GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS – THE NEXT GENERATION

Posted on | May 1, 2008 | No Comments

LOS ANGELES, May 1 – The names that have carried the sport in recent years are familiar to all fight fans – De La Hoya, Hopkins, Mosley, Marquez and Barrera – but who will carry on the tradition of boxing excellence when these legends have retired and entered the Hall of Fame? With Bernard Hopkins and Juan Manuel Marquez on hand to help with the announcement, Golden Boy Promotions’ Vice President and Matchmaker Eric Gomez introduced the young prospects at a press conference held today at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Although not present Oscar de la Hoya is excited to have the these young and talented fighters under the Golden Boy banner.

“Boxing has never been in better shape and these young men we’ve signed prove it,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “These fighters are talented, hard working, charismatic and determined to win world titles and if you haven’t seen them yet, you will see plenty of them in 2008 and beyond.”

Ricardo Tristan, a 19-year-old Houston native, is one of the brightest prospects to come out of Texas in many years despite his late start in the sport at the age of 14. After compiling an impressive amateur record of 23-3, this talented young man will be put to the professional test when he turns pro under the Golden Boy Promotions banner on a date to be determined.

Just 17 years-old, junior lightweight Hylon Williams (1-0) has been boxing more than half of his life after entering the gym for the first time at the age of eight. Owner of an amazing 145-20 amateur record (including a win over 2008 Olympian Reynel Williams), the Houston native amassed a truckload of accolades over the course of his amateur career, including numerous local and state titles, regional and national Golden Gloves titles as well as a National Amateur Championship in 2007. A U.S. Olympic alternate for the 2008 games, Williams has instead decided to embark on his journey towards Gold in the professional ranks, a journey which began with a four round shutout decision victory over Marcos Mendias in his pro debut on April 19, 2008 on the undercard of Bernard Hopkins vs. Joe Calzaghe in Las Vegas.

A talented welterweight known as the ‘Ironman’, Houston’s Jermell Charlo (2-0, 1 KO) is another 17-year-old prodigy now looking to win big in the pro game. Charlo graduated to the elite level on the amateur boxing scene after just two years, winning a Bronze medal at the 2005 Junior Olympics at the age of 15. A tall welterweight a six feet tall, Charlo ended his amateur career with a 56-8 record and began his pro career on December 8, 2007with a four-round decision win over Corey Sommerville. In his last bout, on April 19, he stopped Jesus Villareal in three rounds.

Schenectady, New York’s Michael Faragon (2-0) comes to the Golden Boy Promotions team after a stellar amateur career that saw him win two state Golden Glove Championships, the Western Olympic trials and a junior national championship en route to an 87-15 amateur record as well as the number one ranking in the United States at 141 pounds in 2007. Choosing to enter the pro ranks, the 20-year-old junior welterweight won his debut in impressive fashion with a unanimous decision over Javier Garcia on November’s Cotto vs. Mosley undercard at Madison Square Garden and is most recently coming off of a decision win over Heriberto Ponce in January of this year.

Ashanti Jordan (3-0, 3 KOs) is an exciting heavyweight from San Francisco, CA who turned pro in March of 2007 after compiling an amateur record of 36-6 and attaining a ranking of number two among heavyweight amateurs nationwide. Already off to a brilliant start as a professional with three knockout wins in three fights, Ashanti has a promising future as a heavyweight as he is known for boxing abilities and punching power.

A sizzling hot Brooklyn, New York prospect, Danny Jacobs (5-0, 5 KOs) has already made his mark as a professional after compiling an amazing amateur record of 137-7. A 2008 United States Olympic Alternate who captured 13 National Championships including a 2003 Junior Olympics National Championship, a 2004 United States 19-and-Under National Championship, a 2004 National PAL Championship, a 2004 National Golden Gloves Championship, a 2005 National Golden Gloves Championship, a 2005 National PAL Championship, a 2006 United States Amateur Champion as well as four New York Golden Gloves Championships, Jacobs has already electrified fans in the pro ranks in his five fights with his mix of speed, power, and savvy. He will be in action Saturday night when he faces Jose Pena (2-2-1, 2 KOs) in a middleweight four rounder on the undercard of Oscar de la Hoya vs. Steve Forbes.

With fellow Philadelphia native Bernard Hopkins a Golden Boy partner and a fellow Golden Boy fighter, Danny Garcia (5-0, 5 KOs) will have big expectations to live up to when it comes to Philadelphia bragging rights, but the indication is this 20-year-old junior welterweight has the skill and heart to live up to the task. Garcia, a United States Olympic alternate who won capture five National and one International Championship including a 2005 Tammer Tournament Championship, a 2005 Under-19 National Championship and a 2006 United States National Championship compiled a 107-13 record before deciding to turn pro. Garcia has already put five wins in the bank, knocking out Mike Denby in the first round in November 2007, stopping Jesus Villareal in two rounds on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton undercard in December, taking Marlo Cortez out in two rounds in January and scoring a pair of first round knockouts of Charles Wade and Guadalupe Diaz in March and April on the undercards of Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Manny Pacquiao and Barnard Hopkins vs. Joe Calzaghe respectively.

Carlos Velasquez (7-0, 6 KOs) has been tearing through the junior lightweight division since turning pro in February of 2007. A 2004 Puerto Rican Olympian who compiled an incredible amateur record of 220-30 and owns an amateur win over highly regarded Cuban champion Yuriorkis Gamboa, Velasquez has won all seven of his pro fights, six by knockout, and looks to follow in the footsteps of Puerto Rican icon Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad to multiple world titles. In his last bout on March 22, he decisioned 48-fight veteran Manuel Sarabia over six rounds.

The twin brother of fellow prospect Carlos Velasquez, featherweight prospect Juan Velasquez (7-0, 4 KOs) has the experience, talent and desire to make a lot of noise in the 126-pound division. A stellar amateur who compiled a record of 210-40, Juan’s pro journey began on February 22, 2007, when he scored a four round unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Manuel Angulo. He has only gone the distance twice more in his subsequent six fights as he has compiled an unbeaten record which includes three first round knockouts and a win over 34-fight veteran Elvis Martinez.

Junior welterweight Hector Sanchez (12-0, 5 KOs) is a two-time Puerto Rican national amateur champion and a 2000 Junior Olympic Bronze medalist who compiled a 72-10 amateur record. A tall (6’2″) and complete fighter who can box or bang, the 21-year-old turned pro with a four-round win over John Temple in March of 2005 and with 11 more victories under his belt, including a first round TKO of fellow prospect Roberto Astacio in September of 2007, he is hitting his stride and ready to make his move into elite level of the junior welterweight division on his way towards reaching a self imposed goal of World Championships in five weight divisions.

Although not present, Golden Boy Promotions also announced another heavyweight to the roster. A former high school All-American linebacker who also starred on the gridiron for Michigan State University, 6-2, 242 pound Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell (2-0-1, 1 KO) turned to boxing after knee injuries ended his football career and he has since made a smooth transition to the sweet science. Now the Maryland native has his sights set on the Super Bowl of boxing, the world heavyweight championship, and the 25-year-old has gotten off to a good start, going 2-0-1 in his three pro bouts since debuting in January of 2008.