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“SHOBOX” SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT ROLLS ON WITH SEMI-FINAL BOUTS
NEW YORK (Sept. 20, 2006) – One match-up features former roommates who
used to spar together, while the other pits undefeated fighters from
different sides of the globe. What all four fighters have in common,
however, is a goal to reach the top of the super middleweight division.
That journey will continue when SHOWTIME televises the semi-finals of
the “ShoBox: The New Generation” super middleweight tournament on
Friday, Oct. 6, as part of a FREE PREVIEW WEEKEND.
The SHOWTIME broadcast from the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez,
Calif., will open with American Henry Buchanan (14-0, 11 KOs) of Capital
Heights, Md., squaring off against France’s Jean Paul Mendy (22-0, 12
KOs). The second bout of the evening will pit LaFarrell Bunting (16-1-1,
16 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nev., against former sparring partner Tony Hanshaw
(20-0, 13 KOs) of Warren, Ohio.
The winners of the two 10-round bouts on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT,
delayed on the west coast) will advance to the Jan. 5, 2007, final. The
last man standing will walk away with the International Boxing
Organization (IBO) 168-pound title and will be one big step closer to a
top world ranking. Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, is promoting the event,
which also offers two boxers from the original field of eight the rare
opportunity to appear on national television three times in only six
months.
In first-round action on July 28, 2006, Mendy registered an
opening-round TKO over Dallas Vargas of Toledo, Ohio, while Buchanan
slugged his way to a 10-round unanimous decision over Lucas Green-Arias
on SHOWTIME.
Making his third United States start, Mendy stunned Vargas with a
combination, then continued to land seemingly every punch he threw until
the referee halted matters 1:45 after the opening bell.
“There was no way that I expected to win that early, but I knew I hurt
him and was not surprised the referee stopped it,” said the southpaw
after his fifth victory inside of the distance in his last six outings.
“I was just in there analyzing things when I nailed him with a good body
shot.’’
The flashy Buchanan was too quick and fast-handed for Green-Arias of
Costa Rica. Much of the damage inflicted came from his injured right
hand.
“I broke my hand in the first round,” said Buchanan, who won by the
scores 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. “I fought with one hand and did not give
any excuses. I did not tell my trainer and finished the fight. I am a
lot better now, and you will get to see my power in the next fight
against Mendy.’’
(more)
2-2-2
“SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION” SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – Oct. 6,
2006
One week later on Aug. 4, 2006, Hanshaw cruised to a 10-round unanimous
decision shutout over Esteban Camou of Navojoa, Mexico. In a battle of
knockout specialists, late substitute Bunting opened the SHOWTIME
telecast by scoring a fifth-round TKO over Jose Luis Herrera of San
Onofre, Colombia.
Favored by many insiders to win the super middleweight tournament,
Hanshaw recorded his second consecutive victory by decision and remained
undefeated following a nearly two-year layoff. Each of the judges scored
the contest 100-90.
Hanshaw sees no roadblocks en route to capturing the IBO title in early
January.
“I was over anxious and tried to get Camou out of there,” Hanshaw said.
“I rushed it. I tried to get him on the ropes and set him up with
combinations. I needed the rounds because of my layoff, but now I am
back. I am not worried about any fighter in the tournament. I am in
tip-top shape. This is my time.”
Replacing the injured Sakio Bika, Bunting took the fight on four day’s
notice and cancelled a fishing trip with his grandfather. The decision
turned out to be a good one as “Memphis Fairway” knocked out his 11th
consecutive opponent.
Following a barrage of more than 20 unanswered punches against the
ropes, referee Kenny Bayless gave Herrera a standing-eight count and
decided to stop the contest at 1:20 of the fifth round.
“I expected more out of Herrera,” Bunting said. “I was prepared to be
versatile and use all my abilities. I was expecting more pressure. He
let me do whatever I wanted to. You cannot wait around for me. One big
shot and I can get you up and out of there. I was not sharp like I
wanted to be, but when you get a stoppage like that, how much more can
you ask for?”
No stranger to one another, Bunting and Hanshaw used to live together
and spar in Mansfield, Ohio.
“I have not seen Bunting fight in a while, but, in his last fight, he
looked tough,” Hanshaw said. “He is a tough guy, but I am tougher.”
Bunting, on the other hand, believes that his personal knowledge of
Hanshaw’s fighting style will help land him a spot in the finals.
“I already know how Hanshaw fights, and nothing changed, so I am ready,”
Bunting said. “He will be slick. But, when I take his advantages away,
then what? I am just a much bigger puncher.”
The following are thumbnail biographies on the Oct. 6 “ShoBox”
tournament participants:
HENRY “SUGAR POO” BUCHANAN (14-0, 11 KOs): Why Sugar Poo, you ask?
Buchanan’s mother called him “Poo” as a child. His former trainer, Barry
Hunter, put the “Sugar” on it, likening the young fighter to Sugar Ray
Leonard and Sugar Ray Robinson.
The aggressive-minded prospect turned pro on March 27, 2004. He won his
initial 10 starts by knockout (each inside of six rounds, and eight
inside of three) before taking back-to-back eight-round unanimous
decisions in July and November of 2005.
The supremely confident boxer-puncher displays impressive movement and
hand speed. Buchanan continues to impress industry experts with his
power, a good uppercut from the inside and an ability to slip punches.
He prefers to enter the ring to the sound of rap music, donning his
trademark shades that give him the look of a superstar and adorning
trunks emblazoned with the word, “Poo.”
(more)
3-3-3
“SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION” SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – Oct. 6,
2006
JEAN PAUL MENDY (22-0, 12 KOs): At 32 years old, Jean Paul Mendy is the
oldest of the tournament participants and a five-and-one-half-year
professional. The undefeated southpaw recently relocated to Las Vegas
and will make his fourth professional U.S. start on Oct. 6. Mendy turned
pro on Dec. 22, 2000, in his current residence of Bondy, France.
In February, 2002, Mendy captured the French super middleweight belt
with a 10-round majority decision, and has made four successful title
defenses. He has TKO’d five out of his last six opponents. Prior to
turning pro, Mendy notched a 102-25 record and represented his homeland
of France at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
LAFARRELL BUNTING (16-1-1, 16 KOs): Has won 11 consecutive bouts by
knockout. In his last start before the tournament, the
six-foot-one-inch, 25 year old registered a first-round knockout over
Carlos Bates to capture the vacant International Boxing Association (IBA)
International light heavyweight title in San Marcos, Texas, on July 15,
2006.
The 1997 National Junior Olympics champion at 165 pounds, Bunting, who
will turn 26 five days before his semi-final showdown against Hanshaw,
started boxing at age 10 when his stepfather took him to a gym. He
turned pro three days after his 21st birthday on Oct. 4, 2001. Bunting
boxed to a draw in his third outing and suffered his lone defeat in his
seventh.
TONY HANSHAW (20-0, 13 KOs): Had more than 300 amateur bouts since he
first stepped into the ring for the first time at age five. As an
amateur, Hanshaw registered impressive victories over some of today’s
top contenders, including Sechew Powell, Kelly Pavlik and Sergio Mora.
Hanshaw was introduced to boxing by his late father, Henry Russell, a
professional light heavyweight, who died when he was electrocuted by a
power line while trimming trees on a landscaping job. “I thought about
giving up,” Hanshaw said. “My dad meant everything to me. I could not
imagine going back to my corner and him not being there.”
Shortly after his father’s death, Hanshaw lost a decision loss to future
world champion Jermain Taylor in a 2000 U.S. Olympic team trials box off
at 156-pounds. As a result, Hanshaw was named as an alternate, but chose
to forego the Sydney Games. As a pro, Hanshaw won his first five bouts
inside of the distance, and fought nine times during his first pro year.
The Ohio native has won each of his 2006 starts and stopped three of his
last five opponents.
Blow-by-blow announcer Nick Charles will call the action from ringside
with expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood at his side. The
executive producer of “ShoBox” is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan
producing.
For information on “ShoBox: The New Generation” and SHOWTIME
CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records,
related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing. |
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