Photos: Ellis vs. Younan - ShoBox Tripleheader Weigh-In

Undefeated super middleweight prospects Ronald Ellis and Junior Younan made weight on Thursday for their 10-round main event matchup tomorrow/Friday on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME® (10p.m. ET/PT) from WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloane, Iowa.

Younan (13-0, 9 KOs), a former amateur standout, is a highly-touted prospect from Brooklyn taking a major step-up in class against Ellis (14-0-1, 10 KOs), the 2010 National Golden Gloves Champion with two ShoBox appearances under his belt.  Both prospects will fight in their first scheduled 10-round bout in Friday’s main event.  

Cleveland native Thomas Mattice (10-0, 8 KOs) and seasoned prospect Rolando Chinea (15-1-1, 6 KOs) meet in the eight-round lightweight co-feature.  Mattice, a former sparring partner of Adrien Broner and Shawn Porter, faces his toughest opponent in Chinea, who enters Friday’s co-feature having beat three previously undefeated fighters in his last four bouts.

In the opening bout of the telecast, Philadelphia’s Sam Teah (12-1-1, 5 KOs) takes on Cleveland’s undefeated Montana Love (8-0, 4 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight matchup.  Love, the 2012 National Golden Gloves Bronze Medalist, makes his national television debut on just four days’ notice, while Teah returns to ShoBox looking to hand another opponent the first loss of their career.

The event is promoted by GH3 Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports, Victory Promotions, and Ringside Ticket. Tickets are just $10 general admission prior to the event and $20 on Feb. 2.  For more information call: 1.800.HOT.WINN ext. 7117.

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS:

Super Middleweights – 10 Rounds

Ronald Ellis:  166 ½ Pounds

Junior Younan: 166 ½ Pounds

Lightweights – Eight Rounds

Thomas Mattice: 133 ¾ Pounds

Rolando Chinea: 132 ¾ Pounds

Super Lightweights – Eight Rounds

Sam Teah: 139 ¼ Pounds

Montana Love: 141 ½ Pounds

FINAL QUOTES:

RONALD ELLIS:

“This fight means the most to me because it’s my first main event.  I’ve got to win and win decisively, and look real good for the fans watching on TV.  If I win, I’ll be right there with the guys like David Benavidez and Ronald Gavril.  I’ll be ready to take that next step.

“I let him do all the talking.  We’ll just get cracking when we get in there.  I’m smarter than him, and I’ll let my hands do the talking.

“He says he might bring it to me but that’s going to be bad news for him.  He likes to fight in flurries and then backs off.  We’re not going to let him get away with it.

“We sparred years ago, but he was just warming me up though.

“It’s another fight, another day.  I have been here before, and he hasn’t.

“We have to make it look good.  The main goal is to win decisively.  After this, I want to mix it up with all the top guys in the super middleweight division.

JUNIOR YOUNAN:

“I’m looking to make a statement.  This is a step-up test for me. But I’m coming here to pass the test.

“I feel like this is the right time. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life.  If I’m not ready now I’m not ever going to be ready.  It’s time to go.

“He comes in good shape and he comes to fight, but I don’t think he has anything special though.

“My best talent is I can adjust.  I’m not a one-dimensional fighter.  At the end of the day, I can do whatever he wants to do, and I can do it better than him.

“We sparred and I honestly don’t think he’s that good.  I didn’t think much of him.  We’re sparring with elite fighters.  He isn’t bringing anything we haven’t seen.

“This is my time. I’m fully focused now.  I’ve dedicated my entire being to this fight.  Before I was young and I wanted to have fun.  The past 12 weeks I didn’t miss a day in the gym.

“At the end of the day, I want a world title.  And I’m not far from reaching my dream.  I can’t make mistakes right now.”