SHOBOX: Austin Trout and Michael Oliveira remain undefeated but fail to impress

On the eve of one of the biggest fights of the year, Showtime presented SHOBOX: The New Generation in El Paso, Texas, which features two young unbeaten fighters but failed to provide the necessary fireworks to impress the casual boxing observers.

Sure, WBA super welterweight champion Austin Trout (24-0, 14 KOs) and prospect Michael Oliveira (16-0, 13 KOs) disposed of their opponents inside the distance, but it was surprising how Frank Loporto (15-4-3, 7 KOs) and Xavier Toliver (23-8, 15 KOs), who were both overmatched and took the fight on a 10-day notice, lasted that long in the bout.

In the main event, the disparity in power and skill was quite evident the moment the bell rang in the first round. Frank Loporto, ranked #14 by the WBA, took Austin Trout by surprise as he swarmed and rushed the champion with wild punches that failed to hit their intended targets. Moments later, a short right hand to the chin sent the game challenger down on the seat of his pants. Loporto was obviously hurt but beat the count as he withered the storm until the end of the round, due partly to Trout's inability to connect with his power shots.

Continue reading the article HERE