ShoBox: Shishkin vs Sierra set after fighters make weight

Tomorrow night’s 250th edition of ShoBox: The New Generation is good to go, with all six fighters making weight for the tripleheader from Sloan, Iowa.

In the main event, super middleweight prospect Vladimir Shishkin (9-0, 6 KO) will face Ulises Sierra (15-0-2, 9 KO) in a 10-round bout. Shishkin weighed in at 167½ with Sierra at 167, both below the 168-pound limit. The 28-year-old Shishkin, originally from Russia and now fighting out of Detroit, is considered a serious 168-pound prospect, advanced in his game and hopefully ready to contend by the end of 2020.

“I’ve faced every type of fighter there is already, so nothing is surprising for me in the ring,” Shishkin said. “It doesn’t matter what type of fight he wants to have. I will definitely be victorious Friday night and I’ll be going for the knockout to give the fans what they want.”

Sierra has sparred with the likes of Andre Ward and David Benavidez, and he’s been part of three camps with Canelo Alvarez, but he says he’ll prove he’s more than just a sparring partner.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” Sierra said. “I never get the calls for shows like this, and I don’t know why that is. This is my chance to shine and could change everything for me. Shishkin hasn’t lost yet and will be in for a tough test for me. I’ll do a little bit of everything, I can fight on the inside and the outside. He’s a long-range fighter and has length.”

The co-feature will be another 10-round bout, featuring 140-pound prospect Shohjahon Ergashev (17-0, 15 KO) taking on Adrian Estrella (29-4, 24 KO), who was once a prospect but has settled in as a gatekeeper, though one with some dangerous power. Uzbekistan’s Ergashev, 28, is also based in Detroit now, and weighed in at 140, with Mexico’s 29-year-old Estrella at 141.

Ergashev is looking to get into a big fight soon, saying, “I would like to fight the best possible opponents. I’m coming to fight not simply to collect money and win the fight. Every time I’m in the ring, I want to destroy my opponent. I understand that there might be better boxers in my weight class, but I’m ready to fight them.”

Estrella, meanwhile, is looking to get back to the promise he once had. “This is a second chance for me. I was once 22-0 and now I’m back. I blew past Christmas and New Year’s and am so focused. I have been disciplined. I have done it before and I will get it done on Friday night”

In the bantamweight opener, set for eight rounds, Detroit native Ja’Rico O’Quinn (13-0-1, 8 KO) is looking to make a statement against Nevada’s Oscar Vasquez (15-2-1, 3 KO). O’Quinn, 24, weighed in at 118½, with the 32-year-old Vasquez at 117¼.

O’Quinn, a talkative sort, wants to catch some eyes on Friday.

“I’m not dodging anyone. I can and will fight anyone,” he said. “You can put me in there with the top guys and I’m not worried about anyone. I’m ready to face the best. The other top guys in the division have skills, but I have power and skills. Don’t be surprised if I go in there and knock them all out. I know Vasquez is a tough fighter and he will keep on coming. It’s like a car with no brakes. He’s going to come and he’s going to run into something. And it will be lights out.”

Vasquez says O’Quinn doesn’t present anything new for him. “This isn’t my toughest opponent to date. I don’t think there is anything that worries me about this opponent. I will go in there with a game plan. Sometimes that plan changes after one round. That’s why I don’t study fighters. I did that in the past and it has hurt me.”

Bad Left Hook will have live coverage tomorrow night starting at 10 pm ET.