Unbeaten Prospects Montana Love and Thomas Mattice Win In Co-Featured Bouts

Watch The Replay Monday, Feb. 5 At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

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SLOAN, IOWA (Feb. 3, 2018) – Undefeated super middleweight prospects Ronald Ellis and Junior Younan fought to a split draw in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation Friday on SHOWTIME from WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa.

While Ellis was the ShoBox veteran with the stronger resume, Younan entered the fight as a highly touted prospect who had never been tested.  He faced his first test on Friday in what was the first scheduled 10-round bout for both fighters.

The fight was fought in flurries, with Younan scoring from the outside and Ellis the aggressor.  Except for the eighth round where Brooklyn’s Younan displayed his best work, Ellis seemed to push the action and win the second half of the fight.  Ellis had a slight edge in power punch percentage and total punches, but Younan was slightly more accurate.  The fighters were even with 96 total connects entering the 10th round, but Ellis (14-0-2, 10 KOs) won the 10^th on all three judges’ scorecards by out-landing Younan 21-9.

The 10-round fight was scored 96-94 Ellis, 96-94 Younan, and 95-95.

“I thought I pulled it out.  I closed the show at the end,” said Ellis, of Lynn, Mass.  “I was pressuring him and the fans know I won.  In the eighth, he landed a couple of shots but he wasted his energy.  As you saw, he didn’t do anything the rest of that round, and after that round he had nothing left.

“He was running from the start, so I knew I could land shots on him anytime.  My only regret is I wish that I got him out of there. It’s all knockouts from here on out.  I would definitely fight him again, but I’ll do whatever my promoter lines up for me.”

After the fight, an emotional Younan (13-0-1, 9 KOs) pleaded his case for a rematch.

“I thought I won the fight, I thought [Ellis] won maybe three rounds,” Younan said.  “My best round was the eighth round – I had him in the corner and I really thought they were going to end the fight then.  I was surprised they didn’t stop the fight.

“I can improve a little bit, I feel I can finish stronger. I’ve only had one eight-round fight before this so this was a big step up for me.  I’m growing and learning every fight.

“I’m heartbroken right now.  I wanted to win that fight.  I want him in a rematch.  I know I would win.  I know what to do and what not to do.”

Undefeated lightweight Thomas Mattice rallied from behind to score a seventh round TKO of ShoBox veteran Rolando Chinea in the telecast’s co-feature.

Chinea pushed the action as expected from the opening bell, throwing 90 punches in the first round to set a blistering pace for the scheduled eight-round fight.  Chinea, who entered having beaten three previously undefeated fighters in his last four bouts, cut the ring off and pressed forward, keeping Mattice largely against the ropes.  Mattice did his best work in the center of the ring, but the undefeated Cleveland native was unable to keep the fight from being contested against the ropes.

Down 59-55 entering the seventh, Mattice (11-0, 9 KOs) caught Chinea with a huge right to the chin and, sensing Chinea was hurt, unloaded with a series of combos to the head.  With Chinea seemingly out on his feet and falling sideways to the canvas, referee Adam Pollack stepped in to stop the fight at 1:31 of the seventh.

“It was a rough fight,” Mattice said.  “I felt like I was behind and my corner told me I needed a knockout.  He buzzed me a few times.  I caught him in the seventh and he wobbled.  At first I was trying for one shot, then I remembered to start using the one-two.  Then I landed a body shot, then a hook, and we got what we came here for, which was a knockout.”

Chinea (15-2-1, 6 KOs) was active, throwing an impressive 678 punches over seven-and-a-half rounds, compared to 414 for Mattice.  But while he was aggressive and effective on the inside, his neglect of defense is what ultimately hurt him.

“I think I did well pressuring him and sticking to my game plane,” Chinea said.  “I just got carried away and got caught with the right shot and, unfortunately, it ended the way it ended.

“I’m a little disappointed it ended the way it did, but that’s boxing and a lot of things can happen in the sport and that’s just the way it went.”

In the opening bout of the three-fight telecast, super lightweight prospect Montana Love kept his unblemished record intact with a majority decision over Sam Teah, scored 78-74, 78-74, 76-76.

The southpaw Love (9-0, 4 KOs) pressed the action from the start, utilizing superior speed and polished footwork to dictate the pace.  Cleveland’s Love, who took the fight on just four days’ notice, was seemingly talking trash during rounds, telling Teah what was coming next.  But even with the advance warning, Teah was unable to get inside or land anything of consequence.  Teah (12-2-1, 5 KOs) seemed to come alive in the sixth but it was too little, too late for the Philadelphia fighter.

“I just kept boxing and pushing him back,” Love said.  “I hurt three of my knuckles in my left hand in about the third round.  I’m not sure if they’re fractured or not, but if I hadn’t hurt them I would have ended that fight early.

“I felt strong.  I just came from a great camp with Robert Easter, which I think helped in this fight tonight. Sparring with Robert and Adrien [Broner], I’ve learned a lot from those guys.

“I give my overall performance a B or a C+.  I think I could have done a lot more.”

Teah made no excuses about facing a last-minute opponent.

“He was a crafty southpaw.  I knew he was slick, but he was quicker than I expected,” Teah said.  “I would ball up to try to come inside and he was sharp with his right hook.  Fighting guys on short-notice is the way I expect it.  That’s the sport.  I was preparing for a southpaw and I got a southpaw.  No excuses.”

The event was promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports, Victory Promotions and Ringside Ticket.

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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 Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

 For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

Highly Touted Lightweight Prospect Devin Haney Opens Telecast That Features Eight Fighters With A Combined Record Of 113-3-3, Including Five Unbeaten Fighters

Friday, Feb. 2 Live On SHOWTIME® At 10 p.m. ET/PT
From WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa

NEW YORK (Jan. 3, 2018) – A battle of unbeaten super middleweight prospects will headline a ShoBox: The New Generation quadrupleheader on Friday, Feb. 2, live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT from WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa, as two-time ShoBox veteran Ronald Ellis takes on New Yorker Junior Younan.
 

Ellis (14-0-1, 10 KOs), of Lynn, Mass., and Brooklyn’s Younan (13-0, 9 KOs) will clash in the 10-round main event of a four-fight telecast that features eight fighters with a combined record of 113-3-3.
 

An undefeated boxer losing for the first time was a common theme on ShoBox in 2017 as 15 prospects lost their perfect record on the popular developmental series last year. Now in its 17th year, a total of 171 fighters have suffered their first loss on ShoBox. All three fights leading up to the main event on Feb. 2 are eight-round matchups that include an undefeated “A-side” fighter facing his toughest test to date.
 

In the co-feature, former Dominican Olympian Wellington Romero (12-0-1, 6 KOs) will take on Philadelphia’s Sam Teah (12-1-1, 5 KOs) in a super lightweight scrap contracted at 141 pounds. Cleveland’s Thomas Mattice (10-0, 8 KOs) will face two-time ShoBox winner and Lancaster, Pa. resident Rolando Chinea (15-1-1, 6 KOs) in a lightweight matchup.
 

In the telecast opener, highly regarded undefeated Devin Haney (18-0, 12 KOs), of Las Vegas, will take on Harmonito Dela Torre (19-1, 12 KOs) in another bout pitting two 135-pound prospects.
 

The event is promoted by GH3 Promotions and Roc Nation Sports in association with Victory Promotions and Ringside Ticket. Tickets are just $10 general admission prior to the event and $20 on Feb. 2. For more information call: 1.800.HOT.WINN ext. 7117.
 

RONALD ELLIS vs. JUNIOR YOUNAN – 10-Round Super Middleweight

Ellis returns to ShoBox in his first bout since defeating Christopher Brooker via a unanimous decision in Atlantic City last January. In his ShoBox debut, Ellis fought Jerry Odom to a majority draw in Atlantic City in February 2016.
 

Originally from Lynn, Mass., the 28-year-old Ellis currently lives and trains in Los Angeles at the Iron Gym under trainer Jerry Rosenberg and his father Ronald Ellis Sr.
 

“It’s going to be fireworks from the jump,” said Ellis, who was scheduled to fight Taneal Goyco in November, but the fight was scrapped when Goyco weighed three pounds over the super middleweight limit. “Younan is a good little fighter, but we are trying to get him out of there. This is my first main event, and I want to impress. It will be a good way to start 2018, which will be my year.”
 

Ellis upset highly regarded Terrell Gausha to win the 2010 National Golden Gloves. Gausha would go on to represent the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic Games.
 

Younan, who is promoted by Roc Nation Sports, was a highly touted amateur boxer who compiled a 90-5 record before turning professional in 2013 at the age of 18. Once dubbed by The New York Times as “a boxing prodigy” as a 10-year-old, Younan was a two-time National Junior Golden Gloves champion, the 2011 National Junior Olympic championship, and at one point was the No. 1-rated junior boxer in his weight class by USA Boxing.
 

Because of injuries, Younan fought just one time in 2015. After a nine-month layoff, he returned in March of 2016 to beat Cristian Solorzano and has remained active since. Eight of Younan’s 13 pro wins have ended in the first round, including three of his last five fights. The 22-year-old is trained by his father, Sherif Younan
 

“It’s a pleasure to fight on SHOWTIME and I’m excited to put on a show for all the viewers,” Younan said. “I’ve been working as hard as possible and I’m confident my efforts will pay off. I’m going to break my opponent’s spirit and pick him apart. This is my time – in 2018, I’m looking to make a title run and this fight is just the first step.”
 

WELLINGTON ROMERO vs. SAM TEAH – Eight-Round Super Lightweight

Romero is originally from the Dominican Republic now fighting out of Newburgh, New York.  A southpaw, he fights under the Roc Nation Sports promotion and represented the Dominican Republic in the 2012 London Olympics, where he lost to eventual Gold Medalist Vasyl Lomachenko.

An accomplished amateur with 268 fights, Romero earned a bronze medal at the 2010 Central American Games and made back-to-back appearances at the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships and the 2011 Pan American Games as a teenager.
 

The 26-year-old Romero fought twice in 2017, recording TKOs in both wins over Kevin Womack Jr. and Mike Fowler.
 

“This fight on SHOWTIME is a great opportunity for me to showcase my talent and I want to thank God, my team and everyone involved for this opportunity,” Romero said. “I’m going to deliver a world class performance for all the boxing fans out there to enjoy. After defeating my opponent, I know I will make a lasting impression on the viewers and start paving my way to a world title belt.”
 

This won’t be the first time Philadelphia’s Teah is facing an undefeated fighter on ShoBox. In Las Vegas in 2015, Teah scored a unanimous decision over previously undefeated O’Shaquie Foster. The 30-year-old’s only loss came against then-undefeated Lavisas Williams in 2014.
 

Born in Liberia, Teah did not start boxing until the age of 19. His last four fights have been close to home with three in his hometown of Philadelphia and the other two in Bristol, Pa., and Atlantic City, N.J.
 

“I know my opponent was an Olympian, and he has been in front of a lot of great fighters,” Teah said. “I am excited to face him and take the big challenge. I know I will be his toughest opponent. I am ready to see what he is made of.”
 

THOMAS MATTICE vs. ROLANDO CHINEA – Eight-Round Lightweight
 

A 27-year-old from Cleveland, Mattice turned pro in 2014 and had an amateur record of 72-18. He was a three-time Ohio State Golden Gloves champion, and bronze medal winner in the USA National Tournament in 2014.
 

In his last fight on Nov. 11, Mattice beat Orlando Rizo via seventh-round stoppage in Georgia. Mattice, who has recorded four straight KOs and eight overall in 10 professional fights, is a boxer-puncher who likes to attack the body.
 

“It’s a tough fight for sure,” Mattice said. “I checked him out. It’s going to be a rough fight, but I am prepared for a war. I am prepared for whatever he will bring. I am excited to fight on ShoBox. Ever since I started boxing, I said one day that will be me fighting on TV, and now that dream comes true.”
 

The 26-year-old Chinea returns to ShoBox after handing previously unbeaten Kenneth Sims Jr., the first loss of his professional career via majority decision on July 14. The win moved Chinea’s ShoBox record to 2-0. He had previously won an eight-round split decision victory over O’Shaquie Foster in 2016.
 

A Puerto Rican native now living in Lancaster, Pa., Chinea suffered his only defeat against the hands of Ismail Muwendo in 2015. He has won five straight since, including two unanimous decisions over previously undefeated Ladarius Miller and Mel Crossty, as well as the unbeaten Sims. His last four opponents had a combined record of 38-1-1.
 

“I know Thomas Mattice is another undefeated fighter with a terrific amateur career,” Chinea said. “I am being brought in as his opponent, to make him look good in his national TV debut. I respect Thomas for agreeing to fight me. I am sure that he will bring his best, and it will be another entertaining fight, Chinea style. I am going to be in the best shape of my career. I am going to be stronger, and I am going to hunt him down, rough him up, and beat him. I can’t wait to fight and win again on ShoBox.”
 

DEVIN HANEY vs. HARMONITO DELA TORRE – Eight-Round Lightweights

Haney just turned 19 years old last November and already sports a professional record of 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Trained and managed by his father, William Haney, he has been active with nine fights in 2016 and seven in 2017. In his last fight on Nov. 4, he scored a fifth-round TKO against Hamza Sempewo in Atlanta.
 

Raised in Oakland, Calif., Haney was a seven-time national amateur champion and compiled an impressive record of 130-8. Haney is currently living and training in Las Vegas, where he sparred with Floyd Mayweather as the pound-for-pound champ prepared to face Conor McGregor, and Shawn Porter. Haney turned professional when he was 16 years old in Mexico.
 

“Fighting on SHOWTIME, specifically ShoBox, where many champions have been made, is something I’ve envisioned since I turned professional in 2015,” Haney said. “I’m in tough against Harmonito Dela Torre, a hungry fighter who is coming off his first pro loss. I know his back is up against the wall, so I’m expecting him to bring everything he’s got. But this is my time to shine on the big stage and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass me by. I’m the future of boxing and everyone will see my talent on February 2, especially Dela Torre.”
 

Dela Torre is a 23-year-old Philippines native who has been training with Osmiri Fernandez in Miami the past few months at the Sanman Boxing Gym.
 

Dela was scheduled to fight last on Aug. 22 in Las Vegas in a super featherweight bout against undefeated Saul Rodriguez, who inexplicably pulled out of the matchup a few days before the fight.
 

Instead, Dela Torre entered the ring in Las Vegas on Nov. 18 and suffered his first loss against 2012 Olympic silver medalist Tugstsogt Nyambayar in an eight-round unanimous decision, despite scoring a second-round knockdown. It was the first time in his first nine fights that Nyambayar was taken the distance.
 

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 Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

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For more information visit www.sho.com/sportsfollow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.