Showtime Boxing: Ward, Cantrell Set For St. Lucia Clash November 16

Beaches and boxing. Although the two are rarely mentioned in the same breath, the sweet science will meet the sandy shores of the Caribbean Friday, Nov. 16, 2007, on Showtime

In the main event, two undefeated super middleweights and former amateur stars will invade the beautiful Caribbean island of St. Lucia as Olympic Gold Medalist Andre Ward and Roger “Never Can Tell” Cantrell square off live on ShoBox: The New Generation, aired on Showtime at11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast.

The historic night of boxing will take place at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros Islet , St. Lucia , and represent the first televised professional boxing event staged on the beautiful eastern Caribbean Island of St. Lucia. “Showtime In Paradise” will be presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with the St. Lucia Tourist Board.

“The ShoBox philosophy is to televise young, talented prizefighters in tough, crowd-pleasing match-ups,” said Ken Hershman, senior vice president and general manager, Showtime Sports & Event Programming. “Ward and Cantrell, both talented and undefeated, are hungry to make their mark on national television. It’s the perfect ShoBox fight.”

Ward (13-0, eight KOs), of Oakland, Calif., burst onto the boxing scene at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, when he took apart Magomed Aripgadjiev of Belarus to claim the gold medal in the light heavyweight division.

The tall and agile Ward, who is managed by James Prince and trained by Virgil Hunter, is off to a sizzling professional start with eight of his first 13 wins coming by way of knockout.

“I have been dedicated to boxing since I was nine years old,” Ward said. “I am not surprised at how my record stands because it is a testament to my dedication and love for the sport. I have been doing this since I was nine, so I take a lot of pride in what I do.”

Ward will be making his first ShoBox appearance and fight outside of the United States for the first time as a professional.

“Showtime has aired so many great fights,” said Ward. “And ShoBox is a great program. Many fighters have cut their teeth on ShoBox and I am anxious to do the same.”

Ward is coming off of a stunning third-round knockout over Francisco Diaz on July 14, 2007, in Carson , Calif. The undefeated super middleweight floored Diaz with a devastating combination late in the third round. After an unsteady Diaz rose from the canvas, referee Raul Caiz, Sr. stopped the action at 2:59. Ward won for the fourth straight time in California and ninth time overall.

“That felt beautiful,” Ward said. “It was like hitting a baseball on the sweet spot of the bat. Diaz is a tough kid. I didn’t know if he was going to get up.”

Ward will have a tougher challenge in front of him when he meets Cantrell. The well-matched fighters each have stopped their last three opponents and sport eight knockouts apiece.

Cantrell (12-0, eight KOs), like Ward, had an excellent amateur career, compiling a 57-4 record with 24 KOs . The two-time Tacoma Gold Gloves Champion, who hails from Puyallup , Wash. , also will make his ShoBox debut.

“I am excited to show what I can do on ShoBox,” Cantrell said. “Boxing’s most promising fighters are on ShoBox, so it’s a compliment to fight on this card.”

The 20-year-old Cantrell is coming off of an exciting fourth-round TKO over Jonathan Corn on June 23, 2007, in Tacoma , Wash.

Known as a boxer with great technical skills and armed with a vicious left hook, Cantrell won’t hesitate to put the older Ward, 23, on his back early and often.

“If the knockout comes early, that will be great,” Cantrell said. “But I am not one who actively searches for the knockout punch. I try to wear down and pick apart my opponents round by round.”

Promoter Dan Goossen is extremely high on the potential of the talented and personable Ward and expects that the people of St. Lucia are going to witness a precursor to a future world champion displaying his extraordinary boxing skills in the island ring.

“Andre Ward’s professional boxing career is paralleling that of former great American gold medal Olympic champions, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. On the road to greatness, Ward continues taking on the toughest challenges in front of him. This time he will take on an opponent in Cantrell who has flatly stated, ‘he will beat Andre.’ ”

Play-by-play announcer Nick Charles and expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood will call the action from ringside. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For information on Showtime Sports Programming, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and EliteXC mixed martial arts telecasts, please go www.SHO.com/sports.