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Super Lightweight Prospect Shinard Bunch Takes On Undefeated
Hugo Alberto Roldan On ShoBox Sept. 9
Shinard Bunch, a super lightweight prospect with over 400
amateur fights, returns to SHOBOX: The New Generation in his
toughest challenge to date against undefeated Argentine Hugo
Alberto Roldan on Friday, September 9 in the main event of a
stacked tripleheader live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The
developmental series features six prospects with a combined
record of 110-3-3 and returns to Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel
& Casino, site of the first SHOBOX® 21 years ago.
After going 7-0-1 in 2021, Bunch (19-1-1, 15 KOs) and the
Freddy Fundora-trained Roldan (21-0-1, 7 KOs) will square
off in a 10-round super lightweight bout. The co-feature
matches undefeated Filipino prospect Bernard Angelo Torres
(16-0, 7 KOs) against once-beaten Dominican Frency Fortunato
Saya (13-1, 10 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight
attraction. The telecast opens with SHOBOX returnee Janelson
Bocachica (17-0-1, 11 KOs), who fought main event headliner
Bunch to a split draw in July 2021, taking on once-beaten KO
artist Roiman Villa (24-1, 24 KOs) in an eight-round
welterweight battle.
The event is promoted by Sampson Boxing and features four
fighters new to SHOBOX.
“SHOBOX continues its tradition of presenting evenly matched
fights between determined prospects, giving fans what they
have long come to expect from us -- a glimpse of tomorrow’s
stars today,” said Gordon Hall, executive producer for
SHOBOX: The New Generation. “Shinard Bunch certainly fits
the bill as a champion-in-waiting with his extensive amateur
background and willingness to take on all comers. In Hugo
Alberto Roldan he’s facing his most difficult test, given
Roldan’s experience and relentless style. The co-feature
between Bernard Angelo Torres and Frency Fortunato Saya is a
can’t-miss action fight, and the telecast opener with
Janelson Bocachica and Roiman Villa is a battle of
power-punchers that should be thrilling for as long as it
lasts.”
Here is a closer look at the matchups:
Bunch vs. Roldan – 10-Round Super Lightweight Main Event
Bout
Managed by Hall of Famer J. Russell Peltz, the 23-year-old
Bunch has been extremely active since turning pro in 2019,
fighting five times in 2020, eight times in 2021, and twice
so far this year. Since his controversial split draw with
Bocachica in his SHOBOX debut, Bunch has won four fights in
a row, including three by way of stoppage. Bunch’s only pro
loss came in 2019 in just his third fight, a unanimous
decision loss to SHOBOX alum and amateur standout Paul Kroll
(9-0-1, 6 KOs). Bunch had more than 400 amateur fights and
started boxing at age 7, earning a No. 3 national ranking
from the 2016 Nationals and a spot on the USA Boxing
national team. A native of Queens, N.Y., Bunch currently
lives and trains in Trenton, N.J.
“Fighting on SHOBOX in a co-main event was a step-up for me
in 2021,” said Bunch. “But now, I’m the main event. Growing
up with the name Showtime, this is literally something I
have dreamed about since I was five years old. Being able to
do this in front of my friends and family is unbelievable.
I’m blessed to be a main event on SHOBOX and I’m definitely
ready to show the world why I’m at this level.”
Promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz, Roldan, 29, recently
relocated to Coachella, Calif. where he began training under
the guidance of Freddy Fundora, father of WBC Interim Super
Welterweight Champion Sebastian Fundora. A native of La
Banda, Santiago del Estero, Argentina, Roldan will be making
his SHOBOX and United States debut on September 9 and has
fought 20 of his 22 professional bouts in his country. A
clever boxer who moves in and out of range using his
footspeed and switches from orthodox to southpaw, Roldan
owns wins over German del Castillo, Lucas Bastilla and
Emiliano Dominguez twice and has never faced an opponent
with a losing record.
“I am ready to show my boxing skills to the world,” said
Roldan, who had a 56-1 amateur record. “I can’t wait to
fight in the United States. I am so thankful for this
opportunity and can’t wait to take a big leap forward with
this fight in my journey to a world championship.”
Torres vs. Saya – 8-Round Featherweight Bout
The twenty-six-year-old Filipino Torres had a long, storied
amateur career in both his native Philippines and Norway
that included three amateur wins over childhood friend Mark
Magsayo, former WBC Featherweight World Champion. A talented
southpaw, Torres made his pro debut in Norway in 2017 and is
coming off a career-best win over then 13-4-1 Mauro Perouene
in Madrid in January. When he was 14, he moved to Norway
where he met his trainer and mentor Kjell Soerum and became
a seven-time national champion as part of an amateur career
that totaled 160 bouts.
“This is a great opportunity for me that I plan to take full
advantage of on September 9,” said Torres. “Sampson
discovered Manny Pacquiao so the fact that he has noticed me
is something that motivates me to be a world champion and
succeed in America. I know that my style will be popular
there. It's going to be a great fight. I hope to fight in a
world championship in 2023.”
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and currently
residing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Saya has fought just once
in the U.S, stopping Julio Buitrago in two rounds in Daytona
Beach in August 2020. Prior to that win, he had beaten two
consecutive undefeated opponents in then 14-0 Marcos Muniz
and then 6-0 Misael Vasquez. Saya’s lone blemish came at the
hands of Argentine Alberto Ezequiel Melian in a 10-round
unanimous decision loss in Argentina in which Saya sent
Melian to the canvas four times. Saya fought four times in
2021 but has yet to step into the ring in 2022. Most
recently, he won a 10-round unanimous decision over
Alejandro Jair Gonzalez in his hometown of Santo Domingo
last December.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to fight on SHOBOX and
to showcase my skills to the world,” said Saya, 24. “I
promise to put on a great show for the fans and show
everyone that I am one of the top featherweight boxing
prospects in the world. Bernard Torres is a very skilled
boxer with a lot of experience in the ring. I know he will
come ready to fight. However, this fight and this
opportunity are so important to me, my family, my team and
my country. I will fight for all of them, leave everything
in the ring and come out victorious.”
Bocachica vs. Villa – Eight-Round Welterweight Bout
Fighting out of Detroit, Mich., Bocachica is just 23 and
already has six years of pro experience, including three
appearances on SHOBOX. Last July, he fought Bunch to a
10-round split-draw in the co-main event. Prior to that, he
earned his best win to date, a majority decision win over
previously unbeaten Mark Reyes, Jr. An aggressive,
come-forward fighter, Bocachica began boxing at age eight
and boasts an amateur record of 60-5, including a victory
against Brandun Lee in the finals to win the 2014 U.S.
Junior National Olympics. He is trained by his father,
Nelson Figueroa.
“I’m excited to be back on SHOWTIME and I’m looking forward
to putting on my best performance so far,” said Bocachica.
“I feel good and I’m ready to take over the sport of boxing
and end careers, humbly.”
All 24 of Venezuelan sharpshooter Villa’s victories are by
way of stoppage. Since a 12-round split-decision loss to
Marcos Villasana in April 2019, Torres has stopped all five
of his opponents in five rounds or less. He owns a
fourth-round KO over then 20-1-1 Mexican Miguel Parra
Ramirez in Mexico and most recently stopped Andres Garcia in
Uruguay on July 29. Born in Rosario, Venezuela, Villa had a
long amateur career, finishing with a record of 138-9 before
turning pro in 2015.
“This is a great opportunity, and I am very honored to make
my U.S. debut on SHOBOX,” said the 29-year-old Villa.
“SHOBOX is known to be the starting place of great champions
and I am ready to show my talent and show how strong I am.”
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