Card Highlighted by Title Bout Between Jose Benavidez Jr. & Jorge Paez, Jr.

 

truTV and Top Rank will exclusively present the MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout on truTV, a live primetime boxing series on Friday, May 15, at 10 p.m. ET from the US Airway Center in Phoenix.  The new boxing series, produced in association with Turner Sports and HBO Sports, will feature a 12-round bout for the WBA interim World Super Lightweight title between champion Jose Benavidez, Jr. (22-0-0, 15 KOs), fighting in his hometown against Jorge Paez, Jr. (38-5-2, 23 KOs) of Mexico.  Additionally, Antonio Orozco (21-0-0, 15 KOs) will meet Emanuel Taylor (18-3-0, 12 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight bout.  Following is additional information, including profile features, on the boxers.

 

Main Event: 12-Round Bout for the WBA interim World Super Lightweight Championship

                            

                                                       

(click on the images above to view the boxer profiles)

 

                         Jose Benavidez, Jr. (champ)                                    Jorge Paez, Jr.

22-0-0, 15 KOs                      vs.                      38-5-2, 23 KOs

Age: 22 (5/15/92)                                           Age: 27 (11/30/87)

Born: Panorama City, CA                             Born: Baja California, Mexico

Resides: Phoenix, AZ                             Resides: Baja California, Mexico

Height: 5’11”                                                    Height: 5’7”

Reach: 73”                                                       Reach: 70”

 

10-Round Super Lightweight Bout

                            

                                                       

(click on the images above to view the boxer profiles)

 

                                   Antonio Orozco                                             Emanuel Taylor

21-0-0, 15 KOs                      vs.                      18-3-0, 12 KOs

Age: 27 (10/30/87)                                          Age: 24 (12/20/90)

Born: Baja California, Mexico                               Born: Edgewater, MD

Resides: San Diego, CA                            Resides: Edgewood Arsenal, MD

Height: 5’7”                                                   Height: 5’7½”

Reach: 70”                                                       Reach: 65”

 

The network’s presentation will feature the continued use of “Spidercam” technology, the first of its kind for a live domestic boxing telecast, providing dynamic coverage during the series.  “Spidercam” operates on a four-point system of cables from designated points beyond the corners of the boxing ring. The suspended camera has the ability to provide compelling 360-degree angles of the action including the ability to move in three dimensions – left/right, forward/backward and up/down.

 

Commentators for the event will include Kevin Kugler (play-by-play) withTimothy Bradley (analyst and former WBO welterweight champion and former WBO and two-time WBC junior welterweight champion), Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini (analyst and 2015 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee; former NABF and WBA lightweight champion) and Crystina Poncher (reporter).  Closed captioning in Spanish will be available for the truTV telecast.

 

As part of its entitlement sponsorship of the boxing series on truTV, MetroPCS will receive camera-visible center ring and corner pad brand placement for each fight, as well as inclusion in all promotional messaging across truTV and other Turner Broadcasting networks.

 

Visit the Turner Sports online pressroom for additional press materials; follow Turner Sports on Twitter at @TurnerSportsPR.