ShoBox tripleheader this Friday from Chumash!

ShoBox tripleheader this Friday from Chumash!

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

June 8, 2011

Friday night, Gary Shaw Productions and ShoBox: The New Generation returns to the Chumash Casino Resort for a televised bill that features three intriguing bouts headlined by Nigerian born cruiserweight prospect Lateef Kayode [15-0, 14 KOs] of Hollywood, California, in his toughest fight to date against former world title challenger Matt Godfrey [20-2, 10 KOs] of Providence, Rhode Island in a ten round bout for the NABA cruiserweight title.

Rounding out the televised portion of the bill will be exciting Lancaster, California super bantamweight Chris Avalos [18-1, 15 KOs] against the undefeated but untested Russian Khabir Suleymanov [11-0, 5 KOs] of Los Angeles, California in a ten rounder as well as a battle of unbeaten lightweights Archie Ray Marquez [12-0, 8 KOs] of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Armenian born Glendale, Californian Art Hovannesyan [13-0-1, 7 KOs] in the opening bout.

The card will be the third to take place in the well designed event center of the Chumash Casino located in Santa Ynez, California, and the second to take place on ShoBox.

Kayode was seen on the February 4^th ShoBox from Chumash but looked far from spectacular, beating tough but outclassed Nicholas Iannuzzi over ten rounds by wider scores than the action would have indicated. In that fight, Kayode [who was without esteemed trainer Freddie Roach in his corner on this occasion] failed to put to use a plan B attack once his initial gameplan of clubbing Iannuzzi with hard shots didn't finish his game opponent inside the first few rounds. Iannuzzi was able to outbox Kayode for long stretches of the fight, making this fight interesting as Godfrey is a much more skilled technician than his predecessor.

Godfrey comes off an unsuccessful world title challenge against where he was dropped thrice before ultimately being stopped in the fifth round against WBO champion Marco Huck, who is probably the #2 cruiserweight in the world currently. Immediately prior to that, Godfrey tasted the canvas against gatekeeper Michael Simms in the opening round before earning a split decision nod over ten, so the opportunity is there for Kayode to add a solid scalp to his ledger if he were to put out Godfrey's lights.

Once considered an emerging bantamweight prospect, Chris Avalos has strung together two wins against modest opposition since being defeated at the hands of fellow Southern California prospect Christopher Martin in August of last year. Avalos has been a favorite of ShoBox and will be making his fifth appearance with the bout. His style is always fan friendly although likely will prevent him from sustaining a long career.

Suleymanov has a good record on paper, but at age 30 is showing a sense of urgency in getting in the ring with Avalos, who is a big jump in class from where he has fought since turning pro in September of 2006. The Russian born fighter will be seeing his first taste of primetime premium television but will hopefully rise to the occasion.

Making his third ShoBox appearance will be lightweight Archie Ray Marquez taking his own step up at age 22 but is much more ripened having competed in over 120 bouts as an amateur, often at the highest levels. His lone fight in 2011 was against a 2-5-3 listed no-hoper who was able to extend Marquez the distance, winning two or three rounds on each scorecard. Marquez will need to step up his game against an opponent who doesn't yet know how to lose.

Hovannesyan will turn 30 later this year and has struggled with modest foes such as .500 winrate trialhorse Cristian Favela, who Art won a close fight against almost a year ago. The Armenian born Hovannesyan was able to improve on his September 2008 unanimous decision victory over the always tough gatekeeper Jose Alfredo Lugo by stopping him in five rounds in his last bout on April 23^rd.

In the non-televised portion of the card, welterweights Rashad Holloway [11-2-2, 5 KOs] of Raleigh, North Carolina will engage in a six-rounder with Colombian Jhon Berrio [15-9, 11 KOs], the hard hitting fighter who served as an opponent to the comebacking James Kirkland earlier this year.

Projected to round out the undercard are a slew local favorites. Junior middleweight Francisco Santana [12-2-1, 6 KOs] of Santa Barbara, California is slated to fight in a six-rounder against an opponent to be determined. Santana also serves as a sparring partner to WBC champion Victor Ortiz, who it was announced yesterday will be defending his title against a comebacking Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on HBO-PPV on September 17^th, Mexican Independence Day.

Also in action is impressive young featherweight prospect Roman Morales [3-0, 2 KOs] of San Ardo, California against an opponent yet to be determined. Morales made his pro debut at Chumash in February with a first round stoppage of Shaun Solomon and made television in his next bout on Telefutura against Danny Pantoja, winning a four round decision.

Light hitting super bantamweight Rufino Serrano [9-3] of nearby Santa Maria and female flyweight Seniesa Estrada [1-0] of Boyle Heights are also slated to appear in separate bouts. Both fighters appeared on last month's Chumash card; Serrano won a closely contested decision while Seniesa saw her pro career take off with a debut victory.

Rounding out the action will be a four-round junior middleweight bout between unbeaten Marcus Robinson [2-0] and Raul Rodriguez [2-4-1, KO] of Bakersfield.

“Showdown in the Valley” is proudly presented by Gary Shaw Productions. Tickets are priced at $35, $45, $55, $70, and $85 and are available by visiting the Chumash Casino Resort's Club Chumash, logging onto www.chumashcasino.com or by calling StarTicketsPlus at 1-800-585-3737. First bout starts at 5:30 PM with the televised portion set to start at 8 PM. All bouts subject to change.