ShoBox: Art Hovhannisyan edges Miguel Acosta via split decision to remain undefeated

Highly-regarded prospect Art Hovhannisyan (15-0-2, 8 KO) won via split decision (95-93, 95-93, 92-96) over former WBA lightweight titleholder Miguel Acosta (29-6-2, 23 KO) in ShoBox's lightweight bout held Friday night at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, CA.

The fight started with Art Hovhannisyan taking the fight to Miguel Acosta. The Armenian began unleashing his dreaded bombs but kept missing, while Miguel Acosta was circling and throwing counters but hitting nothing but air. Then with just less than 10 seconds left in the round, Hovhannisyan caught Acosta with a thunderous overhand right and dropped him like a log. Miguel Acosta, visibly dazed and on wobbly knees, managed to survive to fight another round and beyond.

The first round knockdown looked to be so devastating that many in the audience thought it would be a short night for Miguel Acosta, but the Venezuelan embarked on an escape and evasion mission and spent the entire three minutes of the second round trying to clear the cobwebs in his head, refusing to engage Art Hovhannisyan in a fight, but the Armenian fighter let him be.

In the next round or two, the audience saw Art Hovhannisyan's confident but ineffective swagger along with Miguel Acosta employing the pedal, as the former champion, wary of his opponent's power, began riding the bike, while the Armenian with the right hand at cocked and loaded, tried to unload the one haymaker that would matter, but to no avail.

The fight then went on into a lot of movements, albeit lacking in action: Miguel Acosta bobbing and weaving, throwing feints but not landing shots on Art Hovhannisyan, who seemed to be confused by the circling and head movements of his opponent, and eventually forgetting to take his own shots. There were a lot of posturings but no hard contacts.

But in the fifth round, Miguel Acosta snuck a right hand that buckled Art Hovhannisyan's knees, causing his right glove to touch the canvas. It was a flush knockdown with Hovhannisyan more embarrassed than hurt, as the referee gave him the mandatory count. The result was the rejuvenation of Miguel Acosta as he became more active and threw his jabs more frequently from then on.

The next round was the story of the right hands, with both fighters causing damage to each other, but Miguel Acosta had the edge, landing a chopping right hand on Art Hovhannisyan in one of the exchanges.
By the seventh round, Miguel Acosta was getting more confident with his ability to penetrate Art Hovhannisyan's defenses. The Venezuelan was quicker and landing punches, while Hovhannisyan was getting frustrated and one-dimensional, relying mostly on his right hand.

The 8th and 9th rounds showed Miguel Acosta evading Art Hovhannisyan's bombs while potshotting him with jabs and counters. His smarts frustrated Art Hovhannisyan as he brought the fight to the center of the ring, began to dart in and out, sniping him then getting out of range, and making himself an elusive target of his opponent's counters, visibly frustrating Art Hovhannisyan.

The 10th and final round saw both fighters engaging each other in a tit-for-tat, see-saw battle trying to make the last impressions on the judges' scorecards. The fight was good while it lasted and showed how Miguel Acosta was able to withstand his opponent's power and perform under constant pressure, while Art Hovhannisyan was ushered into a rude awakening that if he wanted to be a force to reckon with in the division, he needs to work and improve more on his skill set.

Miguel Acosta had the edge in jabs (60 of 401, 15% vs. 28 of 204, 14%) and total punches landed (124 of 594, 21% against 104 of 407, 26%) but lost in the power punches department. Art Hovhannisyan landed 76 of 203 (37%) power punches compared to Miguel Acosta's 64 out of 193 (33%), which in the eyes of the judges proved to be the difference in the fight.

The story behind the crossroads fight between a 30-year-old Armenian prospect and a former champion from Venezuela showed a battle between a one-dimensional fighter with tremendous power in his right hand and a wily and skillful veteran with average firepower in his fists.

The two fighters fought an intriguing but entertaining fight that could have made a case for either fighter winning the fight. In the end though, two of the three judges gave more weight on punching power than the pitty-pats to help Art Hovhannisyan keep his undefeated run in his quest for a world championship belt.

Miguel Acosta: "I was very sure I won. Although he caught me in the first round I landed more punches throughout the fight. I knew my conditioning was good and it would carry me though the fight. I felt I was robbed.''

Art Hovhannisyan: "I knew it was a little close, but I definitely thought I won. After I dropped him, I kept trying for the spectacular knockout. My corner was telling me between rounds to calm down, but I thought I had him for sure. He was lucky the bell rang when it did."

"I'm very happy to get the win. 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.''

Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner
photo credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

ShoBox: Gary Russel, Jr. destroys Christopher Perez in three rounds, remains undefeated

Christopher Perez, in his first fight outside of his native Mexico, succumbed to the speed and power of Gary Russell, Jr. in a 10 round featherweight bout in Saturday night's ShoBox: The New Generation at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, CA.

The Mexican has the heart and determination but lacks the talent and skills to match up with the American fighter who, after a feel-out first round, simply stepped on the gas and annihilated Perez in three rounds.

The carnage started with less than a minute left in the second round when Garry Russell, Jr. dropped Christopher Perez with a right counter to the chin. Perez, despite being dazed, beat the count. Russell then moved in for the kill but Perez survived the round.

But Gary Russell, Jr. would not be denied as he immediately jumped on Christopher Perez's right after the bell in round three. The American unleashed several power shots in succession: a straight left followed by a left-right combination to the kisser, then another left to the chin that sent Perez to the ropes.

Christopher Perez showed his will and determination as he was able to get up and tried to hold his own against Gary Russell, Jr. but to no avail, as he was on the receiving end of more lightning and powerful combinations and found himself on the seat of his pants once again with time down to 2:14 in the round.

Still, Christopher Perez was able to beat the count. The Mexican is surely a brave fighter but he is not in Gary Russell, Jr's class, and with 1:19 remaining, Perez was caught with another vicious right that dropped him to the canvas as the referee waived the fight off.

Christopher Perez (23-3, 14 KOs) has a big heart but he was simply outclassed by a technically superior fighter. Gary Russell, Jr's record improves and stays undefeated in 20 professional fights with 12 knockouts.

The short fight statistics showed that Gary Russell, Jr. dominated his opponent by landing 38 of 60 power shots for a 55% clip, while Christopher Perez just managed to land 16 of his 45 shots for a mediocre 36% rate.

Another short night and an impressive performance from the promising American fighter. So, we asked ourselves: What's next for Gary Russell, Jr.?

How about a step up in competition like a championship bout with IBF featherweight champion Billy Dib of Australia perhaps?


*photo credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

The Cuban Crisis: Who's afraid of Erislandy Lara?

The talented light middleweight contender Erislandy Lara was an outstanding amateur fighter and a welterweight gold medalist at the 2005 World Amateur Championships who defected from Cuba in 2008 to seek the proverbial greener pasture as a prizefighter. In just a few years, he has amassed a solid record of 17-1-1 with 11 knockouts in 19 professional fights.

But despite being a gifted and very skilled boxer, Lara's boxing career has been on a rollercoaster ride. He remains outside of the equation when it comes to high-prized, high-stakes fights.

But Erislandy Lara has high hopes for his future and one of his aspirations is to land the potentially lucrative Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez fight.

To the fighters that he has faced, Erislandy Lara was a tough puzzle to break. To many boxing observers, Erislandy Lara remains an enigma. They lament the fact that consistency is not one of the Cuban fighter's strongest suits. In many instances, Lara seems contented to just get by with a so-so effort in a fight and then show up as the technical wizard that he is in the next one. But he can also be spectacular at times.

Let us just look back at his last three fights before his stay-active bout with Freddy Hernandez on ShoBox last Saturday night at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, CA.

Erislandy Lara got lucky to eke out a draw with Carlos Molina in a fight that he should have lost, and was unlucky to lose via majority decision in a fight that he should have won against Paul Williams after literally and figuratively punishing The Punisher for 12 rounds. (As a sidenote: The judges Don Givens, Hilton Whitaker II and Al Bennett who worked that night were eventually suspended by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission.)

After a lay-off of nine months, Lara got back on track with a first round demolition of Detroit's Ronald Hearns. It took Lara just 1 minute and 34 seconds to send the son of the legendary Motor City Cobra and recent Hall of Fame inductee Tommy 'Hitman' Hearns into the abyss of mediocrity.

In last Saturday's 10-round unanimous decision over Freddy Hernandez, Erislandy Lara proved once again why many marquee fighters fear him and promoters would not let their 'prized' fighters face him. He conducted a master class and simply outclassed the tough and durable veteran Freddy Hernandez with ease.
Erislandy Lara was very accurate and methodical with his punches, on numerous times he would land several combos punctuated by his power lefts on Fernandez, and when the Mexican fighter tried to retaliate, he found the Cuban an elusive target to hit.

Erislanday Lara gave Freddy Hernandez a lot of angles; he would dart in and out of the kill zone to Freddy Hernandez's consternation. The Mexican fighter was reduced to firing mostly  blanks and insignificant shots which leads more to his frustrations.

Erislandy Lara was on a different class and was in cruise control throughout the fight. He showed a full arsenal of punches and some defensive gems against a game fighter but with a very limited firepower.

Even when Erislandy Lara was deducted a point in round seven for a headbutt (yes, there were numerous headbutts and low blows from both fighters that the referee failed to call or deliberately ignored), there is no doubt that he was way ahead in the cards.

Erislandy Lara exhibited good ring generalship; he made Freddy Hernandez miss a lot of his shots while potshotting him with great success in return. Lara knows when to engage and disengage to his advantage. Even when Freddy Hernandez continued to pursue his elusive prey, Erislandy Lara was a picture of a confident and very relaxed fighter down the stretch. Freddy Hernandez was game but ineffective and on the receiving end of Lara's counters. The wide talent and skills disparity was on display with Lara being the stronger and more accurate puncher.

If Erislandy Lara was a painter, we can safely say that he made Freddy Hernandez's face his canvas. The post fight picture of the two fighters was a study in contrast; Lara's face was unmarked while Hernandez's face looked like a bad replica of a Picasso abstract.

Thus, it could be said that Erislandy Lara cruised to another victory to pad his resume last Saturday night. Freddy Hernandez gave the fight his all, but his all was not good enough. He was simply outfought, outhustled and outgunned by a superior fighter.

The decision was unanimous with Erislandy Lara winning by a wide margin on two judges' scorecards, 99-90 and 98-91. The other judge, David Denkin though needs to see his eye doctor as soon as possible as he scored the one-sided fight with a questionable 95-94 score.

Punch Statistics showed Erislandy Lara outlanding his foe by a huge margin. Lara landed 44% of his total punches (246 of 561) to Hernandez' woeful 18% (128 of 710). The power punches were in Lara's favor as well as he landed 64% (217 of 339) of his bombs compared to an anemic 23% (115 of 493) of Hernandez.

Another night, another fight in the life of the young Cuban fighter, but by pitching a shutout against a rugged veteran, we asked ourselves whether Erislandy Lara just shot himself in the foot by eliminating himself from the Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez sweepstakes.

If Oscar de la Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions are true to their pronouncements that they will give the fans the great fights that they crave, then a showdown between Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Erislandy Lara is a no-brainer.

But if after this fight, Erislandy Lara returns to toil under the radar and continue to fight nondescript fighters, then we can now say that Erislandy Lara's ring exploits act as both a blessing and a curse for his boxing career. Yes, Erislandy Lara is a prisoner of his talent and skills.

Free Erislandy Lara.


*photo credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
*Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sports Examiner

Shobox: Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage spanks Spinks anew, barks at Canelo

Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage, Detroit's 39-year old IBF junior middleweight champion, retained his crown last Saturday night against familiar foe, Cory Spinks, the same fighter he dethroned via 5th round TKO about two years ago in St. Louis, MO.

This time around, the so-called rematch between the two old protagonists at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, CA airing via Showtime's ShoBox: The Next Generation franchise followed almost the same script as the last time these two fighters met in St. Louis, albeit this time Cory Spinks lasted two more rounds longer than their first fight.

Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage's magical night began with less than a minute to go in the first round when he suddenly unleashed a powerful overhand right to the face of Cory Spinks, sending the game challenger crashing to the canvas.

But Cory Spinks was able to get up, and desperately grabbed Bundrage for survival, an act that led to both fighters falling to the ground. It was an omen of things to come as the two fighters turned their championship duel into a rough and tumble, one with neither fighter giving an inch or so it seems.

The fight was both beautiful and ugly as both fighters began to grab and hold, clinching and sneaking punches in close quarters, trying to impose their will on each other. Spinks, the bigger guy, was keen on roughing up the smaller Bundrage, but the Detroit fighter was game enough to play the game that his opponent was playing as he began to sneak an uppercut or two in between hugs and clinches.

By the third round, Cory Spinks' right eye began to swell, a recurrent target of Bundrage's active left jabs while Spinks tried to take his fight to Bundrage's body. Still, Cornelius' right bombs were landing on target, with Spinks looking helpless in evading them.

The fight went on its usual phase with Cory Spinks hugging, holding and even wrestling Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage for control, but the Kronk fighter also gave his opponent a dose of his own medicine. 

As the fight wore on, the fighters' conditioning was being tested; both fighters are showing signs of exhaustion, breathing heavily through their mouths while throwing blows few and far between, until Bundrage suddenly connected with a chopping right to the face that again buckled Spinks' legs in round 6. Despite Cory Spinks' desperate attempt to counter his impending doom by trying to dig deep into Bundrage's body, from that time on, the outcome was slowly but surely in Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage's favor.

The seventh round proved to be Cory Spinks' downfall as another powerful right hand sent him to the canvas. Showing his heart, the fighter from St. Louis got up and desperately tried to grab his opponent once more, but he ate another powerful right that sent him on the seat of his pants again with time down to 1:54.

It was like a fast-paced action movie from then on as Cory Spinks tried several evasive maneuvers to delay the inevitable -- slips, holds, backtracks and grabs -- but Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage would have none of it as he continued to move and unleashed a barrage of punches (got away with a few low blows) at his hapless opponent.

And with 27 seconds left in the round, Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage finally caught Cory Spinks with his patented right hand bomb that finally crumbled not only Spinks' body, but also his will to fight. Down on all fours, the referee counted Cory Spinks out as Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage went down on his knees, barked and celebrated his victory, improving his record to 32-4-0-1 with 19 knockouts.

Fight statistics showed that en route to the seventh round knockout,  Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage outlanded Cory Spinks 32% (97 0f 301) to 30% (75 of 247) of total punches. While Spinks has a negligible margin in jabs 27% (35 of 132) to 19% (31 of 160), Bundrage connected more power punches 47% (66 of 141) to 35% (40 of 115) which was really the story of the championship fight.

There is no question in many boxing observers' mind that Cory Spinks (39-7, 11 KOs), after a long career, should call it a day. But like many fighters before him who refused to accept the call of father time, he was in denial: "I'm not goin' to stop my career, I'm better than that and I know that, it's just his night tonight, I take my hat off to him."

Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage proved that despite his age and the long lay-off, he is still capable of giving us a good fight on any given night. Bundrage is a rugged, aggressive, scrappy and unorthodox fighter who barks his way around the ring. He will always be a handful to any fighter out there, Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez included.

In the post-fight interview, IBF junior middleweight champion Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage barks at WBC light middleweight champion Saul 'Canelo Alvarez to take notice: "The dog is coming, arf arf!"

But only if Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage's handlers will not put his boxing career on the cold cage again.

Note: This article was previously published on Detroit Fight Sporst Examiner.

Detroit's Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage back in action versus Cory Spinks tonight

After toiling under the radar for years, Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage (31-4-0-1, 18 KO) proved the old adage, "every dog has his day" when he seized the IBF light middleweight diadem via fifth round TKO of erstwhile champion Cory Spinks (39-6, 11 KO) on August 7, 2010 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO.

With the belt in hand, Bundrage was hoping to become a factor in the light middleweight division, which would then lead into a fight with the big boxing names out there and the corresponding big purses that go with them for the Detroit native.

But alas, for whatever reasons and circumstances beyond his control, the unthinkable happened. Instead of unleashing the beast, the dog was eventually caged and Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage's career was put in the freezer. If you ask me, this is no way to treat a champion who earned his belt the hard and honest way.

For months, Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage barked and barked but it seemed nobody was listening among the so-called marquee names around and within his weight class. They avoided Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage like a plague. In the minds of these so-called marquee fighters and their handlers, Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage is a high-risk, low-reward opponent. Thus, the champion from Detroit was left with no other choice but to bide his time and wait for another opportunity to show his wares inside the ring.

Last year and just like the year before, Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage went and emerged victorious in St. Louis, MO. He fought and battled his old nemesis Sechew Powell (26-5, 15 KO) via a 12- round unanimous decision win, thus ending Powell's title aspirations as well as finally settling the score with the fighter who dealt Bundrage an embarassing first round TKO loss in his second professional fight in 2005, in what many boxing observers dubbed as the "double-knockdown in Connecticut."

Tonight's IBF light middleweight championship fight on ShoBox marks only the second time that the champion, Cornelius "K9" Bundrage, will enter the ring since winning the title on August 7, 2010. It is really sad and unthinkable that a champion eager to fight and stake his claim on the crown is hardpressed to find any willing opponent who will try to test his mettle.

Was it really that hard to find an opponent for Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage or were his handlers and promoters just remiss on their job and failed to sell his brand to the powers that be? But it is what it is, and the harsh reality of what the state of boxing has become through the years when a fighter's career is left at the mercy of a few people .

It will be full circle for Cornelius "K9" Bundrage when he climbs into the ring tonight at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, CA in a rematch with Cory Spinks, the erstwhile champion he dethroned in St. Louis more than a year ago.

The championship fight will give Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage another chance to show the boxing world what he is really made of. The championship fight will also give him another chance to prove that his mastery of Cory Spinks was no fluke. And the championship fight will also give Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage another chance to prove that his bite is more lethal than his bark.

ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast)

*This article was originally published in Detroit Fight Sports Examiner
*photo credit: Tom Casino/ SHOWTIME

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

Weigh-In Quotes and Photos--Friday on ShoBox: The New Generation Live at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

WEIGHTS AND QUOTES

Marcus Johnson Vs. Dyah Davis

Danny O’Connor Vs. Gabriel Bracero

Willie Nelson Vs. Vincent Arroyo

Friday, April 8, LIVE on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)

WEIGHTS: Marcus Johnson (20-0, 15 KOs) – 170 pounds; Dyah Davis (18-2-1, 9 KOs) – 169.25 pounds; Danny O'Connor (14-0, 3 KOs) – 137.75 pounds; Gabriel Bracero (14-0, 1 KO) – 140 pounds; Willie Nelson (16-0-1, 3 KOs) – 145.75 pounds; Vincent Arroyo (10-1, 7 KOs ) – 144.75 pounds.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Thursday, one day before the exciting tripleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation LIVE on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West coast).

Marcus Johnson:
“I don't feel like Davis is anything special. He's not his dad. I don't care about legacy. I don't care about any of that. I just have to fight him.

“To prove myself as a top super middleweight, I would fight (Lucian) Bute . I'd fight in Canada if I had to.

“I've got the same mentality as my last fight: knock him out. He's a safety first fighter but I'll push him to the limit.”

Dyah Davis:
“At this stage, I don't need softees. It's not going to propel me. Fighting tough opponents, this is the route we're comfortable with.

“I've never tried to trade on my father's career and I won't now. When I'm in the ring with Marcus, it will be all me.

“This is my life. This is a business. And I'm here to take care of it. That's why I am here -- not to trash talk.”

Danny O'Connor:
“Bracero can study as much film on YouTube as he wants, nothing is going to change. If that makes him feel better, then fine. But I have plans to show him some stuff he hasn't seen before.

“I'm a problem for anybody. I'm really good with angles and technique. Anything can happen in a fight. It's an adapter sport.”

Gabriel Bracero:
“I have the strongest support system. My mom is here. My family came to the fight. I've got people flying in from New York . I'll have my fans.

“I think I am a decent fighter, a good fighter. But it doesn't matter what you want to call it. It's about how bad you want it when you get in the ring. This is a big opportunity for me and I will take it.

“I just fought a real tough power puncher. I've beat tougher guys than O'Connor.”

Willie Nelson:
“It's Arroyo's job to say things like I haven't fought a warrior like him. I'll fight whatever fight he wants. If he fights clean, we'll fight clean but if he wants to fight dirty, so will I.

“I want to fight Shawn Porter. I'll do it whenever, the future, the past or now.

“Arroyo has never faced a guy at my height. He won't be used to it. Think about it, everyone I fight is shorter than me. I'm used to it. He's not.”

Vincent Arroyo:
“Willie can say whatever he wants about me. He is the one that's nervous. I'm coming to war.

“I spoil clean records, period. If he thinks I'm a stepping stone, just wait until he gets to the ring and realizes he is in a real fight.”


*Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, the “Rumble on the Rio” will originate from the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo , Texas . Curt Menefee will call the action from ringside with Steve Farhood serving as the expert analyst. Gordon Hall is the executive producer of ShoBox with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Photo Credits: Tom Casino/ SHOWTIME

SIX QUESTIONS

WITH WILLIE ‘THE GREAT’ NELSON

Cleveland Welterweight with Famous Name is “On the Road Again” for

ShoBox: The New Generation in Laredo , Texas

 

  Marcus Johnson Vs. Dyah Davis

Danny O’Connor Vs. Gabriel Bracero

 Willie Nelson Vs. Vincent Arroyo

Friday, April 8, LIVE on SHOWTIME^® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)

 

NEW YORK (April 6, 2011) – With a famous given name and a bold self-proclaimed moniker, Willie “The Great” Nelson (16-0-1, 10 KOs) answers the age old question, “What’s in a name,” just days before his eight-round welterweight fight against Vincent Arroyo (10-1, 7 KOs ) on ShoBox: The New Generation, Friday, April 8, in the first of three fights on an exciting tripleheader LIVE on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

A 23-year-old welterweight prospect from Cleveland, Nelson describes Arroyo, of Amherst , N.Y. , as a banger who will not be afraid to mix it up once the two square off. “I’m going in there to take care of business,” said Nelson, who had more than 200 amateur fights. “I’ve watched Shawn Porter (fellow Ohio fighter who trains in California ) on SHOWTIME. Now it’s my turn to show everyone what ‘The Great’ is all about.”

 

Question: Willie Nelson the famous country singer sang “On the Road Again.” You fought your pro debut in New York City and have fought in New Jersey , Connecticut , California and four other states in only 17 pro fights. Can you relate?

 

Nelson: “Yeah, I’ll travel anywhere. People say eventually it will catch up with me but this is what I do. I’m not afraid to fight anywhere. They’ll recognize me in Texas because of my name. That’s where Willie Nelson is from.”

 

Question: Ever get tired of people asking you about your name?

 

Nelson: “Nah, I’ve gotten it my whole life. I like it. It’s something different. If I didn’t like it I’d change it. I’ve heard a few of his songs, just because I’m curious. But I’m not into country. I’m more into R & B.”

 

Question: Do you have a favorite Cleveland boxer? Or someone you look up to in the welterweight division?

 

Nelson: “Nope. Just me. I’m my own favorite. I can’t have a favorite boxer and be in the same sport. I can’t compare myself to another fighter or say I like him and then maybe one day have to fight him. It’s just not going to happen.”

 

Question: Is it true you’ve called out Shawn Porter and want to fight him?

 

Nelson: “Yeah, I’ve known Shawn since the amateurs. We’re cool with each other. But we’ve had a long-standing rivalry. His father made a statement that he’s the best fighter from Ohio and I took exception to that. I’ve called him out a few times but he hasn’t responded. He was always a weight above me in the amateurs but now we’re both 147. We’ll see. But he’s definitely someone I’d like to fight in the future.”

 

Question: You’re a 6-foot-3 welterweight. Have you ever fought someone as tall as you?

 

Nelson: “In the amateurs there was one guy who I fought who was that tall, but not in the pros. It frustrates a lot of guys naturally. Even if I’m not trying to use my height it frustrates them because I can still box and move and get inside them and be effective with my jabs. Without me even trying to use it as advantage, I think it is.”

 

Question: Why did you give yourself the nickname Willie “The Great”?

 

Nelson: “It’s just something that I thought should happen. In the amateurs I just thought I was so great. And people always thought that too. They would say, ‘Oh, Willie is so great at boxing. Willie has a great jab. Willie is a great prospect.’ Whenever my name is mentioned the word great is also mentioned. So I thought that’s what my nickname should be.”

 

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, the “Rumble on the Rio” will originate from the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo , Texas .  

 

Curt Menefee will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood serving as the expert analyst. Gordon Hall is the executive producer of ShoBox with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing. 

 

For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

 

Top Prospect Marcus Johnson Faces Dyah Davis in April 8 Headliner of ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME

 

“SUPER” PROSPECT MARCUS JOHNSON BATTLES

DYAH DAVIS EN ROUTE TO CONTENDER STATUS

IN MAIN EVENT OF

SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION TRIPLEHEADER

___________________________________________________________________________

Plus Danny O’Connor Takes On Gabriel Bracero and Willie Nelson Battles Vincent Arroyo

On Friday, April 8, LIVE on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)

From Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo , Texas

NEW YORK (March 31, 2011) – After three straight victorious appearances on ShoBox: The New Generation, Marcus Johnson hopes to make his fourth an eye-catching performance on the path from prospect to contender.

Touted as a top American prospect on many boxing lists, Houston’s unbeaten and hard-hitting Johnson (20-0, 15 KOs) will make his fourth consecutive appearance on the popular series featuring boxing’s youngest and brightest stars as he goes up against another ShoBox alumnus in Boca Raton’s Dyah Davis (18-2-1, 9 KOs) on Friday, April 8, in a 10-round super middleweight main event as part of a spectacular tripleheader LIVE on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West coast).

The night of boxing begins with two exceptionally matched co-features. Two unbeaten, 14-0 fighters will square off in an eight-round junior welterweight affair as 25-year-old and brand new father Danny O’Connor (14-0, 3 KOs) takes on 30-year-old Gabriel Bracero (14-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, N.Y., by way of Puerto Rico.

In the evening’s first televised fight, a pair of 23-year-olds tangle as former amateur standout Willie Nelson (16-0-1, 10 KOs) of Cleveland , meets Vincent Arroyo (10-1, 7 KOs) from Amherst , N.Y. , in an eight-round welterweight bout.

Promoted by DiBella Entertainment, the “Rumble on the Rio” will originate from the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo , Texas .

“Yeah, four straight on ShoBox, that’s pretty exciting,” said Johnson. “I’ve fought on SHOWTIME in Oklahoma , Chicago and North Dakota and now I’m in Texas . I wish it could be in Houston but Laredo is fine. It’s about a five-hour drive from Houston .”

When we last saw the 25-year-old Johnson, he was polishing off Kevin Engel back in November, 2010, in Fargo , N.D. , recording a third-round TKO. Johnson won the WBO NABO championship last April by scoring a 10-round decision over then-unbeaten Derek Edwards in Chicago and in October, 2009, he decisioned Victor Villereal in Newkirk , Okla.

Johnson hopes the April 8 fight will advance his status as a fighter and some boxing experts agree. “A convincing win over Dyah Davis would suggest that Marcus Johnson is ready to make a move in the 168-pound division,” said SHOWTIME boxing analyst Steve Farhood.

The 29-year-old Davis -- son of 1976 Olympic gold medalist Howard Davis Jr. -- fought as recently as February, battling to a controversial 10-round majority draw with formidable Mexican Francisco Sierra on Feb. 5 in Maywood , Calif. , although most observers, and one judge, felt Davis had done enough to win.

“I definitely thought I won the fight,” Davis said. “I thought I did enough to win but in boxing it’s politics. It was his promoter’s show. But for me I think it was a learning experience: I have to be able to put guys away when I have the chance. This fight is going 10 rounds and if I have the opportunity to put him away, I will this time. I have to let my hands be the judges.”

Fighting on the same card as Johnson-Engel in Fargo, N.D., Davis lost an eight-round decision to Aaron Pryor Jr., on ShoBox last Nov. 5 in an all-action and entertaining fight.

“I didn’t see [Johnson’s] fight there but I know he’s fundamentally sound but nothing that special,” Davis said. “My style will give him problems, for sure. This is the toughest test for both of us. He hasn’t fought anyone as strong as I am. I see myself victorious.”

He added: “I don’t care that the fight is in his home state. I’ve fought in England and Mexico . Fighting in someone else’s territory never really bothered me.”

Johnson recently watched the Davis-Sierra fight and concluded, “He’s a good boxer and we both have that classic boxer-puncher style. He probably thinks I’m going to come out and brawl and I don’t think he’s aware of my speed as well as my power.”

The southpaw O’Connor from Framingham , Mass. , is described as an all-action fighter who trains at Peter Manfredo’s gym in Rhode Island . He is managed by Leon Margules. “It really should be an exciting fight,” Margules said. “I like Danny because of his amateur pedigree but here you have two fighters at basically the same stage of their careers. That’s what makes boxing great when you have two unbeatens going at it. It’s a real coming-out and a chance for fight fans to see two very skilled boxers.”

O’Connor was the 2008 National Golden Gloves Champion, an alternate on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team and a 2007 U.S. Olympic Trials bronze medalist.


On March 10, O’Connor and his wife welcomed home new son Liam. It’s given O’Connor a new outlook and fresh perspective on life. “It really hasn’t been a distraction in my training,” he said. “It’s actually been more motivating than I can put into words.”

O’Connor knows he’ll be facing an unbeaten fighter on April 8. “We both have zeros. I have to do everything in my power to take his away,” he said.

This will be Bracero’s first fight outside of New York , who has turned heads since returning to boxing in 2009 after an eight-year absence. He has been a mainstay of DiBella Entertainment’s “Broadway Boxing” series, headlining fight cards at B.B. King Blues Club in seven of his last nine fights, creating a very vocal and enthusiastic hometown fan base.

Bracero’s lone knockout came against Raymond Betancourt, on July 28, 2010, in Bracero’s 11th pro contest, but the majority of his victories by decision have been virtual shutouts.

The tall and lanky 6-foot-3 Nelson comes from a long line of outstanding Cleveland-area boxers and is quickly being looked at as a rising prospect in the talent-thick welterweight division. After more than 200 amateur fights, Nelson made his pro debut in 2006 with the only negative mark on his record so far a controversial draw in then-unbeaten Antonio Johnson’s home state of California .

Nelson’s biggest career win was against former “Contender: Season One” contestant Jesse Feliciano, whom he knocked out inside one round last June. Last time out, Nelson stopped Quinton Whitaker in similar fashion with another one-round knockout in Atlantic City , on the undercard of the Sergio Martinez-Paul Williams rematch, on Nov. 20, 2010.


The heavy-handed Nelson has a “boxer-puncher” style and has been described as a fighter who will try to keep his opponent on the outside. Nelson trains with ShoBox standout Shawn Porter.

The tough and aggressive two-time national junior champion Arroyo, facing his third straight undefeated opponent, can bring the power too as he was last seen scoring an upset knockout over formerly undefeated Jeremy Bryan. His only loss came at the hands of ShoBox alum Mike Dallas Jr., in September, 2009.

Curt Menefee will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and Antonio Tarver serving as expert analysts. Gordon Hall is the executive producer of ShoBox with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.



For information on SHOWTIME Sports Programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

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. The growing list of fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Leonard Dorin, Scott Harrison, Juan Diaz, Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Joan Guzman, Juan Urango, David Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Malignaggi, Kendall Holt, Timothy Bradley, Bernard Dunne, Yonnhy Perez, Yuri Foreman, Andre Ward and, most recently, Cornelius Bundrage.

*photo credits: Tom Casino/Showtime

Shobox: Sechew Powell vs. Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage

May 6, 2005
Foxwoods Resort
Mashantucket, Connecticut
United States