HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.—Don King hosted a press conference today at the historic Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., where he will present two of his top undefeated prospects in separate bouts during a televised doubleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, Nov. 16 (live on SHOWTIME 11 p.m. ET/PT). Undefeated junior middleweight contender Omar “Oh!” Henry (12-0-1, 9 KOs), from Chicago, will face “King” James de la Rosa (21-1, 12 KOs), from San Benito, Texas, Angelo “La Cobra” Santana (13-0, 10 KOs), from Miami, and Juan “Johnny” Garcia (13-0, 8 KOs), from Holland, Mich., will meet in a collision of unbeaten lightweight contenders.
King’s press conference featured Santana, 24, a two-time Cuban national champion who has fought professionally out of Miami since 2008. He has stopped his last six opponents within four rounds.
Santana will face a serious test from Garcia, whose greatest claim to fame came when he outpointed previously undefeated Cuban Yordenis Ugas on March 23.
“I know Garcia is coming to fight but so am I,” said Santana, who’s coming off a career-best victory, a third-round technical knockout over highly regarded Justin Savi on June 23. “It is our hope that this fight does not go to the judges’ scorecards. I’m ready to rumble. This will be a good fight for as long as it lasts.”
Eighty-one-year-old Hall of Fame promoter Don King is looking forward to promoting his first event at South Florida’s Gulfstream Park, which in recent years has added a beautiful casino and an exciting indoor-outdoor shopping and dining area known as The Village.
“Gulfstream Park is bigger and better than ever,” said King, whose offices are located in nearby Deerfield Beach. “The outdoor area where we will erect the ring over a fountain will make for one of the most intimate and elegant fight venues ever. South Florida fight fans will love it and it will look great on SHOWTIME.”
Tickets priced at $25, $50, $100 and $200 are on sale and can be purchased online at www.gulfstreampark.com or by calling the Gulfstream Park box office at (954) 457-6201.
A full, domestically non-televised undercard will be led by popular local favorite Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez (22-1-1, 13 KOs), who is on a seven-fight winning streak. He will be opposed by an opponent to be announced.
Two additional young prospects—both from Albany, N.Y.—will also be featured in separate bouts on the undercard and attended today’s press event. Amir “Young Master” Imam (5-0, 4 KOs), a fighter King is very high on, and Trevor “American Dream” Bryan (4-0, 3 KOs), a 2011 Olympic alternate, will also fight foes to be determined.
Omar Henry, fighting in the main event, is expected to receive the toughest challenge of his young career against Mexican boxer-puncher James de la Rosa.
Sunshine State Showdown is promoted by Don King Productions. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the first live fight will take place at 8 p.m.
About Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation.
The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horseracing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.
About Don King Productions
Don King Productions has promoted over 600 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including three of the top five: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.99 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995.
DKP has promoted or co-promoted 11 of the top 25 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including five of the top seven: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also second-highest live-gate gross for any event in the history of the world.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995; and Trinidad vs. De La Hoya, paid attendance: 11,184, gross: $12, 949, 500. Sept. 18, 1999.
