LOS ANGELES (March 22, 2016) – Undefeated top prospects featured on the undercards of Antonio Orozco vs. Miguel Acosta on March 25 and Manuel Avila vs. Rene Alvarado on April 1, hosted Los Angeles media workout today ahead of their scheduled fights. Fighters, Jason “El Animal” Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs), Emilio Sanchez (11-0, 8 KOs), Oscar Torres (8-0, 4 KOs), Edgar “Kid Neza” Valerio (5-0, 3 KOs), Pablo “The Shark” Rubio Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) and newcomer Tenochtitlan “T-Dog” Nava were all in attendance to show off some of their boxing skills in ring.

Below is what the fighters had to say about their upcoming fights:

Video of the workout is also available on Golden Boy Promotions’ YouTube page:

JASON “EL ANIMAL” QUIGLEY, Middleweight Prospect:

“It can be hard to be so far away from home, especially on this past St. Patrick’s Day holiday but I had a great day out celebrating with friends this year. My last fight was a learning experience, I know mistakes happen and I know not to lose control for next time.

“David Lemeuix is a great guy and boxer. We are both in this sport to be the best we can. To be honest, the Olympics first caught my attention but at the end of the day I’ve left that behind. I’m in professional boxing, and fighting as amateur is a completely different sport.”

EMILIO SANCHEZ, Featherweight Prospect:

“I’m really excited for my upcoming fight in Fantasy Springs this week. I’ve been training really hard in the gym and I’m hoping to move up to 10-rounders this year.

“I know this will be a good fight and if the knock out comes, I’ll be ready to take it.”

EDGAR “KID NEZA” VALERIO, Featherweight Prospect:

“From the looks of my opponent’s record, it seems like it will be a very good fight.

“I’ve been going in hard and keeping it consistent in the gym. I’m hoping after this fight to move on up to eight-rounders.”

TENOCHTITLAN “T-DOG” NAVA, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“It’s a great honor to be among stalemates like Nick Arce and Rafael Gramajo at the Westside Boxing Club. I had a really great amateur career of about 35 fights and couldn’t be more excited for my LA Fight Club professional debut next Friday.”

PABLO “THE SHARK” RUBIO JR., Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“It feels great to be out there and have so many supporters and fans cheering me on with Team Shark. My goal is to put on a great fight. I always go into the ring the best I can be and I’m always on the lookout for a huge knockout.”

OSCAR TORRES, Welterweight Prospect:

“I haven’t seen any video of my opponent, but I’m ready to take him on.

“I feel very happy and prepared for LA Fight Club next week. My opponent was changed, so I’ve had to switch up my workout routine in the gym to get the big knock out on fight night.

“Ultimately, my goal is to sign with Golden Boy Promotions and become a World Champion.”

Antonio Orozco vs. Miguel Acosta, is a 10-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold.” The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

LA FIGHT CLUB: Manuel Avila vs. Rene Alvarado is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold” and Carmelita Chorizo. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Friday, April 1 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT and will stream live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $45, $35, $25 and can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB are on sale starting at $20 with new Flex Passes, Group Tickets and Bold Experience upgrades are available for purchase now at www.goldenboypromotions.com, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, by calling 213-233-2957 or by emailing LAFightClub@goldenboypromotions.com.

SAN DIEGO (March 16, 2016) – “Relentless” Antonio Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs), one of the top contenders in the sport, hosted a media workout today in San Diego’s House of Boxing ahead of his match-up against former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta (29-8-2, 23 KOs) on March 25. The 10-round welterweight fight will be broadcasted live nationally on Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV, from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

Orozco was last seen in the ring when he defeated former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto on the undercard of Matthysse vs. Postol on Oct. 3, 2015. This victory elevated Orozco to on the top 10 of his division by the WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF and also landed him on the pound-for-pound lists of ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Ring Magazine and USA Today’ Boxing Junkie in his division. Orozco is back and ready to step back in the ring to gain a shot at a world title in 2016. Below is what the fighter and his trainer Carlos Barragan had to say about his upcoming fight:

“RELENTLESS” ANTONIO OROZCO, Welterweight Contender:

“I am ready to give all the fans a great fight on March 25. Since my fight with Humberto Soto I have excited to get into the ring and show the fans a great night of boxing.

“I know this is my opportunity to show I am ready for the world title shot in 2016 and I promise I will not disappoint. I have been training to make sure I am victorious.

“We know that Acosta is a former champion and is going to come prepared. At this point of my career every opponent has to be taken seriously and we know he will be dangerous. Our job is to make sure we are more prepared and more dangerous.

CARLOS BARRAGAN, Trainer to Antonio Orozco:

“Antonio is very excited to retun to the ring after his victory against Humberto “La Zorritta” Soto. We are prepared and trust our team, Frank Espinoza and Golden Boy Promotions. They understand the sport and are very successful in the sport. We know that big things are coming for Antonio this year.

“This has been a great training camp. We learned a lot from fighting an elite champion like Humberto Soto and we have made a few adjustments to make sure Antonio is prepared for any fight. We have been working on speed and movement, making sure that his sparring partners are challenging him to work on his defense.

“Acosta is a tough fighter who has a lot of power. We are training to beat the best Miguel Acosta the one that beat Urbano Antillo and claimed the world championship.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $45, $35, $25 and can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Antonio Orozco vs. Miguel Acosta is a 10-round super bantamweight boutpresented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the first bout begins at 5:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Friday, March 25 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT., and will stream live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

Or
LOS ANGELES (Feb. 11, 2016) – Fresh off an exciting victory over former three-division world champion, Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto on the undercard of Matthysse vs. Postol on Oct. 3, “Relentless” Antonio Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs) is ready to gain a shot at a world title in 2016 when he takes on former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta (29-8-2, 23 KOs) on March 25. The 10-round welterweight fight will be broadcasted live nationally on Boxeo Estelar on Estrella TV, from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

“I’m excited to get back in the ring on March 25,” said Antonio Orozco. “I have had some great fights at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and on Friday, March 25, I’m preparing for a great one as well.”

“Antonio Orozco had a fantastic year in the ring in 2015, defeating veteran Humberto ‘La Zorrita’ Soto and top contender Emmanuel Taylor,” said Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We have high hopes for Antonio in 2016 and believe he is on a path to fight for a world title soon. His next fight against Miguel Acosta on March 25 will get him one step closer to that goal.”

In the televised co-main event, newly signed Golden Boy Promotions fighter, Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (16-3-2, 12 KOs) of Blythe, Calif. will fight in a 10-round featherweight fight. Hoping to make air time on Estrella TV, Edgar “Kid Neza” Valerio (5-0, 3 KOs) of Los Angeles, will be participating in a six-round swing bout.

Undefeated top prospects round out the non-televised undercard, which will stream live on Ring TV. First, Jason “El Animal” Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs) of Donegal, Ireland is scheduled for an eight-round middleweight bout; St. Louis, Mo.’s undefeated welterweight KeAndre “The Truth” Gibson (14-0-1, 6 KOs) will fight in an eight-round fight; Emilio Sanchez (11-0, 8 KOs) of Pacoima, Calif. will participate in an eight-round featherweight bout; Indio, Calif.’s Marco Magdaleno (2-0, 1 KOs) will be engaged in a four-round event and opening up the night, Whittier, Calif. Pablo “The Shark” Rubio (4-0, 3 KOs) will fight in a four-round super bantamweight bout. Opponents will be announced shortly.

Ranked number five by the WBC and fourth by the IBF “Relentless” Antonio Orozco of San Diego by way of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico holds impressive victories over former world champion Stevie “2 Pound” Forbes and Martin “El Brochas” Honorio, and seasoned fighters Ivan Hernandez and Miguel “El Anestesista” Huerta have propelled Orozco to the top of the super lightweight division. In 2015 Orozco, started off the year with an impressive unanimous decision victory over the dangerous super lightweight contender Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor in May. Orozco showed his boxing skills and dominance in the ring. Most recently, the undefeated fighter was seen in the ring in an impressive unanimous decision victory over former three-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto on Oct. 3, 2015. The victory solidified Orozco as a serious threat in the division now on route to obtaining a shot a world title in 2016.

Hailing from Philadelphia, by way of Miranda, Venezuela, Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta has had a long career full of up’s and downs. A professional since 1999, Acosta became the WBA Lightweight World Champion over then undefeated Urbano Antillon in 2009. The Venezuelan, defended the title once before losing it to Richar Abril in 2011. Since then, Acosta has been fighting consistently looking for another opportunity at a title but has come up short. Now, with a fight against one of the top fighters in the division in Antonio Orozco, a victory could propel him back into the title game.

A professional since 2006, Blythe, California’s Andrew “El Chango” Cancio has had a successful career facing some of boxing’s toughest featherweight contenders. The talented 27-year-old holds victories over perennial contender and 2000 U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Rocky Juarez, the battle tested Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes, and is coming off an impressive seventh round knockout of tough warrior Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado.

Hailing from Balleybofey in County Donegal, Ireland, the 24-year-old Jason “El Animal” Quigley had an outstanding amateur career becoming the first Irish fighter to win a Silver medal at the AIBA World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2013. “El Animal” started his professional career in 2014 and has quickly garnered attention by ending each fight via knockout against Howard Reece, Fernando Najera, and Greg McCoy. Quigley has continued his wins-by-knockout streak by impressively taking down Lanny Dardar, Tolutomi Agunbiade, Joshua Snyder and Michael Faulk. Most recently, Quigley fought Marchristopher Adkins in November winning the bout via unanimous decision.

24-year-old welterweight prospect, KeAndre “The Truth” Gibson, of Saint Louis, Mo. who now makes his home in Las Vegas, has become quite popular in Texas, where he won impressive victories over John Nater and Jose Hernandez. In January 2015, Gibson took on Nicaragua’s Nelson Lara winning the fight via unanimous decision. In his second fight of 2015, Gibson faced Jorge Ramos in an eight round fight winning the bout via unanimous decision in the undercard of Canelo-Kirkland on May 9, 2015. Gibson was last seen in the ring on October 2015, defeating Tom Howard via knockout.

Pacoima, Calif.’s super bantamweight Emilio Sanchez made his professional debut in 2013 in first round knockout of Luis Alfredo Rodriguez starting out a string of first-round knockouts throughout 2013. Since then Sanchez has maintained his momentum, showing his power and his intelligence in the ring. 2015 was a busy year for Sanchez, fighting five times in front of his hometown crowd at the Belasco Theater. The 21-year-old is last defeated Juan Hernandez in December 2015 via knockout and will be looking to continue the trend when he fights in his first fight of 2016.
Edgar Valerio is determined to become a force in boxing since making his professional debut in September 2012. Valerio is part of the rising local talent from Los Angeles, and has fought all of his professional fights in the region before a hometown crowd. In August 2014, Valerio secured a unanimous decision victory over Adrian Rodriguez and in his first fight of 2015, Valerio defeated Justin Lopez via knockout. Now, Valerio is ready to continue his undefeated trend when he fights on March 25.

Las Vegas native Marco Magdaleno comes from a fighting family that includes brothers Diego and Jessie, and after a stellar amateur career, the hard-working southpaw from Indio made his professional debut against another newcomer to the game, Lancaster’s Phillip Bounds defeating him via knockout. The 23-year-old fought at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino for a second time in December of 2015 defeating Derick Bartlemay via unanimous decision. Now, the southpaw will be looking to keep his undefeated record when he fights in front of his hometown for the third time.

Hailing fromWhittier, Calif., Pablo Rubio Jr. fought three times in 2015 after making his professional debut at the June 4 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB with a win against Julio Rodriguez. Previously, Rubio fought in the 2014 USA Boxing Junior and Youth Open in the youth lightweight class at 123 lbs., and has sparred with the likes of undefeated World Champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz. Rubio is determined to make a strong start for his second year as a professional fighter with another victory in 2016.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are priced at $45, $35, $25 and can be purchased at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Antonio Orozco vs. Miguel Acosta, is a 10-round welterweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, http://www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @EstrellaTV; and follow the conversation using #BoxeoEstelar.

Mauricio Herrera 140 – Ji-Hoon Kim 140
Miguel Acosta 135 – Miguel Gonzalez 135
Taras Shelestyuk 151 – Brandon Adams 151
Hector Serrano 144 – Michael Peralta 143
Richard Contreras 123 – Jose Iniguez 126 ½
Fernando Fuentes 117 ½ – Cristian Lorenzo 117 ½
Joshua Conley 156 – Eric Prado 153
Promoter: Banner Promotions & Thompson Boxing
Venue: Omega Products Outdoor Events Center
1st Bell: 5:45 Pacific Time. ESPN 7pm Pacific Time / 10 pm Eastern

PHILADELPHIA, PA (APRIL 10, 2013)—On Thursday night May 2nd, Banner Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions will present a special night of boxing that will originate from The Omega Products International, located at 1681 California Avenue in Corona, California and will be televised as a special edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

In the ten round main event, Mauricio Herrera will take on the exciting Ji-Hoon Kim in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Herrera of Riverside, California has a record of 18-3 with 7 knockouts and has some solid wins on his resume. The thirty-two year old won his first eleven bouts which included wins over Alan Velasco (8-1-2); Daniel Cervantes (10-0-1); Santiago Perez (10-1-2); Pavel Miranda (16-2) before winning the WBC USNBC Jr. Welterweight title with a 10 round unanimous decision over Luis Alfredo Lugo. He made one defense of that crown, as well as a win over current world ranked Cleotis Pendarvis before suffering his first loss to former world champion Mike Anchondo. Herrera went on to win five in a row which included a split decision over previously undefeated and world ranked Ruslan Provodnikov. Herrera is looking to get back in the win column after losing a ten round unanimous decision to undefeated Karim Mayfield on October 27th, 2012 on HBO Boxing After Dark.

Kim, of Goyang City, South Korea, has a record of 24-8 with 18 knockouts and is currently ranked 14th by the IBF at Lightweight. He began his career at the age of 17 in 2004 and had his first eighteen fights staged in South Korea. While in South Korea, Kim captured The South Korean and PABA Featherweight titles. Kim made a huge splash in his American debut as he stopped former world title challenger Kobo Gogaladze in one round on May 16th, 2008. Kim then split his time between South Korea and the United States before winning an IBF Lightweight elimination bout against Ameth Diaz. The win set up a world title opportunity, as he fought a terrific fight before dropping a unanimous decision to Miguel Vazquez for the vacant IBF Lightweight world title.

Kim has seen his popularity grow due to his all action style, has been featured on ESPN’s Friday Night Fight’s and has appeared in many “Fight of the Year” candidates. Kim has picked quality wins over Yakubu Amidu (20-2-1) and previously undefeated Alisher Rahimov (23-0). Kim is coming off a ten round unanimous decision defeat to world ranked Ray Beltran on December 6th, 2012 in a bout where Kim knocked Beltran down in round one.

In the co-feature, former world Lightweight champion Miguel Acosta will take on Miguel Gonzalez in a bout scheduled for ten rounds.

Acosta of Caracas, Venezuela has a record of 29-6-2 with 23 knockouts. Acosta won the WBA Interim Lightweight title with a 9th round stoppage over previously undefeated Urbano Antillon (26-0) on July 25th, 2009. He won the full title when he stopped Paulus Moses (25-0) in Moses’ home country of Namibia on May 29, 2010. Acosta performed well before being stopped in 10 rounds to eventual world champion Brandon Rios. Acosta got another crack at the WBA interim title but lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Richar Abril. Acosta is coming off a ten round split decision defeat to then undefeated Art Hovhannisyan (14-0-2) on July 20, 2012.

Gonzalez of Cleveland, Ohio has a record of 20-3 with 15 knockouts. The twenty-seven year old Gonzalez is a rising prospect as he continues to step up the competition and has quality wins over the likes of Tyrone Harris (24-7) and Humberto Toledo (39-6). He is coming off a ten round unanimous decision defeat to highly regarded Mike Dallas Jr. on February 17th, 2012.

“This will be an exciting doubleheader on May 2nd”, said Banner Promotions CEO Arthur Pelullo.

“Herrera and Kim can get right back in the title mix with a win and the opening bout features Acosta who is a former world champion taking on Gonzalez, who with a win can throw his name in the middle of the Lightweight title picture”.

“We’re excited to host this special edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights Boxing on a Thursday night. We’re especially enthused to feature our very own, Riverside’s junior welterweight slugger Mauricio Herrera in a tough competition against South Korea’s Ji-Hoon Kim. I have no doubt that these two warriors will leave it all in the ring and give the viewing fights fans everything they expect to see and even more! The entire fight card will be an exciting one so the local boxing aficionados that will be in attendance are in for a turbulent treat!” said Ken Thompson of Thompson Boxing.

Other exciting fights featuring fighters from the local area and will complete the card, including Hector Serrano of Perris, California Xavier Montelongo Jr., Christian Navarro, Richard Contreras and Joshua Conley.

All bouts are subject to change without notice.

Doors open at 5:00 P.M. (Pacific Time)
First fight at 5:45 P.M.
First Bout on ESPN2 at 7:00 P.M.
Ticket prices: $100, $60, $40.
Tickets are available by calling 714-935-0900 or by visiting the website: www.thompsonboxing.com

SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA — In by far his toughest test to date, lightweight prospect Art Hovhannisyan remained unbeaten with a ten-round split decision over former titleholder Miguel Acosta in the Showtime-televised main event emanating from the Chumash Casino Resort on Friday night.

Hovhannisyan (15-0-2, 8 KOs) of Glendale, California by way of Gyumri, Armenia got off to a strong start, and it looked as though he may make it a short night. Near the end of the first round, Hovhannisyan, 132, caught Acosta, 134, with a clean right hand to score a knockdown. Acosta (29-6-2, 23 KOs) of Santiago de Leon de Caraca, Miranda, Venezuela appeared to be in trouble, but lucky for the former champion the bell sounded before Hovhannisyan could really capitalize.

Though Hovhannisyan maintained in control for the next few rounds, Acosta got his legs under him and slowly worked his way back into the fight. In the fifth, Acosta countered Hovhannisyan with a right hand, dropping the Armenian to a knee for a knockdown of his own. It appeared to be a flash knockdown, but may have been motivation for Acosta to believe a decision was still possible.

Acosta carried some momentum into the final two rounds, but it was apparent he was running low on gas. Hovhannisyan closed stronger, though both fighters had some great moments in action-packed tenth-round. When the final bell sounded, both fighters found themselves on the shoulders of their team members.

In the end, it was Acosta’s team that would be disappointed. Scores read 95-93 twice for Hovhannisyan, with the lone dissenting judge having 96-92 for Acosta. With the victory, Hovhannisyan will likely find himself ranked in the top fifteen by one or more of the major sanctioning organizations.

“I’m very happy to get the win,” said Hovhannisyan. “Acosta can still fight. I think my conditioning played a great role in my performance, but at this level you need to be good in all facets. This fight was definitely a great learning experience for me.”

In the televised co-feature, Roman Morales (11-0, 6 KOs) of San Ardo, California used his size and skill advantages to move past tough Alexis Santiago (11-3-1, 5 KOs) of Phoenix, Arizona via eight-round unanimous decision.

It was apparent from the early going that Morales, 122, was not going to be much affected by the punches Santiago, 122, landed. Morales, who normally displays stellar defense, was more willing to take one in order to landed his three or four-punch combinations. Though outgunned, Santiago made it a fight and stood up to some hard shots. Only one was able to put him down, as a picture-perfect left uppercut from the southpaw stance dropped Santiago in the third.

By the final two rounds, it looked as though Santiago may not make it to the final bell. Towards the end of the final round, Santiago showed his grit again as he fired and traded with the still strong Morales. It turned out to be a treat for the fans despite the lopsided scores of 80-71, 80-72 and 79-72.

“I thought this was a good performance,” said Morales. “I’m glad I could go eight hard rounds because that is what I expected. I got a little tired, but I knew I had to keep working. I’ll be back in the gym soon and I’ll be ready to fight whoever my team wants me to.” Next up for Morales is tough Jonathan Alcantara on August 24th at the Tulare County Fairgrounds in Tulare, California.

Jonathan Maicelo (17-0, 10 KOs) of North Bergen, New Jersey by way of Callao, Peru demolished normally durable, but aging former title challenger Daniel Attah (26-12-1, 9 KOs) of Washington, District of Columbia by way of Calabar, Nigeria inside of three rounds.

Maicelo, 135, pressed the action, landing with power shots in regularity from the opening bell. By the third, Attah, 135, was on the way out. Maicelo landed a straight right upstairs to score a knockdown moments into the round. The veteran Attah returned to his feet, only to take more punishment from Maicelo, who closed the show with a right hook-left hook combination. Referee Lou Moret called a halt at 2:45 of the third.

Longtime local favorite Rufino Serrano (13-4) of Santa Maria, California by way of Morelia, Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico did what he does and boxed his way to a six-round unanimous decision over Rob Diezel (8-5, 3 KOs) of Seattle, Washington.

Diezel, 125 ½, attempted to match boxing skills with the adept Serrano, 125 ½, from the early going. While Diezel did well in the opening stages, Serrano’s class took over as the rounds progressed. However, Diezel was never in any trouble, unless you count a cut he suffered from an accidental head clash. Serrano took all three cards 59-55.

In a fight where somebody’s ‘0’ had to go, nobody’s did as winless Edgar Alvarado (0-1-1) of Riverside, California and winless Erick Prado (0-2-1) of nearby Santa Maria battled to a draw in a slugfest. From the opening stanza, Alvarado, 157 ½, and Prado, 161, fought their hearts out much to the delight of the packed house. Prado landed the cleaner shots in the early rounds, but Alvarado often closed better by landing his own telling blows. By the look of things, Alvarado needed to take the final round and he did so in impressive fashion. Scores read 40-36 for Alvarado, 39-37 for Prado and 38-38 to force the draw. The only unfortunate result is neither fighter gets their deserved first victory.

Tureano Johnson (10-0, 7 KOs) of Atlanta, Georgia by way of Nassau, Bahamas made short work as was expected against inactive journeyman Arturo Rodriguez (12-12, 8 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Johnson, 160, outworked Rodriguez, 159, by applying pressure with punishing shots to the body and head. Finally, Johnson dropped Rodriguez with a clean uppercut, which ended matters. Referee Marcos Rosales called a halt at the 1:49 mark of round one.

Johnson’s next bout was already scheduled, as he will take on DonYil Livingston (8-1-1, 4 KOs) of Palmdale, California in an eight-rounder on August 10th ESPN2 undercard at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in Morongo, California.

In the walkout bout, which was reduced from eight rounds to six, Francisco Santana (13-3-1, 6 KOs) of Santa Barbara, California cruised to a unanimous decision over journeyman Larry Smith (10-12, 7 KOs) of Dallas, Texas.

Smith, 150, looked to stay at range with his long wingspan from the outset. However, it was the onrushing Santana, 148, that dictated the fight. Santana, a recent Manny Pacquiao sparring partner, threw combination with short hooks and chopping shots from over the top.

Halfway through the fight, Smith began to concentrate more on posturing and mugging for the crowd than attempting to win the fight. In the end, Smith managed to duck and dodge enough to last the distance. Scores unsurprisingly read for Santana, 60-54 and 59-55 twice.

For the first time in his illustrious career, world renowned ring announcer “Generous” Joe Antonacci handled those duties for a West Coast event, in addition to conducting post-fight interviews for the off-TV fights.

Boxing returns to the Chumash Casino Resort on September 21st for another Gary Shaw Productions-promoted edition of Shobox: The New Generation.

Photos by Dwight McCann/Chumash Casino Resort

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rounds.com.

NEW YORK (July 18, 2012) – At 30, Art Hovhannisyan (14-0-2, 8 KOs) is a six-year pro who remains highly regarded even though he has fought only 75 rounds in his career – an average of about 12 a year.

This Friday, July 20, in what should be an exciting main event on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), the Glendale, Calif.-based Armenian faces always-dangerous, hard-hitting former World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Miguel Acosta (29-5-2, 23 KOs) at Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif.

In a compelling co-feature, talented unbeaten Roman Morales (10-0, 6 KOs), of San Ardo, Calif., meets Alexis Santiago (11-2-1 5 KOs), of Phoenix, Ariz., in an eight-round super bantamweight bout.

A scheduled eight-round junior middleweight fight between undefeated Julian “J-Rock” Williams, of Philadelphia, and Sid El Harrak, of Santa Clarita, Calif., was cancelled yesterday after El Harrak withdrew with a knee injury.

Morales, 23, and Santiago, 21, are making their ShoBox debuts. Morales, a top amateur who’s making his sixth appearance at Chumash, hasn’t come close to losing since going pro in February 2011. But he’s only been matched with two fighters with winning records, and he’s never fought more than six rounds.

Santiago, a pro since October ’09, relocated to Las Vegas from Phoenix 10 months ago and is trained by former world champion Roger Mayweather. Santiago has fought much better and has twice gone eight rounds; one of his losses came against undefeated prospect Randy Caballero. He’s won three of four.

Hovhannisyan will be making his first start in 11 months and second in a row against a former world titleholder. In his last outing, he fought a technical draw with ex-International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight champion Cristobal Cruz in an entertaining bout on Aug. 5, 2011, that was stopped at 2:36 of the fourth round due to a nasty, accidental head butt that opened a bad cut on Cruz’ forehead.

The experienced, aggressive-minded Acosta captured the WBA lightweight crown in May 2010 but lost it in his first defense to Brandon Rios in a thrilling, fast-paced scrap with plenty of two-way action on Feb. 26, 2011. Acosta swept the first four rounds on two of the scorecards and hurt Rios on several occasions, but Rios rallied to win by 10th-round TKO.

Hovhannisyan, who scored a career-best victory with a sixth-round knockout over previously undefeated prospect Archie Ray Marquez on June 10, 2011, on ShoBox, knows this could be his toughest fight. But he desperately wants to jump-start his career, so what better time than now?

“This is the kind of fight I have to take and I have to win,” he said. “As soon as we got the call, I took the fight. It took me about a second to decide. I know some may think twice about me fighting two former champs back-to-back, but I’m thrilled for the opportunity. I’m definitely ready to take the next step,

“I’m really eager to show my critics that I’m not a one-hit wonder, that the Marquez fight was for real. I’m determined to show the people that I have the goods to be a world champ. It’s going to be a great fight.

“I’m a hard worker and will be as motivated as I can be. I’m definitely treating this like a world title fight. I have all the respect for Acosta and know he’s a great champion. I would have liked to take a fight at 130 pounds, but at some point I have to fight and defeat some good fighters.”

Tickets for an event presented by Gary Shaw Productions in association with Thompson Boxing Promotions are priced at $35, $45, $55, $70, and $85 and are on sale at Chumash Resort Casino Box office or online at www.startickets.com.

Hovhannisyan recently answered six questions:

What are your thoughts on Acosta?

“I’ve watched four or five of Acosta’s fights, and I definitely saw his fight against Rios. I thought he was impressive until he ran out of gas. I know I won’t be able to relax against him.”

Why so few fights throughout career?

“I haven’t fought the last year mostly because I’ve had fights fall through. I’ve had a few offers; Rances Barthelemy, for one, but he didn’t take it. I had three training camps stopped abruptly. If I had my way, I’d have been fighting a lot more. But it takes two.

“Injuries played a large part, too. I’ve broken my right hand right twice. I’ll never be 100 percent. My doctor says I hit too hard for the weight class, and my bones are too fragile for all my power, something like that. I’ve also suffered a back injury and hurt my other hand. I guess I’ve had a series of bad fortune. When healthy, I’m OK but it’s hard to stay healthy because my right hand is so suspect. I fight through it all, that’s what I do. I’m a grown man with grown-man power. I know what I want to do in boxing and what I have to deal with. String a few victories together and I know I’ll be on the threshold of some big fights.”

How did you feel you were performing against Cristobal Cruz before a clash of heads ended it?

“I like to pace myself and kind of see what I need to do. It was obvious I was eventually going to stop him. I didn’t think the cut was that bad and I wanted the fight to continue because I’d already taken his best shots and I knew I’d finish him in the next two or three rounds. I’d fight Cruz again any time.”

What was it like sparring with ex-world champions Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan?

“It was an incredible experience. I loved every second of it. If they wanted more rounds, I gave them more. To work with great fighters like that was invaluable to me and I cherished every second.”

What fighters inspire you?

“I really look up to Mike Tyson and his aggressive style. He was short but he came in to take your head off. There are no friends in the ring. If you wanted to shake hands, he would after he knocked you out.”

Are you excited about fighting a third time in a row at Chumash?

“I love Chumash and I love fighting there. The atmosphere, the ring, I’m real comfortable with all of that. Chumash is becoming like a home for me.”

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting the newly crowned WBA Lightweight champion Brandon Rios broke his hand in his title winning effort against Miguel Acosta on Satuday night.

“He said he felt it crack and pop and he knew he had broken it but that he had to keep punching,” Cameon Dunkin, Rios’ manager said.

“He knew it was injured and he kept throwing it, that’s how much he wanted the fight,” Dunkin said.

“I said to Brandon, ‘Do you want to go the hospital and get that checked out and they’ll give you some painkillers,” Dunkin said. “He said, no, that he just wanted to go up upstairs to take a hot shower and get in bed. It was a rough fight. I said, ‘Your hand is broken.’ He said, ‘I’m alright, I just want to go to bed, I’m tired. I’ll get it checked out [Sunday].’”

“He’s going to be in a cast for awhile and I know how these things go,” Dunkin said. “I don’t see him fighting again for four to five months.”

Brandon Rios won the WBA Lightweight title with an exciting ten round stoppage over champion Miguel Acosta at the Pearl Theatre in The Palms in Las Vegas.

Acosta boxed very well over the first four rounds as he showed a nice mixture of movement, boxing and power shots. Rios started to get into the fight in round five with his relentless pressure and landing power shots with the right hand.

Rios dropped Acosta for the first of three times with a jab and in the process opened up a cut around the right eye of Acosta. Acosta steadied himself to box well in round eight. Rios scored a second knockdown in round eight with a pair of left hands that sent Acosta on the seat of his pants. Rios landed some nice power shots in round nine. In round ten, Rios landed a big right in the corner that sent Acosta down for a third and final time as Acosta’s corner saved their man from any more punishment at 1:14 of round ten.

Rios, 134 1/2 lbs of Oxnard, CA is still undefeated at 27-0-1 with nineteen knockouts. Acosta, 134 1/2 lbs of Caracas, Venezuela lost for the first time in nine years (nineteen fights) and is now 28-4-2.

“A star was born tonight,” said Hall of Fame Top Rank promoter Bob Arum as Rios (27-0-1, 19 KOs) thrilled the crowd with an action-packed performance and 10th round knockout victory over Acosta at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The 32-year-old Venezuelan had the early upper hand over Rios by moving around the ring and landing hard punches to the head. Acosta (28-4-2, 22 KOs) was able to stifle Rios’ game plan by boxing the brawler with a strong jab through the first several rounds. But by the end of the fifth, Rios finished with a flurry and walked back to his corner with a sense of confidence that shined throughout the rest of the fight.

In the sixth, Rios, 27, was finally able to force Acosta to engage in an inside scrap. Rios, the naturally larger fighter, started unloading his heavy hands and eventually dropped Acosta with a left jab. “I’ve got a pretty good jab … when I use it,” joked the predominantly come-forward fighter.

With tears of joy in his eyes after the fight, the newly-crowned champ showed tremendous modesty in his reaction. “I proved I’ve got a good chin now,” Rios said with a smile. As for what’s next for Rios, the determined fighter said he would fight anyone in the lightweight division. “Whatever Bob Arum wants,” said Rios as Arum looked on with a proud smile.

Following his first loss since 2003, a disheartened Acosta admitted, “I’m more sad than hurt. I prepared for the fight but Brandon Rios has power.”

Antonio DeMarco scored a twelve round unanimous decision over Reyes Sanchez in a twelve round Lightweight elimination bout at The Heartland Events Center in Grand Island, Nebraska.

DeMarco cut Sanchez in the first minute of the fight as a right jab opened up a cut over the left eye of Sanchez. DeMarco took the early rounds as he landed the harder blows. Sanchez came back in the middle rounds as he applied great pressure as he landed some good shots but with little power behind it. There were some great exchanges at the end of the middle rounds. DeMarco steadied himself to win enough of the late frames to hold on the victory by scores of 117-111; 116-112 and 115-113.

DeMarco, 134 1/2 lbs of Tijuana, Mexico is now 25-2-1. Sanchez, 134 1/2 lbs of Mexico City is now 24-2.

Said DeMarco: “Sanchez is a great fighter and he threw a lot of punches. It was a great fight. I love fighting in Nebraska. The crowd was really into it. That really motivated me.”