in about five or six years. No excuses, he [Magomedov] was the better man tonight. I’ll be right back in the gym on Monday.”

 

“[Arif] Magomedov is also 22, just like Douglas. He looked very good against [Derrick] Webster – a six foot four southpaw – a fighter that is not easy to look good against,” said Farhood. “Magomedov, relatively new to the American boxing landscape, is definitely one of the best young middleweights in the world.”

 

During his second appearance on ShoBox, Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (13-0, 6 KOs) was victorious in his 10-round super bantamweight bout with Dominican Republic-native Eliezer “Campeoncito” Aquino (17-1-1, 11 KOs).

This may have been Aquino’s first fight in the United States, but he showed that he was a true competitor. Aquino chose a relentless approach by unloading punch after punch, while Lopez was able to strategize and take smarter shots. Typically, Lopez has been able to finish off his opponents in the sixth round, but tonight the two went the distance.

Aquino was relentless initially, hitting Lopez nonstop. It was clear that Lopez was frustrated, but he wouldn’t let Aquino dominate for long.

Lopez won by majority decision, 95-95 and 96-93 twice.

“I knew nothing about my opponent. Every round I had to learn a little bit about him. I got the drop early. I never thought that he was going to last the full ten rounds.  I also thought I won by a bigger margin than that,” said Lopez. “He’s a good boxer and has a lot of power. He threw a few solid shots, but he didn’t really have a hook so I was basically trying to block his right hand.

 

“This is my first 10-round fight; a good learning experience. Before, I had only gone to six once. Aquino had a lot of energy and hit me with a lot of awkward shots. It wasn’t easy, but I weathered the storm.”

 

“This was a great learning experience for [Adam] Lopez going 10 rounds for the first time against an opponent that wouldn’t stop coming at him,” said Farhood. “He definitely won the fight, but the type of experience that he gets with the level of opposition at SHOWTIME, allows a fighter like Lopez to grow.”

 

Opening the ShoBox:The New Generation telecast, Samuel “The Main Event” Clarkson (15-3, 9 KOs) of Dallas, Texas delivered a huge upset by knocking down Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (13-2, 1 NC, 12 KOs) of Washington, D.C. three times before the referee, Shawn Clark,  stopped the fight at 1:15 of the third round.

 

The scheduled super middleweight 10-rounder started strong, with big lead rights and uppercuts from Odom and strong body shots and good connections from Clackson. Odom seemed to take the lead in the second, breaking Clarkson down, landing bigger shots and looking for an opportunity to put his power to good use, but Clarkson fought back and finished the round by knocking Odom down for the first time in his career with a right uppercut. In the third and final round, Clarkson led from the get go knocking Odom down twice more before the referee stopped the fight.

 

“This is a blessing, my team and I struggled a lot to get here. This win is really a blessing” said Clarkson. “We did what we had to do, we overcame the distractions and we won. I wasn’t supposed to win, but you can’t judge a book by its cover and a fighter by his record.

 

“I studied [Jerry] Odom in and out, and everything I expected, he did.

 

“We’ve been working on the uppercut for almost six weeks. I met a lot of great orthodox fighters before, and one thing that I noticed is that when a fighter comes with a right hand, the real bonus comes after with the right uppercuts. So, when I saw him [Jerry Odom] leaning in and his head wasn’t moving with his punches, I would just slip in and throw an uppercut and he was there on the canvas.

 

“In the world of boxing, sometimes you get caught. Tonight, I got caught,” Odom said. “I just want to thank all my supporters, this is just a small setback and I will be back.”

 

“[Samuel] Clarkson stole the show. I think he was the biggest underdog on the card coming in and he exposed [Jerry] Odom,” said Farhood. “Odom was the bigger puncher; Clarkson was the one with the suspect chin. Turned out to be exactly the opposite, a good example of the fact, ‘You never know in boxing.’”

 

 

# # #

 

Barry Tompkins called the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer was Gordon Hall with Mike Arnolddirecting and Rich Gaughan producing.

 

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, 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.

Weights from Bethlehem, PA Quadruple-Header Live on Showtime ShoBox: The New Generation

       
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bethlehem, PA (July 16, 2015)

Antoine Douglas 159.8 – Istvan Szili 159.4
(IBO Intercontinental title)

Arif Magomedov 160 – Derrick Webster 158.3 
(NABO Middleweight Title)

Adam Lopez 118.6 – Eliezer Aquino 118.5
(WBA FEDELATIN and WBC Latino Super Bantamweight titles)

Jerry Odom 168.3 – Samuel Clarkson 172.2

Manny Folly 121.4 – Jose Garcia 120.6
Rickey Nuno 154.9 – Tim Kunkel 155.3
Christopher Brooker 168.4 – Botirsher Obidov 167.9
Rob Brant 163.1 – Ernesto Berrospe 162
Samuel Teah 138.8 – Raymond Velez 139.4
Promoters:  GH3 Promotions in association with Kings Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Main Events

Venue: Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem
1st Bell:  7 PM

Television:  Showtime- ShoBox:The Generation  10 PM ET / PT
Tickets are priced at $100, $75 and $50 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster andwww.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.

ShoBox: The New Generation CELEBRATES 14 YEARS

 

 

ANTOINE DOUGLAS vs. ISTVAN SZILI

AND UNDERCARD FIGHTERS FINAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS

 

ShoBox: The New Generation Quadrupleheader Tomorrow/Friday LIVE on SHOWTIME®

From Sands Casino Hotel in Bethlehem, Pa.

 

Click HERE To Download Photos

Credit: Rosie Cohe / SHOWTIME

 

Telecast Jump-Starts An Action Packed Weekend of Fights on SHOWTIME and PBC on CBS

 

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (July 16, 2015) – Top prospect, unbeaten Antoine “Action” Douglas of Burke, VA weighed-in at 159.8 pounds and Switzerland’s Istvan “The Prince” Szili measured 159.4 pounds during Thursday’s official weigh-in for the main event of this Friday, July 17 ShoBox: The New Generation 14thanniversary edition, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

Douglas (17-0-1, 11 KOs), also known as “Action” and Szili (18-0-2, 8 KOs) will square off in the 10-round middleweight headliner of the televised quadrupleheader from the Sands Casino Hotel in Bethlehem, Pa.

 

Undefeated power-punching middleweight Derrick “Take it to the Bank” Webster (19-0, 10 KOs) tipped the scales at 158.3 pounds and fellow unbeatenArif Magomedov (15-0, 9 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., measured at 160 pounds for their 10-round middleweight clash.

 

Adam “Mantequilla” Lopez (12-0, 6 KOs) weighed-in at 118.6 pounds while Dominican Republic’s Eliezer “Campeoncito” Aquino (17-0-1, 11 KOs) tipped the scale at 118.5 pounds. The two will face off in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.

 

In the opening fight of the telecast, super middleweight prospect Jerry “The King’s Son” Odom (13-1, 1 NC, 12 KOs) will take on Samuel “The Main Event” Clarkson (14-3, 8 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight match.  Odom, of Washington D.C measured 168.3 pounds while Clarkson weighed-in four pounds overweight at 172.2 pounds. After stepping off the scale, tension grew after Clarkson nudged Odom in a dismissive manor during a photo opportunity, which almost led to a scuffle between the two.

 

Tickets for the event, promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with Greg Cohen Promotions, Main Events and King’s Promotions are on sale and priced at $100, $70 and $35. Tickets can be purchased by calling GH3 Promotions at(212) 947-2577. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. ET, with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

 

Here’s what the fighters had to say at Thursday’s weigh-in:

 

ANTOINE DOUGLAS:

“Every fight is about improving. My ring intelligence has gotten way better. Not to say I wasn’t intelligent in the past, but I have a better understanding of what I need to do in the ring. I’m now more capable of picking my opponent apart from the outside and working my way in.

 

“In comparison to my first fight on SHOWTIME, I can tell I fight more like a pro now. At first, I was all about getting in the ring and focusing on taking my opponents head off, but I now have a more strategic approach.

“I’m constantly setting goals and working reaching them so I’m open to opportunities that are going to bring me closer to my goal. That’s what’s important to me.

“I’ve always had the mindset to think towards the future for a lot of reasons. I already have in mind what I see for myself in the future for me and my loved ones, that’s what motivates me. I know the only way I’m going to get there is through hard work.”

 

ISTVAN SZILI:

“I’ve fought all around Europe but never in the United States. There were offers before but it was too short of notice. This time, there was more time to prepare and I was ready to make my debut in the U.S. I’m hoping this opportunity will open the door for more fights here.

“The Unites States is a good place to fight because of its appreciation for boxing. They love and cherish their boxers more than any other country. If I can make it here, I know I can make Hungary proud.

“I watched [Antoine] Douglas fight and I won’t deny that he has power and talent. I will go into the ring with a few plans, but it always depends on the type of opponent I’m up against. From there, I adjust accordingly.

“I’ve been training in Germany so I didn’t come all the way here not to win. It’s not about the money. I’m a warrior and I’m here to give 100 percent.”

 

 

DERRICK WEBSTER:

“The lowest I fought at was 159. It wasn’t hard for me to take the weight off so I’m probably going to stay at this weight.

“I was all-American in high school and college, received a Bachelor’s degree in Juvenile Criminal Justice, own five different businesses, while acting and modeling on the side. This is a lifestyle. I love boxing, I’m good and it and I enjoy it.

“I’m comfortable inside and out. Because of that, I’m able to break down a fighter’s mentality first so they have to worry about how to get to me. I haven’t been up against anyone as fast as me so I’m not worried about what they do. I’m ready for anything that comes my way.

“I’ve been on television before so I’m not worried about the cameras. It’s more important for me to get in the ring and do what I need to do.

“My sparring partners have been great. I’ve worked with [Julio Cesar] Chavez Jr. and a ton of other people. That’s what’s really helped me build my strength. I even asked Chavez Jr. if he would go up against me if I was at his weight, he said no.”

 

ARIF MAGOMEDOV:

“I know this isn’t going to be an easy fight, but that’s what makes you a good fighter. If you want to be a good fighter, you have to challenge yourself and fight some tough people.

“He [Derrick Webster] may have some height on me, but I’m not worried about that. I have my own technique.

“Fighting on SHOWTIME is always great exposure because it will help take me to the next level. I’m focused on right now but ready for what’s ahead.

“I’m very ready for this fight. I’m confident in the way I prepared.”

 

ADAM LOPEZ:

“I don’t know much about my opponent [Eliezer Aquino], except for the fact that’s knocked  11 people out. No matter what, I’m confident that my training has me prepared to get in the ring and do what I need to do. I’m not underestimating him,  I’m just confident in my ability.

“I feel strong at 119. I’m pretty sure going forward I could even move up.

“There was such a good reaction from everyone after the Pablo Cruz fight. It was a huge boost for me. It was my first fight of 2015, I was already on a roll so it gave me a lot of buzz. The knockout was definitely a confidence booster. I stepped in the ring and took care of business.

“I have the power to take him out. I don’t think it’s going to go all 10 rounds.

“I’ve had tremendous sparring getting ready for this fight. I traveled all over Texas just to make sure I was ready. Now, I have the power to take [Eliezer] Aquino out. I don’t see us going all 10-rounds. I’m feeling sharp.

“Power is something can be taught, but to me, it was always there. You just have to learn how to bring out your inner power and strength. I have the type of power where I don’t have to put much out but it still causes the right impact.

 

 

ELIEZER AQUINO:

“This is my first time fighting in the United States and on SHOWTIME.  I want to make boxing fans worth their while. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for a while. I want the world to see me. I want the world to see my talent.

“Some question my 10-month layoff, but I see no problem with it. I was simply trying to find a worthy opponent. It’s tough to find strong opponents in Dominican Republic. That was the main reason of my layoff, but I was also out of luck. A few fights I had lined up fell off.

“I’m going up in weight, but don’t see it as a disadvantage, I see it as an opportunity. I’m good at 115 and I’ll be great at 118. Just wait and see.

“I’ve watched some video on my opponent. I think we have similar styles, but I’m more aggressive than he is. It’s going to be a war.

“On Friday, I’m going to stand and fight. And every inch [Adam] Lopez gives me, I’ll take. I’ll move forward and I’ll pressure him. He better watch out, he’s going to find himself cornered up.”

 

JERRY ODOM:

“I’ve seen the way [Clarkson] fights but he’s not my biggest test to date, I am. Mentally and physically, I’m my own competition. I don’t get in the ring and judge anyone’s ability but my own.

“I haven’t worried about what Clarkson does well. He’s going to have to worry about what I do well.

“When I’m in the gym, I work on everything all around the board. I don’t just focus on improving one move. It’s about discipline and practice, that’s what will make me an overall better fighter.

“Football, golf, tennis, I’ve played it all but boxing has always come natural to me. That’s what I chose over everything because I know I’m good at it.

“A lot of guys may not take this sport seriously but I do. I may appear to be quiet but I’m focused. I fight for a better cause, it’s not about money. That’s why I take it so seriously I have a family to support.”

 

SAMUEL CLARKSON:

“I faced tougher competition than my opponent. He’s not as good as everybody think he is and I’m ready to take his spot in the boxing world. I’m a step up for him.

“Training camp was good, making weight was the hard part. I walk around very heavy, but I had six weeks’ notice for this fight. So, I thought I was going to be fine, but I wasn’t. It is what it is. I won’t let this take my concentration away from tomorrow.

“I think [Jerry] Odom is going to be a fun fight. I like his style. It’s made for me. He doesn’t move his head and he likes to bully people, but so do I. I’m not afraid of him. You saw him at the weigh-in, he pushed me.

“Tomorrow, I’m just going to be me. I’m going to fight smart and I’ll beat him. Odom can’t handle my power and my speed.”

 

# # #

 

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Mike Arnoldproducing 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 62 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.

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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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 JerryThe 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 NightmareArreola (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.

Antoine Douglas takes on Istvan Szili to headline ShoBox on Friday, July 17 at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem

Plus Derrick Webster – Arif Magomedov; Adam Lopez – Eliecer Aquino & Jerry Odom – Samuel Clarkson on televised quadruple header  
 
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.

Derrick Webster Confident of Victory Heading into July 17 ShoBox Battle with Arif Magomedov

 Undefeated southpaw Derrick “Take It to The Bank” Webster is not your typical fighter. He’s not your typical anything, really. But with his enormous size, fast, powerful hands and wealth of athletic ability, he just might be something special.

Actor, model, business owner, singer, basketball player, college graduate and a 6′ 4″ natural at the sweet science, Glassboro, New Jersey‘s Webster (19-0, 10KOs) now finds himself on the verge of possibly career-defining opportunity, as he will face also undefeated and highly touted Arif “Mayhem” Magomedov (15-0, 9 KOs) in a ShoBox quadrupleheader,  scheduled for July 17 at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

 

“It’s just another day at the office for me,” said a confident Webster of facing Magomedov. “I’m used to the bright lights. He (Magomedov) is just a straight forward fighter with no defense. If you stand in front of him, or any fighter really, it can be a dangerous night, but the one important thing I know about him is that he’s about to take a loss because he’s fighting Derrick “Take It To The Bank” Webster, the best southpaw around.”

 

Webster came late to boxing, not starting until age 24 when a gym opened up across the street from his house. He only had 40 amateur fights (38-2) and says the decision to forego a lengthy unpaid career and turn pro immediately came from an unlikely source.

 

“It was (former heavyweight champion and all-time great) Larry Holmes that sat me down and told me I already had the goods to make a name for myself and not to wait to turn pro. He was commentating a tournament I was fighting in, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where I had four fights in the tournament and had four first-round knockouts. He told me a lot of guys ruin their careers and waste a lot time waiting for the Olympics, so I turned pro.”

 

Gifted athletically and intellectually, Webster was a quarterback in high school and played power forward for two seasons for the University of Maryland in basketball while earning a bachelor’s degree Juvenile Criminal Justice. Outside the ring he now owns home-remodeling and construction businesses, among his many business ventures.

 

While he may not have had much of an amateur background, Webster credits a couple factors for his ring success. First, he’s spent considerable time in training camps, serving as a sparring partner to many of boxing’s elite for the last six years including Roy Jones, Jr., Andre Ward, Jean Pascal, Bernard Hopkins, Amir Khan, Andre Dirrell and on and on. And second, the fact that his size and left-handed stance have made him a nightmare for opponents to face.

 

“I learned by sparring with the best in the business instead of in the amateur ring and now I’m unpredictable. I even surprise myself. I’m a hell of a boxer, and most guys my height can’t move like I can. My speed is amazing and I have power. I look at like this: I’ve been pro since 2009 and I’ve seldom known who I ‘m fighting because nobody wants to fight a 6’ 4″ southpaw. Most of my career I’ve gone in not knowing who I’m fighting until I got to the ring. That forced me to prepare for boxers and unorthodox guys and pressure guys and heavy-handed guys at the same time and made me an all-around fighter. I won’t say I’m the next Floyd Mayweather, but I want people someday to say they’re the next Derrick Webster. I want to be the best southpaw of this generation.”

 

Webster’s co-promoter, Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions (along with Vito Mielnicki of GH3 Promotions), says many of the questions about Webster’s potential will be answered against Magomedov.

 

“Derrick Webster could be a star in the making. He certainly has all the talent and the tools he needs to compete on the world stage,” explained Cohen. “There comes a time in every prospect’s career where he faces an opponent who brings out his best. This may be that fight for Derrick Webster and we’re confident after he gets the victory, he’ll be on everyone’s lips as an emerging fighter to watch.”

 

Webster vs. Magomedov will be staged by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions. The ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader telecast will also feature GCP/GH3 fighters Antoine Douglas (17-0-1, 11 KOs) vs. Istvan Szili (18-0-2, 8 KOs), as well as Jerry Odom (13-1, 12 KOs) and Adam Lopez (12-0, 6 KOs) against opponents that are TBA currently.