WBC No. 4 Middleweight/WBO No. 4 Junior Middleweight Contender Kuvanych Toygonbayev vs. Former WBC Youth 154-Pound Champion Andrey Tsurkan

2000 Uzbekistan Olympian/Undefeated Heavyweight Contender Ruslan Chagaev vs. TBA

Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 11 PM ET/PT From Yonkers Raceway, Yonkers, New York

16.05 – SHOWTIME’s popular “ShoBox: The New Generation” boxing series makes its second New York appearance with a pair of 10-round bouts from Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, N.Y., on Thursday, May 22. In the main event, World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 4 middleweight and World Boxing Organization (WBO) No. 4 junior middleweight contender, Kuvanych Toygonbayev, faces former WBC Youth champion Andrey Tsurkan. The co-feature will pit unbeaten 2000 Uzbekistan Olympian Ruslan Chagaev against a fighter to be announced. SHOWTIME will televise the fight card, promoted by Millennium Events P/L, and representing the 30th in a series of “ShoBox” telecasts, at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The well-received series debuted July 21, 2001.

Toygonbayev (20-1, 14 KOs), of Las Vegas, Nev., by way of Andizhan, Uzbekistan, will make his second SHOWTIME appearance. In his network debut on May 18, 2002, from Las Vegas, Toygonbayev scored one knockdown and dominated former world title challenger Oba Carr en route to registering a lopsided 10-round decision by the scores 100-87 and 99-88 twice. The hard-hitting contender known as “Kuva” has won eight consecutive fights, including a seventh-round knockout over Alfonso Mosquera in his last contest on Jan. 19, 2003, from Melbourne, Australia. Toygonbayev, who started boxing at age 15, compiled a 185-15 amateur record prior to turning pro at age 21 on Sept. 3, 1997. After winning his initial 12 starts, Toygonbayev suffered his lone defeat in his 13th outing when he dropped a six-round decision to Kassim Ouma on Oct. 13, 2000, in Ledyard, Conn.

Tsurkan (19-1, 12 KOs) of the Bronx, N.Y., by way of Mogansk, Russia, captured the WBC Youth 154-pound belt with a second-round TKO over Paulino Avitia on July 28, 2000, in Las Vegas. Prior to turning pro on Nov. 6, 1999, in Phoenix, Tsurkan captured the Ukrainian national title four times during a nearly 200-fight amateur career. An aggressive boxer puncher, Tsurkan won his first 18 starts before losing on a fifth-round TKO to Shawn Garnett on Dec. 11, 2002, for the New York State 154-pound championship. Before relocating to New York in May 2001, the well-traveled boxer moved from his native Russia to Scottsdale, Ariz. In his most recent start, Tsurkan recorded a six-round decision over Charles Clark on April 4, 2003, from Uncasville, Conn

Chagaev (5-0-1, 4 KOs), of Uzbekistan, is coming off of a disputed third-round technical draw against Rob Calloway Oct. 5, 2002, on SHOWTIME from Detroit. The hard-punching southpaw, who had dominated most of the bout, bloodied his opponent’s nose and cut him badly above the left eye. When the referee halted the scheduled 10-round bout at 2:41 of the third round, it appeared to most ringside experts that Chagaev had earned his sixth consecutive win. However, the match was ruled a technical draw when the referee decided that Calloway could not continue due to an earlier unintentional head butt. A two-time world amateur champion, Chagaev defeated legendary Cuban boxer Felix Savon to capture the gold medal at the 1997 World Championships. After being stripped of his crown for fighting twice as a pro prior to the championships, Chagaev was suspended for two years but allowed to continue to box as an amateur. He returned to win a gold medal in the super heavyweight division at the 2000 World Championships, and advance to the quarterfinals of the 2000 Olympics. Chagaev registered an eight-round unanimous decision over Christopher Issac in his SHOWTIME debut May 11, 2002 on “ShoBox.”

“ShoBox: The New Generation” features up-and-coming prospects determined to make a mark and eventually fight for a chance at a world title. The best of the new generation of hungry, young boxers will have an opportunity to showcase their talent and heart as they battle each other in competitive fights in front of a national television audience. “ShoBox: The New Generation” is pure, basic boxing, reminiscent of the golden days of the sport.

SHOWTIME televises “ShoBox: The New Generation” at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Thursdays every other week.

Nick Charles will call the action from ringside, with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst. The executive producers of the telecast are Jay Larkin and Gordon Hall, with Richard Gaughan producing.

For information on upcoming “ShoBox: The New Generation” and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records and related stories, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing.