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Showtime was supposed to have Gary Russell Jr's featherweight title defense against Oscar Escandon tonight, but with Russell injured, the show has morphed into a three-fight special ShoBox bill, with unbeaten prospects Frank Galarza and Jarrett Hurd in the main event.
Galarza (17-0-2, 11 KO) and Hurd (16-0, 10 KO) will meet in a 10-round junior middleweight fight, both looking to make a statement, of course. The 30-year-old Galarza had a couple of draws in 2012 and 2013, one against another prospect (Alantez Fox), and scored wins in 2014 over fellow unbeaten prospects John Thompson, who went on to win Boxcino and fight for a world title, and Sebastien Bouchard. He's won eight straight, six by stoppage. Hurd, 25, scored a TKO-3 win over veteran Eric Mitchell in April, and last fought in August.
Super middleweight prospect Sergiy Derevyanchenko (6-0, 4 KO) will also be in action, as the Russian takes on Jessie Nicklow (25-7-3, 8 KO), a veteran club fighter you may remember serving as Jermain Taylor's first comeback opponent in 2011. Since then, Nicklow has suffered defeats against Scott Sigmon, Ryota Murata, Decarlo Perez, and Ronald Gavril, but won his last fight in October. The fight is set for 8 rounds.
Light heavyweight David Benavidez (10-0, 9 KO) will open the show, facing Felipe Romero (19-9-1, 13 KO) in an eight-round bout. Romero, 31, has fought between super middleweight and heavyweight in his career, and was the pro debut opponent for cruiserweight star prospect Oleksandr Usyk in 2013.