HINCKLEY, MINN. – March 12, 2020 – Talented undefeated super lightweight prospect Brandun Lee and his opponent in the ShoBox: The New Generation 10-round main event, Camilo Prieto, both made weight a day before their showdown tomorrow night, March 13, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from the Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minn.

The knockout artist Lee (18-0, 16 KOs) from La Quinta, Calif., who will be making his second ShoBox appearance and first as the headline attraction, has KO’d all but two of his opponents (88.89 percent). The 33-year-old Prieto (15-2, 10 KOs) is riding a seven-fight win streak with his last loss coming in February 2017.

Friday’s four fights include five boxers who have yet to taste defeat with a total record of 107 wins to just four defeats and two draws. In the co-featured bout, undefeated Brian Norman Jr. (16-0, 14 KOs) puts his perfect record on the line as he takes on Flavio Rodriguez (9-1-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight matchup. Undefeated Alejandro Guerrero (11-0, 9 KOs) meets Jose Angulo (12-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight scrap while yet another unbeaten fighter Aram Avagyan (9-0-1, 4 KOs) takes on fellow undefeated Dagoberto Aguero (17-0, 11 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight fight.

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

The event is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with D&D Boxing and Rapacz Boxing.

FINAL WEIGHTS

Super Lightweight 10-Round Bout

Brandun Lee – 141 ¾ lbs.

Camilo Prieto – 141 ½ lbs.

Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Pat Morley (Ill.), Mike Fitzgerald (Wisc.), John Mariano (Minn.)

Welterweight 8-Round Bout

Brian Norman, Jr. – 146 ½ lbs.

Flavio Rodriguez –  146 ¼ lbs.

Referee: Gary Miezwa; Judges: John Mariano (Minn.), Patrick Morley (Ill.), Tim Taggart (Minn.)

Lightweight 8-Round Bout

Alejandro Guerrero – 135 ¼ lbs.

Jose Angulo – 135 ½ lbs.

Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: John Mariano (Minn.), Eli Staples (Minn.), Tim Taggart (Minn.)

Featherweight 8-Round Bout

Aram Avagyan – 125 ¾ lbs.

Dagoberto Aguero – 125 ½ lbs.

Referee: Gary Ritter; Judges: Mike Fitzgerald (Wisc.), Eli Staples (Minn.), Tim Taggart (Minn.)

FINAL QUOTES:

Brandun Lee

“This is a huge step-up, a huge opportunity. I just want the world to see me perform and the fact that I am headlining on SHOWTIME is great for my career. I’m looking forward to more opportunities like this and fighting better and better competition each time.

“Every fight, we go back to the drawing board. Each fight, we are continuing to correct. Last fight, when I hurt my opponent, I came in too recklessly. I wasted all my energy and didn’t even get him out. So, we always have things to work on and always have things to learn from each fight.

“You can’t overlook anybody. This is boxing. All it takes is one punch to change everything. I respect every fighter I get in the ring with. Anything can happen.

“I’m a boxer because I love the sport. I love the attention. I love the crowd. I love everything about it. I study and go to school because you always need a Plan B. Boxing won’t last forever.

“I know that my opponent has a Cuban background. Cubans dominate at the Olympics. He’s a natural 147 so I think he’s going to be bigger and stronger than me. But the game plan will be the same. I just want to have fun, work the jab and wait for the right shot. I’m okay with taking my time. I need the rounds but at the end of the day, I’m a fighter. If I have a chance to take the guy out, I’m going to go for it.”

Camilo Prieto

“Growing up, every weekend we would watch boxing at home. With both my parents being Cuban, it was a culture thing. But I started boxing on my own because I wanted to learn how to defend myself. Once I stepped in a boxing gym, I just fell in love with the sport.

“Making it to SHOWTIME is a huge deal for me. Nobody believed in me. I did all of this on my own. I flew myself all around the world with nothing but my gloves. It’s been a long road for me. I didn’t turn pro until the age of 27. I’ve just been hustling, relying on my friends and family. This is a dream for me. I’ve watched SHOWTIME boxing since I was a kid so to have this opportunity on Friday night, it’s a dream. I’m ready. I’m going to leave it all in the ring.

“I’ve been grinding my career out. I’ve been self-managed. I’ve just been training, learning the sport on my own. It’s hard to find fights in the U.S. so I’ve had to travel to different countries and get experience in the ring any way I can.

“Ever since I’ve been with Glen [Johnson], I’ve gotten so much better. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had. He’s really helped me starting with just the fundamentals. He’s helped me mentally. I’ve always been confident and since I’ve been with him my confidence is at another level. My mental strength has built. I feel ready for this mentally, physically and emotionally.

“This is just the beginning for me. Even though I’m 33, this is my first television opportunity. There’s a lot of fighters fighting until they are 40. I believe I have five or six years. This is my time. I feel young and I believe I can, so I will. I’m only as good as I believe I am and I’m only going to accomplish what I believe I can accomplish. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a blessing.”

Brian Norman, Jr.

“I turned pro at 17 so I had to fight a lot of my early fights in Mexico. That gave me great confidence. If you keep knocking guys out in the first round, you’re going to gain confidence. But my last fight where I couldn’t stop him was good for me too. It shows that there are some guys that are just tough to knock out so you need to find another way to win the fight.

“I know I’m on a card with some other good prospects, but I want to be the one to steal the show. I don’t care if I’m co-main event, I want people to say it was my show when the night is over. There are certain qualities that I want to show off in this fight. I know that people know I have power and agility, but I want to show off my footwork and my ring IQ too.

“My last fight was a really good learning experience for me. I thought I was pacing myself. It was good to go the full six rounds and that will help me for this eight-rounder. I was a little frustrated that I didn’t stop the guy. I came out really hard in the first round and I saw that he wasn’t falling, and I realized he would be tough to get out of there. That’s when I switched it up and just out boxed him. It’s about adjusting.

“I’m really excited. This is my first TV fight, so I need to put on a show. This will be my first impression on national boxing fans, so I want them to leave really impressed.”

Flavio Rodriguez

“I’ve had a long road to get here. I’ve fallen in and out of love with the sport of boxing, I stopped fighting for a long time. I gained a ton of weight and went all the way up to 230 pounds. I lost the weight. I’ve been injured. There’s just been so many things that have happened along the way and I am now so grateful and excited for this opportunity. I’m not worried about ring rust at all.

“I think my brain is my biggest weapon. I think I’m smarter than my opponents. I can box. I can slug it out. I assess the way my opponent fights in the first round, and then I adjust from there.

“My opponent looks good. He’s fast. He’s strong. It looks like he has some power. But I believe that I have knockout power too. I know that I’m here because I’m the older guy and I’m the steppingstone fight for him. I know how the game goes; I’ve been around for a while. They expect me to lose but I really feel that I have what it takes to beat him. I don’t think they did their homework right.

“My one loss could have gone either way I think. To be honest. I was headbutted and the blood kept getting in my eye. But he was a tough, good fighter.”

Alejandro Guerrero

“This is a little bit of a step-up fight for me. Fighting on TV is a big deal, and I’m trying to get my name out there. I don’t feel any pressure with this being a TV fight, I’m prepared to do my thing and put on a show. This is a good start but we’re nowhere near where we want to be.

“I work a full time job. I have a really busy day. I leave at four a.m. and don’t get back until 8 o’clock at night. I train in the morning, I go to work a full day, and then I train after work as well.

“I had a lot of ring rust in my last fight. Once I got to the second round, I felt much more comfortable and I made it look easy from there. I just had to get used to the lights again.

“With the style that I have, I think I’m going to rise through the rankings quickly. I bring an aggressiveness and excitement, and I think that’s going to open some eyes. People love to watch the type of fighter I am. I’m willing to go in there and put my life on the line. I like blood. I don’t mind if it’s my own blood. I’m a crowd-pleaser. It’s boring to watch boxers who just go in there and try not to get hit. Boxing to me is about who has more balls in the ring. It’s about who is going to be the last man standing. But I also listen to my coaches and I’m learning to be a smart fighter as well.

“I always want to steal the show. That’s always my goal. I’ve put in a great training camp and I’m excited to face some better, more experienced opponents. That brings out the best in me. I look like a better fighter against guys that can actually fight as opposed to guys that are just trying to survive in there.”

Jose Angulo

“There is a big difference between training in San Jose [Calif.] and training in Ecuador. The intensity has been a lot different. The sparring, the training, the conditioning, is more professional and intense here. There are a lot of good boxers around and I get really good sparring. It has helped my game tremendously and I am in the best shape I have been in.

“There are a lot of people underestimating me as a fighter because the competition back in Ecuador is not strong. Everybody is going to be in for a real surprise on Friday night. I feel the training I have been doing has really sharpened my skills and allowed me to rise to a level I wasn’t able to reach before.

“This is a really big opportunity for me to show everybody what I am able to do. The next step is to sign with a promoter, and this is a showcase for me. I’m not here to just be an opponent for the up-and-coming prospect. I am here to make a name for myself.”

Aram Avagyan

“I have worked my whole life for this. I had a great training camp, I’m dedicated, so nothing can stop me.

“I saw two of his fights on YouTube. He has experience and he was a good amateur fighter. In the ring, we will find out everything. I have a game plan for him. I will listen to my coaches and my corner and do what they tell me.

“This will be my first time on television. It’s great exposure for me. I hope that this fight opens new opportunities.

“When I first started boxing, I wasn’t very good. I was getting hit so much. But I stuck with it, I’m a dedicated person and I’m a warrior so I wanted to keep going and figure it out. There was no way I was going to quit. I love boxing, I love training, and I am here to stay.”

Dagoberto Aguero

“I have fought at bantamweight before and I can still make that weight if it’s necessary, but I feel really comfortable at featherweight right now. I am on weight and feeling really strong.

“I am really prepared for this fight. I don’t necessarily see my opponent as a step-up, I just see him as another opponent. I am always prepared to fight the best talent out there, and this will be no different.

“I’ve been a pro for seven years and it’s a little frustrating that I’m not a little more advanced. There have been some things outside the ring that have slowed me down and not allowed me to fight as much as I wanted to, but I believe my time is now. This is my time to really start advancing and making a name for myself.

“I had an extensive amateur career, and I have fought some really good opponents, including two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Robeisy Ramirez. He is the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced, and I have yet to face that type of competitor as a pro.”

# # #

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports  

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more. 

NEW YORK – February 20, 2020 – Talented undefeated super lightweight prospect Brandun Lee will headline his first ShoBox: The New Generation main event when he takes on Camilo Prieto in a 10-round super lightweight bout that headlines a quadrupleheader on Friday, March 13 live on SHOWTIME (10 ET/PT) from the Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minn.

The four fights include five boxers who have yet to taste defeat with a total record of 107 wins to just three defeats and two draws. In the co-featured bout, undefeated Brian Norman Jr. (16-0, 14 KOs) puts his perfect record on the line as he takes on Flavio Rodriguez (9-1-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight matchup. Undefeated Alejandro Guerrero (11-0, 9 KOs) meets Jose Angulo (12-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight scrap while yet another unbeaten fighter Aram Avagyan (9-0-1, 4 KOs) takes on fellow undefeated Dagoberto Aguero (17-0, 11 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight fight.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Salita Promotions in association with D&D Boxing and Rapacz Boxing, are priced at $75 Ringside, $50 Reserved, $25 General Admission, and $62.50 Table Seating (two-ticket minimum), and are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or the Grand Casino Hinckley Box Office.

“We are excited about our March 13 card, which includes amateur national champions, knockout artists and undefeated fighters,” said Gordon Hall, executive producer for ShoBox: The New Generation. “We open up with a battle of unbeatens and that will be followed by three of boxing’s top prospects under the age of 22. These three very talented prospects all had stellar amateur careers and each are talented in their own way. They all have something in common and that’s power as the threesome have a combined 39 knockouts in their 45 fights. You can expect an action-packed card and certainly some KOs.”

“On March 13th, boxing fans are in for a treat,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “This fantastic ShoBox card is showcasing some of the most talented prospects in boxing. Top to bottom, is going to be a must watch night of fights, shining the spotlight in my opinion, in some of tomorrow’s champions.”

“These are four terrific matchups between up-and-coming young fighters,” said Cameron Dunkin of D&D Boxing. “Brandun Lee has a big test in front of him for his first main event on ShoBox. Brian Norman and Alejandro Guerrero will both be in the toughest fights of their careers as well. All four televised bouts have the potential to be explosive. These are the types of fights that boxing needs.”

Just 20 years old, the knockout artist Lee (18-0, 16 KOs) from La Quinta, Calif., has KO’d all but two of his opponents (88.89 percent), including 11 in the first round, four in the second and one in the third. The third-year pro is making his second ShoBox appearance. In September, Lee scored a second-round knockout against Milton Arauz in his ShoBox debut. (VIDEO). This is Lee’s second fight of 2020 as he knocked out Miguel Zamudio in a non-televised January 17 bout in Sloan, Iowa.

Lee had a decorated amateur career with an estimated record of 196-5. He was the 2015 U.S. Junior National Champion, taking home the gold medal at 145 pounds. With lightning quick hands that also pack power, the exciting Lee has sparred with Mikey Garcia, Devin Haney, Mauricio Herrera, Timothy Bradley Jr., Thomas Dulorme, to name a few. Lee is trained by his father Bobby Lee and is also a full-time college student.

“I’m excited to be headlining my first SHOWTIME show,” Lee said. “I’m looking forward to giving fans something different that they haven’t seen from me before. They’re going to see me display my boxing skills a lot more. In my last two fights, I feel like I didn’t really show how good my defense is. I’m going to use the left hand a lot more to feel him out. And then, when the time is right, I will drop the bombs. Headlining my first ShoBox is a huge accomplishment. It’ll sort of be like graduating the high school of boxing. After this, I hope to move onto the University level of boxing like SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING or Pay-per-View. 

The 33-year-old Prieto (15-1, 10 KOs) is riding a seven-fight win streak with his last loss coming in February 2017. In his last fight in November, Prieto recorded a six-round unanimous decision against Yogli Herrera. Prieto trains at various gyms around Miami and for the past year has been working with former light heavyweight world champion and Roy Jones Jr. conqueror Glen “The Road Warrior” Johnson.

“It’s been great working with Glen,” Prieto said. “I am getting knowledge from an ex-world champion who knows what it takes to be at the top level and has been there before. He knows how to push and guide you the right way for big fights like this. Brandun Lee looks like a young, undefeated fighter to me, but I don’t see anything too impressive, honestly. You can expect to see fireworks that night. I’m going to really come and put Brandun to the test. He’s never faced anyone as good as me. It’s going to be an action-packed fight.”

Norman, the 19-year-old Atlanta resident, like Lee also has won all but two of his fights by knockout. Most recently, Norman earned a unanimous decision victory over Evincii Dixon on January 17 in Sloan, Iowa. Norman goes by the nickname “The Assassin II” as his father Brian Norman Sr. was known as “The Assassin” as a professional boxer from 2003-2011. Norman is trained by both his father and Barry Richardson.

“I’m not looking for just a victory on ShoBox, I want to show off,” Norman said. “I want to show what I can do. I want to break my opponent down and let everybody know I’m here. You can expect to see a lot of fireworks. Both my father and Barry are giving me their all, and I’m giving it back. I know Rodriguez is a short, pressure fighter. He’s basically made for me to beat.”

Rodriguez trains at Capetillo Boxing Academy in East Los Angeles. He had an amateur record of 86 wins and 14 losses and was a silver medalist at the Junior Olympic Nationals.

“Fighting on SHOWTIME is a dream come true,” Rodriguez said. “Growing up, I always wanted to be one of the guys that fought on TV, so it’s pretty exciting to get the opportunity to do so and show the world my skills. A victory would mean a lot to me, especially a win over someone as tough as the guy I’m fighting. I’m hoping a win over him can bring me to bigger opportunities to fight for a world title.”

Guerrero is a big-punching prospect who has won his last three fights by knockout. A celebrated amateur who won two junior national titles, “Pork Chop” has sparred with the likes of Mikey Garcia and Brandon Rios at the famed Garcia Boxing Academy in California. Fighting out of Houston, the 21-year-old will be making his national television debut March 13 and is coming off a second-round TKO of Darnell Jiles Jr. in January of this year. 

“I love that I’m getting this opportunity,” said Guerrero. “I’ve trained for this my whole life. My dream is to become a world champion, so a win would mean so much for me and my family. I’ve been training really hard for this fight, knowing it’ll be on national television. I don’t really know much about Angulo, but we train hard for anyone. The outcome will always be the same. I will always win.”

Angulo, of Guayaquil, Ecuador, will be making his United States debut after fighting 12 of his 13 professional fights in his native country. His lone loss came in his only fight outside of Ecuador, a unanimous decision to Ryan Pino in Puerto Rico. Since the loss, Angulo has rattled off six consecutive wins, including knockouts in the second and first rounds of his last two fights, respectively.

“There’s going to be a big surprise waiting for Guerrero on March 13,” said Angulo. “He likes fighting on the inside and he comes forward with a lot of aggression too, so he’s the perfect style for me and the way I like to fight. I’m looking forward to showcasing myself on this big platform and putting all my skills to work. I will win.”

Avagyan, a 29-year-old from Yerevan, Armenia, represented his home country in the 2016 Olympic Games. Avagyan had an accomplished amateur career, winning bronze medals at both the 2013 and 2015 European championships. Turning pro following the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, Avagyan won his first eight professional bouts before fighting Russian Evgeny Smirnov to a split-decision in September 2018. His last time out, he made his U.S. debut on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez-Daniel Jacobs, where he handily out-boxed then-unbeaten Francisco Esparza en route to a unanimous decision.

“Every fight is a chance to prove myself and rise to the top,” said Avagyan, who is signed to Salita Promotions. “When I go out into the ring, I only think about winning any at cost. Aguero is just another obstacle that must be moved out of my way. Before each fight, I surrender myself to training one hundred percent so that on the day of the battle, I do not regret the path traveled. Fight night is like a holiday for me because the time has come for which I was preparing.”

The 26-year-old Aguero was an impressive amateur in his native Dominican Republic. Aguero was a silver medalist at the 2011 Pan-Am Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, losing only to future two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Robeisy Ramírez. As a pro, the San Cristobal native won the first 10 fights of his career in his home country before making his U.S. debut in February 2017 when he earned the most impressive win of his young career over Olimjon Nazarov.

“Fighting on SHOWTIME is what we have been waiting for,” said Aguero, who is currently training in Pahokee, Fla. “I look at it as the opportunity to show people who I am and when I win this fight, it’ll be the beginning of a great boxing career where I can feed my family and give my son everything he needs and deserves.”

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

# # #

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports  

About ShoBox: The New Generation

Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.