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Once-Beaten
Freddy Hernandez To Face Former Champ DeMarcus Corley This
Friday, Feb. 5 On ShoBox
Live at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME® At Chumash Casino Resort,
Santa Ynez, Calif.
One night before two-time world champion Edwin Valero (26-0,
26 KOs) defends his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight
crown against WBC 135-pound interim titleholder Antonio
DeMarco (23-1-1, 17 KOs) in Monterrey, Mexico, on SHOWTIME®
(9 p.m. ET/PT), once-beaten Freddy “El Riel’’ Hernandez
(27-1, 18 KOs), of Lynwood, Calif., will take on former
world champion, southpaw DeMarcus “Chop Chop’’ Corley
(36-12-1, 21 KOs), of Washington, D.C., in the main event on
ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/PT,
delayed on the West Coast).
In the co-feature this Friday, Feb. 5, at Chumash Casino
Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif., hard-hitting, undefeated
Dominican Francisco Contreras (12-0, 11 KOs), of Livingston,
N.J., should get what definitely will be the toughest test
of his career when he faces Juan Castaneda, Jr. (16-2, 12
KOs), of La Paz, Mexico, in an eight-round junior
welterweight bout.
The doubleheader is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC.
A winner of four in a row, Hernandez, who was born in Mexico
City, is 10-0 with one No Contest dating to February 2005.
The No. 14-ranked contender in the World Boxing Council
(WBC) is coming off a clear-cut eight-round unanimous
decision over Octavio Narvaez on Dec. 12, 2009, in Rancho
Mirage, Calif.
Two outings ago, Hernandez survived a 10th-round rally to
register a convincing 10-round unanimous decision over
then-once-beaten southpaw Damian Frias on Oct. 23, 2009 on
ShoBox.
“I’ve fought three times since last July and I like that,’’
said the 5-foot-10-inch, 30-year-old Hernandez, who fought
only one time in 2008 (in April). “I need to keep fighting
on a regular basis and I thank my promoter, Gary Shaw, for
getting me more fights now and for him and SHOWTIME
believing in me. For the longest time, I had a lot of
difficulty getting fights.
“I am slowly moving up the ladder and making a name for
myself. Corley has a lot of experience and class and, on
paper, could be my toughest fight. But I am familiar with
left-handers and am confident of putting on a good show for
the fans. I am in top shape and ready to go.’’
The 5-foot-7, 35-year-old Corley is a former World Boxing
Organization (WBO) 140-pound champion who won the
then-vacant belt with a first-round TKO over Felix Flores
June 30, 2001, on SHOWTIME. Corley made two successful
defenses against Ener Julio and Randall Bailey in January
2002 and January 2003, respectively. Both defenses came on
unanimous decisions on SHOWTIME.
Corley lost the belt in July 2003 on a 12-round split
decision to Zab Judah on SHOWTIME.
“I took this fight on short notice but I’m always in the gym
training, so there will be no excuses,’’ said Corley, who
has fought several past and current world champions,
including Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Devon Alexander,
Junior Witter and Jose Alfaro. “People will see I have a lot
left. This is a good matchup for me and I am going to make
the best of the opportunity.’’
Corley, who seldom gets the benefit of the doubt in close
affairs – one third of his defeats have come on split
decisions – had a three fight winning streak end in his last
start when he lost a 10-round split nod to Fariz Kazimov on
Nov. 28, 2009, in Russia. One judge scored it for Corley,
97-93, but the two others had it for the local favorite by
an identical tally.
Contreras, who has been virtually untested since turning pro
in February 2007, is stepping way up in class against the
aggressive-minded Castaneda.
But, style-wise, the 5-foot-10-inch, 25-year-old Contreras
relishes the matchup. “It’s easier for me to beat a brawler,
somebody who comes to you, than somebody who boxes,” he
said.
Contreras recently moved to New Jersey to focus fulltime on
his career, yet still has a child and family in his native
Dominican Republic. “I’m going to dedicate this fight to my
mother and my son,” said Contreras, who took a unanimous
six-round decision over Marteze Logan in his last start on
Dec. 19, 2009, in Knoxville, Tenn.
Castaneda has fought his last six fights in Mexico. In the
5-foot-7, 26-year-old’s last outing in the United States he
lost to Demarco on May 2, 2008, at Chumash, on ShoBox.
“I expect to (set the pace) and take the fight to him,” said
Castaneda, who is coming off a unanimous 10-round decision
over Alejandro Valladares on Dec. 19, 2009. “I’ll make him
fight my fight. I’m going to be on him, throwing a lot of
punches. I’m hoping for the best, and that I will get the
win.”
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