Undefeated super welterweight prospect Ardreal Holmes will now face once-beaten Vernon Brown in the 10-round main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, March 11 live on SHOWTIME from Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel in Deadwood, S.D. 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, now 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 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 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 that opens the three-fight telecast. 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.