The boxers who will fight on a must-see doubleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 11, live on SHOWTIME® (11:15 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino are set to go following Thursday’s official weigh-in.
Rising featherweight star Ronny Rios (19-0, 9 KO’s), of Santa Ana, Calif., and former WBA Super Bantamweight World Champion Rico Ramos (21-1, 11 KO’s), of Los Angeles, who clash in a 10-round bout for the vacant NABF Featherweight Championship in the ShoBox main event, made weight on their first attempts. Both weighed 125.4 pounds.
Unbeaten junior middleweights Daquan Arnett (9-0, 6 KO’s), of Orlando, Fla., and Brandon Quarles (10-0-1, 2 KO’s) of Alexandria, Va., meet in the 8-round co-feature at Fantasy Springs. Quarles made the weight (153.2 pounds). Arnett came in heavy; his official weight at 155.8 pounds.
The doubleheader will be seen during a Free Preview Weekend on SHOWTIME that begins tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 11, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 13.
Popular local favorite and NABO Bantamweight Champion Randy Caballero (17-0, 9 KO’s), of Coachella, Calif., will be opposed by Luis Maldonado (38-9-1, 29 KO’s), of Mexicali, Mex., in the top non-televised match. Caballero weighed 121 pounds for the 10-round scrap; Maldonado 121.6.
RONNY RIOS
“The way I see it, fighting on ShoBox can be a life-changing experience for me. It can be the start of many more fights on television. I’ve seen guys start on ShoBox and then go to SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and that’s what I’m confident can happen to me.
“This is such a tremendous opportunity and I’m as ready as I can be. I’m anxious but not nervous at all. The key for me is to stay calm and collected, stay focused on my strengths and capitalize on his mistakes.
“This should be an action fight. I know I want it to be exciting — that’s the kind of fights people want to see. Neither of us are one-punch knockout guys so we have to find other ways to entertain the fans.
“I plan to press the action and work the body. Rico is a great fighter and we’ve known each other for years, but this is my opportunity to make a statement and a name for myself. You can’t ask for a better platform that this, fighting on SHOWTIME on a weekend when you can watch it for free.”
RICO RAMOS
“I feel good and am ready to go in and take care of business and come out with a win. There is no sense of urgency because I know what I have to do. I’ve been sparring with much bigger guys so I am not concerned about moving up in weight.
“I really want to get this win so I can get to the next level. I was at that level before, but now I want to get back to it. My one loss taught me a lot. You can be physically ready, but if you’re not mentally ready, you shouldn’t even be in there. A boxer has to be 100 percent and I learned that the hard way.
“The loss made me more determined and I feel more motivated. I’m definitely hungrier. Rios is a talented fighter, but I’m ready to adapt to anything he does. I really want to get back to where I was and it all starts tomorrow night.”
DAQUAN ARNETT
“I’m looking forward to an exciting fight. I’m young and strong and I come to entertain, but I know that this guy is coming to take my head off.
“I’m excited about fighting again on SHOWTIME. I’ve been on SHOWTIME EXTREME and this will be my first full fight on SHOWTIME. I’m definitely excited and ready to go.
“This not making the weight will never happen to me again.”
BRANDON QUARLES
“I’m excited and ready to showcase my talents and show the world who I am. I really want to thank SHOWTIME and Golden Boy for giving me this opportunity.
“My transition from amateurs to pros went smoothly and I feel I have adapted well as a pro.
“I am totally calm and looking at tomorrow night as just another day on the job. My goal is to become world champion.
“I’m really looking forward to a good fight.”
RANDY CABALLERO
“It’s great to start off the year by fighting in my hometown and I am really ready to go. My training camp has been excellent and my sparring went great.
“This is a very important fight for me. Maldonado is a veteran, very tough, who has fought a lot of the top guys (Nonito Donaire, Vic Darchinyan) so I know I’ll have to be at my best.”
LUIS MALDONADO
“I’m very happy to get an opportunity to fight a young fighter like Caballero. I know he is going to try very hard to keep his unbeaten record.
“Experience is the key to winning fights, and I have a lot. I expect him to stand in front of me and trade, so this will be a very good fight.”
