Photo by Tom Casino/Showtime
Three of boxing’s hottest prospects will be featured at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. on Friday, June 27, as ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME® presents an exciting tripleheader that will help prove whether these young stars are ready for prime time.
In the main event, Maryland’s Dominic Wade battles New York’s Nick Brinson in a clash of middleweights. Plus, two 2012 U.S. Olympians attempt to remain unbeaten as welterweight southpaw Errol Spence Jr. meets Pennsylvania’s Ronald Cruz and light heavyweight “Sir” Marcus Browne squares off with veteran Yusaf Mack. All three bouts are scheduled for 10 rounds.
Heading out west to the Fight Capital of the World for the first time as a professional, 24-year-old Largo, Md.’s Dominic Wade (15-0, 11 KOs) has had numerous dominant performances on the East Coast, thrilling many fans along the way. Coming off a second-round technical knockout over Marcus Upshaw in April, Wade is more than ready for his headlining spot on SHOWTIME.
Albany, N.Y.’s Nick Brinson (16-1-2, 6 KOs) is a veteran of nearly six years, and with a 9-0-1 record in his last 10 fights, the 26-year-old is approaching the biggest bout of his career at precisely the right time. A New York State and WBC International Silver Champion who owns a 2013 win over Jorge Melendez, Brinson believes that he has the tools to pin the first loss on Wade’s perfect record.
A stellar amateur who represented the United States in the 2012 Olympics, Errol Spence Jr. (12-0, 10 KOs) appears to be on his way to even more success as a professional, as the powerful southpaw from Desoto, Texas has finished seven of his 12 wins in the first round. Included on this list are respected foes like Brandon Hoskins and Raymond Charles, but the 24-year-old has also shown the ability to go the distance, evidenced by his eight-round unanimous decision win over 15-0-1 Emmanuel Lartey.
Born in Manati, Puerto Rico and now fighting out of Bethlehem, Pa., the popular Ronald Cruz (20-3, 15 KOs) has built quite a following with his hard-nosed style in the ring. A former WBC Continental Americas champion who has defeated Prenice Brewer, Jeremy Bryan and Hector Munoz, the 27-year-old is coming off of a tough decision loss to former world champion Kermit Cintron this past March, but his effort in defeat gained him even more credibility.
The fighting pride of Staten Island, N.Y., 2012 United States Olympian “Sir” Marcus Browne (10-0, 7 KOs) has soared up the light heavyweight ladder since his professional debut in 2012, and after wins over veteran competitors like Kevin Engel and Otis Griffin, the talented 23-year-old is ready for a step up against the well-regarded Yusaf Mack on June 27.
A proud member of Philadelphia’s fighting fraternity, 34-year-old Yusaf Mack (31-7-2, 17 KOs) still has the fire to battle the best and he expects to give Browne a rude welcome to big-time boxing. Hoping to snap a three-fight losing streak, the former USBA, NABF and NABA champion knows that a win will put him back on the right track for a world title.
