Justin “The Chosen One” DeLoach scored a shocking upset over Chris “Young King” Pearson in a second-round knockout victory on Friday in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME in front of a sellout crowd from Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula.
DeLoach, (17-1, 9 KOs), of Augusta, Ga. continued his impressive winning streak with his seventh straight victory as he claimed the vacant USBA super welterweight title with the win, knocking out Pearson (14-2, 10 KOs, WSB 3-0, 1 KO) at 2:30 of the second round.
Pearson, who trains in Las Vegas and fights out of Dayton, Ohio, was first knocked down after a strong DeLoach left hook that caught Pearson sideways and dropped him to the canvas with one minute to go in Round 2.
DeLoach didn’t let up, going after the hurting Pearson with a flurry of combinations sending him down again on a straight up right hand and leaving Pearson on his knees for the entire 10-second count.
“I’m not surprised that it happened so quickly,” DeLoach said. “We had a strategy and we stuck to it. Hard work pays off and that was proof. I didn’t think I was an underdog, but I understand the whole thing of psychological warfare. I always go into the ring like I am on top no matter what.”
The southpaw Pearson, who was appearing on ShoBox for third time, never got going and landed just one body punch in the short fight connecting on just nine percent of his total punches (four of 43) compared to 32 percent for DeLoach (29 of 92).
“Pearson seemed a step slower from the start and DeLoach came forward,” said ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood, who later called the DeLoach win a shocker. “Wow. Even if you liked DeLoach to win this fight, you are surprised it happened this soon.”
He later added: “I thought it was going to be a distance fight. Pearson never recovered from his loss to Eric Walker. DeLoach continues to surprise. This is his fourth consecutive major win and now I believe he’s a contender at 154 pounds—maybe one or two fights away from a world title fight.”
The bout was originally scheduled for last September before Pearson was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered in training.
“I felt lackluster,” Pearson said. “He came out and he was explosive, he was busy. He didn’t do anything I didn’t expect. Things happened the way they did, and you gotta take the good with the bad. He hit me in the eye which got me a bit disoriented. He fought like I thought he would, he did what he had to do. His performance didn’t surprise me.”
DeLoach was clearly overcome with emotion as he reflected on his huge victory. “I feel great,” DeLoach said. “I am emotional right now. I come from a small city and my mom is here and she’s in tears. Seeing my mom and my family here, I am just proud.”
DeLoach was clearly overcome with emotion as he reflected on his huge victory. “I feel great,” he said. “I am emotional right now. I come from a small city and my mom is here and she’s in tears. Seeing my mom and my family here, I am just proud.”
In the co-main event of the evening, undefeated up-and-coming prospect Saul “Neno” Rodriguez (21-0-1, 15 KOs) of nearby Riverside won a split decision treating the hometown fans to a close outcome against a tough and game Oscar “La Máquina” Bravo (22-7, 10 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight battle.
Judge Carla Caiz scored it 95-94 for Rodriguez; Tony Crebs 95-94 for Bravo and Jerry Cantu 97-92 in favor of the still undefeated Rodriguez, who had never been past eight rounds before Saturday night, and also was knocked down for the first time in his career in the fifth round.
“I was pretty happy with my performance, but I know there are a few things I need to work on and really just stay focused,” Rodriguez said. “When you’re fighting a wild opponent like Bravo, it gets tough, he head-butted me a few times which affected my visual, but I didn’t let his wild style interrupt my plan.
“I was definitely going for the KO throughout the night, but I was still boxing with him. I just gotta go back in the gym and continue developing as a fighter, I am just happy to bring the win home to my hometown and my home stable [Mayweather Promotions].”
A straight right hand by Bravo dropped the 23-year-old Rodriguez for the first time in his career
with 1:50 left in the fifth round giving Bravo a huge 10-8 round. In the sixth round Bravo, 29, was again impressive and was able to effectively get inside against Rodriguez and land several powerful combinations.
Going into the final round, the two were almost equal in number of punches thrown and number of punches connected. Rodriguez was a bit more active in the end, connecting on 33 percent of his punches (174 of 522) compared to 31 percent for Bravo (155 of 497).
In the telecast opener, undefeated cruiserweight Andrew “The Beast” Tabiti (14-0, 12 KOs) of Chicago, Ill., out-worked and out-classed the previously undefeated Quantis “The Grim Reaper” Graves (11-1-2, 4 KOs) of Beaumont, Texas, scoring a technical knockout after six rounds.
The 27-year-old Tabiti was simply too skilled and powerful for the out-manned 34-year-old Graves, who was fighting for just the second time in the past 27 months.
Near the end of the fourth round Tabiti – fighting for the second time on ShoBox – unleashed a series of powerful combinations that all but ended the fight putting the visibly hurt Graves against the ropes before he was saved by the bell.
In the sixth round, Tabiti hurt Graves again leaving him back-pedaling and finally sending him to the canvas for the first time in his professional career with a brutal body shot. Graves never made it out for the seventh round as he and his corner threw in the towel in between rounds. The referee, Ray Corona, signaled the end of the fight.
“As soon as I got in the ring, I knew it was game over for him,” Tabiti said. “Figuring out his game plan was easy money. The only thing I feel I could have done better was get him out of the fight quicker. He was talking a lot before the fight, but I didn’t let that get in my head I just came out and did what I was supposed to do.
Graves connected on only three body punches on the night, compared to 29 for Tabiti, who landed 43 percent of his total punches, compared to just 11 percent for Graves, who was the 159th fighter to lose his undefeated record on ShoBox.
“Tabiti is very fast,” Graves said. “I’ve been boxing for 19 years and I’ve never fought anyone as fast as him. I have no excuses. It is okay. Tabiti was cocky before the fight and humble after. He just needs to keep working hard and perfect his skills.”
The event was promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, and was witnessed by all-time great and Mayweather Promotions President Floyd Mayweather, who celebrated his 40th birthday on Friday and was interviewed by Farhood on the telecast before the Rodriguez-Bravo fight.
Friday’s three-fight telecast will re-air Monday, Feb. 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning Feb. 25.
Barry Tompkins called the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer was Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Chris Pearson and Justin DeLoach weights
Top super welterweight prospects Chris “Young King” Pearson and Justin “The Chosen One” DeLoach weighed-in on Thursday for their 10-round main event tomorrow/Friday, February 24 on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from Pechanga Casino & Resort in Temecula.
Pearson, (14-1, 10 KOs, WSB 3-0, 1 KO), who trains in Las Vegas and fights out of Dayton, Ohio, bounced back from his first defeat with a dominant decision victory over Joshua Okine last April and is stepping up in class and opposition, while the aggressive-minded DeLoach, (16-1, 8 KOs), of Augusta, Ga. has won six in a row, including three unbeaten fighters in his last three outings.
In the telecast opener, unbeaten cruiserweights Andrew Tabiti (13-0, 11 KOs) and Quantis Graves (11-0-2, 4 KOs) will clash in a 10-round bout and undefeated up-and-coming prospect Saul Rodriguez (20-0-1, 15 KOs) will take on Chile’s Oscar Bravo (22-6, 10 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight battle.
The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $99.50, $69.50 and $49.50 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
vacant USBA Super Welterweight Championship – 10 Rounds
Chris Pearson – 152 ¾ pounds
Justin DeLoach – 151 ¾ pounds
Lightweight Bout – 10-Rounds
Saul Rodriguez – 133 ¾ pounds
Oscar Bravo – 132 ¾ pounds
NABF Cruiserweight Championship – 10-Rounds
Andrew Tabiti – 196 ¼ pounds
Quantis Graves – 198 ¾ pounds
FINAL THOUGHTS
Chris Pearson
On fighting Justin DeLoach…
“I have had my back against the wall before. I know how it feels. I perform at my best when I have my back against the wall. I know he’s a talented fighter and that he has power in both hands, but I also know that he looks shaky when he gets cracked. He’s an athletic guy, he’s fast and moves well, but I’m the more skillful fighter.
“DeLoach makes a lot of mistakes in the ring. I’m going to take advantage of that. He’s never been against a guy like me. He won’t pass through me. I’m simply the better fighter here.
“I have the better jab and I have the pedigree. I’m disciplined and patient. You’ll see tomorrow night, DeLoach is in for a surprise. The only way this kid beats me is if I’m going with the wrong strategy, but I know I won’t. As far as skill for skill, I know I’m at a different level.”
On training camp…
“I’ve been in camp since April last year—almost a year. I’m not concerned in the very least about making weight. I woke up this morning at 152 pounds. I learned from my mistakes. Every fight that I’ve looked mediocre it’s been because I kill myself making the weight.”
On his loss against Eric Walker…
“I struggled to make weight for my fight against Walker. I had to lose 20 pounds in 10 days. I waited until the last minute to make weight and I paid the price. I had no legs. I had him in the position I wanted him, but I had no energy to close the deal. I couldn’t deliver. I lost that fight on the scale. I learned my lesson. It won’t happen again.”
On tomorrow night’s matchup…
“I don’t think it’s going to be a boxing match for long. Once one of us gets comfortable with the range and believe we have the advantage, we are going to start opening up more. If he comes up a little hotter, I believe my skills are going to dictate the pace and make adjustments as we go. Boxing is the sweet science but is not rocket science. You get in there and you find the advantage. You do what you have to do, adjust and get the win.”
Justin DeLoach
On working with his new trainer, Lucius Robinson…
“I had some differences with my previous trainer [Paul Williams]. I wanted more of the mental side of training, not only the physical. We just had different philosophies so I decided to change trainers.
“I’m training with Lucius Robinson now and it’s a big change—psychologically and philosophically. I’m really breaking down what I’m doing in the ring. I’m not just going in there to fight. As a young fighter you get in the ring and you just fight, but you have to do more than that. I’m learning how to use my head in the ring. When I’m hitting you, I know why I’m hitting you, where I’m hitting you. I know what I’m going to do.
“Learning the mental side of my sport really took me to another level. Anybody can get in there and get knocked out—that’s why I had my first loss—but who can really go in there and do what Floyd does? Break an opponent down in the later rounds. Master the sweet science. That’s the biggest change I had in my career, to learn the mental side of the sport.”
On his last three fights…
“I fought three undefeated prospect last year and I beat them. I fought Junior Castillo who has power in both hands. I went in there, I did my thing and I outclassed him. I got the knockout over Dillon Cook and then Dominique Dolton, who is a respectable opponent. I had a heck of a year.”
On his fight against Dominique Dolton…
“It was something that came together last minute. I was supposed to fight Chris Pearson but he got injured. I really appreciate the opportunity of fighting Dolton because a lot of up-and-comers don’t have the opportunity to fight a guy like that. Dolton was like a championship fight for me. He taught me a lot and took me to a whole different level. He was a replacement opponent, and my God, he’s a hell of a fighter.”
On his KO over Dillon Cook on ShoBox…
“It’s funny. I’m more of a boxer than a puncher. I don’t look for the knockout. I like to box. I think of myself as a boxer-puncher. I feel my opponents don’t usually know how much power I have. They underestimate me and I’m OK with that. My power catches them off balance.”
On fighting a southpaw…
“When you fight a southpaw, there are only two people you can study: Floyd Mayweather and Roy Jones Jr. If you watch tape on them you can learn a lot. It can help you develop your skills. I did my homework. I know exactly what I’m going to do tomorrow.”
On making weight…
“I never had a problem making weight. My body feels good. When I was with Ronnie Shields at the beginning of my career, I learned that if I take care of my weight early on, you can concentrate on training for the fight. So, that’s what I do. I make weight early and then I train hand to fight my opponent.”
Saul Rodriguez
On tomorrow’s fight against Oscar Bravo…
“I want to look good. If I focus on dictating the pace for this fight, the knockout will come. My punches will keep on coming and I eventually will get some damage done. I’ll drop him and then, I’ll stop him.
“I always look for the knockout. It’s just more satisfying for me. I like KOs, but I’ll be patient. I feel that Bravo is tailor-made for me. He’s never been stopped. So I want to stop him. Don’t take me wrong, I won’t be reckless. But if he’s there for me to punch, I’ll punch him and I’ll go for the knockout.”
On changing promoters…
“Top Rank wanted to sign me again, but it was my decision to leave. I felt I was not treated well. I felt that I wasn’t getting the opportunities I deserved. So I decided to sign with Floyd, and here I am, fighting on SHOWTIME. It was a good move.”
On sparring with Mikey Garcia…
“I’ve sparred with Mikey Garcia for years. He got me ready for almost every professional fight I’ve had. I would say we’ve sparred over 100 rounds. I’ve learned so much from him. I think that having him as a sparring partner it’s been a difference maker for me. It’s made me a better fighter.”
On what’s next…
“I’m going to get a title at 130 first and then I’ll move up in weight. I’d like to fight Miguel Berchelt—the guy that just beat Vargas. Gervonta Davis is at that weight too. I’ll meet him down the road. I’m more interested in unifying. I want to get the WBC title and then I want to go for the IBF.”
Oscar Bravo
On training camp…
“I’ve been training in Floyd’s gym in Vegas. We were in training camp for a while. I think 135 is my best weight to fight at.”
On his opponent, Saul Rodriguez…
“He’s a good fighter. He’s a young fighter and hasn’t been in the gym with the experienced fighters like I have. He throws wild punches. If he does that, I will make him pay.”
On what’s next…
“I want to be a world champion someday. I’ve never had this much time to prepare for a fight, so you’re going to see a different fighter this time. I’m confident and feel like this fight is going to change my life.
“My dream was to become Chilean champion and I did. I always took last minute fights with two weeks’ notice and went the distance.”
Andrew Tabiti
On his performance against Keith Tapia…
“I kept my composure. I thought I was sharp. A lot of people didn’t think I was going to beat Tapia, but I did. Styles make fights and we were matched perfectly. Since Tapia, I’m much better. He was high energy and moved a lot. He threw me off of my style at first, but I adjusted.”
On his opponent, Quantis Graves…
“I watched some tape on him. He’s flat-footed and stays stationary. I know what he has to offer. I can adjust well. I got a good jab, a great body punch.”
On what’s next…
“I’d love a world title shot, but I’m going to stay patient. I’m still at Floyd’s gym and working hard. I want to be a heavyweight someday. I’d like to stay more active and fight more.
“If things go well, I’d like a title shot later this year. There are not a lot of American boxers in my weight class. I’d like to fight Beibut Shumenov. That’s who I want.
“I’d like to move to heavyweight later in my career.”
Quantis Graves
On his matchup tomorrow night…
“I plan on beating Andrew Tabiti tomorrow night. I’ve prepared for this. We’ve done everything. I’ve been prepared for this fight mentally. I’ve never been 100 percent for a fight, except for this one.
“I’m not worrying about Tabiti. Tabiti is worried about me. He has the title to lose. That’s how I feel about it. I’ve seen his YouTube videos, and I’ve seen the mistakes he’s made. And I’m going to capitalize on those mistakes.
“I’m not just fighting Tabiti, I’m fighting TMT. I’m fighting Floyd. I’m taking this fight very seriously.”
On his opponent, Andrew Tabiti…
“Everybody can look good when you fight guys that can’t fight. His last opponent, [Keith] Tapia was good. But who else has he fought?
“I have everything to gain, nothing to lose. I’m hungry. I’m not a pampered, spoiled guy. I have nobody buying me cars. I have a car note, a house note, two kids and another one on the way. I’m hungry. I have everything to lose…I’m going to do what I have to do.”
On his pro career…
“I had a great amateur career. I had some stops and starts. I had issues when I didn’t get signed with a promoter coming out of the Olympic trials and that stalled my pro career a bit. My professional career started off slow. I’m not as active as I would have liked to be but I’m a young 34. I’ve never taken a beating. I fought five times and 2014, and twice in 2015 and last year, no fights. I live a clean life and don’t drink or don’t smoke. I just train. Every day.”
