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Olusegun
Ajose & Ali Chebah Make U.S. Debuts In
WBC Super Lightweight Eliminator Sept. 30 On ShoBox
World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 1-ranked super lightweight
contender Olusegun Ajose will face No. 6-ranked Ali Chebah
in a WBC super lightweight eliminator on Friday, Sept. 30,
in the main event on ShoBox: The New Generation LIVE on
SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from
Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif.
The 12-round bout, which will be the United States debut for
each fighter, will determine the No. 1 mandatory contender
for the WBC 140-pound title currently held by Erik Morales.
The 12th-ranked lightweight in the World Boxing Organization
(WBO), Colombia’s exciting, hard-hitting Darley Perez (22-0,
17 KOs) will make his ShoBox debut against Oscar Meza (22-4,
18 KOs), of Mexico, in a 10-round lightweight co-feature.
The event, the second of five ShoBox telecasts in eight
weeks and first of two within a one-week span, is promoted
by Gary Shaw Productions in association with DiBella
Entertainment.
Ajose (29-0, 14 KOs), of Nigeria, has fought his last 16
bouts in England, where the 5-foot-9, 31-year-old southpaw
lived until recently relocating to New York City. His most
impressive win was an eighth-round knockout over former
contender Colin Lynes on April 3, 2010, which he followed up
with a six-round decision over Arek Malek last Feb. 12 in
his lone outing this year.
“This fight has been a stumbling block for me for about two
years,” said Ajose, who is making just his third start since
June 2009. “I was the No. 1 contender for so long but was
bypassed many times. People heard I am a good boxer but they
don't know how good I am and this is my chance to show them
what I’ve got.”
Looking to make a name for himself in the U.S, Ajose
believes ShoBox is the perfect vehicle to make a statement.
“There is the saying, ‘If you are more than people think you
are, then the next step is to prove it,’” he said. “That is
exactly what I will do – prove to the American fight fans
that I am better than good.
“Watch me and don't blink.”
Chebah (33-1, 26 KOs), of France, will be making his 2011
debut. He’s riding an eight-fight win streak since his only
loss on Sept. 27, 2009 against Reyes Sanchez in Mexico City.
His most notable victories are a third-round knockout over
Pipino Cuevas Jr. in 2008, a second-round knockout over Joel
Juarez in 2009 and a fifth-round knockout over previously
undefeated Fidel Monterrosa Munoz, also in 2009.
While he owns a better than 75 percent knockout ratio, the
5-foot-9, 25-year-old Chebah will be facing his toughest
opponent to date in Ajose, a slick and speedy boxer with a
world title shot on his mind.
“I fought a southpaw once, but I have an awkward style and I
will adapt to anyone in front of me,” Chebah said. “I don’t
care about southpaw, orthodox, pressure, defensive, mobile,
anything.
“My style is pressure, pressure, pressure. You are going to
see a Frenchman with Mexican style, slick and mentally
tough.
Chebah won both his fights in 2010 by third-round TKO, the
last coming over Laszlo Komjathi on Sept. 23 in Algeria.
In the co-featured bout, the 27-year-old Perez turned pro in
February 2009 and fought 12 times that year. He is coming
off two consecutive knockouts in June and July, but has
mostly faced limited opposition since making his U.S. debut
in December 2010 – a fourth-round knockout over Ramesis Gil
in Kissimmee, Fla. He owns a victory over former WBO Latino
lightweight champion and contender Jose Reyes on April 29,
2011.
Perez has watched patiently as his gym mate and fellow
Colombian Yonnhy Perez, who is also trained by Danny Zamora
in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., developed as a fighter on
ShoBox and moved on to capture a world title.
“This is a great opportunity for Darley to be on ShoBox,”
Zamora said. “He knows that that’s how Yonnhy started, on
ShoBox, and from there to SHOWTIME, and he became a world
champion.”
Perez, who registered a first-round knockout over Baudel
Cardenas in his most recent fight last July 22 in Ontario,
Calif., will face perhaps the toughest test of his career
against Meza, a battle-tested veteran.
Meza fought current World Boxing Association (WBA)
lightweight champion Brandon Rios in 2009, losing via
fifth-round TKO. Meza has won three consecutive fights since
his last loss in June of 2010 against highly regarded
Mercito Gesta. In his most recent outing, Meza scored a
third-round TKO over Kelly Wright last June 11 in Chandler,
Ariz.
“I feel that my preparation for this fight is the best I’ve
had in the last three or four years,” Meza said. “I’m going
to be well-prepared, and I’m going to give everything I’ve
got on the day of the fight.
“This is a big fight for me and I need to take advantage of
the opportunity.”
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