Boxing’s newest superstar Jake Paul (5-0) put an exclamation point on his 2021 campaign with a highlight reel one-punch knockout of Tyron Woodley on December 18th in Tampa, Florida. The YouTube sensation had previously defeated Woodley via split decision in August.  

With the win Paul went 3-0 on the year and has knocked out each opponent that he has faced in his young career. Only two of his fights have gone past the second round. 

At 24 years old, Paul is already established as one of the top ticket sellers  and pay-per-view stars in boxing. His coach BJ Flores is very impressed with the progress his pupil has made during his two years in the sport. 

“Jake is a superstar. He has exciting one punch power, speed and has an incredible work ethic. He has that X factor. He is can’t miss entertainment”, said Flores.  

“Remember, he is only 5-0. Jake is without question the biggest up and coming star in boxing. He has massive potential. The sky is the limit. We have an excellent team in place. There is much more to come in 2022.”

Paul announced shortly after his most recent fight that he was going to take a short break from the sport and then return in the summer in another massive event. 

CLEVELAND (August 27, 2021) – Ahead of this Sunday’s Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley SHOWTIME PPV event, trainers for the main event fighters previewed the highly anticipated showdown during a media roundtable Friday before Paul and Woodley enter the ring at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

After Thursday’s heated press conference, Friday saw Paul’s head trainer B.J. Flores and Paul’s assistant trainer Jacob Chavez, along with Woodley’s trainer Gerald Tucker and Woodley’s assistant trainer Pedro Diaz, discuss training camp, Sunday’s matchup and more with media members.

Tickets starting at $25 are still available via RocketMortgageFieldHouse.com.

Here is what the trainers had to say Friday:

B.J. FLORES, Paul’s Trainer

“Tyron poses a lot of threats. He is definitely Jake’s most dangerous opponent. If you look back at history, no one is in there with killers at 3-0. Tyron is strong, explosive, quick twitch. For Jake to fight a guy like that in his third fight in the main event on a SHOWTIME PPV, it’s really incredible.

“I don’t want Jake just going in there and blowing guys out. Of course, he is still making mistakes, it takes years and years and thousands of hours to do anything well. He has sparred with world champions and top contenders. He has taken his lumps, which is necessary. People think we take it easy on Jake, but that’s not true. He is like a shark. Once he tastes a little blood, he goes crazy.

“How far can he go? He is starting, he is getting going. His fundamentals are good. He is very sharp. We remove distractions and keep it simple, which is effective in the boxing world.

“Jake is a 24-year-old with the head of a 45-year-old on his shoulders. He is a very, very smart kid. He’s learned a lot in business as a young man. He is misunderstood. He’s flashy. That’s why he has me and Jacob to be his OGs and pull him back in.

“Pedro Diaz and Gerald Tucker are both excellent. Props to Tyron for assembling a very strong team. I think we will have a nice little duel on our hands as trainers on Sunday night.”

JACOB CHAVEZ, Paul’s Assistant Trainer

“Jake has so many great tools. Both hands, both sides. His right hand is his strongest. If he can work his left hand more as the fight goes on, you will see he has power there too.

“It’s going to take a one-in-a-million shot from Tyron to get Jake out of there on Sunday night.

“I want to see Jake have a competitive fight and get the experience of going rounds. I said the same thing before the Ben Askren fight, too.

“Every single sparring partner that comes in to spar Jake treats that moment like they are fighting in the biggest event of their life. No one wants to get knocked out by Jake Paul. Everyone brings their A-game to the sparring sessions. One of the sparring partners texted me that he was nervous before he came out to spar Jake. When they come to spar, they come fired up and ready to go.

“Jake sparred two or three times a week during this camp, always eight rounds. It’s not going to be a cardio thing for Jake. He is ready to go eight rounds, but I think he’s going to run Tyron into a big right hand that is just going to be nasty.”

GERALD TUCKER, Woodley’s Trainer

“You’re going to see on fight night that Tyron has a great boxing background, we just had to polish it up. He’s got great power and defense. It’s impressive.

“I like Jake as a fighter. I like that he’s entered our realm. I was a fan of his before this fight, but I’ve gone against fighters that I’m a fan of before.

“No matter what Jake’s done or not done in previous fights, we just prepare the best we can. You have to cover all your bases so you’re ready for anything.

“If you watch MMA fights, they have to defend a lot of things. Now Tyron only has to worry about upper body. It’s way easier for him to make people miss.”

PEDRO DIAZ, Woodley’s Assistant Trainer

“I think that if you look at MMA, it’s a sport that puts many kinds of combat skills together, but MMA is still mostly upper body and the hands are important. A lot of those fighters come from boxing backgrounds.

“We’re a serious team and we work hard on Tyron’s boxing technique. We also trade notes with MMA coaches to get the best result for Tyron. You have to work as a team to get the most out of a fighter.

“Gerald is a great trainer who works with a lot of great champions. He has great knowledge, and I have great experience. We’re a really good combination and we each have our part to play.”

#          #          #

About Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley:

Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley is the headline attraction atop a stacked evening of professional boxing action presented by SHOWTIME PPV^® and Most Valuable Promotions in association with Holden Productions, live from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday, August 29 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The SHOWTIME PPV is available for purchase now at SHOWTIME.com and via the SHOWTIME app, and is available to order through all major cable, satellite and telco providers in the U.S. and Canada. Renowned content creator and undefeated professional boxer Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will take on the toughest challenge of his budding career in the former UFC champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley. Featured on the undercard is unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano defending her titles against super bantamweight champion Yamileth Mercado and the U.S. debuts of popular U.K. attractions Daniel Dubois and Tommy Fury in separate bouts.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @TWooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, on Instagram via @JakePaul, @Twooodley and @ShowtimeBoxing, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

+++For Immediate Release+++ Calabasas, Calif. – On Thursday it was announced that former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will return to the ring against former pound for pound king Roy Jones on September 12th. The event will be distributed via pay-per-view and will take place in Carson, California.

The undercard will also be jam packed with interesting bouts and none more exciting that the co-feature bout which pits Youtube sensation turned boxing prospect Jake Paul against former NBA star Nate Robinson.

Paul burst onto the boxing scene in January when he knocked out Ali Eson GIb. His trainer BJ Flores is happy to see his pupil in another big event.

“I am looking forward to September 12th. For Jake and Nate to be on the undercard of two of my favorite fighters in Mike Tyson and Roy Jones is a tremendous honor. I think Nate’s background makes this interesting with his NBA background as a professional athlete. Good look to him,

Flores, a former world title challenger couldn’t be more pleased with the work Paul has put in and said that the improvements he has made with be on full display in September.

“He is ready to fight right now. He has been training since February 22nd and he has been sparring twice a week. We thought this fight would happen in May or June so we have been ready and the couple extra months has only been beneficial,” said Flores.

“Jake is real calm and real chill, real relaxed. He is totally focused and ready to go. He is he first one in the gym and the last one to leave. You can see the improvement and progress. He is very dedicated and very focused and that makes my job very easy. I only have to tell him things one time.”

While Paul is a relative newcomer to the sport, Robinson is even more of a novice after dedicating most of his life to perfecting his craft as a basketball player.

Flores said that the plan is to make an example out of Robinson for other athletes who are thinking of transitioning to the squared circle.after their career in their previous sport has ended.

“Boxing is a very tough sport to learn at the age of 34. I have a lot of respect for him but he is going to see first hand why professional athletes should never retire and then go to professional boxing,” said Flores.

As for Paul, all of his focus is on the task at hand.

“Look, I am just ready to go and do my job,” said Paul

TACOMA, Wash. – July 11, 2019 – Heavyweight prospects Jermaine Franklin Jr., and Jerry Forrest both weighed in on Thursday for their ShoBox: The New Generation main event clash Friday night live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Emerald Casino in Tacoma, Wash.

The co-featured bout will feature a 10-round matchup between undefeated Swedish heavyweight and top-10 ranked contender Otto Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs) and former world title challenger BJ Flores (34-4-1, 21 KOs). 

Prospects Franklin (18-0, 13 KOs), Forrest (25-2, 19 KOs) and Wallin aim to leap into contention and further their resumes in the resurgent heavyweight division, while the veteran Flores will look to play spoiler and hand Wallin his first professional defeat. 

The opening bout of the tripleheader telecast will feature a 10-round matchup of undefeated super featherweight prospects as Giovanni Cabrera Mioletti (16-0, 7 KOs) faces off with Luis Porozo (14-0, 7 KOs).

The event, billed as the “Battle at the Boat 122,” is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with Brian Halquist Productions.

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian 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.

FINAL WEIGHTS, REFEREES AND JUDGES

Heavyweights 10-Round Bout 

Jermaine Franklin Jr. – 240 ¼ lbs. 

Jerry Forrest – 222 ¾ lbs.

Referee: Robert Howard; Judges: Alan Krebs (Issaquah, Wash.), Tim Wood (Lakeland, Wash.), Hunter Walton (Tacoma, Wash.) 

Heavyweights 10-Round Bout 

Otto Wallin – 234 lbs. 

B.J. Flores – 234 ¾ lbs.

Referee: Joel Scobie; Judges: Alan Krebs (Issaquah, Wash.), Tim Wood (Lakeland, Wash.), Hunter Walton (Tacoma, Wash.) 

Super Featherweights 10-Round Bout 

Givovanni Cabrera Mioletti – 129 ½ lbs.

Luis Porozo – 129 ½ lbs.

Referee: Robert Howard; Judges: Alan Krebs (Issaquah, Wash.), Tim Wood (Lakeland, Wash.), Hunter Walton (Tacoma, Wash.) 

Here is what the fighters had to say on Thursday from Emerald Casino.

FINAL QUOTES:

JERMAINE FRANKLIN JR.:

“With the heavyweight division being wide open, a lot can change if I continue to win. The Joshua-Ruiz fight showed that anything can happen in the ring. I see myself right in there as a prospect in the heavyweight division. I feel like I belong and deserve my shot to prove I’m amongst the top heavyweights. I’m just going to take care of business and show people why I feel like I belong.

“I’m just ready to go. It’s a surreal experience, I mean headlining on SHOWTIME. I’m up to the task and just trying to get the job done.

“I really took it to another level in my training camp. I think the boxing fans will see it.  I knew I had to push myself harder after my last fight. I made some mistakes and was impatient. I was looking for the knockout and rushing things. A lot of people said I fought better than I give myself credit for, but I’m my own worst critic.

“I’ve watched a lot of film of my opponent. I think he’s going to be over-anxious and try to rush me. I’m a sharpshooter and I’m going to give him a bunch of different looks.

“I think I had some nerves and jitters in my last fight [April 13]. But I know exactly what to expect this time. [Rydell] Booker was a hard guy to look good against. I could have used my jab more and picked him apart. I missed a lot of opportunities that were presented to me. 

“Boxing has had its ups and downs in the state of Michigan but it’s now on the up with the Direll brothers and Claressa [Shields]. Detroit has had some top boxers and now me in Saginaw. I’ve been doing interviews with some of the Detroit daily papers and have a big following there. I can’t wait to show them and a national TV audience what I can do in the ring.”

JERRY FORREST:

“Jermaine is a very explosive guy. I don’t really look at film, my coaches do. I just fight my fight and don’t plan for much. I don’t focus too much on what the other guy is going to do. We know who we are fighting and we know he’s good.

“Everything I’ve done since I was a kid has prepared me for this and prepared me for boxing. I’m the ‘B’ side but all the great champs were once the ‘B’ side. This is the perfect timing for me.

“We’ve tried to fight some top guys and now we are starting to get noticed. We’re making our moves at the right time.  The heavyweight division is hot and it’s time to strike.

“Looking back, I probably took fights that I ended up losing against Gerald Washington and Michael Hunter a bit too early in my career. I wasn’t fully focused.  But now I’m ready to prove I can face the top guys.

“I’ll probably come in around 225, 227 pounds and feeling like I’ve prepared for this fight better than in other fight in my career.”

OTTO WALLIN:

“The heavyweight division is hot right now, and this is a fight for me to show I belong with the top guys.

“We’re prepared and had great sparring. My opponent has a name and people will recognize him. So it’s a good matchup for me.

“I want to look good and I want rounds. At the same time, I don’t want to get carried away and I want to just keep developing. It’s not a race.

“I was a little bit bummed out after what happened in the last fight with it ended with a first-round no-conest. In the [Nick] Kisner fight, he didn’t want to fight. Hopefully we have a guy who wants to come and fight.

“Sparring with Anthony Joshua (in 2016) really helped me. I just went in and had them take a look at me and I ended up staying the entire seven-week camp.”

B.J. FLORES:

“I’m the only opponent who comes in expecting to win. I honestly believe I will win and I should win. And I’ve been working on that for the past 10 weeks.

“I have no plan after tomorrow. I’m just thinking about round 1, then I’ll focus on round 2. It’s all I care about. I’m going to take it one round at a time.

“I don’t care how I win this fight. I just have to win. I don’t have a Plan B.”

“I thought I was done after my last fight [a loss to Trevor Bryan in August, 2018]. The fight date kept getting changed and I didn’t think it would happen. Then I got the call saying the fight was happening in 18 days. I wasn’t ready for it. That wasn’t the best version of me as a fighter.

“After the New Year I took time off and didn’t plan on coming back. But I was working out in the gym and felt I should give it another shot. And that’s when Dmitriy [Salita] called me with this opportunity.  

“I have nothing to lose, that’s my mindset for this fight.”

GIOVANNI CABRERA MIOLETTI:

“This is my hometown. The fans know me. My first fight here was just my second professional fight and against Jeremy McCleary, who was actually the hometown favorite. They were all quiet at first until I beat him. Then I became the hometown favorite. This is kind of my office, the Emerald Casino. I’m stepping into comfortable territory and this is nothing new to me. I’m comfortable and in my zone.

“I’m familiar with my opponent. He’s an Olympian. He was in the Pan-Am Games. This is a step up for me. He’s an international guy and he’s trained hard for this fight, as I’ve been told.

“I’ve beaten six undefeated fighters. I’m hoping to make this No. 7.

“I want it to be an action fight. I want to see what this guy brings. I hope he comes and tries his best. I like an action fight and I want him to come forward.

“This has been my dream to fight on SHOWTIME. I’m a boxing historian and have watched lots of video. Growing up Muhammad Ali and Manny Pacquiao were my favorites. I also liked Pernell Whitaker, Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard. I’ve watched guys with a lot of different styles.

LUIS POROZO:

“I’ve been in the States since January and working out at a gym in Brooklyn.

“Ecuador has never had a world champion boxer, so that is my motivation. It would be great to be the first one. A lot of things would change for me and my family if I was able win a world title.

“I’ve fought several southpaws and have been sparring with some bigger guys.

“I’m 29 years old and so there is an urgency. I’ve been fighting since I was 10 and had more than 500 amateur fights. I spent 10 years on the Ecuadorian National team and they supported me and my family.

“This is a turning point for me in my career. I have to go in there and show what I can do and that I’m ready for this next step.”

# # #

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

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 80 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. 

NEW YORK – July 9, 2019 –Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin says he has too many physical advantages, while former world title challenger BJ Flores says he has too much experience to lose their upcoming 10-round clash.

WBA No. 5-ranked Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs) and Flores (34-4-1, 21 KOs) will meet this Friday, July 12, in the co-featured bout of a ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader telecast (live on SHOWTIME 10 p.m. ET/PT) from the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash.

Presented by Salita Promotions and Brian Halquist Productions, “Battle at the Boat 122” will also feature top American heavyweight prospect Jermaine Franklin (18-0, 13 KOs), from Saginaw, Mich., returning for his second consecutive ShoBox test against the streaking Jerry Forrest (25-2, 19 KOs), of Newport News, Va., in the 10-round headliner and in the opening televised bout, undefeated featherweight Giovanni Mioletti (16-0, 7 KOs) of Chicago will face Ecuador’s Luis Porozo (14-0, 7 KOs).

The 28-year-old Wallin, a southpaw from Sundsvall, Sweden, says he’s been expanding his horizons working with trainer Joey Gamache at Mendez Boxing in Manhattan.

“Training has been very good. I have been back in New York for six weeks now and I’ve had some great sparring with a lot of different guys and different styles,” said 28-year-old Wallin. “Sparring is the best training you can get. It’s the most like a fight, so just getting in with all these different guys is a great experience.”

Undefeated Wallin says he’s got too much of everything for former cruiserweight Flores in this fight.

“BJ Flores is a guy that’s experienced, but I know what to do,” Wallin said. “I have the tools to beat him. He’s good as a cruiserweight, but this is a heavyweight fight. It’s different than being a good cruiser. I will win because I’m a better boxer with better skills. I’m too big, young and strong for him. I always get nervous before a fight, but that’s part of it. Being nervous makes me sharper. I will eventually break him down.”

It’s been something of a whirlwind career for Wallin, who turned pro as the number one heavyweight on the Swedish National team after just 50 amateur fights. Heavily courted by promoters for his immense natural talent, Wallin now finds himself signed with Salita Promotions and in the top 5 of the WBA ratings after 20 pro fights.

He credits trainer Gamache, himself a popular former fighter, with much of his success.

“Joey used to live in Denmark and so did I,” Wallin said. “That’s where we met six years ago. I followed him back to the US when he came back and I signed with Salita at the beginning of this year. We have a great relationship. I love him as a coach and as a person He’s done a lot for me including bringing me over here and making all these connections. I trust him 100% and he trusts me too.”

Wallin says having a great team behind him means ramping up his quest for a world championship.

“I want to have three or four fights this year. I haven’t had that many fights the last couple years, so it’s important to me to stay busy. Next year, I’ll be looking for a bigger fight. I’m very excited about everything that is happening.”

The 40-year-old Flores, originally from Arizona, says preparations went surprisingly well for this fight.

“Training couldn’t have gone better,” Flores said. “I had eight good weeks of training and I have zero injuries. To be honest, I thought camp would be tougher, but everything bounced back nicely. I’ve been sparring for seven weeks. I normally have something nagging on fight week, but I sparred 10 rounds Saturday. I sparred four rounds today. I have 22 rounds in since last Wednesday and I feel great.”

Flores, a two-time world cruiserweight title challenger, says Wallin will be facing a totally different type of opponent than the ones he’s used to.

“He’s never been tested by a guy who thought he could win. Everybody he’s fought came in as an opponent. That’s not to say he’s not good, but I’m the first fighter on his resume coming in expecting to win and I’ve been in with far better opposition.

“I feel like once I get him in the middle rounds and show him he’s in with somebody who is not going anywhere, that’s when we will find out what he’s made of. My experience and game plan are perfect for testing an untested guy. Just because he’s untested doesn’t mean he can’t fight, but we’re going to find out Friday night.”

Contrary to most fighters’ preference, Flores says he’s happy Wallin is a left-handed fighter.

“I’ve been sparring nothing but tall southpaws. In fact, I haven’t sparred an orthodox fighter in nine weeks. I prefer to fight southpaws. It’s better for my punch selection to fight a southpaw. I’ve never had a problem with it and I’ve never lost to one.”

Now a 16-year pro, Flores says he won’t be worried if the younger fighter comes out with some early aggression.

“If he wants to start fast, that’s OK. I don’t care about the first two or three rounds. The real fight starts after the fourth round. I plan on winning the early rounds, but even if I don’t, it doesn’t matter until we get in the middle rounds. I’m going to attack and be aggressive and go up and down on him. Get him to the middle rounds and see where he’s at. I know where I’m at. I’ve been in with the best heavyweights and cruiserweights in the world over the last 15 years. I feel great and I’m ready.”

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian 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.

# # #

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.

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 80 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.

NEW YORK – May 30, 2019 – Two top undefeated heavyweight prospects will put their unblemished records on the line when they fight in separate bouts on ShoBox: The New Generation Friday, July 12 live on SHOWTIME from Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash.

Top American heavyweight prospect Jermaine Franklin returns for his second consecutive test of 2018 on ShoBox against the streaking Jerry Forrest in the 10-round headliner. In the co-featured bout, undefeated Swedish heavyweight and top-10 ranked contender Otto Wallin will battle former world title challenger BJ Flores in a 10-round clash on the seventh ShoBox telecast of 2019.

“The heavyweight division is the strongest it’s been in a generation with a number of new faces looking to position themselves for an eventual title shot,” said Gordon Hall, Executive Producer of ShoBox. “Otto Wallin is on the doorstep based on his rankings in the top 10 but he needs that statement win to get there. BJ Flores is not coming to test Wallin. He is coming to win and feels he has what it takes to teach Wallin a lesson.

“Jermaine Franklin is the best American heavyweight prospect and, at only 25 years old, still has a ton of growth potential. He passed his first test on ShoBox in April and we look forward to getting a second look at him in another step-up fight. Forrest is far more experienced than Franklin. This will be his fifth fight of 2019, and he is fully aware of what a win will do for his career.”

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with Brian Halquist Productions, go on sale Saturday, June 1 and are available via Ticketmaster and the Emerald Queen Box Office.

“This is an exciting time for the heavyweight division and on July 12 boxing fans will have an opportunity to witness two of the division’s best new faces in significant tests,” said promoter Dmitriy Salita. “Jermaine Franklin’s goal is to be an American heavyweight world champion, and an impressive performance in a tough matchup with Jerry Forrest will be a significant step in his quest to the title.

“Otto Wallin is an example of what happens when you combine dreams and hard work. He grew up in a small town in Sweden and aims to challenge for the heavyweight world title and follow in the footsteps of Ingemar Johansson. Otto is fighting a proven veteran in BJ Flores who’s only losses have been in world title fights, so I expect it will be an exciting matchup from the opening bell.”

The 25-year-old Franklin (18-0, 13 KOs), from Saginaw, Mich., is a former amateur standout and a 2014 National Golden Gloves Champion. A likely candidate to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympic Games, Franklin turned down the opportunity to compete for a spot on the team and instead chose to begin his professional career in 2015. Widely regarded as the top American heavyweight prospect, Franklin has built his undefeated record with relative ease since turning pro, knocking out nine of his first 10 professional opponents. Franklin made his SHOWTIME debut in the co-featured bout of the Claressa Shields vs. Christina Hammer event in April, earning a unanimous decision over former No. 1-ranked U.S. amateur Rydell Booker.

“In my SHOWTIME debut earlier this year, I felt I could have put on a better show but I won and that’s most important,” Franklin said. “Winning this fight is an important step toward my dreams of fighting for a heavyweight championship. This fight also is a chance for the fans to see me more focused and prepared. Jerry Forrest has been around the game for a while and he brings a lot of skills to the ring. I will be ready for him.”

Forrest (25-2, 19 KOs), of Newport News, Va., has won eighteen consecutive bouts since dropping back-to-back contests to world title challenger Gerald Washington and Michael Hunter, whose only professional loss came to former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Forrest, a 6-foot-1 southpaw, scored an eight-round unanimous decision over Joshua Tufte his last time out in April.

“This is a long time coming for me,” said Forrest. “My record and my potential are definitely worthy to fight in the main event on national television. This is where I should be. I’m very comfortable and I’m not at all overwhelmed. I’ve fought in the Nationals and big tournaments and I’m not afraid of the spotlight. Franklin throws a lot of punches and tries to bully you out. He’s not super accurate from what I see. He’s a heavyweight who will try to outwork you. I see him as a very similar fighter to Andy Ruiz. My training is going great, I haven’t been out of shape in two years. I’ve been in the gym grinding and doing it old school.”

Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs, 1 ND) made his U.S. debut on SHOWTIME in April, also on the undercard of Shields-Hammer, but his fight with Nick Kisner was cut short after an accidental headbutt left Kisner unable to continue, resulting in a No Decision. The 6-foot-5 Wallin turned pro in 2013 and has gradually risen in the rankings by recording 20 straight wins in Europe prior to his American debut. The 28-year-old southpaw won the Swedish Boxing Championship at 16-years-old, fought against Anthony Joshua twice as an amateur and was a member of the Swedish National Boxing Team. Currently ranked in the top-ten by both the WBA and IBF, Wallin now has his sights set on becoming his country’s first Heavyweight Champion since Ingemar Johansson in 1960.

“My U.S. debut did not go the way I had hoped and I didn’t get a chance to show off my skills,” said Wallin. “I’m really looking forward to going out there again getting a chance to show a lot more. This is a fight I need to win if I want to go somewhere. I need to win and I need to look good doing it. I need to be sharp at all times and not take anything for granted. This is a sport where everything can change in the blink of an eye.”

Flores (34-4-1, 21 KOs) turned pro in 2003 and has enjoyed a long, successful career competing mostly as a cruiserweight. Undefeated through the first seven years and 25 fights of his career, Flores suffered his first setback when he traveled to Australia to challenge Danny Green for his IBO Cruiserweight world title, dropping a unanimous decision. The Arizona native bounced back by winning eight of his next nine fights before getting a second chance at a world title, again traveling to his opponent’s hometown. This time, Flores was stopped by WBC Cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew in Liverpool. Flores has since moved to heavyweight, where he has won two of his three fights.

“Not only is this a winnable fight for me, I am 100 percent winning this,” said Flores. “I’m working with [trainers] Angel Heredia and Ibn Cason and world class heavyweight Kubrat Pulev. Working with this team is perfect for getting my strength and conditioning up for this fight, and sparring with one of the top guys in the world in Pulev is making me very sharp. I know Wallin is undefeated and has a good amateur style. He’s tall and has good boxing ability. I know he’s got some talent and is a young up and coming guy. He’ll be trying to make a name for himself off of my name, so I’ll be ready for that.”

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian 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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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 80 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.

**For Immediate Release** Las Vegas based heavyweight contender BJ Flores (34-4-1) has been quietly enjoying retirement life. Between managing his real estate properties in Scottsdale AZ and his occasional commentary duties for the WBSS in 2018 and 2019, Flores felt like he had laced up the gloves for the final time. Then the phone rang with an offer he couldn’t refuse. He was presented with an opportunity to face a world rated, undefeated, up and coming heavyweight on Showtime.  The former two-time world title challenger will return to the ring on July 12th in Seattle, WA when he faces unbeaten heavyweight contender Otto Wallin (20-0) in a bout that will serve as a ShoBox main event on Showtime.  Flores was last in action in August when he came up short against Trevor Bryan in a bout for the vacant interim WBA world heavyweight title. With the way that fight went, Flores knows there will be doubters and rightfully so.  “I have no excuses “said Flores. “Trevor Bryan was the better man that night and I wish him the best moving forward,” Flores stated.  However, Flores and his newly assembled a team of star studded names in the boxing industry that believe July 12th will be an entirely different story.  For this fight he has enlisted the services of highly regarded trainer Ibn Cason who trains #1 rated heavyweight contender Kubrat Pulev. He also has brought aboard Angel “Memo” Heredia who is one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the business. Flores and Heredia have often times been seen at fights together and have shared a mutual friendship for years. Flores said the time had come to go to work with Angel.  “Ibn Cason and Angel Heredia will have me at the top of my game. Being in camp with world class heavyweight Kubrat Pulev will also be an amazing experience. He is very good and there is a lot to learn from a guy like Kubrat. All these new additions to my team will help me surprise a lot of people on July 12th,” said Flores. “I would also like to thank Ivaylo Gotzev who helped put this together. Ivaylo has been a good friend of mine for years and he has a way of bringing people together. Kubrat welcomes me into camp with open arms. We are working extremely hard and we are both very focused.” “This will be my first time fighting on Showtime and I plan on putting on a great show. Wallin is a good fighter. 6’6” and young, hungry and undefeated. He isn’t 20-0 for no reason. I am greatly looking forward to this opportunity.“ Flores has been a professional boxer for over 16 years. Over the course of his career he has fought several top fighters and Former World champions such as Tony Bellew, Danny Green, Beibut Shumenov and WBA heavyweight Interim champion Trevor Bryan.  Flores believes he has far more experience in championship fights and will look to turn back the clock on July 12.