Boxing

 

Showtime Presents Tripleheader From Mohegan Sun Arena Feb. 1

24.01 – Three of boxing’s most highly regarded young boxers – Rocky Juarez, Francisco “Panchito” Bojado and Juan Diaz – hope to continue their winning ways when they will be featured in separate 10-round bouts on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday, Feb. 1 at 10 PM ET/PT. Juarez, 22, the 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist, will face former United States Boxing Association (USBA) 122-pound champion Jason Pires. Bojado 19, who scored early-round knockouts in his first nine bouts will seek his second consecutive victory since his only loss, when he meets Frankie Santos. The youngest boxer to ever appear on SHOWTIME, Diaz, 19, will be opposed by John Bailey. SHOWTIME will televise the Main Events, Inc.-promoted from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut N.J.

Juarez (14-0, 10 KOs), of the north side of Houston, Texas, has won five out of his past six bouts inside of the distance. In his last outing, the undefeated Texan scored a ninth-round TKO over Natalio Ponce on Dec. 6, 2002, in Victoria, Texas. The smart, technically proficient youngster made his sixth SHOWTIME appearance on Oct. 19, 2002, and tallied a 10-round unanimous decision over former World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight titleholder Hector Acero-Sanchez. During an outstanding amateur career, Juarez compiled a 145-17 record. A controversial decision in the championship bout cost the United States Olympian a gold medal.

Pires (20-2, 9 KOs), of New Bedford, Mass., captured the USBA 122-pound crown with a first-round TKO over Andres Fernandez on Aug. 22, 1998. In his lone defense, Pires registered a 10-round technical decision over Arturo Estrada on Jan. 29, 1999. During an amateur career in which he compiled an 85-14 record, Pires won the New England Golden Gloves five times, was a two-time National Golden Gloves silver medallist and an alternate on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team. Since turning pro at age 22 in October 1996, Pires’ only losses have been to world-ranked contenders Arthur Johnson and Oscar Leon.

Bojado (10-1, 9 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Guadalajara, Mexico, rebounded from his only loss to record an eight-round unanimous decision over Frankie Sanchez in his eighth SHOWTIME appearance (including highlights) and last fight on Oct. 19, 2002, in Houston, Texas. Bojado opened the 2002 campaign on Feb. 16 by suffering a 10-round unanimous decision loss to veteran Juan Carlos Rubio on SHOWTIME. Since turning pro on Jan. 13, 2001, the dazzling 19-year-old has fought a total of 32 rounds in 11 fights. The lightning-quick Bojado has registered five first-round knockouts, three second-round knockouts and one third-round knockout. Bojado captured his first pro title, the WBC junior welterweight youth crown, on Oct. 13, 2001, with a second-round KO over Eleazar Contreras on SHOWTIME. The youngest member of the 2000 Mexican Olympic team compiled an outstanding record of 168-15 with 85 knockouts in the amateurs.

Santos (15-1-2, 7 KOs), of Salinas, Puerto Rico, went 45-9 in the amateurs before turning pro at age 19 on June 4, 1998. The once-beaten Puerto Rican won his initial 10 starts prior to recording a draw against Rosember Palacious on Oct. 23, 1999, in Miami, Fla. In his only defeat, Santos got caught with an uppercut from Rogelio Castaneda and lost by fourth-round TKO in a bout for the FECARBOX 140-pound title on June 2, 2001, from Miami. On April 12, 2002, in his lone bout since the loss, Santos recorded a six-round majority decision over John Trigg in Miccosukee, Fla.

Diaz (19-0, 9 KOs), of Houston, Tex., is coming off of a fourth-round TKO over Arthur Cruz on Nov. 22, 2002, in Atlantic City, N.J. Diaz became the youngest boxer (17 years old) to fight on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING when he made his network debut on Jan. 13, 2001, and won a six-round decision over Brad Jensen. In his second SHOWTIME appearance on Sept. 1, 2001, Diaz survived a brutal second-round knockdown at the hands of Ubaldo Hernandez, as well as a badly cut right eye to win his initial eight-round start via unanimous decision. The native Texan turned pro at age 16 on June 23, 2000, and scored a first-round TKO over Rafael Ortiz. Too young to box professionally in the U.S., the crowd-pleasing teenager fought his initial three bouts in Mexico. In his last SHOWTIME appearance, Diaz scored an impressive sixth-round TKO over Roy Delgado on Oct. 19, 2002, in Houston.

Bailey (21-9-2, 13 KOs), of Weirton, W. Va., was an All-State wrestler in high school. He received his nickname “Macho Midget” for fighting bigger opponents in “Toughman” competitions. The 30-year-old has been competitive against tough opposition throughout his career and rarely has been outclassed. In one of his best victories, Bailey recorded a 10-round unanimous decision over then-International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 2 contender Joel Perez on Dec. 29, 2000, in Chester, W. Va.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s Steve Albert and former world champion Bobby Czyz will call the action from ringside with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast is Jay Larkin, with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing.

For information on upcoming SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios and records, please go the SHOWTIME website at http:// SHO.com

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