Showtime Boxing Presents Tripleheader From Houston

29.08 – Three of boxing’s most highly regarded young stars – featherweight Rocky Juarez, junior welterweight Francisco “Panchito” Bojado and lightweight Juan Diaz – will appear in separate bouts on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday, Nov. 22, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Juarez, 23, the 2000 Olympic Games Silver Medalist, will fight for his first title when he takes on former World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight champion Willie Jorrin in a 12-rounder for the WBC Continental Americas featherweight crown. Bojado, 20, will attempt to avenge his only pro defeat when he faces Juan Carlos Rubio in a 12-round bout for the WBC Continental Americas junior welterweight title. Diaz, who turns 20 on Sept. 17, will square off against an opponent to be announced in a 10-round lightweight match. SHOWTIME will televise the Main Events, Inc.-promoted fight card from Reliant Park in Houston.

Juarez (17-0, 13 KOs), of the north side of Houston, has won four consecutive bouts by knockout, and eight out of his past nine inside of the distance. In his last start, the youngster regarded by many as the top boxer from the 2000 class scored a dramatic 10th-round stoppage over Antonio Diaz July 19, 2003, on SHOWTIME from Houston. Juarez, who made his eighth SHOWTIME appearance, flattened Diaz with a single left hook 1:33 into the final round. After nine completed rounds, Juarez led by the scores 89-82, 88-83 and 87-84, but many had it much closer. During an outstanding amateur career, Juarez compiled a 145-17 record. A controversial decision in the championship bout cost the U.S. Olympian a gold medal and ended his 68-fight winning streak.

Jorrin (29-1-1, 13 KOs), of Sacramento, Calif., captured the WBC 122-pound title with a 12-round majority decision over Michael Brodie on Sept. 9, 2000, in Manchester, England. The California native made two successful title defenses before losing a rematch to Oscar Larios on Nov. 1, 2002, in Sacramento. Jorrin previously defeated Larios in his initial defense by registering a controversial 12-round decision on Jan. 19, 2001. In his second defense, Jorrin fought to a 12-round draw against Osamu Sato on Feb. 5, 2002, in Tokyo. Since the loss to Larios, Jorrin scored a second-round TKO over John Hoffman in his lone 2003 appearance on April 25 in Rosemont, Ill.

Bojado (13-1, 11 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Guadalajara, Mexico, will make his 11th SHOWTIME appearance, including highlights, in 14 pro bouts. A talented, offensive-minded up-and-comer, Bojado has won four consecutive contests since losing a shocking 10-round unanimous decision to Rubio on SHOWTIME Feb. 16, 2002. The judges scored the bout 96-94 twice and 98-92. Bojado captured the WBC junior welterweight youth crown, on Oct. 13, 2001, with a second-round knockout over Eleazar Contreras on SHOWTIME. The youngest member of the 2000 Mexican Olympic team compiled an outstanding 168-15 amateur record with 85 knockouts.

Rubio (29-6-2, 10 KOs), of Lakeside, Calif. by way of Colima, Mexico, has won four consecutive outings, including two straight since defeating Bojado in what Ring Magazine dubbed the “2002 Upset of the Year.” A former California state junior welterweight and International Boxing Association (IBA) Americas welterweight champion, Rubio is coming off of a 10-round unanimous decision over Jose Cruz on Aug.8, 2003, from Pico Rivera, Calif.

Diaz (22-0, 10 KOs), of Houston, won a crowd-pleasing, 10-round unanimous decision over Francisco Lorenzo in the SHOWTIME co-feature on July 19, 2003. The youngest boxer (17 years old) to ever fight on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Diaz outpointed the game Lorenzo by the scores 98-91 twice and 96-93. Diaz 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. Diaz will make his seventh SHOWTIME appearance.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s Steve Albert and Al Bernstein will call the action from ringside with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast is Jay Larkin, with David Dinkins Jr. producing and Bob Dunphy directing.