On Friday night, Showtime?s ShoBox: The New Generation featured two respective victories by unbeaten welterweight hopeful Jessie Vargas and former junior middleweight title challenger Deandre Latimore inside of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Vargas would pound out a ten-round decision over fringe contender Lanardo Tyner that saw the two men exchange low blows and a few choice words with one another during their thirty-plus minutes in the ring with one another. Vargas improves his record to 18-0 with nine knockouts in his official debut at 147 pounds and could be in line for a May 5th shot at Alfonso Gomez.
Latimore appeared to be in cruise control late in his bout with Columbia’s Milton Nunez but was rocked and dropped in the ninth round and again tasted canvas in the tenth and final frame. The St. Louis-native would pull out a majority decision and must now sit back and contemplate his next move as his record moves up to 23-3 with 17 knockouts. Advertisement
Taking the action in from ringside, Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe seemed genuinely pleased with the victories of Latimore and Vargas, who both fight under his banner.
Also a longtime advisor to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Ellerbe was asked about his fighter?s next big assignment, a May 5th duel with WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto at the nearby MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Many had been hoping to see Mayweather land a May 5th date with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao but the two men again went their separate ways, with the Filipino icon in line to defend his belt against Timothy Bradley on June 9th, also at the MGM Grand.
