BRANDON GONZALES AND JAVIER MOLINA READY TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON SHOBOX DEBUT OCT. 28 AT BALLY’S ATLANTIC CITY
Unbeaten through his first 15 bouts, highly touted middleweight prospect Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales is expecting next Friday’s ShoBox: The New Generation telecast to be nothing short of exciting and eye-opening. Gonzales, who goes toe-to-toe with the very tough Ossie Duran next Friday, Oct. 28 at Bally’s Atlantic City (live on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) last made headlines when he opened a cut above the right eye of sparring partner and WBA Super Middleweight Champion Andre Ward earlier this month. The accidental cut resulted in the postponement of the SHOWTIME Super Six World Boxing Classic Final between Ward and his WBC counterpart Carl Froch. This time Gonzales wants to make headlines by stopping the durable Duran.
“I told Andre he prepared me for this opportunity,” Gonzales said, “and it’s my chance to make the best of it on SHOWTIME.”
The ShoBox telecast will feature Gonzales vs. Duran in the main event and an opening televised match between former 2008 Olympian, Javier Molina (9-0, 4 KO’s) and knockout artist Artemio “King” Reyes (13-1, 11 KO’s). The unbeaten 21-year old Molina will be making his fifth start in 2011 and first in a match slated for eight rounds. Seemingly recovered from a hand injury that sidelined him between November 2009 and October 2010, the impressive Olympian will face his most formidable and experienced challenger to date in Reyes.
The personable, soft-spoken Molina went 153-13 during an extensive, outstanding amateur career. At age 18, he was the youngest member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Beijing. He turned pro with a second-round knockout over Jamie Cabrera on March 27, 2009.
Both Goossen Tutor Promotions prospects are in a position to go to that next level with victories next week. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about Duran, but these are the fights that will show fans what type of fighter I am,” Gonzales reiterated.
Molina said, “It’s showtime with this fight.” The Norwalk, Calif., resident went on to say, “I know Reyes well and it’ll be a fight, but that’s nothing new. That’s what fans want to see and I’m ready to put on a show.”
The Molina-Reyes super welterweight bout is scheduled for 8 rounds.