Lou DiBella and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and have officially announced the signing of Brooklyn’s former amateur star, and now undefeated professional, Shemuel “The Chosen One” Pagan (2-0, 1KO) to an exclusive co-promotional agreement. Pagan is set to make his promotional debut on the DiBella Entertainment and SMS Promotions-promoted card on September 16, at Resorts World Casino NYC in Jamaica, Queens.
“Shemuel has natural talent. His defensive skills match his offense, which allows him to effectively connect his punches and evade his opponents. We know that he will make it into that elite group of fighters and I’m excited to have the chance to be a part of his legacy,” said 50 Cent.
“Shemuel is a tremendous talent, as evidenced by his five Golden Gloves championships,” said DiBella. “In addition to his great boxing talent, he is also very personable and marketable. With his Puerto Rican and Jewish background, he creates great appeal to a wide variety of boxing fans here in New York City.”
“I am grateful for the talent and strength that God has blessed me with. I feel truly honored and excited to sign with Lou DiBella and 50 Cent’s SMS Promotions,” stated Pagan.
“I’ve been working very hard to get to this point. With their eyes all over the world viewing so many great fighters, it’s a privilege to be noticed by these two New York City icons. It’s very humbling to have their recognition. With their guidance and continuous blessings from God, I will be able to represent New York City on a greater level and bring a world championship back to this great city.”
The lightweight Pagan was a blue-chip prospect as an amateur, compiling an impressive 89-19 record and winning nearly every major title and tournament throughout the New York/Northeast Region, as well as earning national accolades. Pagan was also a five-time NY Golden Gloves champion, the first fighter to accomplish that feat since former World Champion and Olympic Gold medalist Mark Breland, who many consider to be one of the greatest fighters in amateur history.
The 25-year-old Pagan successfully made his pro debut in August 2010 with a shutout four-round unanimous decision over Raul Rivera. Pagan followed up that victory with an impressive first- round TKO of Marcos Garcia in early 2011. After the bout with Garcia, Pagan saw his career hit a roadblock as he suffered a minor shoulder injury. After his shoulder fully recovered, Pagan began weighing options from the top promoters in the industry, before deciding on the boxing’s new powerful team of SMS and DBE.
