Friday’s Triple-header on Showtime features Chris Martin

Chris "San Diego Kid" Martin (R) of Chula Vista, CA and Luis "Orlandito" De la Valle of Bayamon, Puerto Rico stand back to back at Thursday's weigh-in. Photo: Tom Casino, Showtime Promotions

Thursday, April 26, 2012: After today’s official weigh-ins, at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma, the stage was set for tomorrow night’s triple-header on ShoBox: The New Generation which will air Friday evening at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT live on the Showtime channel. All six boxers had no problem making the agreed upon weight. Official weights: Thomas Oosthuizen weighed 169 pounds, Marcus Johnson 169½; Luis Orlando Del Valle and Christopher Martin each tipped the scale at 123 pounds; Jose Pedraza weighed 131½ pounds while Gil Garcia weighed 132¼.

What the fighters had to say on Thursday:

Unbeaten southpaw and IBO super middleweight champ Thomas “Tommy Gun’’ Oosthuizen of Gauteng, South Africa, is set to make his ShoBox debut against Marcus “Too Much” Johnson of Houston, Texas. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime Promotions

In the ShoBox main event, unbeaten southpaw and IBO super middleweight champion Thomas “Tommy Gun’’ Oosthuizen (18-0-1, 13 KOs) of Gauteng, South Africa, will make his ShoBox debut when he meets Marcus “Too Much” Johnson (21-1, 15 KOs), of Houston, Texas in a 10-round super middleweight bout.

On Thursday, the boxers and trainers took part in a Press Conference after the official weigh-ins for Friday night's fights at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime Promotions

In his last fight versus Teon Kennedy (R), Chris Martin (L) ended up with a draw. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime Promotions

The Co-featured bout will match Christopher Martin (23-1-3, 6 KOs), of Chula Vista, CA, in a 10-round super bantamweight battle against undefeated Luis Orlando Del Valle (15-0, 11 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Martin is trying to get back to his winning ways after a draw to Teon Kennedy on January 13, 2012 and the loss to Jose Angel Beranza, on October 1, 2011.

In Del Valle’s last contest on January 21, 2012, he beat Beranza soundly by taking almost every round.

In the third contest, former international amateur standout and current WBC super featherweight Youth champion Jose “The Sniper” Pedraza (7-0, 6 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico, will open the telecast against Gil Garcia (5-2-1, 1 KO) in an eight-round super featherweight match.

After their weigh-in Jose "Sniper" Pedraza (L) and Gil "La Metralleta" Garcia (R) pose for a photo. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime Promotions

THOMAS “TOMMY GUN’’ OOSTHUIZEN: “Marcus might be hungry for a win but that doesn’t mean I’ve lost my hunger. The hunger comes from both sides and I’m still hungry to destroy whatever comes my way.

“I had a great camp in South Africa and I’m peaking at the right time. I feel sensational. Good luck to Team Johnson but I’m here to do a job.”

MARCUS “TOO MUCH’’ JOHNSON: “I’m glad to be back on Showtime. I guarantee you’ll see a totally different ‘Too Much’ tomorrow night. Winning tomorrow night’s fight would mean everything for me and my family. That’s why I’m here.

“A win tomorrow is going to change my family’s life. So I have to knock this guy off his pedestal.”

CHRIS MARTIN: “Don’t call it an upset when I beat Del Valle tomorrow. It is going to be a good fight. You can expect fireworks. I’m coming off some tough fights but I learned a lot. I need to let my hands go. Round by round, I’ll break him down.

“This challenge helped me keep focused throughout camp. It will show tomorrow in my performance. The pressure is on him. Let him be the favorite. I’ll take the victory.’’

LUIS ORLANDO DEL VALLE: “I guarantee everybody who tunes in is going to see a great fight. It’s Showtime. It’s my time.

“I hope Christopher Martin has come prepared because I know that I am. I’m the new generation. I’m the new face of boxing.”

JOSE PEDRAZA: “I’m inspired by the fact that people say I’m the most promising prospect out of Puerto Rico since Miguel Cotto. It makes me work harder for the fans. I’m happy to have those expectations.

“I’ve seen Garcia’s fights. I know his techniques. He’s aggressive but I will tire him out and go after him late.”

GIL GARCIA:“It motivates me to fight a guy like Pedraza. I like challenges. I like to fight the best. That’s what this is, fighting. We fight fights to win and go on to next one. I’m a tough guy. I just like fighting. I don’t care who or where.

“Tomorrow is going to be a war. They are going to see a no-quit guy who won’t stop throwing punches.”

At ringside, Mike Crispino along with Steve Farhood will be calling the action.

Also on the docket is an interesting 12 round match on Sunday at the Donbass Arena, Donetsk, Ukraine between hometown favorite, 35 year-old Vyacheslav Senchenko (32-0-0, 21 KOs) of Donetsk and Brooklyn, New York, New York’s favorite son, 31 year-old Paulie Malignaggi (30-4-0, 6 KOs).

Senchenko, who has defended his title four times, has been the reigning WBA World Champion since April 10, 2009.

The Malignaggi story is quite interesting. He was born to Sicilian immigrant parents in Brooklyn’s Bensonhurst neighborhood. His father abandoned him at the age of six, and returned to Sicily. For reasons unknown, Malignaggi wants to be called “Magic Man.” His freewheeling, creative style, coupled with his toughness and sense of humor, evoke memories of the many talented fighters that came out of Brooklyn. All you have to do is listen to him talk for a few minutes to discover he’s truly a “Dead End Kid.”

Malignaggi had an outstanding amateur career capped off by winning the 2001 Everlast U.S. National Championships in March, 2001 at Colorado Springs, Colo.

On April 8, 2011 Paulie Malignaggi (L) dressed as an action hero for this photo with (L to R) Oscar De la Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Jose Miguel Cotto. Photo: Golden Boy Promotions

When looking at this photo, fight fan Jacqueline Theresa had to express her thoughts: “I literally gagged when I saw this. I just can’t tolerate the Malignaggi ego. Maybe if he was a little better at backing it up!”

Her insight goes under the heading, “What others were thinking, but were too timid to say.”