On April 15, Brooklyn native Shawn Cameron (10-2, 5 KOs) will square off in an eight-round fight against Madiyar Ashkeyev (7-0, 3 KOs), the undefeated junior middleweight prospect from Kazakhstan on the non-televised undercard of the Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series at the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun. The card is presented by Main Events and sponsored by Corona Extra.
Cameron, 34, is a southpaw from Brooklyn, New York who trains with Don Saxby at Gleasons Gym in Brooklyn. Shawn has a steady following of fans from his hometown that support him all over the tristate area. He said, “I make my own posters and people know that I am fighting. My last fight was at the same place, the Mohegan Sun and everyone had to drive up there. As long as I get the information out to these people, they will support me. It’s a mixture of everything: some family, a lot of friends, neighborhood people, people from the gym, and so on. They all come to support me.”
Shawn admits that Ashkeyev is a tough opponent. According to Cameron, “It seems likes he’s been around and he’s a very experienced amateur. He did the World Series of Boxing so those guys have brilliant amateur careers. And, of course, he is from Kazakhstan, and everyone knows that “GGG” is the man from Kazakhstan, so a lot of these guys will try to emulate him or try and be that kind of fighter. I saw some things on YouTube, he seems like a come forward and tough guy, basically try and walk through you, and I’m cool with that.”
With a fan-friendly style that boxing fans appreciate, Cameron expects the fight to be exciting. He added, “Normally I’m the one going after people. As long as I am physically prepared, I’m not too worried. All I’m worried about is fighting my fight. This guy is a tough guy. The goal is to win at the end of the day. I’ve seen people win and they look crazy. It ends up being a fight, fight. And most times with me when you have those kinds of fights; it’s not pretty but it’s exciting!”
Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker is a 10-round light heavyweight bout presented by Main Events and Mohegan Sun as part of the Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. ET. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) with the ten-round middleweight match-up between Vaughn Alexander and Andres Calixto Rey. Tickets, which are priced at $50 and $75, are available now through Ticketmaster, the Mohegan Sun box office or the Main Events’ office. The card is presented by Main Events and sponsored by Corona Extra.
Chordale Booker Makes Canadian Debut On April 20
It’s a sign that the culture of boxing is changing in Ontario when a top-flight American prospect is coming to town.
That’s exactly what’s happening on April 20, as Chordale “The Gift” Booker will make his Canadian debut as part of Lee Baxter Promotions’ “Light ‘Em Up” event at the Danforth Music Hall in downtown Toronto.
Canada has been a haven for European amateur stars like Lucian Bute, Leonard Dorin and Artur Beterbiev, who have become stars in the Great White North. But a former US National champion coming to the country is something of an anomaly.
“We’re proud to be able to bring one of the top prospects in the world to Toronto. When we promise the fans world-class action, we really do mean it,” said Baxter.
Booker was the United States’ top ranked middleweight in 2015, qualifying for the 2016 US Olympic Trials, before opting to turn pro. He’s picked up right where he left off, racking up six wins in a short amount of time, sitting at 6-0 with three knockouts.
Most recently, Booker is coming off an exciting six-round unanimous decision win over Moshea Aleem, which was a part of the Premier Boxing Champions telecast on Bounce TV. Early in his career, he made waves online for his brutal sparring session with former world champion Shawn Porter, and against Aleem, he showed the same grit and savvy infighting skill he showed in the gym.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to fight in front of a new audience, in a new atmosphere and in a great fighting city like Toronto,” said Booker. “I’m willing to go wherever, and take on anyone, as my career begins hitting its stride.”
On April 20, Booker will challenge Humberto Flores of Mexico, an experienced pro who hasn’t been stopped in over four years.“The Gift” hopes to add him to a growing resume, and highlight reel.
Speaking of reels, Booker also recently gained attention as the subject of the documentary film “The Boxer,” directed by Craig Cutler. The film profiled Booker in the latter portion of his amateur career, and discussed his incredible journey from a jail cell to top boxing prospect. The film was awarded Best Short Documentary at the Big Apple Film Festival.
Now, Canadian fans will get the chance to see the remarkable story unfold in person, one hopefully with the fairytale ending it deserves.
“I hope this is the first of many fights I have in Toronto and throughout Canada. I want to put on a show and have fans begging for me to return.”
The night’s action is sponsored by the Bransterdam Cafe and Vapor Lounge in Brantford, ON.
Tickets for the event start at just $45 and are available via Ticketmaster. Doors will open at 6:30 PM ET, with the fight bell at 7:30 PM ET.