GH3 Promotions ready to start 2015 with a bang

Nutley, NJ(December 29, 2014)--2015 looks to be a huge year for Vito Mielnicki's GH3 Promotions as the company out of New Jersey gears up for a run that will see its fighter's competing in major fights. On January 9 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, undefeated Super Middleweight Jerry Odom (12-0, 11 KO's) of Bowie, Maryland will take on Andrew Hernandez (7-0-1, 1 KO) of Phoenix, Arizona in an 8-round bout as part of the inaugural Roc Nation boxing event. Shortly after will be the announcement of the first fight under the GH3 banner of undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez (9-0, 4 KO's) of San Antonio. Texas. Returning to action in February will be Jr. Middleweight John Thompson (14-1, 5 KO's) of Newark, New Jersey. The furthest along is undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas.  Douglas of Burke, Virginia is still just 22 years-old has a record of 16-0-1 with 10 knockouts.  Douglas, who has performed at a high level in his National television appearances hopes to be knocking on the door of a world title shot by the end of the year. Recent signee Derrick Webster (18-0, 9 KO's) is coming off a 21 second knockout in his GH3 debut that took place on November 25. Said GH3 Promotions Vito Mielnicki, "This is a big year for us.  We are excited to have Jerry Odom fight in Madison Square Garden.  New York is the perfect place for Jerry to compete as he has terrific punching power will definitely capture the attention of the great boxing fans and media of New York." "With Antoine, he is ready for the next step.  We feel by year's end, he will be ready to compete with the top Middleweights in the world.  We are about to announce Thompson's next move and he will be in fights that people around the country will be able to see and we feel that will push him into being a top contender." "We are extremely excited about our new talent in Adam Lopez and Derrick Webster.  Both have shown the potential to be players in their respective weight classes.   "I am looking to fight Featherweight Glenn Dezurn Jr. (6-0, 4 KO's)  about 8 times this year and have him in line to fight on television and we are also bringing back hard punching Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell (13-1, 7 KO's) back early in the year. "Wanzell Ellison will be back in a good fight.  He preformed well on Sho Box despite going up in weight and I believe he can do great things at 130 lbs. Finally we will be making an announcement very shortly as we are about to sign a Heavyweight that will make a lot of noise" 2015 will also mark the return of Bantamweight Qa'id Muhammad (8-0, 7 KO's) Also the GH3 amateur program is preparing to compete in the National Silver Glove tournament.  The regional's will take place this weekend in Utica, New York and the National tournament will commence at the end of the month in Independence, Missouri. GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight's Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Featherweight Glenn Dezurn Jr., undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Jr. Lightweight Wanzell Ellison, Featherweight Jorge Diaz, undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa'id Muhammad and Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell to the GH3 Promotions stable.

SHO SPORTS VIDEO ALERT: Watch Marquis Davis Lose His Tooth and Keep Fighting on ShoBox - Replay Tonight/Tuesday at 10pm ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME

“He just kicked it into the fourth row.” – Steve Farhood

“A nice souvenir from here in Memphis.” – Barry Tompkins

–ShoBox announcers on boxer Marquis Davis kicking his tooth into the crowd during his fight

  SUGGESTED TWEET: #ShoBox fighters are tough! Watch what happens when one loses a tooth mid-fight & catch the replay at 10p on SHO Ex. http://s.sho.com/1hf14HI

ShoBox: The New Generation has made its reputation by matching up-and-coming prospects in their toughest fights to date. Friday night’s stellar quadrupleheader proved no different. The event featured a nail-biting main event, a vicious knockout, an action packed battle leading to a draw, and something nobody expected – a tooth extraction on live television. Yes, although Marquis Davis lost a tooth during his fight, he refused to give up and kept battling until the end. That is the epitome of the tough-as-nailsShoBox fighters fans have come to expect on SHOWTIME. Make sure to catch the replay of all four exciting ShoBox fights

tonight/Tuesday Jan. 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Watch Marquis Davis lose his tooth and keep fighting in the below video:

**VIDEO ALERT** 

UNBEATEN IVAN REDKACH WINS HARD-FOUGHT, UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER TONY LUIS; FRANK GALARZA SCORES VICIOUS SECOND-ROUND KNOCKOUT OVER JOHN THOMPSON ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION

Antoine Douglas Takes Easy Decision Over Marquis Davis,
 Maurice Hooker and Abel Ramos Battle To Exciting Draw
In Other Televised Results; Replay Is Tuesday on SHOWTIME EXTREME

MEMPHIS (Jan. 18, 2014) – Promising, world-ranked southpawIvan Redkach (16-0, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, by way of Ukraine, passed the toughest challenge of his career, scoring one knockdown en route to a unanimous 10-round decision over Canada’s Tony Luis (17-2, 7 KO’s), but the night belonged to “The Brooklyn Rocky” Frank “Notorious” Galarza (12-0-2, 8 KO’s), of Brooklyn, N.Y., who registered an exciting second-round knockout over John “Apollo Kidd’’ Thompson (14-1, 5 KO’s), of Newark, N.J., Fridayon ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME^® from Cook Convention Center.

In other ShoBox results on a four-fight card, Antoine Douglas (12-0, 7 KO’s), of Burke, Va., by way of Washington D.C., won a lopsided eight-round decision over Marquis Davis (8-1-2, 5 KO’s), of Tampa, Fla., in a matchup of unbeaten middleweights and undefeated junior welterweights Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (12-0-2, 9 KO’s), of Dallas, Texas, and Abel Ramos (8-0-1, 4 KO’s), of Casa Grande, Ariz., by way of Gettysburg, Pa., boxed to an eight-round draw in an exciting scrap that opened the telecast.

“Tonight was our first ShoBox telecast of the year and it was a smorgasbord,’’ ShoBox expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood said afterward. “We got a little bit of everything. The fights we thought would go long went short and the fights we thought would go short went long.

“Redkach was legitimately tested for the first time and while he didn’t get the knockout, he showed the fans why he’s considered such an exciting fighter to watch. Galarza, who had limited credentials coming in, absolutely stole the show with a savage, stunning and sudden knockout.’’

Redkach dropped Luis late in the first round, but never could relax despite winning by the seemingly one-sided scores of 99-90, 97-92 and 97-93. 

“I won the fight clearly,’’ said Redkach, the WBC’s No. 13-ranked contender. “I learned a lot. Tony is a true warrior. He made the fight a dirty fight and I got sucked into that game.

“I will take this as a lesson learned into my next training camp and improve on it.’’

Luis was livid with the scoring. “There’s always room for improvement and I didn’t fight the perfect fight, but I thought this was a much, much closer fight,’’ he said. “I felt I was hurting him, and he was getting tired. I felt I’d knocked him down in the first, but the referee didn’t call it even though his gloves hit the canvas. The ref was breaking us up too soon. He wouldn’t let me work.

“This is very disappointing to say the least.’’

Galarza stopped Thompson with a devastating left hook at 0:16 in the second round. “This is the way to start the year,’’ a beaming Galarza said. “People are going to have to think twice about me now. What they saw tonight is who I am.

“Considering this was on a national stage, it has to be one of the very best wins in my career.’’

After starting slowly and losing the first round on all the scorecards, Galarza came out strongly in the second, threw a couple of right hands and then delivered the hook that sent Thompson crashing to the mat.

“Our game plan was to feel him out in the first and then step it up,’’ Galarza said. “The key was to get to him first, to not let him get off.’’

Douglas won by the scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73, but he wasn’t thrilled with his performance. “I am happy to get the win, but I’m not happy that the fight didn’t play out the way I thought it would. I expected more from myself; I expected to knock him out. I know I wasn’t 100 percent because I had a touch of the flu, so maybe I overestimated what I could do. Still, I expected more.''

To make matters worse for Davis, Douglas knocked out one of Davis’ teeth midway through the fight. To continue throwing punches – and perhaps save the tooth – Davis kicked it out of the ring without giving it a second thought.

The Hooker-Ramos was an excellent eight-round fight with give-and-take, two-way action from start to finish. In the end, one judge had it for Hooker, 77-75, but the other two scored it 76-76.

The event was promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Prize Fight Boxing.

The ShoBox quadrupleheader will re-air for first time this week as follows:

            DAY                                                                 CHANNEL

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 10 p.m. ET/PT       SHOWTIME EXTREME

Friday’s four-fight telecast will be available ON DEMAND beginning today, Saturday, Jan. 18.

Barry Tompkins called the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Boxing manager Galante featured in Sports Illustrated

Boxing manager featured as client Frank Galarza fights on Shobox TONIGHT on Showtime

Danbury, CT (January 17, 2014) -Professional boxing manager A.J. Galante, President of Elite Boxing Enterprises, is currently part of a multi-page feature in Sport's Illustrated.   The publication giant reached out to Galante, 27 years old, about the minor league hockey team his father and he owned ten years ago, one of the most controversial hockey teams ever, the Danbury Trashers. Galante was named the President of the team at the tender age of 17, and helped build what was known as the toughest hockey team in America. "The Danbury Trashers are a team that can never be duplicated." Galante stated, "My father and I turned the hockey world upside down in just two seasons. I was young, but worked hard, and we definitely did things our way." The Trashers became infamous in two seasons due to their rough style of play, crazy antics both on and off the ice, as well as being a winning team, reaching the league finals in just their second season.  Galante's experience in Minor League hockey laid the groundwork for him to jump into the professional boxing business as a manager, starting in 2011. "My father and I went into minor league hockey with zero, and I mean zero experience running a sports franchise. But we built a team that nobody wanted to go up against. I came into boxing at the age of 24, again with zero experience or knowledge. I have managed a total of 3 boxers, and I believe I've been an asset to their careers." Galante started managing Delvin Rodriguez in 2011, and helped guide him for 6 fights, culminating in Rodriguez's biggest match of his career, a main event bout on HBO World Championship Boxing against Miguel Cotto. Galante no longer manages Rodriguez, but is excited about a new Junior Middleweight about to burst onto the scene, reigning undefeated New York State Jr. Middleweight Champion Frank 'Notorious' Galarza. "Frank is the real deal. I've been with him for 3 fights, and we've come a long way each bout and in between. He believes in me and I believe in him, we have a great team and together we will make noise, starting Friday on Showtime." Galarza will be competing in the co-feature of tonight's 2014 season premiere of Showtime's ShoBox: The Next Generation, against undefeated John Thompson.  Be sure to check out this week's edition of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands today, to read more on A.J. Galante and the Danbury Trashers, and tune into Showtime tonight, 10PMET to watch Frank Galarza battle for the WBC Latino Title in an all action bout.

FINAL WEIGHTS AND QUOTES FOR SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION QUADRUPLEHEADER TOMORROW NIGHT

Tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 17, Live on SHOWTIME^® at 10 p.m. ET/PT

From Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Jan. 16, 2014) – The eight fighters featured in tomorrow night’s ShoBox: The New Generation live telecast onSHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) made weight Thursday at Jerry Lee Lewis Cafe & Honky Tonk in downtown Memphis.

In an eagerly awaited 10-round main event tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 17, highly regarded, hard-hitting lightweight Ivan “The Terrible’’ Redkach (15-0, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, by way of Ukraine, puts his undefeated record on the line against once-beaten Tony “Lightning” Luis (17-1, 7 KO’s), of Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. 

In three televised eight-rounders between six undefeated up-and-comers on an event presented by DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Prize Fight Boxing: John “Apollo Kidd’’ Thompson (14-0, 5 KO’s), of Newark, N.J., faces “The Brooklyn Rocky” Frank “Notorious” Galarza (11-0-2, 7 KO’s), of Brooklyn, N.Y., Antoine “Action” Douglas (11-0, 7 KO’s), of Burke, Va., by way of Washington D.C. meets Marquis “MD Goodnite” Davis (8-0-2, 5 KO’s), of Tampa, Fla., in a middleweight match and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (12-0-1, 9 KO’s) of Dallas will be opposed by Abel Ramos (8-0, 4 KO’s), of Casa Grande, Ariz., by way of Gettysburg, Pa., in a junior welterweight scrap.  

WEIGHTS: Redkach weighed 134¼ pounds, Luis tipped scale at 134½ pounds; Thompson weighed 153¼ pounds, Galarza 153½ pounds; Douglas weighed 158 pounds, Davis (making weight on his third attempt, 45 minutes after his initial try) weighed 159½ pounds; and Hooker and Ramos both tipped the scale at 141½ pounds.  

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Below are the final thoughts from the fighters competing on SHOWTIME:

IVAN REDKACH

“This is going to be a great fight. I feel that it is the biggest of my career. I am facing a very good opponent who I know is coming to win.

“I appreciate the nice things people say about me, but boxing is my life and I put pressure on myself to be a world champion someday. I watch tape every day because I know there is still a lot of work for me to do.

“I am very focused. I want to perform well on SHOWTIME because if you don’t perform well on television you don’t always get invited back. I always want to finish my opponents because I know they are trying to take something away from me.’’

TONY LUIS

“This is definitely a career-defining fight for me and I am very excited about this opportunity. I’m looking at it as payback for my loss.

“This fight means everything to me. I know I can’t afford another loss on television, I can’t afford another loss – period.

“We all know about my opponent, but I have more experience and have been places as a pro that he hasn’t. There’s no denying his power or ability, but he hasn’t fought the caliber of me.

“I have a lot of respect for him, but I’ve learned so much since my loss. Speed makes power. I love that I am getting this chance. I didn’t come here to lose.’’

JOHN THOMPSON

“I feel that I’m still learning, but I love the fact I’m fighting against an undefeated opponent. I definitely consider this a step up and it’s one that can open new doors for me.

“I think his main focus is to punch his way to success, so I plan to keep him on the outside.

“I love fighting on television. It gives other people, nation-wide, a chance to see me. Fighting on SHOWTIME is excellent.’’

FRANK GALARZA

“I’m fighting a guy taller than me so he has the reach advantage, but I’m ready to do whatever I have to do. I feel I’ve become smarter with experience, that I use my mind and feet more and that I’m not just a brawler.

“He’s an aggressive guy. I plan to attack, but smartly, and see how it works. I’m not just going to go crazy in there. I actually think I’m more elusive than people think I am.

“This is a good fight for both of us, a good fight for boxing and a good one for ‘ShoBox’. I no longer feel I’m a one-dimensional fighter and I am excited for the chance for you to see what I’m all about.’’

ANTOINE DOUGLAS

“I’m excited to be fighting on SHOWTIME for the first time. I look at this as a big step, but I know the time is right and I’m in the right place to showcase my skills.

“I am not a bragger, but I want you to be able to say in six months that you remember when you saw me on ‘ShoBox’. I hope to show you greatness.

“My plan, like always, is to execute and not worry about what my opponent might do. I do what I have to do. I feel I can throw every punch. I feel I can adjust to anything. My mindset is probably more of a puncher but I feel I can do anything.’’

MARQUIS DAVIS

“I’m a power-puncher that likes to work on the inside. This is a great matchup because I want to make a statement and I know my opponent also wants to make a statement.

“I remember Douglas from the amateurs. He has talent but I don’t feel he’s been tested as a pro like I have. I consider my draws, like losses, and they’ve only served to motivate me more. If you win easy all the time, you get comfortable. I learned that lesson with the draws.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity. I expect to get better as the fight progresses.’’

MAURICE HOOKER  

“I’m moving from six rounds to eight rounds, and he’s moving from four to eight, but it won’t matter. I’m ready. I consider myself a boxer-puncher. I like to go inside but will also fight from the outside.

“Bottom line is, I love to fight. I come from a tough area near Dallas. But I know I need to fight smart and utilize my physical attributes. I’m not underestimating Ramos; he can really box but I’m totally prepared.

“I’m dedicating this fight to Muhammad Ali, who is 72 on Friday. I’ll be wearing a patch on my trunks in his honor.’’

ABEL RAMOS

“This is my first fight outside Arizona, but I traveled a lot in the amateurs. I’m a little nervous but definitely more excited about this opportunity.

“Condition-wise, going up to eight rounds, will not be a problem. I’m actually really looking forward to it. It gives me more time to break down my opponent.’’

SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION STARTS OFF YEAR WITH STELLAR CARD FEATURING EIGHT FIGHTERS WITH ONLY ONE COMBINED LOSS BETWEEN THEM

Quadrupleheader Takes Place This Friday, January 17 At Cook Convention Center In Memphis, Tenn. Live on SHOWTIME^® at 10 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK (Jan. 15, 2014) – ShoBox: The New Generation made its reputation by matching up-and-coming prospects in their toughest fights to date.

Since its inception in July 2001, 50 fighters have advanced from prospect to contender to eventual world champion after appearing on ShoBox. Most recently, Shawn Porter became the 50^th member of this elite group after he defeated Devon Alexander on December 7.  Conversely, a total of 111 boxers suffered their initial defeat on the popular, critically acclaimed series.

This Friday, Jan. 17, eight fighters with a combined record of 96-1-5 with 57 knockouts will compete in a quintessential “ShoBox” telecast live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn.

Undefeated, highly regarded, lightweight Ivan “The Terrible’’ Redkach(15-0,13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, by way of Ukraine, takes on Tony “Lightning” Luis (17-1, 7 KO’s), of Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, in the 10-round main event.

Redkach is regarded by many as a “can’t miss’’ prospect and a future world champion with significant power. But the virtually untested 27-year-old has never been in the ring with the likes of Luis, setting the stage for the first real test of the Ukrainian’s career.

In a battle of unbeaten junior middleweights in the ShoBox co-feature, John “The Apollo Kidd’’ Thompson (14-0, 5 KO’s), of Newark, N.J., faces “The Brooklyn Rocky” Frank “Notorious” Galarza (11-0-2, 7 KO’s), of Brooklyn, N.Y., in an eight-round bout. Two more eight-rounders, all featuring undefeated fighters, round out the telecast:Antoine “Action” Douglas (11-0, 7 KO’s), of Burke, Va., by way of Washington D.C. squares off against Marquis “MD Goodnite” Davis(8-0-2, 5 KO’s), of Tampa, Fla., in a middleweight match and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (12-0-1, 9 KO’s) of Dallas will be opposed by Abel Ramos (8-0, 4 KO’s), of Casa Grande, Ariz., by way of Gettysburg, Pa., in a junior welterweight scrap.  

Regarding the telecast’s top two fights, ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood said: “In the main event, Ivan Redkach is a fighter everybody in boxing will be watching. The southpaw fights with a ferocity and meanness that separates him from other unbeaten prospects. He's moving up in class, and his lightweight bout with Canada's Tony Luis figures to be a must-see main event.

“John Thompson has fought once before on ShoBox, and he impressed. He's a tall boxer who has a tendency to bang with his opponents, which isn't always ideal for him, but satisfies fans. He's facing an unbeaten opponent in Frank Galarza, so Thompson has the opportunity to make a serious statement and establish himself as a prospect to watch.’’

Among many who readily acknowledge Redkach’s aggressive, fan-friendly style and ability are columnist Steve Kim of MaxBoxing and Francisco Salazar of Ventura County Star Newspaper and Boxingscene.com.

“Ivan, like many other fighters from the former Soviet Union, brings a hard-nosed, fan-friendly style that I think will resonate with the public,’’ Kim said. “He really attacks the body and is a fighter that isn't hesitant to let his hands go. I don't think he'll be in a lot of boring fights as he moves up the boxing ladder.”

Said Salazar: “Ivan is as explosive a fighter at a prospect level as one could find and has a television-friendly style that would make casual fans more intrigued to watch him. What I like about his game now is that he has developed and enhanced his boxing skills to compliment his punching power. I think he has a great upside and has not hit his window yet. Ivan still has a way to go to be considered a serious contender, but I can only imagine what the 'finished project' will be when he becomes a complete fighter.”

The 5-foot-9-and-one-half-inch Redkach won the vast majority of his approximately 300 amateur bouts and was a 2008 Olympic Games alternate for Ukraine before turning pro in November 2009. Redkach started to box at the age of six.

“I started right after kindergarten,’’ he said. “I moved to Brovari (a suburb of Kiev) when I was 12. I went to a special sports school. All of the most talented athletes from all over Ukraine go there. They have great boxing –Sergiy Dzinziruk was there, the Klitschko brothers were there. It's like a boarding school – you live there, you train there.”

The WBC’s No. 13-ranked contender, Redkach has had his way as a pro, winning all but two of his fights inside the distance. He possesses decent skills and movement, but power is his game. Twelve of his 13 knockouts have come in three rounds or less, with six coming in the first.

A confident Redkach is looking forward to his ShoBox debut.

“So many world champions started out fighting on ShoBox, and now it's my turn,’’ said Redkach, who trains in Southern California at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood and Ponce de León's gym in Montebello. “National exposure in the U.S. is why I uprooted my life and moved (to America).

“Tony Luis is fast, throws a lot of punches, but that's all. It doesn't matter. I'm going to fight my fight and do my job. My style is very, very tricky. I'm more of a pressure fighter, a puncher.”

Luis, 26, is an ambidextrous boxer with quick hands and feet who’s at his best when he pressures his opponents and wears them down with body punches. The 5-foot-7-and-one-half inch former WBC Continental Americas super lightweight champion has won two in a row since suffering his lone defeat on an upset ninth-round TKO to late substitute Jose Hernandez in a thrilling affair on Jan. 25, 2013. Hernandez once fought a draw with world-ranked Mickey Bey, but he took this fight on less than two weeks’ notice and was definitely the underdog.

"After my loss, I did have a lot of anger in the beginning,’’ said Luis, who outpointed Rafael Luna across six rounds in his last outing on Nov. 9. “ I was very bitter. But then I realized that had I fought the right fight and listened to my corner, I never would have lost. I truly believe that I turned that fight into an unnecessarily difficult one because I fought the wrong game plan.”

The chief sparring partner for world featherweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, Luis is ecstatic about the opportunity presented him.

"My comeback comes full circle on Jan. 17,’’ the five-year-pro said. “It's going to be exactly a year since my first loss. Last year, I was the undefeated prospect and I was the favorite coming in. This year, it's Ivan in that same position, and I'm the opponent coming in. Last year, José Hernandez didn't care. This year, I'm José Hernandez.’’

And Luis’ game plan for Redkach? “I think I have to take him deep into this fight,’’ he said. “Ten rounds is a long night for anyone. I've got to fight smart in the early rounds and take him deep.’’

Thompson, a well-conditioned 6-foot-1, 24-year-old, continues to improve under the watchful eye of trainer, former world champ Buddy McGirt, and is currently ranked No. 20 in the WBC. Thompson had an excellent amateur career, winning the 2007 Golden Gloves tournament and was the bronze medalist at the 2007 National Golden Gloves. He had wins in the tournament over 2008/2012 Mexican Olympian Oscar Molina and Detroit prospect Domonique Dolton.

A fast, quick-handed boxer, Thompson has stayed busy since turning pro in June 2011. He fought three times that year, seven times in 2012, and four times in 2013.

Thompson has won two straight since winning his ShoBox debut on a unanimous eight-round decision over previously undefeated Giovanny Rodriguez on May 10, 2013. In his last outing, a scheduled 10-rounder, he scored a third-round TKO over Jonathan Batista on Nov. 14.

Outside the ring, Thompson respects Galarza but he feels his experience will be the difference.

“I've watched Galarza fight. I know he's a pretty cool person,’’ Thompson, a natural right-hander who can switch to lefty, said. “He does a lot of positive things for the community. I like that. I do the same thing for my community – like feeding the homeless. But as far as boxing goes, he needs more experience. He makes a lot of simple-minded mistakes. He tries to box, but he's looked at as a puncher, so he's probably going to try to rely on that.

“Expect something new from me. Working with Buddy is the best thing that ever happened to me. He brings so much to the table. Everything has just developed 100 percent.’’

Galarza, an offensive-minded, six-foot, 28-year-old, is the least experienced boxer on the telecast. He didn’t turn to boxing until his late teens and had just 11 amateur fights. But the three-year pro likes to brawl and has made good progress since his prizefighting debut in June 2010.

"I don't know anything about Thompson,’’ said the physically-strong Galarza. “Style-wise, I know this will be a good fight. He’s 14-0, undefeated like I am. He’s been on ShoBox. But I'm mentally prepared as far as what I need to do. I need to go win.

"I'm prepared for anything. I'm hoping to keep myself on ShoBox. I want to put on a show.”

Galarza, who was raised by an aunt and uncle after his parents died, owns and runs his own youth organization in Brooklyn, 'Youth Fighting Forward.'

“We work with kids who are affected by crime and violence,’’ he said. “We use boxing as a way for them to get in, but it's mainly about education. We want to build youth leaders out of it. It was just an idea that I came up with, something I wanted to do based on my past. I lost my parents at a young age. I lost my father when I was seven, and my mother when I was nine. My mother OD'd on drugs. My father passed away from a gunshot wound complication in his leg.’’

Douglas, 21, is competing in his first scheduled eight-round match. An outstanding amateur who compiled a record of 110-20, he was the bronze medalist in the 2011 U.S. National Championships and the 2011 Golden Gloves before going on to fight in the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Douglas’ sister, Tyrisha, is also an undefeated pro boxer and she, too, went to the U.S. Olympic Trials. “We were the first brother and sister team to make the Olympic Trials,’’ said Antoine, who is coming off an eye-catching third-round TKO over Colby Courter last Dec. 4.

Describing his style, Douglas said, “I would say I adjust. If I can out-will you and you let me beat you down, then I'll do that. If I can box and pick you apart, that works just as well. We work on things to adjust to what the other fighters bring. Everybody does their homework.’’

Davis, who turns 25 on Feb. 5, is trained by ex-world lightweight champion Nate Campbell. The 5-foot-9 Davis is stepping up to eight-round status for the first time and taking a significant step up in class.

 “I've been preparing nonstop for this fight,’’ said the aggressive-minded Davis, who started boxing at the age of 17. “This is a great opportunity for me. I’ll be ready.’’

Hooker, 24, has trained with some good great fighters in recent years including former world champion Miguel Cotto and Ruslan Provodnikov. The two-year pro will be making his eight-round debut against Ramos.

“I’m a boxer who can punch,’’ Hooker said. “I've been getting ready for this fight since the beginning of November. I’m ready to fight now.’’

Ramos, 22, an accomplished, top-rated U.S. amateur before making his pro debut in September 2011, has never been scheduled to fight more than four rounds. He’s also never fought outside of Arizona and he accepted this assignment on short notice.

“After my last fight, we were back in the gym the following week and we've been training ever since,’’ Ramos said. “So when this opportunity came along I was already in the gym.

A prospect who utilizes a good jab but can box or brawl, Ramos has gained experienced by working in training camps with Jessie Vargas and Jesus Soto Karass. Ramos, who hails from a fighting family, certainly won’t be in awe of the surroundings this Friday.

“We saw a couple of videos of Hooker sparring,’’ he said. “I know he's tall, and he likes to fight tall. He's undefeated, so I think he's a good opponent.’’

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, in association with GH3 Promotions, Greg Cohen Promotions and Prize Fight Boxing.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.