Farmer vs Pedraza on ShoBox

CAN UNBEATEN SENSATION JOSE PEDRAZA
LIVE UP TO HYPE? IS HE PUERTO RICO’S BEST PROSPECT SINCE MIGUEL COTTO? WATCH THIS FRIDAY
WHEN HE TAKES ON TEVIN FARMER

IN MAIN EVENT ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Jonathan Cepeda, In His Second Fight Back
After a Head-On Automobile Accident, Faces Fellow Unbeaten Lamar Russ
In Grudge Match In Co-Feature At Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Missouri;
Doubleheader Will Air Live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK (Oct. 10, 2012) – Fans get an opportunity to watch a boxer regarded as the most promising prospect from Puerto Rico since superstar Miguel Cotto when talented lightweight and former international amateur standout Jose “The Sniper” Pedraza (10-0) faces southpaw Tevin “The American Idol” Farmer (7-3-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in the eight-round main event this Friday, Oct. 12, on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The co-feature at Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Mo., is a grudge match between power-punching Dominican Jonathan “El Conquistador” Cepeda (12-0, 11 KOs), of Jersey City, N.J., and fellow unbeaten Lamar “The Boxing Que” Russ (10-0, 6 KOs), of Tallahassee, Fla. Russ lost via disputed disqualification to Cepeda in the finals of a Golden Gloves tournament in March 2007 and will be seeking revenge in the eight-round middleweight match.

Also, highlights from a fight featuring Jermain Taylor against Raul Munoz and a live interview with Taylor, a former undisputed middleweight champion, will be shown during the telecast.

The 5-foot-9, 23-year-old Pedraza is unbeaten and untested and has been brought along slowly, but he seemingly possesses the tools to oneday perhaps become as well-known – and successful — as his Puerto Rican predecessors, prolific prizefighters such as Cotto, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, Wilfredo Gomez and Wilfred Benitez.

Said Cotto: “We wish the best to Pedraza on Friday night. Looking forward to a great performance on ShoBox.’’

Pedraza, who began boxing at the age of 12, fought 170 times in the amateurs and was a three-time Puerto Rican national champion. He represented Puerto Rico in the 2008 Olympic Games, and was the gold medalist at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games.

Since turning pro at 21 on Feb. 18, 2011, he has seldom lost a round.

“The next couple of months we’re going to see the present and the future of Puerto Rican boxing,’’ said ShoBox expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood. “On Dec. 1, Cotto, a future Hall of Famer, will be fighting at Madison Square Garden on SHOWTIME and on Friday the fighter that has been called the best prospect since Cotto is fighting on ShoBox.’’

This will be Pedraza’s fifth fight in 2012, his sixth consecutive scheduled eight-round bout and his second start on ShoBox. In his last fight, he registered one knockdown en route to taking a unanimous eight-round decision over Jose Valderrama on Aug. 31. Three fights ago, Pedraza won his ShoBox debut with a unanimous eight-round decision over Gil Garcia on April 27.

“Judging by what we saw from Pedraza last time on ShoBox, you can be sure he’ll be punching for a knockout (on Friday),’’ Farhood said.

The versatile, ambidextrous Pedraza, who can box or slug, trains the vast majority of the time at the Albergue Olimpico Gym in Salinas. Albergue Olimpico Gym is the Olympic training center in Puerto Rico – the equivalent of Colorado Springs in the United States.

“I just want to tell all the people who are coming to the fight and all of the people watching on TV — get ready because I’m going to put on a show,” Pedraza said.

Farmer, a replacement for Allan Benitez who withdrew because of an elbow injury, accepted this assignment this past weekend.

An awkward boxer and natural counter-puncher who’ll be spotting Pedraza three inches in height, the 5-foot-6, 22-year old Farmer has won three in a row and five out of his last six. In his last start, he pitched an eight-round shutout against Rasool Shakoor on July 28.

Farmer, a pro since February 2011, is known for his willingness to fight anybody anywhere – even if it means taking a significant step up in class versus a foe he knows nothing about.

“I’m not familiar with my opponent at all,’’ the self-managed Farmer said. “I haven’t seen videos. I know my capabilities. I’m slick and fast and I know I’ve faced tougher. Fighting me will be a step up for him, not a step up for me. I don’t have a promoter backing me, I’ve done this alone.’’

Farmer feels fighting as a lightweight is significant. “I was actually struggling to make weight,’’ he said. “Look at my losses; they were all at 130 or under. So now I’m fighting at 135.”

If bloodlines mean anything, Farmer will win. He says he’s related to the legendary Joe Gans, an all-time great world lightweight champion considered to be one of the best boxers in history, pound-for-pound.

The opening bout of the telecast is a classic ShoBox matchup between unbeaten fighters at similar stages of their careers. Both feel they are elite prospects and are willing to prove it by fighting each other. The result could provide each three-year professional a good barometer of where they’re at and how close they are to taking the next step to contender status.

“If you haven’t seen Cepeda, you’re going to love him,’’ Farhood said. “He’s a pure puncher with a knockout artist’s mentality. Russ is a lanky boxer-puncher who stands in the pocket, so it should be a great action fight.’’

While a defeat wouldn’t be disastrous for either guy, the outcome may be more important to the aggressive-minded, 5-foot-9, 28-year-old Cepeda, a three-year pro who got a late start in the sport and didn’t begin to box until he was 20. He had a brief amateur career, going 24-4 (all the losses were to former world title challenger Danny Jacobs) before turning pro in November 2008.

Cepeda has won nine in a row by knockout, including a 1:42 first-round TKO over Orphius Waite last Aug. 2. He dropped Waite twice before it was stopped. This will be his second fight since walking away from a head-on collision last November on the New Jersey Turnpike.

“There was one lane open, and there was about a 70- or 80-year-old man who fell asleep at the wheel and hit me straight on at 80 miles an hour,’’ Cepeda said. “I was with a female friend. She broke her shoulder. She had a dog with her and the dog went through the windshield.”

Miraculously, Cepeda escaped mostly unscathed. “I had injuries to my shoulder and back and a couple of flesh wounds, but nothing serious,’’ he said. “I went through physical therapy. Luckily I was able to recover 100 percent. I had angels of my own that day, my Mom’s birthday.’’

Cepeda has had to overcome a lot besides the automobile accident. “I had personal problems,’’ he said. “I’m from the streets where there were gangs, violence. But I went to Florida, went to school, got an education. I saw a whole different life. Now, I’m real happy. I just want to look good and let everyone know I’m the new kid on the block and I demand my respect. I love fighting. I’m excited, happy that this opportunity came along. I’m going in there to take him out.”

Russ, a 6-foot-2, 25-year-old college graduate, is fighting for the first time since registering a career-best fourth-round knockout over previously undefeated Jose Alonzo last April 14. This will be his third fight of the year, after fighting just once in 2011. It is his eight-round debut.

Before turning pro at the age of 22 in October 2009, Russ was an accomplished, top five-ranked amateur who won the vast majority of his nearly 300 bouts. But it’s the DQ defeat to Cepeda that continues to gnaw at him.

“When I fought him in the amateurs, I was disqualified – it was just a bad call,” said Russ, who spars with WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. “We knew we’d run into him one of these days, and this is it. It’s personal, because I feel like he owes me one. As soon as we were offered this fight, we jumped on it. Jonathan is a great guy and he’s got great skills but I feel like I’m the better, hungrier fighter. I deserve this. It’s going to be an interesting fight.”

Regarding his nickname, “The Boxing Que,” he said. “I’m in a fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, at Fayetteville State University. I graduated with a business administration degree in 2011.”

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside alongside Farhood. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and Rumble Time Promotions. Tickets are priced at $100, $75 and $40 and can be purchased through the Ameristar Casino or by calling (314) 267-2204. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 6 p.m.

Photos: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

All the fighters competing on ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow/Friday, Oct. 12, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) made weight on their

first attempts Thursday at Ameristar Casino in St. Charles, Mo.

In the eight-round main event, former international amateur standout and highly regarded Puerto Rican prospect, Jose “The Sniper” Pedraza (10-0, 6 KOs), faces southpaw Tevin “The American Idol” Farmer (7-3-1, 1 KO) of Philadelphia in a lightweight fight.

The ShoBox co-feature at Ameristar Casino will pit hard-hitting Dominican Jonathan “El Conquistador” Cepeda (12-0, 11 KOs), of Jersey City, N.J., against Lamar “The Boxing Que” Russ (10-0, 6 KOs), of Tallahassee, Fla., in a collision of unbeaten middleweights in an eight-round bout.

Highlights from a fight featuring Jermain Taylor against Raul Munoz and a live interview with Taylor, a former undisputed middleweight champion, will be shown during the telecast

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Rumble Time Promotions, in association with Gary Shaw Productions and Universal Promotions.

Tickets are priced at $100, $75 and $40 and can be purchased through the Ameristar Casino or by calling (314) 267-2204. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 6 p.m.

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

WEIGHTS: Pedraza weighed 133 pounds, Farmer 133 1/2. Cepeda, Russ and Taylor each weighed 161 ½ pounds, Munoz 162.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING FINAL WEIGHTS:

CANELO ALVAREZ: 154 Pounds

JOSESITO LOPEZ: 153 Pounds

JHONNY GONZALEZ: 125 Pounds

DANIEL PONCE DE LEON: 125 ½ Pounds

MARCOS MAIDANA: 147 Pounds

JESUS SOTO KARASS: 147 Pounds

LEO SANTA CRUZ: 117 Pounds

ERIC MOREL: 118 Pounds

ABOUT “KNOCKOUT KINGS”:

“Knockout Kings,” headlined by Canelo Alvarez defending his WBC Super Welterweight World Championship against breakout star Josesito Lopez, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools, AT&T and O’Reilly Auto Parts. In the co-featured attractions, WBC Featherweight World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez defends his crown against former World Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon in fight presented in association with Promociones Del Pueblo, former World Champion Marcos Maidana faces perennial contender Jesus Soto Karass in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Title presented in association with Universum Box-Promotion and Leo Santa Cruz defends his IBF Bantamweight World Championship against former Two-Time World Champion Eric Morel. The Saturday, Sept. 15 quadruple-header, packed with Mexican pride and power, will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be televised live on SHOWTIME Saturday, Sept. 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT with preliminary fights to air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

In the co-feature on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, up-and-coming prospect J’Leon Love stepped into the spotlight and claimed the win over fellow prospect Ramon Valenzuela by disqualification due to unsportsmanlike conduct at 0:37 of the eighth round.

In the main event, Matthysse proved to be stronger and faster from the opening bell. Matthysse, who has had great success against left handers, stayed busier throughout and landed punishing combinations against his southpaw opponent. But Ajose showed his mettle and proved his toughness and resilience by staying on his feet through the biggest punches Matthysse could dole out.

As the rounds went on, Ajose tried to keep his opponent at a distance, but Matthysse continuously broke through, often attacking the body before going for the head. While neither fighter had ever been knocked down, Matthysse’s strength sent Ajose to the canvas in the tenth forcing referee Russell Mora to step in and halt the action. It was the first loss of Ajose’s professional career.

After the victory Matthysse told SHOWTIME reporter Jim Gray, “He was a tough rival and he had a lot of mobility in this fight. I thought I had him a couple of times. He is a strong fighter and I felt his power tonight.”

When asked who he would like to face next Matthysse answered confidently, “Anybody. It will be very difficult to take this belt. I’ll fight anybody right now.”

Ajose, clearly frustrated with his performance also spoke with Gray. “I’m alright. Matthysse is a terrific fighter. This is what inactivity will do to you. I am a bit rusty, nothing to take away from Matthysse. He is a terrific puncher. He came to fight and he came to win.”

Ajose graciously continued, “I think he is the hardest puncher I have ever fought. I have to give it to him. I know I can do better than what I did tonight. I’m a good champion. I fall down and I get back up. I’ll be back.”

SHOWTIME analyst Al Bernstein believed that Matthysse’s performance earned him the title of the best fighter in the 140-pound division. “He is certainly in the discussion and could easily be. Tonight he made his case. He wore Ajose down,” Bernstein said. “This is the biggest moment of his career.”

In the opening bout on SHOWTIME, the undefeated Love took on Valenzuela in the first 10-round fight of either man’s career. Love was the busier and more accurate puncher throughout. Valenzuela, becoming visibly frustrated by his opponent, lost control. After several warnings for multiple indiscretions including holding and not stopping on a break, referee Jay Nady deducted a point.

At 37 seconds into the eighth round, Nady stopped the fight when Valenzuela lifted Love off his feet in a move that seemed more appropriate for a mixed martial arts bout than a boxing match. At the time of the disqualification all three judges had the bout scored 70-62 in favor of Love.

Saturday’s fights were presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, Gary Shaw Productions, Arano Box Promotions and Mayweather Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING returns next Saturday, Sept. 15 when Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez defends his WBC Super Welterweight World Championship against upset-minded breakout star Josesito Lopez live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. In the co-featured attractions, WBC Featherweight World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez defends his crown against former World Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon, former World Champion Marcos Maidana faces perennial contender Jesus Soto Karass in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Title and Leo Santa Cruz defends his IBF Bantamweight World Championship against former Two-Time World Champion Eric Morel. Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Randy Caballero

UNBEATEN RANDY CABALLERO RETAINS NABO BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER MANNY ROMAN ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION ON FRIDAY NIGHT FROM FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO
Michael Perez Survives Late Knockdown To Win Split Decision Over Fidel Maldonado

INDIO, Calif. (Aug. 25, 2012) – Popular undefeated hometown favorite Randy Caballero (16-0, 8 KOs), of Coachella, Calif., scored a knockdown in the second round en route to a 10-round decision over Manny Roman (15-2-3, 6 KOs), of Paramount, Calif. to retain his NABO Bantamweight Championship on Friday’s main event on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME®.

Michael “The Artist” Perez

In the co-feature at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. Michael “The Artist” Perez (17-1-1, 10 KOs), of Newark, N.J., survived a knockdown in the bout’s closing seconds to take a hard-fought 10-round split decision over tough southpaw Fidel Maldonado (13-2, 11 KOs), of Albuquerque, N.M.

Caballero, the No. 6-rated 118-pound contender by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), won by the scores of 97-92 and 96-93 twice. Perez was triumphant by the scores of 97-92, 95-94 and 94-95.

Caballero vs. Roman and Perez vs. Maldonado were presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona.

“This was a good ShoBox card featuring very young fighters who took another step to becoming hardened 10-round fighters,’’ ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood said afterward. “Caballero fought his fight, dictated the pace and outboxed Roman from a distance. After scoring that early knockdown, he was never in danger of losing.

“The first fight brought back memories of Montreal and the first fight between Lucian Bute and Librado Andrade because the guy trailing scored a knockdown in the last 10 seconds of the last round. And as was the case with Bute and Andrade, the knockdown punch was the last punch of the fight.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that in the general shape Perez was in as a result of the knockdown that Maldonado would have stopped him if he had another 30 seconds.’’

Caballero, 21, struggled in his ShoBox debut on March 16, but he had things his way Friday.

“I loved my performance,’’ Caballero said. “This was exactly the kind of fight I expected. I knew Roman had trained hard and would be tough. He gave me a challenge. I’ve never been hit like that, but I think I proved I have what it takes.”

Caballero continued, “This kind of fight can only help me down the road. The main thing I did well was continually work the jab. This was definitely a big improvement on my first fight on ShoBox.’’

The victory capped a huge night for Caballero and his brothers, Ryan, who won his pro debut in a non-televised fight, and Rommel, who won an amateur bout.

“All three of us had great performances,’’ Randy Caballero said, “and I am very happy about that. This is just the beginning for all of us.’’

After falling behind, Roman made it interesting in the later rounds by effectively working the body with both hands. It wasn’t enough, however, to overcome the early deficit.

“I just got outworked,’’ Roman said. “I just didn’t let my hands go enough and I really don’t know why. I am definitely very disappointed. I felt going in I was ready for a really good showing.’’

Perez, 22, won most of the early rounds against Maldonado, 21, who came on strongly in the hotly contested bout’s second half. Neither boxer was impressed by the judges’ scoring; Perez felt he had won clearly, Maldonado believed he was jobbed.

“Except for the last minute I thought I’d totally outboxed him and won every round even though I hurt my left hand in the third or fourth round and my right hand a little after that,’’ said Perez, who also outpointed Maldonado in the amateurs. “The knockdown was more of a flash knockdown than anything else. I was always aware of what was happening.’’

Said Maldonado, “I felt I’d done enough to win even without the knockdown. I know I hurt Perez throughout and he never hurt me once. His punches had nothing behind them. This decision was total bull. The only rounds I felt I lost were the ones I gave away when I was playing possum trying to get him to come in and exchange.’’

Those in attendance received a special treat Friday. Before the televised portion of the card, Future Hall of Famer, the legendary Bernard Hopkins, hosted a meet and greet with the fans where he signed autographs and posed for pictures with them.

The ShoBox doubleheader will re-air the first time this week as follows:

Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT SHO EXTREME

Friday’s fights will be available ON DEMAND beginning today/Saturday, Aug. 25.

Barry Tompkins called the ShoBox action from ringside alongside Farhood and special guest analyst, former Unified Lightweight World Champion Juan “The Baby Bull” Diaz. “It was an awesome experience for me,’’ Diaz said. “Barry and Steve are such professionals. They made it so easy on me. I was a little nervous to be honest. It is a lot easier fighting.’’

Guerrero, who was moving up two weight classes after a 15-month layoff, was the more active boxer despite admitting having to shake off some rust in his return to the ring. The Gilroy , Calif. , native threw and landed more punches while showcasing a surprising display of power and aggressiveness in an impressive debut in his new division.

“He’s a strong guy,” Guerrero said. “I want to take on the best and that’s why we challenged him. It’s my first fight back in a year and I took care of business.

“I believe in my talents and my skills. I stood with him a little too long, but I’m a fighter. Now you know I can take a shot at the welterweight division. Floyd Mayweather, you want this belt, its right here. Come and get it. “

Guerrero (30-1-1, 18 KO’s) built an early lead over the Turkish Aydin (23-1, 17 KO’s), who rallied with his powerful right hand in the middle and later rounds, but Guerrero, who fought with a second wind in the championship rounds, had built a steady lead and won by scores of 117-11 and 116-112 (twice).

“I think I did wrong, not the judges,” Aydin said. “I could not do what I wanted to do. It’s my mistake, I blame it on me. After the fourth round something happened with me. I saw double and I don’t know why, but there’s no excuse – I lost.”

SHOWTIME boxing analyst and Hall of Famer Al Bernstein was impressed with Guerrero’s performance.

“It was fairly remarkable that Guerrero was able to move up two weight classes after a long layoff and win a battle of attrition with a true welterweight,” Bernstein said. “Aydin is not a stylist and has technique issues, but he is a powerful puncher and he made this an exciting fight.”

In a fast-paced, exciting fight, Shawn Porter kicked off the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast with a hard-fought unanimous decision (96-94, 97-93, 98-92) victory over Alfonso Gomez in the 10-round welterweight co-feature.

The ShoBox: The New Generation alum proved too tough and durable for Gomez, who seemed unable to hurt Porter (20-0, 14 KO’s), of Cleveland , Ohio , with his best shots. Porter, who landed 45 percent of his power punches compared to Gomez’s 34 percent, dominated the middle rounds with effective body shots and powerful combos as Gomez (23-6-2, 12 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Mexico, tired.

“He has a lot of heart,” Porter said. “We came in here and we knew what to expect. I’m an aggressive fighter, my team knows that. If there’s anything I can change it’s that I come forward too much.

“I’m 20 and 0. I can do 10 (rounds) with no problem. I’m on my way up to 12.”

In SHOWTIME EXTREME action, Hugo Centeno (15-0, 8 KO’s), of Oxnard, Calif., kept his unbeaten record intact with a near-shutout eight-round unanimous decision victory (79-73, 80-72 twice) victory over Ayi Bruce (14-8, 8 KO’s), of Albany, N.Y.

Undefeated British super middleweight prospect George Groves (15-0, 12 KO’s) opened up the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast with a bang with a brutal knockout at 2:15 of the sixth round over Francisco Sierra (24-6-1, 22 KO’s), of Tepic, Mexico.

Tavoris Clouds Risks IBF Light Heavy Belt Against Ex-Champ Jean Pascal in Main Event

From Bell Centre In Montreal , Canada ; SHOWTIME Telecast Begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK (July 23, 2012) — With a shot at International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Carl Froch on the line, hard-hitting, world-ranked super middleweights Adonis “Superman” Stevenson, (18-1, 15 KOs) of Montreal, Canada, and Chicago’s Donovan “Da Bomb’’ George (22-2-1, 19 KOs) will clash in an IBF elimination bout titled “Shock Wave In Montreal’’ on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, Aug. 11, live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The important 12-rounder at Bell Centre in Montreal, the SHOWTIME debut for both offensive-minded sluggers, will precede what is potentially the light heavyweight division’s best matchup in years between two young fighters in their prime when undefeated Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs), of Tallahassee, Fla., defends his IBF crown against former WBC belt-holder Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs) of Montreal.

The 5-foot-11, 34-year-old Stevenson, is one of the most feared and avoided super middleweights in the world and one of the most dangerous punchers in the sport. He’s won his last five rounds by knockout, including a second-round TKO over Noe Gonzalez last April 20 in Montreal.

The 6-foot-tall, 27-year-old George has won two of his last three, the loss coming in his most recent outing on a close, hard-fought 10-round decision against undefeated Edwin Rodriguez on March 17 at Madison Square Garden in New York City .

Stevenson, who was born in Haiti and moved to Montreal when he was five-years-old, turned pro at the age of 29 on Sept. 30, 2006, and won his first five starts by knockout. In his 14th outing and United States debut, he lost by shocking second-round TKO to Darnell Boone on April 16, 2010, in Salisbury , Md.

But since the startling setback, Stevenson has made a major impression on the division. Two outings ago, in his debut with Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward, he produced an early candidate for Knockout of the Year by registering a devastating one-punch (straight left), 99-second, first-round knockout over Jesus Gonzalez on April 8, 2011, in Montreal.

The muscular, physically strong Stevenson, who credits Steward with improving his footwork and refining his technique, is primed to continue his assault through the division.

“People know what to expect from me,’’ said Stevenson, who was nicknamed ‘Superman’ in the amateurs. “They know I’m a power puncher, and that I’m fast, I have a good defense and I have skill. I fight aggressively. Fans like that. Fans want action. They want knockouts. That’s what I give them.’’

George leaped at the opportunity to face southpaw Stevenson, the IBF’s top contender and one of Montreal’s most popular prizefighters, after several notable super middleweights, including Andre Dirrell, Mikkel Kessler, Thomas Oosthuizen, James DeGale, Kelly Pavlik and Sakio Bika either withdrew after agreeing or just flat-out declined to face a power puncher coming off a series of sensational knockouts .

“This is a monster shot I’m getting,’’ said George, who figures to come out fast. “To be able to fight on the biggest stage is great and I’m thankful to all who made it happen. I know all about fighting on the road so it doesn’t matter that we’re fighting in Montreal . There should be a great atmosphere at Bell Centre.

“I know that this has been a tough fight to make after so many passed on the fight. But I’m glad to take the challenge. Stevenson is very talented, comes to fight, and has a big punch. But I’ll be very well prepared and willing to go to war in what is the biggest fight of my career. I know it’s going to be a grueling fight and I know it’s going to come down to conditioning and basically who can take the better punch. Adonis is a big puncher, but so am I, so I think it’s going to be a very explosive fight.

“There’s no secret to how I’ll fight. I’m going to throw big punches and I’m going to try to knock him out. I’ll try to add a little boxing to my slugging — I always try to do that — but when the bell rings, I forget about it. This is a big stage, a big audience, and I want to just look great. There’s no way it can’t be a great fight.’’

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, visit the website at http://sports.SHO.com.

Faces Former Champion Miguel Acosta in Main Event

Of Doubleheader This Friday, July 20, Live on SHOWTIME®

Williams-El Harrak Fight Cancelled Due to Injury;

Chumash Casino Resort, Santa Ynez , Calif.

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.’’

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WBO LATINO JR. WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT

FRIDAY – JUNE 22 – ESPN

SOBOBA CASINO – SAN JACINTO, CA

CLICK HERE FOR BOUT SHEET

Javier Castro 140 lbs. vs. Mike Dallas Jr. 140 lbs.

Brandon Gonzales 164 lbs. vs. Elie Augustama 164 lbs.

Guy Robb 125.5 lbs. vs. Rodrigo Aranda 129 lbs.

Javier Molina 147 lbs. vs. Octavio Navarez 147 lbs.

Joshua Conley 157 lbs. vs. Donte Stower 153 lbs.

Tickets priced at $30, $25, $20 & $10 are on sale now and can be purchased at the Soboba box office or by calling the hotline at (866) 476-2622. Tickets are also available by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745- 3000 or online at ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 5:00 and the event will air live on ESPN 2, ESPN 3 and ESPN Deportes at 6:00 p.m. PT.