Props to Showbox on their 10th Anniversary
Diego Magdaleno appears to be a sure thing as it pertains to having the skills plus the look of a champion. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime Promotions
In the realm of boxing series on TV, we have ESPN2‘s Friday Night Fights, Solo Boxeo Tecate on Telefutura, HBO Championship Boxing, Fox Sports West and of course Showtime’s Showbox: The New Generation. None has stuck more to their mission statement than the popular ShoBox: The New Generation, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary on Friday, July 15, at Texas Station Gambling Hall & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Alejandro Perez is going to have his hands full stopping Diego Magdaleno.
The Top Rank-promoted doubleheader will feature a night of junior lightweight action with undefeated Diego Magdaleno (19-0, 7 KOs) squaring off against Alejandro Perez (15-2-1, 10 KOs) and Casey Ramos (13-0, 4 KOs) taking on Joselito Collado (12-0, 3 KOs) in a battle of the unbeaten.
Joselito Collado Photo: Art Garcia
Austin’s Casey Ramos Photo: Star Telegram/Ron Jenkins
For the last ten years, ShoBox has garnered critical acclaim and industry respect by adhering to its central purpose of featuring prospects in pivotal fights where padding the win column is no longer an option and the true road to becoming a contender begins.
Of the boxers who fought on Showtime, 87 moved on to challenge for a world title, with 42 of those fighters becoming world champions. The first future champ to emerge from ShoBox dates back to the series’ initial telecast on July 21, 2001. Leonard Dorin scored a ninth-round TKO of fellow unbeaten Martin O’Malley. Two fights later, Dorin was a world champion.
Leonard Dorin (L) scored a ninth-round TKO of fellow unbeaten Martin O’Malley in Showtime's very first Showbox Production.
Appearing on the 157 ShoBox telecasts (321 fights) were 89 boxers who went on to challenge for a world title and 42 of which were eventual world titlists. That gives ShoBox a rough average of featuring a future world champion every fourth show.
The 42 boxers who went on to win a world title include: Andre Ward, Diego Corrales, Nonito Donaire, Chad Dawson, Timothy Bradley, Paul Williams, Juan Manuel Lopez, Robert Guerrero, Carl Froch, Kermit Cintron, Kendall Holt, Paulie Malignaggi, Kelly Pavlik, Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz.
Of the 157 telecasts, fifty-two of the bouts involved undefeated fighters and 89 suffered the first loss of their career. Six went on to win a world title after losing on ShoBox: Luis Collazo, Robert Guerrero, Eric Aiken, David Diaz, Isaac Hlatshwayo and Cornelius Bundrage
Fifty-eight cities hosted a ShoBox event. The boxers with the most appearances include: Andre Ward, Ishe Smith, Robert Guerrero, Sechew Powell, Kendall Holt, Mike Arnaoutis and Chris Avalos.
Gary Russell Jr. is the only boxer to make his pro debut on ShoBox.
Still going strong, still undefeated, Gary Russell Jr. (16-0) posed for this photo at his weigh-in January 17, 2011 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in San Diego for his fight against Feider Viloria. Photo: Jim Wyatt
Fights that ended quickly: T. J. Wilson ko’ed Travis Walker 15 seconds into the first round on October 19, 2007. Allan Green ko’ed Jaidon Codrington just 18 seconds into the first round on November 4, 2005 and Sechew Powell ko’ed Cornelius Bundrage 22 seconds into the first round on May 6, 2005.
Rematches: There have been only two in the history of ShoBox. Each time this happened, the loser in the first fight won the second bout by a knockout. T. J. Wilson ko’ed Travis Walker in the first round on October 19, 2007, and then Walker ko’ed Wilson in the second round on February 28, 2008.
Gamaliel Diaz won an unanimous decision in 10 over Robert Guerrero on December 2, 2005, and then Guerrero ko’ed Diaz in the sixth round on June 23, 2006.
Executive Producer Gordon Hall’s Quintessential best ShoBox fights ever:
Juan Urango (13-0) vs. Mike Arnaoutis (10-0-1) a 12 round draw back on August 5, 2004.
Robert Guerrero (16-0-1) vs. Gamaliel Diaz (19-5-2) – after 12 rounds Diaz was awarded a split decision victory on December 2, 2005. A perfect example of a fight where the young fighter is tested by the more seasoned fighter who had experience going for him into the later rounds. Guerrero may have lost that fight but more importantly, he learned from the defeat and came back to avenge the loss and later win the title.
Tim Bradley (21-0) vs. Junior Witter (36-1-3) back on May 10, 2008. Before challenging for the junior welterweight title in Witter’s U.K. backyard, Bradley had never fought outside of California and was coming off the longest layoff of his career. His knockdown of Witter in the sixth round was the turning point in the fight and he went on to win a split decision. The win put him in position for a title shot and he became the first ShoBox fighter to win his title on ShoBox.
Marcus Johnson (20-0) vs. Dyah Davis (18-2-1) – Davis UD 10 Johnson;
Danny O’Connor (14-0) vs. Gabriel Bracero (14-0) – Bracero UD 8 O’Connor;
Willie Nelson (16-0-1) vs. Vincent Arroyo (10-1) – Arroyo MD 8 Nelson – April 8, 2011
The three highly touted prospects came into the ring undefeated and walked out with a loss, and all on the same night.
Ringside Analyst Steve Farhood’s most memorable moments:
The face of Ebo Elder after he rallied with a 12-round TKO over Courtney Burton on Dec. 17, 2004.
The 12th-round drama of Lucian Bute vs. Librado Andrade I on October 24, 2008.
Ricky Hatton‘s ring entrances to “Blue Moon” on October 27, 2001, December 15, 2001, and Sept. 28, 2002.
Farhood’s 10 Best ShoBox Fights:
Kendall Holt’s KO in the first round of Ricardo Torres on July 5, 2008.
Carlos Abregu’s KO in round 4 of Irving Garcia on May 1, 2009.
Juan Urango’s decision win in 12 rounds over Mike Arnaoutis on August 5, 2004.
Ebo Elder’s KO win in the 12th round over Courtney Burton on December 17, 2004.
Lucian Bute unanimous decision victory after 12 rounds against Librado Andrade on Oct. 24, 2008.
Sechew Powell’s KO victory in round #1 over Cornelius Bundrage on May 6, 2005.
Mike Oliver’s 12 round unanimous decision victory over Gary Stark on February 16, 2007.
Kuvanych Toygonbayev’s 10 round victory over Andrey Tsurkan on May 22, 2003.
Stevie Murray’s 10 round unanimous decision victory over Martin Watson on April 1, 2004.
Orlando Cruz’s fifth round KO of Leonilo Miranda on January 16, 2009.
For what they’ve done for the sport, let’s hope they’re around for at least another decade.
