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Six Questions With Sharif Bogere
The 22-year-old Bogere (20-0, 12 KOs), who beat Ray Beltran
on ShoBox last May 13, takes on young prospect Francisco
Contreras (16-0, 13 KOs) of the Dominican Republic in
defense of his belt in a 10-round affair at the Dallas
Events Center at Texas Station Casino in Las Vegas on
ShoBox: The New Generation, Friday, Oct. 7, LIVE on SHOWTIME
(11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).
“This is my hometown fight,” Bogere said. “I don’t have to
travel and I get to sleep in my own bed. My friends and
family with be there watching. I’m going to welcome
(Contreras) to Las Vegas and then I’m going to send him
packing with a knockout.”
Question: You were on your country’s national boxing team.
What is the biggest difference between the amateur and
professional games?
BOGERE: “I think in the pros it’s mostly about concentration
and you can’t take anyone lightly in the pros like in the
amateurs. Every one is going after the same goal in the
pros. It’s all about getting that world title belt.”
Question: Why did you decide to leave your home country to
live and train in the United States three years ago?
BOGERE: “I knew I had to make the move in order to reach my
ultimate goal. I wasn’t getting the proper training in
Uganda that I needed to become a world champion. Here in
Vegas there are so many pro fighters. I don’t have to go far
to get the work in that I need to be the best.”
Question: What was it like growing up in Uganda?
BOGERE: “I really grew up in a tough part of the country.
Boxing was my way out. It literally saved my life. There
were kidnappings on the streets when I was a kid, but they
stayed away from me because they saw potential in me.”
Question: How did you learn to box?
BOGERE: “I was really self-taught and now that I’m working
with a world-class trainer like Kenny (Adams), I see things
differently in the ring. It has been a little difficult just
listening to my trainers and trying to do what they tell me,
but I know I have to listen and do what they say. It’s the
only way I’m going to keep getting better and keep my
perfect record.”
Question: What will the SHOWTIME boxing fans see from you
come Friday night?
BOGERE: “I think they’ll be most impressed with my power and
my speed. I can hurt you in so many ways. And then there’s
the ring entrance.”
Question: You came in the ring in a cage last time you
fought. What is your plan this time out?
BOGERE: “I’ve put a lot of thought into the ring entrance. I
will be carried into the ring in a cage by actual African
tribesman. I know that boxing is about entertaining and that
people who pay to watch boxing want to be entertained. They
want to have fun. I’ll have the lion’s head and skin brought
in again. It’s all part of the show.”
Curt Menefee will call the ShoBox action from ringside with
Steve Farhood and Antonio Tarver serving as the expert
analysts. Gordon Hall is the executive producer of ShoBox
with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Bogere vs. Contreras, a 10-round bout for the NABO
lightweight championship and Charlo vs. Santana, an eight
round junior middleweight bout, are presented by Golden Boy
Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and AT&T. The
doubleheader will be televised LIVE on ShoBox: The New
Generation at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)
on SHOWTIME.
Tickets, priced at $25 and $50, are on sale now and
available for purchase at all Station Casinos and Fiesta
Rewards Centers or through Ticketmaster by calling (800)
745-3000 or online at
www.ticketmaster.com.
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