July 10, 2012 – Gary Shaw Productions is happy to announce the signing of undefeated middleweight prospect, Tureano “Reno” Johnson (9-0, 6 KOs) to an exclusive promotional contract. Johnson, who represented the Bahamas in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, had an extensive amateur career and brings a lot of experience to the professional ranks, as he’s started his career with nine consecutive victories.
“Tureano has a tremendous amount of talent and we are delighted to include him to our roster of great young fighters,” said Gary Shaw. “We are looking to get him in the ring as soon as possible. Right now we are looking for an open date to showcase his talent.”
Said Johnson, “First and foremost, I want to thank God for this wonderful opportunity. When I started my boxing journey many years ago, I had three major goals that I wanted to accomplish. One was to represent my homeland of the Bahamas in the Olympic Games. Secondly I wanted to sign with a major United States promoter. And lastly, I want to become a world champion and eventually be recognized as the greatest professional boxer ever from the Bahamas. I now have achieved two of my goals, and I am confident that GSP will be the vehicle that will help my third goal become a reality.
“It has been said that Tureano is not a great technical boxer. Well, that is true. I am an old-school fighter who likes to get bloody and barbaric when I get in the ring. To all the fighters out there in the middleweight division, let this serve as a wake-up call . . . if you want to get knocked out in a great fight, call Mr. Shaw and let’s give the fans what they want to see.”
“We are very excited to sign Tureano “Reno” Johnson with Gary Shaw Productions,” said Johnson’s manager Victor Wainstein. “We are extremely thankful for the wonderful opportunity Mr. Shaw has given us, and we believe that we have one of the most exciting prospects in any weight class. “Reno” has a fan-friendly, made for TV style that usually steals the show when he fights. We are confident that once the boxing fans get to see him in action, he will be a staple of the television networks for years to come.”
Acquinity ready to fire up a barnburner at The Hard Rock
Deerfield Beach, FL—With the hottest summer in history blistering our shores, it seems the only fans not trying to cool things down are local boxing fans. Indeed with two major promoters now staging cards at Hollywood’s Seminole Hard Rock Live, quality local boxing just went from hot to downright thermonuclear!
Acquinity Sports steps onto center stage to steal the limelight on Saturday, July 21st with a staggering eleven-bout extravaganza of hungry young talent from junior featherweight all the way to heavyweight. Telefutura’s wildly-popular Solo Boxeo will televise the action, adding some Latin spice to the fistic fireworks in the ring.
The twelve-round main event features an IBF super featherweight eliminator between Dominican Argenis Mendez (19-2, 10 KOs) and Mexican Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (32-7-1, 16 KOs) in a rematch of their closely-contested 2010 battle–which Mendez won by majority decision.
Both men have vengeance on their minds for this bout; Honorio for the prior loss to Mendez and Mendez for another crack at IBF champion Juan Carlos Salgado. Mendez dropped and nearly stopped the Mexican champion in Guadalajara during the twelfth round of their savage encounter last September and vows no quarter nor escape for Honorio or Salgado this time around.
Undefeated Dominican 2008 Olympian gold medalist Felix Diaz (11-0, 6 KOs) returns to the Hard Rock to face Miguel Angel “Flaco” Mungia (25-24-1, 21 KOs) in a six-round welterweight co-feature. The southpaw Diaz continues to impress fans and foes with his technical superiority.
Fellow undefeated Dominican southpaw Claudio “Matrix” Marrero (12-0, 9 KOs) squares off against Mexican Juan Jose “Pinocho” Beltran (27-19, 18 KOs) in a 10-round NABA featherweight title bout. Bantamweight Juan Carlos “Baby Pacquiao” Payano (10-0, 5 KOs) steps up against Colombian veteran John Alberto Molina (32-18-3, 20 KOs) in a regional ten-round Fedelatin title contest.
Many fans will watch with a mixture of curiosity and expectation to witness the renewed commitment of former three-time world champion Joan “Baby Tyson” Guzman (32-0-1, 19 KOs) when he steps into the ring opposite Jorge “El Tigre” Pimentel (25-15, 19 KOs) for a ten-round NABA light welterweight title defense. (Guzman’s eighth-round demolition of Jesus Pabon last March instantly shot to the top of the list for contention in ESPN’s Friday Night Fight’s knockout of the year balloting.)
Hollywood’s own welterweight contender Ed “The Lion” Paredes (30-3-1, 20 KOs) finally gets his shot at former WBA light welterweight world champion “Vicious” Vivian Harris (29-7-2, 19 KOs) in a ten-round battle for an NABA and Fedelatin belt. Health issues forced the young “Lion” to scrap a scheduled showdown against the Guyanese warrior in May, but Paredes boldly claims he plans to stop Harris by the fourth round.
Cuban heavyweight Glendy “The Guantanamo Giant” Hernandez (7-0, 3 KOs) makes his Acquinity debut in a six-round bout against Tobias Rice (4-5, 2 KOs). Miami featherweight Jessy Cruz (7-4-1, 2 KOs) battles Jesus Lule (4-2) for a scheduled six rounds. Undefeated Dominican light heavyweight Lenin Castillo (6-0, 3 KOs) fights Ricardo Campillo (7-2-1, 5 KOs) in a four-round bout.
On an unexpectedly tragic note, Acquinity Sports sends its deepest heartfelt condolences to the family of Manuel Bocanegra. Manuel was originally scheduled to fight Felix Diaz in the televised co-main event but passed away just three days ago and well before his time at the age of thirty-six.
The final press conference for Acquinity’s night of professional boxing will be held at Paradise Live in The Seminole Hard Rock on Wednesday, July 19th beginning at 1 PM. Weigh-in is scheduled at the same venue for Thursday, July 20th. Doors open at 5:30 on Saturday, July 21st, first bell at 6 PM.
Ticket prices are $54, $74, $104 and $154. Fight fans may win free tickets, including ringside seats, simply by texting: “TIX” to 23000. Acquinity CEO Gary Jonas and Vice President Henry Rivalta encourage all South Florida fans to participate for a chance to win some free tickets and enjoy a star-studded event. You never know who you will see at The Hard Rock!
Interview with trainer Shadeed Suluki
Hollywood Fight Night caught up with the very busy and highly respected trainer Shadeed Suluki, who has two fighters on the July 12th show at Florentine Gardens, female boxing sensation Holly Lawson and undefeated welterweight prospect Terrell Williams.
Q: How did you get started in the sport of Boxing?
A: I come from a boxing family. I had three uncles that were proboxers…before I was even born. My mother’s younger brother was my favorite uncle and he was on the boxing team in the Marines with Richard Steele and Mac Foster. I always wanted to be like my uncle. I didn’t go into the service but went into boxing. One day I was walking home from school and saw the Hoover Street Gymnasium. I went inside and saw Andy Price as a little boy, maybe 12 years old, punching on the bag. I asked Andy who taught him how to do that. He
said George Jerome. And so I asked Jerome if he would teach me how to do that. And he did and I have been in boxing ever since.
Q: Tell us about the fighters you have on the July 12th Hollywood Fight Night card, Holly Lawson and Terrell Williams.
A: Well, Holly is a very beautiful young last. I actually didn’t think she should be fighting at the beginning. But she wanted to continue fighting and has shown the ability and potential to become a very good fighter. She punches extremely hard and is fast. She has the ability and determination to go far.
Terrell is a young man who comes from a boxing family. I think he is a great talent. Very smart, fast hands. With the proper movement and development, he can be one of our stars.
Q: What would you consider your best achievement as a boxing trainer?
A: Well, I have been blessed to work with some special kids. I guess my greatest achievement would be when Lamon Brewster knocked out Wladimir Klitschko for the Heavyweight Championship in 2004. I am still the last coach to beat a Klitschko so that is still something special.
Q: Is there a favorite fighter of yours that you have worked with?
A: I have been blessed with a nice stable of fighters. I enjoy working with all of them. They all have something unique and different about them. I guess if I had to pick someone right now it would be Ismayl Sillahk because his style reminds me of Muhammad Ali and Ali was my favorite fighter.