Gary Russell Jr. Defends Title Nov. 14 vs Oscar Escandón on SHOWTIME

October 26, 2015 by Leave a Comment

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26, 2015) – Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBC Featherweight World Title when he takes on Oscar Escandón (24-2, 16 KOs) in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event on Saturday, Nov. 14 from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $155, $105, $80, $55 and $30, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office, by calling 888-9-AXS-TIX, or online at www.axs.com.

“It’s going to take all of my skills and my whole arsenal to defend my belt on November 14,” said Russell Jr. “Escandón is a strong, durable fighter with a lot of power. I will have to be on my A-game and I believe I will be able to showcase my skills when I get in the ring.”

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to fight Gary Russell Jr. for his world title,” said Oscar Escandón. “I feel strong going into this fight. Moving up to featherweight has given me the added weight to be at my full strength. I’ve been training hard with Ruben Guerrero, who’s been doing a great job preparing me for Russell’s southpaw attack. I guarantee that I’m going to make it a rough fight.”

“Gary Russell Jr. is one of the sports brightest young stars,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Winning the featherweight world title against Jhonny Gonzalez was an outstanding feat and he’s chosen a very tough initial defense against the heavy handed Oscar Escandón. We’re very excited to work with the great teams at SHOWTIME and
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on this terrific event.”

The evening’s co-main event will be announced shortly, as will the full undercard of action.

Russell Jr., of Capitol Heights, Md., makes his first start since dethroning defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez via fourth round TKO in March in Las Vegas. The talented and quick-fisted southpaw dropped the veteran Gonzalez three times en route to capturing his first world title. The only blemish on the record of the 2008 U.S. Olympian is a close majority decision loss to Vasyl Lomachenko in a bout for a vacant world championship in June of 2014 on SHOWTIME.

Escandón, of Ibague, Colombia, is a former interim WBA World Super Bantamweight titlist – he lost the belt in April in a close, split decision to Moises Flores at StubHub Center but complained after the loss that a broken finger in his right hand prevented him from throwing any meaningful punches. A former amateur standout who represented his native Colombia in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Escandón won his U.S. debut and the interim WBA belt with a 12-round split decision over Tyson Cave last December. He has knocked out 10 of his last 14 opponents and is trained by Ruben Guerrero, father of long-time welterweight contender Robert Guerrero.

Escandón, who holds a career-best seventh-round TKO over then-undefeated Jesus Cuellar in 2011, will be making his third consecutive start in the U.S. as he moves up in weight to 126 pounds to challenge Russell Jr.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @Escandonbox; @TGBPromotions, @HardRockHotelLV and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

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Sampson Lewkowicz Promises Tyson Cave Another Shot vs Oscar Escandon

December 12, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz sends his congratulations to his fighter, Colombia’s Oscar Escandon (24-1, 14 KOs), who captured the interim WBA super bantamweight title with a 12-round split decision over Canada’s Tyson Cave (22-3, 6 KOs), Thursday night at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California.
 
But because of the controversy over the scoring (117-111, 115-113 Escandon against 115-113 Cave), Lewkowicz also has a strong assurance for Canada’s Tyson Cave, whom he also promotes.
 
“I wish to congratulate Oscar Escandon for his victory first of all,” said Lewkowicz. “I am very happy for him winning his first world championship. However, I think there is enough question about the decision that I want Tyson Cave to know something: If the WBA doesn’t order an immediate rematch of this fight, I am personally making a promise to him that I will get him another big opportunity. He will be back, no matter what.”
 
To most, it appeared Cave had soundly outboxed Escandon throughout their fight, but two of the judges saw a different fight and awarded 30-year-old Escandon the verdict. And so, Lewkowicz says he must wait to see what will play out between the sanctioning body and the two fighters.
 
“I will see what the WBA does before I make the next move with either fighter,” continued Lewkowicz. “And then either they will fight again to prove one clear winner or one will go after (WBA Champ) Scott Quigg and I will find the other another big fight.”

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Oscar Escandon vs Tyson Cave Scheduled as WBA Super Bantamweight Eliminator

November 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment

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Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, promoter of Colombian slugger Oscar Escandon and Canadian southpaw Tyson “Prince of Hali” Cave, wishes to correct erroneous reports about the pair’s upcoming showdown.
 
Escandon (23-1, 16 KOs) and Cave (22-2, 6 KOs) will meet on Thursday, December 11, in one of the featured bouts when Goossen Promotions returns to the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, for “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” a three-hour ESPN Boxing Special, televised LIVE on ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
 
“The fight between Oscar Escandon and Tyson Cave is not for the Interim title, it is a 12-round World Boxing Association Super Bantamweight Eliminator,” said Lewkowicz. “The WBA has already approved that the winner of this fight will then face the champion, Scott Quigg, next year.”
 
Advance tickets starting at $55.00 can be purchased through the Pechanga Resort and Casino website (www.Pechanga.com) or by calling 1-877-711-2946. Doors on the night of the event will open at 4:00 p.m. with the first bell at 5:00 p.m. 
 
Headlining the event will be the return to Pechanga and ESPN of former junior middleweight world champion Austin “No Doubt Trout (27-2, 14 KOs) of Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 10-round clash against tough Mexican veteran Luis “Slayer” Grajeda (17-3-2, 13 KOs).
 
In the televised co-main event will be a 10-round heavyweight clash featuring two-time former heavyweight world title challenger and longtime Southern California fan favorite Cris “The Nightmare” Arreola (35-4, 31 KOs) against an opponent to be announced.  
 
Also appearing at “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” in a 10-round heavyweight battle will be former light heavyweight world champion Antonio “The Magic Man” Tarver (30-6-1, 21 KOs) of Tampa, Florida against an opponent that is also to be announced.
Among the world class fighters rounding out the card in separate bouts are: former world champion and winner of The Contender Season One, Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (26-3-2, 9 KOs) of Los Angeles; former world title challenger Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (25-1, 16 KOs) of Worcester, MA; former super bantamweight world champion Rico “Suavecito” Ramos (23-4, 12 KOs) of Los Angeles; 2012 U.S. Olympian and hot light heavyweight prospects “Sir’ Marcus Browne (12-0, 9 KOs) of New York City and Ahmed Elbiali (8-1, 7 KOs) of Cairo, Egypt.
 
Additional information on the undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

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