Thursday, May 04, 2006
"SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION" TO FEATURE NABA/NABO FLYWEIGHT TITLE AND SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CLASH
Cesar "El Gallito" Lopez vs. Glenn "Filipino Bomber" Donaire
Juan Manuel Buendia vs. Alexis Divison
Friday, May 5, 2006, At 11 p.m. ET/PTFrom Lucky Star Casino, Concho, Oklahoma
NEW YORK (May 1, 2006) - SHOWTIME will kick off the Cinco de Mayo weekend with the first of excellent back-to-back fight cards on Friday, May 5.
In the main event on "ShoBox: The New Generation" (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast), North American Boxing Association (NABA) flyweight champion Cesar "El Gallito" Lopez (18-2, four KOs) defends against Glenn "The Filipino Bomber" Donaire (15-2-1, nine KOs). The vacant North American Boxing Organization (NABO) 112-pound belt will also be on the line in the 12-round bout.
In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated super welterweight Juan Manuel Buendia (12-0, 4 KOs) collides with hard-hitting Alexis Division (16-2, 13 KOs).
Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, in association with Tony Holden Productions, will promote the doubleheader from the Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Okla.
Lopez, of El Paso, Texas, is a master technician who creates crafty angles and picks apart his opponents. At his best when he can maintain a fast pace and utilize his excellent movement, the soft-spoken warrior with a docile and humble demeanor is the NABA flyweight champion and former Texas State 115-pound titleholder.
Lopez, using his lightning-quick speed and technical skills, won 18 consecutive bouts and ascended to the top 10 of the world rankings (WBA No. 7, WBO No. 8 and IBF No. 10). Although he dropped his last outing, a 10-round decision to top-10 contender Gabriel Elizondo (19-1 going in) on Dec. 8, 2005 in New Mexico, he is ready for his ShoBox debut.
"This is a great opportunity for me to get back to where I was," said Lopez, whose flyweight title was not on the line in this super fly event. "I did not have my best night against Elizondo, but I will be ready on May 5. Donaire has never fought a boxer like me."
During his world-ranked amateur career, Lopez represented the United States in the Junior Golden Gloves World Championships. At 18, he turned pro only to lose a majority four-round decision to Fidencio Reyes on May 17, 2001, in Victoria, Texas. Lopez lost by the scores 39-37, 40-36 and 38-38. Three years later, Lopez avenged his loss in a rematch with Reyes by winning an eight-round split decision (July 9, 2004, in El Paso).
"I knocked Reyes down twice in our first fight, but the referee ruled those slips both times," said Lopez. "I always wanted to fight Reyes again because he did not beat me the first time and I knew he definitely would not beat me the second."
Lopez captured the NABA title on Jan. 24, 2004, and made two successful defenses, the last coming on a 10-round decision over Alejandro Moreno on Dec. 10, 2004, in Albuquerque, N.M.
On May 5, Lopez needs a victory to keep alive his dream of becoming the first El Paso fighter to win a world title. Bantamweight Fernie Morales and lightweight Juan Lazcano came close in 1990 and 2005, respectively, but fell short.
"I think about it all the time," Lopez said. "My goals were to win a regional title, to win a world title and be the first world champion from El Paso. I am sure other boxers from El Paso have the same goal, but I would love to be the first."
Donaire, of San Leandro, Calif., by way of General Santos City, Philippines, is subbing for his younger brother, NABF Super Flyweight Champion Nonito, who was scheduled to fight Lopez on the May 5 ShoBox card but sustained an injury during training. Glenn, unlike his younger brother, is an aggressive-minded, two-fisted banger who likes to get in close and throw hard combinations to the head and body.
The older Donaire turned pro at age 20 with a first-round knockout over Eduardo Reyes on Aug. 27, 2000, in Del Mar, Calif. Donaire continued to dispose of opponents early in his next four fights, scoring knockouts inside the first, second and fourth rounds. After suffering a loss in his sixth bout, Donaire rebounded to win his next eight, including a 12-round decision over Phanomchai Dejritha to capture the World Boxing Organization Asian Pacific (WBO/AP) flyweight title on Nov. 22, 2002, in Guam.
Donaire then lost in a shocking first-round TKO to Zcy Gorres on March 19, 2005. The fight, scheduled for eight rounds, was over at the 2:03 mark of the opening session. As the boxers sized each other up, both simultaneously moved in, which caused their heads to collide. Donaire got the worst of the unintentional exchange and the referee gave him a few minutes to recover. Shortly after the bout resumed, Donaire committed a big mistake and lowered his hands. Gorres took advantage and landed a right hook solidly on the jaw.
"I definitely wanted to continue," said Donaire, who vehemently protested the decision. Donaire rebounded to pound out a lopsided 10-round decision over veteran Juan Alfonso Keb Baas on June 24, 2005, in Cabazon, Calif. In his final 2005 start, Donaire scored a sixth-round TKO over Benito Abraham on Nov. 5 at Stateline, Nev.
A number of fighters who have appeared on the series have gone on to become world champions, including Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Juan Diaz, Leonard Dorin, Joan Guzman and Scott Harrison. ΒΆ 4:21 AM
Juan Manuel Buendia vs. Alexis Divison
Friday, May 5, 2006, At 11 p.m. ET/PTFrom Lucky Star Casino, Concho, Oklahoma
NEW YORK (May 1, 2006) - SHOWTIME will kick off the Cinco de Mayo weekend with the first of excellent back-to-back fight cards on Friday, May 5.
In the main event on "ShoBox: The New Generation" (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast), North American Boxing Association (NABA) flyweight champion Cesar "El Gallito" Lopez (18-2, four KOs) defends against Glenn "The Filipino Bomber" Donaire (15-2-1, nine KOs). The vacant North American Boxing Organization (NABO) 112-pound belt will also be on the line in the 12-round bout.
In the 10-round co-feature, undefeated super welterweight Juan Manuel Buendia (12-0, 4 KOs) collides with hard-hitting Alexis Division (16-2, 13 KOs).
Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, in association with Tony Holden Productions, will promote the doubleheader from the Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Okla.
Lopez, of El Paso, Texas, is a master technician who creates crafty angles and picks apart his opponents. At his best when he can maintain a fast pace and utilize his excellent movement, the soft-spoken warrior with a docile and humble demeanor is the NABA flyweight champion and former Texas State 115-pound titleholder.
Lopez, using his lightning-quick speed and technical skills, won 18 consecutive bouts and ascended to the top 10 of the world rankings (WBA No. 7, WBO No. 8 and IBF No. 10). Although he dropped his last outing, a 10-round decision to top-10 contender Gabriel Elizondo (19-1 going in) on Dec. 8, 2005 in New Mexico, he is ready for his ShoBox debut.
"This is a great opportunity for me to get back to where I was," said Lopez, whose flyweight title was not on the line in this super fly event. "I did not have my best night against Elizondo, but I will be ready on May 5. Donaire has never fought a boxer like me."
During his world-ranked amateur career, Lopez represented the United States in the Junior Golden Gloves World Championships. At 18, he turned pro only to lose a majority four-round decision to Fidencio Reyes on May 17, 2001, in Victoria, Texas. Lopez lost by the scores 39-37, 40-36 and 38-38. Three years later, Lopez avenged his loss in a rematch with Reyes by winning an eight-round split decision (July 9, 2004, in El Paso).
"I knocked Reyes down twice in our first fight, but the referee ruled those slips both times," said Lopez. "I always wanted to fight Reyes again because he did not beat me the first time and I knew he definitely would not beat me the second."
Lopez captured the NABA title on Jan. 24, 2004, and made two successful defenses, the last coming on a 10-round decision over Alejandro Moreno on Dec. 10, 2004, in Albuquerque, N.M.
On May 5, Lopez needs a victory to keep alive his dream of becoming the first El Paso fighter to win a world title. Bantamweight Fernie Morales and lightweight Juan Lazcano came close in 1990 and 2005, respectively, but fell short.
"I think about it all the time," Lopez said. "My goals were to win a regional title, to win a world title and be the first world champion from El Paso. I am sure other boxers from El Paso have the same goal, but I would love to be the first."
Donaire, of San Leandro, Calif., by way of General Santos City, Philippines, is subbing for his younger brother, NABF Super Flyweight Champion Nonito, who was scheduled to fight Lopez on the May 5 ShoBox card but sustained an injury during training. Glenn, unlike his younger brother, is an aggressive-minded, two-fisted banger who likes to get in close and throw hard combinations to the head and body.
The older Donaire turned pro at age 20 with a first-round knockout over Eduardo Reyes on Aug. 27, 2000, in Del Mar, Calif. Donaire continued to dispose of opponents early in his next four fights, scoring knockouts inside the first, second and fourth rounds. After suffering a loss in his sixth bout, Donaire rebounded to win his next eight, including a 12-round decision over Phanomchai Dejritha to capture the World Boxing Organization Asian Pacific (WBO/AP) flyweight title on Nov. 22, 2002, in Guam.
Donaire then lost in a shocking first-round TKO to Zcy Gorres on March 19, 2005. The fight, scheduled for eight rounds, was over at the 2:03 mark of the opening session. As the boxers sized each other up, both simultaneously moved in, which caused their heads to collide. Donaire got the worst of the unintentional exchange and the referee gave him a few minutes to recover. Shortly after the bout resumed, Donaire committed a big mistake and lowered his hands. Gorres took advantage and landed a right hook solidly on the jaw.
"I definitely wanted to continue," said Donaire, who vehemently protested the decision. Donaire rebounded to pound out a lopsided 10-round decision over veteran Juan Alfonso Keb Baas on June 24, 2005, in Cabazon, Calif. In his final 2005 start, Donaire scored a sixth-round TKO over Benito Abraham on Nov. 5 at Stateline, Nev.
A number of fighters who have appeared on the series have gone on to become world champions, including Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Juan Diaz, Leonard Dorin, Joan Guzman and Scott Harrison. ΒΆ 4:21 AM
