Janelson Figueroa Bocachica Returns Against Unbeaten Mark Reyes, ג 'וניור, in Main Event of ShoBox, Celebrating 20^ה Year Featuring Boxing’s Rising Stars

ניו יורק - ינואר 20, 2021 - Exciting welterweight prospect Janelson Figueroa Bocachica will meet fellow undefeated Mark Reyes, ג 'וניור, ב ShoBox: הדור החדש main event bout Wednesday, פבואר 17 חי על ההצגה מתחילה ב 9 p.m. ET/PT from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, קונטיקט. Bocachica vs. Reyes headlines a four-fight card featuring eight compelling prospects with a combined record of 119-4-1, five of whom are undefeated.

Detroit’s Figueroa Bocachica (16-0, 11 קוס) is following up on his dominating performance in hisShoBox debut in October when he faces the power-punching Reyes (14-0, 12 קוס) from Tampa, פלורידה., בהתקף welterweight 10-עגול. The co-main event will feature unbeaten Russian and Detroit-trained Vladimir Shishkin (11-0, 7 קוס) taking on Ghana’s Sena Agbeko (23-1, 18 קוס) in a 10-round super middleweight matchup. בנוסף, Alejandro Guerrero (12-0, 9 קוס) of Irving, טקסס, חוזר לShoBox and faces Mexico’s Abraham Montoya (19-2-1, 14 קוס) בהתקף קל שמונה עגול. Another Russian-based in Detroit, מישיגן., Timur Kerefov (9-0, 4 קוס), will battle middleweight prospect Argenis Espana (15-1, 14 קוס) of Venezuela in the eight-round telecast opener.

The four-fight telecast is promoted by Salita Promotions.

“I am delighted to promote an exciting night of boxing, featuring some of the best young talent in boxing in opposing corners,” Salita said. “The February 17 card features possibly the best new talent in four different weight divisions in pick ‘em fights. Middleweight Timur Kerefov, fighting with trainer SugarHill Steward in his corner, is looking to quickly climb up the ladder. Super featherweight Alejandro Guerrero is fighting his toughest test against Abraham Montoya. Super middleweight Vladimir Shishkin is looking for a breakout performance against the hungry Sena Agbeko, who is looking to make a name for himself. This show may also be the crowning of one of the best new welterweights in the world with an exciting matchup between undefeated prospects, Janelson Figueroa Bocachica and Mark Reyes, Jr.”

Steward, who legally changed his name to SugarHill Steward to honor his late uncle Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, calls Kerefov, “One of the best middleweights in the world right now,” and that there is no limit to how far the 30-year-old can go. “We don’t have long conversations because of the language barrier, but I’m impressed how Timur is able to process the information I tell him, and quickly get better in the short time we’ve worked together,” said Steward, who is also training Anthony Dirrell at Big Time Boxing and Fitness in Boca Raton, פלורידה. “The Russians who come to Detroit are here to work and not run the streets, שאני אוהב. They have families and know that boxing in the United States is the mecca. אז, they take it very seriously.”

Bocachica vs. Reyes – 10-Round Welterweight Main Event Bout

Bocachica returns for his second consecutiveShoBox appearance as the 22-year-old Detroit native overpowered Puerto Rico’s Nicklaus Flaz from the start earning a first-round TKO at 2:43 of round one in October. Bocachica is a four-year pro who began boxing at age eight. He won four consecutive Ringside Championships (2011-14), the National PAL Championships and the 2015 Detroit Golden Gloves. He boasts an amateur record of 55-5. He is trained by his father, Nelson Figueroa.

“After the last appearance onShoBox, I felt like that was the performance that I needed,” Bochachia said. “I picked Mark Reyes out myself because I wanted better competition and he is 14-0. I want to put a statement out to all of the fighters in the 147-pound division. A win gets me closer to my dreams. I am fighting better opposition. It shows that Janelson is the truth, and I am coming for everyone in the welterweight division. I am not worrying about anything.”

Reyes is coming off of a first-round knockout of Diego Perez on November 21, in his hometown of Tampa. Reyes was a successful amateur winning the PAL National Tournament in 2012, as well as the Junior Olympics and Ringside Tournament. He also won two National tournaments competing for Puerto Rico: the 2015 Frankie Larvae National Championships and 2016 Cheo Aponte National Championships. בסך הכל, he accumulated a record of 45-5 before turning pro in March 2016. He is now trained by Raul “Chino” Rivas, who also coaches former world champion Tevin Farmer.

“I am excited to be in this position, fighting onShoBox, where a win will put my name on the boxing map,"רייס אמרה. “Bocachica is a solid fighter, but I look forward to adding the first loss to his record and showing the viewers why I took this fight on short notice. Training camp has been going great and I will be ready.”

Shishkin vs. Agbeko – 10-Round Super Middleweight Bout

Shishkin has previously fought twice onShoBox earning impressive wins over Ulises Sierra and DeAndre Ware. Steward worked Shishkin’s corner for the Sierra fight, but Steward’s commitment to heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has not allowed the two to train exclusively together. Shishkin has recently been working with L.J. הריסון. In his last fight on August 20, he recorded a ninth-round technical knockout of Oscar Riojas. Shishkin is currently ranked No. 9 על ידי WBC, לא. 11 על ידי WBA ולא. 12 by the IBF in the 168-pound division.

“I’m grateful, שוב, to get the chance to showcase my skills on SHOWTIME,” said Shishkin, 29. “I’m preparing in a new gym called Superbad with a new coach. I’m curious how that will affect me in the bout. I know this fight puts me just one step closer to my goal of becoming a world champion.”

Born and raised in Accra, גאנה, Agbeko was a member of the Ghanaian National Team as a youth and had 69 התקפי חובבים. Agbeko turned pro in 2011 בגיל 19 and had his first 15 bouts in Ghana before relocating to the United States in 2013 to pursue his dream of becoming a world champion. Agbeko has fine-tuned his craft serving as a sparring partner for Caleb Plant, Badou Jack and Brandon Adams. Agbeko currently lives in Nashville, טנסי., with his wife.

“Training is going great and we’ve been training for a while already, so we’re just doubling down on a few things and fine-tuning as well for the fight,” Agbeko said. “I know my opponent has an extensive amateur background and a style that’s reflective of where he’s from in Russia. I expect an aggressive, yet well-calculated fighter. I will win this fight because I know I want it more and, as a result, have put more effort into preparation. My superior boxing skills coupled with desire and effort will get it done.”

Guerrero vs. Montoya – Eight-Round Lightweight Bout

לחימה מיוסטון, טקסס, Guerrero is a big-punching prospect who won a closely contested slugfest via majority decision over Jose Angulo in the lastShoBox telecast before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the sports world for several months in March 2020. Prior to that win, Guerrero had stopped three consecutive opponents including a second-round TKO of Darnell Jiles, ג 'וניור. בחודש ינואר 2020. A celebrated amateur who won two junior national titles, the 22-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.

“I know nothing about my opponent, but I’ve watched one clip of him and that’s all I needed to see to know he will go down,” Guerrero said. “This fight will mean a lot to me because it will show the world I’m the real deal. I will win this fight for my career and my family.”

The 26-year-old Montoya, of Baja California, מקסיקו, will be making his United States debut on February 17 and will be fighting outside of his native Mexico for just the second time. After dropping his second professional contest, Montoya rallied to go unbeaten in his next 18 bouts before traveling to Russia in November 2019 to take on undefeated prospect Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov, where he lost a 12-round decision. Montoya rebounded to score a second-round TKO over Reyes David Lopez his last time out in October, and also owns an impressive victory over then-undefeated prospect Luis Alberto Lopez Vargas.

“Fighting in the U.S. and on SHOWTIME has always been my dream and I can’t wait for February 17 to show what I can do,” Montoya said. “I’ve never worked or trained as hard for a fight as I have for this one. I’ve seen my opponent and know he will bring the action just like his last fight. He will be tough, but I’m as ready for this as I’ve ever been.”

Kerefov vs. Espana – Eight-Round Middleweight Bout

Hailing from Shaluska, רוסיה, and now fighting out of Detroit, מישיגן., Kerefov will make hisShoBox debut on February 17. Kerefov, 30, amassed an impressive 298-12 amateur record in his home country during his nearly decade-long reign at the elite level of international amateur boxing. ב 2019, Kerefov turned in five impressive victories in Russia prior to his United States debut at the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit in August 2020, where he turned in a dominating unanimous decision victory over Calvin Metcalf in a middleweight bout.

“I am in the middle of a great training camp with trainer SugarHill Steward in Florida,” Kerefov said. “I look forward to showing the boxing fans that I am the new face of the middleweight division.”

The 31-year-old southpaw, Espana, will be fighting for the first time in the United States as 14 שלו 16 professional bouts have taken place in Venezuela. The power-punching Espana’s only career loss was to Dervin Colina in 2019 ו 14 שלו 15 victories have come via knockout. בחודש דצמבר, he TKO’d Leonard Carrillo in his last fight.

“This is a great opportunity for me to appear in the U.S.,” Espana said. “I know very little about my opponent, but that does not bother me at all. I am always training and ready to go the distance or less. Victory will get me closer to a world title.”

International Boxing Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with fellow Hall of Famer and boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. המפיק הוא גורדון הול עם ריצ'רד Gaughan הייצור וריק פיליפס בימוי.

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אודותShoBox: הדור החדש

מאז הקמתה בחודש יולי 2001, סדרת אגרוף Showtime זכתה לשבחי ביקורת, ShoBox: הדור החדש כשרון צעיר בהשתתפות תאם קשה. TheShoBox פילוסופיה היא לשדר מרגש, קהל-נעים וגפרורים תחרותיים תוך מתן קרקע להוכיח ללקוחות פוטנציאליים מוכנים נחושים להילחם על תואר עולמי. חלק מהרשימה הולכת והגדלה של 83 לוחמים שהופיעו בShoBox ומתקדם לגייס כותרי עולם כולל: ארול ספנס ג'וניור, אנדרה וורד, דאונטיי ויילדר, Erislandy לארה, שון פורטר, גארי ראסל ג'וניור, למונט פיטרסון, גיירמו Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, דבון אלכסנדר, קרל Froch, רוברט גררו, טימותי בראדלי, ג'סי ורגס, חואן מנואל לופז, צ'אד דוסון, פולי Malignaggi, ריקי האטון, קלי Pavlik, פול וויליאמס ועוד.