Rising contenders impress in boxing event at Wayne State Fieldhouse

DETROIT – Wayne State University hosted its second professional boxing event for Salita Promotions’ “Big Time Boxing USA” series.

The event on Thursday (March 28) was filled with thrilling matchups throughout.

Detroit’s own Josiah Shackleford (now 2-0, 2KOs) started the night with an untelevised middleweight bout against Kalamazoo’s Antwion McCollough (now 0-4).

In the first round, Shackleford quickly established himself as the superior fighter, landing clean shots and dropping McCollough with a right to the body. McCollough got up before the count but was quickly put on the canvas again with a right hand to the head. The referee stopped the fight at 1:28 of round one.

After the fight, Shackleford said he was pleased with his performance in front of the hometown crowd.

“I feel like it was a good performance,” said Shackleford “I did execute what my coach wanted me to do. I did it good, quick and I stuck to the gameplan. It feels real good. My people came out man. I’m very honored and thankful that they decided to come out, especially on a Thursday.”

The next bout saw IBF No. 2 super middleweight contender Vladimir Shishkin (15-0, 9 KOs) versus formidable challenger Mike Guy (now 12-8-1, 5 KOs) in a 10-round fight. It was the opening fight on DAZN’s broadcast.

Shishkin started the bout patiently, applying strategic pressure and firing shots from long range against the shorter Guy. Shishkin methodically walked Guy down through the first three rounds.

Shishkin picked up the pace in the fourth round, landing harder shots to the head and body. Guy displayed heart by trying to fight back, but the pressure was too much.

Shishkin backed Guy into the ropes in the seventh round with relentless combinations. Guy was taking too much damage and the referee stopped the fight at 2:14 of round seven.

Shishkin’s performance propels him closer to a fight with Canelo Alvarez, the current undisputed super middleweight champion. After the fight, Shishkin sent a message to Alvarez.

“Ginger boy, I’m coming,” said Shishkin.

In an 8-round super middleweight bout, William Townsel (now 7-1, 5 KOs) of Portsmouth, Virginia pulled off the upset against Lebanon’s first professional boxer, by way of Brooklyn, New York Nadim Salloum (now 12-2, 6 KOs).

“Turbo” Townsel got his offense going first by landing clean straight lefts out of the “Philly Shell” stance. Townsel’s confidence only grew as the fight went on, finding success from close and long range.

In the seventh round, Townsel backed Salloum against the ropes with combinations and knocked his mouthpiece out with a vicious straight left. Salloum showed heart by surviving through the eighth round, but the judges scored the bout a unanimous decision victory for Townsel. Two judges scored it 80-72, and one scored it 79-73.

The night of boxing continued with a local favorite from Dearborn, Husam Al Mashhadi (now 9-1, 8KOs), versus Daulis Prescott(now 34-21, 26KOs) in a 6-round super welterweight bout.

In the opening round, Al Mashhadi flashed lightning-quick hand speed. He hurt his opponent with a right hand and dropped him with a barrage of punches. Prescott was badly hurt, and the referee stopped the fight at 1:47 of the first round. The crowd erupted as Al Mashhadi celebrated the win.

After the fight, Al Mashhadi said he was pleased with his performance but that bigger and better fights would be in the future.

“I feel like I was a little patient, and I picked my shots better than all my other fights, and it worked out very well in the end,” said Al Mashhadi. “We’re chasing greatness. More wins more of everything you just seen, times 10.”

In a 10-round co-main event, recent world-title challenger Shohjahon Ergashev (now 24-1, 21 KOs) of Uzbekistan, who now lives in Detroit, made quick work of his opponent, Juan Huertas (17-5-1, 13 KOs) of Panama City, Panama, in the super lightweight division.

Ergashev started the fight by applying pressure as Huertas was on the retreat. He stunned his opponent with an uppercut and then delivered a fight-ending body blow that sent Huertas sprawling to the canvas. The referee stopped the fight exactly two minutes into the first round.

After the IBF world title fight against Subriel Matias in 2023, Ergashev revealed that he had been stabbed in his leg before that fight. It happened in Moscow a few months before the fight. Now that he is fully recovered, he says he is ready for anyone.

“I need one more fight, and then I’m ready for Matias or anyone,” Ergashev said through a translator. “Give me any of the best, and I will show the world that I am the best.”

The night of knockouts continued in the 10-round light heavyweight main event featuring 2016 Colombian Olympian Juan Carrillo versus Virginia’s Quinton Rankin.

Carrillo opened the fight as the aggressor, with Rankin jabbing and circling. Rankin seemed tentative and could not mount much offense against the taller, stronger, and faster Carrillo.

In the third round, Carrillo dropped Rankin with a pair of uppercuts. Rankin stumbled to his feet, but the referee stopped the fight at 27 seconds of round three.

Carrillo’s performance further propelled his rank in the light-heavyweight division and was a thrilling ending to an already action-packed night of boxing.

“It was a great night of boxing in Detroit, showcasing some of boxing’s best talent in the most exciting divisions,” said Dmitriy Salita, head of Salita Promotions. “Shishkin is on the verge of a world title shot, Shohjahon Ergashev put himself back in the title picture, and Carrillo showed he is a force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division.”