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Olympic Gold Medalist Bakhodir Jalolov Takes On
Jack Mulowayi In ShoBox Quadrupleheader June 10
For the first time in its storied 21-year history, a
heavyweight Olympic Gold Medalist will step into the ring
and headline SHOBOX: The New Generation as the prospect
series features up-and-coming heavyweights in its return to
Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y., on Friday, June
10. The action begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT live on SHOWTIME and
helps kick off the International Boxing Hall of Fame
Induction Weekend in nearby Canastota, N.Y., where another
Olympic Gold Medalist and SHOBOX alum, Andre Ward, will be
inducted during the three-year, three-class ceremony.
The main event will see two-time Olympian and 2020 Gold
Medalist from Uzbekistan, Bakhodir “Big Uzbek” Jalolov
(10-0, 10 KOs), face rising prospect “Big” Jack Mulowayi
(11-2-1, 7 KOs) from Belgium in an eight-round heavyweight
bout, marking the first time an Olympic heavyweight Gold
Medalist has appeared on SHOBOX. Andre Ward, a former U.S.
Olympic light heavyweight Gold Medalist who went 5-0 on
SHOBOX, is one of the inductees of the 2021 Hall of Fame
class.
The co-feature matches former four-time Oregon Golden Gloves
champion and Joel Diaz-trained Elvis Garcia (12-0, 9 KOs)
against fellow undefeated and four-time Cleveland Golden
Gloves champion Alante “Bam Bam” Green (10-0-1, 7 KOs) in an
eight-round heavyweight fight while former Ukrainian
national champion Iegor Plevako (7-0, 4 KOs) takes on
SugarHill Steward-trained Kolbeinn Kristinsson (12-0, 6
KOs), also an eight-round heavyweight matchup. Kristinsson
is one of the few pro fighters from Iceland, where pro
boxing is banned. Steward also trains WBC Heavyweight
Champion Tyson Fury.
In the telecast opener, six-time Tennessee Golden Gloves
champion Tyler “Short Fuse” Tomlin (13-0, 9 KOs) squares off
against Chann Thonson (10-0, 7 KOs) in an eight-round
lightweight bout. The telecast is brimming with
international flavor, as seven countries are represented
among the eight fighters in action. The four-fight telecast
is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, whose owner, Lou
DiBella, is a 2020 Hall of Fame inductee and being formally
inducted along with the classes of 2021 and 2022.
The night of fights marks the seventh time SHOBOX will take
place at Turning Stone and the third time the series will be
a part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend in
Canastota, N.Y. SHOBOX bouts also took place during Hall of
Fame festivities in June of 2013, the year SHOWTIME Ring
Announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr., was inducted into the Hall of
Fame, and in 2017, the same year longtime SHOBOX analyst and
boxing historian Steve Farhood and SHOBOX play-by-play
announcer and renowned sportscaster Barry Tompkins were
inducted.
The SHOBOX alum Ward captured Olympic gold in 2004 as a
light heavyweight and went on to collect two super
middleweight titles during his triumphant run through the
SHOWTIME Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament before
moving to light heavyweight and winning three more world
titles.
The late SHOWTIME executive Jay Larkin, who helped launch
SHOWTIME boxing in 1986 and televised fights involving Mike
Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Julio Cesar Chavez during his
22-year tenure with the network, was voted in as part of the
Class of 2021.
“It’s always an honor to bring a SHOWTIME event to Turning
Stone during Hall of Fame Weekend. This is the third time in
the past 10 years that we’ve had the privilege to do a
SHOBOX on this weekend,” said Gordon Hall, executive
producer for SHOBOX: The New Generation. “Every fighter on
this SHOBOX card aspires to be a contender, a world
champion, and yes, even to someday be in the Hall of Fame.
We have eight fighters, seven undefeated, who on June 10
look to take that next step to accomplishing those goals.
Congratulations to all the inductees! We have so many
fighters who fought on SHOWTIME being inducted and so many
friends, most importantly Jay Larkin, who oversaw the launch
of SHOWTIME boxing and the SHOBOX series.”
Here is a closer look at the matchups:
Jalolov vs. Mulowayi – 8-Round Heavyweight Main-Event Bout
The 6-foot-7 southpaw Jalolov has knocked out all 10 of the
fighters he’s faced as a professional, employing smooth
footwork and a jackhammer left hand. A highly decorated
amateur, he beat Richard Torrez, Jr., of the U.S. in the
gold medal match of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At the Summer
Games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, where he was his country’s
flagbearer at the opening ceremonies, Jalolov lost to Joe
Joyce, who went on to win the silver medal and is currently
undefeated and a top contender at heavyweight. Jalolov also
claimed gold at the 2019 AIBA World Championships and at the
2018 and 2021 Governor’s Cup and is a four-time national
champion as part of his 247-17 amateur record. Among his
other achievements, he has 1.2 million Instagram followers
and a master’s degree in Sports Science.
"I have been very anxious to return to the USA and fight
there as a professional,” Jalolov said. “This is a great
opportunity for me to perform at my best and show everybody
what's coming in the future of the heavyweight division."
Born in Kinshasa, Congo, where Muhammad Ali beat George
Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle,” the 6-foot-5 Mulowayi
is a stablemate of WBC World Cruiserweight Champion Ilunga
Makabu. Mulowayi went the distance with unbeaten 20-0 SHOBOX
alum and highly regarded heavyweight prospect Frank Sanchez.
He has come back from that unanimous decision loss to win
four consecutive fights, including the biggest win of his
young career by registering a TKO stoppage over-then 20-0-1
Apti Davtaev in Russia last April.
“I am very happy and appreciative to have another chance to
come back to America,” said Mulowayi. “This is a bout of
vindication for me and my career. When I boxed Frank Sanchez
in 2019, I froze and was not mentally or emotionally ready
to fight in the U.S. Now I am, and I’ve won four straight
bouts since my last defeat. I am not intimidated by the
reputation of my opponent. My style, now, is to go for the
knockout no matter who I fight, and my defense is my
offense. I plan to give an explosive performance and prove
that I am a world championship level contender.”
Garcia vs. Green – Eight-Round Heavyweight Bout
Garcia was born in Mexico and moved to Umatilla, Ore., when
he was four. A four-time Oregon Golden Gloves champion, he
was also a star Greco-Roman wrestler in high school and has
dabbled in mixed martial arts, winning three MMA bouts by
submission. He brought that multifaceted background with him
to training camp and sparring sessions with former two-time
unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua before he
beat Andy Ruiz in their rematch in December 2019.Garcia’s
commitment to boxing was evident at an early age when he
endured eight-hour roundtrips five days a week to the
closest boxing gym 260 miles away in Tacoma, Wash. He later
competed in Mexico, winning national and Golden Gloves
titles. During that time, he lived out of his car, sending
earnings he made from doing odd jobs back home to support
his family. His hard work and sacrifice resulted in an 85-10
amateur record with 42 knockouts and a No. 3 ranking at
super heavyweight with USA Boxing. He now works with
renowned trainer Joel Diaz in Indio, Calif.
“After my last fight, I took some time off to be with my
wife as we welcomed our first child, Elena,” Garcia said.
“But now I am back and more focused than ever on my boxing
career. My training camp in Indio, California, has been
going according to plan. My coach, Joel Diaz, and I both
know we have a tough fight against Green and we will be
ready. I would like to thank Lou DiBella for the opportunity
to be part of the Hall of Fame weekend festivities. I also
want to thank my wife and daughter, who are my motivation to
get up every day and work so hard.”
A pro since 2016, Cleveland’s Green is also undefeated and
is coming off a sixth-round stoppage win over Samuel
Clarkson in March in Columbus, Ohio. Green was a two-sport
athlete in high school before he discovered boxing. Green
boasted a 54-9 amateur record and placed third in an Olympic
trial qualifier in Spokane, Wash., in 2015. He has
campaigned as a cruiserweight at times in his career, most
recently knocking out previously undefeated Taylor Duerr in
two rounds in November 2021
“I would like to thank my team, promoter, manager and
DiBella Entertainment for this great opportunity,” Green
said. “I plan on introducing myself to the boxing world on
June 10 and seeing to it that Elvis Garcia leaves the ring
with his first loss."
Plevako vs. Kristinsson – Eight-Round Welterweight Bout
A native of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Plevako is a former Ukrainian
national champion and member of the famed Ukrainian National
Boxing Team who captured the New York Golden Gloves twice
after moving to Brooklyn. He is managed by David McWater of
Split-T Management and trained by Bashir Abdullah.
“I am very excited to be fighting on SHOWTIME because this
is a big step for my career,” Plevako said. “You will see
Iegor Plevako at his best.”
The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Kristinsson is a former Iceland
national champion who has trained with Steward at Detroit’s
famed Kronk Gym since 2017. Kristinsson cut his teeth
sparring with highly ranked Robert Helenius, as well as with
undefeated contenders Filip Hrgovic and Jared Anderson, and
title challenger Kubrat Pulev.
“As the only heavyweight pro boxer in Iceland, I’ve been
training for two years during Covid travel restrictions
awaiting my opportunity,” Kristinsson said. “I can’t wait to
unleash my power and give the fans a thrill June 10th on
SHOWTIME. Iegor Plevako is a decent fighter, but he won’t
survive more than two rounds with me.”
Tomlin vs. Thonson – Eight-Round Lightweight Bout
Just 22 years old, Tomlin is from the same hometown as
former super middleweight world champion Caleb Plant and has
cultivated a passionate fanbase in Ashland City, Tenn.
Tomlin started boxing at age nine and was a highly decorated
amateur, finishing 65-15 and winning bronze at the 2015
Junior Olympics before turning pro. He is trained by his
father, Darryl Tomlin, at the Team Tomlin Gym, which was
built five years ago on the family’s home estate. Tomlin
fought four times in 2021 and five times in 2020, including
a super lightweight bout against Jose Zaragoza on the
undercard of the Plant vs. Vincent Feigenbutz card at
Bridgestone Arena in Nashville where he won a unanimous
decision.
"This is my biggest fight to date, and I thrive in
situations like this,” Tomlin said. “When the lights are
brightest, I am at my best. I intend to put on a dominant
performance and introduce the world to ‘Short Fuse' in a big
way.”
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to immigrant parents from
Jamaica, Thonson is the No. 3-ranked lightweight from
Canada. He has a twin brother, Trevor, who is older than him
by seven minutes and is also a prizefighter. The two shared
the same card in January 2022 when they both recorded
second-round stoppages. They are both trained by Chris
Johnson, who won Olympic bronze for Canada in 1992 at
middleweight and finished 26-3-1 as a pro, losing his final
fight to Antonio Tarver in 2001.
“I'm anxiously awaiting my bout against Tyler Tomlin,” said
Thonson. “I know that he is a formidable opponent, but I am
coming to win. This is a major opportunity and I appreciate
DiBella Entertainment and SHOWTIME providing the platform.
I'm very confident and am training hard."
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