NEW YORK (Aug. 2, 2006) – “ShoBox: The New Generation” will continue its super middleweight tournament with two more explosive bouts when the opening round resumes Friday, Aug. 4, at the Sports Center of Las Vegas. The SHOWTIME telecast will open with Tony “The Tyger’’ Hanshaw (19-0, 13 KOs) of Warren, Ohio, taking on Esteban “Rocky’’ Camou (18-1, 15 KOs) of Navojoa, Mexico, followed by late substitute Lafarrell “Memphis Fairway’’ Bunting (15-1-1, 15 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nev., by way of Memphis, Tenn., facing Jose Luis Herrera (14-1, 14 KOs) of San Onofre, Colombia..
The winners in Friday’s 10-round, opening-round bouts on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) will advance to the Oct. 6 tournament semi-finals where they will box each other. The other semi-final that evening will match a pair of unbeatens, Jean Paul Mendy and Henry “Sugar Poo’’ Buchanan. Mendy (22-0, 12 KOs) and Buchanan (14-0, 11 KOs) advanced July 28 on SHOWTIME with first-round tournament victories over Dallas Vargas and Lucas Green-Arias, respectively, at The Sports Center of Las Vegas.
On Jan. 5, 2007, the winner of the tournament final will walk away with the International Boxing Organization (IBO) 168-pound title. Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, is promoting this event that, in addition to the IBO title, also offers two boxers from the original field of eight the rare opportunity to appear on national television three times in only six months.
Tickets to the Aug. 4 show are on sale at The Pureformance Training Center (PFTC) box office, or by calling 702-450-PFTC. Tickets also can be purchased online at puresupplements.com.
TONY “THE TYGER” HANSHAW (19-0, 13 KOs): Had more than 300 amateur bouts since he first stepped into the ring at age five. As an amateur, Hanshaw registered impressive victories over some of today’s top contenders, including Sechew Powell, Kelly Pavlik and Sergio Mora …. Hanshaw was introduced to boxing by his late father, Henry Russell, a professional light heavyweight, who died when he was electrocuted by a power line while trimming trees on a landscaping job. “I thought about giving up,” Hanshaw said. “My dad meant everything to me. I could not imagine going back to my corner and him not being there.”
Shortly after his father’s death, Hanshaw lost a decision to future world champion Jermain Taylor in a 2000 U.S. Olympic team trials box off at 156-pounds. As a result, Hanshaw was named as an alternate, but chose to forego the Sydney Games. As a pro, Hanshaw won his first five bouts inside of the distance, and fought nine times during his first year as a pro. In July 2002, a shoulder injury sidelined Hanshaw for nearly two years, but he has come back strongly with three of his last four wins coming by knockout.
ESTEBAN “ROCKY” CAMOU (18-1, 15 KOs): A 28-year-old, 5-foot-10-inch, two-time Mexican super middle champion will make his U.S. debut and first start outside of Mexico. He turned pro on April 4, 2003, and won his first 16 starts before suffering his lone loss on a sixth-round TKO to former world champ Luis Ramon “Yory Boy” Campas in a bout for the vacant North American Boxing Association (NABA) belt on Sept. 30, 2005. Camou has gone 12 rounds twice, both times for the Mexican title. In his last two starts, Camou defended his Mexican belt (his second stint as champion) with a ninth-round TKO over Ernesto Zamora on Dec. 2, 2005, and a fifth-round TKO over Arturo Rivera on April 7, 2006.
LAFARRELL “MEMPHIS FAIRWAY” BUNTING (15-1, 15 KOs): A replacement for Sakio Bika, who injured an elbow and withdrew from the tournament, Bunting has won 10 consecutive bouts by knockout. In his last start, the six-foot-one-inch, 25 year old registered a first-round knockout over Carlos Bates to capture the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA) light heavyweight title in San Marcos, Texas, on July 15, 2006.
The 1997 National Junior Olympics champion at 165 pounds, Bunting started boxing at the age of 10 when his stepfather took him to a gym. He turned pro three days after his 21st birthday on Oct. 4, 2001. Bunting boxed to a draw in his third outing and suffered his lone defeat in his seventh.
JOSE LUIS HERRERA (14-1, 14 KOs): A 26-year-old powerhouse who has never heard the final bell in a fight, the Colombian super middleweight champion will make his U.S. debut. He turned pro on June 15, 2002, with a first-round knockout of Alex Ochoa. Herrera suffered his lone defeat in his ninth start when Guzmil Perdomo won by third-round TKO on Feb. 7, 2004, in Caracas, Venezuela. Herrera rebounded to capture the Colombian 168-pound crown 14 months later with a ninth-round TKO over Felix Hernandez on April 22, 2005, in Cartagena, Colombia. Herrera is coming off of a fourth-round TKO over Jorge Castro on April 22, 2006.
Blow-by-blow announcer Nick Charles and expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood will call the action from ringside. The executive producer of “ShoBox” is Gordon Hall, with Richard Gaughan producing.
The critically-acclaimed series, “ShoBox: The New Generation,” debuted on SHOWTIME in July 2001 as a proving ground for up-and-coming fighters determined to eventually fight for a world title. The Aug. 4 telecast will represent the 81st episode of “ShoBox,” which features young prospects matched tough. A number of fighters who have appeared on the series have gone on to become world champions, including Ricky Hatton, Juan Diaz, Leonard Dorin, Joan Guzman, Scott Harrison and Jeff Lacy.
For information on “ShoBox: The New Generation” and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records, related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing.