Fighters appearing in Friday’s installment of Showtime’s ShoBox: The Next Generation hit the scales on Thursday at Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon, Calif.

For the junior lightweight main event, Art Hovhannisyan (15-0-2, 8 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., and Alejandro Perez (16-3-1, 11 KOs), of Salinas, Calif., both weighed in at 130 pounds.

The two Southern California fighters have been in the ring with each other many times.

“We’ve sparred a lot, we know each other well and we’re friends,” Hovhannisyan said of Perez. “But business is business and once the bell sounds, the fight is on. I know what Alejandro is capable of so there’s no way I underestimate him. He’s going to give it everything he has. So am I. I expect him to come right at me and try and outhustle me

“I want to fight for a world title this year, and it doesn’t matter which champion I fight. Alejandro has fought some good guys like Diego Magdaleno and Rico Ramos, so this fight should show me where I’m at. This is obviously a very important fight for me.

“There’s no way this won’t be an all-action fight. We both come to fight, and there’s a lot on the line,” said Perez. “When we sparred we both got in our fair share of good shots. I feel I know what to expect from Art. Art isn’t just a puncher, he can box. But for sure he comes to fight. My job is to try and stay a couple steps ahead of him. I’ve got some new stuff I’m bringing into this fight so I’m well-prepared.”

In the eight-round co-feature, middleweight Tureano Johnson (13-0, 10 KOs), who represented the Bahamas in the 2008 Olympic Games, faces Willie Fortune (15-0, 7 KOs), of Detroit.

Tureano weighed in at 159; Fortune at 157.

“There’s been only one world champion from the Bahamas, Olisha Obed. I want to be the next.I’m going to be the greatest champion of all time,” said Johnson.

“Sometimes I feel pity for the guys in the ring I hit. But I’m not just a power guy and I hope to show I can be a more complete fighter. I know what I can do, but I want to show the world. I want to be the best.”

Fortune wasn’t impressed. “This guy talks a lot,” he said. “I’m from Detroit, so I just show and take care of business. I let my fists do the talking. The key to this fight, and all fights, is to hit and not be hit, to make him miss and then make him pay for his mistakes.

Photos / Craig Bennet-Showtime