Showtime will look to start 2022 strong next month with a ShoBox tripleheader composed of six undefeated fighters. A lightweight clash between Luis Nunez and Carlos Arrieta headlines the January 7th event, which takes place at Orlando, Florida’s Caribe Royale Resort.
The 22-year-old Nunez (15-0, 11 KO) has fought the entirety of his three-year pro career between bantamweight and featherweight, including his September ShoBox win over Jayvon Garnett. Puerto Rico’s Arrieta (14-0, 8 KO), who has a far lesser record, also generally competes at 126. BoxRec also has it listed as a featherweight bout, so I’m guessing some wires got crossed when putting together the press release.
Either that or they mutually agreed that cutting weight sucks, in which case more power to them.
“Change begins at the end of your comfort zone, nothing is beyond your reach as long as you are willing to work hard for it,” said Nunez. “Returning to SHOWTIME, for me, is more than a privilege because I feel that every day I am closer to achieving my dream that everyone will be able to witness. I don’t know much about my opponent, but I am sure that on January 7 I will go out through the front door, God willing! Having one more victory in my career is like climbing the ladder to go to the big leagues, which is where I want to be.”
“Training is going very well and I will be ready,” said Arrieta. “I know my opponent is very good and I know it’s going to be a great fight, but I will take the victory home because it is a great opportunity for me to shine and go up to the next level. It’s an opportunity that I will not pass up.”
The lightweight middle bout features another unbeaten Dominican, Starling Castillo (16-0, 12 KO), against ShoBox vet and longtime super featherweight Otar Eranosyan (10-0, 6 KO). Castillo’s been on a few undercards, most notably beating Juan Carlos Burgos on last September’s Jesus Ramos-Brian Mendoza card, while Georgia’s Eranosyan took an entertaining decision over Alejandro Guerrero last time out.
“I can’t wait to get back in the squared circle doing what I love and what I work very hard on,” said “El Poli” Castillo. “I’m so excited and honored to be put on a platform like ShoBox. We expect a very gutsy, action-packed fight, due to our fighting styles. They make for a great fight recipe. This victory will catapult me into the rankings and force the fans of boxing to start noticing me.”
“It’s a great honor for me to fight on SHOWTIME and to show the world once again that I am the best in my weight division,” said Eranosyan. “My opponent is a good, undefeated boxer. I’ve seen some of his fights and I am sure we will put on a spectacular fight for the fans. Just like all my other wins in my career, this win will bring me closer to a championship fight, to become an undisputed world champion.”
A third unbeaten Dominican, Edwin De Los Santos (13-0, 12 KO), opens the show opposite William Foster III (13-0, 9 KO) at super featherweight. De Los Santos fights for the first time outside his home country, while Foster looks for his sixth win since a 2018 No Contest.
“Thanks to my preparation and commitment, I promise to give my best and, above all, a great show, so that the public can enjoy it,” said the 22-year-old De Los Santos. “It is an unexplainable feeling being on SHOWTIME for my first time because it is a great opportunity that not many get to experience. My opponent is a good, undefeated boxer. I know it’ll be a war, but I work too hard to not get the victory. You won’t want to miss it.”
“I’m very excited about fighting on SHOWTIME and hopefully this will open the door to more opportunities,” said Foster, nicknamed “The Silent Assassin.”