This Friday night, in a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME®, former undisputed 160-pound world champion Jermain Taylor (29-4-1, 18 KO’s) meets the undefeated Caleb “Golden” Truax (18-0-1, 10 KO’s) in the 10-round main event. The 10-round co-feature will pit former Cuban amateur standout Erislandy Lara (15-1-1, 10 KO’s) against Ronald Hearns (26-2, 20 KO’s). Both bouts will be shown live this Friday, April 20, on SHOWTIME from Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss.
Seeing action on the untelevised portion of the undercard will be three of DBE’s top up-and-coming prospects, J’Leon Love (10-0, 6KO’s), Kelvin Price (12-0, 6KO’s) and Steven Martinez (11-1, 9KO’s).
The Detroit-native Love, who now lives and trains in the boxing hotbed of Las Vegas, NV, is looking to keep his unbeaten record intact when he takes on Ibahiem King (10-6, 4KO’s) in the middleweight’s first scheduled eight-rounder. Love has gained invaluable experience within in the last year, first serving as one of the main sparring partners for Antonio Margarito during Margarito’s preparation for his rematch with Miguel Cotto this past December, and is now currently in camp with pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, as Mayweather prepares for his upcoming May 5 fight against Cotto. This will be Love’s second fight of 2012. In his most recent outing, Love won a convincing six-round unanimous decision over Elie Augustama on January 6.
Price got a very late start into the sport of boxing, and had only one amateur fight before turning pro in 2007. What Price lacked in experience though, he made up for in athletic ability and size. Standing at 6’7″ and weighing in usually around 235-plus pounds, Price was a standout basketball player and track star growing up. After playing his college ball at UNC-Charlotte, Price spent some time playing professional basketball overseas, before coming back to the States and falling in love with the sport of boxing. Price’s biggest win as a professional came in 2010 when he decisioned fellow undefeated prospect, Tor Hamer. Price is scheduled to take on Aaron Lyons (12-11-1, 9KO’s) in his first scheduled 10-round contest.
Rounding out the five-bout card will be the exciting junior middleweight Martinez. Martinez, a three-time NY Golden Gloves winner and 2008 National Golden Gloves Champion is looking to rebound from his first career loss, a close majority decision to fellow prospect Denis Douglin on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights earlier this year when he takes on Marcus Thompkins (5-6-1, 2KO’s) in a six-round junior middleweight matchup.
The special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Golden Boy Promotions. The main event features former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor (29-4-1, 18 KO’s) taking on the undefeated Caleb “Golden” Truax (18-0-1, 10 KO’s) in a 10-round middleweight matchup. In the co-featured bout of the evening, former Cuban amateur star Erislandy Lara (15-1-1, 10 KO’s) takes on Ronald Hearns (26-2, 20 KO’s) in a fight originally scheduled for February 11 as the co-feature to Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto II, but that was rescheduled after a Berto injury caused a postponement of the event. SHOWTIME® will begin live coverage starting at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Tickets, priced at $150, $100, and $50 plus tax and service charges, are available online at www.beaurivage.com, by phone at (888) 566-7469, or in person at the Beau Rivage Theatre box office. Beau Rivage room reservations can be made by calling (888) 567-6667 or visiting www.beaurivage.com.
