Set in the middle of the scenic city’s town square, in the 10-round bantamweight main event bout, 26-year-old Detroit native Ja’Rico O’Quinn (14-0-1, 8 KOs) will face California’s 24-year-old Saul Sanchez (16-1, 9 KOs). The co-main event will pit undefeated featherweight prospects Jayvon Garnett (10-0, 5 KOs) and Luis Reynaldo Nunez (11-0, 8 KOs) against each other in a ten-round bout and in the opener, Alejandro Guerrero (12-1, 9 KOs) faces the undefeated Otar Eranosyan (9-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight contest.
The event will be Salita Promotions’ second attempt to stage a fight at the outdoor boxing hotbed. In August 2019, a Salita event featuring undefeated Uzbek Shohjahon Ergashev had to be moved to the nearby confines of the Central Park Community Center due to rain.
“I am thrilled that Showtime selected Broken Arrow for these boxing matches during ShoBox’s 20th anniversary,” said Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee. “I can’t think of a better place to showcase these amazing athletes than right here in the beautiful and award-winning Rose District. The atmosphere on Main St. is going to be like nothing we’ve seen before, and I’m excited that a global audience will get to see what we Broken Arrowans have known all along. The Rose District and our citizens are second to none when it comes to celebrating the arts and entertainment.”
Promoter Dmitriy Salita says he’s hopeful this time the weather will cooperate and set the stage for an unforgettable setting for the fights Friday night.
“I am honored to promote the September 24 ShoBox in such a unique outside setting,” said Salita. “The City of Broken Arrow have been wonderful hosts and we are happy to be returning for this out-of-the-ordinary ShoBox event. The weather reports are favorable this time and we have a fantastic show lined up with crossroads fights, top to bottom.”
In the unlikely event of inclement weather, the show will once again relocate to Central Park Community Center at 1500 S. Main St.
O’Quinn vs. Sanchez – 10-Round Bantamweight Main Event Bout
Previously rated in the top-ten in the world by the WBO at 115 pounds, O’Quinn last fought at 118 pounds in a dominating unanimous decision over Oscar Vasquez in the 250th edition of ShoBox in January 2020. Ranked as the No. 1 amateur bantamweight in the country compiling a record of 130-18 before turning professional in 2015, O’Quinn boasts blazing-fast hands and an ability to throw effortless combinations. A fan favorite in his hometown of Detroit, he was busy in 2018 and 2019, winning three times in each year, with five of the six fights taking place in his home state of Michigan.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” said O’Quinn. “I can’t wait to show my talent to the world again. I don’t really know much about him, but he better learn all he can about me. Not that it will help him any. I’m going to win because there are levels to this and he is not on my level. That will be very apparent quickly. I’m a strong force in the bantamweight division. Training is going good but it’s hard. I train hard and fight easy.”
The 24-year-old Sanchez, who is ranked No. 8 by the WBA at 118 pounds, is riding a four-fight winning streak. His last time out, Sanchez made quick work of Frank Gonzalez, knocking him down three times en route to a first-round stoppage. The Pacoima, Calif. native scored an eighth-round stoppage of Brandon Benitez in an entertaining and all-action fight in his ShoBox debut in May 2019. He dropped his next fight, a split decision to Edwin Rodriguez, but rebounded with a unanimous decision over Victor Trejo Garcia to jumpstart his winning streak. Trained by Manny Robles, Sanchez is the younger brother of 19-1 professional featherweight Emilio Sanchez.
“This is the biggest fight of my career on the biggest stage of my career, and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass me by,” said Sanchez. “I’m going to show everyone watching on SHOWTIME that I belong with the big boys. O’Quinn is a good fighter but I’m going to give him his first loss. I’m at a point in my career where I need to make that turning point to a world title shot, and that time is now.”
Garnett vs. Nunez – 10-Round Super Featherweight Bout
Jayvon Garnett hails from the boxing talent-laden city of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he first put on a pair of boxing gloves at the age of six. He had a stellar amateur career fighting over 110 times, developing his style and sharpening his skills in Ohio’s very competitive amateur boxing scene. The 26-year-old is coming off his career-best professional win, a unanimous decision over the once-beaten Jose Argel in June. Combining exceptional quickness and accuracy with a propensity for power, the 5’3” Garnett stopped five of his first six professional opponents. He has won his last four contests on the scorecards, all unanimously.
“It feels great to be fighting on SHOWTIME,” said Garnett. “I always dreamed of fighting on big platforms, but never dreamed it would be ShoBox for my first TV fight. I don’t know much about my opponent, but I will win this fight because I’m smarter. In the ring, I’m a boxer and a thinker, but I also have heavy punches. With this victory, I’m going to the next level up the ladder and getting closer to being in the world rankings.”
A decorated amateur in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata’s Luis Reynaldo Nunez started boxing at age eight and went on to win a number of national championships as a member of the Dominican national team, including gold in the 2016 Youth Championship. A fan-friendly pressure fighter with heavy hands, Nunez turned professional at 18, passing every test put in front of him in his native country. His unblemished resume includes a unanimous decision over then 20-3-1 Eliezer Aquino and a fourth-round KO over then once-beaten Giovanni Gutierrez.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be fighting on SHOWTIME,” said the 21-year-old Nunez, who will be fighting outside of the Dominican Republic for the first time. “My opponent is a good fighter but I am here to show him what happens against real competition. Thanks to my team for getting me this opportunity and I look forward to making a splash on national television.”
Guerrero vs. Eranosyan – Eight-Round Lightweight Bout
Fighting out of Houston, Texas, Guerrero is a big-punching prospect who will be making his third appearance on ShoBox, looking to improve his record to 2-1 on the prospect development series. He won a closely contested slugfest via majority decision over Jose Angulo in March 2020, but was upset by Abraham Montoya in February. A celebrated amateur who won two junior national titles, the 23-year-old “Pork Chop” has sparred with the likes of world champions Mikey Garcia and Brandon Rios at the famed Garcia Boxing Academy in California.
“Training is going great,” said Guerrero. “I’ve been in shape for two months so now it’s just touching up basic stuff here and there with my technique. I know Eranosyan will be tough, so we’re going in with a strong mind knowing he can fight. I’m training hard because I will have to be more than ready. The guy will not be a walk in the park. But I have a different mentality now. The last fight, I went in with the mentality of ‘I can beat everybody.’ This one, I have to go in with a smart mind and actually box the guy and use all my skills.”
Ranked No. 9 by the WBA at 130 pounds, Eranosyan was a highly decorated Georgian amateur who has transitioned seamlessly into the paid ranks. The 27-year-old didn’t turn professional until August 2020, but has already fought nine times. Now based in Miami Beach, Fla., “Pitbull” owns two notable fourth-round KOs over the 32-4 Juan Carlos Pena, including in his last time out on August 13. Eranosyan will make his ShoBox debut as he fights for the seventh time in 2021, which also marks his first pro fight outside of Florida.
“I haven’t studied Guerrero too much, but I watched a couple fights and he’s a good fighter with very good punching power and very good stamina,” said Eranosyan. “I’m adding a lot of stamina training and working on my legs for this fight to be ready for him. I don’t know exactly what will happen, but simply I am the best in the division, so I will win.”
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About ShoBox: The New Generation
This year, the critically acclaimed prospect developmental series, ShoBox: The New Generation, celebrates its 20th anniversary on the air as it continues to match top young talent tough. Since its inception in July 2001, 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 84 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, 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.
