NEW YORK – January 16, 2019 – A 10-round clash between undefeated super lightweight prospects will headline ShoBox: The New Generation when Uzbekistan’s power-puncher Shohjahon Ergashev takes on Mykal Fox Friday, February 15 live on SHOWTIME from Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Kan.
The second of two February editions of the prospect
developmental series will feature four fighters with a combined record of 71
wins against just one loss. Undefeated super middleweight prospect Ronald Ellis
will take on DeAndre Ware headlines a three-fight ShoBoxtelecast on February 1.
In the February 15 co-featured fight, 28-year-old ShoBox veteran Jesse Angel Hernandez returns
to face WBO No. 4-ranked Thomas Ward in what will be the toughest test of his
career in a 10-round super bantamweight bout.
“Shohjahon Ergashev is one of the hardest punchers in all of
boxing. He will be facing a challenge in the undefeated skilled,
determined fighter in Mykal Fox. A great fight the winner of which will
cement himself as one of the best in the Jr. Welterweight division,” said
Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “The co main event is one
of the best fights in the super bantamweight division between two proven world
title contenders. A real cross roads fight with lots on the line for the winner
to emerge as the new dominant name in the talent packed super Bantamweight
division.”
The 27-year-old Ergashev (15-0, 14 KOs) is a former member of
the Uzbek national team where he won 202 of his 216 amateur bouts. A
decorated amateur, Ergashev owns a win over Uzbekistan’s Shakhram Giyasov, a
silver medalist in the welterweight division at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Ergashev, who started his pro career by registering 11
consecutive knockouts, made hisShoBox debut
in January 2018, handing then-unbeaten and top-10 ranked 140-pound prospect
Sonny Fredrickson the only loss of his career with a third-round TKO. The
southpaw slugger, who was named one of ESPN’s top prospects of 2018, trains in
Detroit under Javan “Sugar” Hill Steward and Rick Phillips at the famed Kronk
Gym in Detroit.
“I’m very excited to fight on SHOWTIME again,” said Ergashev.
“Everyone says Mykal Fox is my toughest opponent to date, but that doesn’t
concern me. It actually excites me because when I knock him out, just like I
knocked out Sonny Fredrickson, all of the champions in my weight class will
know I am coming for them soon. It’s going to be Shoh-time in 2019!”
Unlike his opponent, Fox, 23, had a rocky amateur journey
amassing 40 wins and 60 losses—two of his wins came over undefeated top
prospect Lamont Roach. Fox, 6-foot 3 ½-inches from Forestville, Md., admitted
that he was not disciplined and fully committed to the sweet science in his
teenage years, but once he turned pro in 2014 everything changed and boxing
became his way of life. Since then, he has defeated all of his 19 opponents,
five by way of knockout. Fox, who is promoted by King Promotions, owns
victories over the likes of former world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley, Ricardo
Garcia and Anthony Mercado.
Fox comes from a family of boxers. He is trained by his father
Troy and his older brother and former ShoBox fighter Alantez (24-1-1, 11 KOs) is a
160-pound prospect whose only defeat came by the hands of Demetrius Andrade.
“It’s been a dream of mine to fight on ShoBox. It has catapulted the
careers of some of my favorite fighters,” said Fox, who is making his debut on
the series. “I’m hoping it will catapult my career too.
“My opponent is a good fighter. He has good feet, good speed and
great power. This is going to be a fight that can potentially steal the show. I
look forward to seeing how our styles matched up.”
Hernandez (12-1, 7 KOs) broke onto the scene in 2017 with
back-to-back wins over previously undefeated, top-15 ranked fighters on ShoBox – a unanimous decision over Glenn
Dezurn and a fifth-round TKO of Vladimir Tikhonov. Hernandez followed up those
performances with a split-decision over Ernesto Garza in January 2018. The
28-year-old Hernandez, the youngest of 15 children, was 73-6 as an amateur and
took five years off from boxing between 2009 and 2014 to work construction jobs
in his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas.
“On February 15, fans can expect to see the best performance
from Jesse Hernandez yet,” said Hernandez, who will be making his fourth
appearance on ShoBox.
“It’s been a long time coming and I won’t let this opportunity pass me. A win
over Thomas Ward will definitely boost my career and hopefully lead to a world
title shot. I know I will have all eyes on me on national television, I must
impress. I believe the bantamweight division is mine for the taking. So I will
go head and take what’s rightfully mine.”
Ward hails from County Durham in North East England, where he
compiled an amateur record of 60 wins, just four losses. The 24-year-old turned
professional in 2012 at the age of 17 and by 2017, he had won 20 straight
fights and the British super bantamweight title. Currently ranked No. 4 by the
WBO, Ward hopes a win in his U.S. debut will set him up for a world title shot.
“This is a really good fight,” said Ward. “I’m looking forward
to it and a win will put me in place for a world title fight, which is exactly
what I want. It’s great to be boxing on SHOWTIME, I can’t wait and I hope for
many more opportunities to be fighting on the network in the future.”
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.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Salita
Promotions, will go on sale on Friday, January 18th at 10 a.m. ET and are priced at $110,
$75, $60, $45 and $25. Tickets can be purchased at www.KansasStarCasino.com , www.Ticketmaster.com and at the Lucky Star Players Club at
Kansas Star Casino.
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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 79 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.
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