29.09 – Undefeated welterweight contender and 2000 Uzbekistan Olympic Gold Medalist Mohamad Abdulaev will make his second SHOWTIME appearance along with former teammate, Ruslan Chagaev, in separate bouts on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday, October 5. In the 10-round welterweight main event from COBO Center in Detroit, Mich., Abdulaev will take on Juan Antonio Lopez, while Chagaev will battle heavyweight champion Rob Calloway in the 10-round heavyweight co-feature. SHOWTIME will televise the Millennium Events-promoted fight card at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT

Abdulaev (9-0, 7 KOs), of Uzbekistan, scored three knockdowns en route to a third-round TKO over Juan C. Rivera in his SHOWTIME debut May 11, 2002, on “ShoBox: The New Generation.” Abdulaev captured the gold medal in the 139-pound division by defeating Ricardo Williams 27-20 in the finals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Abulaev also defeated Williams during the second round of competition at the 1999 United States World Championships, prior to capturing a gold medal at the competition. During a stellar amateur career in which he also defeated highly regarded pro, Miguel Cotto, Abdulaev won two titles and more than 270 bouts.

The pride of Uzbekistan turned pro at age 27 on April 6, 2001, and shut out Mahan Washington across four rounds in Las Vegas, Nev. In his only pro appearance on home soil, Abdulaev scored a second-round TKO over Rey Pelonia on Sept. 21, 2001, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In his last bout on Aug. 24, 2002, he stopped Jose Aponte in the third round in Atlantic City, N.J.

Lopez (18-2-1, 13 KOs), of Dallas, Texas, captured the fringe IBA Americas junior welterweight crown with a 12-round victory over Carlos Ramirez on July 12, 2001, in Dallas. In his only title defense less than five months later on Dec. 6, 2001, Lopez scored a fourth-round knockout over Wayne Boudreaux in New Orleans. After turning pro at age 20 in April 1996, Lopez defeated his initial 12 opponents, including 11 via knockout. In his last outing, the crowd-pleasing 27-year-old fought to a 10-round draw against Ubaldo Hernandez before a nationally televised audience in El Paso, Texas.

Chagaev (5-0, 4 KOs), of Uzbekistan, registered an eight-round unanimous decision over Christopher Issac in his SHOWTIME debut May 11, 2002 on “ShoBox.” Chagaev sent Issac to the canvas with a left hook in the third to win by the scores 79-72 twice and 80-71. The two-time world amateur champion defeated legendary Cuban boxer Felix Savon to capture the gold medal at the 1997 World Championships. After being stripped of his crown for having two pro fights prior to the championships, Chagaev was suspended for two years but allowed to continue to box as an amateur. The undefeated southpaw returned to win a gold medal in the super heavyweight division at the 2000 World Championships, and make it to the quarterfinals of the 2000 Olympics. Chagaev has knocked out four of his five pro opponents, including a first-round KO over Val Smith on April 14, 2002.

Calloway (41-3, 31 KOs), of Kansas City, Mo., captured the fringe WBF Americas heavyweight crown by scoring an 11th-round TKO over Otis Tisdale on June 28, 2002, in St. Joseph, Mo. Following a successful basketball career, the Missouri native started boxing at age 21 and had only 25 amateur bouts prior to entering the pro ranks in 1992. The two-time Kansas City Golden Gloves champion, who won 32 out of his first 33 professional bouts, is currently riding a three-fight winning streak. In his last contest, Calloway scored a ninth-round TKO over Eric Davis on Sept. 8, 2002, in St. Joseph.

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 David Dinkins producing and Chuck McKean directing.