NEW YORK (Dec. 5, 2008) – A pair of talented fighters with a combined record of 42-1 will collide when undefeated, world top 10-ranked Yuri Foreman (26-0, 8 KOs) faces once-beaten James Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in an excellent co-featured attraction on a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation on Saturday, Dec. 13, live on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
The 10-round junior middleweight skirmish will precede the eagerly awaited grudge rubber match between World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion Kendall “Rated R’’ Holt (24-2, 13 KOs) and Ricardo “Mochuelo’’ Torres (32-2, 28 KOs).
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The event, promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Inc., will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Foreman, of Brooklyn, N.Y., by way of Gomel, Belarus, is ranked in the top 10 by the four major organizations. He is No. 4 in the World Boxing Association (WBA), No. 6 in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 8 in the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).
The current North American Boxing Federation (NABF) 154-pound champion, Foreman is a skilled, disciplined, crafty, well-conditioned boxer with excellent speed, movement and lightning-quick reflexes.
The 5-foot-11, 28-year-old pitched a shutout in his last fight, registering a 10-round decision over Vinroy Barrett on Oct. 18, 2008, in Atlantic City. Foreman won by 100-90 on the three judges’ scorecards.
Moore, of Queens, N.Y., via Arklow, County Wickow, Ireland, went 15-0 at the outset of a career that began in August 2005 before losing an eight-round decision to Gabriel Roado on June 6, 2008.
In his last start, Moore unanimously outpointed Lloyd Joseph across eight rounds on Aug. 6, 2008, which also happened to be his first wedding anniversary. “Can you believe that?” Moore said.
An aggressive-minded 5-foot-11, 30-year-old who works the body well, Moore hails from a fighting family – his father is the coach of the national Irish boxing team. The younger Moore was a top amateur, but he got a late start as a pro and will be taking a considerable step up in class in this one.
“No doubt, this is it, the biggest fight of my career,” said Moore, who trains at the world-famous Wild Card Gym in North Hollywood, Calif. “This is the fight where I get to show the fans, as well as the television executives, what I’m capable of. I’ve been eager to have such a high profile fight for a long time. The fact that it is coming in the midst of holiday season makes it even more special to me.’’
Moore and Foreman are not strangers. “I’ve known Yuri for a good while,’’ said Moore, who’ll look to pressure Foreman early and often. “I sparred a lot of rounds with him at Gleason’s Gym in New York.’’
Nick Charles will call the blow-by-blow action from ringside with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst and Al Bernstein serving as ringside reporter. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
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