Showtime show going strong after 10 years

Ten years ago, Showtime launched a boxing program it hoped would create future stars for the sport.

On Friday, "ShoBox: The New Generation" celebrated its 10th anniversary, as Diego Magdaleno defeated Alejandro Perez at Texas Station to retain his NABF super featherweight title.

Whether Magdaleno joins Nonito Donaire, Kelly Pavlik, Andre Ward, Robert Guerrero, Carl Froch and 38 others who appeared in the series and went on to win world titles remains to be seen. But the show, which has had 157 telecasts with 321 fights in 58 cities, figures to be around for a long time.

"As long as there's boxing, we can sustain what we're doing," said Gordon Hall, the series' executive producer. "We need to develop young fighters and develop them quickly."

Hall said the key to the series sustaining itself over such a long span has been putting talented fighters on display in competitive fights.

"I never cared who won or lost," he said. "I wanted to see competitive fights. To do that, we needed cooperation from the managers and the promoters.

"The beauty of this series is these young fighters are the focal point. Fans get to see them early in their careers as they go from developing into contenders and ultimately into champions."

■ ZAB'S BRITISH BOYCOTT -- With his world junior welterweight showdown against Amir Khan on Saturday at Mandalay Bay, Zab Judah is not granting interviews to the British media.

According to his promoter, Kathy Duva of Main Events, Judah didn't get a piece of the money being generated from the fight in the United Kingdom. Therefore, he didn't feel obligated to talk to the media because he believes he has nothing to gain financially.

"We feel Zab was disrespected in the negotiations," Duva said. "He'll be glad to talk to the British press after the fight."

Said Judah on Friday: "It's a business decision. I'm holding up my end promoting the fight. I talk about the fight every day (on Twitter)."

The 33-year-old Judah, the reigning IBF champion, also refused to speak first during Wednesday's conference call with reporters to promote the fight with Khan, the WBA champion.

"I'm the champion; why do I have to go first?" said Judah, kicking off what was a bizarre teleconference.

■ PREVENTING A FIASCO -- Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer said he did not watch the July 9 fight in Atlantic City between Paul Williams and Erislandy Lara. Williams was awarded a controversial majority decision and New Jersey subsequently suspended the three judges who worked the junior middleweight fight.

But Kizer has followed the situation.

"From what I understand, the judges they used weren't as experienced as others," Kizer said. "I think that could have been a big factor.

"I can't comment on the New Jersey commission. All I can tell you is here in Nevada, the bigger the fight, the more experience I look for when it comes to judges."

Kizer said he can't remember the last time the NAC suspended a judge because of incompetence.

"We usually don't suspend judges," he said. "Suspension is usually used in disciplinary matters. If their work isn't satisfactory, the usual route is to have them take time off, get some additional training. As a last resort, we discontinue using them."

■ DONAIRE'S RETURN -- With his dispute with Top Rank behind him, world bantamweight champion Donaire said he hopes to fight again by October.

"It's time for me to get back to work," said the 28-year-old Donaire, the WBC and WBO champion who last fought Feb. 19, when he scored a second-round knockout of Fernando Montiel at Mandalay Bay to win the belts. "I've been on vacation way too long."

Donaire, who was in Las Vegas on Friday for Judah's media day workout at the Hit Factory Gym, said he could see himself fighting the winner of the Aug. 13 IBF bantamweight title fight between reigning champion Joseph Agbeko and Abner Mares at the Hard Rock Hotel.

"I'd like to add one more belt before I move on to 122 (pounds)," said Donaire (28-1, 18 knockouts).

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.