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Super Lightweight Prospect Shinard Bunch Takes On Undefeated
Bryan Flores In ShoBox Main Event April 7
Nearly two months after O’Shaquie Foster became the 88th
SHOBOX: The New Generation alumni to win a world title, two
young super lightweight prospects will battle it out on the
prospect-oriented series as returnee Shinard Bunch (20-1-1,
16 KOs) from Queens, N.Y., takes on Mexico’s Bryan Flores
(23-0-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight contest
Friday, April 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT live on SHOWTIME® from
Cache Creek Casino in Brooks, Calif.
The SHOBOX® tripleheader pits six fighters with a combined
record of 95-2-1 and 62 knockouts.
In the co-main event, Neri Romero (16-0, KOs) of Argentina
takes on Frency Fortunato (15-1, 11 KOs) of Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic, in a 10-round super featherweight bout.
The telecast opener pits Raul Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs) of the
Dominican Republic against Robert Terry (9-0, 3 KOs) of
Jersey City, N.J., with both fighters putting their unbeaten
streaks to the test in an eight-round super welterweight
bout. They all hope to one day follow in the footsteps of
Foster, who out-dueled Rey Vargas on February 11 on SHOWTIME
to capture the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship
after he fought four times on SHOBOX.
The card is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz and his Sampson
Boxing promotion company.
“We are excited to put on our third SHOBOX event over the
first four months of the year that will once again feature
step-up battles for each fighter,” said Gordon Hall,
executive producer for SHOBOX: The New Generation. “Our main
event is an elevated SHOBOX bout with Shinard Bunch facing
Bryan Flores in their toughest test with the winner on the
verge of becoming a contender. That’s the essence of SHOBOX
– the winner punches their ticket and moves a step closer to
becoming a champion while the runner-up gains exposure and a
learning experience to grow on and stay in the hunt.”
Here is more on each of the three bouts:
Bunch vs. Flores – 10-Round Super Lightweight Main Event
Managed by International Boxing Hall of Famer, J. Russel
Peltz, the 23-year-old Bunch suffered a controversial split
draw in his SHOBOX debut against the tough and undefeated
Janelson Figueroa Bocachica. Following the draw, he reeled
off five consecutive wins, including his last fight in
December, a unanimous decision against Henry Lundy. Since
turning pro in 2019, Bunch fought five times in 2020 and
eight times in 2021 before slowing down a bit with three
bouts in 2022. 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. Bunch started his boxing
path at age 7 and had more than 400 amateur fights, 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.
“It’s a blessing to be back on SHOBOX,” said Bunch, who was
on the same USA National team as Errol Spence Jr., and
Shakur Stevenson. “Not only on SHOBOX, but as a main event.
I’ve always dreamed of this. I have a great opponent who is
very tough, and I know he’s coming to fight. He’s 23-0
looking to make a statement, so this is definitely going to
be a war. This fight should come down to who wants it more.”
Flores was a Mexican national champion as an amateur in 2010
and 2011 and a bronze medalist in 2012. He fought 90 times
in the amateur ranks suffering just eight defeats. Flores
has fought almost entirely in Mexico, except for one bout in
Carson in December of 2021 when he knocked out Tyrone Luckey
in the first round.
“I think my opportunity has arrived, I am very motivated,”
Flores said. “I am happy for the opportunity and I want to
give everything in each training session. I feel that I have
nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
Romero vs. Fortunato – 10-Round Super Featherweight Bout
Romero amassed a 49-7 amateur record with 12 KOs. He was a
2014 gold medalist of the Star Tournament (Torneo de las
estrellas) and 2015 champion at the Challenge Tournament of
Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. Romero fought twice in 2022,
his last win coming by way of eighth-round TKO in August
against Jorge Sanchez.
“I’m glad to come back to the U.S. for such a great
opportunity,” Romero said. “This is the most important fight
of my career as a great win will put me in a great position
to finally have shot at the world title. I’ll do anything to
get away with an impressive victory. That’s exactly what I’m
training for.”
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Fortunato has
fought just twice in the U.S, and last September he showed
his boxing skills and power holding off a late rally from
the aggressive Bernard Torres to capture a split decision on
SHOBOX in Atlantic City, N.J. Previously, he stopped Julio
Buitrago in two rounds in Daytona Beach in August 2020 and
prior to that win, he had beaten two consecutive undefeated
opponents in then 14-0 Marcos Muniz and then 6-0 Misael
Vasquez. Fortunato’s lone blemish came at the hands of
Argentine Alberto Ezequiel Melian in a 10-round unanimous
decision loss in Argentina in which Fortunato sent Melian to
the canvas four times.
“I’m so happy to come back to SHOBOX and I want to thank my
manager Gardner Payne, who is helping me to reach my goal to
become world champion,” Fortunato said. “I know my opponent
is experienced and has fought internationally, but he’s
never faced a boxer like me and when we finally meet he will
see that I am one of the top featherweight boxing prospects
in the world.”
Garcia vs. Terry – Eight-Round Super Welterweight Bout
An excellent puncher with fast hands, 24-year-old Garcia of
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, had over 150 amateur
fights before turning professional in May 2021 and quickly
rattled off a dozen impressive victories over domestic
competition, including taking the undefeated “0” of
countryman Francisco Ernesto Sanchez. He was last seen in
December 2022, stopping then 22-3 veteran Angel Yomar Mateo
in six rounds. Garcia says he began to dream of becoming a
world champion after meeting the great Oscar De La Hoya as a
young amateur.
“This will be my first trip to the U.S. to fight, and I want
to show that I deserve this big opportunity,” Garcia said.
“I know that many fighters who start on SHOBOX reach my
dream of becoming a world champion. I hope to reach the
heights of my idol, Oscar De La Hoya someday.”
Terry began boxing at age 14 and won five New Jersey Golden
Glove titles, including four at 152 pounds. He was a 2017
National Golden Gloves finalist at 165 pounds. Born and
raised in Jersey City, N.J., Terry had approximately 65
amateur fights and fought in Ireland in 2010 as an amateur.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to fight on SHOBOX,” Terry
said. “I see this as a chance to showcase my talent in front
of a national audience and I’m hopeful that this win could
lead to bigger opportunities for me. I have a great team
that I trust and I can’t wait to execute the game plan on
April 7.”
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