SHOBOX FINAL QUOTES & WEIGHTS: RONNY RIOS & RICO RAMOS DAQUAN ARNETT & BRANDON QUARLES

SHOWTIME Free Preview Weekend Begins Tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 11;

ShoBox: The New Generation Doubleheader

Tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 11, LIVE on SHOWTIME^® At 11:15 p.m. ET/PT

From Fantasy Springs Casino Resort, Indio, Calif.

Caballero Meets Maldonado in Top Non-Televised Bout

INDIO, Calif. (Jan. 10, 2013) – The boxers who will fight on a must-see doubleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 11, live on SHOWTIME^® (11:15 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino are set to go following Thursday’s official weigh-in.

Rising featherweight star Ronny Rios (19-0, 9 KO’s), of Santa Ana, Calif., and former WBA Super Bantamweight World Champion Rico Ramos (21-1, 11 KO’s), of Los Angeles, who clash in a 10-round bout for the vacant NABF Featherweight Championship in the ShoBox main event, made weight on their first attempts.  Both weighed 125.4 pounds.

Unbeaten junior middleweights Daquan Arnett (9-0, 6 KO's), of Orlando, Fla., and Brandon Quarles (10-0-1, 2 KO's) of Alexandria, Va., meet in the 8-round co-feature at Fantasy Springs. Quarles made the weight (153.2 pounds). Arnett came in heavy; his official weight at 155.8 pounds.

The doubleheader will be seen during a Free Preview Weekend on SHOWTIME that begins tomorrow/Friday, Jan. 11, and runs through Sunday, Jan. 13.

Popular local favorite and NABO Bantamweight Champion Randy Caballero (17-0, 9 KO’s), of Coachella, Calif., will be opposed by Luis Maldonado (38-9-1, 29 KO’s), of Mexicali, Mex., in the top non-televised match.  Caballero weighed 121 pounds for the 10-round scrap; Maldonado 121.6.

Tickets priced at $25, $35 and $45 are available at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.  Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 6:30 p.m.  The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona.

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with 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.

What the fighters said Thursday:

RONNY RIOS

“The way I see it, fighting on ShoBox can be a life-changing experience for me.  It can be the start of many more fights on television.  I’ve seen guys start on ShoBox and then go to SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and that’s what I’m confident can happen to me.

“This is such a tremendous opportunity and I’m as ready as I can be.  I’m anxious but not nervous at all.  The key for me is to stay calm and collected, stay focused on my strengths and capitalize on his mistakes.

“This should be an action fight.  I know I want it to be exciting -- that’s the kind of fights people want to see.  Neither of us are one-punch knockout guys so we have to find other ways to entertain the fans.

“I plan to press the action and work the body.  Rico is a great fighter and we’ve known each other for years, but this is my opportunity to make a statement and a name for myself.  You can’t ask for a better platform that this, fighting on SHOWTIME on a weekend when you can watch it for free.”

RICO RAMOS

“I feel good and am ready to go in and take care of business and come out with a win.  There is no sense of urgency because I know what I have to do.  I’ve been sparring with much bigger guys so I am not concerned about moving up in weight.

“I really want to get this win so I can get to the next level.  I was at that level before, but now I want to get back to it.  My one loss taught me a lot.  You can be physically ready, but if you’re not mentally ready, you shouldn’t even be in there.  A boxer has to be 100 percent and I learned that the hard way.

“The loss made me more determined and I feel more motivated.  I’m definitely hungrier.  Rios is a talented fighter, but I’m ready to adapt to anything he does.  I really want to get back to where I was and it all starts tomorrow night.”

DAQUAN ARNETT

“I’m looking forward to an exciting fight. I’m young and strong and I come to entertain, but I know that this guy is coming to take my head off.

“I’m excited about fighting again on SHOWTIME.  I’ve been on SHOWTIME EXTREME and this will be my first full fight on SHOWTIME.  I’m definitely excited and ready to go.

“This not making the weight will never happen to me again.”

BRANDON QUARLES

“I’m excited and ready to showcase my talents and show the world who I am.  I really want to thank SHOWTIME and Golden Boy for giving me this opportunity.

“My transition from amateurs to pros went smoothly and I feel I have adapted well as a pro.

“I am totally calm and looking at tomorrow night as just another day on the job.  My goal is to become world champion.

“I’m really looking forward to a good fight.”

RANDY CABALLERO

“It’s great to start off the year by fighting in my hometown and I am really ready to go.  My training camp has been excellent and my sparring went great.

“This is a very important fight for me.  Maldonado is a veteran, very tough, who has fought a lot of the top guys (Nonito Donaire, Vic Darchinyan) so I know I’ll have to be at my best.”

LUIS MALDONADO

“I’m very happy to get an opportunity to fight a young fighter like Caballero.  I know he is going to try very hard to keep his unbeaten record.

“Experience is the key to winning fights, and I have a lot.  I expect him to stand in front of me and trade, so this will be a very good fight.”

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.fantasyspringsresort.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/fantasysprings or visit on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/fantasysprings.  For information on SHOWTIME, visit http://Sports.SHO.com, www.twitter.com/SHOsports or www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Angelo Santana Scores Brutal KO5 Over Johnny Garcia; Joey Hernandez Wins UD in Replacement Bout on ShoBox: The New Generation Doubleheader From Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Catch the KO of the Year Candidate Tuesday at 10p ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME

ALL PHOTOS CREDIT TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2012) – Undefeated lightweight contender Angelo “La Cobra” Santana arrived on the scene in spectacular fashion in Friday night’s main event on ShoBox: The New Generation from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.  The 25-year-old Cuban, now fighting out of Miami, steamrolled Johnny Garcia of Holland,Mich., en route to a fifth-round Knockout of the Year candidate.

As an amateur back in Cuba, Santana compiled a staggering 180-3 record, winning two national—and seven regional—championships before defecting to the United States in September 2007.  Just four months later, in January 2008, Santana made his professional debut at Madison Square Garden on the undercard of Tito Trinidad-Roy Jones, Jr.

On Friday night, on his first nationally televised fight, Santana proved he’s here to stay. 

From the start, Santana controlled the bout against Garcia, a rugged, wiry Michigan tough. Santana countered effectively in the opening round, instantly slowing Garcia’s attempted aggression.  In the second, Garcia went down from a booming left hand.  In the fourth, Santana opened up a deep cut over the eye. By then it was just a matter of time. 

The outmatched Garcia sustained a second knockdown early in the fifth. Shortly after, he was forced back against the ropes where Santana unleashed fury.  He finished with one flush left hand that flattened Garcia and forced the referee to halt the bout without administering a count.

“He showed he could fight. He showed he could box. But most of all, he showed us that he has devastating power,” said ShoBox analyst Raul Marquez, the former Jr. Middleweight World Champion.

Santana has now stopped all but three of his 14 professional opponents (14-0, 11 KOs) including seven consecutive in five rounds or less. 

“Just because we didn’t know Santana coming in,” said veteran ShoBox analyst Steve Farhood, “doesn’t mean he doesn’t have big potential.  A Cuban with a low profile is atypical. Tonight, in his national television debut, he was very impressive. I am looking forward to seeing him again.”

Earlier this week, middleweight contender Omar Henry withdrew from his scheduled main event bout with Juan Cabrera citing gallstones.  As a result, Santana vs. Garcia was elevated to main event, paving the way for super welterweights Joey Hernandez and James Winchester to fill the ShoBox co-feature slot. 

It was South Florida favorite, “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez who took a 10-round unanimous decision by scores of 96-92 and 97-91 twice.  The southpaw improved his record to 23-1-1, 13 KOs with eight consecutive wins.  Hernandez hopes this appearance will help him continue to step up to bigger, more high profile fights, but that remains to be seen.

“Hernandez expects to move up the rankings and get more opportunities like he had tonight,” said Farhood. “But he needed to dominate an inferior opponent like Winchester and he simply didn’t do it.”

Next Saturday, British boxing superstar Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton makes his return to the ring after a three-year hiatus when he faces former World Champion Vyacheslav Senchenko in a 10-round Jr. Welterweight bout. The one-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast from Manchester,England will air live at a special time of 5 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). 

Sunshine State Showdown is promoted by Don King Productions.  Doors open at 7:30 p.m. ET.  Six bouts are planned, beginning at 8 p.m.  Santana vs. Garcia and Hernandez vs. Winchester will be televised on ShoBox: The Next Generation live at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) on SHOWTIME.

SIX PAST U.S. OLYMPIANS, OSCAR DE LA HOYA, HOWARD DAVIS, RAUL MARQUEZ, GARY RUSSELL JR. ANTONIO TARVER & ANDRE WARD REFLECT ON PRO DEBUTS

“Night Of The Olympians” Is Tonight/Friday, Nov. 9,

On ShoBox: The New Generation From Fantasy Springs Resort Casino

In Indio, Calif., Telecast Begins at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Tickets On Sale Now

INDIO, CALIF. (Nov. 9, 2012) – The transition from amateur to professional in sports is a rite of passage for nearly all athletes who earn pay for play.  For many Olympic athletes, however, there is added pressure due to real or perceived expectations of them as professionals.  Such is the case with Olympic boxers the world over who don’t have the luxury of turning professional in low-profile fights.

Those high expectations come with good reason as from the 1976 Olympics through the 2004 Games, 41 percent of U.S. Olympic boxers went on to win at least one world title as a professional.

On the eve of “Night of Olympians” tonight/Friday, Nov. 9, on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME^® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.), six past U.S. Olympians, all of whom would become world champions, looked back at their pro debuts and their mindsets going into those fights.

Here’s what Oscar De La Hoya, Howard Davis, Raul Marquez, Russell, Jr., Antonio Tarver and Andre Ward had to say:

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Gold Medalist, 1992

(Pro debut: De La Hoya registered three knockdowns en route to a 42 second, first-round knockout win over Lamar Williams at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Nov. 23, 1992.)

“Because I was a fighter who was brought up fighting as a professional-type style I was actually really looking forward to my pro debut.  I’d been sparring and training with pros like Joey Olivoand Paul Gonzales since I was 13, so I wasn’t nervous at all.  Actually, I couldn’t wait. Just the fact I would be wearing eight-ounce gloves without headgear for the first time excited me.

“Once I got that first fight out of the way, I knew I was on my way.”

HOWARD DAVIS, Gold Medalist, 1976

(Pro debut: Davis outpointed Jose Resto over six rounds at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas on Jan. 15, 1977.)

“The fight was nationally televised.  I was disappointed because I wanted to fight in front of my hometown fans at the Nassau Coliseum.  Ray Leonard got to turn pro in front of his hometown fans.  Instead, the fight was in Vegas, and only a couple of hundred, maybe 500 fans showed up.

“I was very nervous and the nerves didn’t go away until my second pro fight, but I beat him silly every round and didn't let him hit me.  He had no neck, and every time I hit him, I felt like I was breaking my hand.”

RAUL MARQUEZ, 1992

(Pro debut: Marquez stopped Rafael Rezzaq in the fourth round at the HemisFair Arena in San Antonio, Texas on Oct. 3, 1992.)

“It was a big night for me.  There was pressure because I was supposed to be one of the U.S. Olympians who would go on to win a world title.  I was nervous, but I was nervous before everyfight.  There were a lot of friends and family from Houston and Mexico there.

“I fought a tough guy.  I kept knocking him down and he kept getting up.  I don’t even remember how many knockdowns I scored.  I’ll tell you this, he was much tougher than I had expected for an Olympian making his pro debut.

“One thing I definitely remember: Lou Duva threw me a party afterward at Mi Tierra, a famous restaurant in San Antonio.  There was a mariachi band and everything.”

GARY RUSSELL JR., 2008

(Pro debut: Russell scored a third-round TKO over Antonio Reyes at the Million Dollar Elm Casino in Tulsa, Okla., on Jan. 16, 2009)

"My pro debut was in Oklahoma on ShoBox and I remember being excited and a little bit anxious. I had the opportunity to start all over again. I felt like I was having my first amateur fight and it was exciting to do something for the first time.

“My opponent was wearing a suit at the press conference and I remember thinking that wasn't going to help him in the ring at all. I had full confidence in my ability to beat him."

ANDRE WARD, Gold Medalist, 2004

(Pro debut: Ward knocked out Chris Molina in the second round on Dec. 18, 2004 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.)

“I was more anxious than nervous.  It was STAPLES Center, on the undercard of Antonio Tarver-Glen Johnson.  My fight was televised on premium cable.  There were huge expectations and I had a lot to prove even though I had won the gold medal.  I also had to prove to myself I could take a shot as a pro.

“I had an absolute wild man on the other side of the ring.  Molina wanted to prove I born with a silver spoon in my mouth.  He was throwing bombs, head-butting and yelling at me during the fight.  I just had to stay in the moment.  I hit him some good shots and he quit.”

(Note: Molina, who was 2-0 going in, never fought again.)

ANTONIO TARVER, 1996

(Pro debut: Tarver scored a second-round knockout over Joaquin Garcia at the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia on Feb. 8, 1997.)

“I didn’t know what to expect.  You take off the headgear, you put on the little gloves.  There were a lot of butterflies.  It was like starting over.  All jitters and I was fighting on national TV on ‘Tuesday Night Fights,’ and at the Blue Horizon, which had a tough, educated crowd.  I just wanted to be perfect.

“I was 28 and a lot of people thought I was too old to be turning pro.  I fought an undefeated guy who had a good chin.  I was so anxious; I don’t know if I did everything I wanted to do, but I still got the award for Knockout of the Night.”

# # #

In tonight’s ShoBox main event, talented unbeaten featherweight contender and 2008 United States Olympian Gary Russell Jr. (20-0, 12 KOs) of Capitol Heights, Md., will face Roberto Castaneda (20-2-1, 15 KOs) in a 10-round bout.

The five 2012 U.S. Olympians - heavyweight Dominic Breazeale, of Anaheim, Calif., cruiserweightMarcus Browne, of Staten Island, N.Y., super middleweight Terrell Gausha, of Cleveland, Ohio, junior middleweight Errol Spence, of Desotol, Texas, and bantamweight Rau’Shee Warren, of Cincinnati, Ohio - will box in four-round pro debut fights.

Breazeale takes on Curtis Tate (4-3, 4 KO’s), of Oakland, Tenn., Browne will meet Codale Ford (2-0), of Fort Gibson, Okla., Gausha will face Dustin Caplinger (2-3, 1 KO) of Chillicothe, Ohio, Spence will be opposed by Jonathan Garcia (3-3, 1 KO), of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, and Warren collides withLuis Rivera of Ponce, Puerto Rico (1-2).

The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona.  Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the first live fight at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets priced at $25, $35 and $45 are available at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

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For information on SHOWTIME, visit http://Sports.SHO.com, www.twitter.com/SHOsports orwww.facebook.com/ShoBoxing.