ShoBox: The New Generation will celebrate its 200th telecast on Friday, July 25 the same way it started 13 years ago: matching highly regarded prospects in what could be the toughest fights of their careers.
The quadruple header features eight fighters with a combined record of 115-5-1, including a matchup of two undefeated fighters, the 75th such occurrence on the prospect developmental series.
The landmark 200th edition of SHOBOX is promoted by GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions.
In the main event from Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y., undefeated middleweight prospect Antoine Douglas (14-0, 9 KOs), of Washington, D.C., will take a big step-up in opposition when he faces once-beaten, former world title challenger Michel Soro (23-1, 13 KOs), of France by way of Ivory Coast, in a 10-round bout.
The co-feature showcases a matchup of undefeated-yet-untested prospects, each taking an important step. Hard-hitting super middleweight prospect Jerry Odom (11-0, 10 KOs), of Washington, D.C., will take on Cuban amateur standout Vilier Quinonez (8-0, 5 KOs), of Miami by way of Cuba, in an eight-round match.
In another eight rounder undefeated welterweight Cecil McCalla (18-0, 6 KOs), of Randallstown, Md., will face Oscar Godoy (13-2, 6 KOs), of Watsonville, Calif., and in the opening bout of the telecast, unbeaten Wanzell Ellison (11-0, 5 KOs), of Newark, N.J., will square off with Tony Luis (17-2, 7 KOs), of Ontario, Canada, in an eight-round lightweight bout.
Antoine Douglas will make his second appearance of 2014 on ShoBox, where he scored an impressive unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Marquis Davis this past Jan. 17. A highly regarded prospect and former amateur champion, Douglas and his sister, Tyrieshia, were the only brother-sister duo to qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials.
The 21-year-old Douglas is coming off two consecutive knockout wins inside of two rounds, the latest a second round TKO of veteran, former world title challenger Luca Messi. Douglas, who has been pushed to the eighth round just once in his career and will be fighting in his second scheduled 10-rounder, will take on his toughest challenge to date in Soro.
The only blemish on Michel Soro’s record was a unanimous decision loss in the hometown of Ukrainian junior middleweight world champion Zaurbek Baysangurov in 2012. Since the defeat, the Frenchman has produced five wins in a row back home in France and is coming off a fifth- round TKO of Alexey Ribchev.
Soro is experienced in distance fights, having gone 12 rounds three times and 10 rounds twice. But the 26-year-old will be making his U.S. debut and fighting at a catch-weight of 157 pounds after campaigning for most of his career at 154.
The Jerry Odom-Vilier Quinonez matchup features two undefeated fighters, both with solid amateur pedigree, facing off at similar points in their professional careers, the quintessential ShoBox matchup.
The heavy-handed, 21-year-old Odom was undefeated entering his last bout in April when he won a four-round unanimous decision over Edgar Perez. Highly regarded yet inexperienced, Odom will be fighting in his first eight-round fight. He has not been past the fourth and has never been scheduled for more than six rounds.
Like many Cuban boxers, the 29-year-old Quinonez got a late start as a professional and didn’t turn pro until 2010 at the age of 25. He has campaigned in Florida for most of his career and is coming off a first-round TKO of Edgar Perez, who happens to be the only fighter that pushed Odom to the distance.
Quinonez is guided by veteran trainer Orlando Cuellar, trainer of former world champion Glen Johnson, who may need to focus on his pupil’s conditioning for this scheduled eight rounder. Quinonez has never been past the fourth round and has only been scheduled for six rounds once.
The 29-year-old McCalla was an accomplished amateur with 150 fights, but he’s faced mostly inferior opposition as a professional. McCallla is one fight removed from a career-best win over durable veteran Eric Mitchell and is coming off a six-round unanimous decision win over the outmatched Antonio Chaves Fernandez.
McCalla, who has never been past the sixth round, will be fighting in his third scheduled eight-round match, while Godoy has an eight-round split-decision victory on his record.
Godoy, 24, has won nine fights in a row since his last loss and is just two fights removed from a career-best second-round knockout over of battle-tested veteran Rogelio Castaneda Jr., who has faced the likes of Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson and Demetrius Hopkins. The Santa Cruz-area boxer is coming off a majority decision over Victor Fonseca on March 14.
The 25-year-old Ellison is unbeaten yet untested as a professional. He had 90 amateur fights and appeared in the National Golden Gloves twice, but he has fought mostly limited opposition since turning pro in 2009. He is coming off a split-decision win against previously unbeaten Iain Weaver on April 4, but prior to that he defeated four fighters with losing records.
The Canadian Luis, 26, has faced decidedly tougher opposition as a pro. He is coming off an extremely hard-fought 10-round unanimous decision loss to undefeated prospect Ivan Redkach this past Jan. 17 on ShoBox in which he was knocked down in the first round and suffered a cut on his forehead in the sixth from an accidental headbutt. Luis is also more experienced, having boxed more than double the amount of rounds than Ellison (92-45).
