BOXING: TRUAX-QUILLIN FIGHT WEEK PLUS OWENS, LARA, HUFFMAN

Truax Faces Brooklyn’s Peter Quillin In a Clash of Former World Champions; Winner in Line for Another Title Shot. Also, Minnesotan’s Ve Shawn Owens, Uriel Lara, and Danny Huffman featured on the stacked show.

Minnesota’s “Golden” Caleb Truax (30-4-2) is one win away from getting another crack at boxing’s biggest prize this Saturday night. Truax takes on former world champion Peter Quillin (34-1-1) of Brooklyn, NY in a highly anticipated April 13 bout which headlines a nationally televised night of boxing at the historic Minneapolis Armory. Warriors Boxing has done a great job by mixing in world class boxing action with Nationally ranked prospects and home-town talent. One of Minneapolis’ own Ve Shawn “Blankman” Owens joins Truax along with Uriel Lara of Coon Rapids and Duluth’s Danny “Lion Heart” Huffman to round out what should be another great night of fights at The Armory.

The Truax-Quillin showdown is an IBF eliminator fight, which means the winner will get another world title opportunity.

Truax said he intends to get his title belt back, but he’s not looking past Quillin.

“He’s a great fighter. He’s one of the better fighters I’ve ever fought in my career, but I feel really confident going into the fight because it’s a guy that I’ve sparred with before,” Truax said.

“I’m the type of fighter that if I’ve been in the ring with you, if I felt you out, it’s to my advantage. He’s a power puncher, he’s kind of a counterpuncher, and I think that my style matches up really well with his. So I’m really confident going forward,” Truax added.

Truax’s fight with Quillin will be his second at the Armory. Last August, he scored an impressive knockout at the historic 1930s-era building, which has established itself as an elite boxing venue since it reopened in late 2017 after a major renovation.

“This is going to be the biggest [Armory boxing card] yet. … There’s going to be like 5,000 or 6,000 people in there, chanting my name. It’s going to be crazy,” he said.

Truax, who has experienced the Armory as both a fan and boxer, said the building’s sightlines and acoustics are great.

“It’s different from any other live sporting event. It’s a great time. For $50 you can sit 100 feet away from the ring. It’s just a great time. You can walk around, you can have a drink, you can visit with friends, do whatever and just watch the fights and take everything in.”

Leon Margules, President of Warriors Boxing, said Quillin vs. Truax is “a true 50-50 matchup of former world champions looking to put themselves in position to grab another world title. Truax will have the hometown crowd in Minnesota behind him, but Quillin has fought at the highest level against top competition for years.”

Born in Chicago and raised in Michigan, Quillin (34-1-1, 23 KOs) has called Brooklyn, N.Y. home throughout a pro career that saw him win a world title against Hassan N’Dam in 2012 and defend it three times. His only loss came at the hands of Daniel Jacobs in 2015. That same year he battled former champion Andy Lee to a draw.

“I’m approaching this fight very seriously because I know Truax is a durable guy who knows how to fight,” said Quillin. “He comes from a background where people don’t give him credit for what he’s done, and those are the most dangerous guys. I’m no stranger to fighting in my opponent’s backyard. My job is to go into the ring and go home with the win. I’m looking to walk away with some of his fans on my side by winning the fight and putting on a great performance.”

Ve Shawn Owens

 

Also making his return to the Armory is all action Minneapolis welterweight Ve Shawn Owens. Owens

(9-2, 9 KOs) is coming off a controversial split-decision loss to unbeaten Chordale Booker. Many believe Owens won that fight against Booker last September in his opponent’s hometown. Owens reeled off nine wins in a row to start his career. Last April, in an action-packed fan-friendly fight at the Armory, the Minnesotan came up short against unbeaten 6-foot 7-inch prospect Sebastian Fundora.

“It’s been exactly a year since I’ve fought at the Armory” said Owens. “It’s a blissful feeling that I’ve been given another opportunity to fight in the big stage on live television. I’m so focused on my opponent Alexis Gaytan. He’s 5-2 and fighting out of Texas. He’s a very solid, straight forward slugger. Tall and has lots of grit. He’s beaten some undefeated fighters and I’m expecting this to be a very tough and exciting match up.”

Duluth, Minnesota’s Danny Huffman has had anything but a normal start to his pro career. He headlined his professional debut in front of hundreds of hometown fans and followed that up by fighting at the Grand Casino in Hinckley which is one of the more important boxing venues to Minnesota fighters in recent years. Now, Huffman will have his third fight at the Armory which could see over 5000 fans in attendance. His opponent on Saturday night will be Wisconsin’s Matt Demeny (0-1).

“Being part of an event of this magnitude is pretty cool” said Huffman.  “I’m a huge fan of Caleb Truax and it’s an honor to be on the undercard. I try not to get caught up on who I’m fighting. At the end of the day I’m stepping in the ring and want to show my best. I know there’s lots to learn, but I’m ready to go out their and be the best boxer I can be.”

 

Boxing out of Lyke’s Gym in Coon Rapids alongside Truax is Uriel Lara (3-0, 2 KO’s). Lara says he had a good training camp leading up to fight week. The 22-year-old Lara is scheduled to box 19-year-old Jeremiah De Los Santos (0-2) of Weslaco, Texas. De Los Santos has faced undefeated competition and Lara says he is expecting a tough opponent.

“Training camp went well. I got sick for about a week but got over it and started working hard again. I worked on a couple combinations that I could try to work in during the fight. I’m really excited for this fight” Lara continued. “I usually always am excited for any fight but being on Caleb’s show makes it all the more exciting for me. I haven’t heard much about my opponent so far but I can’t just go in underestimating anyone. I’m going to try my hardest and put on a show for the fans. I am hoping to get a couple more fights this year and gain more experience so I can continue to better myself. I plan on putting on a show Saturday night.”

Unbeaten rising prospect Chris Colbert will take on Mexico’s Mario Briones in a 10-round lightweight showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions Prelims on FS2 and FOX Deportes Saturday.

Prelims begin at 7 p.m. CT and will also see super lightweight Jose Miguel Borrego (14-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round attraction.

Sensational undefeated prospect Joey Spencer (6-0, 6 KOs) will step into the ring for a six-round /7 p.m. PT.

The event also features top middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko taking on Jack Culcay in a 12-round IBF title eliminator.

Darwin Price (13-0, 6 KOs) faces Los Angeles-native Yakubu Amidu (21-9-2, 19 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight attraction, and undefeated bantamweight Shawn Simpson (9-0, 3 KOs) takes on Mexico’s Gilberto Mendoza (12-7-2, 4 KOs) in an eight-round bantamweight showdown.

St. Petersburg, Florida-native Mycheal Teal faces Antonio Louis Hernández in a four-round middleweight contest.

Representing his hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y., Colbert (10-0, 3 KOs) has begun to make a name for himself showing off tremendous skills across his first 10 pro victories. The 22-year-old most recently dominated Josh Hernandez on FS1 in January and he will return to fight at The Armory for the second time after defeating then-unbeaten Austin Dulay on FS1 last April. Fighting out of Aguascalientes, Mexico, 33-year-old Briones (29-8-2, 21 KOs) most recently fought former champion Scott Quigg in October.

Tickets for the April 13 event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster.