ShoBox Returns Friday With Gio Marquez Making Debut

Coming up tonight, undefeated Super Welterweight prospect Ardreal Holmes will now face once-beaten Vernon Brown in the 10-round main event of ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME at 9:35 p.m. ET/PT from Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel in Deadwood, S.D.

"I consider myself a Hagler type. I love to brawl. I can really punch. Everyone in Chicago knows about my power." – Vernon Brown#SHOBOX ➡️ TONIGHT 9:35PM ET on @Showtime. pic.twitter.com/coLNyFvTWj

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) March 11, 2022

Mekhrubon Sanginov, who was originally slated to take on Holmes (11-0, 5 KOs) in the main event, was forced to withdraw from the bout after suffering an injury in training camp. Brown (13-1-1, 9 KOs), who was previously set to fight the undefeated Hurshidbek Normatov in the co-main event, steps in to face Holmes. Normatov also suffered an injury in training camp and is unable to fight on March 11.

The previously-announced eight-round Lightweight matchup between undefeated prospect Luis Acosta (12-0, 11 KOs) and the power-punching Edwin De Los Santos (13-1, 12 KOs) serves as the co-main event.

And, then, 2021 National Golden Gloves Champion Giovanni Márquez, the son of former world champion and ShoBox commentator Raul Márquez, makes his professional debut against Dominican Nelson Morales (2-0) in a four-round Super Lightweight bout. The Marquez debut opens the three-fight telecast, and his father, Raul Márquez, will occupy dual roles during the broadcast, first as his son’s trainer and cornerman and then later as an expert analyst alongside his colleagues ringside.

We had the chance to interview both Gio and Raul Marquez together on this week’s edition of “The Big Fight Weekend” podcast. What will it be like for the elder Marquez to be unable to do the fighting himself, but instead have to advise his son on what to do? You can hear more by clicking below,

Marquez will be joined by Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins calling the action with veteran combat sports reporter Brian Campbell also serving as an expert analyst, and Hall of Famer Steve Farhood remotely performing unofficial scoring duties.

ShoBox is the longest current running boxing series of fights in the USA, as they are in their 21 season of shows.