Unbeaten Redkach Faces Amidu On Tonight’s ShoBox

ShoBox: The New Generation, the popular, critically acclaimed boxing series that has produced 57 world champions since its inception in 2001, will kick off the new year with a tripleheader featuring five undefeated fighters on Friday,Jan. 9, live on Showtime at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast, during the premium network’s Free Preview Weekend.

In the main event, unbeaten lightweight Ivan Redkach (17-0, 13 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Ukraine, will meet Yakubu Amidu (19-5-2, 17 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Ghana, in a 10-round fight.

In the co-feature, undefeated prospects and former amateur standouts Patrick Day (9-0-1, 5 KOs), of Freeport, N.Y., and Alantez “Slyaza” Fox (13-0-1, 4 KOs), of Forestville, Md., will collide in an eight-round junior middleweight scrap.

In the opening bout of the telecast, former Ukrainian amateur star Ievgen “Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (7-0, 7 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y. by way of Ukraine, will take on Maurice Louishomme (8-0-1, 4 KOs), of Colorado Springs, Colo., in an eight-round middleweight bout.

The live ShoBox telecast will be preceded by the premiere of All Access: Stiverne vs. Wilder at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT. The tripleheader at Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, Calif., is promoted by DiBella Entertainment.

The promising southpaw Redkach, a native of Shostka, Ukraine, grew up on the rough side of town before turning to boxing and becoming one of his country’s top amateurs.

Before relocating to Los Angeles and turning pro in November 2009, he amassed an impressive 260-40 record as an amateur, which culminated in him being a 2008 Olympic Team alternate for Ukraine.

Since then, Redkach, who made ESPN.com’s “Top 20 Prospects to Watch” list in 2012 and 2013, has mostly had his way. He is coming off a lopsided 10-round decision over veteran Sergey Gulyakevich last June 27 in Saint Charles, Mo.

The power-punching Redkach, who is known for a relentless style that makes for entertaining fights, will appear for the second time on ShoBox and second at Morongo.

Two outings ago he won his ShoBox debut with a unanimous 10-round decision over Tony Luis on Jan. 17, 2014. He registered a fourth-round knockout over Dillet Frederick on Dec. 30, 2011 at Morongo.

Amidu, who trains at the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood, Calif., will be making his 10th consecutive start in the United States. He turned pro in 2004, winning 13 of his first 14 contests by knockout.

During those 14 bouts, Amidu, boxing primarily in Ghana, picked up the Ghanaian and West African Boxing Union super featherweight titles.

The 30-year-old Amidu, a tough and determined, doggedly aggressive brawler, has been in the ring with top competition, including Ricky Burns, who would go on to win the WBO 130-pound world title, and former world title challenger Ali Funeka.

Amidu, who is managed by the actor Vince Vaughn, recently fought to a controversial draw to veteran world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos in July of 2013. A win over the undefeated Redkach would surely be the biggest victory of his career in a fight that suits his style perfectly.

“Redkach is one of the most explosive and exciting fighters in his weight class and, in Amidu, he’s fighting a seasoned veteran who’s never been in a bad fight and gives everyone hell,” said Lou DiBella, CEO of DiBella Entertainment. “This is a real test.”

The showdown between Day and Fox is a quintessential ShoBox matchup, pitting two undefeated-yet-untested prospects with a combined record of 22-0-2 in what should be the toughest tests of their careers.

The promising Day, one of New York’s most decorated amateurs (he was 75-5) and a former No. 1 at 152 pounds in the U.S., will be making his scheduled eight-round debut.

Since turning professional in January 2013, the 22-year-old has stayed busy, fighting four times in 2014 and six times in ’13. In his last outing, the poised, skilled counter-puncher won a one-sided six-round decision over Felipe Reyes on Oct. 15. Day, an honor Nutrition student at Nassau Community College, lives across street from his trainer, Joe Higgins, in Freeport, Long Island.

Fox, 22, stands 6-foot-5 and has a 79-inch reach, which is extremely tall and lengthy for a 154-pound fighter. The slick boxer, who literally stands head and shoulders above most of his contemporaries and often steps over the ropes when entering the ring, is still growing as a pro.

Fox had a successful 10-year amateur career (165-35) that began at the age of eight. A pro since July 2010, he’s won seven consecutive fights since boxing an eight-round split draw in a New York state junior middleweight title fight in September 2012 with streaking Frank Galarza, who has gone unbeaten (8-0-1) since. Fox won his most recent start on a unanimous six-round decision over Jonathan Garcia last Sept. 20.

“In Day and Fox, you have two terrific undefeated prospects putting their zeros on the line,” DiBella said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Prior to turning pro in December 2013, Khytrov, 26, was one of Ukraine’s most accomplished amateurs, accumulating a 480-20 record, which culminated with a trip to the 2012 London Olympics.

Incredibly active as a pro, the Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine native notched six victories to his record in 2014, taking on and dominating quality opposition. In his last bout on Nov. 21, 2014, Khytrov put his power on display against top prospect Louis Rose, knocking him out in the first round.

Khytrov is already considered an elite prospect by many boxing pundits after just seven professional fights, but he’ll be facing his first undefeated opponent this Friday in Louishomme.

Louishomme, 37, is an eight-year pro who is a former bronze medalist as an amateur at the 2005 U.S. National Championships. A veteran who has fought from 158 to 174 pounds, Louishomme has built an impressive professional record mostly within his home state of Colorado and has had several bouts of inactivity.

He will be taking a significant step up in class against Khytrov, after beating Arturo Crespin by seventh-round technical decision in his last fight on November 15, 2014.

“Khytrov is an elite prospect and Louishomme was a great amateur who’s had a strange undefeated career,” DiBella said. ‘

“Louishomme has won three fights in a row on his comeback and, even though his career has been sporadic, he’s always been in the gym sparring with elite U.S. talent like Errol Spence and Marcus Browne. He is the only fighter who sought out this opportunity against Khytrov and I know he is coming to win.”

During the Free Preview Weekend Showtime is available to over 70 million households. For additional details and a full schedule of programming, go to SHO.com/freepreview.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.