Gary Shaw to Promote Rafael Marquez vs. Silence Mabuza

EAST ORANGE, NJ (August 19, 2005) – Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, with a bid of $150,000, won the purse bid for the IBF  bantamweight championship fight between defending champion Rafael  Marquez, from Mexico, and IBO champion/IBF No. 1 contender  and mandatory challenger, Silence Mabuza, from South Africa. Banner Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions bid $50,000 and $30,000 respectively. The fight will be televised live from the Reno Events Center on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing, Saturday, October 1. Promoted by GSP, in associating with Goossen-Tutor Promotions, the telecast will also feature a 12-round heavyweight bout between James Toney and Dominick Guinn.

“I am thrilled to have this all-action world title fight on my show,” said Shaw. “We will see if Marquez can prove he is still the best bantamweight in the world or if Silence is really golden.”

Marquez, 34-3 (30 KOs), has successfully defended his title five times since knocking out previously undefeated  champion Tim Austin in the eighth round, February 23, 2002. Riding a five-year, 13-bout winning streak, Marquez boasts knockout victories over former world champions Mark Johnson and Mauricio Pastrana.

Mabuza, 18-0 (15 KOs), captured the IBO bantamweight title in only his 11th professional bout, knocking out Jose Sanjuanelo, 22-1, in the sixth round of their March 2, 2002 title bout. Mabuza successfully defended his title for a sixth time, winning a 12-round unanimous decision over former WBO champion Cruz Carbajal, which had also been sanctioned by the IBF as a title elimination bout, May 13. This is only the third time Mabuza has fought in the U.S.