ShoBox 30/12/2011 Preview

The headliners in Cabazon tonight

Tonight sees the last decent Boxing event of 2011, live on Showtime as two former Super 6 entrants return to the ring at the Morongo Casino Report & Spa in Cabazon, California.


The first sees one time P4P leader Jermain Taylor return at middleweight, this his first fight a 12th round KO defeat against Arthur Abraham in October 2009, this being the second time he had boxed well, but being stopped in the final round, previously by Carl Froch. He has lost four of his last five fights, but has been defeated just once as a middleweight in his career. The talent is there, but this really is a gimme on return as he faces Baltimore man Jessie Nicklow, who was stopped in four by the best name on his record, Fernando Guerrero, and has just eight stoppage wins in 27 pro fights.


Andre Dirrell is another on the comeback trail and like Taylor his last fight was v Abraham, becoming the first man to beat and stop the German, this in October of last year. He's not the most fan friendly fighter, his fight v Froch was a real dud, but he is a pretty slick boxer, and could have a style to give world #1 Andre Ward some real problems. On paper he has a harder fight than Taylor, against Darryl Cunningham, who has lost twice, but is on a 18 fight win streak. The problem could be he is 37 years old and with this being an all southpaw fight, it could be a bit messy.

Perez needs to impress

Two Irish based Cubans are on the bill as Prizefighter heavyweight champ Mike Perez faces the game and tough Friday Ahunanya, stopped just once in 35 fights by Lance Whittaker and at one time he has been a top 25 fight heavyweight. Perez really didnt impress in his last fight, and has lost a lot of hype since his Prizefighter success, so this is pretty big!


The other Cuban on the bill is Luis Garcia, a light heavyweight, who hasnt been in the ring for 13 months and faces a very dangerous fight against fellow unbeaten fighter Alexander Johnson, who had an excellent MD win in April over then 19-0 Farah Ennis. Garcia has the amateur pedigree, and also the better pro form, but ring rustyness could level it out, which makes this a very interesting contest.

Pedraza at the pre-week weigh in

There's one or two other decent prospects on the bill, including 8-0 (7 KO's) LA based Ukrainian Ivan Redkach, but the more interesting fighter is Puerto Rican Jose Pedraza 5-0 (4 KO's), a very talented 22 year old lightweight. I'm not a 100% sure who he's fighting, I've heard he's facing a Ghanaian kid, but so far no opponent is announced on Boxrec. Pedraza has looked very good so far in his short pro career, and last time out in El Paso stopped Ecuadorian John Wampash in four, something hot prospect Gary Russell Jr couldnt do in his second pro fight.


This bill is live on Premier Sports in the UK at 4am, it is a bit late, but I'm hoping to watch it, and will review the performances shown in the coming days.