Super middleweights Ronald Ellis and Deandre Ware will square off in the 10-round main event of a Feb. 1 tripleheader on Showtime’s “ShoBox: The New Generation,” the network announced on Tuesday.
The card (10 p.m. ET/PT) will take place at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York.
Ellis (15-0-2, 10 KOs), 29, a Lynn, Massachusetts, native, will be making his fourth appearance on the prospect-oriented series and aiming to look better than he did in his previous appearance on the show 13 months ago, when he fought to a disputed draw with Junior Younan.
“I need to make a statement,” Ellis said. “The last time I was on ‘ShoBox’ I got a draw. This is the perfect opportunity for me to show I have what it takes. Ware won’t run. He comes at you, he roughs you up, and he’ll be right there for me to hit. I know what I am up against. I have been working hard, training in different camps and approaching this as the biggest fight of my life. I appreciate Showtime for giving me another opportunity to prove I’m ready for the big show.”
Ware (12-1-2, 8 KOs), 30, of Toledo, Ohio, will seek to rebound from an eight-round decision loss to Cem Kilic on a “ShoBox” card in September.
“My last time out on ‘ShoBox’ was great, but unfortunately I didn’t come out victorious,” Ware said. “This time I’m looking to come out with my arm raised at the end of the fight. Ronald Ellis is a tough fighter, and I commend and respect anyone who steps in that square circle. I know a win against a tough, undefeated guy is what I need to get me on track to winning a world title. I see big things happening for me after a win like this. The sky is the limit after this win.”
In the co-feature, prospect Logan Yoon (14-0, 11 KOs), 20, of Honolulu, Hawaii, who went 100-11 as an amateur, will take on Richard Zamora (18-2, 11 KOs), 25, of Mexico, in an eight-round junior welterweight fight.
“This is a great opportunity to show the world what I already know — that I’m one of the best young fighters in the game,” Yoon said. “A win at this point of my career will open up new doors and will get me one step closer to where I want to be. We’re studying our opponent and putting a plan together for February 1. It will be my job to execute it.”
Zamora will be fighting in the United States for the first time.
“I will win this for my parents that sacrificed a lot for me and for my wife and son — I can’t let them down,” he said. “I am coming to win and to show everybody that Mexico will always produce proud champions.”
The telecast will open with Puerto Rico native and Albany, New York-based Abraham Nova (12-0, 10 KOs), 24, a former No. 1-ranked U.S. amateur, who was 167-11 in the unpaid ranks, fighting Oluwaseun Joshua Wahab (18-0, 11 KOs), 28, in an eight-round junior lightweight bout.
“I’m looking forward to making my ‘ShoBox’ debut and the fact that it’s in upstate New York makes it even more special,” Nova said. “I’ll have many of my friends, family and fans in attendance, so I plan on making a statement.”
Wahab, a Nigeria native fighting out of Ghana, is mentored by International Boxing Hall of Famer Azumah Nelson, Ghana’s greatest all-time fighter and widely considered the best fighter ever from Africa.
“In all honesty, I’ve watched his fights, and I respect all fighters, but Nova hasn’t seen a fighter like me yet,” Wahab said. “I’ll be leaving New York undefeated.”